Multimodal therapy with radiotherapy, resection, and adjuvant chemotherapy was the standard for all patients with locally advanced rectal cancer for many years. However, patients with a complete response after radiotherapy may be managed with a watch-and-wait strategy instead of resection. The definition of complete response is based on digital rectal examination, rectoscopy, and magnetic resonance imaging. To increase the likelihood of achieving a complete response, immunotherapy in microsatellite-instable tumors, total neoadjuvant therapy, and dose-escalated radiotherapy have now become guideline-recommended treatment options. A watch-and-wait strategy includes close-knit follow-up. Patients with distal tumors, who would otherwise require a permanent stoma after resection or face a high risk of low anterior resection syndrome, benefit particularly from a watch-and-wait approach.

Preoperative chemoradiotherapy combined with total mesorectal excision (TME) is a standard treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). However, lateral pelvic lymph nodes (LPLNs) are often inadequately treated with standard regimens. This study examines the treatment and postoperative outcomes in LARC patients receiving a simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) for LPLNs during long-course chemoradiotherapy. This retrospective study included high-risk LARC patients (UICC, “Union Internationale Contre le Cancer”, stage III) treated with preoperative chemoradiotherapy and SIB to LPLNs. Radiotherapy was delivered to the primary tumor and elective volumes with 50.4 Gy in 28 fractions, and an SIB with a median dose of 60.2 Gy was administered to clinically positive LPLNs. TME quality and postoperative complications were assessed using MERCURY and Clavien–Dindo, respectively. Time-to-event data were analyzed according to Kaplan–Meier. Between 2019 and 2023, 27 patients with high-risk LARC and LPLN metastases were treated with chemoradiotherapy. After a median follow-up of 19 months, 2‑year overall survival was 80

We report the case of a 57-year-old male patient who presented with a circumferential cT3 cN1 rectal adenocarcinoma in the mid rectum. The tumor was found to be mismatch repair deficient/microsatellite instable (dMMR/MSI). Instead of multimodality treatment with chemoradiotherapy immunotherapy with Dostarlimab was initiated. Treatment was well-tolerated in general and endoscopy and MRI showed early signs of treatment response. Despite this, the patient developed intestinal obstruction due to scarring that required repeat balloon dilations. In contrast to other oncological treatments, obstructions may worsen during immunotherapy in dMMR rectal cancers. This information has to be considered when patients are consulted regarding the optimal treatment after disease.

Purpose: Multimodal approaches, including radiochemotherapy and surgical resection, are commonly used to treat rectal malignancies. Postoperative perineal hernias, though not uncommon, have shown an increasing incidence in recent years. Managing symptomatic perineal hernias presents a challenge, with a high recurrence rate after repair. This retrospective study investigates the laparoscopic placement of a non-absorbable mesh for treating pelvic floor hernias involving bowel displacement. Methods: This study included all consecutive patients requiring hernia repair due to symptomatic perineal hernias following minimally invasive abdominoperineal resection. All patients had a history of local radiation therapy. Data were collected on surgery duration, intra- and postoperative complications, and hernia recurrence rates. Results: Laparoscopic displacement of the small bowel from the pelvis was performed on eight patients, and closure of the pelvic floor hernia area was achieved using non-absorbable mesh placement. All procedures were successful, and no perioperative complications were recorded. Only one early complication occurred, classified as Clavien-Dindo II. Conclusions: The laparoscopic procedure, serving as a safe method for repositioning the small intestine and closing a perineal hernia using a mesh, has shown promising outcomes. The use of a non-absorbable mesh as an alternative to native tissue appears to be effective, with no observed recurrent hernias. However, further evaluation through long-term results or a larger cohort study is still pending.

