Treatment of incisional and parastomal hernias in Denmark.

Incisional and parastomal hernias are frequent complications after abdominal surgery. Patients with relevant symptoms should be referred to the local surgical department for diagnosis and indication for surgery. Patients with giant and parastomal hernias are referred to one of the five Danish regional hernia centres. Patients with parastomal hernias often benefit from being referred to a stoma nurse. The most frequent complications after hernia repair are wound complications and recurrence. In case of severe wound infection, incarceration, or strangulation the patient must always be referred acutely, as argued in this review.

National clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of symptomatic gallstone disease: 2021 recommendations from the Danish Surgical Society.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Gallstones are highly prevalent, and more than 9000 cholecystectomies are performed annually in Denmark. The aim of this guideline was to improve the clinical course of patients with gallstone disease including a subgroup of high-risk patients. Outcomes included reduction of complications, readmissions, and need for additional interventions in patients with uncomplicated gallstone disease, acute cholecystitis, and common bile duct stones (CBDS). METHODS: An interdisciplinary group of clinicians developed the guideline according to the GRADE methodology. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were primarily included. Non-RCTs were included if RCTs could not answer the clinical questions. Recommendations were strong or weak depending on effect estimates, quality of evidence, and patient preferences. RESULTS: For patients with acute cholecystitis, acute laparoscopic cholecystectomy is recommended (16 RCTs, strong recommendation). Gallbladder drainage may be used as an interval procedure before a delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy in patients with temporary contraindications to surgery and severe acute cholecystitis (1 RCT and 1 non-RCT, weak recommendation). High-risk patients are suggested to undergo acute laparoscopic cholecystectomy instead of drainage (1 RCT and 1 non-RCT, weak recommendation). For patients with CBDS, a one-step procedure with simultaneous laparoscopic cholecystectomy and CBDS removal by laparoscopy or endoscopy is recommended (22 RCTs, strong recommendation). In high-risk patients with CBDS, laparoscopic cholecystectomy is suggested to be included in the treatment (6 RCTs, weak recommendation). For diagnosis of CBDS, the use of magnetic resonance imaging or endoscopic ultrasound prior to surgical treatment is recommended (8 RCTs, strong recommendation). For patients with uncomplicated symptomatic gallstone disease, observation is suggested as an alternative to laparoscopic cholecystectomy (2 RCTs, weak recommendation). CONCLUSIONS: Seven recommendations, four weak and three strong, for treating patients with symptomatic gallstone disease were developed. Studies for treatment of high-risk patients are few and more are needed. ENDORSEMENT: The Danish Surgical Society.

[Pre- and intra-operative methods of increasing abdominal compliance in surgery of ventral hernias].

Treatment of ventral hernias with "loss of domain" is a surgical challenge, and in this review, an overview of the current literature is presented. Abdominal compliance can be increased intra-operatively by performing component separation and/or organ reduction but leads to increased post-operative morbidity. As a result, preoperative methods, which increase abdominal compliance, are of interest: tissue expanders, progressive pneumoperitoneum, and botulinum toxin A. The aim of them all is to expand the abdominal wall allowing reconstruction while reducing complications.

Effect of fixation devices on postoperative pain after laparoscopic ventral hernia repair: a randomized clinical trial of permanent tacks, absorbable tacks, and synthetic glue.

PURPOSE: The method of anchoring the mesh in laparoscopic ventral hernia repair is claimed to cause postoperative pain, affecting the quality of life of the patients. The aim of this randomized study was to compare the effect of three types of fixation devices on postoperative pain, patient quality of life, and hernia recurrence. METHODS: Patients with ventral hernias between 2 and 7 cm were randomized into one of three mesh fixation groups: permanent tacks (Protack™), absorbable tacks (Securestrap™), and absorbable synthetic glue (Glubran™). The primary endpoint was pain on the second postoperative day, measured on a visual analogue scale. Quality of life and recurrence rate were secondary endpoints and investigated through questionnaires and clinical examination at follow-up visits 1, 6, and 12 months after surgery. RESULTS: Seventy-five non-consecutive patients were included in the study, with 25 patients in each group. There was no significant difference between groups for unspecified pain on the second postoperative day (p = 0.250). The DoloTest™ values were 55.3 ± 28.9 mm, 43.5 ± 28.5 mm, and 55.9 ± 26.3 mm for permanent tacks, absorbable tacks, and synthetic glue, respectively. No differences were observed between groups with respect to quality of life of the patients and hernia recurrence rate. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with small- and medium-sized ventral hernias, the type of fixation device did not affect the immediate or long-term postoperative pain, quality of life, or recurrence rate when comparing permanent tacks, absorbable tacks, and synthetic glue for mesh fixation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT01534780.

The Danish Inguinal Hernia database.

