The American surgeon
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The American surgeon · Jul 2010
Outcomes of low anterior resection anastomotic leak after preoperative chemoradiation therapy for rectal cancer.
Anastomotic leak remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality after colorectal surgery, especially with low anastomoses. The aim of this study was to assess outcomes of patients who developed an anastomotic leak after low anterior resection of the rectum for rectal cancer. An Institutional Review Board-approved retrospective review of 89 consecutive patients undergoing open low anterior resection with primary anastomosis for cancer of the mid/lower rectum at a single institution between January 2001 and December 2008 was performed. ⋯ Excluding one patient who received completion proctectomy for local recurrence, restoration of intestinal continuity was achieved in five (63%) of eight patients. Mean time to stoma closure was 289 days. The potentially lethal complication of anastomotic leak after low anterior resection for rectal cancer can be managed expectantly and electively in patients who are proximally diverted with the expectation of stoma reversal in the long term.
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The American surgeon · Jul 2010
Case ReportsBilateral gluteal compartment syndrome: a rare but potentially morbid entity.
Compartment syndrome is caused by elevated interstitial pressure within the myofascial compartment. It rarely presents bilaterally in the gluteal region. A 49-year-old man fell 10 feet from a roof on his buttocks. ⋯ Bilateral gluteal compartment syndrome is very rare with few cases reported in the literature. It has been associated with trauma, prolonged recumbence, surgical instrumentation, and illicit drug abuse. Early recognition is required to avoid the potential severe metabolic and physical deficits.
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The American surgeon · Jul 2010
The effect of diabetes mellitus on surgical site infections after colorectal and noncolorectal general surgical operations.
Patients undergoing colorectal surgery (CRS) are known to be at increased risk of surgical site infection (SSI). We assessed the effect of diabetes and other risk factors on SSI in patients undergoing CRS and patients undergoing general surgery (GS). American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Participant Use Data File from 2005 to 2006 was used. ⋯ In this large hospital-based study, patients undergoing CRS were three times more likely to get SSI than patients undergoing GS. Diabetic patients with CRS (IDDM and NIDDM) and patients undergoing GS (IDDM) were at increased risk of SSI compared with nondiabetics. More intense glycemic control may reduce SSI in patients undergoing CRS with diabetes.
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The American surgeon · Jul 2010
Review of re-excision for narrow or positive margins of invasive and intraductal carcinoma.
The trend in breast surgery has shifted towards breast conservation. Re-excision rates for narrow or positive margins have been variable in published reports. A retrospective analysis of 3246 patients who underwent either a lumpectomy for a palpable mass or a needle localization biopsy between January 2003 and December 2007 was done. ⋯ Residual DCIS was seen in 65 per cent with involved margins, 50 per cent with <2 mm margins, and 35 per cent of cases with 2 to 5 mm margins (P < 0.001, chi2 association). Lesser re-excision was noted in well-differentiated invasive carcinomas. Only 12 per cent of patients with margins greater than 1 mm had residual tumor on re excision, which raises the possibility of nonoperative management in such cases.
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The American surgeon · Jul 2010
Case ReportsRectosigmoid intussusception through the anus mimicking rectal prolapse.
Intussusception of the colon usually occurs in infants and children. Although rectal prolapse is not uncommon, presentation of more proximal segments of large bowel through the anus is extremely rare. We report two cases of rectosigmoid intussusception in which sigmoid colon intussusception was diagnosed as rectal prolapse preoperatively.