Fistula In Patients Research Articles

The three-tube method via precise interventional placement for esophagojejunal anastomotic fistula after gastrectomy: a single-center experience

BackgroundEsophagojejunal anastomotic leakage is a serious complication after total gastrectomy. This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of transnasal placement of drainage catheter, jejunal decompression tube, and jejunal nutrition tube under fluoroscopy for treatment of esophagojejunal anastomotic fistula after gastrectomy in gastric cancer patients.MethodsThis is retrospective review of patients with esophagojejunal anastomotic fistula treated with transnasal placement of abscess drainage catheter, decompression tube, and jejunal nutrition tube under fluoroscopy. Fistula healing time, patient survival, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status before and after treatment were evaluated.ResultsSixty-four patients were included in the study. Insertion of the transnasal abscess drainage catheter, decompression tube, and jejunal nutrition tube was successful on the first attempt in all patients, while 35 patients received transnasal abscess drainage, 13 received percutaneous abscess drainage, and 16 received transnasal drainage plus percutaneous abscess drainage. Immediately after placement of the tube, the mean volume of drainage was 180 mL (range, 10–850 mL); the amount steadily decreased from then on. The clinical success rate was 84.3% (54/64). Median time to fistula healing was 58 days (range, 7–357 days).ConclusionsTransnasal insertion of transnasal abscess drainage catheter, jejunal decompression tube, and jejunal nutrition tube under fluoroscopy appears to be a simple, minimally invasive, effective, and safe method for treating esophagojejunal anastomotic fistula after gastrectomy.

Feasibility of using transperineal ultrasound as a diagnostic test in perianal abscesses and fistulas under resource-limited setting: A retrospective study

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of preoperative transperineal ultrasound (TPUS) in evaluating perianal abscesses and fistulas under a resource-limited setting and compared it with surgical findings as gold standards. Material and Methods: A retrospective study conducted between February 2017 and March 2020, involving 85 patients who were presented to the emergency department with suspected perianal suppurative conditions and underwent TPUS with a 4- to 7-MHz curved transducer, were enrolled. Perianal abscesses and fistulas were classified according to the American Gastroenterological Association criteria and Parks’ classification. Data on patients’ characteristics, TPUS findings, and operative findings were analyzed. The sensitivity and accuracy of preoperative TPUS in detecting lesions were assessed and compared with the surgical findings as gold standards. Result: The mean age of study participants was 32.12 ± 13.83 years and there were 69 (81.2%) men and 16 (18.8%) women. The TPUS findings were consistent with surgical results in 74 out of 85 patients. In 11 out of the 85 cases, preoperative TPUS missed the diagnosis, and in 5 (6.7%) out of 74 cases, TPUS showed other abnormalities. Perianal abscesses, fistula, and mixed abscesses (with fistula or sinus) were observed in 29 (39.2%), 34 (46%), and 6 (8.1%) cases, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy of TPUS in detecting perianal abscesses and fistulas were 86%, 100%, and 87%, respectively. TPUS correctly detected all perianal abscesses with their subtypes (sensitivity of 100%, excellent degree of correlation, k = 1). In the case of fistulas, the accuracy of TPUS in detecting subtype fistula was 87.5% (excellent degree of correlation, k = 0.81); however, it showed low sensitivity in identifying suprasphincteric fistula (5/10, 50%). Additionally, the accuracy of TPUS in detecting the number of external openings was 87.5%, with a reasonable degree of correlation (k = 0.78). However, the accuracy of TPUS in detecting the site of internal openings and tracts of the fistula was 82% and 95%, respectively. Within a mean follow-up of 6.571 ± 1.72 months, there was a recurrence in one fistula patient. Conclusion: Although the TPUS was not precise enough to diagnose suprasphincteric fistulas, it provides good diagnostic accuracy in identifying perianal abscesses and fistulas. Under resource-limited settings where MRI is unavailable or under emergencies, we recommend TPUS as the first diagnostic test for patients with perianal abscesses and fistulas.

