Adult morgagni hernia: a single center experience of 5 cases and review of literature.

Morgagni hernia is a rare congenital anomaly arising through the fusion defect between the septum transversum and sternum. Diagnosis is usually confusing as the presentation may be asymptomatic as well as with respiratory symptoms, abdominal and/or retrosternal pain, abdominal fullness or gastrointestinal obstruction. In this paper, we discussed the clinical presentation and management of this rare situation with five consecutive cases. Between 2009 and 2015, five cases underwent surgery for Morgagni hernia (3 laparoscopic and 2 open repair); one patient had recurrent hernia after 7 months from laparoscopic surgery. This case is the first recurrence in the literature after laparoscopic repair in an adult group. In Morgagni hernias, the only treatment is surgery, which can be performed by transthoracic, transabdominal, laparoscopic or thoracoscopic approaches. The issues of using mesh and reducing the hernia sac are still controversial.

The Effect of the Cartridge Used in Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy on the Development of a Staple-Line Leak.

Morbid obesity surgery has increased by 450 per cent in the past decade. Preferred surgical techniques have also changed, and since 2014, the most common surgical procedure worldwide has been laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). The most serious complication of this surgery is staple-line leaks, which leads to significant increases in cost and a considerable rate of mortality. This study aimed to investigate the effects of staples used in LSG on the development of staple-line leaks. The sample of the study comprised 70 patients that consecutively underwent surgery at Dokuz Eylül University Hospital between March 2014 and June 2015. The patients were divided into two equal groups. For the first group, resection was performed using blue-green EndoGIA™ cartridges (BGC) (Medtronic, Norwalk, CT). In the other group, purple Tri-Staple™ cartridges (TSC) (Medtronic) were used. To examine the effect of the cartridge type, the point and pressure of leak was determined from fresh specimens following saline infusion. No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of mean age, body mass index, gender distribution or comorbidity. The median number of cartridges used was five in both groups. The resistance of the staple line to intragastric pressure was found to be significantly higher in the TSC group compared with the BGC group [51.94 (±18.34) mmHg and 39.77 (±17.09) mmHg, respectively, P = 0.005]. Most applications undertaken to reduce the risk of leak development in LSG aim to reinforce the staple line. There are very few studies that investigated the quality of staple line, and none examined the effect of staple cartridges on the development of leaks. Therefore, we conducted this study to fill this gap in the literature. The results revealed that tissue thickness cartridge compatibility had a role in the development of leaks during the resection of gastric tissue in which the thickness is reduced from the distal to the proximal portion. We conclude that during vertical sleeve gastrectomy, using TSC that are compatible with a wider range of tissue thickness results in more durable staple lines than EndoGIA™ cartridges.

Adult morgagni hernia: A single-center experience of five cases and a review of literature.

Morgagni hernia is a rare congenital anomaly arising from the fusion defect between the septum transversum and sternum. The diagnosis is usually difficult since the presentation may be asymptomatic or with respiratory symptoms, abdominal and/or retrosternal pain, abdominal fullness, or gastrointestinal obstruction. In this report, we discuss the clinical presentation and management of this rare condition in five consecutive cases. Between 2009 and 2015, five cases underwent surgery for Morgagni hernia (three laparoscopic and two open repair surgeries); one patient developed recurrent hernia 7 months after the laparoscopic surgery. This case is the first reported recurrence in literature following laparoscopic repair in adults. Surgery is the only treatment option for Morgagni hernias, which can be performed through transthoracic, transabdominal, laparoscopic, or thoracoscopic approach. The issues of using mesh and reducing the hernial sac remain controversial.

Simple, Safe, and Cost-Effective Technique for Resected Stomach Extraction in Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy.

Background. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) has become a popular operation during the recent years. This procedure requires resection of 80-90% of the stomach. Extraction of gastric specimen is known to be a challenging and costly stage of the operation. In this paper, we report results of a simple and cost-effective specimen extraction technique which was applied to 137 consecutive LSG patients. Methods. Between October 2013 and October 2015, 137 laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy surgeries were performed at Dokuz Eylul University General Surgery Department, Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery Unit. All specimens were extracted through a 15 mm trocar site without using any special device. Results. We noticed one superficial incisional surgical site infection and treated this patient with oral antibiotics. No cases of trocar site hernia were observed. Conclusion. Different techniques have been described for specimen extraction. This simple technique allows extraction of specimen safely in a short time and does not require any special device.

Volume change of segments II and III of the liver after gastrectomy in patients with gastric cancer.

