Purpose: As introduced, multimodal pain management bundle for ileostomy reversal may be considered to reduce postoperative pain and hospital stay. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical efficacy of perioperative multimodal pain bundle for ileostomy. Methods: Medical records of patients who underwent ileostomy reversal after rectal cancer surgery from April 2017 to March 2020 were analyzed. Sixty-seven patients received multimodal pain bundle protocol with ileostomy reversal (group A) and 41 patients underwent closure of ileostomy with conventional pain management (group B). Results: Baseline characteristics, including age, sex, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, diabetes mellitus, and smoking history, were not significantly different between the groups. The pain score on postoperative day 1 was significant lower in group A (visual analog scale, 2.6 ± 1.3 vs. 3.2 ± 1.2; P = 0.013). Overall consumption of opioid in group A was significant less than group B (9.7 ± 9.5 vs. 21.2 ± 8.8, P < 0.001). Hospital stay was significantly shorter in group A (2.3 ± 1.5 days vs. 4.1 ± 1.5 days, P < 0.001). There were no significant differences between the groups in postoperative complication rate. Conclusion Multimodal pain protocol for ileostomy reversal could reduce postoperative pain, usage of opioid and hospital stay compared to conventional pain management.

Purpose: This phase II, open-label, multicenter study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of a rituximab intensification for the 1st cycle with every 21-day of rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone (R-CHOP-21) among patients with previously untreated advanced-stage or bulky diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Materials and Methods: Ninety-two patients with stage III/IV or bulky DLBCL from 21 institutions were administered 8 cycles of R-CHOP-21 with an additional one dose of rituximab intensification on day 0 of the 1st cycle (RR-CHOP). The primary endpoint was a complete response (CR) rate after 3 cycles of chemotherapy. Results: Among the 92 DLBCL patients assessed herein, the response rate after 3 cycles of chemotherapy was 88.0% (38.0% CR+50.0% partial response [PR]). After the completion of 8 cycles of chemotherapy, the overall response rate was observed for 68.4% (58.7% CR+9.8% PR). The 3-year progression-free survival rate was 64.0%, and the 3-year overall survival rate was 70.4%. Febrile neutropenia was one of the most frequent grade 3 adverse events (40.0%) and 5 treatment-related deaths occurred. Compared with the clinical outcomes of patients who received R-CHOP chemotherapy as a historical control, the interim CR rate was higher in male patients with RR-CHOP (20.5% vs. 48.8%, p=0.016). Conclusion Rituximab intensification on days 0 to the 1st cycle of the standard 8 cycles R-CHOP-21 for advanced DLBCL yielded favorable response rates after the 3 cycles of chemotherapy and acceptable toxicities, especially for male patients. ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT01054781.

Purpose: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) reduces postoperative complications and shortens hospital stays. We aimed to describe the implementation and improvement of ERAS protocols in our institution through a multidisciplinary team approach. Methods: A multidisciplinary team comprised of colorectal surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, pharmacists, nutritionists, and a performance improvement team was launched to develop the ERAS protocol. The ERAS protocol was followed in patients who underwent colonic and rectal surgery between January and November 2017. The ERAS protocol comprised 22 elements in the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative phases. After the initial application, ERAS compliance was monitored and audited every 4–6 months and improvements made as necessary. Results: The length of hospital stay significantly decreased after the application of the ERAS protocols for colon cancer in 2017 and 2018. And there was no significant difference in the duration of hospital stay after applying the rectal cancer ERAS protocol. Moreover, after starting the colon ERAS, there was a significant decrease in the complication rate. Since December 2017, there was a continuous increase in the colorectal ERAS clinical pathway application rate, which remained high (>90%). The patient compliance rate significantly increased between 2017 and 2018, but slightly decreased again in 2019. Conclusion The application and continual improvement of an ERAS protocol are crucial. Improving compliance may result in better clinical outcomes. Additionally, the basic guidelines of ERAS must be applied and developed according to each hospital’s situation based on the team approach.

