Remote ischemic preconditioning for cardioprotection in elective inpatient abdominal surgery - a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Perioperative myocardial injury (PMI) is common in elective inpatient abdominal surgery and correlates with mortality risk. Simple measures for reducing PMI in this cohort are needed. This study evaluated whether remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) could reduce PMI in elective inpatient abdominal surgery.

The majority of colorectal resections require an open approach, even in units with a special interest in laparoscopic surgery.

Aim: Proponents suggest that laparoscopic colorectal resection might be achievable in up to 90% of cases, while keeping conversion rates below 10%. This unselected prospective case series reports on the proportion of patients having a completed laparoscopic colorectal resection in two units where laparoscopic colorectal practice is well established and readily available.

Method: All patients undergoing elective and emergency colorectal resection during a 6-month period were identified.

Vitamin B12 deficiency following restorative proctocolectomy.

Objective: Restorative proctocolectomy (RP) involves terminal ileal resection and formation of a small bowel reservoir that predisposes to bacterial overgrowth. It was anticipated that these patients would be at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency.

Method: Vitamin B12 levels were measured sequentially in 171 patients who underwent RP.

Long-term cancer risk of the anorectal cuff following restorative proctocolectomy assessed by p53 expression and cuff dysplasia.

Objective: Restorative proctocolectomy (RP) for ulcerative colitis (UC) retains a 'cuff' of columnar rectal epithelium that has unknown risk of malignant change. Markers of malignant potential in UC include aberrant p53 expression and dysplasia. We undertook a prospective study comprising serial surveillance biopsy and assessed the occurrence of aberrant p53 expression, epithelial dysplasia and carcinoma in the retained anorectal cuff following stapled RP.

Risk of dysplasia in the columnar cuff after stapled restorative proctocolectomy.

Background: Stapled restorative proctocolectomy (SRP) for ulcerative colitis retains a 'cuff' of columnar epithelium, which carries a risk of undergoing malignant change. The risk of neoplastic transformation was studied in a series of patients who underwent SRP for ulcerative colitis.

Methods: One hundred and thirty-five patients who underwent SRP for ulcerative colitis between 1988 and 1998 were followed up by cuff surveillance biopsy.