Surgical case report: The rare case of incidental retroperitoneal mesothelioma.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: This is a first reported case of isolated retroperitoneal mesothelioma. Most patients present with symptoms of abdominal pain, distension and weight loss. However, a minority of cases are asymptomatic and are found incidentally on imaging. It is important to provide an early histological diagnosis to help with management and prognostication. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a male patient who was referred to our surgical clinic with an incidental finding of an indeterminate retroperitoneal lesion. The patient underwent numerous investigations without further clarity of the lesion. A 5 cm lobulated cystic lesion was excised in the retroperitoneum and found to be loosely adherent but separate to the duodenum, inferior vena cava and right adrenal gland. Histopathology revealed a localised multinodular epithelioid mesothelioma. The patient was referred to a specialist cancer centre and has remained well on subsequent follow-up. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: Although multiple reports of lung, liver and kidney mesotheliomas are described, to our knowledge this is the first report of isolated retroperitoneal mesothelioma. Diagnosis of peritoneal mesothelioma is diagnostically challenging as there are no features on imaging characteristic for peritoneal mesothelioma. Hence, tumour markers and magnetic resonance imaging should be used in conjunction. The prognosis of mesothelioma is dependent on the patients' histopathology, where diffuse mesothelioma poses a worse prognosis than localised mesothelioma. Modern therapies for diffuse mesothelioma now include cytoreduction surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraoperative peritoneal perfusion with chemotherapy (HIPEC). CONCLUSION: An excisional biopsy may be warranted for indeterminate lesions with a high degree of suspicion for malignancy.

Laparoscopic versus open appendicectomy in pregnancy: experience from a single institution and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Acute appendicitis remains an uncommon cause of non-obstetric abdominal pain during pregnancy, with surgery being the preferred management option. We examined our experience with the surgical management of appendicitis during pregnancy, particularly the risk of foetal loss during the 1st and 2nd trimester and performed a meta-analysis of the available literature. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients who had an appendicectomy during pregnancy (January 2010 to December 2019) and a meta-analysis comparing foetal death in open appendicectomy versus laparoscopic appendicectomy during the 1st and 2nd trimester. RESULTS: Seventy pregnant patients were included in our study (57 laparoscopic, 13 open). There were 4 foetal deaths during the study period (7%), all of which occurred after the laparoscopic approach (P-value = 0.578). Open appendicectomies were associated with an increased risk of pre-term delivery (P-value = 0.038). The meta-analysis of 9 studies, which included 311 patients, showed that there was no significant difference between OA and LA in foetal deaths during the 1st and 2nd trimesters (1st trimester foetal deaths: 9/143 laparoscopic versus 4/57 open, M-H risk difference-0.02, 95% CI, -0.14 to 0.10): 2nd trimester foetal deaths: 7/159 laparoscopic versus 2/154 Open, M-H risk difference 0.03, 95% CI, -0.02 to 0.09). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest there is no increased risk of foetal loss in pregnant patients undergoing a laparoscopic appendicectomy.

Bleeding from the pancreatic cut surface post pancreaticoduodenectomy: a review of a tertiary referral centre.

BACKGROUND: Haemorrhage from the pancreatic cut surface after pancreaticoduodenectomy is uncommon. The optimal treatment for post-pancreatectomy haemorrhage (PPH) from the pancreatic cut surface remains controversial. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis including all patients who underwent a pancreatiocoduodenectomy between 2008 and 2018 at a single tertiary institution in Melbourne, Australia, to analyse the incidence, potential risk factors, treatment and outcomes of cut surface PPH. RESULTS: A total of 168 pancreaticoduodenectomies were performed during the study period with pancreaticogastrostomy being the most common method of reconstruction at our institution (84.5%). There were 12 instances of cut surface PPH (7.1%). The majority of cases of cut surface PPH occurred within 48 h following pancreaticoduodenectomy (67%) with 41.7% occurring in the first 24 h. All but one patient required surgical intervention but length of stay did not appear to be increased compared to those without cut surface PPH. There was a trend towards patients with cut surface PPH being more likely to have a non-dilated pancreatic duct (75% versus 49%; P = 0.079). No significant differences were noted between patient with and without cut surface PPH with regards to abnormalities in platelet counts (3.2% versus 0%; P = 0.529), international normalized ratio (4.5% versus 8.3%; P = 0.694) and prophylactic anticoagulant administration or continuing antiplatelet use (28.2 versus 16.7%; P = 0.630). CONCLUSION: We believe that an unobstructed pancreas, in combination with the acidic environment associated with a dunking pancreaticogastrostomy anastomosis, may predispose to bleeding from the cut surface of the pancreas.

The Role of Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy After Severe and/or Necrotic Pancreatitis in the Setting of Modern Minimally Invasive Management of Pancreatic Necrosis.