AIM OF DATABASE: To monitor and improve nation-wide surgical outcome after groin hernia repair based on scientific evidence-based surgical strategies for the national and international surgical community. STUDY POPULATION: Patients ≥18 years operated for groin hernia. MAIN VARIABLES: Type and size of hernia, primary or recurrent, type of surgical repair procedure, mesh and mesh fixation methods. DESCRIPTIVE DATA: According to the Danish National Health Act, surgeons are obliged to register all hernia repairs immediately after surgery (3 minute registration time). All institutions have continuous access to their own data stratified on individual surgeons. Registrations are based on a closed, protected Internet system requiring personal codes also identifying the operating institution. A national steering committee consisting of 13 voluntary and dedicated surgeons, 11 of whom are unpaid, handles the medical management of the database. RESULTS: The Danish Inguinal Hernia Database comprises intraoperative data from >130,000 repairs (May 2015). A total of 49 peer-reviewed national and international publications have been published from the database (June 2015). CONCLUSION: The Danish Inguinal Hernia Database is fully active monitoring surgical quality and contributes to the national and international surgical society to improve outcome after groin hernia repair.

Laparoscopic Repair of Primary Inguinal Hernia Performed in Public Hospitals or Low-Volume Centers Have Increased Risk of Reoperation for Recurrence.

BACKGROUND: Inguinal hernia repair is traditionally carried out as either open or laparoscopic repair. Laparoscopic repair has been shown to be superior in terms of pain and discomfort, but has a higher risk of reoperation. Quality of inguinal hernia repair is related to factors such as method of repair, characteristics of patients, and possibly the annual volume of procedures performed by a center. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that hospital volume and type of hospital (private vs public) could influence the reoperation rate for recurrence as a marker of surgical quality of care. METHODS: This study was based on data from the Danish Hernia Database covering the period from January 1, 1998, to December 31, 2013. Hernia repairs included in this study were laparoscopic repair of primary, inguinal hernias in the elective setting, performed on adult male patients. RESULTS: A total of 14 532 laparoscopic repairs were included for analysis. Centers reporting less than 50 procedures a year had a significantly higher cumulative reoperation rate compared with centers reporting more than 50 procedures a year (9.97% vs 6.06%), P < .0001. Private centers had a lower cumulative reoperation rate compared with public centers: 5.36% versus 8.53%, P ≤ .0001. Type of center and center volume were both independent risk factors for reoperation in a Cox regression model. CONCLUSION: Hospital volume had an effect on the reoperation rate for recurrence after laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. Furthermore, private centers performed better than public centers irrespective of volume.

[Laparoscopy can be used when treating atypical femoral hernias in children]. / Laparoskopi kan anvendes ved behandlingen af atypiske lyskenære hernier hos børn

Direct and femoral hernias in children are a diagnostic challenge. They are often presumed to be recurrent hernias after open exploration for indirect inguinal hernia. We present three children, who underwent laparoscopic inguinal herniotomy. Two patients had a direct hernia, and one patient had a femoral hernia. All three had previously undergone negative open exploration. We argue that negative open exploration should be followed by diagnostic laparoscopy and herniotomy in the same procedure and that inguinal herniotomy in children should be performed in departments with expertise in laparoscopy.

Benign sacral schwannomas - A case and short review of the literature.

Schwannomas are primarily benign. Sacral schwannomas in the retroperitoneum are rare and symptoms are uncharacteristic, often hampering diagnosis. Treatment of choice in symptomatic cases is complete excision while observing asymptomatic patients. We present a case of a 68-year-old male with a large intrasacral tumor extending into the pelvis.

[Ileus caused by V-loc sutures].

A laparoscopic bilateral inguinal hernia repair was performed on a 62-year-old man. The peritoneum was sutured on both sides laterally to medial with the V-loc unidirectional barbed suture. An end of approximately 2 cm was left on both sides. Five days later the patient returned to hospital with intestinal obstruction. Exploratory laparoscopy revealed that the two ends of the sutures had formed a string medially, and the small intestine was caught over the string, causing the obstruction. This case demonstrates the need for fast diagnosis in our patients after surgery, when introducing new surgical material.

Fixation devices in laparoscopic ventral hernia repair: a review.

In laparoscopic ventral hernia repair a mesh is inserted and anchored intraperitoneally to the abdominal wall. Currently, a variety of fixation methods are being used. As a primary goal the ideal fixation method should contribute to preventing recurrences. It should also be associated with less pain, and should prevent adhesion formation, mesh migration, and shrinkage but without contributing to infection, fistula, or seroma. In this review we evaluate the evidence for using each type of available fixation device. A systematic search of the literature, including human as well as animal studies, identified 17 different fixation methods. Their role with regard to effect on major end-points in laparoscopic ventral hernia repair including postoperative pain, infection, seroma formation, adhesions, fixation strength, strength of ingrowth, shrinkage, bowel fistulas, and hernia recurrence, is described in detail. No gold standard exists currently. The vast majority of published results are based on uncontrolled series with short or incomplete follow-up. In this review only three randomized controlled trials were identified.

