Resultados de un protocolo de rehabilitación respiratoria para pacientes sometidos a cirugía abdominal alta / Results of a respiratory rehabilitation protocol for patients undergoing upper abdominal surgery

Introducción y objetivos. Las complicaciones pulmonares postoperatorias (CPP) comportan un incremento en la morbimortalidad y en la estancia hospitalaria. Aunque la rehabilitación pulmonar reduce el porcentaje de CPP, no es posible aplicarla de manera generalizada en todos pacientes sometidos a cirugía abdominal. Nuestro propósito ha sido evaluar la eficacia de un protocolo terapéutico para reducir la incidencia de CPP. Pacientes y métodos. Se estudiaron prospectivamente 115 pacientes (62,6 ± 15,4 años) sometidos a cirugía abdominal procedente de un equipo quirúrgico colaborador. Los pacientes se estratificaron en 3 grupos (bajo, intermedio, elevado) según el riesgo predecible para sufrir CPP, teniendo en cuenta los factores de riesgo: edad, tabaquismo, índice de masa corporal, presencia y severidad de enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica, duración prevista de la cirugía y tipo de cirugía. Se aplicó un protocolo de rehabilitación respiratoria que incluía ejercicios de expansión torácica para los niveles bajo, aerosolterapia para los del grupo intermedio y para los de riesgo elevado una pauta de fisioterapia respiratoria aplicada por el fisioterapeuta. Resultados. Un 51 % de los pacientes tenían un riesgo bajo, un 34 % moderado y un 24 % elevado. Las CPP se presentaron en un 10 % de los casos. Los pacientes que presentaban riesgo prequirúrgico leve precisaron menos días de ingreso comparados con los de riesgo moderado-alto (10,48 ± 7,3 frente a 14,46 ± 11,5; p < 0,05) y tenían una tendencia a complicarse menos (7,1 % frente a 13,2 %; p = 0,2). Conclusión. La aplicación de un protocolo para la prevención de CPP permite racionalizar los recursos humanos y materiales de un programa de rehabilitación respiratoria

Introduction and objectives. Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) are associated with increased morbidity, mortality and hospital stay. Although pulmonary rehabilitation reduces the rate of PPCs, it cannot be systematically provided among all patients undergoing abdominal surgery. We have aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a therapeutic protocol to reduce the incidence of PPCs. Patients and methods. A prospective study of 115 patients (62.6 ± 15.4 years) undergoing abdominal surgery from an associated surgical team was carried out. The patients were stratified into 3 groups (low, intermediate and high) according to their predicted risk of developing PPC considering the risk factors of age, smoking, body mass index, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, predicted length of the surgery and type of surgery. A pulmonary rehabilitation protocol was applied. This included thoracic expansion exercises for the low level of risk, inhaled therapy for the intermediate group, and an individualized respiratory physical therapy program for the high risk patients. Results. A total of 51 % were low risk patients, 34 % intermediate and 24 % were high risk. The incidence of PPCs was 10 % in general. Those patients with lower risk required a shorter hospital stay than those with intermediate and high risk (10.48 ± 7.3 vs. 14.46 ± 11.5; p < 0.05) and had a tendency for lower PPC rate (7.1 % vs. 13.2 %; p = 0.2). Conclusions. A specific protocol designed to prevent PPC allows for better distribution for human and material efforts for a respiratory rehabilitation program

Resultados de un protocolo de rehabilitación respiratoria para pacientes sometidos a cirugía abdominal alta / Results of a respiratory rehabilitation protocol for patients undergoing upper abdominal surgery

