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OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether pathologic complete response (pCR) exclusively defines major pathologic response to treatment with improved survival. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: pCR following trimodality therapy for esophagogastric adenocarcinoma is infrequent but associated with improved prognosis. Yet most clinical trials and correlative studies designate pCR as the primary endpoint. METHODS: We analyzed our prospectively maintained database for patients who underwent trimodality therapy for locally advanced esophageal adenocarcinoma between 1995 and 2017. Overall survival (OS) was examined by percentage treatment response (TR) in the primary tumor bed and pathologic nodal stage (ypN0) using Kaplan-Meier plots. Optimal thresholds of TR for differentiating patients in terms of OS were investigated with descriptive plots using restricted cubic spline functions; associations were quantified using Cox multivariable analysis. RESULTS: Among 788 patients, median follow-up was 37.5 months (range, 0.4–210.6); median OS was 48.3 months (95% CI, 42.2–58.8). Absence of residual nodal disease was independently associated with improved survival (P

Background This study evaluates the safety and feasibility of combined resection for patients with synchronous pulmonary and esophageal cancer. Methods Patients undergoing esophagectomy between 1997 and 2019 were identified from prospectively collected databases at three tertiary referral centers, and those with combined anatomic lung resection at the same setting were identified. This cohort was then matched in a 1:3 ratio to esophagectomy alone cases, based on age, sex, pathologic stage, neoadjuvant therapy, and surgical procedure. Demographic data, peri-operative data, post-operative complications were compared. Statistical analysis included unpaired t-test, Fisher’s exact or chi-squared test and Gehan-Breslow analysis. Results Of 4729 esophagectomies, combined anatomic lung resection was performed in 18 patients with discrete pulmonary lesions. Matching yielded 49 patients who underwent esophagectomy only and was statistically similar compared to patients undergoing combined resections. Ivor Lewis esophagectomy and lobectomy were the most frequent procedures. Combined resections did not have a higher overall complication rate than esophagectomy alone, rather these patients had fewer overall complications (56% vs 84%; p=0.02). Specifically, there was not difference in anastomotic leak (17% vs. 18%) or pulmonary complications (39% vs. 33%) between combined resection and esophagectomy alone. No post-operative mortality was identified, and median overall survival was 4.1 years versus 6.5 years (p=0.10). Conclusions Patients with synchronous localized lung and esophageal cancer, although rare, should not be biased towards non-surgical therapy, as the morbidity associated with combined esophagectomy and anatomic lung resection does not differ significantly from esophagectomy alone in this highly selected group of patients.

BACKGROUND: More than half of patients treated with esophagectomy for esophageal cancer experience recurrence. Oligometastasis, a proposed intermediate state of isolated local or solid-organ recurrence that occurs before widespread systemic disease, is a potential target for aggressive local intervention. We investigated presentation and prognosis between solid-organ recurrence sites. METHODS: Patients with isolated solid-organ recurrence at the liver, lung, or brain who underwent R0 esophagectomy from 1995 to 2016 were identified. Clinicopathologic characteristics and outcomes were compared between sites of recurrence. Overall survival was quantified using the Kaplan-Meier approach and Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: In total, 104 patients were included (site: brain, 37; lung, 27; liver, 40). Eighty percent of liver, 51% of brain, and 44% of lung oligometastases occurred in the first 12 months after esophagectomy. Despite the limited use of aggressive therapy, patients with lung oligometastasis had significantly longer median overall survival (2.41 years; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.58–3.31) than patients with brain (0.95 years; 95% CI, 0.62–1.49) or liver (0.95 years; 95% CI, 0.82–1.41) oligometastasis (p

