Postoperative Assessment Of Patients Research Articles

High Resolution Manometry - A Mandatory Examination in the Pre and Postoperative Assessment of Patients with Achalasia.

High resolution manometry (HRM) is currently the gold standard for the diagnosis of achalasia and other functional esophageal disorders. All patients accusing dysphagia should be endoscopically evaluated prior to manometric investigations in order to rule out pseudoachalasia. The Chicago HRM classification has led to a subclassification of three manometric types of achalasia that seem to have different results to treatment. None of the actual achalasia treatment options are curative. Type II achalasia patients respond best to all treatment options compared to those with types I and III. Pneumatic dilation (PD) or Heller miotomy (LHM) can be both chosen as initial therapy in type I and II as they have good outcome , while type III achalasia patients respond better to LHM as a first therapeutic option. Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is a promising new technique but long-term follow-up studies for its safety and efficacy must be performed. This article reviews the current therapeutic options in achalasia and other functional esophageal disorders, based on the differences in safety and efficacy between approaches, highlighting the impact of HRM to predict the outcome but also the role of the techinque in guiding antireflux surgery.

Clinical and radiographical assessment of postoperative patients with OPLL in lumbar spine

Clinical and radiographical assessment of postoperative patients with OPLL in lumbar spine

Comparasion of efficacy and safety of Difluprednate 0.05% and Nepafenac 0.1% in reducing macular thickness and volume after cataract surgery

Objective- To evaluate and compare efficacy and safety of topical Difluprednate ophthalmic emulsion 0.05% with Nepafenac ophthalmic suspension 0.1% in patients of uneventful cataract surgery with respect to postoperative macular thickness and volume.
 Design- A prospective, single centric, tertiary care centre based, comparative, interventional study from August 2013 to July 2014
 Subjects- Total 206 ( Group N=106, Group D=100) patients were followed up who completed their 12 weeks follow up
 Methodology- Surgery was performed by phacoemulsification technique by clear corneal incision with foldable PCIOL implantation by a single surgeon having 10 years of surgical experience. Post operative patients were divided into 2 groups. Group N were given topical treatment with Nepafenac ophthalmic suspension 0.1% TID starting 24 hours before surgery and continued post-op 4 weeks. Group D were given Difluprednate ophthalmic emulsion 0.05% QID post surgery for 2 weeks followed by BID for 2 weeks. 
 Main outcome measures: Postoperative assessment of patients were done on 1st day and on 1st, 8th and12th weeks after the surgery for best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) by logMAR, intraocular pressure by Applanation tonometry and macular thickness and volume by SD-OCT. Statistical test used was sample Unpaired and paired ‘t’ test and statistical analysis was done with SPSS 20.0 ( IBM, USA).
 Results- There was increase in the measured mean central subfield thickness( CST) at 8 and 12 weeks as compared to 1 week , in both the study groups (P<0.05). On comparing the volume (in mm3) and average thickness (in µm) at 1 week, it was observed that thickness of group N (266.82±25.06 µm) was statistically higher than that of group D (253.14±22.21µm) (P= 0.03). The comparison of best corrected visual acuity (LogMAR) and the intraocular pressure recordings showed no difference between the patients of two studied groups recorded at 1 week and 8 weeks and 12weeks.
 Conclusion- Both Nepafenac ophthalmic suspension 0.1% and Difluprednate ophthalmic emulsion 0.05% are equally effective in controlling macular thickness change after uneventful cataract surgery.

Physical therapists collect different outcome measures after total joint arthroplasty as compared to most orthopaedic surgeons: a New England study.

BackgroundFollowing total knee and hip arthroplasty, patient progress can be assessed with patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and performance-based outcome measures (PBOMs). The American Joint Replacement Registry 2016 guide recommends collecting several measures, including Patient Reported Outcome Measure Information System Global, Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score Jr, and Hip Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score Jr. This study aimed to assess the current and anticipated use of PROMs and PBOMs by New England physical therapists.MethodsAn online survey was conducted in July and August of 2015 asking physical therapists in New England to rate their current and anticipated future use of PROMs and PBOMs in terms of clinical decision making associated with the treatment and care of patients after total hip and knee replacement.ResultsThere were 122 responses. The most often used and recommended PROMS were the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (99.2% and 97.5%, respectively) and Lower Extremity Function Scale (76.2% and 77.0%). There was significant variability in the use of different PBOMs, but the most often used and recommended were the Timed Up and Go (93.4% and 85.2%) and the Single Leg Balance Test (90.2% and 87.7%).ConclusionsThis study suggests that orthopaedic surgeons and physical therapists use different PROMs and PBOMs for postoperative assessment of total joint patients and highlights the need for more collaboration and consistency between these disciplines.