Background Incisional hernia is a frequent complication following loop ileostomy reversal. Incisional hernias are associated with morbidity, loss of health-related quality of life and costs and warrant the investigation of prophylactic measures. Prophylactic mesh implantation at the time of surgical stoma reversal has shown to be a promising and safe method to prevent incisional hernias in this setting. However, the efficacy of this method has not yet been investigated in a large multicentre randomised-controlled trial (RCT) with adequate external validity. The P.E.L.I.O.N. trial will evaluate the efficacy of prophylactic mesh reinforcement after loop ileostomy closure in decreasing the rate of incisional hernia versus standard closure alone. Methods P.E.L.I.O.N. is a multicentre, patient- and observer-blind RCT. Patients undergoing loop ileostomy closure will undergo intraoperative 1:1 randomisation into either abdominal wall closure with a continuous slowly absorbable suture in small-stitch technique without mesh reinforcement (control group) or abdominal wall closure with an additional reinforcement with a retromuscular non-absorbable, macro-pore (pore size ≥ 1000 μm or effective porosity >0%) light-weight monofilament or mixed structure mesh. A total of 304 patients (152 per group) will need to be randomised in the study. Based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, 1,014 patients are expected to be screened for eligibility in order to recruit the necessary number of patients. The primary endpoint will be the frequency of incision hernias within 24 months according to the European Hernia Society definition. Secondary endpoints will be the frequency of surgical site occurrences (including surgical site infections, wound seromas and hematomas, and enterocutaneous fistulas), postoperative pain, the number of revision surgeries and health-related quality of life. Safety will be assessed by measuring postoperative complications ≥ grade 3 according to the Dindo-Clavien classification. Discussion Depending on the results of the P.E.L.I.O.N. trial, prophylactic mesh implantation could become the new standard for loop ileostomy reversal. Trial registration DRKS00027921, U1111-1273-4657

Background: Extralevator abdominoperineal excision (ELAPE) is a relatively new surgical technique for low rectal cancers, enabling a more radical approach than conventional abdominoperineal excision (APE) with a potentially better oncological outcome. To date, no standard exists for reconstruction after extended or extralevator approaches of abdominoperineal (ELAPE) resection for lower gastrointestinal cancer or inflammatory tumors. In the recent literature, techniques with myocutaneous flaps, such as the VY gluteal flap, the pedicled gracilis flap, or the pedicled rectus abdominis flaps (VRAM) are primarily described. We propose a tailored concept with the use of bilateral adipo-fasciocutaneous inferior gluteal artery perforator (IGAP) advancement flaps in VY fashion after ELAPE surgery procedures. This retrospective cohort study analyzes the feasibility of this concept and is, to our knowledge, one of the largest published series of IGAP flaps in the context of primary closure after ELAPE procedures. Methods: In a retrospective cohort analysis, we evaluated all the consecutive patients with rectal resections from Jan 2017 to Sep 2021. All the patients with abdominoperineal resection were included in the study evaluation. The primary endpoint of the study was the proportion of plastic reconstruction and inpatient discharge. Results: Out of a total of 560 patients with rectal resections, 101 consecutive patients with ELAPE met the inclusion criteria and were included in the study evaluation. The primary direct defect closure was performed in 72 patients (71.3%). In 29 patients (28.7%), the defect was closed with primary unilateral or bilateral IGAP flaps in VY fashion. The patients’ mean age was 59.4 years with a range of 25–85 years. In 84 patients, the indication of the operation was lower rectal cancer or anal cancer recurrence, and non-oncological resections were performed in 17 patients. Surgery was performed in a minimally invasive abdominal approach in combination with open perineal extralevatoric abdominoperineal resection (ELAPE) and immediate IGAP flap reconstruction. The rate of perineal early complications after plastic reconstruction was 19.0%, which needed local revision due to local infection. All these interventions were conducted under general anesthesia (Clavien–Dindo IIIb). The mean length of the hospital stay was 14.4 days after ELAPE, ranging from 3 to 53 days. Conclusions: Since radical resection with a broad margin is the standard choice in primary, sphincter-infiltrating rectal cancer and recurrent anal cancer surgery in combination with ELAPE, the choice technique for pelvic floor reconstruction is under debate and there is no consensus. Using IGAP flaps is a reliable, technical, easy, and safe option, especially in wider defects on the pelvic floor with minimal donor site morbidity and an acceptable complication (no flap necrosis) rate. The data for hernia incidence in the long term are not known.

