Early oral nutrition associated with a simplified perioperative rehabilitation program reduces postoperative length of hospital stay and ileus time after elective colonic resection without increasing rates of complications or readmissions.

The features of intussusception may be nonspecific and the diagnosis is often made only during laparotomy. An identifiable organic lesion is present in most cases. En bloc resection is recommended for ileocaecal and colocolic intussusception.

This report presents two cases of young males who developed the rare idiopathic form of sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis (SEP) presented as partial bowel obstruction, both diagnosed during surgical treatment, with satisfactory outcomes. Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis is a rare and enigmatic condition, characterized by intraperitoneal fibrosclerosis, which causes intestinal obstruction. It is a chronic entity with a poorly elucidated pathophysiology, leading to the constitution of a thick white nacreous fibrosis membrane that wraps the bowel in a concertina-like fashion with some adhesions configuring an intra-abdominal cocoon. Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis is reported in a wide variety of patients, including those who have undergone peritoneal dialysis, young adolescent girls, cirrhotic patients after peritoneal-venous shunting, and patients treated with β-blockers. Nevertheless, the etiology of SEP remains obscure. This entity presents many difficulties in preoperative diagnosis because of its peculiar characteristics. Recognition of the SEP results in proper management and prevents unnecessary bowel resection. Regardless of cause, the treatment of the obstruction is surgical, with dissection of the encasing membrane from the intestine and separation of adherent loops of small bowel until they are laid free and returned to their normal configuration. The prognosis after appropriate surgical therapy is good, but depends on coexisting diseases.

-Context -Weight loss and malnutrition are disorders observed in colorectal cancer patients. Objetives -We sought to evaluate the immediate preoperative nutritional status of patients with colorectal cancer. Methods -This is a cross-sectional clinical study conducted at a single center. Sixty-six consecutive patients in preoperative for elective surgical treatment were studied. The clinical history, socio-demographic data and nutritional status of the patients were evaluated using Subjective Global Assessment and objective (anthropometry) methods. The primary outcome measures were nutritional status classification as nourished or malnourished and the relationship between nutritional status and socio-demographic and clinical features. Results -Most of patients exhibited left colon tumors and disease stage II. According to the Subjective Global Assessment, 36.4% of patients were malnourished. Malnutrition ranged from 7.6% to 53% depending on the evaluation method used, with poor correlation to Subjective Global Assessment. The prevalence of malnutrition was significantly greater in females and non-married patients and in those with two or more symptoms of colorectal cancer. Conclusion -More than a third of patients in the immediate preoperative period for colorectal cancer exhibited malnutrition. Therefore, routine nutritional assessment is highly advisable so that appropriate measures may be taken to minimize the potential postoperative complications. HEADINGS -Colorectal neoplasms. Preoperative period. Malnutrition. Nutrition assessment.