SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: Appendicitis in elderly patients is more challenging due to delayed presentation and higher comorbidities, which are associated with increased postoperative morbidity. The aim of this study was to evaluate factors that predict 30-day complications in elderly patients undergoing appendectomy. METHODS: The records of elderly patients who underwent appendectomy were reviewed. The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative complications. Independent variables examined included demographic data, comorbidities, preoperative laboratory values, pathological findings, and surgical features. Both univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with postoperative complications. RESULTS: Evaluation was performed on 80 patients, comprising 63.8% females with a mean age of 71.3 years. Notably, 19 (23.8%) patients had one or more complications within 30 days after surgery. No significant difference was found between patients with and without complications in respect of age, gender, or laboratory features. The rates of American Society of Anesthesiologists scores 3–4 (p=0.006), hypertension (p=0.016), cardiovascular disease (p=0.049), and obesity (p=0.040) were significantly higher for patients with complications than for those without. On multivariate analysis, obesity (OR 9.41), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR 9.72), and open appendectomy (OR 14.87) were independently associated with 30-day postoperative complications. CONCLUSIONS: Older patients undergoing appendectomy tend to have poorer outcomes than younger patients. Therefore, it is critical to identify factors that could reduce the possibility of adverse outcomes in this frail population. The results of this study suggest that obesity, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and an open approach are independent factors for complications in elderly patients undergoing appendectomy.

RESUMO tratamento cirúrgico para o câncer de reto baixo mudou drásticamente durante as últimas décadas, mas uma abordagem cirúrgica de excelência ainda continua incompletamente desenvolvida. A excisão total do mesorreto por via transanal parece ser a abordagem mais promissora para a dissecção da parte distal do mesorreto de forma a assegurar uma cirurgia oncológicamente segura com uma técnica simples. Muito depois de sua descrição, o pull-through abdominoperineal de Turnbull-Cutait tem sido reintroduzido na prática cirúrgica para o tratamento de pacientes com enfermidades anorretais complexas. Este relato descreve um caso de câncer de reto baixo que se beneficiou de um tratamento cirúrgico bem sucedido a partir da combinação das duas técnicas supracitadas com o paciente recebendo alta hospitalar sem ostomia de proteção.

ABSTRACT Surgical treatment for low rectal cancer has changed dramatically during the preceding several decades, and the optimal surgical approach remains incompletely developed. Transanal total mesorectal excision is likely the most promising approach for the dissection of the distal part of the mesorectum in a manner that allows for a technically easy and oncologically safe operation. Long after it was first described, the Turnbull–Cutait abdominoperineal pull-through procedure has recently been reintroduced in surgical practice for the treatment of patients with complex anorectal conditions. The current report describes a case of distal rectal cancer involving successful surgical treatment with a combination of the two aforementioned methods and patient discharge without a diverting stoma.

OBJECTIVES: Parathyroid carcinoma is a rare malignant disease of the parathyroid glands that appears in less than 1% of patients with primary hyperparathyroidism. In the literature, the generally recommended treatment is en bloc tumor excision with ipsilateral thyroid lobectomy. Based on our 12 years of experience, we discuss the necessity of performing thyroid lobectomy on parathyroid carcinoma patients. RESULTS: Eleven parathyroid carcinoma cases were included in the study. All operations were performed at the Department of Endocrine Surgery at Ankara University Medical School. Seven of the patients were male (63.6%), and the mean patient age was 48.9 ± 14.0 years. Hyperparathyroidism was the most common indication for surgery (n ϝ 10, 90.9%). Local disease was detected in 5 patients (45.5%), invasive disease was detected in 5 patients (45.5%) and metastatic disease was detected in 1 patient (9.1%). The mean follow-up period was 99.6 ± 42.1 months, and the patients' average disease-free survival was 96.0 ± 49.0 months. During the follow-up period, only 1 patient died of metastatic parathyroid carcinoma. CONCLUSION: Parathyroid carcinoma has a slow-growing natural progression, and regional lymph node metastases are uncommon. Although our study comprised few patients, it nevertheless showed that in selected cases, parathyroid carcinoma could be solely treated with parathyroidectomy.