As endoscopic approaches become more widely used to treat early-stage esophageal cancer, reliably identifying patients with less-aggressive tumors is paramount. We sought to identify risk factors for recurrence in patients with completely resected T1 esophageal adenocarcinoma.We retrospectively analyzed a single-institutional database for all patients with completely resected pathologic T1 esophageal adenocarcinoma (1996-2016). Risk factors for recurrence were identified using competing-risk regression methods. Risk stratification was performed on the basis of known preoperative clinicopathologic factors; this model's discriminative power for overall survival was evaluated using a Cox proportional hazards model.Of 243 patients, 32 experienced recurrence. At a median follow-up among survivors of 4 years (range, 0.05-19 years), the 5-year cumulative incidence of recurrence was 15%, and median time to recurrence was 2 years (range, 0.26-6.13 years). On univariable analysis, submucosal invasion, N1 disease, poor differentiation, tumor length, lymphovascular invasion, and multicentricity were significantly associated with recurrence. On multivariable analysis, N1 disease (hazard ratio, 2.93; 95% confidence interval, 1.17-7.34; P = .022) and tumor length (hazard ratio, 1.44; 95% confidence interval, 1.12-1.86; P = .004) were independently associated with recurrence. Risk stratification showed that patients without lymphovascular invasion and a with median tumor length of 0.8 cm (range, 0.10-1.70 cm) had a10% risk of recurrence and improved survival.Pathologic T1 tumors have a 5-year cumulative incidence of recurrence of 15%. Nodal involvement and tumor length were independent risk factors for recurrence, whereas tumors2 cm in length without lymphovascular invasion were associated with a low risk of recurrence.

Background Racial disparities in New York City (NYC) breast cancer incidence and mortality rates have previously been demonstrated. Disease stage at diagnosis and mortality‐to‐incidence ratio (MIR) may present better measures of differences in screening and treatment access. Racial/ethnic trends in NYC MIR have not previously been assessed. Methods Mammogram rates were compared using the NYC Community Health Survey, 2002‐2014. Breast cancer diagnosis, stage, and mortality were from the New York State Cancer Registry, 2000‐2016. Primary outcomes were MIR, the ratio of age‐adjusted mortality to incidence rates, and stage at diagnosis. Joinpoint regression analysis identified significant trends. Results Mammogram rates in 2002‐2014 among Black and Latina women ages 40 and older (79.9% and 78.4%, respectively) were stable and higher than among White (73.6%) and Asian/Pacific‐Islander women (70.4%) (P, Lower incidence of local stage breast cancer at diagnosis and slower decrease in mortality rates among Black and Latina women in NYC as compared to White women raises great concern about unequal access to quality care including quality screening and improvements in therapy. These differences were especially prominent among Black women, who merit additional public health focus.

The incidence of esophagogastric junction (EGJ) adenocarcinoma is increasing worldwide. Management of these tumors remains controversial given their unique location between the esophagus and the stomach. Debate surrounding the optimal therapy for EGJ adenocarcinoma has often centered around the tumor origin as defined by the Siewert classification system. However, the optimal surgical management should focus on adhering to important surgical principles that will allow for the best outcomes and prognosis regardless of tumor location including resection with appropriate and negative histological margins, adequate lymphadenectomy, minimization of morbidity and mortality, and preservation of quality‐of‐life. In this article, we provide a discussion of the controversy surrounding EGJ adenocarcinoma within the framework of these concepts.

OBJECTIVE To improve understanding of sex differences in clinicopathologic characteristics, treatment and outcomes between male and female patients undergoing esophagectomy for esophageal cancer. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA Esophageal cancer is a male predominant disease, and sex has not been considered in previous studies as an important factor in diagnosis or management. Sex differences in demographics, clinicopathologic characteristics, and postoperative outcomes remain largely undefined. METHODS Retrospective review of 1958 patients (21% female) with esophageal cancer who underwent esophagectomy at a single institution between 1995 and 2017. RESULTS Most patients had adenocarcinoma (83%); however, the rate of squamous cell carcinoma was significantly higher in females (35% vs 11%, respectively; P

