A Combined Open and Laparoscopic Technique for the Treatment of Umbilical Hernia: Retrospective Review of a Consecutive Series of Patients.

PURPOSE: To investigate the safety and outcomes of laparoscopic control of intraperitoneal mesh positioning in open umbilical hernia repair. METHODS: This study is a retrospective review of a series of adult patients with uncomplicated umbilical hernia who underwent elective open repair with a self-expanding patch with laparoscopic control from March 2011 to December 2018. The adequacy of mesh positioning was inspected with a 5-mm 30° scope in the left flank. The primary endpoint was recurrence. Secondary endpoints were rate of mesh repositioning, intraoperative complications and time, length of stay and postoperative pain. RESULTS: Thirty-five patients underwent open inlay repair of primary umbilical hernia with laparoscopic control. Six patients (17.1%) were obese. The mean operating time was 63.3 min. The mean defect size was 2.6 cm (0.6-5) and the mean mesh overlap was 3.2cm (2.2-4.5). There were no intraoperative complications. Laparoscopic control required mesh repositioning in 5 cases (14.3%). The median length of stay was 2 days. Perioperative complications were recorded in three cases (8.6%): one seroma and two serous wound discharge (Clavien-Dindo I). The recurrence rate was 2.9% (1 case) at a median follow-up of 60 months. BMI>30 was associated with a higher rate of intraoperative mesh repositioning (p=0.001). Non-reabsorbable mesh and COPD were associated with a higher incidence of postoperative complications (p=0.043). Postoperative pain scores were consistently at mild levels, with no statistically significant differences between patients who had their mesh repositioned and those who had not. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic control of mesh positioning is a safe addition to open inlay umbilical hernia repair and enables the accurate verification of correct mesh deployment with low complication and recurrence rates.

Laparoscopic and Open Surgical Treatment in Gastroduodenal Perforations: Our Experience.

INTRODUCTION: Peptic ulcer perforation (PPU) is a common surgical emergency and the mortality rate ranges 10% to 40%, especially in elderly patients. Laparoscopic repair achieved encouraging results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled patients performing surgical repair for PPU from January 2007 to December 2015 in our surgical unit. The aim of this retrospective observational study was to compare the results of PPU laparoscopic repair with open technique. The following characteristics of patients were evaluated: age, sex and American Society of Anesthesiologists classification. The site and the diameter of perforation were recorded: gastric, pyloric, duodenal, and the location on the anterior or posterior wall. RESULTS: In total, 59 patients (39 males and 20 females) with a mean age of 58.85 years (±SD) were treated surgically. Laparoscopic repair was accomplished in 21 patients. The mean operative time for laparoscopic repair was 72 minutes (±SD), significantly shorter than open repair time (180 min ±SD). The results demonstrated that laparoscopic repair is associated with a shorter operative time, reduced postoperative pain (4.75 vs. 6.42) and analgesic requirements, a shorter hospital stay (7.5 vs. 13.1), and earlier return to normal daily activities. DISCUSSION: Laparoscopic surgery minimizes postoperative wound pain and encourages early mobilization and return to normal daily activities. The benefit of early discharge and return to work may outweigh the consumable cost incurred in the execution of laparoscopic procedures. CONCLUSIONS: Complications in both procedures are similar but laparoscopic procedure shows economic advantages for reducing postoperative hospital stay, postoperative pain, and for a good integrity of abdominal wall.

Perineal Paget's disease: A rare disorder and review of literature.

INTRODUCTION: Extramammary Paget's disease (EMPD) occurs commonly in perineum, vulva and perineal region and is considered as a complex disorder due to different clinical and histological features. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 61 years old woman had a dermatologic evaluation for anal itch and underwent a skin biopsy with diagnostic of Paget disease in perianal region. Pelvic magnetic resonance showed a huge tumor which involved skin, derma and gluteus and she firstly refused any surgical treatment. One year later, because of increasing of the tumor and bleeding, she underwent the surgical procedure with a complete excision, resection of the skin of the anus, inguinal lymphadenectomy and left colostomy. Because of lymph nodes metastasis, a VLS Miles was sequentially performed. She started oncological follow up that showed liver, lung and pelvic metastasis. She survived for 24 months after surgery. DISCUSSION: In literature, less than 200 cases of perineal Paget's disease have been reported. EMPD in some cases has an associated adenocarcinoma, which has been associated with a worse prognosis and high mortality. Wrong diagnosis and a superficial consideration of a benign evolution should be considered as the first mistake in clinical practice. CONCLUSION: Our surgical approach is considered in literature as the best one for those cases, followed by the oncological treatment. Those patients need to be better studied and more attention should be paid to the clinical presentation.

Choledochal cysts in pregnancy A case report and literature review.

