Browsing by Author "Penna, M."

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4

A Comparative international study on the management of acute appendicitis between a developed country and a middle income country
(Elsevier, 2014) Markar, S.R.; Pinto, D.; Penna, M.; Karthikesalingam, A.; Bulathsinhala, B.K.S.; Kumaran, K.; Hashemi, M.; Fernando, R.
BACKGROUND: In the past decade there has been an exponential increase in the use of Computerised Tomography (CT) imaging in the assessment of patients with acute appendicitis. The aim of this study was to compare management approaches and clinical outcomes of acute appendicitis in Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom. METHODS: Data was collected prospectively from 400 patients referred to the General Surgical department with a differential diagnosis of acute appendicitis, 200 at University Kelaniya Sri Lanka (SL group), and 200 at University College London Hospital (UK group). RESULTS: The groups were similar with respect to gender, but the SL group was younger. Preoperative work-up included ultrasound more commonly in SL patients, and CT more commonly in UK patients. More patients underwent appendicectomy in the SL group, however a laparoscopic approach was utilised more often in the UK group (50.5% vs. 11.9%). Post-operative complications were similarly represented in both groups, but re-admission occurred with greater frequency in the UK group (16.2% vs. 0%). Histologically confirmed appendicitis was seen in a significantly greater proportion of SL patients (93.1% vs. 79.8%). Multivariate analysis confirmed male gender, and diagnosis and treatment in Sri Lanka to be only factors significantly associated with positive appendicitis. DISCUSSION: Expensive investigations such as CT do not appear to improve the diagnostic accuracy of appendicitis or prevent complications. This study suggests diagnostic and treatment algorithms in the SL hospital are more accurate and efficient in confirming appendicitis than those seen in the UK hospital under investigation. Copyright © 2014 Surgical Associates Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Transanal minimally invasive proctectomy (TaMIP) in patients with Crohn’s disease: A cohort study from the TaTME international database
(Oxford University Press, 2018) Pellino, G.; Sahnan, K.; Penna, M.; Adegbola, S.; Chandrasinghe, P.; Hompes, R.; Spinelli, A.; Warusavitarne, J.; International TaTME Registry Collaborative
BACKGROUND :Perianal Crohn’s disease (pCD) is a debilitating condition and despite the advances of medical and surgical treatment, a proportion of patients eventually require proctectomy for severe and/or refractory pCD. TaTME has several advantages, particularly in patients with low rectal cancer, narrow pelvis, previous radiation and bulky prostate. Aim of this study is to assess the feasibility of transanal minimally invasive proctectomy (TaMIP) within the International TaTME registry. METHODS:The TaTME registry was interrogated from 2014 to 2017 for benign conditions. Data were collected across 11 international centres submitted for patients who received TaMIP, with or without TME, for pCD. RESULTS:Forty patients (mean age 42.6 ± 13.8 years) underwent TaMIP for pCD with a median total operative time of 202 ± 102 min for the abdominal phase and 126 ± 58 min for the perineal phase. The majority of patients were female (67.5%; 27 of 40), 80.0% had active IBD at the time of surgery and average duration of follow-up was 4.4 ± 5.8 months. The commonest approach to proctectomy was an intersphincteric APE (30.0%; 12 of 40), with over half of cases (52.5%; 21 of 40) undergoing total intersphincteric dissection. The median height of the pursestring was 4.4 ± 2.4 cm and the most common extraction site was transanal (37.5%; 15 of 40). Intact specimens were found in 21% (8 of 38 TME) and major defects in four cases. During the abdominal phase, 29% (9 of 31) cases were converted-to-open procedure (all strategic) and 20% (8 of 40) during the perineal phase. Peri-operative complications during perineal dissection were: bleeding (12.5%, 5 of 40), incorrect plane (15%, 6 of 40), issues with smoke extraction (12.5%; 5 of 40) and maintaining pneumopelvis (10.0%; 4 of 40). Rectal perforations occurred in two cases at a median of 4 ± 2.8 cm from the anal verge. There were no urethral injuries and blood loss was < 100 ml in 45.4% (15.33) in our cohort. The average length of stay was 6 ± 5 days with no post-operative mortalities. The majority of patients (75.0%; 30 of 40) had no complications. Two-thirds of patients had Clavien-Dindo grade II complications (60.0%; 6 of 40) and one patient had a grade III complication. Late morbidity (>1 month) was available for 23 patients and perineal wound complications were identified in over half of patients (56.5%). CONCLUSIONS: pCD causes perineal fibrosis and chronic sepsis, which can make proctectomy an extremely complex operation (particularly when associated with proctitis), thereby increasing the risk of complications. TaMIP offers a safe and feasible minimally invasive approach to this subset of patients. Outcomes from TaMIP need to be compared with current techniques in order to discern the future role and training requirements for this promising new technique.
