[Hartmann's procedure. Institutional experience with 92 consecutive cases]. / Operación de Hartmann. Experiencia institucional de 92 casos consecutivos.

BACKGROUND: Since it's description in 1923, Hartmann's procedure is widely used for the surgical treatment of acute left colonic complications when preoperative bowel lavage is not feasible and/or there is high risk of anastomotic dehiscence. OBJECTIVE: Analyze the results of Hartmann's operation in the surgical treatment of consecutive patients at a single institution during a 30-month interval. TYPE OF STUDY: Prospective, non-randomized and longitudinal study. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients treated with the Hartmann procedure between March 1995 and September 1998. Surgical indication, intraoperative findings, morbidity and mortality were analyzed as well as the rate of reestablishment of bowel continuity and it's morbimortality. RESULTS: Ninety-two patients underwent a Hartmann procedure. The mean patient's age was 60 +/- 25 years (range of 21 to 88 years) and 60% were older than 65 years. An emergency operation was carried out in 91% of the cases. Most of the patients had intra-abdominal sepsis (56%) and benign colonic process (83%). The morbidity rate was 34% and mortality rate 19. During follow-up the bowel continuity was reestablished in 32% of the cases without fatalities. CONCLUSIONS: Hartmann's procedure is a good option for non-elective surgical treatment complicated rectosigmoid pathology. The morbidity and mortality of the operation are highly dependent on the degree of preoperative sepsis and the patient's preexisting condition. The rate of reestablishment of bowel continuity was low probably because of short follow-up.

[Comparative study of soft diet or clear liquids in the resumption of oral intake in the postoperative period]. / Análisis comparativo entre reinstalar la vía oral en el postoperatorio con dieta blanda o líquidos claros.

BACKGROUND: The reinstitution of oral intake in patients who have undergone intraabdominal surgery has traditionally progressed in a stepwise fashion beginning with clear liquids, liquid diet and after an adequate tolerance regular diet. OBJECTIVE: To determine if the reinstitution of oral intake after major abdominal surgery with regular diet offers benefits into which it's not harmful for patients and reduce the in-hospital stay. TYPE OF STUDY: Prospective, randomized, open study conducted between October 1996 to May 1997. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients aged 18 and older submitted to elective or urgent surgery of the abdomen and pelvis were included with the exception of: bariatric surgery, esophageal resection, pyloroplasty, pancreato-duodenal resection, laparoscopic surgery and patients under ventilatory support or with enteral or parenteral nutrition. As soon as postoperative ileus disappeared patients were randomly assigned to receive regular diet (group 1) or clear liquids (group 2) as the first oral intake. Oral diet tolerance was evaluated as well as the caloric and protein intake, the in-hospital stay and the cost. RESULTS AND MEASUREMENTS: Group 1 was conformed by 63 patients, and group 2 for 69 patients. There was no difference between, sex, age, kind of surgery (elective or emergency) and the type of pathology. 96.6% of patients in group 1 tolerated regular diet and 96.9% of patients in group 2 tolerated clear liquids. Only two patients of each group required oral intake suspension. The in-hospital stay was 2.6 +/- 2.0 days in group 1 against 3.4 +/- 2.6 in group 2 (P = < 0.005), the cost of the in-hospital stay period after the beginning of oral intake was 2726 +/- 2107 pesos in group 1 against 3547 +/- 2690 in group 2 (P = < 0.005), the caloric and protein intake were 1307 +/- 523 Kcals with 55.9 +/- 23.2 grams of proteins in group 1 and 651 +/- 204 Kcals and 0 grams of proteins in group 2 (P = < 0.00001). CONCLUSIONS: No difference was found in adverse reactions with the use of regular diet as the first meal. The in-hospital stay and the cost were reduced significantly and the calories and grams of proteins are higher in group 1. These results suggest that the routine use of clear liquids as the initial postoperative diet may be unnecessary and nutritionally suboptimal when compared with regular diet.

[Measured versus estimated energy expenditure at rest in critically ill patients]. / El gasto energético en reposo, medido contra estimado, en pacientes críticamente enfermos.

UNLABELLED: Differences between the indirect calorimetry (Ic) and Harris-Benedict method (HBM) to assess the caloric demand in critically ill patients were determined using a manual procedure to measure Ic. Forty patients were evaluated by both methods. Activity and lesion factors were included for HBM regarding each case. Ic was based on gas analysis (O2 and CO2) of an expired/inspired sample by means of Weir equation and Lusk tables. The comparison between Ic and HBM alone did not show differences. Results showed statistically significant differences when Ic and HBM plus activity and lesion factors were compared. Ic showed higher confidence and precision in critically ill patients (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001. Student's t test). CONCLUSIONS: The HBM failed to show an appropriate correlation in these patients as other published data. The procedure manual in Ic has value and can be use in second level hospitals.

