Laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal approach to place a polypropylene mesh on the abdominal wall: an experimental swine model of a technique that can be used for incisional hernia repair.

BACKGROUND: The placement of intraabdominal polypropylene mesh entails risks of adhesions and fistulas that can be avoided by preperitoneal placement. METHODS: This comparative, open, experimental, prospective, randomized, and transversal study randomized pigs into two groups of 11 each for intraperitoneal (IPOM) or preperitoneal (TAPP) polypropylene mesh placement by laparoscopy. Diagnostic laparoscopy and tissue en-bloc resection was performed 28 days postoperatively for histopathologic analysis. RESULTS: The following data were observed for the two study groups: surgical time (IPOM: 35.73 +/- 4.22 min; TAPP: 58.09 +/- 6.28 min; p = or < 0.0001); adhesions (IPOM: 81.81%; TAPP: 27.27%; p = 0.032), grade III for IPOM and grade II for TAPP (p = 0.001); and interloop adhesions (IPOM: 81.81%; TAPP: 9.09%; p = 0.003). No fistulas were found in either group. The TAPP procedure showed better integration of mesh, without lesion to abdominal organs. Two complications, occurred with IPOM, and one with TAPP (p = 1.0, not significant). CONCLUSIONS: The perperitoneal technique requires more time, but has fewer adhesions and less intraabdominal inflammatory response. It is a feasible technique that may diminish risks in the laparoscopic treatment of incisional hernias with polypropylene mesh.

[Long-term usefulness and late complications of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy]. / Utilidad a largo plazo y complicaciones tardías de la gastrostomía endoscópica percutánea.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the usefulness of endoscopic gastrostomy and long-term complications. BACKGROUND DATA: Endoscopic gastrostomy is well established as the procedure of choice for long-term feeding, given the low morbidity-mortality and ease of placement. METHOD: We evaluated retrospectively one hundred endoscopically placed gastrostomy feeding tubes and complications occurring more than 30 days after placement were recorded. RESULTS: Gastrostomy feeding tubes remained in place for a mean of 92 days (range 30-547 days). Fifteen percent developed evident gastroesophageal reflux, two patients developed aspiration pneumonia and one presented with infection at the site of gastrostomy. Our long-term complications rate thus was 3.0% and 0% mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Our experience suggests that endoscopic gastrostomy is a relatively simple procedure, associated with very low morbidity and mortality. It is the procedure of choice in patients requiring long-term enteral nutrition.

Neoplasias del aparato digestivo. Revision de 70,055 casos de material quirurgico y necropsias. / Digestive system neoplasms.Review of 70,055 cases of surgical specimens and necropsies

El cancer del aparato digestivo es una causa frecuente de mortalidad, sin embargo su prevalencia en nuestro medio se desconece. En este trabajo se informan los resultados obtenidos en un analisis retrospectivo de 70,055 estudios histopatologicos; 61,533 correspondieron a material quirurgico-biopsia o pieza operatoria - de cinco anos (1975-1980), de ellos 673 (1.09%) presentaban proceso neoplasico maligno del aparato digestivo; los restantes 8, 522 correspondieron o protocolos de necropsia de 20 anos (1960-1980) en los que 352 (4.13%) presentaban igual patologia.Tanto en piezas operatorias como en necropsias la variedad histologica mas frecuente fue el carcinoma 82.6% y 92.8% respectivamente, seguida del linfoma. Por lo que hace a la localizacion del proceso los resultados varian igualmente segun el material motivo de estudio; en piezas operatorias los carcinomas mas frecuentes fueron: estomago (37.95%), vesicula y vias biliares (24.29%), colon (19.25%); mientras que al estudiar el material de necropsias la frecuencia fue: vesiculas y vias biliares (35.47%) pancreas (22.62%) y estomago (18.45%).Se senalan aspectos epidemiologicos, clinicos y terapeuticos de las neoplasias mas frecuentes informadas en esta revision