Resumen.—Introducción y objetivos. Las complicacionespulmonares postoperatorias (CPP) comportan un incrementoen la morbimortalidad y en la estancia hospitalaria. Aunque la rehabilitación pulmonar reduce el porcentaje de CPP, no es posible aplicarla de manera generalizada en todos pacientes sometidos a cirugía abdominal. Nuestro propósito ha sido evaluar la eficacia de un protocolo terapéutico para reducir la incidencia de CPP.Pacientes y métodos. Se estudiaron prospectivamente 115 pacientes (62,6 ± 15,4 años) sometidos a cirugía abdominal procedente de un equipo quirúrgico colaborador. Los pacientes se estratificaron en 3 grupos (bajo, intermedio, elevado) según el riesgo predecible para sufrir CPP, teniendo en cuenta los factores de riesgo: edad, tabaquismo, índice de masa corporal,presencia y severidad de enfermedad pulmonar obstructivacrónica, duración prevista de la cirugía y tipo de cirugía. Se aplicó un protocolo de rehabilitación respiratoria que incluía ejercicios de expansión torácica para los niveles bajo, aerosolterapia para los del grupo intermedio y para los de riesgo elevado una pauta de fisioterapia respiratoria aplicadapor el fisioterapeuta.Resultados. Un 51 % de los pacientes tenían un riesgo bajo, un 34 % moderado y un 24 % elevado. Las CPP se presentaron en un 10 % de los casos. Los pacientes que presentaban riesgo prequirúrgico leve precisaron menos días de ingreso comparados con los de riesgo moderado-alto (10,48 ± 7,3 frente a 14,46 ± 11,5; p < 0,05) y tenían una tendencia a complicarse menos (7,1 % frente a 13,2 %; p = 0,2).Conclusión. La aplicación de un protocolo para la prevención de CPP permite racionalizar los recursos humanos y materiales de un programa de rehabilitación respiratoria

Introduction and objectives. Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) are associated with increased morbidity, mortality and hospital stay. Although pulmonary rehabilitation reduces the rate of PPCs, it cannot be systematically provided among all patients undergoing abdominal surgery. We have aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a therapeutic protocol to reduce the incidence of PPCs.Patients and methods. A prospective study of 115 patients(62.6 ± 15.4 years) undergoing abdominal surgery from an associated surgical team was carried out. The patients were stratified into 3 groups (low, intermediate and high) according to their predicted risk of developing PPC considering the risk factors of age, smoking, body mass index, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, predicted length of the surgery and type of surgery. A pulmonary rehabilitation protocol was applied.This included thoracic expansion exercises for the low level of risk, inhaled therapy for the intermediate group, and an individualized respiratory physical therapy program for the high risk patients.Results. A total of 51 % were low risk patients, 34 % intermediate and 24 % were high risk. The incidence of PPCs was 10 % in general. Those patients with lower risk required a shorter hospital stay than those with intermediate and high risk (10.48 ± 7.3 vs. 14.46 ± 11.5; p < 0.05) and had a tendency for lower PPC rate (7.1 % vs. 13.2 %; p = 0.2).Conclusions. A specific protocol designed to prevent PPCallows for better distribution for human and material efforts for a respiratory rehabilitation program (AU)

Renal injury in the extremely obese patients with normal renal function.

We studied the glomerular architecture in renal biopsies of 95 patients undergoing bariatric surgery for extreme obesity but whose renal function was normal. The comparison group was 40 control patients having protocol biopsies. These latter patients had normal weight and renal function, were non-diabetic, non-hypertensive, and were undergoing nephrectomy or donating a kidney. Logistic regression models determined associations between the clinical and biochemical variables and glomerular lesions. Arterial hypertension, sleep apnea syndrome (SAS), and microalbuminuria were prevalent in the obese patients, as was hyperglycemia to a lesser extent. Focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis was present in only five extremely obese (EO) patients but absent in controls. Increased mesangial matrix, podocyte hypertrophy, mesangial cell proliferation, and glomerulomegaly were more frequent in the obese cohort than in the control group. Body mass index was a significant independent risk factor associated with glomerular lesions in all 135 patients and in the 95 EO patients, whereas SAS was associated with glomerulomegaly only in the EO. Our study shows that EO patients who lack overt clinical renal symptoms have a variety of glomerular abnormalities that correlate with body mass.

The effect of bariatric surgery on adipocytokines, renal parameters and other cardiovascular risk factors in severe and very severe obesity: 1-year follow-up.