Acute appendicitis is a common surgical emergency. Complicated appendicitis usually warrants perioperative antibiotic treatment in order to prevent infectious complications. Whether routine microbiological testing benefits the individual patient is a topic of debate. The goal of our study was to assess perioperative antibiotic prescriptions as well as the benefit of microbiological testing during the appendectomy as a predictor for bacteria encountered in infectious complications. This is a retrospective analysis of 1218 consecutive patients that underwent appendectomy at a tertiary referral center between 2014 and 2021. The patient charts were systematically analyzed regarding intraoperative outcome, microbiologic results, and postoperative infectious complications. 1218 patients were included in this study of which 768 were uncomplicated appendicitis (UA) and 450 were complicated appendicitis (CA). Microbiological testing was performed in 39.2% of UA cases (33.6% of which grew bacteria) compared to 74.9% of CA cases (78.6% positive cultures). The strongest individual predictors for SSI were gangrenous and perforated appendicitis. A total of 58 surgical-site infections developed, of which 49 were intra-abdominal fluid collections or abscesses. Thirty-two patients had revision surgery or CT-guided drainage for SSI. In the cases where microbiological testing was done both during the appendectomy and the SSI, 13/18 showed different bacteria on culture testing. The infectious outcome was favorable in 98.3%. While microbiological testing offers insights into resistance patterns, it is of little benefit for the individual patient, given the low predictive value for bacteria found during SSI. Achieving source control combined with empiric antibiotic coverage leads to favorable outcomes independent of culture results.

(1) Background: Perioperative Antibiotics for acute complicated appendicitis are a standard of care. While there are plenty of trials for pediatric patients, data for elderly patients are scarce. The goal of our study was to evaluate whether elderly patients carry more resistant bacteria and thus have less favorable outcomes after an appendectomy that may warrant intensified perioperative antibiotic treatment (2) We present a retrospective single-center matched pair (139 patients each) analysis of perioperative and microbiological outcomes of an elderly appendicitis cohort (i.e., older than 60 years) compared with a younger adult cohort (i.e., ≤60 years). Both groups were matched one for one according to gender, duration of symptoms, c-reactive protein at presentation and whether they presented with uncomplicated or complicated appendicitis. (3) Results: After matching, complicated appendicitis was present in 76.3% of both groups. Elderly patients more frequently received preoperative diagnostic CT (p < 0.001) than the young. Both operative strategy (laparoscopic appendectomy in 92.1% each) and duration of surgery (57 vs. 56 min) were equal in both groups. Postoperative antibiotics were prescribed in ~57% for a median of 3 days in both groups and antibiotic selection was similar. The incidence of surgical site infections was higher in the young (12.2% vs. 7.9%) yet not significant. There was no difference in culture positivity or bacterial spectrum and the elderly cohort did not present with increased resistant bacterial isolates. (4) Conclusions: While overall resistant bacterial strains were rare, perioperative outcomes between the young and the elderly did not differ and did neither warrant longer nor intensified antibiotic treatment.

Background Approximately 30% to 40% of all retroperitoneal soft tissue tumors are sarcomas, with liposarcoma prevailing in approximately 50% of these cases. Retroperitoneal liposarcomas typically show a high rate of local recurrence and late distant metastases. The aim of our retrospective analysis was to investigate the efficacy of treatment in our patients with liposarcoma. Methods Thirty-four consecutive patients underwent surgery in our clinic between October 2004 and November 2017. Liposarcomas arising from the mesenteric or abdominal adipose tissue or the pelvis were excluded. Results Of 34 patients, 23 (67.6%) presented with primary and 11 (32.4%) with recurrent disease. In 7 of the 34 patients (20.6%), a radical resection (R0) could be achieved, and in 27 patients (76.5%) resection was marginal (R1). Time to recurrence was not affected by neoadjuvant radiotherapy. Patients who underwent systemic chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy developed earlier recurrences (P = 0.003) than patients with neoadjuvant radiotherapy only. Overall survival was significantly better in the neoadjuvant group (P 0.045) Conclusions Combining surgical resection with neoadjuvant radiation treatment showed survival benefits in primary but not recurrent disease. Repeated surgery remains a valid approach in carefully selected patients, but all patients should be referred to a center of expertise in multimodal treatment approaches for retroperitoneal liposarcomas.

Purpose Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a highly standardized surgical procedure with a low risk of complications. However, once complications develop, they can be life-threatening. The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of blood tests on postoperative day one regarding their potential to predict postoperative complications Methods A cohort study of 1706 consecutive cholecystectomies performed at a tertiary hospital and teaching facility over a 5-year period between 2014 and 2019. Results Patients that had open CCE or conversion CCE were excluded. One thousand five hundred eighty-six patients were included in the final analysis that received a laparoscopic cholecystectomy (CCE). One thousand five hundred twenty-three patients had blood tests on POD 1. Forty-one complications were detected including 14 bile leaks, 2 common bile duct injuries, 13 choledocholithiasis, 9 hematomas, and 2 active bleedings. Bilirubin was elevated in 351 patients on POD 1. A drop of more than 3 mg/dl of hemoglobin was reported in 39 patients. GPT was elevated 3 × above the upper limit in 102 patients. All three tests showed a low sensitivity and specificity in detecting postoperative complications. Conclusions Early postoperative blood tests alone show a low specificity in detecting postoperative complications after laparoscopic CCE. Their main benefit appears to be the negative predictive value, when they are normal. Routine blood testing appears to be unnecessary and should be based on the intraoperative diagnosis and postoperative clinical findings.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3892/mco.2020.2170.].

