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Background: Perioperative factors are useful for predicting postoperative infectious complications (PIC) in gastric cancer. Specifically, postoperative inflammatory response indicators (PIRI), [C-reactive protein (CRP) level, body temperature (BT), and white blood cell (WBC) count], are widely used in clinical practice. We investigated predictive factors for PIC, including PIRI, to establish a simple and practical indicator of postoperative complications after gastrectomy., Methods: We retrospectively collected clinical data from 200 patients with fStage I-III gastric cancer. Univariate/multivariate analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship of predictive factors [host factors, clinicopathological factors, and PIRI (BT, WBC count, and CRP level on postoperative day (POD) 1 and 3) ]. Cut-off values of the predictive factors were analyzed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve modulated by the presence/absence of PIC Grade II, III (Clavien-Dindo classification)., Results: Age [Odds ratio (OR): 5.67], smoking history (OR: 3.51), and CRP level (OR: 5.65), WBC count (OR: 8.96), and BT (OR: 3.37) on POD3 were selected as independent factors from multivariate analysis. Cut-off values were 77 years, 14.8 mg/dL, 116.0×10 2 /μL, and 37.4°C, respectively., Conclusions: Predictive factors relative to PIC in gastric cancer were CRP level ≥ 14.8 mg/dL, WBC count ≥ 116.0×10 2 /μL, and BT ≥ 37.4°C all on POD3. Age ≥ 77 years, and history of smoking were relative to PIC, suggesting a simple and practical indicator applicable in clinical practice.

Background: Alcoholic steatohepatitis and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis-related liver cirrhosis (ASH/NASH-LC) are major causes of esophageal varices (EVs). However, the association between high visceral fat and exacerbation of EVs remains unclear. The aim of this study was to clarify the association of visceral fat and recurrence rate of EVs in ASH/NASH-LC and to identify independent predictors associated with recurrence., Methods: We retrospectively evaluated data from 94 patients who underwent endoscopic injection sclerotherapy for EVs with ASH/NASH-LC. Using the receiver operating characteristic curve for the cut-off value of visceral fat index (VFI; 46.4 cm 2 /m 2 ), we classified patients as having a high VFI (n = 53) or low VFI (n = 41). Propensity score matching was used to align for background factors, and the recurrence rate of EVs was compared between the two groups. Predictors associated with esophageal variceal recurrence were identified by multivariate analysis. The recurrence rate in patients with viral LC was also investigated., Results: In the overall analysis, the recurrence rate was significantly higher in the high VFI group than in the low VFI group (P = 0.023). The recurrence rate was also higher in the high VFI group than in the low VFI group after propensity score matching, in which 19 patients were matched in each group (P = 0.048). VFI and Child-Pugh score were independently associated with recurrence. Recurrence rates were comparable between the two groups in viral LC patients., Conclusions: Worsening of variceal recurrence was observed in high visceral fat patients in ASH/NASH-LC but not in viral LC. Furthermore, high visceral fat was an independent predictor associated with variceal recurrence.

Background: The incidence of alcoholic liver cirrhosis (ALC) is increasing. However, few reports have focused on ALC-derived esophageal varices (EV). We retrospectively examined differences in overall survival (OS) and EV recurrence rate in patients after endoscopic injection sclerotherapy (EIS) for ALC and hepatic B/C virus liver cirrhosis (B/C-LC)., Methods: We analyzed data from 215 patients (B/C-LC, 147; ALC, 68) who underwent EIS. The primary endpoints were OS and EV recurrence in patients with unsuccessful abstinence ALC and those with uncontrolled B/C-LC, before and after propensity score matching (PSM) to unify the patients' background. The secondary endpoints were predictors associated with these factors, as determined by multivariate analysis., Results: The observation period was 1,430 ± 1,363 days. In the analysis of all patients, OS was significantly higher in the ALC group than in the B/C-LC group (p = 0.039); however, there was no difference in EV recurrence rate (p = 0.502). Ascites and history of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (p = 0.019 and p < 0.001, respectively) predicted OS, whereas age and EV size predicted recurrence (p = 0.011 and 0.024, respectively). In total, 96 patients without an HCC history were matched by PSM, and there was no significant difference in OS or EV recurrence rate (p = 0.508 and 0.246, respectively)., Conclusion: When limited to patients without a history of HCC, OS and the EV recurrence rate were comparable in patients with ALC who continued to consume alcohol and those with B/C-LC without viral control.

