Colorectal disease : the official journal of the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland
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Comparative Study
The prevalence of iron deficiency among patients presenting with colorectal cancer.
To examine prospectively the prevalence of iron deficiency among new patients presenting with colorectal cancer and to compare transferrin saturation and serum ferritin as markers of iron deficiency in this group of patients. ⋯ The majority of patients with a new diagnosis of colorectal cancer are iron deficient at presentation. In such patients transferrin saturation measurement is a more sensitive marker of iron deficiency than serum ferritin. The potential role of measuring serum transferrin saturation as an adjunct to faecal occult blood screening should be explored further.
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Review Meta Analysis
Pre-operative mechanical bowel cleansing or not? an updated meta-analysis.
Pre-operative mechanical bowel preparation has been considered an efficient regimen against leakage and infectious complications, after colorectal resections. This dogma is based only on observational data and experts' opinions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of prophylactic pre-operative mechanical bowel preparation before elective colorectal surgery. ⋯ There is no evidence that patients benefit from mechanical bowel preparation. On the contrary taking colorectal surgery as a whole, pre-operative bowel cleansing leads to a higher rate of anastomotic leakage. The dogma that mechanical bowel preparation is necessary before elective colorectal surgery has to be reconsidered.
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Comparative Study
Bowel function following insertion of self-expanding metallic stents for palliation of colorectal cancer.
Self-expanding metallic stents (SEMS) are an important addition to the treatment of large bowel obstruction. The aim of this study was firstly to assess bowel function following SEMS placement and secondly to identify any potential factors which might aid in the prediction of technical failure of stent insertion. ⋯ Failure of contrast to pass through the obstructing lesion may predict those cases where stenting will not be technically possible. Median survival following SEMS insertion is encouraging in this series, but bowel function is often poor. Expected bowel function should be discussed fully when consenting patients for a SEMS, particularly those with metastatic disease who are otherwise fit for resectional surgery.
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To assess prospectively the efficacy and safety of treatment of perianal Crohn's disease by means of a combination of surgical management and a standardized protocol for the intravenous infusion of infliximab. ⋯ The combination of seton drainage and infusion of infliximab completely healed the perineum of 47% patients with complex fistulating perianal Crohn's disease. Partial response was seen in the remainder of patients. No serious adverse reactions reported.
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We aimed to gather information from the members of the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland (ACPGBI) to assess trends in the current practice of laparoscopic colorectal surgery. ⋯ Laparoscopic colorectal surgery was being performed by a small minority of members of the ACPGBI although more surgeons had started to work in this field in recent years. The main areas of concern appeared to be a wide variation in the range of experience as indicated by the number of operations performed and limited formal training for consultants.