Associated Morbidities Seen in Women with Obstetric Fistula

Background: Obstetric fistula continues to be a source of misery for women in developing countries. It usually occurs in association with other morbidities. The study was carried out to determine the morbidities that co-exist with obstetric fistula. Methodology: It was a cross-sectional descriptive study carried out among women seeking treatment of obstetric fistula in Cross River State of Nigeria. A combined purposive and proportionate sampling technique was used to select 210 participants. Ethical approval was obtained. A semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to obtain information on biodata, obstetric characteristics and morbidties associated with obstetric fistula. Data was analyzed with SPSS version 20. Chi-square was used to compare categorical variables. A P-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Among the 210 women, 59 (28.1%) were aged 30 and 39 years. Eighty-one women (38.6%) were grandmultipara and 80 (38.1%) had no living child. Majority (178; 84.8%) of the women delivered stillbirths. At presentation, 175 women (83.3%) had depression, 138 (65.7%) had sexual dysfunction, 97 women (46.2%) had amenorrhoea, 138 (65.7%) had secondary infertility, 128 (61%) had obstetric palsy (foot drop), 171 (81.4%) had urine dermatitis, while 49(23.3%) had features of urinary tract infection. Fifteen women 15 (7.1%) had co-existing rectovaginal fistula. Increased duration of leakage was significantly associated with development of urine dermatitis (P=0.001). Also, increased duration of labour was significantly associated with development of obstetric palsy (P=0.000). Conclusion: Morbidities associated with obstetric fistula are depression, sexual dysfunction, amenorhoea, inferlility, urine dermatitis, obstetric palsy and urinary tract infection. Fistula patients should be assessed for these and be managed by a multidisplinary team.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy analysis reveals biochemical difference in urine of patients with perianal fistula

Background & aimsPerianal fistulising Crohn's disease (PFCD) is different from the characteristics and outcomes of traditional non-inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) anal fistulas. The presence of perianal disease was a poor prognostic indicator for Crohn's disease (CD) patients and PFCD patients were more likely to bear an increased risk of recurrence. However, the effective and accurate diagnosis methods to early distinguish PFCD from simple perianal fistula were still scarce. The purpose of this study is to develop a non-invasive detecting approach to predict CD in patients with perianal fistulas. MethodsData on patients with anal fistulizing disease were collected from July 2020 to September 2020 in two IBD centers. Urine samples from PFCD and simple perianal fistula patients were investigated by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Principal component analysis (PCA)-support vector machine (SVM) was utilized to establish classification models to distinguish PFCD from simple perianal fistula. ResultsAfter a case-matched 1:1 selection by age and gender, 110 patients were included in the study. By analyzing the average SERS spectra of PFCD and simple perianal fistula patients, it revealed that there were significant differences in intensities at 11 Raman peaks. The established PCA-SVM model distinguished PFCD from simple perianal fistula with a sensitivity of 71.43%, specificity 80.00% and accuracy 75.71% in the leave-one-patient-out cross-validation. The accuracy of the model in validation cohort was 77.5%. ConclusionsInvestigation of urine samples by SERS helps clinicians to predict Crohn's disease from perianal fistulas, which make patients achieve benefit from a more individualized treatment strategy.

The potential roles of gut microbiome in anal fistula

Anal fistula is a common proctological disease, but the thorough mechanisms of the anal fistula formation are still unclear. An increasing number of studies have revealed the crucial role of gut microbiota in intestinal diseases. We used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to analyze the intestinal microbiome in order to determine whether there are differences in the microbiome between anal fistula patients and healthy individuals. The microbiome samples were extracted by repeatedly wiping the rectal wall with intestinal swab. Before this operation, the whole intestine of all participants was irrigated and the score of the Boston bowel preparation scale reached 9. The biodiversity of gut microbiome of rectum revealed significant difference between anal fistula patients and healthy individuals. 36 discriminative taxa were identified by LEfSe analysis between two groups. At the phylum level, Synergistetes was enriched in anal fistula patients, while Proteobacteria was higher in healthy individuals. We also found that at the genus level, Blautia, Faecalibacterium, Ruminococcus, Coprococcus, Bacteroides, Clostridium, Megamonas and Anaerotruncus were highly enriched in anal fistula patients, while the microbiome of healthy individuals was enriched with Peptoniphilus and Corynebacterium. Spearman correlations showed the extensive and close association among genera and species. Finally, a diagnostic prediction model was constructed by random forest classifier, and the area under curve (AUC) reached 0.990. This study gave an important hint for analyzing gut microbiome of rectum in anal fistula patient.Keypoints.We use the 16S rRNA gene sequencing to test the microbiome samples extracted from the intestinal swab. This is the first study to explore the gut microbiome of rectum using this workflow. We also found the distinct gut microbiome of rectum differences between anal fistula patients and healthy individuals.