Purpose: Vascular invasion is a well-known independent prognostic factor in colon cancer and tumor sidedness is also being considered a prognostic factor. The aim of this study was to compare the oncological impact of vascular invasion depending on the tumor location in stages I to III colon cancer. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed using data from patients who underwent curative resection between 2004 and 2015. Patients were divided into right-sided colon cancer (RCC) and left-sided colon cancer (LCC) groups according to the tumor location. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared between the RCC and LCC groups, depending on the presence of vascular invasion. Results: A total of 793 patients were included, of which 304 (38.3%) had RCC and 489 (61.7%) had LCC. DFS and OS did not differ significantly between the RCC and LCC groups. Vascular invasion was a poor prognostic factor for DFS in both RCC (hazard ratio [HR], 2.291; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.186–4.425; p = 0.010) and LCC (HR, 1.848; 95% CI, 1.139–2.998; p = 0.011). Additionally, it was associated with significantly worse OS in the RCC (HR, 3.503; 95% CI, 1.681–7.300; p < 0.001), but not in the LCC group (HR, 1.676; 95% CI, 0.885–3.175; p = 0.109). Multivariate analysis revealed that vascular invasion was independently poor prognostic factor for OS in the RCC (HR, 3.186; 95% CI, 1.391–7.300; p = 0.006). Conclusion This study demonstrated that RCC with vascular invasion had worse OS than LCC with vascular invasion.

Background: and Purpose The current study analyzed the interictal epileptiform discharge (IED)-related hemodynamic response and aimed to determine the clinical usefulness of simultaneous electroencephalography and functional magnetic resonance imaging (EEG-fMRI) in defining the epileptogenic zone (EZ) in children with focal epilepsy. Methods: Patients with focal epilepsy showing IEDs on conventional EEG were evaluated using EEG-fMRI. Statistical analyses were performed using the times of spike as events modeled with multiple hemodynamic response functions. The area showing the most significant t-value for blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) changes was compared with the presumed EZ. Moreover, BOLD responses between -9 and +9 s around the spike times were analyzed to track the hemodynamic response patterns over time. Results: Half (n=13) of 26 EEG-fMRI investigations of 19 patients were successful. Two patients showed 2 different types of spikes, resulting in 15 analyses. The maximum BOLD response was concordant with the EZ in 11 (73.3%) of the 15 analyses. In 10 (66.7%) analyses, the BOLD response localized the EZs more specifically. Focal BOLD responses in the EZs occurred before IEDs in 11 analyses and were often widespread after IEDs. Hemodynamic response patterns were consistent in the same epilepsy syndrome or when repeating the investigation in the same patients. Conclusions EEG-fMRI can provide additional information for localizing the EZ in children with focal epilepsy, and also reveal the pathogenesis of pediatric epilepsy by evaluating the patterns in the hemodynamic response across time windows of IEDs.

Purpose: The standard of care for early rectal cancer is radical surgery; however, it carries high postoperative morbidity. This study aimed to assess the short-term and oncological outcomes of local excision and adjuvant radiotherapy in patients with high-risk pathological stage (p) T1 rectal cancer. Methods: Fifty-five patients underwent local excision with adjuvant radiotherapy or radical resection for high-risk T1 rectal cancer. Patients with adenocarcinoma within 10 cm from the anal verge; pT1 with high-risk features (grade 3–4); a tumor size of ≥3 cm; a positive margin; a lymphovascular or perineural invasion; or a submucosal invasion depth of ≥SM2 were included. Results: The rates of postoperative complications and stoma formation were higher in the radical surgery group (P = 0.021 and P = 0.003, respectively). No significant differences were observed in the overall survival and disease-free survival (DFS) between the 2 groups (P = 0.301 and P = 0.076, respectively). Vascular invasion was a significantly poor prognostic factor for DFS (P = 0.033). The presence of 3 or more high-risk features was associated with a poor DFS (P = 0.002). Conclusion Local excision with adjuvant radiotherapy significantly reduces the risk of complications and stoma formation. It is also an alternative option for patients with fewer than 3 high-risk features.

