[Treatment of inguinal hernia in the adult: results of tension-free procedures]. / Traitement de la hernie inguinale de l'adulte: résultats des réparations sans tension.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to verify, by a prospective multicenter evaluation, if the results attributed to tension-free procedures were obtained in current practice. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 1994 to 1997, 398 patients were operated on by three surgical teams. There were 357 men and 4 women (mean age: 58.5 years, range: 25-90). The hernia was bilateral in 37 patients and 435 hernias were treated by Perfix plug (n = 322), Gilbert plug (n = 76) or by Lichtenstein procedure (n = 37), according to the choice of the surgeon. In tension-free procedures, sutures under tension were replaced by a mesh or a plug without any approximation of the margins of the hernial orifice. The procedure was performed under local (n = 316), epidural (n = 94), or general (n = 25) anesthesia. RESULTS: There were no postoperative deaths. There were 19 postoperative benign complications (4.4%). The duration of analgesics consumption, postoperative hospital stay, cessation of normal activities and work (mean [SD] [range]) were 3.3 days ([3.9] [0-60]), 1.3 day ([1.1] [0-16]), 4.5 days ([3.1] [0-34]) and 15.4 days ([10.2] [0-60]) respectively. With a mean follow-up of 36 months ([14] [6-67]), 423 hernias (97.2%) were assessed. Two (0.5%) recurrences occurred. Twenty three patients had secondarily troubles (5.8%): 21 patients complained of chronic pain, one had testis atrophy and one plug had to be removed. CONCLUSION: These results confirm that tension-free procedures are minimally invasive, induce few benign postoperative complications and low pain, allow early return to normal activity, and are followed by few recurrences.

[Tension-free procedures: progress in the treatment of inguinal hernia]. / Les procédés sans tension: un progrès dans le traitement de la hernie inguinale.

OBJECTIVE: Tension-free procedures are aimed to minimize post-operative pain and rate of recurrence, by replacing sutures under tension by a mesh without any approximation of the margins of the hernial orifice. Moreover they offer the advantage of being performed under local or epidural anesthesia. The aim of this study was to verify, by a prospective multicentre evaluation, if the results attributed to these procedures are obtained in current practice. RESULTS: Evaluation involved 435 hernias, treated by Lichtenstein procedure, Gilbert plug and Perfix plug. There were 19 postoperative benign complications (4.4%). The durations of analgesics consumption, post-operative hospital stay, cessation of normal activities and time off work [mean, [(SD), (extremes)]] were 3.3 days [(3.9) (0-60)], 1.3 days [(1.1) (0-16)], 4.5 days [(3.1) (0-34)] and 15.4 days [(10.2) (0.60)] respectively. With a mean follow-up of 36 months [(14) (6-67)], 423 hernias (97.2%) were assessed. Two (0.5%) recurrences occurred. Twenty three patients had secondary troubles (5.8%): 21 patients complained of chronic pain, one had atrophy of the testis and one plug had to be removed. CONCLUSION: Our results confirm that tension-free procedures are minimally invasive, induce few benign postoperative complications, low pain and allow early return to normal activity.

[Surgical treatment of locoregional recurrence of colorectal cancer treated by an anal sphincter-conserving procedure]. / Traitement chirurgical des récidives locorégionales des cancers colo-rectaux traités par un procédé ayant conservé le sphincter anal.

Between 1980 and 1985, the authors have treated 26 recurrences of a colon or rectal cancer in patients in whom the sphincter apparatus was preserved. In 9 cases only a curative repetitive excision was possible with 3 patients currently alive, without recurrences (8 months, 12 months, 50 months). 11 patients underwent another excision, which was only a palliative one. When no surgical procedure is feasible, the evolution is rapidly fatal. According to the literature, the capabilities of "curative" excision vary between 16 and 47% with often disappointing results. Prevention of these recurrences does not depend probably on the extension of the first excision but on a much earlier screening process. The treatment is surgical and only complete excision may let hope for an adequate survival. The surgical approach depends on the site of the recurrence in relation to the upper pelvic strait and the invasion of peritumoral structures.

[The glucagonoma syndrome. Review of the literature. Apropos of a case]. / Le syndrome de glucagonome. Revue de la littérature. A propos d'un cas.

A patient with typical clinical and biochemical features of a glucagonoma also presented obvious signs of hypokalemia, indicating combined secretion of renin by the tumor. The latter was voluminous, was located in the tail of the pancreas and was of a malignant nature as shown by the development of secondary hepatic metastases. Syndromes associated with glucagonoma and mixed or combined insular tumors are reviewed in detail.

[Colonic occlusions. Retrospective cooperative study of 497 cases]. / Les occlusions coliques. Etude rétrospective coopérative de 497 cas.

A retrospective multicenter study involving 12 digestive surgery centers was conducted on 497 cases of colon obstruction. The most frequent cause of colon obstruction was colo-rectal cancer (71 p. cent of cases), but many other etiologies were involved, including 61 cases of torsion and 37 patients with occlusive sigmoiditis. Differential clinical and radiological features in each etiological group are discussed, the results of therapy undertaken analyzed, and a reasonable line of conduct proposed, adapted to each situation, with the objective of attempting to reduce mortality which still affects 25 p. cent of cases operated upon.