Minimally invasive surgery for paraduodenal hernias: report of a case and mini-review of operative techniques.

BACKGROUND: Paraduodenal hernias (PDHs) are the most common congenital internal hernias. Herein, we present a successful laparoscopic repair of a left PDH and we review the minimally invasive techniques that have been used to treat PDHs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An 18-year-old female patient with multiple visits to the emergency department for abdominal pain was ultimately diagnosed with a left PDH. She underwent a four-port laparoscopic repair. In order to review the minimally invasive PDH repair techniques used, we searched the PubMed® database and found 53 original studies with a total of 66 minimally invasive PDH repairs (51 left PDH repairs, 15 right PDH repairs) over a period of 24 years (1998-2022). RESULTS: The patient's postoperative course was uneventful and she was discharged on the 7th postoperative day. The literature review showed that closure of the hernia orifice was performed in 88% of left PDH repairs, whereas wide opening of the hernia orifice with or without mobilization of the right colon was performed in 81% of right PDH repairs. Of the patients with available postoperative data, none experienced complications other than grade Ι according to the Clavien-Dindo classification in the early postoperative period, and only one patient presented symptomatic hernia recurrence at a median follow-up of 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: Based on limited publications and our own experience, minimally invasive repair of PDHs has so far been shown to be feasible and safe in the great majority of cases without irreversible small intestine ischemia/peritonitis.

Long-term (11 + years) efficacy of sleeve gastrectomy as a stand-alone bariatric procedure: a single-center retrospective observational study.

INTRODUCTION: Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) is currently the most commonly performed bariatric procedure worldwide. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the long-term efficacy of SG as a stand-alone bariatric procedure. METHODS: A single-center retrospective analysis of 104 patients who underwent SG as a stand-alone bariatric procedure between January 2005 and December 2009. Weight loss, weight regain, remission or improvement of comorbidities and the new onset of comorbidities were the main outcomes of the study. RESULTS: The percent excess body weight loss (%EBWL), percent excess body mass weight (BMI) loss (%EBMIL), and percent total body weight loss (%TBWL) were 59 ± 25, 69 ± 29, and 29 ± 12, respectively, after a mean follow-up of 13.4 years. At the last follow-up, nearly two thirds of patients (67.3%) had an %EBWL greater than 50. The percentage of patients who experienced significant weight regain ranged from 47 to 64%, depending on the definition used for weight regain. The rate of improvement or remission of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, obstructive sleep apnea, and degenerative joint disease at a mean follow-up of 13.4 years was 40%, 94.7%, 70%, 100%, and 42.9%, respectively. The new onset of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms in the same period was 43%. CONCLUSION: Our data supports that SG results in long-lasting weight loss in the majority of patients and acceptable rates of remission or improvement of comorbidities. Weight regain and GERD may be issues of particular concern during long-term follow-up after SG.

Symptomatic pseudoaneurysms following laparoscopic cholecystectomy: Focus on an unusual and dangerous complication.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has been associated with an increase in the incidence of biliary and vascular injuries. Pseudoaneurysms (PAs) following LC are rare life-threatening events with limited available experience regarding diagnosis and treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An extensive review of literature during a 26-year period (1994-2020) using MEDLINE® database and Google Scholar® academic search engine revealed 134 patients with at least one symptomatic PA following LC. RESULTS: Nearly.81% of patients with PAs become symptomatic during the first 8 weeks following LC. The most common symptoms were gastrointestinal bleeding (74%) and abdominal pain (61%). In 28% of cases, there was a concomitant bile duct injury or leak from the cystic duct stump, whereas in about one-third of cases, PAs presented following an uneventful LC. The most common involved arteries were the right hepatic artery (70%), the cystic artery (19%) or both of them (3%). Trans-arterial embolisation was the favoured first-line treatment with a success rate of 83%. During a median follow-up of 9 months, the mortality rate was 7%. CONCLUSION: Clinicians should be aware of the PA occurrence following LC. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are essential.

Bronchoscopy during the COVID-19 pandemic: effect on current practices and strategies to reduce procedure-associated transmission.

