- With appropriate selection criteria, ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy is feasible, safe and effective; readmission rate is low, as well as complications related to the method. Cost savings and patient satisfaction support its adoption. Other studies are necessary to recommend this procedure as standard practice in Brazil.

Primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs) are presented as rare malignant neoplasms. In unusual cases, those neoplasms may arise in solid organs containing neuroendocrine cells, such as the pancreas. Herein the case of a 28-year-old patient that underwent gastroduodenopancreatectomy after the diagnosis of a huge mass (PNET) located in both head and body of the pancreas is reported. This is the 19th case of pancreatic PNET reported in literature.

Background:Guidelines for enhanced recovery after surgery have their bases in colonic surgery, through the first protocols published in 2012. Since then, this practice has spread throughout the world, mainly due to improvements in surgical outcomes associated with resource savings. Aim: To analyze the first prospective results after the implementation of the guidelines. Methods:Were retrospectively analyzed 48 patients operated in the institution prior to the standardization. This group was then compared with a series of 25 patients operated consecutively after the guidelines were implemented. Results:With a 68.6% compliance rate, hospital length of stay (p=0.002), use of abdominal drains (p<0.001) and mechanical bowel preparation (p<0.001) were reduced. Mortality rates, anastomotic fistula, abdominal abscesses and reoperations were also reduced, but without statistical significance. Conclusion:Enhanced recovery after surgery protocols benefit patients care, resulting in better outcomes and possibly resource savings. Even with some limitations, its implementation is feasible in the Brazilian Public Health System.

Background:After the publication of the first recommendations of ERAS Society regarding colonic surgery, the proposal of surgical stress reduction, maintenance of physiological functions and optimized recovery was expanded to other surgical specialties, with minimal variations. Aim:To analyze the implementation of ERAS protocols for liver surgery in a tertiary center. Methods: Fifty patients that underwent elective hepatic surgery were retrospectively evaluated, using medical records data, from June 2014 to August 2016. After September 2016, 35 patients were prospectively evaluated and managed in accordance with ERAS protocol. Results:There was no difference in age, type of hepatectomy, laparoscopic surgery and postoperative complications between the groups. In ERAS group, it was observed a reduction in preoperative fasting and in the length of hospital stay by two days (p< 0.001). Carbohydrate loading, j-shaped incision, early oral feeding, postoperative prevention of nausea and vomiting and early mobilization were also significantly related to ERAS group. Oral bowel preparation, pre-anesthetic medication, sub-costal incision, prophylactic nasogastric intubation and abdominal drainage were more common in control group. Conclusion: Implementation of ERAS protocol is feasible and beneficial for health institutions and patients, without increasing morbidity and mortality.

Liver cancer ranks fifth in incidence and fourth in overall cancer-related mortality, with approximately 854,000 new cases and 810,000 deaths per year worldwide. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for 90% of these cases, and, over time, both the incidence and mortality of this cancer have been rising in many regions. Several staging systems are used to assess the extent of primary tumor, presence of metastasis, and underlying liver disease, and thereby aid in the definition of treatment strategies and prognosis for these patients. The consequence of this heterogeneity in HCC staging is that no consensual definition of advanced disease exists, and there is still ongoing debate on the optimal treatment for these patients. Patients with advanced tumors can be candidates for multiple therapies, ranging from potentially curative options such as transplantation and resection-to locoregional and systemic treatments; these should be evaluated on an individual basis by a multidisciplinary team. This paper provides an overview of treatment options for advanced stage HCC, based on a review of the latest relevant literature and the personal experience of the authors.

HighlightsApocrine Sweet Gland Adenocarcinoma is a very uncommon cancer that can cause structural deformities by metabolic disorder (paraneoplastic syndrome).That’s the first case related on Brazil.This case contributes to the best choice of the exams required for detection of this rare cancer (there is no consensus in the literature by the limited number of cases).

Background: Strongly associated with obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is considered the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome. It presents as simple steatosis and steatohepatitis, which can progress to cirrhosis and its complications. Among the therapeutic alternatives is bariatric surgery. Aim: To compare the effect of the two most frequent bariatric procedures (sleeve and bypass) on liver disease regarding to epidemiological, demographic, clinical and laboratory parameters. Methods: The results of intraoperative and 12 months after surgery liver biopsies were used. The NAFLD activity score (NAS) was used to assess and compare the stages of liver disease. Results: Sixteen (66.7%) patients underwent Bypass procedure and eight (33.3%) Sleeve. It was observed that the variation in the NAFLD activity score was significantly greater in the Bypass group than in Sleeve (p=0.028) and there was a trend regarding the variation in fibrosis (p=0.054). Conclusion: Both surgical techniques were effective in improving the hepatic histology of most operated patients. When comparing sleeve and bypass groups, bypass showed better results, according to the NAS score.

SummaryBackground:Esophageal cancer is an aggressive disease that generally has a poor prognosis. Patients affected by the disease usually present with signs and symptoms related to local growth of the tumor, gastrointestinal bleeding and nutritional impairment. Skin metastases are rare events, associated with advanced stage and poor survival.Case Report:We report the case of a 51-year-old man who presented poor general status, dysphagia, weight loss and skin lesions disseminated throughout the body. Endoscopic examination revealed the presence of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and biopsies of skin lesions showed metastasis of this cancer to the esophagus.Conclusions:We believe that any suspicious lesion that presents together with a history of gastrointestinal malignancy should be biopsied, since it can change the staging and prognosis of patients.