Peri-operative SARS-CoV-2 infection increases postoperative mortality. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal duration of planned delay before surgery in patients who have had SARS-CoV-2 infection. This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study included patients undergoing elective or emergency surgery during October 2020. Surgical patients with pre-operative SARS-CoV-2 infection were compared with those without previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. The primary outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality. Logistic regression models were used to calculate adjusted 30-day mortality rates stratified by time from diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection to surgery. Among 140,231 patients (116 countries), 3127 patients (2.2%) had a pre-operative SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis. Adjusted 30-day mortality in patients without SARS-CoV-2 infection was 1.5% (95%CI 1.4-1.5). In patients with a pre-operative SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis, mortality was increased in patients having surgery within 0-2 weeks, 3-4 weeks and 5-6 weeks of the diagnosis (odds ratio (95%CI) 4.1 (3.3-4.8), 3.9 (2.6-5.1) and 3.6 (2.0-5.2), respectively). Surgery performed ≥ 7 weeks after SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis was associated with a similar mortality risk to baseline (odds ratio (95%CI) 1.5 (0.9-2.1)). After a ≥ 7 week delay in undertaking surgery following SARS-CoV-2 infection, patients with ongoing symptoms had a higher mortality than patients whose symptoms had resolved or who had been asymptomatic (6.0% (95%CI 3.2-8.7) vs. 2.4% (95%CI 1.4-3.4) vs. 1.3% (95%CI 0.6-2.0), respectively). Where possible, surgery should be delayed for at least 7 weeks following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Patients with ongoing symptoms ≥ 7 weeks from diagnosis may benefit from further delay.

SARS-CoV-2 has been associated with an increased rate of venous thromboembolism in critically ill patients. Since surgical patients are already at higher risk of venous thromboembolism than general populations, this study aimed to determine if patients with peri-operative or prior SARS-CoV-2 were at further increased risk of venous thromboembolism. We conducted a planned sub-study and analysis from an international, multicentre, prospective cohort study of elective and emergency patients undergoing surgery during October 2020. Patients from all surgical specialties were included. The primary outcome measure was venous thromboembolism (pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis) within 30 days of surgery. SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis was defined as peri-operative (7 days before to 30 days after surgery); recent (1-6 weeks before surgery); previous (≥7 weeks before surgery); or none. Information on prophylaxis regimens or pre-operative anti-coagulation for baseline comorbidities was not available. Postoperative venous thromboembolism rate was 0.5% (666/123,591) in patients without SARS-CoV-2; 2.2% (50/2317) in patients with peri-operative SARS-CoV-2; 1.6% (15/953) in patients with recent SARS-CoV-2; and 1.0% (11/1148) in patients with previous SARS-CoV-2. After adjustment for confounding factors, patients with peri-operative (adjusted odds ratio 1.5 (95%CI 1.1-2.0)) and recent SARS-CoV-2 (1.9 (95%CI 1.2-3.3)) remained at higher risk of venous thromboembolism, with a borderline finding in previous SARS-CoV-2 (1.7 (95%CI 0.9-3.0)). Overall, venous thromboembolism was independently associated with 30-day mortality ). In patients with SARS-CoV-2, mortality without venous thromboembolism was 7.4% (319/4342) and with venous thromboembolism was 40.8% (31/76). Patients undergoing surgery with peri-operative or recent SARS-CoV-2 appear to be at increased risk of postoperative venous thromboembolism compared with patients with no history of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Optimal venous thromboembolism prophylaxis and treatment are unknown in this cohort of patients, and these data should be interpreted accordingly.

Background: Rectus sheath hematoma (RSH) is a rare but potentially dangerous clinical entity that requires medical supervision. Case Report: Here we discuss one such case which describes the fatal course of spontaneous RSH during hospital admission. Conclusion: Usually, RSH presents as a minimal abdominal wall swelling with self-limiting course but in the case of hematoma and size progression, specific conservative or invasive measures are necessary to prevent serious complications including hypovolemic shock and death.