Obstrucción congénita de la unión ureteropiélica. Estudio de casos en un centro de segundo nivel

Objective: To evaluate the incidence, clinical characteristics, diagnosis, and treatment of congenital ureteropelvic junction obstruction in pediatric patients (CUPBO) at the Hospital Infantil de Morelia. Material and methods: This was a retrospective, observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional study of pediatric patients diagnosed with CUPBO and treated in the urology service of a second-level care medical center from January 2018 to December 2021. Results: We reviewed 53 patients with prenatal hydronephrosis who underwent postnatal follow-up, of whom only 6 patients diagnosed with congenital ureteropelvic junction obstruction (CUPBO) were identified prenatally. Seven patients were diagnosed with hydronephrosis postnatally and subsequently diagnosed with CUPBO, resulting in a total sample of 13 diagnosed patients. The incidence of CUPBO was 3.4 patients per 100 first visits to the Pediatric Urology Service. Of the cases, 92.31% were male, and the most frequent clinical manifestations were skin infections and localized pain. Surgery was performed in all cases, with Anderson-Hynes pyeloplasty being the most frequent procedure. Complications included urinary tract infections, wound infections, and fistula, but most patients had satisfactory results with a reduction of hydronephrosis after surgery. Findings or conclusions: Our study found a low rate of early detection of CUPBO in patients with prenatal hydronephrosis follow-up. We recommend an intentional search for urologic alterations in structural ultrasound scans of prenatal control. We emphasize the importance of an accurate diagnosis and timely treatment of CUPBO to prevent renal complications.

Clinical value of combined serum MMP-2, MMP-9 and TIMP-1 for the prognosis of perianal fistula patients who received minimally invasive surgery.

This study aimed to investigate the clinical value of combined serum matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) for the prognosis of perianal fistula patients. Patients diagnosed and treated for perianal fistula by minimally invasive surgery (MIS) were enrolled. The concentrations of serum MMP-2, MMP-9 and TIMP-1 were measured at 24 h after surgery. Different levels of wound secretion, growth of granulation tissue and wound pain were used as criteria to evaluate surgical incision healing. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to analyze the predicted assessment value. The concentrations of serum MMP-2 and MMP-9 were significantly higher, while the concentrations of serum TIMP-1 at 24 h after surgery were significantly lower in the poor healing group than in the good healing group. It was further found that high levels of serum MMP-2 and MMP-9 were risk factors for poor healing, while high concentrations of serum TIMP-1 at 24 h after surgery were protective factors for poor healing. High concentrations of serum MMP-2 and MMP-9 and low concentrations of serum TIMP at 24 h after surgery are risk factors for poor healing in perianal fistula patients who receive MIS, and the combined test has a higher predictive value.

Improved AV Fistula Usability with Fewer Interventions Leads to Reduced Annualized Cost of AV Fistula Patients: A Propensity Score-Matched Comparative Prospective Study