AIMS: To evaluate the effect of weight loss after bariatric surgery (BS) on peripheral adipocytokines, renal parameters and other cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs). METHODS: A total of 70 (41 women) extremely obese adults were prospectively studied before and 12 months after surgery. CONTROLS: 24 (15 women) normal-weight adults. Anthropometric, biochemical and renal parameters were recorded. RESULTS: Presurgery, adiponectin (ADPN) was lower, whereas leptin, insulin resistance, C-reactive protein, creatinine clearance and albuminuria were higher in patients than controls (P<0.001). All parameters improved postsurgery. Changes in ADPN correlated negatively with leptin, insulin resistance, albumin, C-reactive protein, and creatinine clearance. Multiple regression analysis: using changes in ADPN as the dependent variable, only changes in insulin resistance (P=0.005) and albumin (P=0.019) were significant independent determinants for changes in ADPN. No statistical differences were found in relation to the degree of obesity. CONCLUSION: Patients changed to obesity type I after surgery. This implies a substantial improvement of CVRFs including ADPN, creatinine clearance and albuminuria. Changes in plasma ADPN correlated negatively with insulin resistance and with albuminemia but not with renal parameters. The lack of differences between different degrees of obesity suggests that the relationship between weight and CVRFs no longer exists when obesity becomes very extreme.

[Surgical treatment of a pheocromocytoma bilateral in a 5 year old patient with the von Hippel-Lindau disease]. / Tratamiento quirúrgico de un feocromocitoma bilateral en un paciente de 5 años con enfermedad de von Hippel-Lindau.

INTRODUCTION: The disease of Von Hippel Lindau (VHL) is hereditary and causes a predisposition to the development of tumours. Organs such as the cerebellum, the pancreas, the kidney, the suprarenal glands and the retina are more usually affected by this disease. CLINICAL CASE: We present the case of a 5-year-old patient who suffers from asiymptomatic high blood pressure. In the family antecedents, it is relevant the case of the father, with pheocromocytoma bilateral, which led us to carry out a genetic study of his two sons. Our patient, the younger; presented a mutation of the VHL gene in the short arm of the chromosome 3. In one of the periodic controls, it could be detected high blood pressure of 160/100 mm. Hg, clinically asymptomatic. The other child did not present a genetic mutation and has no disease. The presence of high catecholamines, the detection of a 3 cm left suprarenal mass through the ecography, the TAC that did not show a right suprarenal pathology and the MBIG scintigraphy confirmed the diagnostic of pheocromocytoma. The RNM showed another 0.8-cm mass which confirmed a pheocromocytoma bilateral. We started the treatment against high blood pressure with fenoxibenzamine and diltiazem, and we controlled this problem. We also prepared the pre-and-post operation anesthetic strategy, which is so important for the surgical success. The operation started by a laparoscopic, we made left adrenalectomy and we had to reconvert to laparotomy to make partial right adrenalectomy. Six months after the operation, the patient is free from symptomatology and follows a treatment with glucocorticoides with smaller and smaller doses. COMMENTS: The case is exceptional because it embodies the following characteristics: early diagnostic age, family affectation and discovery of asymptomatic high blood pressure. It needed an appropriate preanesthetic and anesthetic preparation, which gave way to an operation without complications. The postoperation was also stable and presented no complications.

Biopsia del ganglio centinela: reflexiones y comentarios sobre la técnica / Sentinel node biopsy: reflections and comments on the technique

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Reflexiones sobre la cirugía bariátrica actual / Reflections on current bariatric surgery

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Cirugía radiodirigida en tumores endocrinos / Radio-directed surgery in endocrine tumors

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Sentinel node biopsy as a practical alternative to axillary lymph node dissection in breast cancer patients: an approach to its validity.