Transanal minimally invasive proctectomy (TaMIP) in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) within the TaTME international database
(Oxford University Press, 2018) Pellino, G.; Sahnan, K.; Penna, M.; Adegbola, S.; Chandrasinghe, P.; Spinelli, A.; Hompes, R.; Warusavitarne, J.; International TaTME Registry Collaborative
BACKGROUND : The necessity of proctectomy in IBD often represents refractory disease, with severe active/chronic inflammation, frequently in the context of immunosuppression. Minimally invasive techniques are currently being used as an option in the often challenging operations required. We aim to assess the feasibility and short-term outcomes of a transanal minimally invasive approach to proctectomy (TaMIP) in patients undergoing surgery for IBD within the TaTME registry. METHODS: The TaTME registry (secure online database), was interrogated from 2014 to 2017 for benign conditions. Data were collected across 11 international centres submitted for IBD patients. Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) received proctectomy with or without Ta-IPAA, and patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) received TaMIP, with or without total mesorectal excision (TME), for perianal CD (pCD).RESULTS: In total, 174 patients with a median BMI of 25.6 ± 4.7 kg/m2 were entered into the database. The majority of patients (77%; 134 of 174) had UC and 79.9% (111 of 174) had a simultaneous laparoscopic or single-incision laparoscopic (SILS) approach to the abdomen. Active IBD featured in 63.8% (111 of 174) which was more prominent in the CD patients (80% vs. 59%, p = 0.015) and 19% (33 of 174) were on steroids at the time of surgery. The median total operative time was 249 ± 113 min (abdominal phase 206 ± 112 and perineal phase 133 ± 60 min). An incorrect plane was the most common problem encountered intra-operatively (10.3%; 18 of 174) followed by bleeding (9.2%; 16 of 174). There was an inadvertent rectal perforation rate of 5.6% (6 of 107). Over a fifth of abdominal procedures were converted (21.6%; 30 of 139) compared with 17 (9.8%) in the perineal phase. There were more perineal conversions in CD patients (20% vs. 6.7%, p = 0.028). A purse-string was used in 51.1% (81 of 174) at a median height of 3.8 ± 2 cm. Most anastomoses were created using a stapler (85.1%; 57 of 67) at median distance of 2.9 ± 1.5 cm from the anal verge. The median length of postoperative stay was 9 ± 6.5 days, which was longer in the UC patients (9 ± 7 days vs. 6 ± 5 days, p = 0.0079). There were no mortalities. Forty-four patients (25.3%) had a complication and seven (15.9%) of these (i.e. 4% of total cohort) had a grade III Clavien-Dindo complication (re-operation). Data on late morbidity (>1 month) were available in 92 patients and 15 of these patients (16.3%) had a wound breakdown. Two of these had a VAC dressing and three had re-operations. There was a trend towards more wound sinuses in CD (19% vs. 4.8%, p = 0.062). CONCLUSIONS:Our results demonstrate that the application of a transanal minimally invasive approach to proctectomy is a feasible option in IBD patients with a relatively low complication rate.
Transanal minimally invasive proctectomy with ileal pouch anal anastomosis (Ta-IPAA) in patients with ulcerative colitis: a cohort study from the TaTME international database
(Oxford University Press, 2018) Pellino, G.; Sahnan, K.; Penna, M.; Adegbola, S.; Chandrasinghe, P.C.; Spinelli, A.; Hompes, R.; Warusavitarne, J.; International TaTME Registry Collaborative
BACKGROUND:Restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) can achieve excellent outcomes in terms of function and quality of life, for patients refractory to medical therapy for ulcerative colitis (UC). Minimally invasive approaches are gaining momentum and evolution of the transanal approach to rectal surgery has led to broadening its use, from total mesenteric excision (TME) in cancer, to include IPAA in ulcerative colitis. In this study, we analysed the short-term outcomes of transanal minimally invasive IPAA (Ta-IPAA) within the International TaTME registry.METHODS:The TaTME registry, a secure online database was interrogated from 2014 to 2017 for benign conditions. Data were collected across 11 international centres submitted for patients who received Ta-IPAA, with or without TME, for UC. RESULTS:Sixty-nine patients with a median age of 38.6 ± 12.2 years were entered into the database. The majority of patients were male (75.4%; 52/69) and had a median BMI of 24.4 ± 4 kg/m2. There were no smokers in our cohort. Over half of the patients (53.6; 37/69) had active IBD at the time of surgery and 12 patients were on steroids at the time of the surgery. A proctectomy in the TME plane was the most common approach (75.4%; 52/69), a close rectal dissection was chosen in 13 patients and in four patients the plane was not specified. A simultaneous abdominal/TaTME approach was performed in over two-thirds of cases (69.6%; 48/69) and most surgeons either used an SILS approach (46.4%; 32/69) or a laparoscopic approach (40.6%; 28/69). A pursestring was used by the majority (87%; 60/69) at a median height of 4 ± 1.6 cm. The majority of pouches were created using a stapler (85.1%; 57/69) at a median distance of 2.9 ± 1.5 cm from the anal verge. Median operative time was 311 ± 126 min. Under a quarter of abdominal operations were converted (24.6%; 14/57) compared with four cases (5.8%) in the perineal phase. The median length of postoperative stay was 10 ± 6 days and three patients had a re-operation. There were no mortalities. Three patients (4.3%) had an anastomotic leak and two patients (2.9%) had collections. Late morbidity (>1 month) was available in 31 patients and of these seven patients (22.6%) had a stricture. CONCLUSIONS: Transanal minimally invasive proctectomy with ileal pouch anal anastomosis is feasible and safe in patients with UC. It is also associated with relatively low rates of re-operation and anastomotic leakage.