The incidence, risk factors, and clinical relevance of stenosis of stapled colorectal anastomosis (CRA) were studied prospectively. Anastomotic stricture was defined as the inability of traversing the anastomosis with the rigid proctoscope. The population studied consisted of 179 patients (94 males) with an average age of 59.3 years (range: 20 to 91 years). The main indication for surgery was colorectal cancer in 59% of the cases, followed by diverticular disease in 23%. The first endoscopic control was performed before 4 months in 25% of the patients, between 5 and 10 months in 50%, and during the following 10 months in 25%. Stenosis was verified with the rigid instrument in 21.1% of the cases and with the flexible colonoscope in 4.4%. The barium enema performed in 12 cases confirmed a punctiform stenosis in 5 patients, 4 of whom had been asymptomatic. An endoscopic dilatation was performed on 5 of the 8 symptomatic patients, with one relapse that required an additional dilatation. In the univariate analysis only the lesser 4-month interval was statistically significant (p = 0.033; odds ratio (OR) = 2.3; confidence interval (CI) 95% = 1.06 to 4.97). Male patients (p = 0.057; OR = 2.08; IC 95% = 0.97-4.44) show a tendency to CRA stricture that does not reach statistically significant levels. In the multivariate analysis, only sex (p = 0.04; OR = 4.11; IC 95% = 1.03 to 5.41) and the time interval (p = 0.012; OR = 2.87; IC 95% = 1.25 to 6.57) appear as independent variables in stenosis risk of a stapled CRA. The incidence of this complication depends on the criteria used for defining it. It is clinically relevant in no more than 5% of the patients. Five out of eight patients in category II were treated successfully with an endoscopic dilatation, while the other three improved spontaneously. Early stenosis, although frequent, is generally asymptomatic and disappears spontaneously. Considering the lack of correlation between the degree of stricture and its symptomatology, it is convenient to combine both the anatomic and the clinical criteria in the selection of candidates for an eventual therapeutic procedure.

In the present series, PPE prolonged operative time, increased postoperative complications and showed a trend toward poor prognosis in recurrence and survival. However, PPE offers the only hope for cure to patients with a primary rectal cancer that is adherent or invades reproductive organs.

Primary neuroendocrine tumors of the colon and rectum Background: The nomenclature and staging classification of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) has changed drastically in the past decade. Objective: To do a critical analysis of management of colorectal NETs in our institution in the light of the new classification. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of consecutive patients operated on with radical intention due to a colorectal NET in the last 15 years. Results: There were 10 patients, median age was 56 years (range 48-76), six of them located near the ileocecal valve, three in the rectum (2 of them polyps) and one polyp in the sigmoid colon. Surgical procedure included four anterior resections and six right colectomy (one with hepatic resection). The median follow up was 78.3 months (range 8-180). Two patients died due to metastatic disease. Conclusion: NETs located near de ileocecal valve were diagnosed usually as a big tumor with obstructing symptoms, while NETs of the rectum and sigmoid colon more frequently were detected as polyps or submucosal lesions. Some low grade TENs may invade the colonic wall and/or have metastasis in the regional lymph nodes and those cases need radical resection and/or adjuvant therapy. Combine the grade (Ki-67 and number and/ or number of mitosis) of 2010 WHO classification with TNM showed prognostic value for classification and staging colorectal NETs with important therapeutic implications.