Synergistic Effect of Ischemic Preconditioning and Antithrombin in Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury.

OBJECTIVES: Our study aimed to determine whether antithrombin plays a synergistic role in accentuating the effects of intestinal ischemic preconditioning. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty rats were randomly allocated to 5 groups (10 rats/group) as follows: sham treatment (group 1); ischemia-reperfusion (group 2); ischemic preconditioning followed by ischemia-reperfusion (group 3); antithrombin + ischemia-reperfusion, similar to group 2 but including antithrombin administration (group 4); and antithrombin + ischemic preconditioning, similar to group 3 but including antithrombin administration (group 5). Blood samples and liver specimens were obtained for measurement of cytokines, myeloperoxidase, and malondialdehyde. Liver biopsies were examined by electron microscopy. RESULTS: Intestinal ischemia-reperfusion induced a remote hepatic inflammatory response as evidenced by the striking increase of proinflammatory cytokines, myeloperoxidase, and malondialdehyde. Tumor necrosis factor-α levels in group 5 (12.48 ± 0.7 pg/mL) were significantly lower than in group 3 (13.64 ± 0.78 pg/mL; P = .014). Mean interleukin 1ß was lower in group 5 (9.52 ± 0.67pg/mL) than in group 3 (11.05 ± 1.9 pg/mL; P > .99). Mean interleukin 6 was also significantly lower in group 5 (17.13 ± 0.54 pg/mL) than in group 3 (23.82 ± 1 pg/mL; P ≤ .001). Myeloperoxidase levels were significantly higher in group 3 (20.52 ± 2.26 U/g) than in group 5 (18.59 ± 1.03 U/g; P = .025). However, malondialdehyde levels did not significantly improve in group 5 (4.55 ± 0.46 µmol) versus group 3 (5.17 ± 0.61 µmol; P = .286). Tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin 6, and myeloperoxidase findings show that antithrombin administration further attenuated the inflammatory response caused by ischemia-reperfusion, suggesting a synergistic effect with ischemic preconditioning. These findings were confirmed by electron microscopy. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of antithrombin to ischemic preconditioning may act to attenuate or prevent damage from ischemia-reperfusion injury by inhibiting the release of cytokines and neutrophil infiltration.

Cecal diverticulitis is a challenging diagnosis: a report of 3 cases.

BACKGROUND: Cecal diverticulitis is an uncommon cause of acute abdominal pain and presents clinically similar to acute appendicitis. There are many perspectives concerning the management of this condition, ranging from different types of surgical resections to conservative treatment with antibiotics. CASE REPORT: We present 3 cases of cecal diverticulitis. One of the patients was treated conservatively with intravenous antibiotics and the other 2 were treated with surgical resection. CONCLUSIONS: Conservative treatment with intravenous antibiotics can be used in uncomplicated cecal diverticulitis. Complicated cecal diverticulitis is managed surgically and the type of resection depends mainly on the extent of inflammation.

Open-access technique and "critical view of safety" as the safest way to perform laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

BACKGROUND: The 2 main challenges of laparoscopic cholecystectomy are primary peritoneal access and safe identification, ligation, and division of the cystic duct and cystic artery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a 13-year period retrospective study from January 2000 to December 2012. All the operations were performed by 1 surgeon and all the data were collected from the hospitals archive. A total of 929 laparoscopic cholecystectomies were performed for symptomatic cholelithiasis. The first author was involved in all the operations either by performing or assisting in them. The open access (OA) technique was used in all cases for the creation of pneumoperitoneum. After establishing the pneumoperitoneum, the "critical view of safety" (CVS) technique was used to ligate and divide the cystic duct and cystic artery. When the OA was not possible or CVS was not feasible, the operation was converted to open. RESULTS: Successful establishment of pneumoperitoneum with OA was possible in 911 of 929 (98.06%) patients and CVS was achieved in 873 patients (95.82%). In 18 patients the operation was converted to open because of dense adhesions not permitting the establishment of the pneumoperitoneum. No intraoperative or postoperative complications occurred in these patients. No bile duct injury occurred in this series. Postoperative complications were recorded in 19 patients (2.04%). Five patients had bleeding from port sites, 12 patients had wound infection at the umbilical incision, and 2 patients developed subhepatic collections, which were drained percutaneously under computed tomographic guidance. CONCLUSIONS: In this series of laparoscopic cholecystectomies, we used the "open access" technique to create pneumoperitoneum and we obtained the "critical view of safety" for the identification of the cystic duct. Our results show that this approach is the safest way to perform and teach laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Factors significantly contributing to a failed conventional endoscopic stone clearance in patients with "difficult" choledecholithiasis: a single-center experience.