Background: Totally extraperitoneal (TEP) repair is a recommended procedure for inguinal hernia repair in European hernia guidelines. However, technical challenges have limited its uptake in Japan, where transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) repair is more common. We evaluated the association of preoperative subcutaneous fat area (preSFA) with surgical outcomes and identified factors associated with the difficulty of TEP repair., Methods: Clinical data from 62 patients undergoing TEP repair were collected retrospectively. Using the median for the preoperative subcutaneous fat index (preSFI; 45.9 cm 2 /m 2 ), we classified patients as having a high SFI (HSFI) (n=31) and low SFI (LSFI) (n=31). Surgical outcomes and perioperative complications were then compared between these groups. Additionally, TEP repair was divided into five phases (e.g., Phase 1: dissection of the caudal side of the preperitoneal space), and operative time was measured during each phase. Phase 1 was divided into two sub-phases (1A: insertion of the first port, 1B: reaching Cooper's ligament)., Results: Operative time was longer (133 min vs 111 min, P = 0.028) and the peritoneal injury rate was higher (35.5% vs 9.7%, P = 0.015) for the HSFI patients. Furthermore, operative time for HSFI patients was significantly longer during Phase 1 (P = 0.014) and Phase 1A (P = 0.022)., Conclusions: preSFA was associated with a higher peritoneal injury rate and longer operative time in HSFI patients, suggesting that the presence of abundant subcutaneous fat increases the difficulty of TEP repair.

Diagnosis and treatment of superficial laryngopharyngeal cancers has recently received considerable attention. Here, we present a case of superficial hypopharyngeal cancer and superficial esophageal cancer treated with simultaneous endoscopic laryngopharyngeal surgery (ELPS) and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). The patient was a 67-year-old man. During his follow-up for distal gastrectomy-performed earlier for stomach cancer-upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed three primary cancers: a superficial hypopharyngeal cancer, superficial esophageal cancer, and esophagogastric junction cancer. After total resection of the remnant stomach, combined hypopharyngeal ELPS with esophageal ESD was performed. He developed aspiration pneumonia after surgery but recovered and was discharged on the 16th day. Thus, safe and effective endoscopic therapy can be performed even for double superficial cancers of the laryngopharynx and esophagus.

Objective: We evaluated the preoperative patient status including nutrition, immunity, and inflammation as a predictive factor of remote infection (RI) in colorectal cancer surgery., Subjects and Methods: A total of 351 patients who underwent colorectal cancer resection were retrospectively analyzed. Factors correlated with RI incidence were identified by logistic analysis and stepwise selection., Results: RI occurred in 27 patients, with an incidence of 7.7%. In univariate logistic analysis, a significantly high incidence of RI was associated with excessive blood loss (>423 mL), long duration of surgery (>279 minutes), ileus, pulmonary dysfunction, performance status (PS) ≥1, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification>2, prognostic nutritional index (PNI) ≤40, and controlling nutritional status (CONUT) ≥2, modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) (Score 2).In multivariate analysis, pulmonary dysfunction (odds ratio=2.83; 95% CI: 1.14-6.97; p=0.02) and PNI≤40 (odds ratio=3.87; 95% CI: 1.45-10.31; p=0.006) were independent risk factors of RI incidence., Conclusion: RI is caused by poor nutrition, immune system dysfunction and pulmonary dysfunction.

