[Lumbar sympathectomy by retroperitoneal endoscopy: feasibility study]. / Sympathectomie lombaire par rétropéritoneoscopie: étude de faisabilité.

Endoscopic surgery has been used as a new procedure to simplify different surgical processes. The goal of this study was to evaluate the benefits of endoscopic retroperitoneal surgery for lumbar sympathectomies. Between February 93 and November 95 we performed 35 lumbar sympathectomies using this technique. All patients were arteritic. The results were as follows: for 25% of the patients, conversion classical open technique was required; 6% complications (septic); 3% of the patients died. In comparing the various techniques of sympathectomy and sympatholysis, it would appear that the endoscopic technique produces fewer complications. However we believe that a learning period is necessary before this technique can be fully mastered.

[Celioscopic cholecystectomy. 2 cases of infectious complications]. / Cholécystectomie coelioscopique. Deux observations de complications infectieuses.

Despite the low morbidity and mortality of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, trauma and infection have been reported. Such complications can produce a misleading clinical picture, as in two cases we observed. Case 1. A symptomatic 56-year-old female patient underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. During the operation, the gall bladder ruptured and the contents had to be aspirated from the abdominal cavity. The patient complained of hepatalgia 2 weeks after the operation, then was not seen again for more than 1 year when fever and hepatalgia did not respond to symptomatic treatment. An inter-hepato-renal collection (6 cm in diameter) was punctured under echography. Aspirate culture yielded Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Adapted antibiotic therapy was unsuccessful and surgery was required to empty the abscess then remove a fibrous conjunctive tissue formation. Case 2. A 55-year-old female patient with a history of complete remission after mammectomy for breast cancer underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy in 1991. Two days after the operation, fever (39 degrees C) was accompanied by abdominal defence. Biliary peritonitis due to imperfect suture of the bile duct was repaired followed by peritoneal lavage-drainage. Per-operative blood samples revealed type 6 Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Despite adapted parenteral antibiotics, fever persisted at 39 degrees C and intense jaundice was observed. A second laparoscopy 14 days later showed inflammatory narrowing of the main bile duct which was drained into a small bowel loop. Eight days later computed tomography revealed multiple abscess in the liver. Transparietal cholangiography was performed and showed that the contrast medium entered the abscesses via the biliary canals. The state of sepsis persisted, jaundice worsened and hepatic encephalopathy developed with obnubilation and flapping tremor. After 1 month of general antibiotherapy, no improvement was seen on computed tomography images and needle biopsy of an abscess led to the identification of resistant type 6 P. aeruginosa. Antibiotics were adapted and administered iv with no clinical improvement. Selective catheterism of the hepatic artery via the femoral access was performed to allow intra-hepatic antibiotic delivery. Three weeks later clinical situation remained unchanged when acute respiratory distress highly suggestive of pulmonary embolism led to death. Autopsy was not performed. In both of these rare cases of infectious complications due to P. aeruginosa after laparoscopic cholecystectomy, the source of contamination remained unknown. Nosocomial infection was suspected.

[Thoracic splanchnectomy under video-thoracoscopy]. / Splanchnicectomie thoracique sous vidéo-thoracoscopie.

The technique of thoracic splanchnicectomy under video thoracoscopic control is described. This little aggressive surgical operation is indicated for very painful forms of pancreatic cancer and for some cases of chronic pancreatitis. It should relieve pain for a longer period than splanchnic nerve injection or radiotherapy.

[Cholecystectomy by celioscopy. Experience in two Upper Normandy hospital units. Apropos of 178 procedures]. / La cholécystectomie par coelioscopie. Expérience de deux services hauts normands. A propos de 178 procédures.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) emerges as an effective alternative to classical cholecystectomy, but its safety, benefits and indications still need to be clarified. From September 1989 to March 1991, 178 LC were performed by 8 surgeons in 2 hospitals, on 142 women and 36 men with a mean age of 48.2 years. The gall bladder wall was thin in 160 cases and thick in 18 cases (with 6 cases acute cholecystitis). We observed no deaths, 147 simple procedures with a hospital stay and drug requirement lower than with the usual cholecystectomy via laparotomy. But in 21 cases, the procedure needed a laparotomy, and in 10 cases complications occurred, requiring laparotomy in 6 cases. Our results suggest: a) LC is an improvement in the treatment of uncomplicated gallstones; b) a trained surgeon and extreme caution are required in complicated cholelithiasis; c) classical cholecystectomy is still useful in many circumstances.