What is needed to become a good surgeon?

This lecture has been delivered as a part of the RBSS-BAST symposium 'What does it need to become a good surgeon'. The lecture relates to the evolution that has taken place over the last decades in relation to the training in surgery. It also gives some hints to younger colleagues how to make a successful career in surgery.

Actinomycosis, a rare and unsuspected cause of anal fistulous abscess: report of three cases and review of the literature.

Primary perianal actinomycosis is rare. Sporadic cases, with lesions varying in extent have been reported. The infection is caused by the bacterium Actinomyces, which often is a saprophyte. Male gender and diabetes are risk factors, but the exact pathogenic mechanism remains speculative. The diagnosis is a challenge and often delayed, with a protracted history of masses and sinuses extending into the gluteal and genital region. The treatment, a combination of surgery and antibiotics, is poorly standardized. We report three cases and compare their characteristics to those of published cases, found by a computerized literature search (1968-2002). The lesions, a simple fistula-in-ano or a mass, were diagnosed in an early stage in all three patients. The infection always spread into the scrotum. There were no risk factors other than gender, except in one patient. The diagnosis was suspected by the observation of draining sulfur granules and promptly confirmed by histology in the three cases. All patients healed with antibiotics in addition to simple surgical procedures. Treatment consisted of amoxicillin for two weeks in two cases and more extended antimicrobial treatment in the third. These findings are contrasting with the classic picture of perianal actinomycosis. It is concluded that perianal actinomycosis can occur in the absence of risk factors and that early diagnosis requires a high degree of suspicion. An infection with Actinomyces should be suspected in the presence of lesions containing watery purulent material with sulfur granules. The indication for extended antibiotherapy combined with sphincter damaging surgery may need to be revised in the presence of early detection.

[Hierarchical structures in European countries]. / Hierarchische Strukturen in den Europäischen Ländern.

The current form of organization and structure dates from the beginning of the 20th century, but now developments show a trend toward teamwork, where work, power, and authority are evenly distributed among several persons and carried out correspondingly. According to a survey of 11 out of 16 countries in Europe, large surgical institutions are organized according to the hierarchic principle. In Austria, Belgium, and the Netherlands both types of organization exist, and only in Luxembourg, Ireland, and Great Britain does the cooperative system exist. The latter is also preferred in smaller and medium-sized hospitals, and in private institutions as well. This system appears to better correspond to the requirements of economics and specialization.

The importance of magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis and treatment of diffuse lymphangioma.

In this study, we will investigate the importance of MRI in the diagnosis and treatment of diffuse lymphangioma. Twenty-nine patients with lymphangiomas were treated at the U.Z. Leuven between March 1988 and September 1997. They all underwent a total surgical excision of the lesion. A global recurrence rate of 34.45% corresponds with a recurrence rate of 30.76% found in literature. In our study, a remarkable difference in recurrence rates is noticed between cystic hygroma (5/19 patients or 26.39%) and the more diffuse types of lymphangioma (5/10 patients or 50%). On three patients, preoperative MRI was performed. All these illustrate the important role of MRI in the diagnosis of lymphangioma, namely the characteristic appearance of the lesions on T1- and T2-weighted images and the better visualization of the lymphangioma extent. In line with the high recurrence rates of diffuse lymphangiomas and the advantages of MRI of these lesions, the role of MRI in the treatment of diffuse lymphangiomas is discussed.

Surgery in Belgium.

To fully understand the present state of surgery in Belgium, it is necessary to know the structure of the Belgian State, the type of education, the statutory health insurance system, and the professional bodies representing surgeons. One of the most important problems is the excessive number of physicians, which recently led to the establishment of limits on the number of candidates receiving medical certification. Surgical training modalities are described and the results of a retrospective study concerning the quality of training are detailed. The continuing medical education and peer-review system (accreditation) is presented.

[Current status and future prospects for specializing in surgery in united Europe]. / Aktueller Stand und Zukunftsperspektiven der Spezialisierung in der Chirurgie im vereinten Europa.

Specialisation within surgery is unavoidable, as it is in other disciplines. Motives and drawbacks are mentioned. The current situation in Europe is confused. However, progress in training is encouraging. The UEMS, the sections, and the boards are the preferred instruments for stimulation and harmonisation of training, C. M. E., quality control and peer review and of visitation of centres. The envelope concept of surgery seems to be the best answer to the structural problem of the distinct specialties within surgery. The duration and length of the common trunk in these specialties remains a difficult issue. The future of surgery requires the implementation of a number of assignments by the ACMT, the UEMS, its sections, boards and divisions.

Anal sphincter reconstruction with the gluteus maximus muscle: anatomic and physiologic considerations concerning conventional and dynamic gluteoplasty.