Introducing a post-operative proforma for elective lower limb arthroplasty patients – improving patient care and junior doctor confidence

The assessment of post-operative patients is vital to identify early complications and ensure patient safety. Good clinical record keeping is essential for effective continuity of care and patient safety in...

Cone Beam CT Versus Multislice CT: Radiologic Diagnostic Agreement in the Postoperative Assessment of Cochlear Implantation.

To evaluate the diagnostic concordance between multislice computed tomography (MSCT) and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) in the early postoperative assessment of patients after cochlear implantation. Prospective, randomized, single-center, interventional, pilot study on the diagnostic performance of a medical device. Tertiary referral center. Patients aged over 18 years requiring a computed tomographic (CT) scan after cochlear implant surgery. Nine patients were implanted with electrode arrays from three different manufacturers, including one bilateral. High-resolution MSCT and CBCT were then performed, and two experienced radiologists blinded to the imaging modality evaluated the randomized images, twice. Concordance between MSCT and CBCT for assessing the scalar position (tympani or vestibuli) of the electrodes. Secondary outcome measures were also studied: length of the intracochlear electrode array, percentage of implanted cochlea, number of intracochlear electrodes, and radiation doses. There was a good agreement between both CT scanners in determining the scalar position and estimating the number of implanted electrodes and percentage of implanted cochlea. CBCT had a lower radiation exposure. The CBCT appears to be a useful tool for postoperative assessment of cochlear implanted adult patients and is comparable to the conventional scanner in determining the scalar position, with lower radiation exposure.

Optimal delivery of follow-up care after surgery for Crohn's disease: current perspectives.

Despite improvements in medical therapies for Crohn’s disease (CD), up to 70% of patients require surgery within 10 years of diagnosis. Surgery is not curative, and almost all patients will experience endoscopic recurrence, and many will go on to clinical recurrence. Identifying patients at high-risk of endoscopic recurrence and standardizing postoperative assessments are essential in preventing clinical recurrence of CD. In this review, we discuss the assessment, monitoring, and treatment of postoperative CD patients. We address the various individual risk factors as well as composite risk factors. Medications used for primary CD treatment can be used in the postoperative setting to prevent endoscopic or clinical recurrence with varying efficacy, although the cost-effectiveness of these approaches are not fully understood. Future directions for postoperative CD management include evaluation of newer biologic agents such as anti-integrin therapy and fecal microbiota transplant for prevention of recurrence. Development of a standard preoperative risk assessment tool to clearly stratify those at high-risk of recurrence is necessary to guide empiric therapy. Lastly, the incorporation of noninvasive testing into disease monitoring will likely lead to early detection of endoscopic recurrence that will allow for tailored treatment to prevent clinical recurrence.

PD45-10 VALIDATION STUDY: PATIENT REPORTED OUTCOME MEASURE (PROM) FOR PENILE CURVATURE SURGERY.

