Dear colleagues and all readers devoted to colorectal surgery,

I would like to start this issue by sharing the long-awaited, happy result of a tiring but rewarding process: Turkish Journal of Colorectal Diseases has been accepted into ULAKBİM. As of this issue, Turkey’s only journal specific to colorectal diseases, Turkish Journal of Colorectal Diseases, will be indexed in ULAKBİM. This means we have reached the bar we set for ourselves on the national level. We are now broadening our target and focusing our efforts on entering the larger databases widely accepted in terms of international quality, such as “SCI-Expanded” and “PubMed”. As in this issue, your contributions, particularly your original research articles, will be our greatest strength in achieving our goals. You have my endless appreciation for your generous support, which is also evident in this issue.

For this issue, we selected six original research articles, one review, one letter to the editor, and three case reports for your reading pleasure. I would like to say that I found the research articles particularly fascinating. I believe you will be interested in an article evaluating late outcomes of using the Limberg flap technique to treat pilonidal sinus, which is very common in our country and sometimes causes serious losses work and strength. Furthermore, we all occasionally experience the unavoidable problem of conversion in laparoscopic surgery, but does this affect outcomes? You will find an article investigating this issue. This is followed by an article that examines the complications of loco-regional anesthesia, which is commonly preferred in anorectal procedures, and I believe you will find it helpful in practice. In addition, we included an engaging article that we’ve all been waiting for, about the short-term outcomes of laser treatment of fistulas, which has recently regained popularity. This issue also includes an experimental approach to the perennial but unsolved problem of adhesion that faces all surgeons. Another study examines the psychological problems experienced by stoma patients.

I expect that you will enjoy and benefit from these research articles concerning problems we often encounter in practice. On the other hand, we present three cases that I know my colleagues read with interest and which never lose their popularity: hyperplastic polyp of the appendix, traumatic sigmoid colon perforation, and endoscopic removal of a foreign body in a rare and intriguing patient with situs inversus totalis.

In addition, this issue includes an excellent review that we believe will serve as a guide on a topic which we should all be more aware of: personnel safety during hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy procedures.

Lastly, I would like to remind you of the Turkish Society of Colon and Rectal Surgery Administrative Board elections to be held on 7 January 2018 at the Kalyon Hotel. I hope for a successful and democratic election. Furthermore, I would like to remind you that Turkish Society of Colon and Rectal Surgery will hold its Spring Symposium in Bursa on March 16-18, 2018. I hope that many of you will join us for a very productive symposium.

We are proud to present this very full issue as we reach the end of 2017. May the new year bring you happiness, well-being, and especially good health.

Best wishes until March...

Tahsin Çolak, MD

Editor-in-Chief