The effect of partial portal decompression on portal blood flow and effective hepatic blood flow in man: a prospective study.

With the advent of transjugular intrahepatic porta-systemic stent shunt and the wider application of the surgically placed small diameter prosthetic H-graft portacaval shunt (HGPCS), partial portal decompression in the treatment of portal hypertension has received increased attention. The clinical results supporting the use of partial portal decompression are its low incidence of variceal rehemorrhage due to decreased portal pressures and its low rate of hepatic failure, possibly due to maintenance of blood flow to the liver. Surprisingly, nothing is known about changes in portal hemodynamics and effective hepatic blood flow following partial portal decompression. To prospectively evaluate changes in portal hemodynamics and effective hepatic blood flow brought about by partial portal decompression, the following were determined in seven patients undergoing HGPCS: intraoperative pre- and postshunt portal vein pressures and portal vein-inferior vena cava pressure gradients, intraoperative pre- and postshunt portal vein flow, and pre- and postoperative effective hepatic blood flow. With HGPCS, portal vein pressures and portal vein-inferior vena cava pressure gradients decreased significantly, although portal pressures remained above normal. In contrast to the significant decreases in portal pressures, portal vein blood flow and effective hepatic blood flow do not decrease significantly. Changes in portal vein pressures and portal vein-inferior vena cava pressure gradients are great when compared to changes in portal vein flow and effective hepatic blood flow. Reduction of portal hypertension with concomitant maintenance of hepatic blood flow may explain why hepatic dysfunction is avoided following partial portal decompression.

Direction or reversal of preshunt portal blood flow as determinants of outcome up to 1 year after small-diameter prosthetic H-graft portacaval shunt.

Partial portal decompression (PPD) is gaining popularity in the treatment of portal hypertension. We have achieved PPD in over 80 patients by utilizing an 8-mm prosthetic H-graft portacaval shunt (HGPCS). We have been pleased with the infrequency of encephalopathy and liver failure after shunting. While maintenance of portal blood flow would presumably play a role in outcome after shunting, changes in portal hemodynamic occurring within the first year after shunting are generally unknown. In 31 patients (Child's class 6% A, 61% B, 32% C) of an average age of 55 +/- 13.3 (SD) years undergoing HGPCS, clinical outcome was prospectively evaluated relative to the direction of portal blood flow determined before and after shunting and at 1 year after shunting using color-flow Doppler ultrasound. Preshunt hepatopetal flow reversed in 2/29 (7%) patients with shunting and in an additional 5/27 (18%) patients by 1 year after shunting. Death (due to alcoholism in 1, old age in 1) and encephalopathy (Child's class A = 1, B = 2, C = 1) were uncommon by 1 year after shunting. Eighty-one percent had excellent outcome (alive without encephalopathy or rebleeding) at 1 year. Though preshunt hepatopetal flow is generally maintained postshunt and after one year, maintenance of hepatopetal flow does not ensure an excellent outcome and reversal of hepatopetal flow does not pre-dispose to a suboptimal outcome. Outcome up to 1 year after HGPCS is not determined by direction or reversal of portal blood flow.

Diagnostic peritoneal lavage: volume of lavage effluent needed for accurate determination of a negative lavage.

While the ability of diagnostic peritoneal lavage (DPL) to 'rule out' occult intra-abdominal injuries has been well established, the volume of lavage effluent necessary for accurate prediction of a negative lavage has not been determined. To address this, 60 injured adults with blunt (N = 45) or penetrating (N = 15) trauma undergoing DPL were evaluated prospectively through protocol. After infusion of 1l of Ringer's lactate solution, samples of lavage effluent were obtained at 100 cm3, 250 cm3, 500 cm3, and 759 cm3, and when no more effluent could be returned (final sample). DPL was considered negative if final sample RBC count was < or = 100,000/mm3 for blunt injury and < 50,000/mm3 for penetrating injury. The conclusion is that at 100 cm3 of lavage effluent returned, negative results are highly predictive of a negative DPL (98 per cent), though 250 cm3 of lavage effluent is required to predict a negative DPL uniformly (100 per cent).

Thoracoscopic retrieval of a fractured thoracentesis catheter.

With the resurgence of laparoscopic surgical procedures, thorascopic procedures have followed close behind. Many procedures which in the past have required formal thoracotomy may now be performed via less invasive methods. Presented herein is a report and description of thoracoscopic retrieval of a fractured thoracentesis catheter.

Laparoscopic management of cystic disease of the liver.

Laparoscopic surgical procedures are increasing in scope and in variety. The benefits of decreased wound morbidity and pain have been well documented for multiple procedures that have traditionally required laparotomy. Although there are few controlled studies to document them, these benefits may be evident from simple clinical observation. Cystic disease of the liver is a condition that is treated largely for symptomatic reasons. The so-called noninvasive or radiographic guided methods of treatment for cystic disease of the liver are fraught with high recurrence rates. We present four cases of cystic disease of the liver treated laparoscopically, followed with pertinent discussion.

The role of polymeric surface smoothness of biliary stents in bacterial adherence, biofilm deposition, and stent occlusion.

