This study confirmed that preservation of the IMA should be recommended to reduce the incidence of defecatory disorders after left hemicolectomy for benign disease.

No abstract

The incidence and clinical relevance of BDIs during LC in the area of Rome appeared to be stable over the past 8 years and were not influenced by the use of a prospective audit, as compared with a retrospective survey.

No abstract

Transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) is a minimally invasive technique for excision of rectal tumors that avoids conventional pelvic resectional surgery along with its risks and side effects. Although appealing, the associated cost and complex learning curve limit TEM use by colorectal surgeons. Transanal minimally invasive surgery (TAMIS) has emerged as an alternative to TEM. This platform uses ordinary laparoscopic instruments to achieve high-quality local excision. The aim of the study is to assess reliability of the technique. From July 2012 to August 2013, 15 consecutive patients with rectal pathology underwent TAMIS. After a single-incision laparoscopic surgery port was introduced into the anal canal, a pneumorectum was established with a laparoscopic device followed by transanal excision with conventional laparoscopic instruments, including graspers, electrocautery, and needle drivers. Patient demographics, operative data, and pathologic data were recorded. Of the 15 patients, 10 had rectal cancers (six T1 lesions and four T2 after preoperative chemoradiotherapy). The remainder of patients had a local excision for voluminous benign rectal adenomas. The median length of the lesions from the anal verge was 7 cm (range, 4 to 20 cm). The median operating time was 86 minutes (range, 33 to 160 minutes). There was no surgical morbidity or mortality. The median postoperative hospital stay was two days (range, 1 to 4 days). TAMIS seems to be a feasible and safe treatment option for early rectal cancer. We believe that this new technique is easy to perform, cost-effective, and less traumatic to the anal sphincter compared with traditional TEM.

After the use of surgical staplers had become widespread, the number of colonic postoperative stenoses was observed to have increased. Nevertheless, the clinical relevance of this observation is minimal since only 2-5% of the patients complain of chronic constipation or obstruction symptoms. In such cases medical therapy is somewhat troublesome, and surgical treatment always implies a major operation. Endoscopic dilation has proved to be a reliable, simple, and safe therapeutic alternative. Forty-two patients with evidence of stenosis of either colocolic or colorectal anastomosis underwent mechanical or pneumatic dilation in our unit: 19 patients with a temporary diverting stoma were dilated before the colostomy was removed; in the remaining 23 cases, treatment was given according to the patients' symptoms or because it was not possible to pass the anastomosis with an endoscope. The overall failure rate was 2.4%, and no morbidity or mortality was found. When the percentages of patients successfully treated in one session alone were compared (76.9% versus 51.8%), balloon dilation was found to be more effective than bougienage. In our opinion, endoscopic dilation represents the mainstay of treatment of colonic anastomotic strictures, with surgery being reserved for the rare failures, when recurrence of cancer should be suspected.

DW-MRI may have a significant role in the restaging and in the evaluation of post-CRT response of locally advanced rectal cancer. Quantitative analysis of DWI through ADC map may result in a promising noninvasive tool to evaluate the response to therapy.

Treatment of unsuspected CBDS detected by intraoperative cholangiography during LC with this original technique was safe and effective and a viable alternative of the transcystic endoscopic approach.