A minimally invasive approach for treating postoperative seromas after incisional hernia repair.

BACKGROUND: The most frequent wound complication following repair of large incisional hernias is seroma formation, especially when the use of a mesh onlay requires extensive subcutaneous undermining. Treatment options for postoperative seromas include observation for spontaneous resolution, percutaneous aspiration, closed suction drainage, abdominal binders, and sclerosant. METHODS: A novel technique for treating persistent postoperative seromas is presented herein. This technique involves a 3-puncture minimally invasive approach that can be performed in an outpatient setting. Evacuation of serous fluid and fibrinous debris is followed by argon beam scarification of the seroma cavity lining. Talc slurry is then introduced into the cavity. Three patients have been treated with this technique. RESULTS: All 3 patients had successful ablation of seromas that had persisted despite standard treatment modalities. CONCLUSION: A minimally invasive approach is a reasonable and safe alternative for treating persistent postoperative seromas.

Intraoperative radiotherapy in the combined-modality management of pancreatic cancer.

The purpose of this study is to assess the feasibility, clinical tolerance, local control, and survival rates using a combined-modality treatment program of intraoperative radiation, chemotherapy, and external beam radiation for the management of patients with pancreatic cancer. One hundred eighty patients with biopsy-proven adenocarcinoma of the pancreas have been treated by a single surgical practice between 1979 and 1992. Of these, 105 had locally advanced but unresectable primary tumors (stages 2 and 3). All patients were treated with a program of multimodality therapy, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Three groups were identified. Group I (33 patients) received intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) as part of their treatment. Group II (43 patients) received intraoperative radiation in the form of iodine-125 (I-125) implantation. Group III (29 patients) received no intraoperative radiation. All three groups were comparably similar with respect to age at presentation, amount of preoperative weight loss, preoperative symptoms, and tumor location. Overall perioperative mortality was 4.8 per cent (five patients), with no difference between groups noted. Perioperative complications occurred in 32 (30.4%) of the 105 patients. Complications occurred in only 18.1 per cent of patients in Group I (IORT), compared with 39.5 per cent of Group II (I-125) patients (P < 0.01). Group III patients (no intraoperative radiation) experienced complications in 31.0 per cent of cases (P = 0.09 vs Group I). Actuarial survival was 18 months for Group I (IORT) versus 15 months for Group II (I-125). One- and 2-year actuarial survival rates were 60 and 17 per cent for patients in Group I (IORT) and 56 and 19 per cent for Group II (I-125). Actuarial local control rates for patients receiving IORT (Group I) was 70 per cent at 2 years. Patients with pancreatic cancer historically have poor survival and local control rates despite aggressive chemotherapy and radiation. The addition of intraoperative radiation to the combined modality management of pancreatic cancer offers markedly improved survival rates and local control with minimal morbidity for patients with unresectable disease. Intraoperative radiation in the form of IORT can be delivered with a significantly fewer complications than I-125 seed implantation.

The role of laparoscopy in the management of groin hernia.

INTRODUCTION: The advantage of using minimally invasive techniques over open techniques in the repair of groin hernias is still debated. Despite its more widespread use, an apparent dichotomy exists. While some surgeons continue to believe that no advantage is gained using the laparoscopic technique, others argue laparoscopic hernia repair (LHR) offers a quicker recovery with the use of a tension-free repair. METHODS: A mailing to the general surgeon members of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons, an international multidisciplinary laparoendoscopic society, was performed (mailing size = 1680). RESULTS: Nine hundred and ninety-three surgeons responded (60%). Across all demographic variables, 60% of respondents performed approximately 27% of their hernia repairs laparoscopically (40% of respondents did not perform LHR). Surgeon age less than 45 was the only demographic characteristic that predicted the likelihood to perform LHR (p < 0.0001) and the percentage of hernias repaired laparoscopically (p < 0.005). Most respondents felt that the presence of bilateral hernias (73%) or a recurrent hernia (74%) were indications for LHR. Eighty-nine percent of respondents felt that LHR would still be performed 20 years from now. Surgeons expressed concerns regarding increased cost, the need for more anesthesia, and a lack of long-term follow-up for LHR. CONCLUSIONS: Only surgeon age predicted the likelihood of a surgeon performing LHR or the percentage of hernias that would be repaired laparoscopically.

A comparison of patient recovery following unilateral and bilateral endoscopic preperitoneal herniorrhaphy.

