Introduction and Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine the value, in terms of diagnosis, resectability and prognosis of pentraxin-3 (PTX3), interleukin-8 (IL-8) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in cases of gastric adenocarcinoma, an important condition both worldwide and in Turkey, and to determine their levels in order to contribute to elucidating the pathogenesis of the disease. Materials and Methods: Serum was separated from blood specimens collected from 45 patients diagnosed with gastric adenocarcinoma and from a 30-member healthy control group. Serum PTX3, IL-8 and VEGF levels were studied by ELISA method. Results: Serum PTX3 values differed significantly between the patient group and the control group (p <0.05). Serum IL-8 values also differed significantly between the patient group and the control group (p <0.05). A significant difference was also observed between serum VEGF values in the patient group and the control group (p <0.05). Significant correlation was determined between serum PTX3 and VEGF (p <0.01; r=0.833), between serum PTX3 and IL-8 (p <0.01; r=0.818), and between serum VEGF and IL-8 (p <0.01; r=0.803), measurements when the entire study population was evaluated irrespectively of groups. Conclusion: Serum PTX3, IL-8 and VEGF levels decreased in cases of gastric adenocarcinoma compared to the control group, and their levels affected one another.

Aim: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is a low-risk, inexpensive, accessible and technically easier enteral procedure that can be performed in endoscopy units or at the bedside, in which intravenous or local agents can be used for sedation. In our study, we aimed to evaluate the indications, complications and outcomes of the patients who underwent PEG in our clinic. Methods: Patients who underwent percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) procedure between January 2015 and March 2021 in the general surgery endoscopy unit of a tertiary healthcare center were included in the study. The clinical data of the cases, complications due to PEG, and mortality were investigated. Results: Of 260 patients with PEG, 158 (60.7%) were male and 102 (39.3%) were female. The mean age of the patients was 65.23 years (range 18-92 years). The clinic that requested PEG most frequently was the anesthesia and reanimation intensive care clinic (n=146; 56.1%). The most common indication for PEG was oral intake disorder due to cerebrovascular disease (n=194, 74.6%). Complications (6 early and 10 late) developed in 16 (6.1%) patients after PEG application. The most common early complication was peristomal infection (n=4, 1.5%). The most common late complication (n=7; 2.7%) was PEG catheter occlu-sion. While no mortality was observed in any patient due to PEG application, mortality secondary to primary disease was observed in 62 (23.8%) patients in the first 30 days. Conclusions: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy is a fast, safe and cost-effective method that does not require general anesthesia and can be performed by an experienced team in patients who require enteral nutrition.

Giriş ve Amaç: Bu çalışmada apendiks güdüğü kapatılmasında kullanılan Hem-o-lok klips ile intrakorporal sütürün erken ve geç dönem sonuçlarının karşılaştırılması amaçlandı. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Ocak 2019 ile Aralık 2020 tarihleri arasında üçüncü basamak bir sağlık kuruluşunda laparoskopik apendektomi yapılan hastalar geriye dönük olarak incelendi. Apendiks güdüğü Hem-o-lok kliplerle kapatılan hastalar Grup 1, intrakorporal sütürle kapatılan hastalar Grup 2 olarak adlandırıldı. Ameliyat sonrası ilk 30 gün içinde gelişen komplikasyonlar erken sonuçlar, 30 günden sonraki komplikasyonlar geç sonuç olarak kabul edildi. Gruplar arasındaki erken ve geç sonuç farklılıkları Mann Whitney U testi, bağımsız gruplarda t testi ve ki-kare testi kullanılarak değerlendirildi, p değeri

Objectives: Peptic ulcer perforation (PUP) remains a surgical emergency with high early period morbidity and mortality. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate clinico-radiological factors affecting morbidity and mortality in peptic ulcer perforation surgery. Methods: Patients who were operated for PUP at Erzurum Regional Training and Research Hospital General Surgery Clinic, Erzurum, Turkey between 2010 and 2020 were selected retrospectively. The patients’ clinical and radiological parameters were retrieved from their medical records. Patients who developed complications in the 30 days after surgery were considered the morbidity-positive group, and the patients who developed mortality in the 30 days after surgery were considered the mortality-positive group. The relationship between investigated factors and morbidity and mortality was investigated with suitable statistical tests. A p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The study included 81 patients and, 74 (91.4%) patients were males. Complications were observed in 15 (18.5%) patients and mortality was seen in 3 (3.7%) patients in the first 30 days postoperatively. Preoperative comorbidity, low systolic blood pressure, high Boey score had negative effect on both morbidity and mortality. In addition, lower amylase levels played a protective role in both morbidity (p = 0.011) and mortality (p = 0.018). Mortality increased significantly with increasing age. However, no radiological factor affected either morbidity or mortality. Conclusions: Both morbidity and mortality increased in cases with poor clinical condition at the time of diagnosis. In addition, the mortality rate was higher in patients with comorbidities and postoperative complications.