Background: This study aimmed to provide a local report on the peri-operative outcomes as well as the factors that cotribute to the development of complications on patients with primary distal rectal cancer who underwent abdominotransanal resection (ATAR) with total mesorectal excision (TME) and transanal handsewn coloanal anastomosis (CAA).Methods: This retrospective study was conducted by the Division of Colorectal Surgery of the Philippine General Hospital which evaluated 79 adult patients who underwent ATAR with TME and CAA due to primary distal rectal adenocarcinoma from january 1, 2008 to December 31, 2010. The variables such as age, general, comorbidities, pre-operative serum albumin level, smoking history, utilization of neoadjuvant therapy, distance of tumor from anal verge, surgical approach, quality opf surgical specimen, circumferential resection margin, pathologic stage, length of postoperative hospital stay, type of anesthesia, morbidity and mortality were recorded and analyzed.Results: Of the 79 patients, 19 patients (24.05%) had reported CAA dehiscence, 3 patients (3.8%) nessitated a relaparatomy with drainage of generakized intra-abdominal abscess, 6(7.59%) patients underwent transanal drainage of pelvic abscess and 10 (12.66%) patients who presented with pelvic abscess on computed tomography scan (3), purulent discharge with minor coloanal anastomotic disruption (3) and fistula (4) were managed non-operative. Diabetes mellitus (P=0.043) and history o0f smoking (p=0.037%) were found to be statistically significant factors associated with increased of CAA dehiscence.Conclusion: Diabetes mellitus and history of smoking lead to statistically significant increase in the development of anastomic dehiscence following ATAR with TME snd CAA for primary distal rectal cancer.
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BACKGROUND: In the Philippines, mammography is frequently requested in the evaluation of patients with breast cancer concern.
OBJECTIVES: The general objective was to take a look at the practice of requesting for a mammography in a health care institution and its outcome in terms of cancer detection in patients with non- palpable breast masses.
METHODS: A retrospective review of past records from 1994 to 2001 was accomplished.
RESULTS: A total of 7,323 mammog-raphies. 192 (3 percent) were done in the 20-29 age group; 966 (13 percent) in 30-39 age group; 2708 (37 percent) in 40-49 age group, 2410 (33 percent) in 50-59 age group and the remaining 1047 (14 percent) in those older than 60 years old. The top three physicians requesting for mammography were obstetrician-gynecologists, 2337 (32 percent); general surgeons, 1348 (18 percent) and internists and family medicine specialists, 806 (10 percent). Normal findings were reported in 4449 (61 percent); benign in 2721 (37 percent), suspicious for cancer without a clinically palpable mass in 99 (1.35 percent) and suspicious for cancer with a palpable breast mass in 52 patients (0.74 percent). A total of 50 patients underwent needle localization biopsy of which 35 had fibrocystic changes (70 percent), 10 had cancer (20 percent) and 5 with indefinite results.
CONCLUSION: The overall cancer detection yield for mammography in those without a palpable breast mass, 7271 (7323-52) persons, was extrapolated to be 0.28 percent (20/7271). The authors deemed the information obtained in this study would be useful to the public, health care administrators and health care providers in reviewing the indication and cost-effectiveness of mammography.

Human ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Family Practice ; Public Health ; Specialization ; Mammography ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Surgeons ; Biopsy