You have accessJournal of UrologySexual Function/Dysfunction: Peyronie’s Disease1 Apr 2016PD45-10 VALIDATION STUDY: PATIENT REPORTED OUTCOME MEASURE (PROM) FOR PENILE CURVATURE SURGERY. Angus Campbell, RIchard Akiboye, Saheel Mukhtar, Matthew Jackson, Tet Yap, and Nicholas Watkin Angus CampbellAngus Campbell More articles by this author , RIchard AkiboyeRIchard Akiboye More articles by this author , Saheel MukhtarSaheel Mukhtar More articles by this author , Matthew JacksonMatthew Jackson More articles by this author , Tet YapTet Yap More articles by this author , and Nicholas WatkinNicholas Watkin More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2016.02.2110AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES The subjective measures of successful penile curvature surgery are poorly defined. This study describes a PROM for baseline and post-operative assessment of patients with Peyronie’s disease (PD). METHODS Questions were selected following semi-structured interviews with PD patients. A multidisciplinary RAND consensus group of UK andrologists defined the item-specific PROM. The final construct domains were penile curvature (PC), erectile function (EF), sexual relationships and generic quality of life measure (GQoL). The draft PROM was piloted until a final version was agreed for this validation study. Over a 3-year period, all consecutive patients being considered for PD surgery were offered the PROM in one specialist centre. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s a to understand if construct domains reliably measured the same latent variable. Variability and bias was assessed using a Bland Altman plot. RESULTS The baseline PROM was self-completed pre-operatively in a test-retest fashion by 46 men. All questions had response rates >85%. Cronbach's alpha for the penile curvature construct was 0.78 ranging from 0.68 to 0.8 with any single item removed. Wilcoxon Signed Rank test for the penile curvature construct indicated no significant difference between the test and re-test scores (P<0.62). Variability remains consistent as average PC scores increase. Average differences between scores (bias) is small so future measurements should lie between the limits of agreement (+8 to -8) 95% CI. CONCLUSIONS The PC questions were answered consistently well and demonstrated content validity and reliability. To establish responsiveness, validity and generalisability of a PROM containing the most robust items from this analysis, deployment is required pre and post-operatively across healthcare providers. © 2016FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 195Issue 4SApril 2016Page: e1064 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2016MetricsAuthor Information Angus Campbell More articles by this author RIchard Akiboye More articles by this author Saheel Mukhtar More articles by this author Matthew Jackson More articles by this author Tet Yap More articles by this author Nicholas Watkin More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Cross-sectional area of the ulnar nerve after decompression at the cubital tunnel.

A total of 48 patients undergoing surgical decompression of the ulnar nerve at the cubital tunnel between February 2010 and May 2013 were retrospectively studied to determine changes in the cross-sectional area of the nerve by the technique of neurosonography. The mean follow-up was 46 months. Post-operative follow-up examination of the cross-sectional area of the ulnar nerve showed a slight reduction in the mean value from 13.8 mm(2) (pre-operative) to 12.9 mm(2) (post-operative). Of the 48 patients, 36 showed a reduction in the cross-sectional area. No correlation was detected between the clinical and sonographic outcomes. Ultrasound seems to be of limited value in the post-operative assessment of patients with entrapment neuropathy of the ulnar nerve. IV.

Safety and Efficacy of Skipping C7 Instrumentation in Posterior Cervicothoracic Fusion

Introduction Surgical manipulations at C7 level present the most difficulty during a posterior cervicothoracic fusion where instrumentation across the cervicothoracic junction is required. There is increased risk of vascular injury, neurological injury, and possibility of postoperative instability because of the surgical complications at this site. Placement of C7 instrumentation also poses additional difficulty during rod placement. Vertebral artery (when present) and C8 nerve roots are the most important structures susceptible to the surgical injury at C7 level. Our clinical observations suggested that skipping instrumentation at C7 in a multiple level posterior cervicothoracic fusion will result in minimal intraoperative complications, decreased surgical time, while still maintaining fixation, sagittal balance parameters, and successful rates of fusion. Methods This was a retrospective chart review of 49 patients (mean age: 62 years; range: 45–87 years) undergoing multilevel posterior cervicothoracic fusion between November 2010 and October 2014. Of the 49 patients, 42 had no screws placed at C7 level and 7 patients had instrumentation done at C7 and served as a control group. Assessment of the safety and efficacy of skipping C7 instrumentation were based on intraoperative complications, operative time, estimated blood loss (EBL), and radiographic evidence of fusion and spine stability. Results There were no intraoperative complications though two patients (one skipped and one not skipped) required extended time under anesthesia because of the difficulty in patient positioning and intubation. Skipping C7 resulted in reduced average operative time compared with those patients instrumented at C7 (203 vs. 171 minutes, respectively). In addition, skipping C7 reduced average EBL compared with patients instrumented at C7 (531 vs. 445 mL, respectively). In addition, patients skipped at C7 maintained sagittal balance with fusion rates identical to control patients at follow-up with a very low incidence of pseudarthrosis. Conclusion Skipping instrumentation at C7 in a multilevel posterior cervicothoracic fusion demonstrates lower EBL and faster operative times compared with performing instrumentation at the C7 level. In addition, in a postoperative assessment of patients undergoing posterior cervicothoracic fusion identical rates of fusion were achieved. Serious negative outcomes of skipping C7 were not found in this retrospective study. The results of this study point to the clinical benefits of skipping C7 to minimize surgical risk and complications in patients undergoing posterior cervical fusion across the cervicothoracic junction.