A vascular external support for arteriovenous fistula (AVF) creation (VasQ, Laminate Medical, Tel Aviv, Israel) has improved functional success in multiple European studies. Herein is the first complete report of the U.S. Pivotal Comparative Study results with a cost analysis is presented for VasQ over a 24-month period. The U.S. Pivotal study prospectively enrolled 144 patients (90% brachiocephalic and 10% radiocephalic) at 15 sites. A group of 782 patients treated by the same surgeons from the study immediately prior to the VasQ trial enrollment period was developed from the Medicare claims database as a comparative group. Demographic, procedural and postprocedural data were collected for up to 24 months after surgery. To emulate randomized studies, a propensity score weighting method (inverse probability treatment weighting using average treatment effect) was applied to the claims data. Statistical comparisons of primary patency (freedom from intervention), functional success (continuous use for dialysis over a minimum of 30 days), and post-creation intervention rates were made against the matched comparator group as well as calculating payer cost. Descriptive comparisons were made for primary failure rate (abandonment before first use by 6-month follow-up) and 24-month cumulative patency (freedom from abandonment) rates against published meta-analyses. The median diameter of vessels at the VasQ AVF creation site was 4.25 mm (range, 2.0-6.6 mm) arterial and 3.95 mm (range, 2.3-7.8 mm) venous. Incidence of steal (4.2%), infection (0.7%), and (pseudo)aneurysm (0.7%) at 24 months compared favorably with standard AVF creations. Demographic data for the VasQ and Medicare control groups before and after weighting were typical of a U.S. population (Table I). VasQ AVFs demonstrated superior primary patency, functional success and intervention rates compared against the matched cohort (Table II). Primary failure of 7.9% for VasQ AVF patients compared favorably to the 22.0% to 32.2% reported in contemporary U.S. meta-analyses. Cumulative patency of 76.7% (95% confidence interval, 67.7%-83.4%) at 24 months for VasQ was superior to contemporary meta-analyses reporting 53.7% to 63.0% for standard AVFs. No difference in cumulative patency was observed between patients requiring interventions and those that did not, demonstrating VasQ did not inhibit the ability of physicians to maintain patency. The nearly 50% reduction in access interventions with VasQ at 6 months resulted in an annualized cost reduction of $7764.19 per patient-year. The VasQ vascular external support device delivered more functional fistula success, with earlier usability and fewer interventions, reducing overall costs of fistula creation.Table IMatched demographicsCharacteristicsVasQUnmatched controlUnmatched SMDMatched controlMatched SMDMale61.1% (88/144)56.3% (440/782)9.964.9%−7.9Black35.4% (51/144)47.4% (364/768)−24.531.5%8.3White53.5% (77/144)43.1% (331/768)20.957.9%−9.0Other11.1% (16/144)9.5% (73/768)5.310.6%1.8Mean age58.9 ± 11.460.8 ± 12.7−15.758.7 ± 5.63.0Obesity52.1% (75/144)51.2% (400/782)1.948.3%7.6Active dialysis66.0% (95/144)65.3% (511/782)1.365.7%0.6Diabetic69.4% (100/144)79.0% (618/782)−22.069.4%0.1Congestive heart failure21.5% (31/144)41.6% (325/782)−44.122.8%−3.0SMD, Standard mean difference.Values are (proportion) and [range]. Boldface entries indicate statistical significance. Open table in a new tab Table IIVasQ patient outcomes relative to a matched Medicare comparatorEndpoint (n)VasQ vs controlOdds ratioMatched P valuePrimary patency at 6 months64.2% vs 35.5%3.27[2.15-5.17]<.0001Continuous AVF use at 3 months43.4% vs 26.7%2.15[1.32-4.47].0069Continuous AVF use at 6 months72.5% vs 56.3%2.05[1.23-3.75].0059Intervention rate at 6 months0.97 vs 1.91NA<.0001Values are 95% confidence intervals. Boldface entries indicate statistical significance. Open table in a new tab

Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell for reducing neointimal hyperplasia: a literature review – exploring possible therapeutic use on arteriovenous fistula patient

Link of Video Abstract: https://youtu.be/2uoN5ciMk14 Umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells have been shown to reduce neointimal hyperplasia in animal models. However, current studies about therapeutic use to reduce neointimal hyperplasia mainly utilized bone-marrow and adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells and lack of in vivo testing from umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells. Herein, we explore the potential of the therapeutic use of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells to reduce neointimal hyperplasia in patients with arteriovenous fistula. Studies were identified from Scopus, Pubmed, and Google Scholar published between 2000 and 2022. The inclusion criteria for the articles were: (1) written in English, (2) focused on the use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for the treatment of neointimal hyperplasia, and (3) animal-controlled studies. Exosome-derived from mesenchymal stem cell studies were excluded. A total of 9 articles were included. Overall, the available evidence suggests that UC-MSCs may be a promising therapeutic option for reducing neointimal hyperplasia in arteriovenous fistula (AVF) patients. However, more research is needed to confirm these findings and to determine the optimal dosing and administration for their use in clinical practice. Additionally, further studies are required to fully understand the standardization in isolating and characterizing UC-MSCs and their effects on neointimal hyperplasia.

MRI characteristics of lumbosacral dural arteriovenous fistulas.

Spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas located in the lumbosacral region are rare and present with nonspecific clinical signs. The purpose of this study was to find out the specific radiologic features of these fistulas. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical and radiological data of 38 patients diagnosed with lumbosacral spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas in our institution from September 2016 to September 2021. All patients underwent time-resolved contrast-enhanced three-dimensional MRA and DSA examinations, and were treated with either endovascular or neurosurgical strategies. Most of the patients (89.5%) had motor or sensory disorders in both lower limbs as the first symptoms. On MRA, the dilated filum terminale vein or radicular vein was seen in 23/30 (76.7%) patients with lumbar spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas and 8/8 (100%) patients with sacral spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas. T2W intramedullary abnormally high signal intensity areas were found in all lumbosacral spinal dural arteriovenous fistula patients, with involvement of the conus present in 35/38 (92.1%) patients. The "missing piece sign" in the intramedullary enhancement area was seen in 29/38 (76.3%) patients. Dilatation of the filum terminale vein or radicular vein is powerful evidence for diagnosis of lumbosacral spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas, especially for sacral spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas. T2W intramedullary hyperintensity in the thoracic spinal cord and conus, and the missing-piece sign could be indicative of lumbosacral spinal dural arteriovenous fistula.

Risk of anorectal cancer in patients with Crohn's disease and perianal fistula: a nationwide Danish cohort study.

Patients with Crohn's disease (CD) often suffer from perianal fistulizing disease. Their risk of anorectal cancer remains uncertain. We aimed to examine the long-term risk of anorectal cancer in a population-based cohort of CD patients with anorectal fistula. Our study population covered all individuals (n = 7 987 520) aged 15+ years living in Denmark from 1978 to 2018. We identified all patients with CD and anorectal fistula in the Danish National Patient Register (NPR) and 50 matched noninflammatory bowel disease (IBD) individuals from the general population. Using Cox regression analyses, we examined the risk of anorectal cancer in CD fistula patients versus non-IBD individuals. All patients with CD were identified using codes from the International Classification of Diseases and their data extracted from the NPR. The main outcome measure was cases of anorectal cancer. A total of 2786 CD patients with anorectal fistula and 139 300 non-IBD individuals were followed for 1 553 917 person-years. During follow-up, anorectal cancer was observed in 19 CD patients (0.68%) and 340 non-IBD individuals (0.24%), corresponding to a 2.9-fold increased hazard ratio (HR) of anorectal cancer in CD fistula patients (95% CI 1.80-4.53), with a particularly high risk of anal cancer (HR 15.13, 95% CI 6.88-33.31) and a mean time from CD fistula diagnosis to anorectal cancer of 6.7 (SD 6.5) years. The risk was slightly higher in women than men and had no apparent relation to treatment with tumour necrosis factor-α inhibitors. Sensitivity analyses using CD nonfistula patients for comparison revealed similar results. Individual data on smoking and infection with human papilloma virus were not available. Patients with CD and anorectal fistula have a three-fold increased risk of anorectal cancer compared with the general population. The number needed to surveil to detect one case of anorectal cancer in this patient population was 2160 patients per year in patients with long-standing fistula (>6 years).

Determination of Some Haematological Parameters and Oxidative Stress Markers in Vesico-Vaginal Fistula Patients Attending Maryam Abacha Women and Children Hospital, Sokoto.

Introduction: Vesico-vaginal fistula (VVF) is still a persisting scourge in developing countries with devastating medical and social consequences. The goal of this study was to assess the haematological parameters and oxidative stress markers of VVF patients compared with healthy control female subjects. Material and Methods: This study was carried out at VVF Centre, Maryam Abacha Women and Children Hospital, Sokoto. This is a descriptive study conducted on 50 VVF patients and 50 controls to determine some haematological parameters and oxidative stress markers. Questionnaire was used to obtain sociodemographic information while laboratory investigations were used to obtain haematological and free radical marker results. Results: The values obtained from the control and VVF subjects for PCV, RBC, hemoglobin, platelets, lymphocytes, neutrophils, monocytes and basophils were statistically non-significant (p&gt;0.05) while WBC (5.45 ± 0.31 x 109/L,59 ± 0.27 x 109/L) and eosinophil (2.43 ± 0.33%, 4.83 ± 0.54%) were statistically significant (p&lt;0.05). For the free radical markers, both Malondialdehyde and glutathione levels were statistically non-significant (p&gt;0.05). The correlation of Malondialdehyde and glutathione peroxidase levels with haematological parameters showed that only lymphocyte and monocyte counts were statistically significant respectively. Conclusion: Prolonged obstructed labour, early marriage, ignorance, lack of knowledge are among the factors responsible for the prevalence of VVF in Sokoto State. White blood cell and eosinophil counts should be included as part of the laboratory investigations for VVF patients which may serve as indication for asymptomatic bacteriuria, women should not be given out of marriage before they reach age of maturity and Formal education should be made free and mandatory for girls’ up to tertiary institution.

