Carlos Augusto Gomes

WSES Jerusalem guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of acute appendicitis

Acute appendicitis (AA) is among the most common cause of acute abdominal pain. Diagnosis of AA is challenging; a variable combination of clinical signs and symptoms has been used together with laboratory findings in several scoring systems proposed for suggesting the probability of AA and the possible subsequent management pathway. The role of imaging in the diagnosis of AA is still debated, with variable use of US, CT and MRI in different settings worldwide. Up to date, comprehensive clinical guidelines for diagnosis and management of AA have never been issued. In July 2015, during the 3rd World Congress of the WSES, held in Jerusalem (Israel), a panel of experts including an Organizational Committee and Scientific Committee and Scientific Secretariat, participated to a Consensus Conference where eight panelists presented a number of statements developed for each of the eight main questions about diagnosis and management of AA. The statements were then voted, eventually modified and finally approved by the participants to The Consensus Conference and lately by the board of co-authors. The current paper is reporting the definitive Guidelines Statements on each of the following topics: 1) Diagnostic efficiency of clinical scoring systems, 2) Role of Imaging, 3) Non-operative treatment for uncomplicated appendicitis, 4) Timing of appendectomy and in-hospital delay, 5) Surgical treatment 6) Scoring systems for intra-operative grading of appendicitis and their clinical usefulness 7) Non-surgical treatment for complicated appendicitis: abscess or phlegmon 8) Pre-operative and post-operative antibiotics.

World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) guidelines for management of skin and soft tissue infections

Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) encompass a variety of pathological conditions ranging from simple superficial infections to severe necrotizing soft tissue infections. Necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTIs) are potentially life-threatening infections of any layer of the soft tissue compartment associated with widespread necrosis and systemic toxicity. Successful management of NSTIs involves prompt recognition, timely surgical debridement or drainage, resuscitation and appropriate antibiotic therapy. A worldwide international panel of experts developed evidence-based guidelines for management of soft tissue infections. The multifaceted nature of these infections has led to a collaboration among surgeons, intensive care and infectious diseases specialists, who have shared these guidelines, implementing clinical practice recommendations.

WSES guidelines for management of Clostridium difficile infection in surgical patients

In the last two decades there have been dramatic changes in the epidemiology of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), with increases in incidence and severity of disease in many countries worldwide. The incidence of CDI has also increased in surgical patients. Optimization of management of C difficile, has therefore become increasingly urgent. An international multidisciplinary panel of experts prepared evidenced-based World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) guidelines for management of CDI in surgical patients.

Complicated Intra-Abdominal Infections in a Worldwide Context: An Observational Prospective Study (CIAOW Study)

Despite advances in diagnosis, surgery, and antimicrobial therapy, mortality rates associated with complicated intra-abdominal infections remain exceedingly high. The World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) has designed the CIAOW study in order to describe the clinical, microbiological, and management-related profiles of both community- and healthcare-acquired complicated intra-abdominal infections in a worldwide context. The CIAOW study (Complicated Intra-Abdominal infection Observational Worldwide Study) is a multicenter observational study currently underway in 57 medical institutions worldwide. The study includes patients undergoing surgery or interventional drainage to address complicated intra-abdominal infections. This preliminary report includes all data from almost the first two months of the six-month study period. Patients who met inclusion criteria with either community-acquired or healthcare-associated complicated intra-abdominal infections (IAIs) were included in the study. 702 patients with a mean age of 49.2 years (range 18–98) were enrolled in the study. 272 patients (38.7%) were women and 430 (62.3%) were men. Among these patients, 615 (87.6%) were affected by community-acquired IAIs while the remaining 87 (12.4%) suffered from healthcare-associated infections. Generalized peritonitis was observed in 304 patients (43.3%), whereas localized peritonitis or abscesses was registered in 398 (57.7%) patients.The overall mortality rate was 10.1% (71/702). The final results of the CIAOW Study will be published following the conclusion of the study period in March 2013.

WSES Guidelines for the management of acute left sided colonic diverticulitis in the emergency setting

Acute left sided colonic diverticulitis is one of the most common clinical conditions encountered by surgeons in acute setting. A World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) Consensus Conference on acute diverticulitis was held during the 3rd World Congress of the WSES in Jerusalem, Israel, on July 7th, 2015. During this consensus conference the guidelines for the management of acute left sided colonic diverticulitis in the emergency setting were presented and discussed. This document represents the executive summary of the final guidelines approved by the consensus conference.

A proposal for a CT driven classification of left colon acute diverticulitis

Computed tomography (CT) imaging is the most appropriate diagnostic tool to confirm suspected left colonic diverticulitis. However, the utility of CT imaging goes beyond accurate diagnosis of diverticulitis; the grade of severity on CT imaging may drive treatment planning of patients presenting with acute diverticulitis.The appropriate management of left colon acute diverticulitis remains still debated because of the vast spectrum of clinical presentations and different approaches to treatment proposed. The authors present a new simple classification system based on both CT scan results driving decisions making management of acute diverticulitis that may be universally accepted for day to day practice.

Hormone therapy in hypospadias surgery: a systematic review.