BACKGROUND: Sentinel node biopsy (SNB) has been proposed as an alternative to axillary lymph-node dissection (ALND) in breast cancer. Before implementing SNB in our practice, we wished to test its validity by comparing it to the standard ALND, both in our hands and with other reported series. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred thirty-two patients were included prospectively. SNB and immediate ALND were performed. For SNB, a technetium-colloid was used to produce preoperative lymphoscintigraphy and intraoperative gamma-probe search for the SN. Serial sectioning and immunostains were used on the SN. A comprehensive review of the literature was done in order to run a meta-analysis of diagnostic tests using a summary receiver operating characteristic curve (SROC) to calculate the pooled parameters of sensitivity and associated 95% confidence interval (95% CI), including our own data. RESULTS: Our technical success rate was 96%. Local sensitivity was 96%, with a 95% CI from 85%-99%. Seven patients were upstaged by the SNB. A literature search identified 18 studies published from 1996-1999. Estimates of sensitivity ranged from 83%-100%. The pooled data meta-analysis gave a global sensitivity of 91%, with a 95% CI from 89%-93%. The area under the global SROC curve was 0.9967. CONCLUSIONS: The minimally invasive SNB was shown to be a practical alternative to ALND. We propose to use local as well as global sensitivity and associated 95% CI to test the validity of SNB in the clinical setting. Due to limitations of ALND as the golden standard, SNB can in fact be considered a more accurate method for nodal staging.

Resultados de la biopsia del ganglio centinela en 100 pacientes con cáncer de mama / Results of sentinel node biopsy in 100 patients with breast cancer

Comunicamos los resultados obtenidos con la biopsia del ganglio linfático (BGC) en 100 pacientes consecutivas con cáncer de mama en las que además se realizó vaciado axilar. Se utilizaron exclusivamente trazadores isotópicos y sonda gamma para la linfogammagrafía y el rastreo intraoperatorio. El análisis histopatológico incluyó cortes seriados e inmunohistoquímica para citoqueratinas en los GC. Los resultados mostraron una eficacia técnica del 97 por ciento. El número de GC por paciente fue de 2,0 ñ 1,2. En el 23 por ciento de las pacientes se encontraron GC fuera de la localización habitual (mamaria interna, intramamarios, etc.). En total, 37 pacientes mostraron metástasis ganglionares. La sensibilidad de la BGC fue del 94,6 por ciento, el valor predictivo del 96,8 por ciento y la tasa de falsos negativos del 5,4 por ciento. Se reestadiaron al alza seis pacientes (9,1 por ciento de las consideradas N0 por el vaciado axilar). Nuestros resultados confirman el valor de la BGC, que en el futuro tenderá a sustituir a la linfadenectomía axilar convencional. (AU)

[Lymphoscintigraphy in the study of lymphatic drainage patterns in patients with melanoma]. / La linfogammagrafía en el estudio de los patrones de drenaje linfático en los pacientes con melanoma.

BACKGROUND: In order to plan the pertinent surgical technique for each patient with melanoma or other skin malignancies, it is mandatory to identify those lymphatic basins at risk for metastases. The advent of radiotracers for functional studies of the cutaneous lymphatic system during the last decade has resulted in the disclosure of an unexpected interindividual variability of the lymphatic drainage in both head and neck and trunk. OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the usefulness of lymphoscintigraphy for depicting the cutaneous lymphatic draining basins in patients with primary melanoma of the head, trunk and limbs, and to compare the observed lymphatic drain with the expected pattern of lymph flow according to the classical anatomical studies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Prospective study in a university hospital (Barcelones Nord area). Consecutive patients with the diagnosis of cutaneous melanoma were recruited after excisional biopsy of the primary tumor. Every patient was intradermally injected with rhenium-sulfide colloids or colloidal technetium labelled with Tc-99m in four quadrant doses of 0.3 ml around the lesions or its excisional scar. Scintigraphic imaging of the migrating radiotracer resulted in a flow pattern that was compared with its "classical" expected counterpart. RESULTS: Altogether, 55 lesions were studied, including 9 in the head, 21 in the trunk and 25 in the limbs (7 upper and 18 lower). The scintigraphic drain pattern did not match the expected classical pattern in 37.0% of the lesions overall (14% upper limbs, 42% truncal lesions out from an area 2.5 cm at both sides of Sapey's line or the midline, 16.6% lower limbs and 89% head and neck). CONCLUSIONS: Lymphatic drain of the skin shows a very high intrapersonal variability leading to the need for an individual work-up in order to know the lymphatic basins at risk for metastases. The high rate of unexpected or non-matching patterns casts some doubts over those previous studies that did not include lymphoscintigraphy on a patient-basis.