“…Our support is not enough”: a qualitative analysis of recommendations from informal caregivers of women with female genital fistula in Uganda

Informal caregivers remain critical across the care continuum for complex and stigmatized conditions including female genital fistula, particularly in lower-resource settings burdened by underfunded health systems and workforce shortages. These caregivers often provide significant nonmedical support in both community and facility settings, without pay. Despite their unique insight into the lived experiences of their patients, few studies center the perspectives of informal caregivers. We asked informal caregivers of women seeking surgical treatment of fistula in Kampala Uganda for their ideas about what would improve the recovery and reintegration experiences of their patients. Economic empowerment and community capacity building emerged as primary themes among their responses, and they perceived opportunities for clinical medicine and global health to strengthen strategies for fistula prevention through reintegration. Informal caregivers urged simultaneous investment in women’s economic status and community capacity to build fistula-related awareness, knowledge, and skills to improve inclusion of both fistula patients and their informal caregivers.

Nutritional outcomes of chyme reinfusion therapy for ostomy and fistula patients

Nutritional outcomes of chyme reinfusion therapy for ostomy and fistula patients

Platelet-rich plasma in the treatment of anal fistula: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

To analyse the safety and effectiveness of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in anal fistula patients. Online databases including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched from inception to December 5, 2022, for eligible studies about evaluating the efficacy of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in treating anal fistula. Literature search, screening, data extraction, and quality assessment were carried out by two independent investigators. The overall cure rate, the complete cure rate, the recurrence rate, and the adverse event rate with their 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were the primary calculation indexes. Subgroup analyses were conducted primarily according to whether PRP was combined with other treatments. Softwares of MedCalc 18.2 and Review Manager 5.3 were used for meta-analysis. A total of 14 studies with 514 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The overall cure rate of 14 studies was 72.11% (95% CI 0.64-0.79). The cure rate of PRP alone was 62.39% (95% CI 0.55-0.69). The combined cure rate of PRP with other treatments was 83.12% (95% CI 0.77-0.88). The cure rate of interventions involving PRP were superior to the cure rate of surgery methods without using PRP significantly in the 4 randomized controlled studies (RR = 1.30, 95% CI 1.10-1.54, p = 0.002). The complete cure rate of the 8 studies was 66.37% (95% CI 0.52-0.79). The recurrence rate of the 12 studies was 14.84% (95% CI 0.08-0.24). The adverse event rate of the 12 studies was 6.31% (95% CI 0.02-0.12). PRP showed favorable safety and effectiveness in the treatment of anal fistula, especially combined with other treatment procedures.

Clinical characteristics, angiographic findings and treatment outcomes of carotid cavernous fistula in Makassar, Indonesia: a single-centre experience