PURPOSE: We aimed to evaluate the relationship between gastrectomy and the volume of liver segments II and III in patients with gastric cancer. METHODS: Computed tomography images of 54 patients who underwent curative gastrectomy for gastric adenocarcinoma were retrospectively evaluated by two blinded observers. Volumes of the total liver and segments II and III were measured. The difference between preoperative and postoperative volume measurements was compared. RESULTS: Total liver volumes measured by both observers in the preoperative and postoperative scans were similar (P > 0.05). High correlation was found between both observers (preoperative r=0.99; postoperative r=0.98). Total liver volumes showed a mean reduction of 13.4% after gastrectomy (P = 0.977). The mean volume of segments II and III showed similar decrease in measurements of both observers (38.4% vs. 36.4%, P = 0.363); the correlation between the observers were high (preoperative r=0.97, P < 0.001; postoperative r=0.99, P < 0.001). Volume decrease in the rest of the liver was not different between the observers (8.2% vs. 9.1%, P = 0.388). Time had poor correlation with volume change of segments II and III and the total liver for each observer (observer 1, rseg2/3=0.32, rtotal=0.13; observer 2, rseg2/3=0.37, rtotal=0.16). CONCLUSION: Segments II and III of the liver showed significant atrophy compared with the rest of the liver and the total liver after gastrectomy. Volume reduction had poor correlation with time.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio: could it be used in the clinic as prognostic marker for gastrointestinal stromal tumor?

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The association between systemic inflammatory response and tumor biology has been well documented over the last decade. The aim of this study is to investigate the prognostic role of neutrophilto- lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). METHODOLOGY: A prospectively recorded database of 67 patients who underwent surgical resection for GIST was reviewed. High and low NLR were defined with respect to the sample median, which was 1.92. Demographical, clinicopathological, and surgical characteristics were analyzed as well as disease free survival (DFS) rates according to NLR classification. RESULTS: We observed better disease free survival rates in patients with low NLR compared to patients with high NLR (85.7% and 69%, respectively; p=0.037). Estimated five-year overall and disease free survival rates were 95.1% and 78.7%, respectively. In univariate analysis synchronous sarcomatosis, tumor size, mitotic rate, presence of necrosis, lymph node metastasis, surgical margin status, risk category and NLR were associated with DFS. On multivariate analysis sarcomatosis (HR: 30.455), surgical margin status (HR: 4.228) and necrosis (HR: 4.415) were found as independent prognostic factors for DFS. CONCLUSIONS: NLR can give information about inflammatory status, tumor aggressivity and prognosis in GIST patients. It could be a new prognostic factor for GIST patients.

Tumor deposits in gastric carcinomas.

We performed this study to examine the prevalence of tumor deposits (TD) in gastric adenocarcinomas (GACa), and the relevance of their presence, size and type to clinical outcome. Ninety-six patients, histopathologically diagnosed as GACa following a total/subtotal gastrectomy were included, and clinicopathologic data were recorded. Due to the statistical analysis, the majority of TD(+) cases were of intestinal type and showed vascular invasion. In these cases, the incidence of local recurrence was significantly higher. The majority of GACa of intestinal type with TD were of high grade and showed vascular invasion. Recurrence and death were more commonly encountered among them. The recurrence-free survival (RFS) was significantly shorter in patients with TDs, which was also confirmed by multivariate analysis, and there was a significant difference between both RFS and overall survival of TD(+) and TD(-) cases of intestinal type GACa. In conclusion, in this study, we demonstrate that TDs are not infrequently observed in GACa, they are more commonly associated with the intestinal type and vascular invasive gastric cancers. Our study shows the prognostic impact of TDs, especially regarding the RFS. Therefore, the documentation of TDs might be considered for prospective studies, especially for the intestinal type GACa, a shortcoming of this study.

Bimonthly regimen of high-dose leucovorin, infusional 5-fluorouracil, epirubicin and cisplatin (modified ECF) as adjuvant chemotherapy in resected gastric adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The administration of the de Gramont regimen in combination with cisplatin and epirubicin (modified ECF) has previously been reported as a treatment for advanced gastric cancer, but here we report this regimen combination in an adjuvant setting for the first time. METHODS: Forty-eight patients with curatively resected gastric cancer were treated. Each 2-week cycle consisted of epirubicin (50 mg/m(2)), cisplatin (50 mg/m(2)), 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) IV bolus (400 mg/m(2)) and 5-FU IV (2,400 mg/m(2)) over 46 h plus leucovorin IV (400 mg/m(2)) over 2 h. Postoperative chemoradiotherapy was also administered to the patients when indicated. We retrospectively reviewed the patients who were treated with modified ECF. RESULTS: The median disease-free survival (DFS) was 40.7 months and the 1-, 3- and 5-year DFS rates were 78.5, 55.7 and 44.6%, respectively. The most common grade 3-4 toxicities were hematological and gastrointestinal. CONCLUSION: A modified ECF regimen may be an effective and convenient treatment with tolerable toxicities for the adjuvant treatment of gastric cancer. It may provide an alternative regimen to the standard ECF when a continuous ambulatory infusion pump is not feasible or not preferred by the patient.

