Liposome bupivacaine for postsurgical pain in an obese woman with chronic pain undergoing laparoscopic gastrectomy: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: To reduce incidence and severity of postsurgical pain and minimize the effect of its clinical and economic correlates, multimodal therapy for surgical patients is recommended. In this report, we discuss the use of liposome bupivacaine, a novel multivesicular formulation of bupivacaine indicated for single-dose infiltration into the surgical site to produce postsurgical analgesia, as part of a multimodal analgesic regimen in a patient with a history of chronic pain scheduled to undergo laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first published report of liposome bupivacaine in the setting of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. CASE PRESENTATION: A 35-year-old white woman with morbid obesity was admitted for laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy to lose weight prior to hip replacement surgery. Because of a complicated medical history that included rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and chronic pain, for which she was receiving high doses of opioid analgesics, postsurgical pain management was a concern and she was considered a candidate for multimodal analgesia. At initiation of surgery, 50mL of lidocaine and epinephrine was infiltrated around the port sites. At the conclusion, 25mL of normal sterile saline was added to a 20mL vial of liposome bupivacaine (266mg) and injected around the port sites and at the site of liver retraction. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy was successfully completed. Our patient was discharged to the postanesthesia care unit for approximately four hours before discharge to the surgical floor with a pain score of 5 (11-point scale; 0 = no pain, 10 = worst possible pain). Her postoperative course was uneventful; no adverse events were recorded during surgery or during the remainder of her hospital stay. Our patient was discharged on the same opioid regimen used previously for control of her preexisting chronic pain. CONCLUSIONS: Liposome bupivacaine use in this morbidly obese patient undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy provided analgesic efficacy and limited postsurgical opioids to a level comparable with her baseline opioid regimen for chronic pain. Given her complex medical history and previous issues with acute and chronic pain, we consider these results highly successful and continue to use liposome bupivacaine as part of a multimodal analgesic regimen in an effort to optimize postsurgical pain management.

Safe techniques for endoscopic resection of gastrointestinal lipomas.

PURPOSE: Gastrointestinal (GI) lipomas are rare, benign, slowly growing, submucosal tumors, which can either be incidentally found as silent tumors of the GI tract or be the cause for GI bleeding, anemia, intussusception, and bowel obstruction. Endoscopic removal is a valid alternative to surgical resection of these tumors. In the recent past, many submucosal lipomas were for the most part resected surgically due to the risk of perforation using endoscopy. There are newer techniques available to allow safe endoscopic removal of these lesions. We present 3 successful techniques tailored to the location of the lipoma and size. METHODS: In our unit, 3 symptomatic GI lipomas were referred to us for surgical resection, 2 originating from the duodenum and 1 from the cecum were diagnosed and resected under endoscopic ultrasound and endoscopy. We performed 3 different techniques to remove these lipomas. One of the lipomas in the duodenum was in the duodenal bulb. It was mobile and 3 cm in size. We attempted to remove this broad-based lipoma by snare and cut technique after its borders were elevated with injection of saline and epinephrine. The second duodenal lipoma was 1.5 cm. This pedunculated lipoma was located in the second portion, on the pancreatic side of the duodenum proximal to ampulla. This lipoma was lifted up with a snare and its base was cauterized resulting in successful removal. The third GI lipoma was 3.5 cm in size pedunculated and located in the cecum. The base of this pedunculated lipoma was ligated with poly loop device and endoclip resulting in ischemia and spontaneous separation of the lipoma from the colonic wall. All cases were revisited with follow-up endoscopy. All 3 methods, when used selectively, were found to be very safe and effective. RESULTS: All 3 lesions were successfully removed and histopathologically confirmed to be lipomas. After endoscopic removal, no complications were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Carefully selected GI lipomas, which in the past have required surgical resection due to high risk for perforation can be endoscopically removed with great success.

Laparoscopic transgastric endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) after gastric bypass: case series and a description of technique.

BACKGROUND: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass excludes the biliary and pancreatic tree from traditional endoscopic evaluation and treatment. As the number of former bypass patients accrues, the need to assess and treat this subset of patients for biliary and pancreatic disease will increase. The authors describe their technique, indications, and outcomes for this group of patients. METHODS: Data were collected by a retrospective chart review of the experience two surgeons had with laparoscopically assisted transgastric endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) from July 2004 to October 2008 at a single institution. This review identified 22 cases. The operating surgeon performed the entire procedure. The indications were suspected sphincter of Oddi dysfunction in 18 patients and recurrent pancreatitis in four patients. Adhesions were lysed, and a purse-string suture was placed on the anterior portion of the stomach. A gastrotomy was made with monopolar electrocautery, and a 12 mm trocar was inserted. It was secured with a purse-string suture. A side-viewing duodenoscope was inserted through this port. An intestinal clamp was placed on the biliopancreatic limb. The intended interventions were sphincter of Oddi manometry, sphincterotomy, placement of a pancreatic duct stent, and injection of botulinum toxin if indicated. RESULTS: Laparoscopic access to the remnant stomach was sufficient for ERCP in 21 cases. One patient required conversion to an open procedure. A total of 12 patients had undergone prior open upper abdominal surgery. One retroperitoneal perforation was noted, with precut sphincterotomy and cannulation of the minor duodenal papilla and no clinical repercussions. Manometry was performed for 18 patients. The pancreatic duct cannulation rate for manometry was 89%, and the rate of bile duct cannulation for manometry was 94%. The manometry studies for 12 patients yielded abnormal results. Eight patients had transient improvement, and three patients had long-term improvement or resolution of symptoms after the index procedure. With additional treatment, two of the transient responders had long-term resolution of symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The findings demonstrate that gastric bypass patients with biliary pain can be successfully evaluated endoscopically by laparoscopic transgastric ERCP for sphincter of Oddi dysfunction. The rate for technical success and complications does not appear to be significantly greater than for standard ERCP. A few helpful techniques were noted during this experience. Comparison of efficacy with that of a prior study was limited.