Pilonidal disease (PD) is a common condition, and there is still an ongoing debate on ideal management that should be minimally invasive, safe, and efficient. The use of radially emitting laser in the treatment of chronic PD is a novel minimally invasive technique, and initial studies with a small number of patients showed promising results. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of chronic PD treatment with a laser using a systematic review of the published literature. A systematic review was conducted after PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane database search for studies reporting laser treatment of chronic PD. Also, our unpublished prospective single-center study was included in this review. Ten of 87 studies were eligible for the review, including 971 patients. The median age of the patients was 26 (range 13-68), and the median operative time was 26 (range 6-65) min. With a median follow-up of 12 (range 7-25) months, 917 (94.4%) patients achieved primary healing with a weighted mean recurrence rate of 3.8%. The weighted mean complication rate was 10% (95% CI 5.7-14.3%, I2 = 82.28, p < 0.001), and all were minor. The published literature demonstrates that laser treatment is a promising procedure in the management of chronic PD. Furthermore, the review showed that standardized operative techniques and perioperative steps were used. The results were limited to the mild chronic PD. Classification of PD severity and standardized outcome reporting is required to define indications and contraindications for laser PD treatment. Randomized controlled trials are needed to determine the long-term effectiveness and superiority of laser treatment over other methods.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), being the most common mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, arise most commonly in stomach (60-70%) and small intestine (20-25%) while other sites of origin are rare. In most cases, they are dia gnosed accidentally due to their indolent clinical course; however, 10-30% have malignant potential. Gastric and esophageal GISTs carry a better prognosis than small bowel GISTs of similar size and mitotic rate. Complete surgical resection is the only potentially curative procedure, but despite its success, at least 50% of patients develop recurrence or metastases. Tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib gave positive results in treatment of unresectable, metastatic or recurrent GISTs. We present the case of a 69-year-old woman with a large unresectable GIST of esophago-gastric junction with multiple bilobar liver metastases who underwent an emergent palliative surgery due to diffuse bleeding from the tumor. Twelve months after the surgery, patient is still alive and stable under imatinib therapy with no signs of local recurrence of the disease. This example suggests that patients with locally advanced GISTs with distant metastases may benefit from surgery in terms of prolonged survival and quality of life. SouhrnGastrointestinální stromální tumory (GIST), které jsou nejčastějšími mezenchymálními nádory gastrointestinálního traktu, se nejčastěji vyskytují v žaludku (60-70 %) a tenkém střevě (20-25 %), zatímco jiná místa původu jsou vzácná. Z důvodu indolentního klinického průběhu jsou ve většině případů dia gnostikovány náhodně, 10-30 % však vyjadřuje maligní potenciál. GIST žaludku a jícnu mívají lepší prognózu než GIST tenkého střeva podobné velikosti a rychlosti mitózy. Úplná chirurgická resekce je jediným potenciálně léčebným zákrokem, ale navzdory jejímu úspěchu se u nejméně 50 % pacientů objeví recidiva nebo metastázy. Pozitivní výsledky v léčbě neresekovatelných, metastatických nebo rekurentních GIST vykazoval inhibitor tyrozinkinázy imatinib. Prezentujeme případ 69leté ženy s velkým neresekovatelným GIST ezofágo-gastrického spojení s mnohočetnými metastázami jaterních bilobarů, která podstoupila paliativní chirurgickou operaci v důsledku difuzního krvácení z nádoru. Dvanáct měsíců po operaci je pacientka stále naživu a stabilní při léčbě imatinibem bez známek lokální recidivy onemocnění. Tento příklad naznačuje, že pacienti s lokálně pokročilými GIST se vzdálenými metastázami mohou mít prospěch z operace z hlediska prodlouženého přežití a kvality života. Klíčová slova GIST -žaludek -hiátová hernie -resekceThe authors declare they have no potential conflicts of interest concerning drugs, products, or services used in the study.Autoři deklarují, že v souvislosti s předmětem studie nemají žádné komerční zájmy.The Editorial Board declares that the manuscript met the ICMJE recommendation for biomedical papers.Redakční rada potvrzuje, že rukopis práce splnil ICMJE kritéria pro publikace zasílané do bi omedicínských časopisů.