Unusual case of severe late-onset cytomegalovirus-induced hemorrhagic cystitis and ureteritis in a renal transplant patient.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is common in solid organ transplant recipients and accounts for the majority of graft compromise. Major risk factors include primary exposure to CMV infection at the time of transplantation and the use of antilymphocyte agents such as OKT3 (the monoclonal antibody muromonab-CD3) and antithymocyte globulin. It most often develops during the first 6 months after transplantation. Although current prophylactic strategies and antiviral agents have led to decreased occurrence of CMV disease in early posttransplant period, the incidence of late-onset CMV disease ranges from 2% to 7% even in the patients receiving prophylaxis with oral ganciclovir. The most common presentation of CMV disease in transplant patients is CMV pneumonitis followed by gastrointestinal disease. Hemorrhagic cystitis is a common complication following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The condition is usually due to cyclophosphamide-based myeloablative regimens and infectious agents. Even in these settings, CMV-induced cases occur only sporadically. Ureteritis and hemorrhagic cystitis due to CMV infection after kidney transplantation is reported very rarely on a case basis in the literature so far. We report here a case of late-onset CMV-induced hemorrhagic cystitis and ureteritis presenting with painful macroscopic hematuria and ureteral obstruction after 4 years of renal transplantation. The diagnosis is pathologically confirmed by the demonstration of immunohistochemical staining specific for CMV in a resected ureteral section. We draw attention to this very particular presentation of CMV hemorrhagic cystitis with ureteral obstruction in order to emphasize atypical presentation of tissue-invasive CMV disease far beyond the timetable for posttransplant CMV infection.

Microporous polysaccharide hemospheres and seroma formation after mastectomy and axillary dissection in rats.

OBJECTIVE: Seroma is the most common complication after breast surgery. Several methods have been proposed to prevent seroma, but none of these provided a significant effect. A prolonged wound healing process is the most important cause of seroma. Microporous polysaccharide hemospheres (MPH) are used to achieve hemostasis. They may also accelerate wound healing. In this study, the effects of MPH on seroma formation were investigated. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Female Wistar rats weighing between 200 g and 250 g were used. There were eight rats in each of the control and study groups. Right breast mastectomy and axillary dissection were performed in all rats. While no application was performed after the operation in the control group, MPH was locally applied to the surgical site in the study group. Ten days after the operation, seroma fluid was aspirated and the total volume was recorded. The aspirates were analyzed and tissue samples were obtained from the surgical site. RESULTS: Seroma was significantly lower in the study group (p=0.001). The mean albumin and lactate dehydrogenase levels were significantly lower in the study group (p=0.003). Pathological examination revealed that increase in fibrous tissue was significantly greater in the control group (p=0.032). CONCLUSION: MPH may reduce seroma after mastectomy.

An unusual cause of small bowel perforation: apricot pit.

Ingestion of foreign bodies can be a common problem, especially among children, alcoholics, and psychiatric and senile patients. Foreign bodies with smooth edges usually do not pose significant problems, but a sharp foreign object that is not retrieved immediately may penetrate the wall and cause complications. Ingested foreign bodies usually pass the intestinal tract uneventfully, and perforation occurs in less than 1%. In this study, we report a case of small bowel obstruction with perforation in a 73-year-old female due to the accidental swallowing of an apricot pit.

