Laparoscopic stapled resection/plication of left hemi-diaphragmatic eventration in an adult.

We report a 59-year-old man who presented with progressive dyspnea of 30 years. His pulmonary function tests showed reduced forced expiratory volume in the first second and forced vital capacity and computed tomography of the chest showed eventration of the left hemi-diaphragm. He underwent successful laparoscopic stapled resection / plication of the lax hemi-diaphragm. He was discharged on the fourth postoperative day with the intercostal drain in situ and this was removed 5 days later at follow up. Postoperatively the pulmonary function showed significant improvement and he remains well 2 years after surgery.

Laparoscopic repair of a combined transmesocolic, transomental hernia.

Transmesocolic and transomental hernias (TOHs) are rare types of internal hernia. Both these hernias occurring concurrently in a patient are even rarer. We report a patient with signs of recurrent small-bowel obstruction who was found to have a dual transmesocolic, TOH. Computed tomography imaging and subsequent laparoscopic exploration identified small-bowel loops passing through a defect in the transverse mesocolon behind the stomach to emerge through the gastrohepatic omentum. This was treated successfully by laparoscopy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a combined transmesocolic, TOH undergoing successful laparoscopic repair.

Minimally invasive surgery for salvage of malfunctioning peritoneal dialysis catheters.

BACKGROUND: Malfunction of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) catheters is a frequent complication and has traditionally been treated with a laparotomy. We present our experience with minimally invasive surgical (laparoscopic and thoracoscopic) salvage of CAPD catheters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between October 2003 and June 2013, 19 patients (13 males and 6 females with a mean age of 37 years [range 28-64]) underwent minimally invasive laparoscopic salvage of malfunctioning CAPD catheters. These catheters had been placed with either a percutaneous or open technique and had been in place for a mean of 4.5 months (range 2-18 months). All the salvage procedures were performed under general anaesthesia using one 10 mm and two or three 5 mm ports. The various manoeuvres undertaken to re-establish catheter function included correct positioning the catheter and anchoring it to the pelvic peritoneum, clearing the fibrin clot/sheath, freeing up the omentum/bowel/taenia coli. In addition, all patients underwent an omentopexy. RESULTS: Laparoscopic salvage could be completed in 18 patients with good catheter inflow and outflow established at the end of the surgery and one patient underwent thoracoscopic salvage. The median operative time was 63 min (range 45-96 min) and median post-operative hospital stay was 2 days (range 2-5 days). Low volume dialysis was commenced the day after surgery and full volume dialysis by the 10th day. There were no intra- or post-operative complications. All the catheters were functioning at the end of 6-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Minimally invasive surgery is a valid, safe and efficacious way of salvaging malfunctioning CAPD catheters. This modality reduces the chances of re-formation of adhesions, ensures rapid recovery, reduced wound-related complications and allows for early institution of peritoneal dialysis.

Laparoscopic resection of a large paraganglioma arising in the organ of Zuckerkandl: Report of a case and review of the literature.

Paragangliomas are catecholamine-secreting neuroendocrine tumours arising from chromaffin tissue at extra-adrenal sites. The commonest site for a paraganglioma is the organ of Zuckerkandl. Traditional treatment of paraganglioma of organ of Zuckerkandl (POZ) involves open surgical resection, and only a few cases of laparoscopic approach to this pathology have been reported. We report the successful laparoscopic resection of a large POZ in a 22-year-old woman and review the previous cases reporting a laparoscopic approach to this rare tumour.

Laparoscopic repair of left paraduodenal hernia: Report of two cases and review of the literature.

Internal hernia is the cause of only 1% of intestinal obstructions, and left paraduodenal hernias (PDH) comprise about 50% of these cases. As the presentation of PDH is varied, diagnosis is often delayed. Here, we report two patients with left PDH presenting in a subacute manner and diagnosed rapidly with the help of a CT scan. Both underwent successful laparoscopic repair; one patient had closure of the defect, and the other required excision of the sac prior to the closure. We review 21 cases of left PDH treated laparoscopically that were previously reported in the literature, including 14 from Asian countries.

Laparoscopic Resection of a Renal Hilar Pheochromocytoma in an Adolescent With a Circumaortic Left Renal Vein.