BackgroundCarotid cavernous fistula (CCF) is an abnormal arteriovenous shunt between the carotid artery or its branches, with the cavernous sinus. It is still common in developing countries, and is mostly due to traumatic origin. Endovascular treatment has emerged as the primary mode of treatment of CCF. This is the first study describing the clinical manifestation, angiographic characteristic, and the challenges we face in endovascular treatment of CCF cases in Makassar, Indonesia.ResultsThis descriptive study was conducted between January 2019 to March 2022. We reviewed medical records and angiograms of all patients diagnosed with CCF at the Wahidin General Hospital, Makassar. Clinical manifestations, angiogram results, treatment, and outcome data were analyzed. A total of 23 patients were included in this study, with 17 (73.9%) direct CCF (Barrow type A) and 6 (26.1%) indirect CCF (Barrow type B, C, D). The mean age of patients were 32 years old. The three most common clinical manifestations were proptosis (n = 21, 91.3%), headache (n = 14, 60.8%), and chemosis (n = 14, 60.8%). The three most common drainage routes were via the superior ophthalmic vein (n = 23, 100%), inferior petrosal sinus (n = 12, 52.1%), and superficial middle cerebral vein (n = 6, 26.0%). All patients with direct CCF (n = 17) had endovascular treatment, resulting in 13 cases with complete occlusion (76.5%), 3 cases with incomplete occlusion (17.6%), and 1 (5.9%) procedure cancelled due to difficult navigation. Occlusion of fistula was best achieved with detachable coil, with a technical success rate of 90%. In indirect CCF (n = 6), 4 patients were treated conservatively and 2 with endovascular treatment, with complete occlusion in 2 patients.ConclusionsCarotid cavernous fistula patients commonly presented with orbital symptoms, headache, or neuro-ophthalmologic signs. The most common drainage pattern is via anterior route. Posterior, superior and lateral drainage were not found in indirect CCF. Endovascular treatment is an effective method for fistula closure, especially in the case of direct fistula. Challenges in endovascular treatment are related to the anatomy of the fistula and cavernous sinus.

Predictors and outcomes of surgical repair of obstetric fistula at Mekelle Hamlin Fistula Center, Northern Ethiopia.

Obstetric fistula is a medical condition that involves an opening between vagina and bladder or vagina and rectum. From 2010 to 2013, on average, around 2000 women each year had surgery for obstetric fistula in Ethiopia. The success and failure rate of obstetric fistula repair varies from center to center and is determined by many factors. Thus, this study aimed to assess the predictors and outcomes of surgical repair of obstetric fistula at Mekelle Hamlin Fistula Center (MHFC). A retrospective reviewed medical records of 328 patients with obstetric fistula were carried out at MHFC. Multivariable logistics regression analysis was conducted, a significant association was declared when the p-value was less than 0.05, and the strength of the association was determined by computing the odds ratio at 95% CI. The analysis was done using SPSS version 24. Obstetrics fistula patients who had formal education were 13% more likely to be successfully repaired than obstetrics fistula patients who had no formal education. Additionally, obstetrics fistula patients who had a live birth were 32.325 (exp (β) = 32.325) times more likely to have had a successful repair than those who had a stillbirth. Fistula closure was achieved in 89.3% of cases. The success rate for VVF (vesico-vaginal fistula) and RVF (recto-vaginal fistula) surgical repair was 86.9% and 100% respectively, which is higher than the WHO target. Body mass index between 18.5-24.9kg/m2, formal education, antibiotic use, live birth, large fistula size, and home and cesarean delivery were predictors of successful closure of obstetric fistula.

Cell-assisted lipotransfer in treating uncontrollable sepsis associated perianal fistula: a pilot study.

Surgeons can treat debilitating conditions of uncontrollable complex anorectal fistulas with sepsis, even after repeated fistula surgeries, for curative intention. Adipose-derived stem cells have shown good outcomes for refractory Crohn fistula. Unfortunately, cell therapy has some limitations, including high costs. We have therefore attempted immediate cell-assisted lipotransfer (CAL) in treating refractory complex anal fistulas and observed its outcomes. In a retrospective study, CAL, using a mixture of freshly extracted autologous stromal vascular fraction (SVF) and fat tissues, was used to treat 22 patients of refractory complex anal fistula from March 2018 to May 2021. Preoperative and postoperative assessments were performed with direct visual inspection, digital palpation, and endoanal ultrasonography. A fistula was considered completely healed if (1) the patient had no symptoms of discharge or inflammation; (2) there were no visible secondary openings of fistula tract inside and outside of the anorectal unit and even in the perineum; and (3) there was no primary opening in the anus. The endpoint of complete remission was wound healing without signs of inflammation 3 months after CAL treatment. In a total of 22 patients who received CAL treatment, 19 patients showed complete remission, 1 patient showed partial improvement, and 2 patients showed no improvement. One of the 2 patients without improvement at primary endpoint showed complete remission 9 months after CAL. There were no significant adverse effects of the procedure. We found that the immediately-collected CAL procedure for refractory complex anal fistula showed good outcomes without adverse side effects. It can be strongly recommended as an alternative surgical option for the treatment of complex anal fistula that is uncontrollable even after repeated surgical procedures. However, considering the unpredictable characteristics of SVF, long-term follow-up is necessary.