[Selective biopsy of the sentinel ganglion in patients with breast cancer. Initial results]. / Biopsia selectiva del ganglio centinela en pacientes con cáncer de mama. Primeros resultados.

BACKGROUND: Sentinel-node biopsy is meant to excise the first-echelon node from a primary tumor, which is the one that most probably harbors early metastases. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We report our results in 35 patients with breast cancer, using a radiotracer by peri-tumoral injection, pre-surgical scintigraphy and intraoperative mapping with a gamma probe. RESULTS: The technical success rate was 97%, negative predictive value 95.2%, accuracy 97%, and added value to staging 40%. CONCLUSION: Compared with the conventional lymph-node staging procedure for breast cancer, sentinel-node biopsy with pre-surgical scintigraphy seems a good practical choice.

Growth hormone-binding protein directly depends on serum leptin levels in adults with different nutritional status.

The aim of this work was to assess the relationship between GH-binding protein (GHBP) and leptin. Both peptides are nutritionally regulated, but the recent implication of a role for leptin in the GH axis requires further study. To avoid the sexual dimorphism in leptin values, we performed leptin standardization according to gender (SD score-leptin). The relationship between SD score-leptin and GHBP was studied in 128 adults with different nutritional status [8 groups according to body mass index (BMI)], ranging from severely underweight anorexia nervosa to highly morbid obesity. Both GHBP and SD score-leptin significantly increased according to BMI within the range from 18-27 kg/m2, whereas no significant differences were found among underweight groups (BMI, < 18 kg/m2) or among obesity grades (BMI, > 27 kg/m2). We found a strong correlation between GHBP and SD score-leptin (r = 0.8; P < 0.0001). Multiple regression analysis revealed SD score-leptin to be a significant determinant of GHBP, accounting for 64% of the variation, whereas BMI did not contribute further to explaining changes in GHBP. This suggests a physiological pathway involving both GHBP (the soluble fraction of GH receptor) and leptin. Thus, we might speculate that leptin could be the signal that induces the related nutritional changes observed in GHBP/GH receptor expression.

Increased leptin production in vivo and insulin cleavage by the omental adipose tissue of morbidly obese patients.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this investigation was to assess the insulin cleavage capacity in obese humans. Increased insulin degradation by visceral adipose tissue has previously been demonstrated in obese rats and could be interpreted as a physiological response to hyperinsulinaemia. The recent characterization of leptin receptors in pancreatic beta cells, liver and muscle suggests that leptin may influence insulin function and metabolism. Our study focuses on the possible relationship between leptin secretion and adipose tissue insulin-degrading capacity. DESIGN AND PATIENTS: Insulin and leptin were measured in arterial blood and in the epiploic vein of morbidly obese (n = 7) and non-obese patients (n = 7) who were undergoing abdominal surgery. Arteriovenous insulin difference (AV insulin) was considered an in vivo marker of insulin degradation by the omental fat tissue. Statistical comparison between venous and arterial leptin was used to assess endogenous leptin production. MEASUREMENTS: Insulin was measured using an oligoclonal IRMA and leptin levels were determined by using a specific radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: Morbidly obese patients were hyperinsulinaemic compared to non-obese patients according to arterial insulin levels (P = 0.049) but not to venous levels. Insulin cleavage capacity, nil in the control group, was clearly significant in the morbidly obese patients (P = 0.001). In the morbidly obese group, leptin levels in venous epiploic samples were significantly higher (P = 0.028) than in the arterial samples, confirming in situ the synthesis of leptin by human white adipose tissue. We also observed a correlation between insulin arterial levels and venous leptin concentrations (P = 0.009) which supports the chronic leptinogenic effect of insulin suggested in previous works. Finally, our results show that venous leptin levels are correlated with the extent of insulin cleavage by omental tissue (P = 0.033). CONCLUSIONS: Morbidly obese patients have a higher white adipose tissue insulin cleavage capacity, which could partially diminish hyperinsulinaemia-derived adverse effects. High leptin production, a consequence of high insulin levels, may act as a signal to the insulin-degrading tissues in order to lower insulinaemia.