INTRODUCTION: The advantage of using minimally invasive techniques over open techniques in the repair of inguinal hernias remains unclear. One of the more established indications for the performance of minimally invasive (e.g. endoscopic preperitoneal) herniorrhaphy is the presence of bilateral hernias. However, no prior study has compared the recovery following unilateral and bilateral endoscopic preperitoneal hernia repairs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From July 15, 1994 through August 16, 1996 one primary surgeon performed 373 hernia repairs on 250 patients. Unilateral herniorrhaphy (UH) was performed on 114 males and 13 females with an average age of 58 (range 18-89). Bilateral herniorrhaphy (BH) was performed on 121 males and 2 females with an average age of 53 (range 18-86) (p > 0.05). Within the UH group there were 105 virgin hernias and 22 recurrent hernias. The BH group included 212 virgin hernias and 34 recurrent (p > 0.05). Bilateral repairs took longer to perform than unilateral repairs (65 minutes vs. 45 minutes) (p < 0.05). At the time of discharge, all patients were given a postoperative survey and asked to record their level of pain, narcotic use and level of activity on the day of surgery and postoperative days 1, 2, 3, 7, 14, and 28. RESULTS: No differences were found in pain perception, narcotic use or level of activity on any of the days measured between the two groups (p > 0.05). In addition, both groups returned to work at a similar time (UH: 6.32 +/- 3.29 days, BH: 6.68 +/- 4.13 days) (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Bilateral endoscopic preperitoneal herniorrhaphy can be performed with the same expected patient recovery as unilateral repairs.

Thoracoscopic vagotomy as a safe adjunct to remedial gastric surgery.

Patients who have had prior subdiaphragmatic dissection with an incomplete vagotomy or Nissen fundoplication present added challenges when they require vagotomy and gastric resection. In this setting, thoracoscopic vagotomy offers significant advantages. A second attempt at vagotomy in a previously dissected field can be prolonged and frustrating. In addition to these concerns, repeat dissection can also lead to failure to find the vagal trunks, perforation of the esophagus, hemorrhage, and/or splenic injury. In our experience, three patients requiring gastrectomy or resection of a marginal ulcer have undergone thoracoscopic vagotomy at the time of transabdominal gastric surgery. The thoracoscopic approach avoided either a thoracoabdominal incision or combined thoracic and abdominal incisions while allowing dissection of the vagal trunks to be performed in normal tissue planes. The minimally invasive approach afforded decreased postoperative pain and excellent clinical results. Thoracoscopic vagotomy offers a welcome alternative to re-exploration of a previously dissected distal esophagus in search of vagal trunks, especially when they have been missed at the time of the first operation. Further application of this approach is recommended.

A comparison of epidural versus general anesthesia for outpatient endoscopic preperitoneal herniorrhaphy.

OBJECTIVES: To study the efficacy of epidural versus general anesthesia on length of stay, patient recovery and anesthetic-related complications in patients undergoing endoscopic preperitoneal herniorrhaphy. METHODS: One hundred sixty-seven consecutive patients undergoing endoscopic preperitoneal herniorrhaphy from July, 1994, to August, 1995, were retrospectively studied. A total of 243 herniorrhaphies were performed. Four patients required conversion of epidural anesthesia to general anesthesia because of inadequate sensory blockade (67/71; 94% success rate). One-hundred-forty-eight patients were available for review. Sixty-seven patients underwent successful epidural anesthesia during the case, while 81 patients were managed with general anesthesia. RESULTS: Thirty patients (37%) receiving general anesthesia required interventions for nausea compared to only six patients (9.0%) in the epidural anesthesia group (p < 0.001). Thirty patients (37%) in the general anesthesia group required intervention because of complaints of pain, compared to 13 (19.4%) in the epidural group (p < 0.05). There were no differences between the two groups for length of stay in OR, PACU, or total hospital times. CONCLUSIONS: The use of epidural anesthesia during the performance of endoscopic preperitoneal herniorrhaphy was associated with a decrease in the incidence of postoperative pain and nausea. The technique was successful in 94% of the cases in which it was used. Epidural anesthesia is recommended as an effective alternative to general anesthesia for the performance of outpatient endoscopic preperitoneal herniorrhaphy.

Complications of laparoscopic cholecystectomy: the experience of a university-affiliated teaching hospital.