Tuberculosis in renal transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND: Renal transplant recipients should be considered at high risk for development of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection (tuberculosis, TB). TB is relatively more frequent among transplant recipients than general population, depending on its epidemicity in the geographic region. Clinical manifestations in this group of patients may be atypical and deserve aggressive investigations for diagnosis. Tuberculin skin test has several limitations regarding diagnosis in chronic renal failure patients. In this retrospective study, we aimed to explore the prevalence and clinical manifestations of TB in renal transplant patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data for TB prevalence, clinical presentations, and patient and graft survivals of total 320 pediatric and adult renal transplant recipients in our center between 1992 and 2010. RESULTS: The prevalence of TB was 2.8%. Five patients received kidney from living-donor related and four from cadaveric donors. Cadaveric-donor patients received antithymocyte globulin for induction, and four patients received pulse steroid for acute rejection. The median duration of time between transplantation and TB was 21 (1-150) months, and between induction/pulse therapy and infection was 5 (1-100) months. The immunosuppressive protocols included prednisolone and cyclosporine/rapamycin with or without mycophenolate mofetil/azathioprine. The major symptoms were fever (77%), cough (66%), and abdominal pain (22%). Extrapulmonary TB with intestinal (2/9), pericardial (1/9), lymph node (1/9), and cerebral (1/9) involvements developed in five patients. One patient had both pulmonary and testicular involvements. All patients received quartet of anti-TB therapy for a median duration of 9 months. One patient died at the second month of therapy because of dissemination of TB, and one patient returned to hemodialysis because of chronic allograft nephropathy. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of TB was 2.8% in our renal transplant patients. The quartet of anti-TB treatment including rifampicin resulted in success in a majority of patients.

Results of 4-year analysis of conversion from calcineurin inhibitors to mTOR inhibitors in renal transplant patients: single-center experience.

In this retrospective study, 83 patients were accepted. Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) group consisting of 37 patients were converted from calcineurin inhibitors (CNI), and the control group included 46 patients (initially CNI-receiving patients). As a control-match of each mTOR inhibitor patient, the succeeding patient with transplantation who continued CNI therapy was chosen. All patients received CNI, MMF, and prednisolone as an immunosuppressive therapy initially. In comparison of two groups, there was no significant difference between sex, donor organ source, donor organ ischemia time, or mismatches. However, mean age between groups was significantly different (mTOR group: 48.3 ± 12, CNI group: 38.6 ± 11, p < 0.001). Decision of conversion to mTOR inhibitors in 30 patients was made by biopsy. The reasons for conversion were determined as CNI nephrotoxicity in 15 patients, chronic allograft nephropathy in 15 patients, malignancy in 6 patients, and renal artery stenosis in 1 patient. Basal glomerular filtration rates (GFRs) were markedly lower in mTOR group than in CNI group (38.8 mL/min vs. 72.7 mL/min). At the end of 48-month follow-ups, GFR increased from 38 mL/min to 54 mL/min in mTOR group; however, it decreased to 53 mL/min from 72 mL/min in CNI group. There was no difference left between the two groups in GFR after 4-year follow-up. Hyperlipidemia was higher in mTOR group. Acute rejection rates were similar. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease was more prevalent in CNI group. Graft failure developed due to secondary reasons, causing mortality in both groups. We suggest that conversion to mTOR inhibitors maintains and improves graft functions well.

Benign solitary cecal ulcer: a condition that mimics plastron appendicitis.

The benign solitary cecal ulcer is a rare clinical entity that is not usually included in the differential diagnosis of the cecal diseases. The etiology is unknown, and there are no pathognomonic lesions or symptoms. Pre-operative and intra-operative diagnosis is difficult. Definitive diagnosis is generally obtained by histologic evaluation of the surgical specimen after a right hemicolectomy performed for a suspected neoplasm of the cecum. We herein describe a 70-year-old woman with solitary cecal ulcer presenting with abdominal pain, palpable mass on the right lower quadrant and leukocytosis, mimicking plastron appendicitis on initial evaluation.

Delayed complete gastric outlet obstruction due to a dinner fork: report of a case.

Ingestion of foreign bodies can be a common problem especially among children, alcoholics, psychiatric patients, and senile patients, but ingestion of a metallic dinner fork is uncommon. Foreign bodies with smooth edges usually do not pose significant problems, but a sharp foreign object that is not retrieved at the earliest may penetrate the wall and cause complications. Ingested foreign bodies usually pass the intestinal tract without problems, and perforation occurs in less than 1%. In this paper, a case of rare gastric outlet obstruction due to a dinner fork, which was ingested 25 days before, is reported.

