Management of enteroatmospheric fistula: A ten-year experience following fifteen years of learning.

BACKGROUND: Enteroatmospheric fistulas are a serious complication of Open Abdomen. The goal of this study was to present the strategy and results of enteroatmospheric fistulas treatment during the last 10 years, after a long learning period. METHODS: Seventy-seven patients with enteroatmospheric fistulas were treated and the data recorded between 2012 and 2021. For local treatment, 3 negative pressure methods were used, according to the wound characteristics. The results of conservative and surgical treatments were retrospectively identified and described, including nutritional recovery, morbidity and mortality. Predictors of spontaneous closure, as well as risk factors for the fistula's recurrence and mortality were analyzed. RESULTS: Nutritional and clinical recovery was achieved in 66 patients (85.7%). Fourteen patients (18%) were healed without surgery after a median of 57 days (range 35-426 days). Unique lesions (13/46; P = .02, OR 10.23), initial output ≤700 mL/day (9/28; P = .0035, OR 3.79) and deep fistulas (9/12; P = .00001, OR 33.6) were encountered and acknowledged to be as spontaneous closure factors. Fifty-six patients (72.7%) required reconstructive surgery of the intestinal tract after a median of 187 days since last laparotomy (range: 63-455 days). There were 9 postoperative recurrences (16%), 5 of them closed with conservative treatment. No significant risk factors for recurrence nor postoperative mortality were found. Fistula complete closure was achieved in 63 of the 77 patients studied (81.8%), and 7 patients died (9%). CONCLUSION: The combination of 3 vacuum methods used for enteroatmospheric fistula management was effective. Spontaneous closure of an enteroatmospheric fistula is unlikely but feasible when lesions are single, deep, with limited output, and when intestinal continuity is preserved. Surgical indications are well defined, although mortality and recurrence rates are still high.

Systematic and Specific Treatment of Patients with Enteroatmospheric Fistulas: From Initial Conservative Treatment to Definitive Surgery.

INTRODUCTION: The open abdomen is a widespread therapeutic resource; however, it is also a source of complications, of which the enteroatmospheric fistulas (EAFs) pose one of the greatest problems. The objective of this study was to describe the implemented strategy for handling enteroatmospheric fistulas, and secondarily, to analyze the differential results based on a change in the conservative local treatment specifically designed for the stated complication. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From March 2002 to March 2014, patients treated for EAF were retrospectively analyzed. They were divided into 2 groups: Group 1 (G1: 2002 - 2007), treated with an occlusive vacuum device (SIVACO), similar to that used for other enterocutaneous fistulas, and Group 2 (G2: 2008 - 2014), covered in a specific modality for EAF. Results of conservative and surgical treatment were described and then the two groups were statistically compared. RESULTS: Study participants comprised 62 patients. Twelve cases (19.4%) healed with conservative treatment. This was statistically related with a baseline albumin level >3 g/dL, single lesions with no visible mucosa and baseline output <700 mL/d. In G1, the output fall was higher, while G2 required fewer wound dressing changes and enteral nutrition was feasible in a significantly higher number of patients. Forty-seven patients underwent reconstructive surgery. The mortality-associated variables were preoperative hypoalbuminemia and 2 or more anastomoses. Overall mortality was 8% (5 patients). In the multivariate model, only initial output (<700 mL/d) was an independent predictor for spontaneous closure, whereas 2 or more anastomoses and hypoalbuminemia were negative independent predictors. CONCLUSION: Systematic management of enteroatmospheric fistulas, following a rigorous protocol and a two-step specific treatment, resulted in a practical approach and yielded good results in healing and mortality.

Diagnóstico y tratamiento de la pancreatitis aguda en la Argentina. Resultados de un estudio prospectivo en 23 centros.