Background Induction therapy has not been proven to be beneficial for patients with clinical T2N0 esophageal adenocarcinoma. Surgery alone is associated with disappointing survival for patients found to have nodal disease on final pathologic examination. The aim of this study was to identify factors that predict pathologic nodal involvement in patients with endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)–proven T2N0 esophageal adenocarcinoma. Methods We retrospectively reviewed patients with EUS-staged T2N0 (uT2N0) esophageal adenocarcinoma treated with surgery alone. Final pathologic staging was compared with clinical staging. Demographic and clinicopathologic variables were evaluated as putative risk factors for nodal metastases. Logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with nodal involvement. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to compare overall and recurrence-free survival between patients with (N+) and without (N−) nodal disease. Results We identified 80 patients with uT2N0 esophageal adenocarcinoma treated with surgery alone. Clinical staging with EUS was inaccurate for 73 patients (91%). Twenty-eight patients (35%) had pathologic N+ disease at resection. Five-year overall survival was 67% for N− patients and 41% for N+ patients ( p = 0.006). Recurrence-free survival was 65% for N− patients and 32% for N+ patients ( p = 0.0043). Univariable analysis identified vascular invasion and neural invasion as risk factors for nodal metastasis. Multivariable analysis identified vascular invasion as an independent predictor of pathologic nodal involvement. Conclusions EUS is inaccurate for staging of T2N0 esophageal adenocarcinoma and often fails to identify nodal involvement. Identification of vascular invasion on preoperative biopsy should be explored as a prognostic marker to select patients for induction therapy.

BACKGROUNDS AND AIMS: As treatment for esophageal cancer often involves a multidisciplinary approach, the initial endoscopic report is essential for communication between providers. Several guidelines have been established to standardize endoscopic reporting. This study evaluates the compliance of esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) reporting with the current national guidelines. METHODS: Combining the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and Society of Thoracic Surgeons guidelines, 11 quality indicators (QIs) for EGD and 8 for EUS were identified. We evaluated initial EGD and EUS reports from our institution (Memorial Sloan Kettering [MSK]) and outside hospitals (OSHs) and calculated individual and overall quality measure scores. Scores between locations were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and McNemar’s test for paired data. RESULTS: In total, 115 initial EGD reports and 105 EUS reports were reviewed for patients who underwent surgery for esophageal cancer between 2014 and 2016. The median number of QIs reported for the initial EGD was 4 (IQR, 3–6)—only 34% of reports qualified as “good quality” (those with ≥ 6 QIs). None of the reports included all QIs. For patients who underwent EGD at both MSK and an OSH, 32% of reports from OSHs were good quality, compared with 68% from MSK (p < 0.001). Compliance with QIs was better for EUS reports: 71% of OSH reports and 72% of MSK reports were good quality. CONCLUSIONS: Detailed information on the initial endoscopic assessment is essential in today’s age of multidisciplinary care. Identification and adoption of QIs for endoscopic reporting is warranted to ensure the provision of appropriate treatment.

Although opioids are frequently prescribed in the postoperative setting, the call for increased opioid stewardship among surgeons has only recently become more urgent. Recent studies have shown that opioids are overprescribed postoperatively (1,2). Given that the risk of chronic opioid use and consequently, misuse and abuse, has been demonstrated to increase with longer duration and higher dosage prescriptions, it is time for surgeons to have a proactive role in mitigating the opioid crisis (3,4). Most of the current literature to date on postoperative opioid prescribing has focused on general, gynecologic, and orthopedic surgery (1-3,5,6). Opioid prescribing patterns and implications for thoracic surgery remain mostly undefined.

Node dissection during esophagectomy is an important aspect of esophageal cancer staging. Controversy remains as to how many nodes need to be resected in order to properly stage a patient and whether the removal of more nodes carries a stage-independent survival benefit. A review of the literature performed by a group of experts in the subject may help define a minimum accepted number of lymph nodes to be resected in both primary surgery and post-induction therapy scenarios. The existing evidence generally supports the goal of obtaining a minimum of 15 lymph nodes for pathological examination in both primary surgery and post-induction therapy scenarios.