Purpose: The prognostic factors in obstructive colon cancer have not been clearly identified. We aimed to identify the prognostic factor to establish optimal treatment strategy in obstructive colon cancer. Methods: Patients who underwent surgery for primary colon cancer in stages II and III with symptomatic obstruction from 2004 to 2010 in six hospitals were retrospectively collected. Clinicopathological and surgical outcomes were compared between stent insertion and emergent surgery group. Multiple regression analysis and survival curve analysis were used to identif y the prognostic factors in symptomatic obstructive colon cancer. Results: Among 210 patients, 168 patients (80.0%) underwent stent insertion followed by surgery and 42 patients (20.0%) underwent emergent surgery. Laparoscopic approach (55.4% vs. 23.8%, p< 0.001) and adequate lymph node (LN) harvest (≥12) (93.5% vs. 69.0%, p < 0.001) were significantly higher in stent insertion group. In multiple regression analysis, emergent surgery (hazard ratio [HR], 2.153; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.031–4.495), vascular invasion (HR, 6.257; 95% CI, 2.784–14.061), and omitting adjuvant chemotherapy (HR, 3.107; 95% CI, 1.394–6.925) were independent poor prognostic factors in 5-year overall survival, and N stage (N1: HR, 3.095; 95% CI, 1.316–7.284; N2: HR, 4.156; 95% CI, 1.671–10.333) was the only poor prognostic factor in 5-year disease-free survival. Conclusion In symptomatic obstructive colon cancer, emergent surgery, N stage, vascular invasion, and omission of adjuvant chemotherapy were independent poor prognostic factors. Stent insertion is suggested as the initial treatment for symptomatic obstructive colon cancer, and adjuvant chemotherapy is recommended, especially when vascular invasion or LN metastasis is confirmed.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to compare the perioperative outcomes between single-incision laparoscopic appendectomy (SILA) and 3-port conventional laparoscopic appendectomy (CLA) in enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol. Methods: Of 101 laparoscopic appendectomy with ERAS protocol cases for appendicitis from March 2019 to April 2020, 54 patients underwent SILA with multimodal analgesic approach (group 1) while 47 patients received CLA with multimodal analgesic approach (group 2). SILA and CLA were compared with the single institution’s ERAS protocol. To adjust for baseline differences and selection bias, operative outcomes and complications were compared after propensity score matching (PSM). Results: After 1:1 PSM, well-matched 35 patients in each group were evaluated. Postoperative hospital stays for patients in group 1 (1.2 ± 0.8 vs. 1.6 ± 0.8 days, P = 0.037) were significantly lesser than those for patients in group 2. However, opioid consumption (2.0 mg vs. 1.4 mg, P=0.1) and the postoperative scores of visual analogue scale for pain at 6 hours (2.4±1.9 vs. 2.8 ± 1.4, P = 0.260) and 12 hours (2.4 ± 2.0 vs. 2.9 ± 1.5, P = 0.257) did not show significant difference between the 2 groups. Conclusion SILA resulted in shortening the length of hospitalization without increase in complications or readmission rates compared to CLA with ERAS protocol.

Purpose: The prognostic factors in obstructive colon cancer have not been clearly identified. We aimed to identify the prognostic factor to establish optimal treatment strategy in obstructive colon cancer. Methods: Patients who underwent surgery for primary colon cancer in stages II and III with symptomatic obstruction from 2004 to 2010 in six hospitals were retrospectively collected. Clinicopathological and surgical outcomes were compared between stent insertion and emergent surgery group. Multiple regression analysis and survival curve analysis were used to identif y the prognostic factors in symptomatic obstructive colon cancer. Results: Among 210 patients, 168 patients (80.0%) underwent stent insertion followed by surgery and 42 patients (20.0%) underwent emergent surgery. Laparoscopic approach (55.4% vs. 23.8%, p< 0.001) and adequate lymph node (LN) harvest (≥12) (93.5% vs. 69.0%, p < 0.001) were significantly higher in stent insertion group. In multiple regression analysis, emergent surgery (hazard ratio [HR], 2.153; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.031–4.495), vascular invasion (HR, 6.257; 95% CI, 2.784–14.061), and omitting adjuvant chemotherapy (HR, 3.107; 95% CI, 1.394–6.925) were independent poor prognostic factors in 5-year overall survival, and N stage (N1: HR, 3.095; 95% CI, 1.316–7.284; N2: HR, 4.156; 95% CI, 1.671–10.333) was the only poor prognostic factor in 5-year disease-free survival. Conclusion In symptomatic obstructive colon cancer, emergent surgery, N stage, vascular invasion, and omission of adjuvant chemotherapy were independent poor prognostic factors. Stent insertion is suggested as the initial treatment for symptomatic obstructive colon cancer, and adjuvant chemotherapy is recommended, especially when vascular invasion or LN metastasis is confirmed.