OBJECTIVES: The trend toward minimally invasive procedures (MIP) in necrotizing pancreatitis is increasing. The optimal timing and technique of cholecystectomy in severe/necrotizing pancreatitis is unclear. This study aims to determine the role of laparoscopic cholecystectomy after severe/necrotizing pancreatitis in the context of MIP. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of a prospective database was performed for consecutive patients after cholecystectomy for gallstone pancreatitis between January 2011 and January 2018 at Monash Health, Melbourne, Australia. RESULTS: Three hundred fifty-five patients with gallstone pancreatitis underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy with 2 conversions. Patients with severe pancreatitis were older (P = 0.002), with a more even sex distribution when compared with mild pancreatitis. Females predominated in the mild pancreatitis group.Patients with moderate/severe pancreatitis (P = 0.002) and necrosis (P > 0.001) were more likely to have delayed cholecystectomy compared with mild pancreatitis. There was no increase in biliary presentations while awaiting cholecystectomy. Length of stay for patients with severe/necrotizing pancreatitis (P = 0.001) was increased, surgical complications appeared similar. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be performed safely and effectively for pancreatitis, irrespective of severity. The paradigm shift in the management of severe necrotizing pancreatitis away from open necrosectomy toward MIP can be extended to encompass laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

White mesentery and chylous ascites: an interesting presentation of mesenteric lymphangioma.

We present an interesting and unusual case of a 57-year-old woman presenting with symptoms concerning for a bowel obstruction, and diagnostic imaging concerning for an internal hernia. The patient underwent an emergency laparotomy and was found to have chylous ascites throughout the abdomen, and the extravasation of chyle into the mesentery giving an appearance of a white mesentery. During this case, we will present all of the findings and discuss the unusual underlying pathology.

Lumbar Incisional Hernia Repair: Complete Reconstruction of the Deficient Myofascial Component Using Christmas Tree Bone Anchors.

Lumbar incisional hernias are difficult to repair because one of the hernia margins is bone, namely, the iliac crest. Previous studies have described the use of orthopedic bone anchors that fix a mesh onto the iliac crest. We present a novel technique for open repair of large lumbar incisional hernias using a double-mesh technique in combination with suture-loaded bone anchors to reattach the abdominal wall musculature onto the iliac crest. The surgical technique involves creating a preperitoneal plane behind the transversus abdominus and above the iliac crest and iliacus, below the iliac crest, with application of a Prolene mesh in this layer. This is followed by the drilling of suture-loaded Christmas Tree bone anchors™ along the rim of the iliac crest. The preloaded sutures are used to attach the myofascial component on the iliac crest, followed by the placement of a second Prolene mesh in an on-lay fashion. Drains are left in the preperitoneal and subcutaneous spaces. Unlike other reported techniques in the literature which only fix mesh onto the iliac crest, our technique with the use of Christmas Tree bone anchors™ allows for complete reconstruction of the lumbar abdominal wall defect and its myofascial components.

Comparison of endoscopic and percutaneous drainage of symptomatic necrotic collections in acute necrotizing pancreatitis.

INTRODUCTION: Primary endoscopic and percutaneous drainage for pancreatic necrotic collections is increasingly used. We aim to compare the relative effectiveness of both modalities in reducing the duration and severity of illness by measuring their effects on systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all cases of endoscopic and percutaneous drainage for pancreatic necrotic collections performed in 2011-2016 at two hospitals. We assessed the post-procedure length of hospital stay, reduction in C-reactive protein levels, resolution of SIRS, the complication rates, and the number of procedures required for resolution. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients were identified and 57 cases (36 endoscopic, 21 percutaneous) were included. There was no significant difference in C-reactive protein reduction between endoscopic and percutaneous drainage (69.5% vs 68.8%, P = 0.224). Resolution of SIRS was defined as the post-procedure normalization of white cell count (endoscopic vs percutaneous: 70.4% vs 64.3%, P = 0.477), temperature (endoscopic vs percutaneous: 93.3% vs 60.0%, P = 0.064), heart rate (endoscopic vs percutaneous: 56.0% vs 11.1%, P = 0.0234), and respiratory rate (endoscopic vs percutaneous: 83.3% vs 0.0%, P = 0.00339). Post-procedure length of hospital stay was 27 days with endoscopic drainage and 46 days with percutaneous drainage (P = 0.0183). CONCLUSION: Endoscopic drainage was associated with a shorter post-procedure length of hospital stay and a greater rate of normalization of SIRS parameters than percutaneous drainage, although only the effects on heart rate and respiratory rate reached statistical significance. Further studies are needed to establish which primary drainage modality is superior for pancreatic necrotic collections.

Management of choledocholithiasis in an emergency cohort undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a single-centre experience.

INTRODUCTION: Minimally-invasive options for the management of choledocholithiasis in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy include laparoscopic and endoscopic approaches. This study reviews the effectiveness of both approaches in an emergency setting. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed for a cohort of patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Outcomes assessed were duct clearance, the number of procedures performed (NPP), length of stay (LOS) and complication rate. RESULTS: A total of 182 patients who underwent emergency laparoscopic cholecystectomies received intervention for choledocholithiasis. The duct clearance rate was lower in the laparoscopic group, 63% versus 86% (P = 0.001). However, the median NPP was also lesser in the laparoscopic group, 1 (interquartile range (IQR) 1-2) versus 2 (IQR 2-2) (P < 0.001), as was the median LOS, 5 days (IQR 3-8) versus 7 days (IQR 6-10) (P = 0.009). Forty-eight laparoscopic endobiliary stents were attempted; stent deployment was successful in 37 patients. A larger proportion of patients with laparoscopic endobiliary stents had duct clearance by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) compared with those without, although this was not statistically significant (P = 0.208). CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic clearance is not as effective as post-operative ERCP in an emergency cohort, but is associated with fewer procedures required and a shorter inpatient stay. Thus, laparoscopic clearance may still be an attractive option for surgeons especially where conditions are favourable during an emergency laparoscopic cholecystectomy.