Die Indikationen zur Laparoskopie haben sich in den letzten Jahren stetig erweitert. Gleichzeitig bleibt der diagnostische und therapeutische Stellenwert der Laparoskopie beim penetrierenden und stumpfen Abdominaltrauma weiter unklar. Es wurde eine systematische Literaturrecherche über den Zeitraum 2008 bis 2019 in PubMed zum Thema Laparoskopie beim penetrierenden und stumpfen Abdominaltrauma durchgeführt. Die Studien wurden hinsichtlich relevanter perioperativer Ereignisraten (übersehene Verletzungen, Konversionsrate, tatsächlich vorliegende Verletzungen, postoperative Komplikationen) ausgewertet. Auf dieser Basis wurde ein Algorithmus zur Anwendung der Laparoskopie beim Abdominaltrauma erstellt. Es wurden 15 Volltexte mit 5869 Patienten gefunden. Mit einer Rate von 1,4 % waren laparoskopisch übersehene Verletzungen sowohl für das penetrierende als auch für das stumpfe Abdominaltrauma sehr selten. Von allen Traumalaparoskopien wurden 29,3 % zum offen chirurgischen Vorgehen (Laparotomie) konvertiert. Unter den nichtkonvertierten Laparoskopien waren 60,5 % therapeutisch. Komplikationen traten nach Traumalaparoskopie in 8,6 % der Fälle auf. Mittels systematischer laparoskopischer Exploration sind übersehene Verletzungen beim Abdominaltrauma äußerst selten, sodass diesbezügliche Bedenken kaum mehr gerechtfertigt erscheinen. Ein großer Anteil der bestehenden intraabdominalen Verletzungen kann laparoskopisch oder laparoskopisch-assistiert therapiert werden.

Robotic cholecystectomy with the da Vinci Xi® system (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) can be performed either as a multiport or a single-incision procedure with the da Vinci Single-Site® platform. The value of robotic single-site cholecystectomy is still under debate. The aim of this study was to compare perioperative measures and postoperative outcomes of both robotic assisted approaches. 142 patients with benign gallbladder disease underwent da Vinci multiport (DVMPC; n = 111) or da Vinci Single-Site® cholecystectomy (DVSSC; n = 31) in our institution between October 2015–December 2018. Patient demographics and characteristics, perioperative measures, complications and outcomes were retrospectively analysed. Patients with DVSSC had a significant lower BMI an were younger compared to DVMPC patients (BMI: 25.2 versus 28.1, p = 0.004; age: 44.5 versus 54.2 years, p = 0.007). Operative time was longer in the DVSSC group (84.9 versus 69.9 minutes, p = 0.007). In the DVSSC group there were significantly more superficial surgical site infections (16.6 versus 3.6%, p = 0.024), more overall complications according to Clavien-Dindo (29.0 versus 9.9%, p = 0.016), and more pain on postoperative day 3 (numeric rating scale, 1.3 versus 0.4, p = 0.026). In both groups there were no injuries of hepatic hilar structures such as the common bile duct or of the right hepatic artery. DVSSC could be performed safely even in patients with acute cholecystitis and previous abdominal surgery. However, the da Vinci Single-Site® approach for cholecystectomy should not be considered as the standard of care procedure for benign gallbladder disease, due to a higher incidence of superficial surgical site infections, more overall complications and more postoperative pain compared to DVMPC.