Surgical correction of hypospadias is proposed to improve the aesthetic and functional quality of the penis. Hormone therapy preceding surgical correction is indicated to obtain better surgical conditions. However, there is divergence in the literature regarding the hormone therapy of choice, time of its use before surgery, appropriate dose, and route of application. To try to elucidate this matter, an electronic survey of the databases PubMed and Cochrane Central Library was conducted, limited to articles in English published since 1980. Search strategy identified 14 clinical trials that matched the inclusion criteria. Analysis was made in terms of study design, classification of hypospadias, association with chordee and cryptorchidism, type of hormone, route of application, dose and duration of treatment, penile length before and after hormone therapy, glans circumference before and after hormone therapy, adverse effects, and surgical complications. From the trials evaluated it was not possible to determine the ideal neoadjuvant treatment. A preference for use of testosterone was observed. Intramuscular administration seems to have fewer adverse effects than topical treatment. Side effects were seldom described, and treated patients were not followed on a long-term basis. The scarcity of randomized and controlled clinical trials regarding the topic impairs the establishment of a protocol. In conclusion, although preoperative hormone therapy is currently used before hypospadias surgery, its real benefit in terms of improvement of the penis and surgical results has not been defined.

Acute mesenteric ischemia: guidelines of the World Society of Emergency Surgery

Acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) is typically defined as a group of diseases characterized by an interruption of the blood supply to varying portions of the small intestine, leading to ischemia and secondary inflammatory changes. If untreated, this process will eventuate in life threatening intestinal necrosis. The incidence is low, estimated at 0.09–0.2% of all acute surgical admissions. Therefore, although the entity is an uncommon cause of abdominal pain, diligence is always required because if untreated, mortality has consistently been reported in the range of 50%. Early diagnosis and timely surgical intervention are the cornerstones of modern treatment and are essential to reduce the high mortality associated with this entity. The advent of endovascular approaches in parallel with modern imaging techniques may provide new options. Thus, we believe that a current position paper from World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) is warranted, in order to put forth the most recent and practical recommendations for diagnosis and treatment of AMI. This review will address the concepts of AMI with the aim of focusing on specific areas where early diagnosis and management hold the strongest potential for improving outcomes in this disease process.Some of the key points include the prompt use of CT angiography to establish the diagnosis, evaluation of the potential for revascularization to re-establish blood flow to ischemic bowel, resection of necrotic intestine, and use of damage control techniques when appropriate to allow for re-assessment of bowel viability prior to definitive anastomosis and abdominal closure.

Laparoscopy grading system of acute appendicitis: new insight for future trials.

Background: The mini-invasive techniques have revolutionized the surgery; however, the superiority of laparoscopic access for complicated appendicitis is still controversial. The most critical point has been the dismal quality of the methodology found in the series comparing laparoscopic and laparotomic procedures. The lack of stratification criteria to evaluate the inflammation in the appendix and abdomen has been pointed out by several authors. Purpose: To validate the laparoscopic grading system for acute appendicitis. Methods: Prospective study of 186 patients with presumed acute appendicitis who underwent an appendectomy if diagnostic laparoscopy showed appendicitis or normal-looking appendix without any other intra-abdominal disease. The appendix was graded as to different levels based upon its visual appearance: grade 0 (normal looking), 1 (redness and edema), 2 (fibrin), 3A (segmental necrosis), 3B (base necrosis), 4A (abscess), 4B (regional peritonitis), and 5 (diffuse peritonitis). This was then compared with a histologic assessment of the removed appendix supplemented by a biochemical study of collected peritoneal fluid (gold standard) to determine the diagnostic indexes. Besides that, the &kgr; coefficient confirmed concordance between them. Results: Laparoscopic sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for acute appendicitis diagnosis were 100%, 63.3%, and 84.1%, respectively, and presented substantial concordance [&kgr;=0.74 (95% confidence interval, 0.60-0.88)]. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the laparoscopic grading system were 63%, 83.3%, and 80.1%, respectively, and presented moderate concordance [&kgr;=0.39 (95% confidence interval, 0.23-0.55)]. The biochemical-histologic grading system changed for 48 (25.8%) patients who had been previously classified by surgeons during laparoscopy. Most incorrect graduation occurred in grades 0 and 1. The presence of exudates was confirmed in all cases classified as grades 4A, 4B, and 5. Conclusions: Laparoscopy showed good to excellent accuracy for diagnosis and grading of acute appendicitis. The better grading system allowed the evaluation of patients with acute appendicitis in the same clinical stage.

World society of emergency surgery study group initiative on Timing of Acute Care Surgery classification (TACS)

Timing of surgical intervention is critical for outcomes of patients diagnosed with surgical emergencies. Facing the challenge of multiple patients requiring emergency surgery, or of limited resource availability, the acute care surgeon must triage patients according to their disease process and physiological state. Emergency operations from all surgical disciplines should be scheduled by an agreed time frame that is based on accumulated data of outcomes related to time elapsed from diagnosis to surgery. Although literature exists regarding the optimal timing of various surgical interventions, implementation of protocols for triage of surgical emergencies is lacking. For institutions of a repetitive triage mechanism, further discussion on optimal timing of surgery in diverse surgical emergencies should be encouraged. Standardizing timing of interventions in surgical emergencies will promote clinical investigation as well as a commitment by administrative authorities to proper operating theater provision for acute care surgery.