Pheochromocytoma is a neuroendocrine tumor that usually develops from the chromaffin cells in the adrenal medulla. Extra-adrenal pheochromocytomas arise in the neural crest cells of the retroperitoneal paraganglia and renal hilum is a common site for their occurrence. We describe a 17-year-old boy, whom we believe to be the first reported case of successful laparoscopic resection of a renal hilar extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma in the setting of a circumaortic left renal vein.

Laparo-endoscopic single-site left adrenalectomy using conventional ports and instruments.

Laparo-endoscopic single-site adrenalectomy (LESS-A) is commonly performed using specialized access devices and/or instruments. We report a LESS-A in a 47-year-old woman with a left aldosteranoma via a subcostal approach utilizing conventional laparoscopic ports and instruments. The feasibility and cost-effectiveness of this approach are highlighted and the literature on the subject is reviewed.

Laparoscopic management of renal hilar pheochromocytomas.

Although laparoscopic adrenalectomy is well established for the treatment of adrenal pheochromocytomas, there is scant literature on a laparoscopic approach to extra-adrenal pheochromocytomas (EAP). We report on 2 patients with renal hilar pheochromocytomas treated by a laparoscopic resection. A 56-year-old hypertensive man was found to have a 3.5-cm tumor in the right renal hilum, which was confirmed to be a pheochromocytoma on the basis of elevated urinary vanillylmandelic acid levels and a positive 131I-MIBG scan. After pharmacological preparation, he underwent a laparoscopic excision. The recovery was uneventful and the final histopathology confirmed an EAP. The second patient, a 17-year-old hypertensive girl, was shown to have a 2.5-cm tumor in close proximity to the left renal vessels and a poorly functioning left kidney on a computed tomography scan. Subsequent isotope renogram showed 4% function in the left kidney. After adequate preparation, she underwent a laparoscopic left nephrectomy along with resection of the tumor. The postoperative period was uneventful. Histopathology showed an EAP. The kidney showed ischemic changes along with severe renal artery stenosis. The patients remain well 49 and 14 months post-surgery. In conclusion, careful preoperative preparation, expert intraoperative anesthetic management, and surgery performed by an experienced surgeon make laparoscopic resection of renal hilar pheochromocytomas a safe and feasible treatment option.

Use of Nathanson retractor during laparoscopic splenectomy for supermassive spleens.

BACKGROUND: Although feasibility of laparoscopic splenectomy for supermassive spleens has been described, obtaining uniform and uninterrupted retraction of a heavy spleen to ensure safe hilar dissection is challenging. We describe a technique of retraction of supermassive spleens using a Nathanson retractor. METHODS: This technique was used in 4 patients, and the demographic data as well as data related to the surgery were retrospectively collected. RESULTS: The spleens weighed between 2.5 and 3.5 kg. The median operative time was 190 minutes (155-220 min) and the median intraoperative blood loss was 870 mL (600-1230 mL). The postoperative hospital stay ranged from 3 to 5 days. CONCLUSIONS: A Nathanson retractor provides sustained retraction of a supermassive spleen during laparoscopic splenectomy and this technique should be considered a useful adjunct to the armamentarium of surgeons undertaking these challenging procedures.

Single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy: How I do it?

Single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) is a relatively new technique that is being increasingly used by surgeons around the world. Unlike the multi-port cholecystectomy, a standardised technique and detailed description of the operative steps of SILC is lacking in the literature. This article provides a stepwise account of the technique of SILC aimed at surgeons wishing to learn the procedure. A brief review of the current literature on SILC follows.

Single-incision bilateral laparoscopic oophorectomy.

Although single-incision laparoscopic surgery made an appearance on the surgical scene only recently, it is being increasingly applied in the treatment of a variety of disorders. We report single-incision bilateral laparoscopic oophorectomy and salpingooophorectomy performed in two patients who had previously undergone breast conservation surgery for early breast cancer. Each procedure was undertaken using two 5-mm and one 3-mm ports inserted through a 2-cm transverse supraumbilical incision and standard laparoscopic instruments. The operative time was 50 and 65 min respectively and the blood loss negligible. The patients were discharged 36 and 24 h after surgery, required minimal postoperative analgesia and remain well at a follow up of 19 and 17 months, respectively. With the benefit of improved cosmesis, the single-incision approach holds the potential to replace the traditional bilateral laparoscopic oophorectomy.

Prevention and management of complications of laparoscopic splenectomy.