The objective of this study is to retrospectively evaluate factors significantly contributing to a failed stone extraction (SE) in patients with difficult to extract bile duct stones (BDS). Patients and Methods. During a 10-year period 1390 patients with BDS underwent successfully endoscopic sphincterotomy. Endoscopic SE was graded as easy; relatively easy; difficult; and failed. Difficult SE was encountered in 221 patients while failed SE was encountered in 205. A retrospective analysis of the criteria governing the difficulty of endoscopic SE following the index endoscopic intervention was performed to evaluate their significance in determining failure of complete SE among patients with difficult to extract bile duct stones. Results. Age ≥ 85 years, periampullary diverticula, multiple CBD stones (>4), and diameter of CBD stones (≥15 mm) were all significant contributing factors to a failed SE in univariate statistical tests. In the definitive multivariate analysis age, multiple stones and diameter of stones were found to be the significant, independent contributors. Conclusion. Failed conventional endoscopic stone clearance in patients with difficult to extract BDS is more likely to occur in overage patients, in patients with multiple CBD stones >4, and in patients with CBD stone(s) diameter ≥15 mm.

Feasibility of therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for bile duct stones in nonagenarians: a single unit audit.

BACKGROUND: Little information is available on short and long-term outcome of therapeutic endoscopic retrograde colangiopancreatography (ERCP) for choledocholithiasis in nonagenarians (>=90 years). The aim of this study was to evaluate retrospectively the feasibility of therapeutic ERCP in nonagenarians with choledocholithiasis, as compared with patients aged between 75 and 89 years. PATIENTS AND METHODS: During a 9-year period, therapeutic ERCP was performed for choledocholithiasis in 33 nonagenarian patients (group A) and 272 patients aged 75 to 89 years (group B). Clinical features, endoscopic findings, interventions, early and long-term results of therapeutic ERCP for a mean follow-up of 36 months were assessed and compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Group A patients had a higher incidence of acute cholangitis, concomitant diseases and gallbladder stones, as compared to group B patients. Furthermore, they required an emergency procedure, multiple sessions, stent insertion, and needle knife fistulotomy significantly more frequently (p<0.001). Group B patients underwent significantly more endoscopic manipulations and had a longer procedure time than group A patients. Complete bile duct stone clearance was achieved in 24.2% of group A patients and in 90.8% of group B patients (p<0.001). No ERCP related deaths occurred in group A patients. Cholecystectomy was not routinely performed in Group A patients having gallbladder stones. The rate of early and late complications was not significantly different between the two age groups. CONCLUSION: Therapeutic ERCP and biliary stenting have proved to be a feasible treatment option for the management of choledocholithiasis in nonagenarians.

Management of Boerhaave's syndrome: report of three cases.

From 2000 to 2005, three patients with Boerhaave's syndrome were successfully managed in our Department. Two of them received the appropriate treatment belatedly, with primary closure and bolstering tissue wrap. One of them required further intervention with a cervical esophagostomy and exclusion of the perforated esophagus. The third patient with an esophageal perforation related disorder, was managed with surgical exploration and drainage alone. Primary suturing of the esophagus should be performed only in patients with an early perforation. In cases of prolonged delay between rupture and diagnosis, esophageal resection with cervical esophagostomy and gastrostomy is advocated as the safest therapy.

A single center experience in minimally invasive treatment of postcholecystectomy bile leak, complicated with biloma formation.

