IntroductionFournier’s gangrene is a rare, rapidly progressive, necrotizing fasciitis of the external genitalia and perineum. Case series have shown a mortality rate of 20% to 40% with an incidence of as high as 88% in some reports. In this study we aimed to share our experience in the management of Fournier’s gangrene and to identify risk factors that affect mortality.MethodsThe medical records of 50 patients with Fournier’s gangrene who presented at the University Hospital Hassan II of Fez from January 2003 to December 2009 were reviewed retrospectively to analyze the outcome and identify the risk factors and prognostic indicators of mortality.ResultsTen males and five females were enrolled in the study. The mean age was 54 years (range 23–81). The most common predisposing factor was diabetes mellitus (34%). E. coli was the most frequent bacterial organisms cultured. All patients were treated with a common approach of resuscitation, broad-spectrum antibiotics, and wide surgical excision. The mortality rate was 24%. The advanced age, renal failure on admission, extension of infection to the abdominal wall, occurrence of septic shock and need for postoperative mechanical ventilation are the main prognostic factors of mortality. In multivariate analysis, none of these variables is an independent predictor of mortality.ConclusionsFournier’s gangrene is still a very severe disease with high mortality rates. Early recognition of infection associated with invasive and aggressive treatment is essential for attempting to reduce these prognostic indices.

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We describe here the case of a 62-year-old man with acute abdominal syndrome and severe hemorrhagic shock following successful thrombolysis for acute cardiac infarction. Emergency surgical exploration revealed extensive intraperitoneal and retroperitoneal hemorrhage resulting from the rupture of a large adrenal tumor. The diagnosis of pheochromocytoma was confirmed by histological findings. The patient died a few hours after surgery from multiorgan failure despite resuscitation attempts. This report discusses the diagnosis difficulties, treatment approach, and relevant literature.

Fournier's Gangrene is a rare complication of rectal cancer. Its discovery is often delayed. It's incidence is about 0.3/100 000 populations in Western countries. We report a patient with peritoneal perforation of rectal cancer revealed by scrotal and perineal necrotizing fasciitis.

Conventional treatment of anal abscess by a simple drainage continues to be routine in many centers despite retrospective and randomized data showing that primary fistulotomy at the time of abscess drainage is safe and efficient. The purpose of this study is to report the long-term results of fistulotomy in the treatment of anal abscesses. This is a prospective nonrandomized study of 165 consecutive patients treated for anal abscess in University Hospital Hassan II, Fez, Morocco, between January 2005 and December 2010. Altogether 102 patients were eligible to be included in the study. Among them, 52 were treated by a simple drainage and 50 by drainage with fistulotomy. The results were analyzed in terms of recurrence and incontinence after a median follow-up of 3.2 years (range 2-6 years). The groups were comparable in terms of age, gender distribution, type and size of abscess. The recurrence rate after surgery was significantly higher in the group treated by drainage alone (88 %) compared to other group treated by drainage and fistulotomy (4, 8 %) (p < 0.0001). However, there was a tendency to a higher risk of fecal incontinence in the fistulotomy group (5 % vs 1 %), although this difference was not significant (p = 0.27). In the group treated by drainage and fistulotomy, high fistula tract patients are more prone to develop incontinence and recurrence, mainly within the first year. A long-term follow-up seems not to influence the results of fistulotomy group. These findings confirm that fistulotomy is an efficient and safe treatment of anal abscess with good long-term results. An exception is a high fistula, where fistulotomy may be associated with a risk of recurrence and incontinence.

Objective Mental imagery (MI) has long been used in learning in both fields of sports and arts. However, it is restrictively applied in surgical training according to the medical literature. Few studies have evaluated its’ feasibility and usefulness. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of mental imagery on surgical skills learning among novice’s surgeons. Material and methods In this pilot prospective randomized comparative study; we recruited 17 residents and interns of surgery education curriculum. They were all included in their first semester of the curricula. Two groups were randomly designed. Group (a) including “Mental Imagery” volunteers (n = 9) which benefited from a mental imagery rehearsal exercise prior to physical practice, while the control group (b) (n = 8) didn’t underwent any MI process prior to surgery practice. Each participant of both groups was invited to perform an intestinal hand-sewn anastomosis on bovine intestine. Each procedure was evaluated and analyzed according to 14 qualitative criteria while each criterion was scored 0, 1 or 2 respectively assigned to the gesture was not acquired, gesture was performed with effort, or mastered gesture. The final score is 28 for those who master all 14 gestures. A non-parametric statistical comparison between the both studied groups was performed. Results Both groups of surgery students demonstrated equivalent age, sex ratio, laterality, and surgical experience. The mean overall score is significantly higher in the MI group (a) (17.78; SD = 2.42) compared to the control group (b) (10.63, SD = 2.85). However, advanced analysis of individual assessment items showed significant statistical difference between both groups only in 6 out of 14 assessed items. Conclusion Indeed, mental imagery will not be able to substitute the traditional learning of surgery for novice surgeons; it is an important approach for improving the technical skills acquisition and shortening the physical learning.

BackgroundMany data suggest that patients with low rectal adenocarcinoma who achieved ypT0N0 status have improved survival and disease-free survival (DFS) compared to all other stages however only few data are available regarding the specific prognosis factors of this subgroup. This study aimed to evaluate predictive factors for disease free survival after complete pathological response (CPR) in cases of low rectal adenocarcinoma.Materials and methodsFrom January 2005 to December 2013, all patients with low rectal adenocarcinoma who underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by total mesorectal excision and achieved CPR were included at 7 Moroccan and 1 Algerian centres. Predictive factors for disease-free survival were analysed by uni and multivariate analysis.ResultsEigthy-four (12.1%) patients achieved a CPR (ypT0N0). Multivariate analysis revealed that both poorly differentiated tumors (OR, 9.23; 95 CI 1.35–62.82; P = 0.023) and the occurrence of perineal sepsis (OR, 13.51; 95 CI 1.96–93.12; P = 0.008) were independently associated with impaired DFS.ConclusionsPatients with low rectal cancer who exhibited a CPR after neoadjuvant therapy have good prognoses; however, the occurrence of perineal sepsis and/or poor initial differentiation may be associated with impaired DFS in these patients.Trial registration: The study was retrospectively registered the 28th July 2018 in ClinicalTrials.gov register with the reference NCT03601689.

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