[Morbidity, mortality, and total parenteral nutrition in esophageal and gastric surgery for benign pathology]. / Morbimortalidad y nutrición parenteral total en cirugía esofágica y gástrica por patología benigna.

We performed a retrospective study in patients undergoing mayor elective surgery of the upper gastrointestinal tract for benign disease receiving perioperative total parenteral nutrition (TPN). We analyzed the clinical charts from patients admitted to the Hospital de Especialidades del Centro Médico de Occidente for this purpose from January 1983 to March 1987, selecting those who had clinical or laboratory criteria of severe malnutrition. They were divided in two groups depending on whether TPN was being indicated as preoperative preparation and continued through the postoperative period (GE = 32 patients), or initiated after surgery (GC = 13 patients). The results show statistical differences in morbidity (GC = 100%, GE = 27%), mortality (GC = 30%, GE = none), need of reoperation (GC = 30%, GE = none) and costs (higher in GE). Complications related to TPN in GC were 23% and 15% in GE, and there were no deaths related on either group. Based on our results, we consider the need of a good selection of candidates to receive preoperative and postoperative TPN when undergoing major elective surgery, which should be continued until they are able to cover their nutritional requirements by oral or enteral route. This applies whenever there is sufficient clinical and laboratory data of severe malnutrition.

[Surgical revision and correction of choledochal cysts]. / Revisión y corrección quirúrgica de quistes del colédoco.

Choledochal cyst are a rare congenital abnormality, seldom treated by the General Surgeon. We report six cases of re-operation found on a eighth year period. Six cysts type I, and one type II (Todani's Classification) were found. On five of them, an internal derivation had been performed, in one patient only a celiotomy was performed, and in another one a colecistectomy. Complete resection of the cyst was performed in six cases. In one female patient, this was impossible, because a carcinoma was found, she died postoperatively. We recommend external bile duct drainage for those cases where a complete resection can not be performed. This option alleviates the symptoms, allows morphological studies and do not compromise the final procedure which must be the complete excision of the cyst.

[Post-traumatic diaphragmatic rupture. Report of 20 cases]. / Ruptura diafragmática post-traumática. Reporte de 20 casos.

From 1977 to 1987, 20 patients (18 men and 2 women) with left post-traumatic diaphragmatic rupture, were managed by the General Surgery Service of the Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico de Occidente, IMSS; 13 as urgencies (65%) and 7 as elective procedures (35%). Hernia was due to closed trauma in 80% of the cases. Predominant symptoms were chest pain (85%) and dyspnea (50%). The Stomach was the herniated viscus in 16 instances. CXR showed suggestive data in 95% of the cases. Primary closure was achieved in 95% of the cases, in 8 patients thoraco-abdominal aproach was necessary. There were 50% morbidity (35% athelectasis, 30% wound sepsis) and 10% mortality rates.

[Complications of the surgical treatment of reflux esophagitis]. / Complicaciones en el tratamiento quirúrgico de la esofagitis por reflujo.

The complications presented by 36 patients submitted to anti-reflux procedures that were treated in our Hospital in a 10 year period, from September 1978 to May 1988, are analyzed. The patients were divided in 2 groups depending on the initial treatment being performed inside or outside our Hospital. The indication for the initial operation was reflux esophagitis in all patients, 4 or whom, had developed a shortened esophagus with stenosis. The selected procedures were of several types with a clear predilection for the Nissen type fundoplication with its variants. Different kinds of complications were observed; mortality was associated with gastric or esophageal leak, with a fatal outcome in 11 patients, another one died of postoperative pancreatitis and abdominal sepsis (33.3 percent mortality rate).

Endometriosis apendicular. Informe de un caso. / Apendicceal endometriosis.Report of a case

La endometriosis apendicular tiene una frecuencia menor de 1 por ciento de las endometriosis pelvicas. Su diagnostico en la mayor parte de las ocasiones es incidental. Se informa un caso de endometriosis apendicular en una mujer en la cuarta decada de la vida, con antecedentes de esterilidad primaria, que ingreso con cuadro doloroso abdominal en cuadrante inferior derecho sin otros datos clinicos, radiologicos e do laboratorio que sugirieran el diagnostico. Se intervino con diagnostico preoperatorio de apendicitis aguda y se el realizo apendicectomia. El estudio histopatologico demostro focos endometrioides en la serosa apendicular sin datos de apendicitis aguda. La endometriosis debe considerarse entre las posibilidades diagnosticas en mujeres con cuadros "apendiculares" en los dias premenstruales y menstruales