There are limited data regarding optimal surveillance after curative resection for esophageal cancer. Once disease recurrence is diagnosed, the prognosis is poor. The purpose of this article was to characterize disease recurrence in patients with early esophageal adenocarcinoma.Two hundred sixty patients were identified from a prospective institutional database with pathologic T1 and T2 node-negative disease therapy treated with curative esophagectomy alone for esophageal adenocarcinoma between 1995 and 2017. Competing risk analysis was used to analyze factors associated with recurrence.The 5-year cumulative incidence of recurrence was 12%. Predictive factors for increased risk of recurrence included increasing tumor size, poor differentiation, and pathologic T2 disease (P.05), whereas presence of Barrett's esophagus on pathology was protective. Recurrence within 2 years was 2.5%, 6.1%, and 12% for T1a, T1b, and T2 disease, respectively. At 5 years cumulative incidence of recurrence was 8.2%, 11.5% and 22.2%, respectively. Median overall survival after recurrence was 1.04 years (95% confidence interval, 0.7-2.4). There were 14 subclinical and 13 symptomatic recurrences; patients with symptomatic recurrence had a significantly shorter overall survival after recurrence occurred (0.31 vs 0.71 years, P = .018).Among early node-negative patients with esophageal cancer undergoing curative resection, 5-year recurrence was 12%. Survival after recurrence was poor, and only a few patients had isolated locoregional recurrence at time of diagnosis, suggesting that scheduled surveillance may have an important role.

Highlights • Foreign body ingestion is a rare cause of appendicitis. • Heavy, rigid, long, or sharp objects are more likely to lodge within the appendix. • Laparoscopic appendectomy should be performed for foreign body appendicitis to ameliorate the risk of complications., Introduction Foreign body ingestion is an uncommon clinical problem in healthy adults. Furthermore, it is even less common for an ingested foreign body to cause any obstructive symptoms within the gastrointestinal tract. Presentation of case Here, we describe an unusual case of acute appendicitis induced by a tongue piercing that was ingested by a 32-year-old woman with a recent history of endotracheal intubation. Abdominal X-ray revealed metallic foreign bodies in the right lower quadrant. The foreign bodies remained in place on serial X-rays despite bowel preparation and they were not visualized on colonoscopy. Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen and pelvis confirms the location of the foreign body within the appendix. Laparoscopic appendectomy was performed without complications and the tongue piercing was recovered within the lumen of the resected appendix. Discussion Foreign body ingestion is a rare cause of appendicitis. Most ingested foreign bodies spontaneously pass through the gastrointestinal tract within a week. However, in rare instances, the foreign body becomes lodged in the appendix, often resulting in appendicitis. Conclusion In patients with appendicitis secondary to foreign body ingestion, we suggest surgical management to reduce the risk of peritonitis, perforation, and abscess formation.

Background COVID-19 patients requiring mechanical ventilation may develop significant pneumomediastinum and sub-cutaneous emphysema without associated pneumothorax (SWAP). Prophylactic chest tube placement or sub-fascial "blowholes" are usually recommended to prevent tension pneumothorax and clinical decline. Risk of iatrogenic lung injury and release of virus into the environment is high. Incidence and conservative management data of such barotraumatic complications during the COVID-19 pandemic are lacking. Methods All patients with mediastinal air and SWAP evaluated by the department of Thoracic Surgery at the Mount Sinai Hospital between March 30 and April 10, 2020 were identified. All patients without pneumothorax were treated conservatively with daily chest x-ray and observation. Three patients had prophylactic chest tube placement prior to the study period without thoracic surgery consultation. Results There were 29 cases of mediastinal air with SWAP out of 171 COVID positive intubated patients (17.0%) who were treated conservatively. Patients were intubated for an average of 2.4 days before SWAP was identified. 12 patients (41%) had improvement or resolution without intervention. Two patients progressed to pneumothorax 3 and 8 days following initial presentation. Both had chest tubes placed without incident before there were any changes in oxygenation, hemodynamics, supportive medications, or ventilator settings. There were 3 patients who had percutaneous tubes placed before the study period all of whom had significant worsening of their sub-cutaneous air and air leak. Conclusions Conservative management of massive sub-cutaneous emphysema without pneumothorax in COVID-19 patients is safe and limits viral exposure to healthcare workers. Placement of chest tubes is discouraged unless a definite sizable pneumothorax develops.