In Argentina there are no multicenter studies evaluating the management of patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) nationwide. OBJECTIVES: The main objective of this study is to know how the patients with AP are treated in Argentina. The secondary objective is to assess whether the results comply with the recommendation of the American College of Gastroenterology Guide. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty three center participated in the study. They include in a database hosted online consecutive patients with acute pancreatitis from june 2010 to june 2013. RESULTS: 854 patients entered the study. The average age was 46.6 years and 495 (58%) belonged to the female sex. The most common cause (88.2%) of AP was biliary. Some prognostic system was used in 99 % of patients and the most used was Ranson (74.5%). Were classified as mild 714 (83.6%) patients and severe 140 (16.4%). Systemic complications occurred in 43 patients and local complications in 21. 86 patients underwent dynamic CT scans and 73 patients had pancreatic and / or peripancreatic necrosis. Mortality was 1.5%. There was no difference in mortality in relation to the size, complexity or affiliation of the center. The comply of key recommendations of the American College of Gastroenterology Guide was over 80%. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis and treatment of patients with AP in 23 health centers located throughout the country was optimal. The management complied with most of the recommendations of the American College of Gastroenterology Guide.

Diagnóstico y tratamiento de la pancreatitis aguda en la Argentina. Resultados de un estudio prospectivo en 23 centros.

In Argentina there are no multicenter studies evaluating the management of patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) nationwide. OBJECTIVES: The main objective of this study is to know how the patients with AP are treated in Argentina. The secondary objective is to assess whether the results comply with the recommendation of the American College of Gastroenterology Guide. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty three center participated in the study. They include in a database hosted online consecutive patients with acute pancreatitis from june 2010 to june 2013. RESULTS: 854 patients entered the study. The average age was 46.6 years and 495 (58%) belonged to the female sex. The most common cause (88.2%) of AP was biliary. Some prognostic system was used in 99 % of patients and the most used was Ranson (74.5%). Were classified as mild 714 (83.6%) patients and severe 140 (16.4%). Systemic complications occurred in 43 patients and local complications in 21. 86 patients underwent dynamic CT scans and 73 patients had pancreatic and / or peripancreatic necrosis. Mortality was 1.5%. There was no difference in mortality in relation to the size, complexity or affiliation of the center. The comply of key recommendations of the American College of Gastroenterology Guide was over 80%. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis and treatment of patients with AP in 23 health centers located throughout the country was optimal. The management complied with most of the recommendations of the American College of Gastroenterology Guide.

Surgical management of liver hydatidosis: a multicentre series of 1412 patients.

BACKGROUND: The management of hydatid liver disease (HLD) includes various nonsurgical and surgical treatment options. METHODS: The purpose of the present longitudinal study was to report the changes in surgical management and the consequent outcome of HLD patients in 10 referral surgical centres in Argentina from 1975 to 2007. The study result analysis was divided into two study periods (1975-1990 and 1991-2007). RESULTS: A total of 1412 patients underwent radical (Group 1: 396 patients), conservative (Group 2: 748 patients) or combined (Group 3: 536 interventions in 268 patients) surgical procedures. The overall mortality and complication rate (Clavien I-IV) was 1.8 and 39% respectively. The complication rate was significantly lower in Group 1 (26%) compared with Group 2 (45%) and Group 3 (42%) There was a significant decrease in mortality (2.3 vs. 1%), complication (42 vs. 34%) and early reoperation (12 vs. 6%) rates between the first study part (918 patients) and the second study part (494 patients). During a median follow-up of 7 years, there was a significant decrease in the first part of this study in the late reoperation rate (8.4-3%) and in disease recurrence (9-1.6%). CONCLUSION: This large national observational multicentre series shows a significant improvement in surgical management of HLD in Argentina, with a decrease in mortality, morbidity, early and late reoperation and recurrence rates. A recent trend was observed in favour of an earlier diagnosis, less complicated clinical presentation and recent use of minimally invasive approaches.

[Liver evaluation with multidetector CT. Angiotomography, volume determination and virtual hepatectomy]. / Evaluación hepática con TC multidetector. Angiotomografía, determinación volumétrica y hepatectomia virtual.

