Effect of omentum removal on the risk for postoperative adhesive small bowel obstruction recurrence: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Surgical treatment for adhesive small bowel obstructions (ASBOs) is the only way to release the obstructive structure; however, opening the peritoneal cavity may cause new adhesions, possibly leading to recurrent episodes of ASBO. The risk factors for recurrent ASBO, after surgical treatment, are not fully understood. METHODS: The hospital records of 113 patients undergoing surgery for ASBO at Shirakawa Kousei (Japan) General Hospital, between 2002 and 2013, were studied. We compared the pre- and postoperative factors, intraoperative findings, and surgical histories of 18 patients with and 95 patients without recurrent ASBO. The risk factors for ASBO recurrence, after surgery, were determined using Cox-proportional hazard ratios. RESULTS: The 5-year cumulative rate of overall recurrence was 20.8%. Among the 18 patients of recurrence, 11 (61.1%) were readmitted within 1 year of surgical treatment. Multivariate analysis revealed that a history of omentectomy was an independent risk factor for recurrence (hazard ratio, 2.98; p = 0.027). After omentectomy, the rate of adhesions to the peritoneum was significantly higher (with omentectomy, 54.5%; without omentectomy, 21.3%; p < 0.001), and the risk of adhesion or matted adhesion was increased (with omentectomy, 87.9%; without omentectomy, 53.8%; p < 0.001), compared with patients not undergoing omentectomy. CONCLUSION: Omentectomy significantly increases the likelihood of ASBO recurrence. Therefore, patients undergoing omentectomy may be candidates for prophylactic anti-adhesion agents, particularly when there is a risk of matted abdominal wall adhesions.

[A case of curatively resected locally advanced pancreatic cancer with combined resection of the portal vein and common hepatic artery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy].

A man in his 40s had a locally advanced pancreatic head cancer invading the portal vein( PV) and common hepatic artery (CHA). He underwent 5 courses of neoadjuvant chemotherapy( gemcitabine+S-1), which reduced the tumor volume and cancer antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) level. R0 resection was performed via sub-stomach preserving pancreatoduodenectomy with combined resection of the PV and CHA. Adjuvant chemotherapy with gemcitabine was administered at 4 weeks after the operation. Relevant neoadjuvant chemotherapy is considered to contribute to R0 resection of locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Here, we report a case of a successful R0 resection after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

[A case of effective weekly paclitaxel administration for advanced gastric cancer].

A 74-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with severe anemia. Endoscopic examination revealed a type 3 advanced gastric cancer. Abdominal computed tomography revealed massive lymph node metastasis(N3). We performed distal gastrectomy(noncurative resection)because anemia had progressed. After operation, we administered S-1/CDDP combination chemotherapy. Although he received two courses of S-1/CDDP, renal dysfunction was found. Afterwards a rise in tumor marker(CEA)occurred, so we changed to chemotherapy with weekly paclitaxel. Abdominal computed tomography then revealed a complete response(CR)after the chemotherapy was completed. At present, 7 years after the operation, the patient remains free of a rise in tumor markers and presents no evidence of a recurrence.

HLA alloimmunization of surgical patients by transfusion with bedside leukoreduced blood components.

High efficiency leukocyte reducing filters can remove more than 99.9-99.99% of white cells from cellular blood components and are considered to be effective in decreasing HLA alloimmunization of patients with haematological malignancies. A multi-institution study was performed to determine whether white cell filtration would also be effective in preventing alloimmunization in surgical transfusion recipients. Patients who were to receive red cell blood transfusions during and/or within 48 hours after surgery were randomly assigned to receive red cells/ fresh frozen plasma that had been leukoreduced using a high efficiency filter at the bedside or buffycoat-depleted red cells transfused through an aggregate filter. Of 87 patients with no alloantibodies at entry, 17% (8/47) of those in the leukoreduction group, who received a mean of 0.3 x 10(6) leukocytes as a result of their transfusions, produced lymphocytotoxic antibodies at day 14 after transfusion, compared to 5% (2/40) in the buffycoat-depleted group, who had received a mean of 1,234.2 x 10(6) leukocytes. This difference in the alloimmunization rate between the two arms was not statistically significant. Reduction of leukocytes by bedside filtration does not appear to be effective in preventing HLA alloimmunization in surgical transfusion recipients. The alloimmunized cases suggest that an indirect allorecognition pathway may be involved in the formation of anti-HLA. Further measures are needed to reduce alloimmunization of immunocompetent patients.