Does osteonecrosis of the femoral head increase surgical and medical complication rates after total hip arthroplasty? A comprehensive analysis in the United States.

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a definitive option for end-stage osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). Historically, higher revision rates were observed in this population compared to THA for osteoarthritis (OA). This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of postoperative medical and surgical complications comparing THA in ONFH and OA at 90 days, 1 year, and 2 years after surgery. The PearlDiver database identified 45,002 OA and 8,429 ONFH patients who underwent THA. Mechanical complications (prosthetic loosening and osteolysis, implant failure), dislocation, renal and respiratory complications were significantly increased in the ONFH group within 2 years after THA. Pulmonary embolism rates where increased in younger ONFH patients within 2 years after THA. This data helps clinicians in the postoperative risk assessment of patients with ONFH.

Outcomes of pediatric patients undergoing cardiac catheterization while on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

The aim of the study is to explore the indications for cardiac catheterization while on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and the various catheter interventions performedas well as assess the safety profile and determine the short- and intermediate-term survival. ECMO is a lifesaving intervention for pediatric patients with respiratory and/or cardiovascular failure. There is limited recent literature discussing the survival and outcomes of patients undergoing cardiac catheterization while on ECMO. A retrospective review of consecutive patients undergoing catheterization while on ECMO from 2004 to 2013was performed. Thirty-six patients who underwent 40 cardiac catheterizations were identified. Indications for catheterization included hemodynamic/anatomic assessment of postoperative (16) and non-operative patients (7), planned catheter interventions (CI) (12), and cardiomyopathy assessment (5). CI were performed during 18 (45%) catheterizations, including stenting of vessels/surgical shunts (9), balloon atrial septostomy (4), device closure of septal defects/vessels (3), thrombolysis of vessels (2), endomyocardial biopsy (2), and temporary pacer wire placement (1). Unexpected diagnostic information was found in 21 (52%), and 13 patients were referred for surgical intervention. Successful decannulation was achieved in 86% of patients. Survival to discharge was 72% and intermediate survival was 69% (median=29months). Survival was 88% (15/17) among patients who underwent CI. There were six procedural complications (15%); five vascular and one non-vascular. There were no complications related to patient transport. Cardiac catheterization and interventions while on ECMO are safe, with a survival to discharge of 72%. Diagnostic information obtained from catheterization leads to management decisions which may impact survival.

Knowing 'something is not right' is beyond intuition: development of a clinical algorithm to enhance surveillance and assist nurses to organise and communicate clinical findings.

To develop a clinical algorithm to guide nurses' critical thinking through systematic surveillance, assessment, actions required and communication strategies. To achieve this, an international, multiphase project was initiated. Patients receive hospital care postoperatively because they require the skilled surveillance of nurses. Effective assessment of postoperative patients is essential for early detection of clinical deterioration and optimal care management. Despite the significant amount of time devoted to surveillance activities, there is lack of evidence that nurses use a consistent, systematic approach in surveillance, management and communication, potentially leading to less optimal outcomes. Several explanations for the lack of consistency have been suggested in the literature. Mixed methods approach. Retrospective chart review; semi-structured interviews conducted with expert nurses (n = 10); algorithm development. Themes developed from the semi-structured interviews, including (1) complete, systematic assessment, (2) something is not right (3) validating with others, (4) influencing factors and (5) frustration with lack of response when communicating findings were used as the basis for development of the Surveillance Algorithm for Post-Surgical Patients. The algorithm proved beneficial based on limited use in clinical settings. Further work is needed to fully test it in education and practice. The Surveillance Algorithm for Post-Surgical Patients represents the approach of expert nurses, and serves to guide less expert nurses' observations, critical thinking, actions and communication. Based on this approach, the algorithm assists nurses to develop skills promoting early detection, intervention and communication in cases of patient deterioration.