341 Background: Resection is the best treatment for both esophagus and lung cancer, however, concerns that a combined resection of synchronous lung/esophagus tumors might be associated with higher morbidity may preclude surgical therapy. We sought to review a multi-institutional experience on combined esophagus/lung cancer resections. Methods: Patients undergoing esophagectomy and those with concurrent anatomic resection for bronchogenic carcinoma between 1997-2018 at three high-volume North American centers were identified from prospectively collected databases. Combined resection cases (E+L) were matched in a 1:3 ratio to patients who underwent esophagectomy alone (E), based on age, sex, stage, neoadjuvant therapy, procedure (2/3hole), and approach (MIE/open). Patient demographics, tumour characteristics, and post-operative outcomes were compared. Statistical analysis was performed using unpaired t-test or Wilcoxon sum-rank test for continuous variables and Fisher’s exact test for categorical data. Statistical significance was defined as p < 0.05. Results: Of over 2500 patients undergoing esophagectomy, synchronous anatomic lung resection was performed in 20; 4 were excluded due to incomplete data (n = 16). Matching yielded 48 patients and 4 duplicates were removed (n = 44); there were no significant differences in patient demographics, neoadjuvant therapy, clinical stage, or procedure. Anatomic resection consisted of lobectomy (16/20), segmentectomy (3/20) and pneumonectomy (1/20), combined with 2-hole (14/20), 3-hole (4/20), or left thoraco-abdominal (2/20) esophagectomy. The proportion of patients with any complication in E+L was 50%, and 66% in E (p = 0.42). Pulmonary complications were 19% and 27% in the respective groups (p = 0.74). Mortality did not differ (E+L = 0/16:E = 1/44)NS. The median length of stay for both groups was similar (E+L = 10.5 days(IQR 5.7): E = 10.0 days (IQR 8.7))NS. Conclusions: Patients with synchronous localized lung and esophageal cancer, although rare, should not be biased towards non-surgery therapy, as the morbidity associated with combined esophagectomy and anatomic lung resection does not differ significantly from esophagectomy alone.

The 2011 National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines first incorporated the results of the landmark CROSS trial, establishing induction therapy (chemotherapy ± radiation) and surgery as the treatment standard for locoregional esophageal cancer in the United States. The effect of guideline publication on socioeconomic status (SES) inequalities in cancer treatment selection remains unknown. Patients diagnosed with Stage II/III esophageal cancer between 2004 and 2013 who underwent curative treatment with definitive chemoradiation or multimodality treatment (induction and surgery) were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER)-Medicare registry. Clinicopathologic characteristics were compared between the two therapies. Multivariable regression analysis was used to adjust for known factors associated with treatment selection. An interaction term with respect to guideline publication and SES was included Of the 2,148 patients included, 1,478 (68.8%) received definitive chemoradiation and 670 (31.2%) induction and surgery. Guideline publication was associated with a 16.1% increase in patients receiving induction and surgery in the low SES group (21.4% preguideline publication vs. 37.5% after). In comparison, a 4.5% increase occurred during the same period in the high SES status group (31.8% vs. 36.3%). After adjusting for factors associated with treatment selection, guideline publication was associated with a 78% increase in likelihood of receiving induction and surgery among lower SES patients (odds ratio 1.78; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.05,3.03). Following the new guideline publication, patients living in low SES areas were more likely to receive optimal treatment. Increased dissemination of guidelines may lead to increased adherence to evidence-based treatment standards.

