Colorectal cancer patients advocating screening to their siblings: a randomized behavioral intervention.

Background And Aims: Siblings of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients are at increased risk of developing CRC, but screening rates remain low. Through a randomized behavioral intervention, this study aimed to determine whether patients can advocate screening to their siblings using a tailored educational package.

Methods: CRC survivors were recruited and randomized into relaying either tailored materials (intervention group) or existing national screening guidelines (control group) to their siblings.

Structured presurgery prehabilitation for aged patients undergoing elective surgery significantly improves surgical outcomes and reduces cost: A nonrandomized sequential comparative prospective cohort study.

Background: With increasing global life expectancy, the number of major surgeries performed on aged adults invariably increases. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a structured prehabilitative program for aged colorectal cancer patients in improving short-term surgical outcomes.

Methods: A prospective philanthropically sponsored Programme for Enhanced Elderly Recovery at Sengkang General Hospital (PEERS) was initiated in February 2017 for patients ≥70-years-old who were due to undergo elective colectomies.

Paradigm shift in gastrointestinal surgery - combating sarcopenia with prehabilitation: Multimodal review of clinical and scientific data.

A growing body of evidence has demonstrated the prognostic significance of sarcopenia in surgical patients as an independent predictor of postoperative complications and outcomes. These included an increased risk of total complications, major complications, re-admissions, infections, severe infections, 30 d mortality, longer hospital stay and increased hospitalization expenditures. A program to enhance recovery after surgery was meant to address these complications; however, compliance to the program since its introduction has been less than ideal.

Perceptions of healthcare workers in high-risk areas of a Singapore hospital during COVID-19: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: There is worldwide concern over the psycho-emotional impact of COVID-19 on healthcare workers (HCWs). This study aimed to elicit HCWs' perceptions of the adequacy of protective measures in high-risk clinical areas and the factors associated with these perceptions.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in April 2020.

Study Protocol for the Use of Conventional Open Haemorrhoidectomy versus Laser Haemorrhoidoplasty in the Treatment of Symptomatic Haemorrhoids: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Haemorrhoids result in a variety of symptoms that cause significant patient anxiety. Treatment has long been associated with post-operative complications, which cause significant symptoms and may result in readmissions. The open conventional haemorrhoidectomy (COH) is still regarded as the gold standard treatment for non-circumferential grade II-IV haemorrhoids.

Multiple neoplasia in a patient with Gitelman syndrome harboring germline monoallelic mutation.

Gitelman syndrome is a rare, recessively inherited disease characterized by chronic hypokalemia and hypomagnesemia as a result of defective electrolyte co-transport at the level of the distal convoluted tubule of the kidney. Here, we present the first report of a patient with Gitelman syndrome who developed multiple neoplasia including colorectal polyposis, synchronous colorectal cancers, recurrent breast fibroadenomata and a desmoid tumor. Whole-exome sequencing confirmed germline compound heterozygous mutations of c.

Full-Dress Rehearsals with Actual Non-Infected Patients Builds Confidence and Familiarity - An Experience from Singapore during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Purpose: COVID-19 has spread throughout the world with merciless pace. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is required to protect healthcare workers from contracting the virus. The authors evaluated the use of full-dress rehearsals (FDR) to familiarize staff with protocols and equipment that are not often use otherwise.

COVID-19 not detected in peritoneal fluid: a case of laparoscopic appendicectomy for acute appendicitis in a COVID-19-infected patient.

Purpose: COVID-19 greatly affected millions and affected the way we practice with heightened posture in the way we treat surgical patients. Surgical consensus guidelines are recommending caution in the use of laparoscopy for the theoretical possibility of viral transmission from aerosolization of tissue and peritoneal fluid during surgery. However, there has yet to be proof of COVID-19 being present in peritoneal fluid, justifying the consensus statements.

Pelvic autonomic nerve preservation in radical rectal cancer surgery: changes in the past 3 decades.

The advent of total mesorectal excision (TME) together with minimally invasive techniques such as laparoscopic colorectal surgery and robotic surgery has improved surgical results. However, the incidence of bladder and sexual dysfunction remains high. This may be particularly distressing for the patient and troublesome to manage for the surgeon when it does occur.

Nonsurgical faecal diversion in the management of severe perianal sepsis: a retrospective evaluation of the flexible faecal management system.

Introduction: Severe perianal sepsis is often difficult to manage after surgical debridement due to faecal contamination. Diversion of the faecal stream has been attempted with faecal pouches and rectal tubes, and in some cases, a diverting stoma is created. However, reversal of the stoma may be delayed due to prolonged sepsis and this is not without risks.

Short and long-term outcomes of a randomised controlled trial of vertical periumbilical wound versus transverse left iliac fossa wound for specimen retrieval in laparoscopic anterior resections.

Background: The ideal incision for laparoscopic specimen extraction is not known. There has been no randomised study thus far evaluating extraction site in laparoscopic colorectal surgery. The aim of our study was to compare post-operative outcomes, pain scores and quality of life scores of vertical periumbilical (VW) versus transverse left iliac fossa (TW) incisions for specimen extraction in laparoscopic anterior resections.

Postoperative serum methylation levels of TAC1 and SEPT9 are independent predictors of recurrence and survival of patients with colorectal cancer.

Background: Serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is the only marker recommended for surveillance of colorectal cancer (CRC) recurrence; its sensitivity and specificity, however, are suboptimal. This study sought to evaluate the values of postoperative serum methylation levels of 7 genes for prognostication and especially for recurrence detection after curative resection.

Methods: This prospective cohort study included 150 patients with stage I-III CRC from whom 3 consecutive blood sampling was taken 1 week before, and 6 months and 1 year after operation.

Mismatch repair deficiency screening via immunohistochemical staining in young Asians with colorectal cancers.

Background: The incidence of mismatch repair deficiency in colorectal cancer (CRC) in young people remains unknown in Asians. The present study assessed the clinicopathological features and efficacy of immunohistochemistry screening for Lynch syndrome in young Asian CRC patients.

Material And Methods: This was a retrospective review conducted in Singapore General Hospital between January 2006 and December 2010 of 240 unrelated patients under the age of 50.

Clinical, MRI, and PET-CT criteria used by surgeons to determine suitability for pelvic exenteration surgery for recurrent rectal cancers: a Delphi study.

Background: Surgical resection with clear margins is the major predictor of long-term survival in recurrent rectal cancer. The extent of pelvic exenteration surgery depends on many factors including clinical and radiological criteria.

Objective: The aim of this study was to establish which clinical, MRI, and PET criteria were considered important by surgeons who perform pelvic exenteration surgery, when assessing a patient with recurrent rectal cancer for pelvic exenteration surgery.

Appraisal of the LIFT and BIOLIFT procedure: initial experience and short-term outcomes of 33 consecutive patients.

Purpose: A new sphincter-saving technique known as the LIFT (ligation of intersphincteric tract) procedure has gained growing interest. Use of a bioprosthetic device has also been suggested to augment the LIFT procedure (BIOLIFT). This study evaluates outcomes of patients undergoing LIFT and BIOLIFT for repair of complex anal fistulae.