Postoperative delirium: disconnecting the network?

Postoperative delirium: disconnecting the network?

11C]-Methionine Positron Emission Tomography in the Postoperative Imaging and Followup of Patients with Primary and Recurrent Gliomas

We investigated the sensitivity and specificity of [11C]-methionine positron emission tomography ([11C]-MET PET) in the management of glioma patients. We retrospectively analysed data from 53 patients with primary gliomas (16 low grade astrocytomas, 15 anaplastic astrocytomas and 22 glioblastomas) and Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) > 70. Patients underwent [11C]-MET PET scans (N = 249) and parallel contrast-enhanced MRI (N = 193) and/or CT (N = 113) controls. In low grade glioma patients, MRI or CT findings associated with [11C]-MET PET additional data allowed discrimination residual disease from postsurgical changes in 96.22% of these cases. [11C]-MET PET early allowed detection of malignant progression from low grade to anaplastic astrocytoma with high sensitivity (91.56%) and specificity (95.18%). In anaplastic astrocytomas, we registered high sensitivity (93.97%) and specificity (95.18%) in the postoperative imaging and during the followup of these patients. In GBM patients, CT and/or MRI scans with additional [11C]-MET PET data registered a sensitivity of 96.92% in the postsurgical evaluation and in the tumour assessment during temozolomide therapy. A significant correlation was found between [11C]-MET mean uptake index and histologic grading (P < 0.001). These findings support the notion that complementary information derived from [11C]-MET PET may be helpful in postoperative and successive tumor assessment of glioma patients.

Effect of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage on word generation.

Background. Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) survivors commonly exhibit impairment on phonemic and semantic fluency tests; however, it is unclear which of the contributing cognitive processes are compromised in aSAH patients. One method of disentangling these processes is to compare initial word production, which is a rapid, semiautomatic, frontal-executive process, and late phase word production, which is dependent on more effortful retrieval and lexical size and requires a more distributed neural network. Methods. Seventy-two individuals with aSAH and twenty-five control subjects were tested on a cognitive battery including the phonemic and semantic fluency task. Demographic and clinical information was also collected. Results. Compared to control subjects, patients with aSAH were treated by clipping and those with multiple aneurysms were impaired across the duration of the phonemic test. Among patients treated by coiling, those with anterior communicating artery aneurysms or a neurological complication (intraventricular hemorrhage, vasospasm, and edema) showed worse output only in the last 45 seconds of the phonemic test. Patients performed comparably to control subjects on the semantic test. Conclusions. These results support a “diffuse damage” hypothesis of aSAH, indicated by late phase phonemic fluency impairment. Overall, the phonemic and semantic tests represent a viable, rapid clinical screening tool in the postoperative assessment of patients with aSAH.

Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery Improves Sinus-Related Symptoms and Quality of Life in Children With Chronic Rhinosinusitis

To assess the current knowledge and evaluate the quality of evidence in the use of FESS for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis in children, regarding the respective changes in the quality-of-their-life (QoL) and the outcome that follows the operation. Systematic literature review in Medline and other database sources and meta-analysis of pooled data. 15 studies were systematically analyzed. Four represented Level II, five Level III, and six Level IV evidence. The total number of treated patients was 1301. Thirteen research groups reported that pediatric FESS is an effective treatment for chronic rhinosinusitis; the respective positive outcome ranged between 71 and 100% of operated children. Five studies concluded that this treatment modality is associated with significant improvement in the children's postoperative QoL. Systemic diseases and environmental factors may have unfavourable prognostic effects; cystic fibrosis is associated with at least 50% recurrence rate. The rate of major complications following pediatric FESS is 0.6%, and the respective rate of minor complications 2%. The surgical management in children with chronic rhinosinusitis, despite the reservations expressed by many clinicians, is effective when optimal medical treatment proves unsuccessful (grade B strength of recommendation), and is associated with improvement in the children's QoL (grade B strength of recommendation). FESS also improves the sinusitis-associated symptoms and QoL in children with cystic fibrosis (grade C strength of recommendation. Most complications of pediatric FESS reported in the literature are minor, and associated with difficulties in the postoperative assessment and care of pediatric patients.

