The present study indicates that DI protects low rectal anastomosis from septic complications at a cost of many stoma-related complications, substantial risk of acute surgery necessity and long stoma periods coupled with decreased quality of life.

With sufficient experience, laparoscopic colorectal surgery in obese patients is feasible and safe. It is associated with no increased risk of complications and preserves all benefits of the mini-invasive approach.

BackgroundIntrathoracic splenosis presents an extremely rare thoracic lesion occurring after a simultaneous rupture of the spleen and diaphragm as a consequence of heterotopic autotransplantation and implantation of splenic tissue. Intrathoracic splenosis is usually an asymptomatic, incidental finding, which should be ideally managed without surgical intervention.Case presentationWe present a case of 68-year old woman with intrathoracic splenosis. Patient presented with a 2-month history of a dry cough unresponsive to administered antibiotics and antimycotics. Computed tomography (CT) of the chest revealed two homogeneous pleural nodules (diameters of 2 and 4 cm) in the left upper lung field. Two consequent CT-assisted transthoracic core-cut biopsies were performed. Histopathology examination of both biopsy specimens was inconclusive (haemorrhagic and non-specific tissue). After that, patient was referred to the department of thoracic surgery with a suspicion of malignant mesothelioma or metastatic lesions. Thoracoscopic revision of the left pleural cavity was performed and the presence of pleural nodules was confirmed. Bloody looking nodules were resected (standard thoracoscopic resection). Postoperative recovery was uneventful. The histopathology examination of the specimen showed normal splenic tissue. Only with the histopathology report in hand, a detailed medical history was taken. It revealed a gunshot injury requiring splenectomy (without known diaphragm or lung injury) 44 years ago (one of the longest time periods in the literature).ConclusionsWe would like to point out that following the recommendations regarding splenosis may be very difficult in daily routine practice. The simple question regarding abdominal trauma in a patient’s history can lead the clinician to the diagnosis of splenosis, which can be unequivocally established via scintigraphy. The importance of thorough medical history taking, therefore, cannot be underestimated.

IntroductionLong-term results after laparoscopic surgery with conversion to open surgery for colorectal cancer are seldom published.AimThe study analysed the impact of conversion of laparoscopic surgery to open resection for colorectal cancer on short- and long-term results.Material and methodsThe prospectively collected data of 469 patients with colorectal cancer in the period from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2006 were analysed. Short- and long-term results were compared.ResultsThe relative frequency of conversion was 7%. The subgroups were statistically similar regarding age, gender, body mass index (BMI), localization of tumour, T stage, and TNM stage. We observed a lower frequency of previous surgery (p = 0.018) in the group of patients with conversions to open surgery as well as statistically significantly higher frequency of patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score II (p = 0.039). There was no statistical difference in morbidity, mortality, or the length of hospital stay between both the groups of patients. The operating time was significantly higher in the group of patients with conversion (p = 0.00001). There was a significantly higher blood loss in the patient groups with conversion to open surgery and in the group with primarily open surgery (p = 0.00023). There was no difference in the overall survival (p = 0.712), disease-free survival (p = 0.072) or in the local (p = 0.432) or distant (p = 0.957) recurrence.ConclusionsNo negative impact on short- or long-term results of conversion to open surgery was verified in patients with colorectal surgery.