AIM: Aim is to demonstrate that surgery can be the best way to reduce the risk of malignancy in choledochal cysts (CC) and how hard can be the diagnosis and the treatment during pregnancy. CASE REPORT: We report a case of a pregnant young woman (36 week) with a Todani's score II CC. After caesarean, due to increasing jaundice, she underwent magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) and Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) that confirmed the diagnosis. Surgical operation consisted in "cholecystectomy, resection of the choledocal cyst and poli-jejunum anastomosis. drainage of the abscess in the iv hepatic segment". DISCUSSION: This case report highlights the difficult diagnosis and consequently treatment of a CC, especially during pregnancy. A significant association of biliary duct cyst and hepato-bilio-pancreatic malignancy has been reported with an age-related incidence. CONCLUSION: Surgery is considered as the best treatment with a close follow-up because of the risk of recurrent cholangitis and malignant degeneration. This case represents also a challenge because of physiological changes in pregnancy and also because of the risk of fetal mortality and maternal morbidity. KEY WORDS: Choledochal cyst, Colangiocarcinoma, Pregnancy, Todani's score.

Giant fecaloma in an adult with severe anal stricture caused by anal imperforation treated by proctocolectomy and ileostomy: report of a case.

Although fecalomas are relatively common in patients who are elderly, constipated, or who have spinal injuries, a giant fecaloma formation unresponsive to conservative treatment is a rare condition that sometimes requires surgery for complications. Herein we report a case of a long-lasting (46 years) giant fecaloma associated with severe anal stricture after surgery for anal atresia and resulting in severe malnutrition, bone structural changes, and severe impairment of quality of life. Eight months after treatment by total proctocolectomy and ileostomy, the patient was on a free diet and had gained more than 10 percent of his postoperative body weight; improvements were observed in the tone of the abdominal muscles and in his quality of life.

Permanent sacral nerve modulation for fecal incontinence and associated urinary disturbances.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Sacral nerve modulation (SNM) using an implantable pulse generator is gaining increasing acceptance in the treatment of several functional disturbances of the urinary and intestinal tract. This new therapeutic approach offers new possibilities in the treatment of fecal incontinence (FI) by means of its possible effects on anorectal physiology. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fourteen patients with FI, six of whom had associated urinary disturbances, underwent permanent SNM after successful peripheral nerve evaluation tests. All had a clinical evaluation including FI grading systems (American Medical systems, AMS; Continence Grading System, CGS) and quality of life questionnaires (Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life, FIQL), and anorectal physiology tests performed before and during electrostimulation. Two patients had a lead displacement which was repositioned. Median follow-up was 14 months (range 6-48 months). RESULTS: AMS scores decreased significantly from 101 to 67 after 24 months CGS scores from 15 to 2 after 2 months. The median number of episodes of major incontinence per 2 weeks decreased from 14 to 1 after 24 months. FIQL scores improved significantly in the nine patients tested from an overall score of 1.59 to 3.3, with improvement in all areas of the FIQL. Four of the six patients with associated urinary disturbances had a significant improvement in their symptoms. Anal resting and squeezing tone did not change significantly, nor did rectal volumetry, compliance, rectoanal inhibitory reflex, or length of the anal high-pressure zone, while 24-h rectal manometry showed inhibition of the spontaneous rectal motility complexes after meal and on awakening in the only two patients undergoing this investigation. CONCLUSION: Although the mechanism of action of SMN is still unclear and requires further investigations, clinical results are very encouraging, confirming the role of this new and safe procedure in the treatment of FI and associated urinary disturbances.

Combined perineal and endorectal repair of rectocele by circular stapler: a novel surgical technique.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to present a new technique for treatment of disabling rectocele when associated with internal mucosal prolapse or hemorrhoids using a 33-mm circular stapler. METHODS: Eight female patients complaining of obstructed defecation because of distention rectocele associated with internal mucosal prolapse or hemorrhoids and perineal descent entered the study. The rectovaginal septum was opened by diathermy up to the end of the rectal wall weakness. The perineal wound and the anus were held open by a self-retractor. Using a transparent anoscope (PPH 01 system), 2 mucosal pursestrings were prepared 5 and 8 to 9 cm distant from the dentate line. Posteriorly, only the submucosa was included in the pursestring; anteriorly, it included the rectal wall, which was kept separate from the vaginal wall. A transanal 33-mm circular stapler was then used to close the rectocele and treat the mucosal prolapse. Before closing the perineum a levatorplasty was fashioned. RESULTS: One patient had a vaginal tear during dissection of the septum, which healed spontaneously in one month. No other complications were recorded. Postoperative defecography showed correction of the rectocele and the posterior rectal prolapse in all patients. In two of them, a small lateral diverticulum could be seen, although this was asymptomatic. After a median follow-up of 12 months, all had significantly improved defecation (chronic constipation score dropped from 14.3 to 5, P < 0.04). CONCLUSION: Combined perineal and endorectal stapler repair of rectocele may be a useful new surgical tool for correcting distention rectocele associated with mucosal prolapse or hemorrhoids and perineal descent in selected patients. A longer follow-up on a larger number of patients is needed to confirm these preliminary results.