[Spontaneous cholecystocutaneous fistula presenting in the right breast]. / Spontan kolocystokutan fistel til højre mamma.

We report a case of an 89 year-old woman, with an abscess in the right breast. On incision the abscess produced bile. Ultrasound scan, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography showed a fistula from a subphrenic abscess to the breast. Conservative treatment was insufficient and the condition only resolved after open cholecystectomy. During the latest 50 years, less than 20 cases of cholecystocutaneous fistula have been reported. Perforation to the breast has not previously been described.

Noninvasive detection and mapping of intraabdominal adhesions: a review of the current literature.

BACKGROUND: Adhesions are a well-known and very common complication to surgery. Their extent and severity varies according to type and number of surgeries, use of intraabdominal mesh, and presence of peritonitis. Adhesions cause increased morbidity and mortality, with subsequent socioeconomic consequences. This review aimed to identify existing literature on noninvasive radiologic techniques for identification of intraabdominal adhesions. METHODS: A structured literature search of medical databases was conducted. English literature published until September 2009 and relevant references were included and assessed. RESULTS: The search identified transabdominal ultrasonography (TAU) and cine magnetic resonance imaging (cine MRI) as relevant tools matching the search criteria. In all, 12 publications concerning TAU and 4 publications concerning cine MRI were identified. All but one of these publications had the methodologic limitation of not being blinded, which influenced the final sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. CONCLUSION: Both TAU and cine MRI seem able to identify intraabdominal adhesions using visceral slide with accuracy of 76% to 92%. Unfortunately, the studies are biased by being nonblinded. Accordingly, a need exists for a systematic well-conducted double-blinded comparative study to validate these radiologic techniques.

Detection of abdominal wall adhesions using visceral slide.

BACKGROUND: Abdominal surgery, peritonitis, and pelvic inflammatory disease often give rise to intra-abdominal adhesions. They may lead to chronic pain, infertility, bowel obstruction, etc. Development in surgical strategies in the last decade has resulted in an increase in laparoscopic procedures and, as a consequence, a steep rise in reported bowel lesions. Accordingly, noninvasive diagnostic tools are desirable to identify adhesions before abdominal surgery. This study was designed to validate transabdominal ultrasonography (TAU) and magnetic resonance imaging (cine MRI) for detection of abdominal wall adhesions. METHODS: Sixty patients scheduled for laparoscopic surgery were prospectively enrolled. They were divided into two groups of 30 each; previous abdominal surgery/peritonitis and no history of abdominal surgery/peritonitis. Before elective surgery, TAU and cine MRI were performed. Visceral slide was measured in nine predefined abdominal segments and compared with intra-operative data on abdominal wall adhesions. Results were obtained in a double-blinded fashion. RESULTS: Patient characteristics were similar in both groups. Cine MRI showed a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 21.5%, 87.1%, and 72.4%. TAU showed a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 24%, 97.9%, and 81.3%. Comparison of TAU and cine MRI showed no significant difference in the detection of adhesions to the abdominal wall; however, TAU was significantly superior in depicting adhesion-free areas. CONCLUSIONS: This study represents the first comparative study of TAU and cine MRI as noninvasive methods in detecting adhesions to the abdominal wall. Both methods are specific in detecting adhesion-free areas, and may serve as a diagnostic tool for future planning of laparoscopic surgery, elucidation of adhesion-related symptoms, and as a tool in the follow-up after ventral hernia repair with implantation of intraperitoneal mesh.

[Laparoscopic mesh repair of incisional hernia]. / Laparoskopisk operation for incisionelt hernie.

Ventral hernias and their surgical treatment have long been a therapeutical problem. High recurrence and complication rates have caused surgeons to refrain from performing this type of surgery, often by enforcing strict indications for surgical management. With the introduction of laparoscopic mesh repair, we now have an effective and relatively simple and safe treatment modality at our disposal. In other words, it is a completely new ballgame with a different set of rules, and in the coming years a number of pertinent questions need to be asked and answered.

[Adhesion after laparoscopic ventral hernia repair]. / Adhaerencer efter laparoskopisk ventralherniotomi.

Four patients treated laparoscopically for ventral hernia (LVH) using W3 mesh (Cousin Biotech, France) and Protack (Tyco Healthcare, USA) were reoperated laparoscopically after 5, 6, 14 and 23 months for recurrent hernia (two cases) and a new hernia proximal to the primary mesh (two cases). In all patients we found adhesions toward the mesh and fixation devices that increased in severity and extent with time, rendering dissection difficult and dangerous. These findings cause concern and suggest that current validation methods for materials used in LVH should be re-evaluated.