Background Pelvic fractures are rare but serious injuries. The influence of a concomitant abdominal trauma on the time point of surgery and the quality of care regarding quality of reduction or the clinical course in pelvic injuries has not been investigated yet. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the prospective consecutive cohort from the multicenter German Pelvic Registry of the German Trauma Society in the years 2003–2017. Demographic, clinical, and operative parameters were recorded and compared for two groups (isolated pelvic fracture vs. combined abdominal/pelvic trauma). Results 16.359 patients with pelvic injuries were treated during this period. 21.6% had a concomitant abdominal trauma. The mean age was 61.4 ± 23.5 years. Comparing the two groups, patients with a combination of pelvic and abdominal trauma were significantly younger (47.3 ± 22.0 vs. 70.5 ± 20.4 years; p < 0.001). Both, complication (21.9% vs. 9.9%; p < 0.001) and mortality (8.0% vs. 1.9%; p < 0.001) rates, were significantly higher. In the subgroup of acetabular fractures, the operation time was significantly longer in the group with the combined injury (198 ± 104 vs. 176 ± 81 min, p = 0.001). The grade of successful anatomic reduction of the acetabular fracture did not differ between the two groups. Conclusion Patients with a pelvic injury have a concomitant abdominal trauma in about 20% of the cases. The clinical course is significantly prolonged in patients with a combined injury, with increased rates of morbidity and mortality. However, the quality of the reduction in the subgroup of acetabular fractures is not influenced by a concomitant abdominal injury. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03952026 , Registered 16 May 2019, retrospectively registered

Background and objectives Retroperitoneal liposarcoma (RPLS) are common soft tissue sarcomas of adulthood. The aim of this study is to show resectability of even giant liposarcomas and to identify factors associated with recurrence and survival in primary retroperitoneal liposarcomas. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with retroperitoneal liposarcoma. Seventy-seven patients met inclusion criteria. Out of these 10 patients with primary giant, dedifferentiated retroperitoneal liposarcomas were operated with en bloc compartment resection with intention of radical resection. Treatment consisted of neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy and surgical resection or surgical resection. Results In 6 patients, neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy was performed; 3 patients were treated with surgical resection alone and 1 patient received adjuvant chemotherapy. The median diameter of tumor size was 360 mm (300 to 440 mm). Operative outcome showed complete resection in all 10 patients. Local tumor free survival was in median 19 month. Tumor recurrence was seen in 3 of 4 patients (75%) without neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy, and in 2 of 6 patients (33%) after neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy in 2 years follow-up. Conclusion Even in case of giant retroperitoneal liposarcoma, complete resection is possible and remains the principal treatment. The rate of recurrence was improved in patients with neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy.

Beckenfrakturen sind seltene, aber schwere Verletzungen. Inwieweit eine Kombinationsverletzung aus Abdominaltrauma und Beckentrauma das postoperative Ergebnis und den klinischen Verlauf von Beckenverletzungen beeinflusst, ist bisher nicht hinreichend untersucht worden. Retrospektiv ausgewertet wurden alle Patienten mit Beckenverletzungen der Jahre 2003 bis 2017 aus dem monozentrischen prospektiven Beckenregister der BG Unfallklinik Tübingen. Demografische, klinische und operative Parameter wurden erfasst und in 2 Gruppen (Monoverletzung vs. Kombinationsverletzung) miteinander verglichen. Insgesamt wurden 1848 Patienten mit einer Beckenverletzung behandelt. Davon hatten 18,6 % eine Kombinationsverletzung des Beckens mit einer Abdominalverletzung. Das Durchschnittsalter betrug 62,3 ± 23,1 Jahre. Im Vergleich der beiden Gruppen waren die Patienten mit Kombinationsverletzung deutlich jünger (46,3 ± 20,3 vs. 70,6 ± 20,8 Jahre; p < 0,001). Die Komplikationsrate (31,2 % vs. 9,4 %; p < 0,001) und die Mortalität (5,0 % vs. 1,7 %; p = 0,001) waren jeweils deutlich höher in der Gruppe der Kombinationsverletzungen. Der zeitliche Abstand bis zur definitiven Operation des Beckens war signifikant länger in der Gruppe der Kombinationsverletzungen (6,0 ± 6,4 vs. 4,5 ± 4,4 Tage; p = 0,002). Postoperativ zeigte das Repositionsergebnis keinen signifikanten Unterschied in beiden Gruppen. Patienten mit einer Beckenverletzung erleiden zu etwa 20 % eine Kombinationsverletzung aus Becken- und Abdominaltrauma. Der klinische Verlauf ist deutlich verlängert bei deutlich erhöhter Morbidität und Mortalität in der Gruppe der Kombinationsverletzungen. Das postoperative Ergebnis der osteosynthetischen Versorgung der Beckenverletzung wird jedoch durch eine begleitende Abdominalverletzung nicht beeinflusst.