Choledochal cyst in pregnancy.

INTRODUCTION: Biliary diseases during pregnancy are not uncommon and are frequently due to cholelithiasis. Choledochal cyst during pregnancy is rare. The management of biliary pathologies during pregnancy poses a challenge as the window of opportunity to carry out any interventions with minimal risk is small. CASE REPORT: We report the case of a lady who was diagnosed with a large type I choledochal cyst during the second trimester of pregnancy. Due to increasing symptoms and recurrent cholangitis, she was managed with antibiotics and surgical resection. She remained well and delivered a healthy baby boy. CONCLUSION: Clinicians need to consider choledochal cyst as a differential in pregnant patients presenting with upper abdominal fullness.

Development of the RIPASA score: a new appendicitis scoring system for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis.

INTRODUCTION: Acute appendicitis is one of the most common surgical emergencies. The Alvarado and modified Alvarado scores have been developed to aid diagnosis, but both scoring systems have poor sensitivity and specificity when applied in Middle Eastern and Asian populations. The aim of this study was to develop a new scoring system that is suitable for the local population. METHODS: Clinical data from 312 patients who had undergone an emergency appendicectomy was retrospectively collected and used to generate 15 parameters. The probability was calculated and a score of 0.5, 1.0 or 2.0 was allocated to each parameter. The receiver operating curve (ROC), sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of the new scoring system were derived using the StatsDirect statistical software. RESULTS: The 15 parameters and the scores generated were age (less than 40 years is 1 point; greater than 40 years is 0.5 point), gender (male is 1 point; female is 0.5 point), right iliac fossa (RIF) pain (0.5 point), migration of pain to RIF (0.5 point), nausea and vomiting (1 point), anorexia (1 point), duration of symptoms (less than 48 hours is 1 point; more than 48 hours is 0.5 point), RIF tenderness (1 point), guarding (2 points), rebound tenderness (1 point), Rovsing's sign (2 points), fever (1 point), raised white cell count (1 point), negative urinalysis (1 point) and foreign national registration identity card (1 point). The optimal cut-off threshold score from the ROC was 7.5, with a sensitivity of 88 percent, a specificity of 67 percent, a PPV of 93 percent and an NPV of 53 percent. The negative appendicectomy rate decreased significantly from 16.3 percent to 6.9 percent, which was a 9.4 percent reduction (p is 0.0007). CONCLUSION: The new appendicitis scoring system looked promising when applied to our settings, and had a better sensitivity and specificity than the Alvarado score when applied to Asian populations. A significant reduction in the negative appendicectomy rate was also predicted. A prospective evaluation of this new appendicitis scoring system, referred to as the RIPASA score, is ongoing.

Laparoscopic omental patch repair for perforated duodenal ulcer.

A retrospective review was carried out on 33 consecutive patients with omental patch repair for perforated duodenal ulcer; 13 had laparoscopic repair, and 20 had open repair. Laparoscopic repair was successful in 12 patients, with only one postoperative complication (8%). The morbidity rate for open repair was 15 per cent (3 of 20), and there was one postoperative death in the open group (5%). Overall, it did not take longer to perform the operation laparoscopically than the open method. Patients in the laparoscopic group required less postoperative analgesia (mean doses, 0.2 vs 0.9; P = 0.02). There was no difference in terms of hospital stay and resumption of diet after operation between the two groups. Laparoscopic omental patch repair offers a safe alternative to the open method in the treatment of perforated duodenal ulcer.

A prospective review of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in Brunei.

Brunei has a small population and a unique medical setup: The number of laparoscopic cholecystectomies (LCs) performed in our institution represents the total number of cases performed in this country. A prospective analysis of all the LCs performed in Brunei is presented. All 220 LCs performed between February 1, 1992, and November 30, 1996, were prospectively recorded on a detailed protocol. Analyses were made with respect to preoperative patient demography, intraoperative complications, and postoperative morbidity and mortality. Symptomatic gallstone disease was found to be common among the ethnic Nepalese population. In this series, nine patients required conversion to open surgery (4%). Acute cholecystitis comprised 21% of cases, and the mean operating time was longer in these cases (144.1 min) than in elective cases (101.2 min; P = 0.002). The overall morbidity was 5% with one ductal injury (0.5%). The mortality rate in this series was 0.5%. Our results of LC are favorable and comparable with those of published series. We conclude that LC has been successfully introduced into our institution. This study also represents an unofficial audit of the state of development of LC in Brunei.

PIP: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy for the treatment of gallstone disease has the advantages of a shorter postoperative stay, more rapid overall recovery time, and better cosmesis compared to open cholecystectomy. To assess the state of development of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in Brunei, a prospective review of all 220 such procedures performed at the RIPAS Hospital in Bandar Seri Begawan in 1992-96 was conducted. These cases represent the total number of procedures performed in Brunei to date. The standard four-portal technique was used with an open Hasson trocar placed at the umbilicus. 81 patients (37%) were male and 139 (63%) were female; the mean age of patients was 46 years. Indications for the procedure included biliary colic (130 cases), acute cholecystitis (47 cases), and obstructive jaundice caused by gallstones (26). The mean operating time was 109 minutes. 9 patients (4%) required conversion to open surgery. The overall morbidity rate was 5%, with one ductal injury (0.5%). Gallbladder perforation with leakage of bile and/or gallstones occurred in 17% of cases. There was 1 death in this series (0.5% mortality), involving an 87-year-old woman with postoperative bronchopneumonia. 57% of patients did not require any form of analgesia in the postoperative period. The mean hospital stay was 3 days.

Temporary loop ileostomy.

A refinement of the technique for constructing the temporary loop ileostomy using a subcutaneous absorbable bridge is described. This leaves the skin surface uncluttered and allows immediate fitting of a watertight appliance. Clinical experience in 22 patients confirms that this is a safe, simple defunctioning stoma with few complications and in our practice has also replaced the loop colostomy as the covering stoma for difficult colorectal anastomoses.