Impact of postoperative complications on clinical and economic consequences in pancreatic surgery

PURPOSE: Patients who develop complications consume a disproportionately large share of available resources in surgery; therefore the attention of healthcare funders focuses on the economic impact of complications. The main objective of this work was to assess the clinical and economic impact of postoperative complications in pancreatic surgery, and furthermore to assess risk factors for increased costs. METHODS: In all, 161 consecutive patients underwent pancreatic resection. The costs of the treatment were determined and analyzed. RESULTS: The overall morbidity rate was 53.4%, and the in-hospital mortality rate was 3.7%. The median of costs for all patients without complication was 3,963 Euro, whereas the median of costs for patients with at least one complication was significantly increased at 10,670 Euro (P or = 3 (P = 0.006), multivisceral resection (P < 0.001) and any complication (P < 0.001) were independently associated with increased costs. CONCLUSION: Postoperative complications are associated with an increase in mortality, length of hospital stay, and hospital costs. The treatment costs increase with the severity of the postoperative complications. Those factors that are known to increase the treatment costs in pancreatic resection should be considered when planning patients for surgery.

Laparoscopic diagnostics of acute bowel ischemia using ultraviolet light and fluorescein dye: an experimental study.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to show the diagnostic potential of laparoscopy using fluorescein dye and ultraviolet light in acute bowel ischemia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study involved 12 domestic pigs. Under general anesthesia, the peripheral branch of the superior mesenteric artery was embolized using polyvinyl-alcohol microparticles. Two hours after the embolization, optical filters were placed into the laparoscopic set to produce ultraviolet light. Fluorescein dye was given intravenously, and the bowel was inspected. Clips were placed on the border of the ischemia that was visualized with fluorescein. Resection of the ischemic part of the bowel and anastomosis of the viable parts were carried out using laparoscopic linear cutting staplers. After 24 hours, a laparoscopic second-look procedure was carried out to verify the viability of the anastomosis. RESULTS: The method was in all cases able to recognize intestinal ischemia and reliably differentiate ischemic bowel segments from viable bowel. Microscopic analysis of the ischemic specimens showed beginning ischemic changes of the bowel tissues. CONCLUSIONS: The method should be considered a valuable diagnostic procedure both for diagnostics of early stage of acute bowel ischemia and for second-look procedures.