Laparoscopic splenectomy (LS) has become a commonly performed minimal-access operation. With increasing experience, surgeons are undertaking LS for multiple pathologies and tackling spleens of diverse sizes. LS remains a challenging procedure to be performed by experienced laparoscopic surgeons, well supported by a team. Bleeding remains the commonest intraoperative complication and perhaps the commonest reason for conversion to a laparotomy. Although the incidence of postoperative complications following LS is lower than that after open splenectomy, thrombosis of the splenoportal axis is being increasingly recognised. The present review describes both the common as well as uncommon intraoperative and postoperative complications of LS and outlines measures to be taken for their prevention and management.

Laparoscopic splenectomy for tuberculous abscess of the spleen.

Abscess of the spleen is an uncommon clinical entity and a tuberculous abscess is particularly rare. Although image-guided aspiration has been reported, splenectomy is the preferred modality of treatment. We report a 32-year-old female diagnosed to have a large, multilocular splenic abscess during investigation of a pyrexial illness. Her haemoglobin was 9.8 gm%, ESR 100 mm/1(st) hour and she was HIV negative. She had been on anti-tubercular chemotherapy (started elsewhere) for 2 months but had shown poor response. A laparoscopic splenectomy undertaken using four-ports was challenging due to the presence of perisplenitis and adhesions in the splenic hilum. Also, fundus of stomach densely adherent to the upper pole of the spleen required stapled resection. Postoperatively, she developed a low-output pancreatic fistula that resolved with conservative treatment within a week. Histopathology of the spleen confirmed tuberculosis. She responded well to anti-tubercular chemotherapy and remains well 3 years later.

Laparoscopic partial adrenalectomy for bilateral cortisol-secreting adenomas.

Bilateral cortisol-secreting adenomas are a rare cause of Cushing's syndrome. We report a case of a 35-year-old woman who presented with ACTH-independent Cushing's syndrome and bilateral adrenal adenomas. Adrenal venous sampling confirmed both adenomas to be hyper-secreting cortisol. She underwent bilateral laparoscopic adrenalectomy; total right and partial left adrenalectomies. At 2-year follow-up, she is maintained on low-dose fludrocortisone and hydrocortisone, and without recurrence of hypercorticolism. Laparoscopic partial adrenalectomy is a feasible option for this rare condition; however, long-term follow-up is needed to determine her total independence from steroid usage.

Stapled haemorrhoidopexy for prolapsed haemorrhoids: short- and long-term experience.

OBJECTIVE: In prolapsed haemorrhoids, there is a permanent outward displacement of the mucosa of the anal canal, often involving the rectal mucosa. On this background, Longo set up a technique in 1998 to reduce haemorrhoidal prolapse, using a circular stapler. The aim of this study is to report our 7 years of experience on patients treated using this new surgical technique for haemorrhoids. METHODS: Between October 1998 and June 2005, 496 patients were treated by stapled haemorrhoidopexy. We analysed data from 300 of these patients in whom follow-up was longer than 12 months. RESULTS: The duration of the procedure ranged from 12 to 45 minutes. In 184 patients (37%), haemostatic stitches of the suture line were necessary after firing the stapler. Pain score (visual analogue scale, 1-10) after 24 hours ranged from 2 to 4 and after 5 days from 1 to 3. The average length of hospital stay was 2.3 days. Long-term results showed that only 9% of patients required further treatment after long follow-up, while 10.1% complained of some discomfort or residual symptoms in the perianal region. CONCLUSION: Our short- and long-term results show that stapled haemorrhoidopexy for haemorrhoids is a safe procedure with less pain and lower complication rate compared to conventional haemorrhoidectomy.

Managing intra-operative complications during totally extraperitoneal repair of inguinal hernia.

Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repairs are looked upon as technically demanding procedures having have a stiff 'learning curve' associated with its performance in terms of clinical outcome and patient's satisfaction. Complication rates have been shown to drop with increased surgical experience. The complication rate for laparoscopic repair of inguinal hernia ranges from less than 3% to as high as 20%. Complications of a totally extraperitoneal (TEP) repair include general complications that occur with any surgical procedure and anesthesia, mesh-related complications and those specific to the TEP procedure, like visceral injury, vascular injury, nerve injury and injury to the cord. Intraoperative complications can occur at every step of the operation, even though some of them are only occasionally reported. However, it is important to analyze all of them chronologically, so that we can define methods to prevent them or tackle them if they occur. Risk reduction strategies are required to improve the clinical outcome of TEP and this must be adopted for each individual surgical step.