Background Recurrence of esophageal cancer in the brain is rare but associated with a poor prognosis. Identification of risk factors for isolated brain metastasis of esophageal cancer (iBMEC) after surgical treatment may guide surveillance recommendations to enable early identification and intervention before widespread metastasis. Methods Patients with iBMEC (n = 38) were identified from a prospective database of patients with esophageal cancer who underwent esophagectomy. Risk factors for iBMEC were identified using competing risk regression analysis. Results In a cohort of 1760 patients, 39% recurred and iBMEC developed in 2% by the end of the study. Survival in patients with iBMEC was similar to survival in patients with distant recurrence (median overall survival, 0.95 years; 95% confidence interval, 0.6-1.5 years). More than half of patients with iBMEC were diagnosed within 1 year postoperatively. All 38 patients with iBMEC had received neoadjuvant therapy before surgery. Pathologic complete response (PCR) to neoadjuvant therapy was associated with improved survival after brain recurrence (median overall survival, 1.56 vs 0.66 years; P = .019). Conclusions In patients with PCR, iBMEC may represent true isolated recurrence, whereas in those with residual nodal disease, iBMEC may actually be the first observed site of widespread metastasis. Patients who receive neoadjuvant therapy, especially with PCR, may benefit from brain imaging, both preoperatively and with routine surveillance.

Background Esophageal cancer is considered a disease of the elderly. Although the incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma in young patients is increasing, current guidelines for endoscopic evaluation of gastroesophageal reflux disease and Barrett's esophagus include age as a cutoff. There is a paucity of data on the presentation and treatment of esophageal cancer in young patients. Most studies are limited by small sample sizes, and conflicting findings are reported regarding delayed diagnosis and survival compared with older patients. Methods A retrospective cohort study was performed using the National Cancer Database between 2004 and 2015. Patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma were divided into quartiles by age (18-57, 58-65, 66-74, 75+ years) for comparison. Clinicopathologic and treatment factors were compared between groups. Results A total of 101,596 patients were identified with esophageal cancer. The youngest patient group (18-57 years) had the highest rate of metastatic disease (34%). No difference in tumor differentiation was observed between age groups. Younger patient groups were more likely to undergo treatment despite advanced stage at diagnosis. Overall 5-year survival was better for younger patients with local disease, but the difference was less pronounced in locoregional and metastatic cases. Conclusions In this study, young patients were more likely to have metastatic disease at diagnosis. Advanced stage in young patients may reflect the need for more aggressive clinical evaluation in high-risk young patients.

OBJECTIVE: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC-R) is a rarely encountered sequela of chest radiation. Treatment is limited by toxicity with reirradiation and complex surgical dissection in a previously radiated field. The clinical presentation, prognosis and treatment selection of ESCC-R remains undefined. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma at a single institution between 2000 to 2017 to identify patients with previous radiation therapy (≥ 5 years delay). Clinicopathologic characteristics, treatment and outcomes of ESCC-R (n=69) patients were compared to patients with primary esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) (n=827). Overall survival (OS) and cumulative incidence of recurrence (CIR) were compared using log rank and Gray’s tests, respectively. RESULTS: Median time from radiation to ESCC-R was 18.2 years. The majority of ESCC-R patients was female, and presented with earlier disease and decreased behavioral risk factors. ESCC-R treated with surgery alone had worse OS than ESCC (5-year 15% vs 33, p=0.045). Patients with ESCC-R that received neoadjuvant treatment had higher risk of postoperative in-house mortality (16.7% vs 4.2, p=0.032). Patients with ESCC-R treated with surgery alone and definitive chemoradiation had higher recurrence risk than neoadjuvant+surgery (5-year recurrence 55% and 45 vs 15%, p=0.101). CONCLUSION: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy or chemoradiation should be used whenever possible for ESCC-R as it is associated with lower risk of recurrence. The improved survival benefits of aggressive treatment must be weighed against the higher associated postoperative risks.

