1 Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy

2 Department of General Surgery, San Salvatore Hospital, L’Aquila, Italy

3 Biostatistics and Epidemiology Unit, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy

1 Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy

2 Department of General Surgery, San Salvatore Hospital, L’Aquila, Italy

3 Biostatistics and Epidemiology Unit, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy

4 Department of Surgical Sciences, “La Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome

5 Surgical Coloproctology University of L’Aquila-Hospital Val Vibrata, Sant’Omero, Italy

6 Department of General and Urgency Surgery. Misericordia Hospital, Grosseto, Italy

7 U.O.C. Chirurgia Generale, P.O. A Cardarelli–Campobasso, Italy

8 Chirurgia Generale Lugo-Faenza, Dipartimento Chirurgico, AUSL della Romagna, Ravenna, Italy

9 Chirurgia Generale, Policlinico S.Orsola-Malpighi, Bologna, Italy

10 Unità Clinica Operativa di Clinica Chirurgica Generale e Terapia Chirurgica, Scuola di Specializzazione in Chirurgia Generale, Università degli Studi di Trieste, Trieste, Italy

11 Department of Minimally Invasive Surgery, University of Tor Vergata, Rome

12 St. Mark’s Hospital, London, England, United Kingdom

13 SC Chirurgia Generale e di Urgenza, ASST Mantova, Mantova, Italy

14 General Surgery, Luigi Sacco University Hospital, Milano, Italy

15 Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Turin, Torino, Italy

16 General Surgery Unit, Chivasso Hospital, Chivasso, Italy

17 Chirurgia Generale, ASUR Marche Area Vasta n. 5, Ospedale Madonna del Soccorso, San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy

18 Department of Surgical, Oncological and Oral Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy

19 General Surgery Unit, University Hospital of Parma, Parma, Italy

20 Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Scientific Institute San Raffaele, Milano, Italy

21 Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, Unit of General Surgery 2, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy

22 SOC Chirurgia Generale ASUFC AOU Santa Maria della Misericordia, Udine, Italy

23 Coloproctology Unit, Salvator Mundi International Hospital, UPMC (University of Pittsburgh Medical College), Rome

24 Department of Surgical Sciences Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome

25 General and Oncology Surgery, San Paolo Hospital, Savona, Italy

26 General Surgery Unit, Sant’Eugenio Hospital, Rome

27 Unit of Laparoscopic Surgery, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University Medical School “A. Moro” of Bari, Bari, Italy

28 Chirurgia Generale, ASL3 Genovese, Genova, Italy

29 Colorectal Surgical Unit, Department of Surgery, Infermi Hospital, Biella, Italy

30 UOC Chirurgia Generale Vascolare Toracica, Ospedale “Guglielmo Da Saliceto,” AUSL Piacenza, Piacenza, Italy

31 S.C. Chirurgia Generale, Ospedale Civile Agnelli, Pinerolo, Torino, Italy

32 Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University “Aldo Moro,” Bari, Italy

33 Colorectal Surgery, Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, Universita’ degli Studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy

34 UCP Casa di Cura Candela, Palermo, Italy

35 Department of General Surgery, Vaio Hospital, Fidenza, Italy

36 Casa di cura Madonna del Rimedio, Oristano, Italy

*A full list of collaborators is included after the Acknowledgment.

Funding/Support: None reported.

Financial Disclosure: None reported.

Antonio Giuliani and Lucia Romano equally contributed to this work.

Correspondence: Lucia Romano, M.D., Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, Edificio “Rita Levi Montalcini” Delta 6 - Via Giuseppe Petrini, L’Aquila, Italy. E-mail: [email protected]