AIM: to show a new technique of presurgical liver tumor evaluation using multidetector computed tomography (MDCT), determining the usefulness of an-giographic reconstructions, presurgical virtual hepatectomy and 3D liver volume determination, in correlation with surgery findings. METHODS: twenty patients with primary or secondary liver tumors were evaluated with MDCT and then operated on. Dual-phase CT was performed in all patients on a 4-row multidetector CT scanner (Mx8000; Philips Medical Systems) after mechanical injection of 120 ml of iodinated contrast medium. Scanning was performed using a detector configuration of 4 x 2.5 mm. Images were sent to a workstation and they were analysed with the surgeons. The 3D volumes of each lesion, of the total liver and of the segments to be resected were calculated. Vascular reconstructions and virtual hepatectomy were also performed. Correlation of the liver volume between MDCT and surgery was calculated using the Bland and Altman method. RESULTS: virtual liver segmentation allowed to perform the surgery in 100% of the patients in one time and there were no complications. The correlation coefficient was 0.83 (CI 95%: -132.08, 159.78). CONCLUSIONS: presurgical liver hepatectomy is a new application tool of MDCT The angiographic findings and the volume determination are useful to determine the surgical techniquefor each patient and this information allows the surgeons to know if the remnant liver will be enough for the patients to avoid a post-surgical liver insufficiency.

Evaluación hepática con TC multidetector. Angiotomografía, determinación volumétrica y hepatectomía virtual / Liver evaluation with multidetector CT. Angiotomography, volume determination and virtual hepatectomy

Objetivo: mostrar una nueva técnica de evaluación prequirúrgica del hígado utilizando tomografía computada multidetector (TCMD), determinando la utilidad de las reconstrucciones angiográficas, la volumetría hepática y la hepatectomía virtual, en correlación con los hallazgos quirúrgicos. Métodos: veinte pacientes con tumores hepáticos primarios o secundarios fueron evaluados con TCMD y luego operados. Las TC se efectuaron con técnica de doble fase (arterial y venosa) con un tomógrafo de 4 filas de detectores (Mx8000; Philips Medical Systems) luego de la inyección de 120ml de contraste endovenoso con una bomba inyectora. La adquisición se realizó con una colimación de 4x2.5mm. Las imágenes se evaluaron en conjunto con los cirujanos. Se calcularon los volúmenes hepáticos, se realizaron reconstrucciones vasculares y se efectuó la hepatectomía virtual. Se determinó la correlación del volumen de hígado a resecar establecido por la hepatectomía virtual y el de la pieza quirúrgica mediante el método de Bland y Altman. Resultados: la hepatectomía virtual permitió planificar y realizar en todos los pacientes la cirugía en un solo tiempo quirúrgico. No se produjeron complicaciones. El coeficiente de correlación fue 0.83 (IC 95%: -132.08- 159.78). Conclusiones: la hepatectomía virtual prequirúrgica es una nueva herramienta diagnóstica de la TCMD que, junto con las reconstrucciones vasculares, es útil para determinar la técnica quirúrgica a realizar en cada paciente y para estimar si el volumen hepático remanente será suficiente para evitar el desarrollo de una insuficiencia hepática post-quirúrgica. (AU)

Aim: to show a new technique of presurgical liver tumor evaluation using multidetector computed tomography (MDCT), determining the usefulness of angiographic reconstructions, presurgical virtual hepatectomy and 3D liver volume determination, in correlation with surgery findings. Methods: twenty patients with primary or secondary liver tumors were evaluated with MDCT and then operated on. Dualphase CT was performed in all patients on a 4-row multidetector CT scanner (Mx8000; Philips Medical Systems) after mechanical injection of 120ml of iodinated contrast medium. Scanning was performed using a detector configuration of 4x2.5mm. Images were sent to a workstation and they were analysed with the surgeons. The 3D volumes of each lesion, of the total liver and of the segments to be resected were calculated. Vascular reconstructions and virtual hepatectomy were also performed. Correlation of the liver volume between MDCT and surgery was calculated using the Bland and Altman method. Results: virtual liver segmentation allowed to perform the surgery in 100 % of the patients in one time and there were no complications. The correlation coefficient was 0.83 (CI 95%: -132.08, 159.78). Conclusions: presurgical liver hepatectomy is a new application tool of MDCT. The angiographic findings and the volume determination are useful to determine the surgical technique for each patient and this information allows the surgeons to know if the remnant liver will be enough for the patients to avoid a post-surgical liver insufficiency.(AU)