Introduction: Bronchoscopy and related procedures have unambiguously been affected during the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Corona Virus-2 (SARS COV-2). Ordinary bronchoscopy practices and lung cancer services might have changed over this pandemic and for the years to come.Areas covered: This manuscript summarizes the utility of bronchoscopy in COVID-19 patients, and the impact of the pandemic in lung cancer diagnostic services, in view of possible viral spread during these We conducted a literature review of articles published in PubMed/Medline from inception to November 5th, 2020 using relevant terms.Expert opinion: Without doubt this pandemic has changed the way bronchoscopy and related procedures are being performed. Mandatory universal personal protective equipment, pre-bronchoscopy PCR tests, dedicated protective barriers and disposable bronchoscopes might be the safest and simpler way to perform even the most complicated procedures.

Prevalence, Contribution to Disease Burden and Management of Comorbid Depression and Anxiety in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Narrative Review.

Mental health issues such as depression and anxiety are common comorbidities of individuals suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), though they are frequently underdiagnosed and consequently undertreated. To that end we sought to identify the impact of co-morbid anxiety and depression in COPD patients and evaluate recent evidence regarding the management of such cases. A Pubmed search was conducted for relevant original articles with emphasis on the past 5 years. The studies we identified indicate that psychiatric comorbidity negatively impacts the prognosis of COPD, as it is associated with reduced adherence to treatment, reduced physical activity and a general reduction in quality of life, in turn leading to more frequent exacerbations and increased severity of exacerbations (which are more likely to require hospitalization), resulting in increased mortality. Despite the evidence showing a high prevalence and exceedingly negative impact of depression and anxiety in patients with COPD, very few clinical trials (for both pharmacological and psychological treatments) with small sample sizes have been conducted in this population. As treatment for co-morbid mental health conditions may reduce mortality, interventions to ensure prompt identification of mental health issues and subsequent initiation of treatment are warranted.

Review of the association between periodontitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in smokers.

Both periodontitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are among the most common diseases associated with smoking. These conditions frequently present alongside comorbidities including diabetes, coronary heart disease, duodenal ulcer, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, osteoporosis and muscle atrophy. Chronic inflammation contributes to the pathology of both periodontitis and COPD, and in patients suffering from both conditions treatment of periodontitis may lead to relief from COPD symptoms as well. Smoking contributes to the underlying pathophysiology by causing local inflammation, increasing the production of proinflammatory cytokines and most importantly, by locally increasing the activity of proteolytic enzymes which degrade the extracellular matrix in both periodontal and lung interstitial tissue. The increase in protease activity and extracellular matrix degradation may explain why periodontitis and COPD comorbidity is so common, a finding which also indicates that therapeutic interventions targeting protease activity and the inflammatory response may be beneficial for both conditions.

Prevalence of Comorbid Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Individuals Suffering from Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder: A Systematic Review.

The disease burden associated with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder is substantial, with affected individuals having a shorter life expectancy and a high risk of severe physical comorbid conditions. These individuals are more likely to smoke and have a longer smoking history compared to the general population. Furthermore, use of antipsychotic drugs has also been linked to active smoking. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a respiratory condition affecting elderly individuals with a long smoking history, so it would be expected that individuals suffering from major mental disorders may exhibit a higher prevalence of COPD compared to the general population. We searched the databases Pubmed and Scopus for observational studies of at least 200 patients including at least one group suffering from schizophrenia or bipolar disorder and a comparison group of individuals at risk of COPD. The initial search, along with the data extraction process and the risk of bias assessment were carried out independently by the two reviewers. Eight studies were included. The risk of bias was substantial as most studies did not adequately address confounding variables. A pooled analysis showed a greater likelihood of suffering from comorbid COPD compared with the general population both for schizophrenic (OR 1.573, 1.439-1.720) and bipolar individuals (OR 1.551, 1.452-1.658). Based on these findings, COPD is more common in individuals suffering from major mental illness compared to the general population. Further research is required to ascertain whether smoking is the only cause and develop strategies for the prevention of COPD in these high-risk groups.