Transumbilical multiple-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy using standard laparoscopic instruments.

INTRODUCTION: As a complement to standard laparoscopy, single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILS) is gaining popularity. We report our technique and our initial experience with transumbilical multi-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy (TUMP-LC) without an access device, with standard laparoscopic instruments, and report the clinical outcomes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-five (23 F: 2 M) consecutive patients with symptomatic cholelithiasis were included. The surgical outcomes such as length of stay, complications and perioperative morbidity were analyzed. For evaluation of surgical stress preoperative and postoperative C-reactive protein (CRP) values at 6 h and 24 h were measured. Postoperative pain was evaluated using a standard 10-point visual analogue scale (VAS). RESULTS: The mean duration of the surgery was 44.56 minutes (range, 18-110). Additional trocars were needed in two (8%) cases. Mean pain scores post-operatively at 4 h, 12 h and 24 h were 4 ± 1.19, 3.64 ± 1.03 and 2.24 ± 0.96, respectively (p < 0.0001). Plasma CRP values increased at 6 h and started to decrease at 24 h (p < 0.0001). None of the cases were converted to open surgery and no major complications occurred. DISCUSSION: TUMP-LC using standard laparoscopic instrumentation without an access device is an effective alternative to standard four-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Our technique maintains the principles of the conventional procedure and the instrumentation, but also improves the access.

Outcomes of emergency surgical treatment in malignant bowel obstructions.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Malignant bowel obstructions are still a challenging problem for surgeons and carry high morbidity and mortality risk. The aim of this study was to review the presentation and outcomes of malignant bowel obstructions and to identify the risk factors related with poor prognosis. METHODOLOGY: One hundred and twenty-five patients underwent emergency surgical treatment for malignant obstructions between January 1997 and January 2002. Data included age, sex, past medical history, presenting symptoms; physical findings on admission, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class, operative details, postoperative complications, length of hospitalization and hospital mortality were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Seventy-three (58%) of the patients have poor performance status on admission. Potentially curative resection was performed in 74 (60%) patients. Surgical treatment was palliative in 43 (34%) patients. Extended bowel resections were utilized in 20 (16%) patients. Our hospital mortality rate was 21%, and postoperative morbidity rate was 31%. Coexisting cardiopulmonary diseases, presence of generalized perforation, poor general condition and extended bowel resections appeared to be related with unfavorable outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Emergency surgical treatment for malignant obstruction may be curative in selected patients with good performance status.

Does serum hexosaminidase activity play a role in the diagnosis of strangulated bowel obstruction? An experimental study.

Strangulation is associated with an increased risk of mortality and morbidity in patients with mechanical bowel obstruction. The accurate and early recognition of the presence of strangulation is important to allow safe nonoperative treatment. A number of studies have shown that there was no single and reliable test to detect or exclude the presence of strangulation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of serum hexosaminidase (Hex) levels in recognition of strangulation in an experimental model of closed loop small bowel obstruction. Forty-two Wistar albino rats were divided into four groups: I, control (n = 5); II, sham laparotomy (n = 5); III, simple obstruction (n = 16); and IV, strangulation groups (n = 16). Activity levels of total Hex and its fractions (Hex A and B) were assayed in serum samples obtained from rats after 3 and 8 hr. Samples of small bowel were also evaluated histologically. Histological evaluation of bowel sections obtained from the strangulation group after 8 hr, revealed transmural hemorrhagic infarction in all animals with a mean +/- SD total Hex activity of 978.25 +/- 150 nmol/hr/ml, which was significantly higher than that in the other groups (P < 0.001). Although sections of bowel from the strangulation group after 3 hr showed severe ischemic injury, the activities of total Hex, Hex A, and Hex B were not different from those of the control, sham, and simple obstruction groups. Histological examination of these groups did not show any sign of ischemia. Total Hex, Hex A, and Hex B activities in the strangulation group were all significantly greater than the activities seen in the simple obstruction group (P < 0.001, for all). In conclusion, increased serum hex levels indicate irreversible transmural infarction only in the late period of strangulation in the closed loop small bowel obstruction model. It seems unuseful for detecting reversible and/or irreversible ischemia in the early period of strangulation.

De novo breast cancer in patients with liver transplantation: University of Pittsburgh's experience and review of the literature.

De novo malignancies are one of the current problems in patients with organ transplantation. The incidence has been considered to be higher as a result of increases of oncogenic viruses in immunosuppressed organ recipients. Published reports have shown increased incidence of de novo tumors such as malignant lymphomas and cutaneous neoplasms but decreased incidence of breast cancer. A variety of factors affect de novo breast cancer development in organ recipients, including immunosuppression, viruses, and underlying disease. The aims of this review are to evaluate the incidence and management of patients with de novo breast cancer by giving the University of Pittsburgh's data, and to evaluate the incidence of de novo breast cancer in published reports in light of an age-adjusted rate. According to age-adjusted rates presented by the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results data, we found increased incidence rate of de novo breast cancer in the previously published series. The University of Pittsburgh's incidence rate of de novo breast cancer was determined in a fashion similar to that for the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results data. Eighty-three percent of all patients were diagnosed at early stages, and it appeared to take longer for de novo breast cancer to develop in patients treated with tacrolimus than in patients treated with cyclosporine. In conclusion, surgical treatment of breast cancer in liver recipients is the same as treatment of breast cancer in patients without transplantation. However, the effects of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and/or tamoxifen remain unclear in transplanted patients and need to be evaluated in larger studies.

Urological findings in inguinal hernias: a case report and review of the literature.

We report on a rare case of massive incarcerated inguinoscrotal bladder herniation in a direct hernia and present the review of the literature on urological findings in relation to the inguinal hernial sac. The English-based literature was searched using the words inguinal hernia, bladder, ureter, diverticule, and incarceration and discussed in relation to the present case. We found 190 cases of inguinal hernia associated with urological findings, such as herniation of the bladder, ureter, and diverticulum. We also found that 11.2% of these hernias were associated with urological malignancies and 23.5% of these were associated with a variety of complications. The high-risk patients, who are males, obese, older than 50 years and who have symptoms that indicate urological pathologies to a physician, are more likely to be in the high-risk group for bladder herniation.

An unusual presentation of metastatic gastric cancer found during inguinal hernia repair: case report and review of the literature.

Inguinal hernia and intra-abdominal malignancies can coexist, and rarely the hernial sac provides the first evidence of primary or metastatic cancer. Tumors in the hernial sac occur in fewer than 0.5% of all surgically excised sacs. We report a case of metastatic gastric cancer in the inguinal hernial sac confirmed by histopathological examination. Postoperative investigations revealed an adenocarcinoma in gastric corpus. The case is discussed based on the English-language literature.

Primary hydatid cyst of the pancreas related to main pancreatic duct. A case report.

A case of primary hydatid cyst of the pancreas related to the main pancreatic duct is presented. Abdominal ultrasound and computed tomography revealed a cyst at the tail of the pancreas. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography showed dilatation of the distal part of the pancreatic duct related to the cystic cavity. While the diagnosis of the pancreatic pseudocyst was established preoperatively, the hydatid cyst was demonstrated at laparotomy and then the final decision of cystogastrostomy was employed. Following the uneventful postoperative period, the patient was discharged on the 8th postoperative day.