Myoplasties have acquired an important place in anal sphincter repair. The use of the gluteus maximus muscle for sphincterplasty was reported initially in 1902. However, in 1952, the gracilis sphincterplasty became more popular because of the accessibility of this muscle. Unfortunately, continence rates, especially after graciloplasty, remained unpredictable because of inability to maintain muscle contraction despite training programs. Training should induce a shift in muscle fiber type distribution toward a more fatigue-resistant composition, with predominance of type I fibers. In order to obtain a more pronounced adaptation in the contractile, histochemical, and metabolic properties of muscle fibers, postoperative intermittent long-term stimulation of the graciloplasty was performed. As these results and the results of dynamic cardiomyoplasty with an implantable myostimulator proved to be successful, implantable pulse generators were used after graciloplasty. Subsequently, continence rates after graciloplasties improved significantly. These data encouraged us to perform dynamic gluteoplasties for anal sphincter repair. This paper presents the results in 7 patients treated by conventional and 4 patients treated by dynamic gluteoplasty. Advantages and disadvantages of gluteoplasty were compared with those of graciloplasty. The neurovascular pedicle of the gluteoplasty underwent less traction after transposition compared with the graciloplasty based on cadaver studies. Gluteus muscle transfer far exceeded the amount of muscle tissue of a normal anal sphincter despite muscle atrophy after transposition. This guaranteed a contractile muscle cuff around the anal canal in contrast to the tendinous sling after graciloplasty. Because of the excellent vascularization of the muscle, microperforations of the rectal mucosa caused by submucosal dissection were sealed, and implantation of electrodes and a pulse generator in one surgical intervention was well tolerated. The myoplasty induced a double curvation of the anal canal in contrast to the graciloplasty, which enhanced the natural anorectal angle. Patient evaluation revealed continence for stool in 9 of the 11 patients; 7 of the 11 patients also were continent for liquids, among them all of the patients who had undergone dynamic gluteoplasties. Mean basal pressure after dynamic gluteoplasty was 49 mmHg, which is lower than the reported mean basal pressure (62 mmHg) during stimulation after dynamic graciloplasty. Squeeze pressure after gluteoplasty, with or without stimulation, proved to be similar to or higher than that obtained in dynamic graciloplasty. Comparing our results of conventional gluteoplasty with the results of graciloplasty prior to stimulation, higher pressures were obtained by the gluteoplasty, especially in squeeze pressures. In the last 5 patients intraoperative pressure measurements were used to restore the optimal resting length of the muscle after transposition. An intraluminal pressure of at least 40 mmHg during rest and 80 to 120 mmHg during stimulation should be obtained to guarantee a future continent sphincter.

Neurovascular intact muscle transposition for anal sphincter repair. Experimental model and experience with dynamic pacing.

PURPOSE: To study muscle behavior for anal sphincter repair, radiologic, manometric, and histologic techniques in a dog animal model have been used. Special attention was given to the problem of resting length of the transposed muscle. METHODS: The semitendinosus muscle of the dog could be transposed successfully to create a new anal sphincter based on an intact neurovascular pedicle. The parallel-fibered muscle was split at its distal end and encircled around the anal canal. Manometry was performed intraoperatively and postoperatively. A sufficiency high basal and squeeze pressure had to be obtained intraoperatively to guarantee a final continent neosphincter. This could be realized by a progressive stretching of the muscle until maximum squeeze is reached. In one animal a pacemaker was implanted, and postoperatively a fixed sphincter stimulation protocol was started. Muscle biopsies of the normal anal sphincter and the neosphincter were taken. RESULTS: 1) Muscle transposition gave a high degree of continence in this experimental model, with a mean resting pressure of +/- 40 mmHg and a mean squeezing pressure of +/- 73 mmHg. 2) Electric stimulation of the neosphincter in one animal influenced the resting pressure but not the squeeze pressure. 3) Muscle fiber type composition changed toward a slow fiber type composition after transposition of the fast muscle and even more after stimulation. CONCLUSIONS: 1) Creation of a muscle cuff around the anal sphincter can substitute normal anal sphincter. 2) Adequate stretch of muscle fibers is essential for continence. 3) Electrical pacing helps preserve resting tension and subsequent continence.

Primary leiomyosarcoma of the diaphragm.

Primary leiomyosarcoma of the diaphragm is extremely rare and only five cases have so far been reported. In the early stages clinical signs are scarce and diagnosis is difficult. The advent of MR-imaging has helped in detecting the origin of a diaphragmatic tumour and its relationship to the adjacent tissues. The highly malignant character of this tumour accounts for the poor prognosis even when radical surgery is performed.