BACKGROUND: In most published reports on laparoscopic cholecystectomy, the cases have been accrued from small community hospitals in a multicenter fashion. The purpose of this study was to compare the rate of complication following laparoscopic cholecystectomy performed at a single university-affiliated teaching hospital to those quoted in the literature. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective review of the first 1300 laparoscopic cholecystectomies performed at the Videoscopic Surgery Center at Pennsylvania Hospital from May 1990 through January 1994 was undertaken. Complications were classified as those related to creation of the initial pneumoperitoneum and those related to cholecystectomy. RESULTS: A 3% conversion rate to open cholecystectomy (n = 40) was noted due to the presence of dense adhesions, gangrenous cholecystitis, or difficult anatomic relationships. There were 18 complications (1.4%) related to creation of the initial pneumoperitoneum and 14 complications (1.1%) related to cholecystectomy. Complications related to laparoscopy included bleeding from the abdominal wall (n = 2), trocar site hernia (n = 11), hollow viscus injury (n = 1), and wound infection (n = 4). Complications related to cholecystectomy included unanticipated retained CBD stone (n = 5), symptomatic bile leak (n = 6), hollow viscus injury (n = 1), intraabdominal abscess (n = 1), and a retained portion of gallbladder (n = 1). There were no perioperative deaths related to laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and the overall morbidity was 2.4%. Long-term follow-up revealed no cases of benign biliary strictures. CONCLUSIONS: With attention to anatomy, technique, and meticulous dissection, laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be safely performed in a university-affiliated teaching hospital setting.

Endoscopic preperitoneal herniorrhaphy in professional athletes with groin pain.

INTRODUCTION: Surgical exploration of the groin with subsequent herniorrhaphy has been recommended for obscure groin pain in athletes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of endoscopic preperitoneal herniorrhaphy and, if indicated, contralateral groin exploration in professional athletes with groin pain. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eight professional athletes presented with groin pain and underwent endoscopic preperitoneal herniorrhaphy between February 1994 and May 1996. All athletes were male with a median age of 25.1 years (range: 22-30). Seven of the athletes complained of unilateral groin pain while one patient had bilateral pain. Seven had undergone previous conservative treatment without success. Despite multiple examinations, only two patients had been diagnosed with hernias prior to referral to the surgeon. Of the remaining six patients, all were found to have small inguinal hernias in the symptomatic groin. Seven of the patients were noted to have bilateral pathology. RESULTS: Operative time averaged 55.3 min. All patients were ambulatory without significant difficulty within the first 24 h, discontinued oral narcotic use within 72 h of surgery, and were back to recreational activities within 1 week. Aerobic conditioning was resumed within a maximum of 2 weeks. Full conditioning and/or return to full competition occurred within a 2- to 3-week period. At the time of 4 week follow-up, all athletes reported no more than minimal postexertional discomfort, with near total relief of early postoperative symptoms. No athletes noted any impairment in their ability to perform at peak levels. CONCLUSIONS: Groin pain in athletes is a difficult problem requiring a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis and treatment planning. Endoscopic preperitoneal herniorrhaphy is an effective treatment for obscure groin pain when the pain is associated with an inguinal hernia and allows for a short recovery time back to full athletic activity.

Virgin and recurrent groin hernia: a comparison of patient recovery following endoscopic preperitoneal herniorrhaphy.

INTRODUCTION: The advantage of minimally invasive hernia repair techniques remains controversial. One of the more established indications for this technique's use is the presence of a recurrent hernia. No prior study has compared the recovery following endoscopic repair of virgin and recurrent hernias. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between July 15, 1994 through August 16, 1996, one primary surgeon supervised the performance of 373 hernia repairs on 250 patients. Twenty-two patients underwent endoscopic preperitoneal herniorrhaphy for unilateral recurrent groin hernia (RH), while 105 patients underwent repair of a virgin unilateral hernia (VH) in the absence of prior contralateral open hernia repair. No significant differences were seen for age (VH: 54, RH: 64), male:female ratio (VH: 92:13, RH: 22:0), operative time (VH: 58 min, RH: 59 min), anesthetic used, i.v. fluid requirements or blood loss (p > 0.05 for all comparisons). At the time of discharge, all patients were given a postoperative survey and asked to record their level of pain, narcotic use, and level of activity on the day of surgery and postoperative days 1, 2, 3, 7, 14, and 28. RESULTS: Patients undergoing repair of virgin hernias had statistically significant increased levels of pain and/or narcotic use on the day of surgery and postoperative days 1, 2 and 3. Despite these differences, level of activity and return to work/normal activity (VH: 6.35 +/- 3.44 days, RH: 6.40 +/- 2.67 days) were the same for the two groups. CONCLUSION: Despite the differences in pain perception and narcotic use in the early postoperative period, overall patient recovery appears similar for the two groups. Differences seen are likely due to a lack of any prior surgical pain to serve as a benchmark for comparison.

