Eitel first described omental torsion in 1899, since then, fewer than 250 cases have been reported. Although omental torsion is rarely diagnosed preoperatively, knowledge of this pathology is important to the surgeon because it mimics the common causes of acute surgical abdomen. For this reason, in the absence of diagnosed preexisting abdominal pathology, including cysts, tumors, foci of intra-abdominal inflammation, postsurgical wounds or scarring, and hernial sacs, omental torsion still can represent a surprise. Explorative laparotomy represents the diagnostic and definitive therapeutic procedure. Presently laparoscopy is the first choice procedure.

Background: The incidence of the highly morbid and potentially lethal gangrenous cholecystitis was reportedly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the ChoCO-W study was to compare the clinical findings and outcomes of acute cholecystitis in patients who had COVID-19 disease with those who did not. Methods: Data were prospectively collected over 6 months (October 1, 2020, to April 30, 2021) with 1-month follow-up. In October 2020, Delta variant of SARS CoV-2 was isolated for the first time. Demographic and clinical data were analyzed and reported according to the STROBE guidelines. Baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients who had COVID-19 were compared with those who did not. Results: A total of 2893 patients, from 42 countries, 218 centers, involved, with a median age of 61.3 (SD: 17.39) years were prospectively enrolled in this study; 1481 (51%) patients were males. One hundred and eighty (6.9%) patients were COVID-19 positive, while 2412 (93.1%) were negative. Concomitant preexisting diseases including cardiovascular diseases (p < 0.0001), diabetes (p < 0.0001), and severe chronic obstructive airway disease (p = 0.005) were significantly more frequent in the COVID-19 group. Markers of sepsis severity including ARDS (p < 0.0001), PIPAS score (p < 0.0001), WSES sepsis score (p < 0.0001), qSOFA (p < 0.0001), and Tokyo classification of severity of acute cholecystitis (p < 0.0001) were significantly higher in the COVID-19 group. The COVID-19 group had significantly higher postoperative complications (32.2% compared with 11.7%, p < 0.0001), longer mean hospital stay (13.21 compared with 6.51 days, p < 0.0001), and mortality rate (13.4% compared with 1.7%, p < 0.0001). The incidence of gangrenous cholecystitis was doubled in the COVID-19 group (40.7% compared with 22.3%). The mean wall thickness of the gallbladder was significantly higher in the COVID-19 group [6.32 (SD: 2.44) mm compared with 5.4 (SD: 3.45) mm; p < 0.0001]. Conclusions: The incidence of gangrenous cholecystitis is higher in COVID patients compared with non-COVID patients admitted to the emergency department with acute cholecystitis. Gangrenous cholecystitis in COVID patients is associated with high-grade Clavien-Dindo postoperative complications, longer hospital stay and higher mortality rate. The open cholecystectomy rate is higher in COVID compared with non -COVID patients. It is recommended to delay the surgical treatment in COVID patients, when it is possible, to decrease morbidity and mortality rates. COVID-19 infection and gangrenous cholecystistis are not absolute contraindications to perform laparoscopic cholecystectomy, in a case by case evaluation, in expert hands. Graphical

During laparoscopic trans-abdominal pre-peritoneal hernia repair (TAPP) the positioning of the mesh around the spermatic cord could provide an additional anchoring point and ensure better defect closure, thereby preventing mesh movement and recurrence. The primary aim of our retrospective study was to determine if, during a TAPP procedure, an advantageous difference for mesh placement exists between the slit and the non-slit techniques in terms of recurrence rate. Secondary aims were intra and post-operative complications and the time required to return to normal activity. From January 2010 to December 2015, data from patients who had undergone TAPPs at our Institution were prospectively collected. We performed a retrospective case control matched study of two homogenous (BMI, Age, type of hernia) groups of 100 patients who underwent respectively TAPP with no slit mesh placement (Group NS) and slit mesh placement (Group S). Statistical analysis was carried out using a SPSS 20. To compare continuous variables, an independent sample T-test was performed. A Chi-square test was employed for categorical data. No differences were found between the slit and non-slit groups in terms of biometric features and intra and post-operative outcomes were found to be similar in both groups as well. In particular, at mean follow-up of 57.34 ± 10.56 months for Group NS and 55.66 ± 8.61 months for Group S months only one recurrence per group was found. Our study failed to prove a superiority of the slit mesh technique over the no-slit mesh technique during TAPP. However, in light of its not being a randomized study, a subsequent, well-designed RCT would be desirable in order to better determine if the Slit mesh technique could prove to be advantageous enough to justify its routine use during the TAPP procedure.