Summary Background 80% of individuals with cancer will require a surgical procedure, yet little comparative data exist on early outcomes in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared postoperative outcomes in breast, colorectal, and gastric cancer surgery in hospitals worldwide, focusing on the effect of disease stage and complications on postoperative mortality. Methods This was a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of consecutive adult patients undergoing surgery for primary breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer requiring a skin incision done under general or neuraxial anaesthesia. The primary outcome was death or major complication within 30 days of surgery. Multilevel logistic regression determined relationships within three-level nested models of patients within hospitals and countries. Hospital-level infrastructure effects were explored with three-way mediation analyses. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT03471494 . Findings Between April 1, 2018, and Jan 31, 2019, we enrolled 15 958 patients from 428 hospitals in 82 countries (high income 9106 patients, 31 countries; upper-middle income 2721 patients, 23 countries; or lower-middle income 4131 patients, 28 countries). Patients in LMICs presented with more advanced disease compared with patients in high-income countries. 30-day mortality was higher for gastric cancer in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (adjusted odds ratio 3·72, 95% CI 1·70–8·16) and for colorectal cancer in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (4·59, 2·39–8·80) and upper-middle-income countries (2·06, 1·11–3·83). No difference in 30-day mortality was seen in breast cancer. The proportion of patients who died after a major complication was greatest in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (6·15, 3·26–11·59) and upper-middle-income countries (3·89, 2·08–7·29). Postoperative death after complications was partly explained by patient factors (60%) and partly by hospital or country (40%). The absence of consistently available postoperative care facilities was associated with seven to 10 more deaths per 100 major complications in LMICs. Cancer stage alone explained little of the early variation in mortality or postoperative complications. Interpretation Higher levels of mortality after cancer surgery in LMICs was not fully explained by later presentation of disease. The capacity to rescue patients from surgical complications is a tangible opportunity for meaningful intervention. Early death after cancer surgery might be reduced by policies focusing on strengthening perioperative care systems to detect and intervene in common complications. Funding National Institute for Health Research Global Health Research Unit.

ObjectivesIdentifying the factors affecting the outcome of patients with Fournier's Gangrene and assaying the accuracy of the Fournier Gangrene Severity Index (FGIS), the Uludag score (UdS), affected Body Surface Area (BSA) and the Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotizing Fasciitis (LRINEC) model as prognostic tools.Materials and methodsRetrospective study involving all patients with Fournier's gangrene treated in our Hospital between January 2008 and December 2015. The epidemiological, clinical, biochemical and management data of these patients was obtained and analyzed.ResultsThe series includes 19 patients, 14 male and 5 female, with a median age of 70 (62; 78,5) years. The mortality rate was 21%. From the data analyzed, only the affected BSA (BSA>3.25%) was associated with mortality (p = 0.016). None of the established scores (FGSI; UdS; LRINEC) proved to be a useful tool for predicting mortality. The combination of affected BSA and FSGI (FGSI≥9 or BSA>3.25%), (p = 0.004) and the combination of the affected BSA and the LRINEC model (LRICEC≥8 and BSA>3.25%), (p = 0.004) led to a major improvement in these scores.ConclusionsAffected BSA is a useful prognostic factor in Fournier's gangrene. The existing prognostic scores can be improved with the introduction of this factor.

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Anal canal duplication (ACD) is the rarest congenital malformation of the digestive tract and is associated with other congenital malformations. The clinical case reports a 40 years old woman who had two episodes of anal abscesses treated with surgical drainage within 1 year. In proctology consultation, the examination revealed a structure in the midline, posterior to the native anus. Pelvic magnetic resonance imaging and anal echoendoscopy confirmed the presence of a tubular structure posterior to the anal canal, compatible with duplication of the anal canal. The patient was proposed for surgical excision but refused. Seven years later, the patient had another anal abscess. She was again proposed for surgery and refused. Around 60 cases of ACD are currently described worldwide. The diagnosis is usually made at an early stage of life. Our patient was diagnosed at the age of 40 years, constituting one of the most elderly patient diagnosed with ACD.