Imaging techniques in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) can affect up to 4-5% of patients with acute pulmonary embolism. It is likely an underdiagnosed entity. Misdiagnosis is common because patients often present with nonspecific symptoms of pulmonary hypertension. Early diagnosis may help improve the outcome, as CTEPH is potentially curable with pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PEA). Imaging is central to an accurate diagnosis, and for assessing correctly the technical feasibility of PEA. This review examines the findings of various imaging techniques in CTEPH and their contribution in the diagnostic and therapeutic evaluation of the disease. Ventilation-perfusion scintigraphy remains a sensitive method for excluding CTEPH. Multidetector computed tomography angiography (MDCTA) depicts directly changes of CTEPH, provides a surgical 'road map', and should be used for the diagnostic assessment of all suitable patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. In many centers, the role of conventional pulmonary angiography is gradually being replaced by cross-sectional methods. MRI has a role in preoperative and postoperative assessment of right ventricular function and can depict vascular abnormalities up to segmental level. MDCTA in combination with MRI represent the main techniques for the diagnosis and management of CTEPH. Newer techniques such as dual spectrum computed tomography may further improve preoperative and postoperative assessment of CTEPH patients.

Pre- and Postoperative Rectal Manometric Assessment of Patients With Anorectal Malformations

Surgical correction of congenital anorectal malformations could be complicated by fecal incontinence. Some authors believe that preservation of the fistula is associated with improved outcome. Rectal manometry is a well-established method to evaluate postoperative functional outcome in these patients and can demonstrate successful transplantation of the fistula. Herein, we report the results of our series of patients with anorectal malformations and an externally accessible fistula, who underwent pre- and postoperative rectal manometry studies. This is a prospective cohort study. This study was conducted at a tertiary neonatal and pediatric surgical center. Patients with anorectal malformations, who underwent preoperative rectal manometry of the fistula and postoperative rectal manometry of the neoanus between January 2002 and December 2011 were included. Pre- and postoperative rectal manometry results were compared by using paired t test or contingency tables (p values <0.05). Twelve female patients with rectoperineal (n = 7, 58%) or rectovestibular (n = 5, 42%) fistula were treated by anterior sagittal anorectoplasty or minimal posterior sagittal anorectoplasty. Complete transposition of the fistula was achieved in all patients. Normal presence of rectoanal inhibitory reflex was demonstrated in all pre- and postoperative rectal manometry studies. There were no differences between pre- and postoperative rectal manometry in the length of the high-pressure zone (2.3 ± 0.6 cm vs 2.5 ± 0.8 cm (p = 0.5)) and resting pressure (59.4 ± 18.2 mm Hg vs 62.1 ± 19.2 mm Hg (p = 0.62)). At a median follow-up of 665 days (range, 290-1165 days), all patients have voluntary bowel movements, with no incontinence or soiling. This study is limited by its small sample size and by single-institution bias. Preoperative rectal manometry of rectoperineal or rectovestibular fistula showed the presence of functional anal structures within the fistula in all patients. We speculate that fistula-preserving surgery in patients with anorectal malformations is associated with improved bowel function outcome.

Multidetector CT of the Postoperative Colon: Review of Normal Appearances and Common Complications

If not properly recognized, the normal postoperative appearance of the pelvis following colorectal surgery can be misinterpreted as disease, including infection or recurrent tumor. However, multidetector computed tomography (CT) with the supplemental use of multiplanar reformation clearly demonstrates the expected postoperative anatomic changes in this setting. The high-resolution images achievable with multidetector CT enable the radiologist to play an important role in the postoperative assessment of patients following colon surgery. Whenever possible, the radiologist should be aware of the specific indication for the study, the type of surgery that was performed (ranging from segmental bowel excision to more extensive radical resection), and what anastomoses were created. This knowledge, as well as familiarity with the normal multidetector CT appearances of various postoperative complications, is critical for prompt diagnosis and appropriate management of these complications and for better differentiation of complications from normal findings.