Neoadjuvant therapy has been demonstrated to improve overall (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in patients undergoing surgical resection for locally advanced esophageal cancer. Restaging after treatment has an important role in therapeutic decision-making and determining patient prognosis. Available methodologies most often utilize a combination of endoscopy and imaging in characterization of treatment response. While endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is routinely used in initial staging, resultant inflammation and fibrosis after treatment challenges the utility of this modality in restaging. Endoscopic biopsy similarly has a limited benefit in the assessment of treatment response. Change in metabolic response on 18-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG- PET/CT) on pre- and post-treatment imaging has been demonstrated may help predict tumor regression, and consequently, patient survival. Adoption of an approach utilizing FDG-PET response to adjust neoadjuvant chemotherapy has been observed to result in an increase in the rate of pathologic complete response (pCR) and progression-free survival. Current diagnostic tools enable differentiation between responders versus nonresponders to neoadjuvant therapy; however, they remain limited in their ability to identify therapeutic response.

Background Multivisceral resection is often required in the treatment of locally advanced rectal cancers. Such resections are relatively rare and oncologic outcomes, especially when sphincter preservation is performed, are not fully demonstrated. Methods A retrospective review was conducted of patients who underwent multivisceral resection for locally advanced rectal cancer with and without sphincter preservation. Results Sixty-one patients underwent multivisceral resection for rectal cancer from 2005 to 2013 with a median follow-up of 27.8 months. Five-year overall and disease-free survival were 49.2% and 45.3%, respectively. Thirty-four patients (55.7%) had sphincter-sparing operations with primary coloanal anastomosis and temporary stoma. There was no significant difference in overall or disease-free survival, or recurrence with sphincter preservation compared with those with permanent stoma. Conclusions Multivisceral resection for locally advanced rectal cancer has acceptable oncologic and clinical outcomes. Sphincter preservation and subsequent reestablishment of gastrointestinal continuity does not impact oncologic outcomes and should be considered in many patients.

Despite laparoscopy and enhanced recovery pathways, some patients do not attain early discharge. Frailty is generally accepted as a marker of increased risk, complications, and mortality. Frailty may have the potential to identify patient outcomes.The aim of this study was to evaluate frailty as a predictor of patients who might fail early discharge.This study was conducted at a tertiary referral center.This was a case-matched study.Elective abdominal laparoscopic colorectal cases from 2009 to 2012 were selected.Review of a prospective database matched all cases with a postoperative day of discharge of ≤3 days to a3 day of discharge cohort. All patients followed a standardized enhanced recovery pathway.Categorical and ordinal variables were analyzed with the Student t test or Fisher exact test, and correspondence analysis evaluated the relationship between length of stay and the Modified Frailty Index.The primary outcome measure was the relationship between length of stay and the Modified Frailty Index.There were 464 ≤3 day and 3883 day patients. The groups were similar in demographics and comorbidities. There were significant differences in the Modified Frailty Index (p0.01), operative time (p0.01), postoperative complications (p0.01), 30-day readmissions (p = 0.03), and 30-day reoperation rate (p0.01). Significantly more patients were discharged home in the ≤3 day cohort. Correspondence analysis demonstrated a higher Modified Frailty Index was indicative of longer length of stay. A Modified Frailty Index of 0 was strongly related to a length of stay 0 to 3 days, and a Modified Frailty Index of 2 was strongly related to a 8- to 14-day stay.This was a single-center study performed on a retrospective data set.Patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery with a higher Modified Frailty Index were more likely not to attain early discharge. Despite similar demographics, the Modified Frailty Index could discriminate between patient outcomes, and correlated with longer operating times, length of stay, and readmissions. By using a prospective score to identify patients at risk for not achieving early discharge preoperatively, resources and postoperative support can be better allocated.