Incisional surgical site infection (SSI) is a leading complication of stoma reversal procedures. This retrospective study was conducted to assess the incidence of incisional SSI and other wound complications when wound closure was achieved by subcuticular suturing and closed suction drainage following stoma reversal. We analyzed data from a total of 49 patients, all of whom had undergone insertion of a 10 Fr closed suction drainage tube in the fascia, following irrigation with approximately 300 mL of physiological saline. We then performed subcuticular suturing with 4-0 monofilament absorbable sutures. The median age of our patient population (34 men and 15 women) was 68 (range, 35-84) years. Six patients had an end stoma and 43 had a loop stoma. The wound category was 'contaminated' in 18 patients, while an incisional SSI was observed in one patient (2.0%). No wound disruptions, seromas, or drain infections were evident. Our data are reliable, but our study is limited in terms of general applicability; however, the low SSI rate indicates that the procedure is acceptable. Further research into this procedure will require a randomized trial design.

Postoperative chylothorax after surgery for esophageal cancer is a rare but serious complication. Treatment initially consists of conservative therapy and, if it fails to provide improvement, it is important to perform surgical treatment without delay. We report on a recent case of intractable chylothorax. This report describes a 72-year-old man with Stage III esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Subtotal esophagectomy, through a right thoracoabdominal approach with two-field lymphadenectomy, and cervical esophagogastric anastomosis via the retrosternal route, were performed. On the 12th postoperative day, a diagnosis of chylothorax was made. Conservative treatment was initiated, but it proved to be ineffective. Therefore, ligation of the thoracic duct via a thoracotomy was performed, but this was not effective, either. Lymphangiography undertaken to identify the site of the leak in the thoracic duct enabled a diagnosis of an extremely rare double thoracic duct and identification of the site of the leak in the thoracic duct, thereby allowing curative direct ligation of the site. This case underscores the remarkable usefulness of lymphangiography in dealing with intractable postoperative chylothorax.

Objective: The modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) is an inflammation-based measure of malnutrition that reflects a state of cachexia in cancer patients. We evaluated mGPS as an index to predict surgical site infection (SSI) incidence in patients undergoing colorectal cancer surgery., Subjects and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 351 patients who underwent colon cancer resection. Factors correlated with the incidence of SSIs were identified by logistic analysis and stepwise selection., Results: SSIs were observed in 32 patients, with an incidence of 9.1%. Univariate logistic analysis revealed mGPS (Score 2), laparotomy, resection of other organs, colostomy, excessive blood loss (>423 mL), long duration of surgery (>279 minutes), pulmonary dysfunction, prognostic nutritional index (PNI) ≤40, neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR)(>4), and controlling nutritional status (CONUT) ≥2 to be associated with an increased incidence of SSIs. Multivariate analysis with variables selected by the stepwise procedure also revealed mGPS (Score 2) (Odds ratio (OR) =3.55, 95% Confidence interval (CI) 1.30-9.56; p=0.01), colostomy (OR=6.56, 95%CI 1.60-31.38; p=0.01), excessive blood loss (OR=3.20, 95%CI 1.23-8.42; p=0.02), and NLR (>4)(OR=3.24, 95%CI 1.31-8.17; p=0.01) to be independent risk factors., Conclusion: mGPS is an independent risk factor for SSIs. Our results suggest that cachexia before surgery in patients with colorectal cancer might predict the incidence of SSIs.

Background: In decompensated liver cirrhosis, hypoalbuminemia still persists even after they have been treated with branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) granules. We prospectively evaluated whether BCAA enriched nutrient switched from BCAA granules would increase the serum albumin level, and consequently extend the survival time after hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment., Methods: This study included 77 patients treated for liver cirrhosis with HCC. After the nutritional assessment, all patients initially received BCAA granules. In patients with unchanged or decreased serum albumin levels, BCAA granules were discontinued and BCAA enriched nutrient was started. Transcatheter arterial chemembolization (TACE) for HCC were performed in those with an improved Child-Pugh score., Results: TACE were performed following the aggressive intervention with BCAA nutritional education in 54 of 77 (70.1%) patients. Finally, survival time was significantly extended in the TACE group (P<0.0001)., Conclusion: Timely aggressive nutritional intervention in Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage B HCC, namely, early partial replacement with BCAA enriched nutrient may consequently improve the treatment outcome of HCC.