Bacterial adherence and biofilm deposition onto the surface of polymers used for biliary stents are the initial events that ultimately lead to stent occlusion. Vivathane is a new polymer with an ultrasmooth surface. In this study, stents made from Vivathane were compared to standard plastic stents in an in vitro model. Polyethylene, C-flex, and Vivathane stents were connected in parallel and perfused with infected bile. The surfaces of the polyethylene and C-flex stents developed exuberant bacterial growth and biliary sludge deposition. Vivathane stents were nearly free of bacteria and demonstrated no propensity for biliary sludge deposition. These results indicate that polymeric surface irregularities promote bacterial adherence, biofilm deposition, and accumulation of biliary sludge. The ultrasmooth surface of Vivathane does not allow bacterial adherence and biofilm deposition. Vivathane holds promise as a new polymer for use in biliary stents in long-term applications.

Postoperative ascitic leaks: the ongoing challenge.

BACKGROUND: The leak of ascitic fluid from surgical incisions is thought to be associated with a very high mortality rate. There have been few reports, however, focusing on the clinical characteristics, management, or mortality rates of this condition. METHODS: During a 10-year period, 18 patients with postoperative ascitic fluid leaks were treated. All patients had ascites before surgery and all had liver disease; in 13 of the 18 patients alcoholic liver disease was the cause of ascites. RESULTS: Ten of the 18 patients died (56%). Midline incisions were more often associated with recalcitrant leaks and fatal complications than were transverse incisions. CONCLUSIONS: Early consideration of fascial dehiscence and prompt repair is emphasized. The most effective predictor of survival was cessation of the leak.

Postprandial augmentation of portal hepatic inflow after prosthetic H-graft portacaval shunt.

Encephalopathy after portasystemic shunting generally occurs after eating. After partial portal decompression, encephalopathy is uncommon, presumably because of associated portal hemodynamics. However, after partial shunting, the changes in portal venous hemodynamics that occur with eating are unknown. With this in mind, 11 nonencephalopathic adults were studied more than 1 year after 8-mm H-graft portacaval shunt (PCS). The studies utilized color flow duplex ultrasound to determine the changes in portal vein (PV) and inferior vena cava blood flow that occur with eating a standardized meal. Following H-graft PCS, there is increased blood flow in the inferior vena cava after eating, particularly cephalad to the H-graft PCS, implying increased flow through the prosthetic shunt. Eating also increases hepatopedal blood flow in the PV distal to the H-graft PCS. Postprandial increases in hepatopedal portal blood flow may play an important role in avoiding encephalopathy after H-graft PCS.

Prospective study of a prosthetic H-graft portacaval shunt.

This study was undertaken to prospectively evaluate the 8-mm Gore-Tex interposition H-graft portacaval shunt. Thirty-six high-risk patients at the University of South Florida-affiliated hospitals received small-diameter shunts because of bleeding esophagogastric varices over a recent 2-year period. Portal vein and portal vein-inferior vena cava gradients were significantly reduced after shunting. These pressure changes were manifested clinically by the absence of variceal rebleeding and improvement of ascites; in addition, the incidence of encephalopathy was low. The 8-mm graft maintained hepatopedal flow in 67% of the patients, but reversal of flow did not result in complications commonly associated with poor portal perfusion. Graft thrombosis occurred in four (11%) patients. All grafts were successfully revised, three by operative revision and one by an interventional radiologist. Operative mortality was low (11%), and morbidity was unusual. The small-diameter H-graft portacaval shunt is a safe and effective method of treatment for bleeding esophagogastric varices.

Pancreatic abscess: analysis of a high risk subgroup.

Over the past ten years, 21 cases of pancreatic abscess were diagnosed at our university teaching hospital. On the basis of the findings from CT scan, sonography, and exploratory laparotomy, five patients were determined to have poorly localized disease and 16 patients were felt to have well localized purulent fluid collection. The five patients with poorly localized disease had an overall mortality rate of 80%, an average of 5.2 Ranson criteria, and 80% required partial pancreatic resection. Of the 16 patients with well localized disease there was a mortality rate of 20%, an average of 3.3 Ranson criteria, and only 6% required resection. All five patients who had pancreatic resection died. These data suggest the following conclusions: 1. Patients with pancreatic abscess which is poorly localized have a greater severity of pancreatitis as indicated by a higher average number of Ranson criteria. 2. Patients with a poorly localized phlegmonous abscess more often require pancreatic resection, which is associated with a higher mortality. 3. The high mortality rate seen with patients with a poorly localized phlegmonous pancreatic slough designates this group as a high risk subset of all pancreatic abscess patients.

Pancreatic abscess: 10-year experience at the University of South Florida.

Pancreatic abscess is an uncommon but often catastrophic complication of acute pancreatitis. This study reviews the past 10 yr experience at the University of South Florida Teaching Hospitals involving patients diagnosed to have pancreatic abscess. The etiology, management, complications, and factors affecting mortality are discussed. The results indicate: the presentation of pancreatic abscess is variable; increased positive prognostic signs (by Ranson's criteria) on initial presentation correlate with increased mortality; complications are common (80%) and contribute significantly to morbidity and mortality; CT scan is more accurate than ultrasound in the diagnosis of pancreatic abscess; poorly localized phlegmonous pancreatic slough noted by CT scan, sonography, or exploratory laparotomy, carries a higher mortality than a well-localized purulent collection; negative blood cultures or abscess cultures do not rule out pancreatic abscess; infection of lesser sac fluid collections can occur in the hospital implying that strict attention must be paid to nosocomial infections; the timing of surgical drainage is critical, recurrent abscess requires repeat surgery, and resection is associated with a very high mortality (reflecting greater severity of underlying disease); there has been no change in mortality of pancreatic abscess in the last 10 yr.