Side-to-side esophagojejunostomy during totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy for malignant disease: a multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Esophagojejunostomy (EJS) represents the most difficult steps during totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy (TLTG). Over the past few years, several techniques have been developed. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and surgical outcomes of the laparoscopic intracorporeal side-to-side EJS during TLTG used to treat malignant disease of the stomach. METHODS: This study was conducted from June 2001 to December 2006 at three different institutions. Data were collected from patients' medical notes, and a database was established that recorded gender, age, American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) classification, tumor site, operative duration, time required for anastomosis, length of hospital stay, morbidity, mortality, tumor node metastasis (TNM) staging, grading, type of procedure performed, type of lymphadenectomy, conversion rate, reason for conversion, histology type, reoperation rate, reason for reoperation, time required for closure of leak, flatus time, time enteral feeding started, morbidity, and mortality. RESULTS: In this study, 56 totally laparoscopic gastrectomies (TLGs) (83.6%) and 11 totally laparoscopic degastrogastrectomies (TLDGs) (16.4%) with intracorporeal side-to-side EJS were performed. The average operating time was 249 min (range, 195-349 min). The average time required for both anastomoses was 44 min (17.7% of the average total time). The conversion rate was 10.4%, and the reoperation rate was 13.4%. The mean hospital stay was 12.4 days (range, 8-45 days). The major complications comprised four anastomotic leakage (6%), five postoperative bleeding (7.5%), and two duodenal stump leakage (3%). Most of the patients (91%) were enteral fed on day 6. The mean time for closure of leaks was 12 days (range, 4-18 days). The minor complications comprised two esophagojejunal anastomotic strictures (3%) subsequently treated by endoscopic dilatation. There was one death (1.5%), which occurred within 45 postoperative days. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic intracorporeal side-to-side EJS is a safe and feasible technique. It represents a valid method for performing a reconstruction of the digestive tract in laparoscopic surgery after TLG, especially in presence of a narrow esophagus.

Long-term outcomes of stapled hemorrhoidopexy vs conventional hemorrhoidectomy: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the long-term results of stapled hemorrhoidopexy (SH) compared with conventional hemorrhoidectomy (CH) and to define the role of SH in the treatment of hemorrhoids. DATA SOURCES: Published randomized controlled trials of CH vs SH with a minimum clinical follow-up of 12 months were searched and selected in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases using the keywords hemorrhoid, stapl, and anopexy, without language restrictions. STUDY SELECTION: Potentially relevant studies were identified by the title and the abstract, and full articles were obtained and assessed in detail. DATA EXTRACTION: Studies were scored according to the presence of 3 key methodologic features of randomization, blinding, and accountability of all patients, including withdrawals, and the scores ranged from 0 to 5. Studies that received a score from 3 to 5 were considered high-quality studies, whereas those with a score of 2 or less were considered of low quality. A specifically designed data form was used to collect all relevant data, including details of the experimental design, patient demographics, technical aspects, outcome measures, and complications. DATA SYNTHESIS: Fifteen articles met the inclusion criteria for a total of 1201 patients. Outcomes at a minimum of 1 year showed a significantly higher rate of prolapse recurrences in the SH group (14 studies, 1063 patients; odds ratio, 5.5; P < .001) and patients were more likely to undergo further treatment to correct recurrent prolapses compared with the CH group (10 studies, 824 patients; odds ratio, 1.9; P = .02). CONCLUSION: Stapled hemorrhoidopexy is a safe technique for the treatment of hemorrhoids but carries a significantly higher incidence of recurrences and additional operations compared with CH. It is the patient's choice whether to accept a higher recurrence rate to take advantage of the short-term benefits of SH.

Endovascular versus open surgical repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm with concomitant malignancy.

BACKGROUND: The management of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and concurrent malignancy is controversial. This study retrospectively assessed the outcome of endovascular repair (EVAR) and open repair (OR) for the treatment of AAA in patients undergoing curative treatment for concomitant malignancies. METHODS: All patients who underwent surgery for a nonruptured infrarenal AAA of > or =5.5 cm and concomitant malignancy between 1997 and 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Identified were 25 patients (22 men; mean age, 70.3 years) with nonruptured infrarenal AAA of > or =5.5 cm (mean size, 6.4 cm) and concomitant malignancy amenable for curative treatment. EVAR was used to treat 11 patients, and 14 underwent OR. The EVAR patients had a smaller mean aneurysm size (5.9 cm vs 6.8 cm; P = .006) than the OR patients. The mean cumulative length of stay for all patients who received treatment for both AAA and cancer was 12.8 days (range, 4 to 26) for EVAR and 18.2 days (range, 9 to 42 days) for OR. In the EVAR group, no patients died perioperatively; in the OR group, three patients died perioperatively (21.4%; P = NS). Postoperative complications occurred in one patient in the EVAR group and in seven in the OR group for a morbidity rate, respectively, of 9.1% and 50% (P = .04). One late complication (9.1%) occurred in the EVAR group. The mean follow-up was 37.7 months (range, 16 to 60 months) in the EVAR group and 29.6 months (range, 11 to 55 months) in the OR group. At 1 and 2 years, survival rates were 100% and 90.9% in the EVAR group and 71.4% and 49% in the OR group (log-rank P = .103) CONCLUSIONS: With low morbidity and mortality, EVAR is a safe technique for the treatment of AAA in patients with concomitant malignancy and could be considered as an alternative to OR.

Local excision of rectal cancer: review of literature.

In selected patients, local excision of rectal cancer may be an alternative to radical surgery such as abdominoperineal excision of the rectum or anterior resection. Local excision carries lower mortality and morbidity, without the functional disturbance or alteration in body image that can be associated with radical surgery. There are several techniques of local therapy for rectal cancer, with most experience being available in transanal excision. Transanal endoscopic microsurgery is also used but experience with this newer technique is limited. Patient selection is the most important factor in successful local excision, however specific criteria for selecting patients have not been universally accepted. Review of the published literature is difficult because of the variation in adjuvant therapy regimes and follow-up strategies, as well as results reported in terms of local recurrence and survival rates. There is increasing evidence to suggest that local excision should be restricted to patients with T1 stage rectal cancer without high-risk factors. The place for local excision in patients with T2 or high-risk T1 tumours requires prospective, randomised multi-centre trials comparing radical surgery with local excision, with or without adjuvant therapy.