Meta-analysis of drain amylase content on postoperative day 1 as a predictor of pancreatic fistula following pancreatic resection.

BACKGROUND: Drain amylase content in the days immediately after major pancreatic resection has been investigated previously as a predictor of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF). Its accuracy, however, has not been determined conclusively. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of drain amylase content on the first day after major pancreatic resection in predicting the occurrence of POPF. METHODS: A literature search of the MEDLINE, Embase and Scopus(®) databases to 13 May 2015 was performed to identify studies evaluating the accuracy of drain amylase values on day 1 after surgery in predicting the occurrence of POPF. The area under the hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUChSROC ) was calculated as an index of accuracy, and pooled estimates of accuracy indices (sensitivity and specificity) were calculated at different cut-off levels. Subgroup and meta-regression analyses were performed to test the robustness of the results. RESULTS: Thirteen studies involving 4416 patients were included. The AUChSROC was 0·89 (95 per cent c.i. 0·86 to 0·92) for clinically significant POPF and 0·88 (0·85 to 0·90) for POPF of any grade. Pooled estimates of sensitivity and specificity were calculated for the different cut-offs: 90-100 units/l (0·96 and 0·54 respectively), 350 units/l (0·91 and 0·84) and 5000 units/l (0·59 and 0·91). Accuracy was independent of the type of operation, type of anastomosis performed and octreotide administration. CONCLUSION: Evaluation of drain amylase content on the first day after surgery is highly accurate in predicting POPF following major pancreatic resection. It may allow early drain removal and institution of an enhanced recovery pathway.

1000 Port-A-Cath ® placements by subclavian vein approach: single surgeon experience.

INTRODUCTION: Totally implantable venous access ports are widely used for the administration of chemotherapy in patients with cancer. Although there are several approaches to implantation, here we describe Port-A-Cath(®) (PAC) placement by percutaneous puncture of the subclavian vein with ultrasonographic guidance. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data on our vascular access service were collected prospectively from June 2004. This service included port-a-caths and Hickman lines. Once 1000 consecutive port-a-caths(®) had been reached the study was closed and data analysed for the port-a-caths(®) alone. The left subclavian vein was the preferred site for venous access, with the right subclavian and jugular veins being the alternative choices if the initial approach failed. Patients were followed up in the short-term, and all the procedures were carried out by a single surgeon at each one of two institutions. RESULTS: Venous access by PAC was established in 100 % of the 1,000 cases. Of the 952 patients where the left subclavian vein was chosen for the first attempt of puncture, the success rate of PAC placement was 95 % (n = 904). Pneumothorax occurred in 12 patients (1.2 %), and a wound haematoma occurred in 4 (0.4 %) out of the total 1,000 patients. No infections were recorded during the immediate post-operative period but only in the long-term post-operative use with 8 patients requiring removal of the PAC due to infection following administration of chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: This is a very large series of PAC placement with an ultrasound-guided approach for left subclavian vein and X-ray confirmation, performed by a single surgeon, demonstrating both the safety and effectiveness of the procedure.

Prevalence and clinical impact of cytomegalovirus infection and disease in renal transplantation: ten years of experience in a single center.

INTRODUCTION: Renal transplantation is regarded as the optimal treatment for patients with end-stage renal disease. Despite significant improvements in surgical techniques and immunosuppressive therapy, long-term graft survival has not markedly increased over the years, due in part to the occurrence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between January 2001 and September 2011, we performed 592 kidney transplantations (214 living and 378 cadaveric donors). All patients received induction therapy with interleukin (IL)-2 monoclonal antibodies or antithymoglobulin (ATG) combined with calcineurin inhibitors, mycophenolate mofetil, or mTOR antagonists and steroids. All CMV-seronegative patients and all subjects receiving ATG induction were prescribed prophylactic therapy with ganciclovir-intravenous (IV) for 15 days 2.5 mg/kg BW bid and thereafter oral valgancyclovir once a day. CMV infection was diagnosed using a CMV-PVR of ≥ 600 copies. We analyzed the time to manifestations of CMV infection, or positive CMV-PCR, patient and graft survival, serum creatinine (Cr), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) values before and after CMV infection, as well as type of immunosuppression therapy. RESULTS: The overall incidences of CMV infection and CMV disease were 76/592 (12.8%) and 23/592 (3.9%), respectively. The mean ± standard deviation (SD) times to positive CMV-PCR and CMV disease were 16.66 ± 23.38 months and 106 ± 61.2 (range, 28-215) days, respectively. Mortality was 1% (6/592) among our whole population, 7.9% (6/76) for CMV-infected, and 26% (6/23) in the CMV disease cohort. Cr and BUN showed no significant differences among the groups. CONCLUSIONS: CMV infection and CMV disease comprise significant clinical problems, increasing morbidity and mortality. The use of prophylactic anti-CMV treatment is of paramount importance.