Band erosion in patients who have undergone vertical banded gastroplasty: incidence and technical solutions.

OBJECTIVES: To study the incidence of band erosion in patients who have undergone vertical banded gastroplasty and to describe the reparative techniques used. DESIGN: A retrospective review case series. SETTING: A university hospital-based tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: Two hundred fifty consecutive morbidly obese patients who underwent vertical banded gastroplasty between 1987 and 1995. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The development of band erosion into the stomach, reparative surgical techniques, and long-term weight loss control. RESULTS: Band erosion developed in 7 (2.8%) of the patients. Two patients had symptoms 1 month after undergoing forced endoscopy. Six patients required reoperation. The operative findings included 2 cases of "external" band erosion through the lesser curvature into the stomach and 4 cases of "internal" band erosion through the circular staple line. The surgical techniques used for repair depended on the radiological and endoscopic data and on the operative findings; the techniques included conversion into a gastric bypass, band replacement after the creation of a new stoma, and gastroplasty plus distal gastric bypass. There were no complications, and adequate long-term weight loss was achieved in all but 1 of the patients who underwent reoperation. CONCLUSION: Band erosion may be corrected using appropriate surgical techniques to allow for adequate long-term weight loss in patients who have undergone vertical banded gastroplasty.

Upper extremity deep venous thrombosis in cancer patients with venous access devices--prophylaxis with a low molecular weight heparin (Fragmin).

Central venous access devices are often essential for the administration of chemotherapy to patients with malignancy, but its use has been associated with a number of complications, mainly thrombosis. The true incidence of upper extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in this setting is difficult to estimate since there are very few studies in which DVT diagnosis was based on objective tests, but its sequelae include septic thrombophlebitis, loss of central venous access and pulmonary embolism. We performed an open, prospective study in which all cancer patients who underwent placement of a long-term Port-a-Cath (Pharmacia Deltec Inc) subclavian venous catheter were randomized to receive or not 2500 IU sc of Fragmin once daily 90 days. Venography was routinely performed 90 days after catheter insertion, or sooner if DVT symptoms had appeared. Our aims were: 1) to investigate the effectiveness of low doses of Fragmin in preventing catheter-related DVT; and 2) to try to confirm if patients with high platelet counts are at a higher risk to develop subclavian DVT, as previously suggested. On the recommendation of the Ethics Committee, patient recruitment was terminated earlier than planned: DVT developed in 1/16 patients (6%) taking Fragmin and 8/13 patients (62%) without prophylaxis (Relative Risk 6.75; 95% CI: 1.05-43.58; p = 0.002, Fisher exact test). No bleeding complications had developed. As for prediction of DVT, there was a tendency towards a higher platelet count in those patients who subsequently developed DVT, but differences failed to reach any statistical significance (286 +/- 145 vs 207 +/- 81 x 10(9)/1; p = 0.067). According to our experience, Fragmin at the dosage used proved to be both effective and safe in these patients.

[Morbid obesity. Reflections on a surgical protocol (I). A clinical and peroperative protocol]. / Obesidad mórbida. Reflexiones sobre un protocolo quirúrgico (I). Protocolo clínico y perioperatorio.

UNLABELLED: Obesity as a condition, and morbid obesity as a disease, have at present reached epidemic proportions. Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment in those patients in whom medical, dietary, and/or behavioral treatments have failed. What is more, it is the initial treatment of choice in morbid superobese patients (> 50 kg/m2). The present study summarizes and criticizes the main surgical techniques used at present, and purposes an action protocol for anesthesia, as well as some norms and advice on control, action, and pulmonary and dietary rehabilitation, in the peri- and post operative period, based on more than 7 years' experience with a series of more than 150 operated and controlled patients. CONCLUSION: A restrictive bariatric technique is a model which allows the multidisciplinary obesity treatment team to achieve a definite and permanent modification of the eating habits of all patients who meet the criteria for inclusion in a surgical protocol.