Evaluation of safety of increased time interval between chemoradiation and resection for rectal cancer.

Background: Neoadjuvant chemoradiation is increasingly used for rectal cancer, with resection typically performed 6 weeks after completion of radiotherapy. We observed in our practice that further delay after radiotherapy led to increased downsizing. We performed this retrospective analysis to evaluate the safety of this approach.

Laparoscopic and thoracoscopic Ivor Lewis esophagectomy after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is a commonly performed procedure for the treatment of morbid obesity. Esophagectomy in patients with a history of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass presents a difficult technical challenge for the surgeon. In this report we describe a technique of minimally invasive Ivor Lewis esophagogastrectomy in a patient who had had an open Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

Retrocecal appendix location and perforation at presentation.

Retrocecal appendicitis has been theorized to follow a more insidious course than other anatomic variants. To determine the influence of retrocecal anatomy on clinical course of appendicitis, 200 adult patients treated at a major university medical center with the diagnosis of appendicitis from 2001 to 2004 were retrospectively studied. Computed tomography (CT) scans of adult patients with an ultimate diagnosis of appendicitis were analyzed to determine an association between retrocecal appendix and perforation of the appendix at presentation.

Laparoscopic-assisted colectomy: technique and discussion.

Minimally invasive surgery has undergone rapid development over the last 20 years and has greatly impacted the field of General Surgery. Removal of the appendix and gallbladder by way of laparoscopic means has become standard in surgical training and care. More complex procedures also are becoming incorporated into surgical resident education and routine clinical practice.

Resolution of hyperlipidemia after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

Background: Hyperlipidemia is an established risk factor for development of coronary artery disease. The aim of our study was to examine the changes in serum lipid profiles of morbidly obese patients complicated by hyperlipidemia, who underwent laparoscopic gastric bypass.

Study Design: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 95 morbidly obese patients with documented hyperlipidemia who underwent laparoscopic gastric bypass.

Does reoperation predispose to postoperative wound infection in women undergoing operation for breast cancer?

Reoperations for breast cancer predispose to a higher risk of postoperative wound infections than primary procedures. We accomplished a retrospective chart review of 320 women who underwent multiple breast cancer procedures between 10/97 and 8/02. The mean number of procedures was 2.