Evaluación hepática con TC multidetector. Angiotomografía, determinación volumétrica y hepatectomía virtual / Liver evaluation with multidetector CT. Angiotomography, volume determination and virtual hepatectomy

Objetivo: mostrar una nueva técnica de evaluación prequirúrgica del hígado utilizando tomografía computada multidetector (TCMD), determinando la utilidad de las reconstrucciones angiográficas, la volumetría hepática y la hepatectomía virtual, en correlación con los hallazgos quirúrgicos. Métodos: veinte pacientes con tumores hepáticos primarios o secundarios fueron evaluados con TCMD y luego operados. Las TC se efectuaron con técnica de doble fase (arterial y venosa) con un tomógrafo de 4 filas de detectores (Mx8000; Philips Medical Systems) luego de la inyección de 120ml de contraste endovenoso con una bomba inyectora. La adquisición se realizó con una colimación de 4x2.5mm. Las imágenes se evaluaron en conjunto con los cirujanos. Se calcularon los volúmenes hepáticos, se realizaron reconstrucciones vasculares y se efectuó la hepatectomía virtual. Se determinó la correlación del volumen de hígado a resecar establecido por la hepatectomía virtual y el de la pieza quirúrgica mediante el método de Bland y Altman. Resultados: la hepatectomía virtual permitió planificar y realizar en todos los pacientes la cirugía en un solo tiempo quirúrgico. No se produjeron complicaciones. El coeficiente de correlación fue 0.83 (IC 95%: -132.08- 159.78). Conclusiones: la hepatectomía virtual prequirúrgica es una nueva herramienta diagnóstica de la TCMD que, junto con las reconstrucciones vasculares, es útil para determinar la técnica quirúrgica a realizar en cada paciente y para estimar si el volumen hepático remanente será suficiente para evitar el desarrollo de una insuficiencia hepática post-quirúrgica.

Aim: to show a new technique of presurgical liver tumor evaluation using multidetector computed tomography (MDCT), determining the usefulness of angiographic reconstructions, presurgical virtual hepatectomy and 3D liver volume determination, in correlation with surgery findings. Methods: twenty patients with primary or secondary liver tumors were evaluated with MDCT and then operated on. Dualphase CT was performed in all patients on a 4-row multidetector CT scanner (Mx8000; Philips Medical Systems) after mechanical injection of 120ml of iodinated contrast medium. Scanning was performed using a detector configuration of 4x2.5mm. Images were sent to a workstation and they were analysed with the surgeons. The 3D volumes of each lesion, of the total liver and of the segments to be resected were calculated. Vascular reconstructions and virtual hepatectomy were also performed. Correlation of the liver volume between MDCT and surgery was calculated using the Bland and Altman method. Results: virtual liver segmentation allowed to perform the surgery in 100 % of the patients in one time and there were no complications. The correlation coefficient was 0.83 (CI 95%: -132.08, 159.78). Conclusions: presurgical liver hepatectomy is a new application tool of MDCT. The angiographic findings and the volume determination are useful to determine the surgical technique for each patient and this information allows the surgeons to know if the remnant liver will be enough for the patients to avoid a post-surgical liver insufficiency.