Pancreatic pseudocyst in a child due to blunt andominal trauma during a football game.

Pancreatic pseudocyst in children due to abdominal trauma is a rare entity. We report a 14-year-old boy suffering from acute pancreatitis due to blunt abdominal trauma that occurred during a football game, and resulted in a large pseudocyst formation. The child was treated conservatively for the post traumatic acute pancreatitis for 4 weeks and thereafter he was followed up for another 2 weeks. At the end of the 6 weeks after the first insult, the child underwent an open cystgastrostomy. Postoperative course was uneventful and the child was discharged on the 6(th) postoperative day.

Perforated jejunal diverticulum presenting as acute abdomen.

We present a case of a 66-year-old man, who was admitted with a 6-hour history of severe diffuse abdominal pain of acute onset, accompanied by nausea and flatulence. The patient underwent an exploratory laparotomy, which revealed the presence of multiple diverticules of the jejeunum, one of which was ruptured. The patient was treated with segmental resection of the jejunum carrying the ruptured diverticle. Perforation of a jejunal diverticulum has to be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute abdomen.

Synchronous oesophagectomy and hepatic resection for metastatic oesophageal cancer: report of a case.

BACKGROUND: Oesophageal cancer with liver metastasis is rare and when diagnosed is usually advanced and surgical management is contraindicated.Method-Results: We report the case of a patient who presented with oesophageal cancer and liver metastasis. The patient received chemotherapy combined with RFA to liver tumour. Subsequently she was subjected to oesophagectomy and liver resection of segment 5 extended into segment 8. Patient underwent adjuvant chemotherapy post-operatively and remains disease-free until now, 29 months after operation. CONCLUSION: Oesophageal cancer with concomitant liver metastasis is a rare and lethal disease. Multimodal management including surgery may offer prolonged survival in highly selected patients.

Effect of time on risk of perforation in acute appendicitis.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to quantify the role of time between symptom onset and surgery on the changing risk of perforation, and to evaluate the possible factors leading to delay to the operation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The files of 169 patients who underwent appendectomy in our clinic over a two-year period (May 2004-June 2006) were reviewed. The relative risk of perforation was calculated according to the "time-table" method. Time was divided into intervals, initially of 12 hours and, later on, of 24 hours. RESULTS: 18 patients were found to have perforated appendicitis. The time from symptom-onset to first examination ("symptom onset to presentation" time, "SOP" time) was longer for patients with perforation than for those without (p = 0.047). On the other hand, the time from initial examination in the emergency department to the operating room ("ER to OR" time) was shorter for patients with perforation than for those without (p = 0.027). Overall time from symptom onset to operating room, showed no statistical difference between patients with rupture and those without. The risk of perforation was negligible within the first twelve hours of untreated symptoms, but then increased to 8% within the first twenty-four hours. It then decreased to approximately 1.3% to 2% during 36 to 48 hours, and subsequently rose again to approximately 6% (7.6% to 5.8%) for each ensuing 24-hour period. In multivariate analysis, neither the "SOP" nor the "ER to OR" time remained significant contributors to the probability of an individual to suffer from appendiceal perforation. CONCLUSION: When time matters and the risk of adverse outcomes can be reduced, we should change our current approach to care. Surgeons should be mindful of delaying surgery beyond 24 hours of symptom onset in patients with assumed appendicitis.

Impact of double-j ureteric stent in kidney transplantation: single-center experience.

We retrospectively evaluated the use of double-j stent and the incidence of urological complications in 2 groups of patients who received a kidney transplant. From January 2005 to September 2007 we studied 172 patients receiving kidney transplants, 65 and 107 from living and cadaver donors, respectively. From the 172 patients, a total of 34 were excluded due to ureterostomy or Politano-Leadbetter ureterovesical anastomosis. Another 21 patients were excluded from the study due to graft loss due to acute or hyperacute rejection, cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, or vascular complication. The remaining patients were divided into 2 groups: group A (44 patients) and B (73 patients) with versus without the use of a double-j-stent, respectively. The 2 groups were comparable in terms of donor and recipient gender, ischemia time, and delayed graft function. We failed to observes significant differences between the 2 groups in mean hospital stay (23 +/- 9 and 19 +/- 9), urinary leak (2.3% and 4.1%), and urinary tract infection (20.4% and 19.2%), among groups A and B, respectively. The only difference observed concerned the gravity of the urinary leak; no surgical intervention was needed among the double-j stent group versus 2 patients demanding ureterovesical reconstruction in the nonstent group. In conclusion, our data suggested that the routine use of a double-j stent for ureterovesical anastomosis neither significantly increased urinary tract infection rates, nor decreased the incidence of urinary leaks, but may decrease the gravity of the latter as evidenced by the need for surgical intervention.