[Laparoscopic resection of gastric stromal tumors]

Gastro-intestinal stromal tumors [GIST] are the most common mesenchymal gastrointestinal tumors. The Gastric location represents 60% of cases [1,2]. Complete surgical excision remains the treatment of reference for the localized forms. This surgery can be made by laparoscopy when the lesion's size doesn't exceed 5 cm. Some principles must e respected: a mono-block complete surgical resection, with healthy margins and without effraction. This technique will be reserved for trained teams and for selected cases according to the size and location. We herein try to explain the surgical laparoscopic excision of gastric stromal tumors explaining

Prognostic factors in gastric carcinoma after R0 resection with DH lymph node dissection. Tunisian experience

Curative resection with adequate lymph node dissection is the treatment of choice for gastric cancer. To determine the prognostic factors after R0 resection with DII lymph node dissection. We retrospectively assessed 126 patients who underwent R0 resection with DII lymph node dissection for gastric cancer [excluding the upper third of the stomach] in a single institution between 1991 and 2006 with median follow-up of 38.5 months [6 - 219]. Prognostic factors were assessed by Cox proportional hazard model. There were 45 women and 81 men. The median age was 60 years [21 - 87]. Four patients died [3.2%]. Postoperative hospital morbidity was 16.7%. The pathologic review of the slides revealed that 50% of the tumors were stage T3 [63 cases]. The median number of lymph node removed was 11 [8-40], 50% were involved. Five and 10 years survival rates were respectively 56.9% and 40.2%. In multivariable analysis, depth of wall invasion, lymph node involvement and more than 15 retrieved lymph nodes were found to be independent prognosis factors. After R0 resection with DII lymphadenectomy, depth of wall invasion, lymph node involvement and more than 15 retrieved lymph nodes were independent predictive factors for survival

[ caroli's disease. Report of 16 cases]

Caroli's disease is a congenital dilatation of the intrahepatic biliary duct. To analyse and discuss diagnostic and therapeutics difficulties through 16 patients with Caroli's disease. Between January 1990 and September 2010, 16 patients underwent surgical procedure for Caroli's disease. Data recorded for each patient included clinical symptoms, biologic findings, previous biliary procedures, and the presenting symptoms. The distribution of the biliary lesions, the surgical procedure and the postoperative outcomes and follow up were detailed. The mean age was 55 years. the mean interval between the first symptoms and diagnosis was 27 months. Five of 16 patients had undergone 12 surgical or dneoscopic procedures prior to liver resection. Before the definitive diagnosis, 9 patients presented 15 episodes of acute cholangitis. The diagnosis was established preoperatively in 13 cases, 5 among them underwent previous biliary surgical procedures. The diagnosis was documented peroperatively in 2 cases and postoperatively in 1 case. The distribution of the biliary lesions was monolobar in 13 and bilobar in 3 patients. 13 patients underwent liver resection, in two cases we performed bilio-jejunostomy and the last one had endoscopic sphyincterotomy. There was no mortality and the overall postoperative morbidity is about 43%. The follow-up shows that 12 patients still alive with a mean follow up for 53 months, from whom only one patient have intrahepepatic lithiasis. The clinical course of Caroli's disease is often complicated by recurrent episodes of angiocholitis and requires iterative surgery. The hepatectomy which prevented septic complications and degenerescence is possible only in a restricted number of patients

Appendicitis in strangulated femoral hernia: a case report

Herniation of the appendix into a femoral hernia also called De Garengeot hernia-is a rare but well-recognized entity. It is typically discovered incidentally during hernia repair. Acute appendicitis in a strangulated femoral hernia is even more uncommon. Report a new case. We report on a patient admitted for a painful groin mass. She underwent emergency surgery. Exploration identified acute appendicitis in a strangulated femoral hernia sac. Appendectomy associated with Mac Vay's herniorrhaphy were performed. The outcome was uneventful. Surgeons should be aware of the existence of this infrequent and atypical presentation of appendicitis and femoral hernia

Laparoscopic ileocecal resection for crohn's disease

The aim was to evaluate the reliability and safety of laparoscopic ileocecal resection for Crohn's disease and to report our preliminary results. A retrospective analysis of 20 patients undergoing a laparoscopic ileocecal resection for Crohn's disease was carried out between November 2003 and June 2005. First of all, we defined the inclusions and exclusions criteria which allowed us to select the patients who would be resected laparoscopically. Fistulizing disease, emergent surgery [perforation, occlusion], large mass and patients with previous laparotomy were excluded. Duration of operation, rate of conversion, complications and time from discharge from hospital were evaluated. Median operation time was 160 min. Conversion to laparotomy was needed in three cases. There was no death. Minor complications occured in 2 patients. Median postoperative time for discharge was 5 days. These preliminary results indicate that laparoscopic ileocecal resection is a feasible and safe alternative in patient with Crohn's disease offering many advantages thanks to a strict patient selection