Lesiones quirúrgicas de la vía biliar / Surgical lesions of the biliary tract

Se presentan 16 casos de lesiones quirúrgicas de la vía biliar, II de los cuales se produjeron durante colecistectomías simples. Hubo un franco precominio del sexo femenino (11 casos) con una edad promedio de 43 años. Entre las causas principales figuraron las hemorragias del ligamento hepatoduodenal que se intentan cohibir pinzando a ciegas la tracción exagerada de la vesícula, variaciones anatómicas y procesos inflamatorios que incluyen la vía biliar. El diagnóstico puede ser intraoperatorio por visualización o colangiografía, pero los métodos de certeza son la ecografía biliar y la colangiografía retrógrada o transparietohepática que permiten conocer la topografía y el grado completo o incompleto de la lesión. El tratamiento fue inmediato, durante el acto operatorio en 2 pacientes y diferido en los restantes. En éstos se realizaron 6 hepaticoyeyunoanastomosis, 5 Couinaud-Hepp, 1 hepaticoduodenoanastomosis, 1 coledocoduodenoanastomosis, 1 plástica transversal del colédoco a lo Heinecke-Mikulicz. La evolución fue favorable sin recurrencia de estenosis ni evidencias de cuadros obstructivos (AU)

Lesiones quirúrgicas de la vía biliar / Surgical lesions of the biliary tract

Se presentan 16 casos de lesiones quirúrgicas de la vía biliar, II de los cuales se produjeron durante colecistectomías simples. Hubo un franco precominio del sexo femenino (11 casos) con una edad promedio de 43 años. Entre las causas principales figuraron las hemorragias del ligamento hepatoduodenal que se intentan cohibir pinzando a ciegas la tracción exagerada de la vesícula, variaciones anatómicas y procesos inflamatorios que incluyen la vía biliar. El diagnóstico puede ser intraoperatorio por visualización o colangiografía, pero los métodos de certeza son la ecografía biliar y la colangiografía retrógrada o transparietohepática que permiten conocer la topografía y el grado completo o incompleto de la lesión. El tratamiento fue inmediato, durante el acto operatorio en 2 pacientes y diferido en los restantes. En éstos se realizaron 6 hepaticoyeyunoanastomosis, 5 Couinaud-Hepp, 1 hepaticoduodenoanastomosis, 1 coledocoduodenoanastomosis, 1 plástica transversal del colédoco a lo Heinecke-Mikulicz. La evolución fue favorable sin recurrencia de estenosis ni evidencias de cuadros obstructivos

Ecografia intraoperatoria en los tumores hepáticos / Intraoperative ecography in hepatic tumors

Luego de una introducción donde se hace una breve reseña, histórica, se presentan 3 casos en los que se realizó ecografía intraoperatoria en la División Cirugía General del Hospital Pirovano. Se hace referencia a la metodología exploratoria durante la realización de la ecografía peroperatoria, y a la experiencia de autores extrajeros que avalan el trabajo. Concluyendo que el método es sumamente apto para el diagnóstico de pequeños tumores intrahepáticos no diagnósticados preoperatoriamente por otros estudios por imágenes y no palpables ni visibles en el acto quirúrgico (AU)

Ecografia intraoperatoria en los tumores hepáticos / Intraoperative ecography in hepatic tumors

Luego de una introducción donde se hace una breve reseña, histórica, se presentan 3 casos en los que se realizó ecografía intraoperatoria en la División Cirugía General del Hospital Pirovano. Se hace referencia a la metodología exploratoria durante la realización de la ecografía peroperatoria, y a la experiencia de autores extrajeros que avalan el trabajo. Concluyendo que el método es sumamente apto para el diagnóstico de pequeños tumores intrahepáticos no diagnósticados preoperatoriamente por otros estudios por imágenes y no palpables ni visibles en el acto quirúrgico

Operación de Puestow: consideraciones clínicas y técnicas / Puestows operation: clinical and technical considerations

Se presentan 11 casos de pacientes portadores de pancreatitis crónica, a quienes se les practicó la operación de Puestow. Hacemos referencia a la sintomatología, las alteraciones anatomopatológicas, y a los distintos métodos diagnósticos, haciendo especial hincapié en la indicación precisa para llevar a cabo esta operación y todos los detalles de su ténica quirúrgica (AU)