Objectives A pathologic complete response in patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer after chemoradiotherapy and surgery is associated with improved overall and disease-free survival. Nevertheless, approximately one third of patients with a pathologic complete response still have a recurrence. The aim of this study was to evaluate risk factors and patterns of recurrence in patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer who achieved a pathologic complete response after chemoradiotherapy and surgery. Methods We performed a retrospective review of a single-institution database of 233 patients with stage II and III esophageal cancer with a pathologic complete response after chemoradiotherapy and surgery between 1997 and 2017. A multivariable competing risk-regression model was used to identify predictors of recurrence. Results A total of 61 patients exhibited recurrence in this cohort, 43 with adenocarcinoma and 18 with squamous cell carcinoma. Five-year cumulative incidence of recurrence did not vary by histology. Univariable analysis revealed that poor tumor differentiation (hazard ratio, 2.28; P = .022) and advanced clinical stage (hazard ratio, 1.89; P = .042) are predictors of recurrence in the esophageal adenocarcinoma subgroup, whereas poor tumor differentiation remained the only independent predictor on multivariable analysis in the entire cohort (hazard ratio, 2.28; P = .009). Patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma had a higher incidence of distant recurrences, and patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma demonstrated a higher incidence of loco-regional recurrence (P = .039). Conclusions Poor tumor differentiation is an independent risk factor for recurrence in patients with esophageal cancer with a pathologic complete response. Although there is no difference in the cumulative incidence of recurrence between esophageal adenocarcinoma and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, patterns of recurrence appear to differ. Thus, treatment and surveillance strategies may be tailored appropriately.

Laparoscopic colorectal procedures require specimen extraction. It is unclear whether extraction site affects the incidence of incisional hernia (IH).Patients undergoing laparoscopic colectomy over a 6-year period were identified. Outcomes were compared between patients to evaluate the incidence of hernia.Among 480 laparoscopic colorectal procedures, extraction sites were midline (n = 305), muscle splitting (n = 128), Pfannenstiel (n = 26), and ostomy (n = 21). Average follow-up was 3.5 years. Age, gender, diagnosis, extraction incision length, and hospital stay were similar. The mean body mass index for all patients was 28 kg/m(2) and for those with IHs was 31 kg/m(2) (P = .008). The overall IH rate was 7%. Midline IHs accounted for 84% of all hernias, occurring in 8.9% of midline extractions (P.05 vs nonmidline extractions). Hernia rates for muscle-splitting, Pfannenstiel, and ostomy site extractions were 2.3%, 3.8%, and 4.8%, respectively.Although midline hernia rates were lower than traditionally reported with open surgery, midline extraction sites have a higher chance of IH than nonmidline sites.

Esophageal cancer continues to be associated with a high mortality rate despite significant advances in the therapeutic treatment over the past 15 years; in patients with resectable tumors, a 15–25% rate of 5-year overall survival (OS) has been reported (1). Multimodality therapy has been demonstrated to be beneficial in improving survival for patients with locally advanced disease. Options include chemotherapy and radiation, either alone or in combination, administered before or after esophagectomy. When considering the utility of adjuvant chemotherapy (aCT) in esophageal cancer, it is important to understand current areas of debate pertaining to multimodality therapy.

A retrospective review of surgically treated lower-extremity long-bone fractures in wheelchair-bound patients was conducted. Between October 2000 and July 2009, eleven lower-extremity fractures in 9 wheelchair-bound patients underwent surgical fixation. The Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment, Short Form, and Spinal Cord Injury Quality of Life questionnaires were used to assess functional outcome. Mechanism of injury for all patients was a low-energy fall that occurred while transferring. Four patients who sustained a distal femur fracture, 1 patient who sustained a distal femur fracture and a subsequent proximal tibia fracture, and 1 patient who sustained a proximal third tibia shaft fracture underwent open reduction and internal fixation with plates and screws. Three patients with 4 midshaft tibia fractures underwent intramedullary nailing. At last follow-up, all 9 patients had returned to their baseline preoperative function. Quality of life was significantly higher ( P P =.02). All fractures achieved complete union, and no complications were reported. This study’s findings demonstrate that operative treatment in active, wheelchair-bound patients can provide an improved quality of life postinjury and a rapid return to activities.