BACKGROUND: Bilomas are localized collections of bile occurring usually post-operatively from an injured cystic or bile duct. Our study aims to evaluate the efficacy of minimal access endoscopic and percutaneous modalities in treating symptomatic bile leak and biloma formation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixteen patients with biloma after open or laparoscopic cholecystectomy underwent assessment of the site and extent of the bile leak via endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC). Endoscopic sphincterotomy was performed in all patients who were managed non-operatively, any retained duct stones were removed, and an endoprosthesis was inserted in a selected basis. Percutaneous drainage of the bile collection, under ultrasound or computed tomography guidance, followed ERC. RESULTS: ERC supplemented by computed tomography or ultrasound guided percutaneous biloma drainage was successful in 15 patients. One patient having major ductal injury was treated surgically. Thirteen patients had leakage from the cystic duct, one from the right hepatic duct, and one from an aberrant right hepatic duct. Bile duct stones were removed from seven patients an endoprosthesis was inserted in six and a nasobilary catheter in one. Bilomas resolved and bile leakage was treated successfully in all 15 patients with no further complications. CONCLUSION: ERC accurately diagnoses the cause of postcholecystectomy bile leakage and biloma formation. Furthermore, endoscopic sphincterotomy and selective stent insertion in coordination with percutaneous drainage procedures represents in the majority of cases the corner stone of a definitive treatment.

A single-center experience in the management of Altemeier-Klatskin tumors.

AIM: of this study is to present our experience in the management of patients with Altemeier-Klatskin tumor, with particular focus on the risk factors that influence survival after tumor resection. METHODS: Over a 15-year period, 37 patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma were managed in our Department. The mean age of the patients was 62.5 years. Twenty-one patients were treated by palliative measures while sixteen patients had resection of the tumor and 11 of these had negative histological margins. An associated major hepatectomy was performed in six. In parallel, certain risk factors that could influence survival were analyzed. RESULTS: The resectability rate was 43.2%. The 30-day mortality rate was 7.4% and postoperative morbidity was 37.5%. The sites of the resected tumors were Bismuth-Corlette type I lesions in 3 patients, type II in 6, type IIIa in 2, and type IIIb in 5. The median survival of patients undergoing resection was significantly higher than of patients not undergoing resection (p<0.001). Furthermore, patients with R0 resection and histological clear margins experienced significantly superior survival than patients with R1 resection and positive margins (p=0.001, and p<0.001 respectively). Resections resulting in cancer-positive margins did not portend a survival benefit. CONCLUSION: Negative surgical margins, tumor differentiation and infiltrating macroscopic appearance, were statistically significant prognostic factors. Our findings emphasize that complete resection of the tumor with negative histological margins offers the best possibility of long-term survival, and that the addition of hepatectomy to biliary resection results in a greater number of patients with margin negative resections.

Endoscopic management strategies in relation to the severity of acute cholangitis.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Acute cholangitis (AC) and especially suppurative cholangitis due to biliary lithiasis is an emergency situation that requires urgent biliary decompression. The aim of the study is to present our policy for the treatment of AC due to choledocholithiasis, endoscopically. METHODS: In a 4-year period, 71 patients presenting AC, due to lithiasis, underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography and endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES). All patients had fever, jaundice, abdominal pain, and in case of suppurative cholangitis hemodynamic instability. Most of them seemed to be high-risk candidates for surgery. RESULTS: Forty-nine patients had AC and 22 patients had acute obstructive suppurative cholangitis (AOSC). ES (conventional or needle-knife biliary fistulotomy) was successful in 69 out of 71 (97%) patients. Two patients were eventually operated and were excluded from statistical analysis. Fifty of the 69 patients (72%) had a complete bile duct clearance in 1 session. Conventional ES, complete bile duct clearance, and other endoscopic maneuvers (balloon, basket, lithotripsy) were significantly more frequent in the AC group (P<0.001). Needle-knife biliary fistulotomy, and stent insertion were significantly more frequent in the AOSC group (P<0.001). Endoscopical treatment had low morbidity and total hospital stay time. CONCLUSIONS: ES is the procedure of choice for the treatment of AC offering definite treatment with low morbidity and short hospitalization. Urgent biliary decompression with minimal endoscopic maneuvers is crucial for the outcome of patients having AOSC.