The efficacy of epidural anesthesia for endoscopic preperitoneal herniorrhaphy: a prospective study.

Laparoscopic herniorrhaphy has been criticized because of the need for general anesthesia. The endoscopic preperitoneal approach allows the use of epidural anesthesia, obviating the potential complications and side effects seen with general anesthesia. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of epidural anesthesia for preperitoneal herniorrhaphy. Fifty-two patients underwent repair of a total of 80 hernias over a 6-month period. Thirty-six patients underwent their repairs with the use of epidural anesthesia with the goal of a T-4 sensory level. A tension-free prosthetic repair was performed in all patients. Seventeen patients had unilateral repairs and nineteen had bilateral repairs under epidural, while seven patients had unilateral repairs and nine patients had bilateral repairs under general anesthesia. There were no significant differences in patient demographics. All herniorrhaphies were electively performed on an outpatient basis by a single surgeon (A.L.S.) in a teaching setting. There were no significant differences for unilateral and bilateral repairs when type of anesthesia was compared. There was only one conversion from epidural to general anesthesia, secondary to poor sensory blockade first noticed during creation of the preperitoneal space (97% success rate). Seven patients receiving epidural anesthesia experienced pneumoperitoneum during the procedure. This did not effect the ability to perform the hernia repair successfully. There were no complications related to the epidural anesthetic. Endoscopic preperitoneal herniorrhaphy can be performed effectively under epidural anesthesia, obviating the need for general anesthesia.

Gasless laparoscopic esophagomyotomy.

A case of gasless laparoscopic esophagogastric myotomy for achalasia is presented. The technical aspects of the technique as well as the benefits of this approach are reviewed.

Small bowel obstruction following endoscopic extraperitoneal-preperitoneal herniorrhaphy.

Laparoscopic hernia repair has a number of unique potential complications. These include complications of pneumoperitoneum, general anesthesia, trocar injuries and complications of small bowel obstruction related to trocar site fascial defects, intraabdominal adhesions, and reaction with the synthetic mesh. A totally extraperitoneal approach should, in theory, eliminate postoperative small bowel obstruction in that the peritoneal space is never entered. A case of small bowel obstruction following totally extraperitoneal-preperitoneal herniorrhaphy is presented.

Combined laparoscopic-endoscopic gastrostomy.

Since the first report of successful percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy placement by Gauderer and Ponsky in 1981 [Surg. Gynecol. Obstet. 152: 83-85], many modifications of the original technique have been published. Each reports easier and safer placement of the gastrostomy tube, but all have the same inherent flaw: Access to the gastric lumen is accomplished by a blind needle puncture of the anterior abdominal wall. A new technique, utilizing a newly available microendoscope (Origin Medsystems), is described. Using the microendoscope, direct visualization of the stomach and left upper quadrant of the abdomen allows safer access to the gastric lumen for subsequent tube placement without the need for additional incisions or punctures. The procedure can still be performed with local infiltrative anesthesia and systemic intravenous sedation.

Carcinoma of the pancreas--the Jefferson experience 1975-1988.

A retrospective review of 410 patients with carcinoma of the pancreas seen at Thomas Jefferson University from 1975-1988 was undertaken to provide a global view of the effectiveness of different modalities of treatment in the management of this disease. There were seven patients with Stage I disease, 141 patients with Stage II disease, 91 with Stage III, and 171 with Stage IV disease. The overall median survival was 7 months and a 1-year survival of 30% was observed. Median survival was 15 months for Stage I, 10 months for Stage II, 9 months for Stage III and 4 months for Stage IV patients. Several treatment approaches were utilized in these patients. Twenty-three patients underwent surgical resection. Five of these had Stage I tumor, and 18 patients had Stage II or III disease. Median survival in this group was 12 months with an operative mortality of 13%. No resected patients survived greater than 3 years. Eleven patients with Stage II and III disease received chemotherapy alone, 28 patients received external radiation alone, and 30 patients received Iodine-125 implantation plus external radiation. Median survival in all three groups was 7 months. Forty-five patients received combined chemotherapy plus external radiation for Stage II and III cancer with a median survival of 10 months and a 2-year survival of 14%. Eighty-one patients received combined Iodine-125 implantation+external radiation+chemotherapy and had a median survival of 13 months and a 2-year survival of 22%. Local control of disease was achieved in 74% of these patients. This combined modality approach appears to have the best potential for control of primary cancer and long-term survival of selected patients.