Prosthetic repair of acutely incarcerated groin hernias: a prospective clinical observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Mesh usage in repair of acutely incarcerated hernia is still a concern owing to infectious complications. The aim of this prospective clinical observational cohort study was to evaluate factors that increase the risk of bowel necrosis and to document the clinical outcome of the patients with acutely incarcerated groin hernias treated by non-absorbable mesh. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety-five adult patients with acutely incarcerated groin hernias who underwent prosthetic herniorrhaphy from 1997 to 2005 were prospectively included. The patients were evaluated in two groups, which were based on whether the bowel resection was required (group 1) or not (group 2). Demographics and characteristics of patients in each group were compared. Chi-square, Fisher's exact, and Mann-Whitney U test were used to determine the statistical significance (p < 0.05). RESULTS: Bowel resection was required in 14 (14.7%) and not required in 81 (85.3%) patients. Duration of symptoms longer than 6 h was an important factor for determining the need for resection (p = 0.026). No significant difference was noted concerning the development of wound infection, postoperative recurrence, morbidity, and mortality rates between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that duration of symptoms longer than 6 h was an important factor for determining the need for resection. The use of non-absorbable mesh for acutely incarcerated groin hernia repair is effective and may be used with an acceptable incidence of wound infection and recurrence even when intestinal necrosis was present.

What is the role of the abdominal perfusion pressure for subclinical hepatic dysfunction in laparoscopic cholecystectomy?

BACKGROUND: Subclinical hepatic dysfunction after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has been described in the literature. However, this alteration is not encountered in all patients. In order to address this situation, a prospective study was conducted to investigate the effect of abdominal perfusion pressure (APP) on liver function tests after LC performed under constant intra-abdominal pressure (IAP). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Of 78 patients who underwent LC between May 2007 and October 2007, 40 patients were eligible for the study. In all the patients, six parameters of liver function (aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, direct bilirubin, indirect bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, and gamma-glutamyltransferase) were assessed before and 24 hours after surgery. Patients who showed more than a 100% increase in at least one parameter (group 1) were compared to those who did not (group 2) regarding age, sex, body weight, body height, operation time, pneumoperitoneum time, IAP, preoperative, and intraoperative APP. RESULTS: Of the patients, 37.5% showed more than a 100% increase in at least one parameter of liver function. No significant difference was found between the two groups with regard to age, sex, body weight, body height, operation time, pneumoperitoneum time, and IAP. There were significant increase in AST and ALT at 24 hours postoperatively in group 1, as compared with group 2 (P = 0.000, P = 0.001). In comparison of preoperative APP with intraoperative APP values, group 1 showed a statistically significant decrease (P = 0.000), while no difference was found in group 2. CONCLUSION: Subclinical hepatic dysfunction after LC could mostly be attributed to the negative effects of the pneumoperitoneum on hepatic blood flow. For the evaluation of hepatic hypoperfusion, APP may be a new criterion as a determinant of interaction with mean arterial pressure (MAP) and IAP.

Successful reuse of a transplanted kidney: 3-year follow-up.

The number of new transplantations has not kept pace with the ever-growing number of patients waiting for a kidney transplant, and there has been a growing shortage of deceased donor kidneys. Previously transplanted organs have been used to increase the donor pool. There is very little data about the reuse of a transplanted kidney. We report a case of successful reuse of a kidney graft after the death of the first recipient with a 3-year follow-up.

Epidermal growth factor receptor expression in human renal allograft biopsies: an immunohistochemical study.

OBJECTIVE: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression has been implicated in the progression of many tumors related to cell proliferation, differentiation, invasion and inhibition of apoptosis, and EGFR-targeted therapy options are under development. EGFR expression has been identified in normal and diseased native kidneys. However, its expression in renal allografts and its relation to rejection remains unclear. We aimed to investigate EGFR expression in renal allograft biopsies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sections from 52 renal allograft and 11 implantation biopsies were stained by EGFR antibody with streptavidin-biotin-immunoperoxidase method. Immunostaining of EGFR in renal tubules was scored semiquantitatively and the percentage of glomeruli expressing EGFR was determined. The results were correlated with Banff scores and serum creatinine values. RESULTS: Tubular EGFR expression was observed in 81.8% of implantation and 92.3% of allograft biopsies. Glomerular EGFR expression was identified in 18.2% of implantation and in 26.9% of allograft biopsies. The mean percentage (%) of glomeruli-expressing EGFR was 3.73+/-0.84 for implantation biopsies and 7.9+/-0.17 for allograft biopsies (p = 0.53, Mann Whitney U test). For implantation biopsies, tubular EGFR expression scores were 1.90+/-2.11 and for allograft biopsies, 2.89+/-2.01 (p = 0.08, Mann Whitney U test). Tubular EGFR expression was moderately correlated with interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy for allograft biopsies (p = 0.04, r = 0.3 and p = 0.04, r = 0.3, respectively, Spearman's rank correlation). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest a possible role of EGFR expression in renal scarring in the course of chronic allograft nephropathy, probably involved in a complex pathway.