BackgroundColorectal cancer is a major cause of morbidity and mortality and can arise through the adenoma-carcinoma sequence. Colonoscopy is considered the method of choice for population-wide cancer screening.AimTo assess the characteristics of endoscopically resected polyps in a consecutive series of patients who underwent colonoscopy at a university hospital and compare histopathology findings according to patient age and polyp size.MethodsRetrospective, cross-sectional of 1950 colonoscopy reports from consecutively examined patients. The sample was restricted to reports that mentioned colorectal polyps. A chart review was carried out for collection of demographic data and histopathology results. Data were compared for polyps sized ≤0.5 cm and ≥0.6 cm and then for polyps sized ≤1.0 cm and ≥1.1 cm. Finally, all polyps resected from patients aged 49 years or younger were compared with those resected from patients aged 50 years or older.ResultsA total of 272 colorectal polyps were resected in 224 of the 1950 colonoscopies included in the sample (11.5%). Polyps >1 cm tended to be pedunculated (p=0.000) and were more likely to exhibit an adenomatous component (p=0.001), a villous component (p=0.000), and dysplasia (p=0.003). These findings held true when the size cutoff was set at 0.5 cm. Patients aged 50 years or older were more likely to have sessile polyps (p=0.023) and polyps located in the proximal colon (p=0.009). There were no significant differences between groups in histopathology or presence of dysplasia.ConclusionPolyp size is associated with presence of adenomas, a villous component, and dysplasia, whereas patient age is more frequently associated with sessile polyps in the proximal colon.

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Most students interviewed consider that participation in preparatory courses is important to be approved in the residency programs' admission exams and that this participation does not hinder the activities of the internship.

-Background -Anal sphincter tone is routinely assessed by digital rectal examination in patients with fecal incontinence, although its accuracy in detecting sphincter defects or separating competent from incompetent muscles has not been established. Objective -In this setting, we aimed to evaluate the accuracy of digital rectal examination in grading anal defects in order to separate small from extensive cases as depicted on 3D endoanal ultrasound, using a scoring sphincter defect and correlate anal tone to anal pressures. Methods -Women with fecal incontinence were divided into two groups: small or extensive defects according to the ultrasound scoring system. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of digital rectal examination in grading global and external sphincter defects were calculated. Anal tone at digital rectal examination was compared to resting and incremental pressures. Results -A cohort of 76 consecutive incontinent women were enrolled. The median Wexner score was 9. Sixty-eight showed sphincter defects on 3D endoanal ultrasound. Anal tone at digital rectal examination was considered abnormal in 62 cases. Abnormal digital rectal examination showed a sensitivity of 90%, specificity of 27.78% in distinguishing small from extensive defects of both sphincters. Five out of eight women with no sphincter defects had only abnormal squeeze tone at digital rectal examination. Abnormal squeeze tone at digital rectal examination had a sensitivity of 65.31% in distinguishing small from extensive external anal sphincter defects. Digital rectal examination sensitivity increased linearly from small to extensive external anal sphincter defects (P=0.001). Women with abnormal resting tone had lower resting pressures than women with normal tone at digital rectal examination (P=0.0001). Women with abnormal squeeze tone had lower incremental pressures than women with normal tone at digital rectal examination (P=0.017). Conclusion -Digital rectal examination had good sensitivity and poor specificity in discerning small from severe global anal sphincter defects. Moreover, digital rectal examination had fair sensitivity and poor specificity in grading external anal sphincter defects, and its best accuracy was on complete external anal sphincter lesions. Anal resting and squeeze tone were correlated to anal pressures.

Gossypiboma is a former medical-legal problem, whose incidence is apparently increasing. Therefore needs to be revised to take preventive measures in the operating room.