Management of infected pancreatic fluid collections.

Percutaneous drainage of pancreatic collections has recently been advocated as a means of diagnosis of bacterial contamination, for temporizing unstable patients, and as definitive treatment in itself. In order to assess its efficacy, the role of percutaneous drainage of infected pancreatic fluid collections was retrospectively reviewed by a single surgical practice. Seventeen patients were treated over a 5-year period from 1987 to 1992. All patients admitted or referred with a diagnosis of infected peripancreatic fluid collection were included in the review. The group consisted of eleven males and six females; mean age was 55.2 years (range 28 to 70). Patients were stratified into one of two groups based on initial treatment modality. Group A consisted of eight patients treated initially with percutaneous drainage as presumed definitive management. Eight patients in Group B were treated initially with surgical debridement and drainage. APACHE II scores on admission were 5.62 +/- 3.66 for Group A and 9.12 +/- 3.87 for Group B (N.S.). Mean hospital stay was 100 days (range 13-311) for Group A and 71 (range 25-149) for Group B (N.S.). Despite initial percutaneous drainage, six of eight (75%) patients in Group A required operative debridement because of clinical deterioration. APACHE II scores in this subset went from 6.83 +/- 3.43 to 9.83 +/- 5.04 (N.S.) despite a total of 18 preoperative percutaneous procedures (2.25 per patient; range 1-7). The number of complications for this group totaled 15. Five of the six patients with positive cultures from their initial aspiration failed percutaneous drainage.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Pancreatic disease: findings on state-of-the-art MR images.

Recent technical innovations have made MR imaging a useful technique for imaging the pancreas. The potential impact of MR imaging on the management and outcome of cases can be determined only by controlled prospective comparative studies; however, these cannot be performed adequately until the normal and abnormal appearances of the pancreas on state-of-the-art MR images are understood. This pictorial essay is presented to further this intermediate goal.

Long-term results of combined modality treatment with I-125 implantation for carcinoma of the pancreas.

From 1981 to 1987, 81 patients with localized, unresectable carcinoma of the pancreas were treated at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital with a combination of intraoperative Iodine-125 implantation, external beam radiation, and peri-operative systemic chemotherapy. Fifty patients had Stage II disease and 31 patients had Stage III disease. Radioactive Iodine-125 seeds were implanted intraoperatively into the tumor to deliver a minimum peripheral dose of 12,000 cGy over one year. This was followed by external beam radiation (50-55 Gy) and systemic chemotherapy (5-FU, Mitomycin-C +/- CCNU). Incidence of peri-operative mortality was 5% (4/81). Early morbidity was observed in 34% of patients and late complications in 32%. A median survival of 12 months and 2- and 5-year survival rates of 21% and 7% were observed. The determinate 2- and 5-year survival rates were 28% and 13%, respectively. The overall 2- and 5-year survival rates with Stage II disease were 27% and 8% and for Stage III disease, 13% and 3%, respectively (p less than 0.05). The determinate 2- and 5-year survival rates were 34% and 19% for Stage II and 19% and 5% for Stage III disease, respectively (p = 0.08). Local control of disease was achieved in 71% of patients. This combined modality approach appears to have achieved satisfactory local control of primary cancer and long term survival of selected patients.

Adenocarcinoma of the pancreas: a multimodality approach--a single surgeon's experience (1979-1988).

A retrospective review of a single surgeon's experience with adenocarcinoma of the pancreas was performed. One hundred-one patients were treated over a 10-year period from 1979 to 1988. Seven patients underwent potentially curative resections and 28 patients presented with metastatic (stage IV) disease. Sixty-four patients had locally advanced and unresectable primary lesions. A total of 51 patients received I-125 seed implantation. There was no statistically significant difference in morbidity (33% vs. 30%) or mortality (6% vs. 8%) between patients receiving I-125 implantation and those undergoing palliative surgical procedures without implantation. Operative mortality was highest in patients presenting with stage IV lesions (11%). In those patients with locally advanced and unresectable carcinomas, there was a nonsignificant increase in survival (12.8 mo vs. 10.7 mo) in those receiving intraoperative I-125 implants when compared to those who did not when both groups received postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy and external beam radiotherapy. Based on these encouraging results, it is concluded that I-125 implantation can be performed safely and shows a trend toward improving long-term survivorship in patients with locally advanced pancreatic carcinoma when used in conjunction with chemotherapy and external beam radiation.