P166 Calprotectin in patients with perianal fistula: the CANALS study

Abstract Background Previous studies suggest that faecal calprotectin can be used to discriminate Crohn’s disease (CD) perianal fistulas from cryptoglandular (CG) perianal fistulas. The aim of this research was to prospectively validate these findings and further investigate local calprotectin production inside fistula tracts. The aim of the current study was to prospectively analyse the clinical value of calprotectin levels in both the faeces and the fistula tract. Methods In this prospective study, all consecutive patients with an active perianal fistula undergoing examination under anesthetics were included. Faecal and scraping calprotectin levels collected during surgery were measured. The primary objective was to differentiate between active CD perianal fistulas and CG perianal fistulas based on faecal calprotectin. Secondary outcome parameters were the levels of local calprotectin in fistula tracts and the correlation with fistula characteristics and clinical prognostic parameters like the Geldof Classification system. Results Sixty-three fistula patients were included in this study (CD n=45; CG n=18). Faecal calprotectin values were significantly higher in CD patients compared to CG patients (396.8 [61.9-1136.8] vs. 47.3 [14.6-233.6] ug/g, p=0.004). The Area Under the Curve (AUC) was 0.733 (95% CI [0.644 to 0.903] with an optimal FC cut-off value of 344ug/g. Faecal calprotectin was not related to calprotectin levels in fistula scrapings which was not significantly different in CD and cryptoglandular fistulas (p=0.893). Calprotectin in fistula scrapings was also not related to fistula characteristics like number of tracts, duration of disease or (previous) seton drainage. However, a significant correlation was found between scraping calprotectin and fistula disease severity and prognosis as defined by a new Geldof classification system: Patients in group 2a (amenable for fistula repair) had significantly lower calprotectin levels (140 [31.0-149.0])ug/g) when compared to class 2b (symptom control) (706 [198.5 – 1936]ug/g, p=0.054) and class 2c (gradually debilitating disease) (3464.0 [328.5-5692.0]ug/g, p=0.008). Patients in class 3 (exhausted perineum) had the highest calprotectin levels highest (5928.0 [2605.0-6000]ug/g). Conclusion CD and CG perianal fistulas can be distinguished by measuring faecal calprotectin levels. The difference can not be explained by local fistula calprotectin production as calprotectin in fistula scrapings is not predictive of CD. However, the results of this study suggest that scraping calprotectin levels may be used to classify fistula patients and predict outcome of fistula treatment.

Surgical management of acute life-threatening events affecting esophageal atresia and/or tracheoesophageal fistula patients

BackgroundFollowing surgical correction, many patients with esophageal atresia with or without tracheoesophageal fistula (EA/TEF) present to the emergency department (ED) with acute airway complications. We sought to determine the incidence and risk factors for severe acute life-threatening events (ALTEs) in pediatric patients with repaired congenital EA/TEF and the outcomes of operative interventions. MethodsA retrospective cohort chart review was performed on patients with EA/TEF with surgical repair and follow-up at a single centre from 2000 to 2018. Primary outcomes included 5-year ED visits and/or hospitalizations for ALTEs. Demographic, operative, and outcome data were collected. Chi-square tests and univariate analyses were performed. ResultsIn total, 266 EA/TEF patients met inclusion criteria. Of these, 59 (22.2%) had experienced ALTEs. Patients with low birth weight, low gestational age, documented tracheomalacia, and clinically significant esophageal strictures were more likely to experience ALTEs (p < 0.05). ALTEs occurred prior to 1 year of age in 76.3% (45/59) of patients with a median age at presentation of 8 months (range 0–51 months). Recurrence of ALTEs after esophageal dilatation was 45.5% (10/22), mostly due to stricture recurrence. Patients experiencing ALTEs received anti-reflux procedures (8/59, 13.6%), airway pexy procedures (7/59, 11.9%), or both (5/59, 8.5%) within a median age of 6 months of life. The resolution and recurrence of ALTEs after operative interventions are described. ConclusionSignificant respiratory morbidity is common among patients with EA/TEF. Understanding the multifactorial etiology and operative management of ALTEs have an important role in their resolution. Type of StudyOriginal Research, Clinical Research. Level of EvidenceLevel III Retrospective Comparative Study.