Laparoscopic Mesh Sacropexy for Voluminous Rectocele.

The rectocele represents a protrusion of the rectum through the rectovaginal fascia, which appears as a bulge in the posterior vaginal wall. Surgical treatment includes many procedures which can be performed by four types of approaches: transvaginal, transanal, transperineal and transabdominal.Voluminous rectocele cases are rare and often represent a surgical challenge. Only two types of approaches are proved to be feasible for the treatment of a voluminous rectocele, the transvaginal and the transabdominal approaches. To resolve these cases, the authors propose laparoscopic mesh sacropexy.The procedure implies retrorectal dissection and rectovaginal dissection down to the pelvic floor, followed by a rectovaginopexy to the sacral promontory, using an y-shaped polypropylene mesh. One arm of the mesh is fixed to the anterior rectal wall using four stitches and the other arm is sutured to the posterior vaginal wall. The end of the mesh is fixed to the promontory. Thus, the anchoring of the prolapsed rectum and the posterior vaginal fornix to the sacral ligamentis achieved, the damaged rectovaginal fascia being substituted by the polypropylene mesh. The main symptom that was tracked, difficulty in defecation, was significantly improved, none of the patients needed any longer digital maneuvers to empty the rectum. The good results of the first experience make us believe that this procedure is an attractive solution to resolve these difficult cases.

[Intussusception in adult--a rare case]. / Invaginatie intestinala la adult--caz particular.

Authors present a case of adult intussusception, an extremely rare entity in this age group, which manifested in a particular context and with an unusual symptomatology.

[Video-assisted thoracoscopic extended thymectomy (VATET) with cervical approach for myasthenia gravis--initial experience]. / Timectomia extinsa prin abord toracoscopic bilateral si timp cervical pentru miastenia gravis--experienta initiala.

Complete thymectomy plays an important role in the myasthenia gravis (MG) pacient's treatment. Many different surgical techniques have been developed to achieve thymectomy. Of these, thoracoscopic technique is the most recent. There still are many controversies about the most suitable approach for thymectomy. The paper presents in detail the video-assisted thoracoscopic extended thymectomy--VATET-technique, and initial results with this procedure. Prospective data was obtain according to the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) recommendations. From Mai 2007 to December 2009, 15 patients with MG underwent the VATET procedure with cervical access. There was no conversion to sternotomic approach. Mean operating time for complete VATET was 215 min (150-280 min), with the cervical procedure requiring 44 min (25-60 min). There was no mortality or intraoperative complications. It was a single case with a thoracoscopic second look for hemothorax from intercostals bleeding. At this time, due to the reduced number of cases, we can't evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness of the VATET. We consider VATET as a valuable surgical option to treat myasthenic patients, with an optimal report between radicality and invasiveness.

[Laparoscopic adjustable gastric-banding treatment for morbid obesity our first year experience]. / Tratamentul obezitatii morbide prin gastric banding laparoscopic. Rezultate la un an de la debut.

The authors present the results of a prospective study regarding their 1st year experience in laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LABG), which included 21 patients (5 males, 16 females), with an average age of 39 (between 20-53 years). The follow up was made at one and six months postoperative. The medium weight was 138 kg (between 95-172 kg), with a medium excess of body mass of 66.89 kg (extremes between 27.75 and 104 kg). The medium BMI (body mass index) was 48.9 (extremes: 34.5-66), 8 patients being superobese (BMI > 50). The average operating time was 120 min, all operations were finished laparosopically. Postoperative complications were: total disfagia (1 case), parietal suppuration (2 cases) and partial intragastric migration of the prosthesis (1 case). There were no deceased patients. The medium excess of body mass at 6 months after surgery was 46.57 (only 13 patients evaluated in this interval). After 6 months postoperative the comorbidities were healed at half of the patients. Although we do not benefit of a long time follow up, the favorable initial results permits us to state that LABG must find its place in the efforts of struggling against obesity and its consequences.

[Burch procedure through laparoscopic surgery. Operatory technique]. / Operatia Burch pe cale laparoscopica. Tehnica operatorie.

The authors describe the technique of extraperitoneal laparoscopic Burch colposuspension equivalent to the classical open approach. Patients who undergo laparoscopic Burch procedure experience less postoperative discomfort, shorter hospital stay, quicker recovery and better cosmetic appearance. Based on our initial experience, laparoscopic colposuspension appears to be a viable alternative to abdominal colposuspension.

[Transperitoneal laparoscopic right sympathectomy]. / Simpatectomia lombara dreapta laparoscopica pe cale transperitoneala.

Laparoscopic lumbar transperitoneal sympathectomy represents the miniinvasive approach of laterocolic procedure Adson-Diez. It is suitable to laparoscopic surgery, has a good reproducibility and it is more advantageous than total retroperitoneal approach because of a larger working space.

[Conversions and reinterventions in laparoscopic cholecystectomy]. / Conversii si reinterventii în colecistectomia laparoscopica.

From the introduction of the laparoscopy in our clinic, more and more of the cholecystectomies, reaching over 50% are done by this technique. Based upon the accumulation of an already important experience, the paper tries to analyze the situations in which, during or after laparoscopic cholecystectomy, intraoperative conversions (deliberate or of necessity) or reinterventions were necessary. We present a global view of the number of these cases and also (an in detail) analysis of the causes the imposed such decisions and of the solutions adopted. The percentages of 5.55 conversions and 1.49 reinterventions seem reasonable and acceptable in comparison with the initial results published by some experience surgeons in the field of laparoscopic surgery.

[A rare cause of postoperative digestive hemorrhage]. / Hemoragie digestiva postoperatorie de cauza rara.

The author presents a rare case of postoperative gastrointestinal bleeding due to a hepatic vascular fistula. This was the result of corrosive attack on the liver in the portion who covered an acute perforate ulcer.

[Laparoscopic treatment of transhiatal gastric hernia]. / Cura laparoscopica a herniei gastrice transhiatale.

The paper is referring to the laparoscopic cure of the gastric transhiatal hernia. The first part is a short comment on the way to establish the need for surgery and to choose the adequate procedure. Then the main tactical aspects of the laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication are discussed. Finally the technique of the operation is detailed. Six patients were operated on with good results.

[Therapeutic strategy in breast cancer]. / Strategia terapeutica în cancerul mamar.

The authors present the actual concepts of the therapeutic strategy for the breast cancer. The choice of the optimal protocol treatment is based on a complete and correct pretherapeutic evaluation. This implies the staging using TNM/ UICC/ 1987 system (explained in the text) and the definition of the prognostic factors: axillary lymph node involvement, other pathological patterns, the situation of the hormonal receptors and the cell proliferation index. For the stages I-II the strategy of the treatment include: modified radical mastectomy, postoperative irradiation in well defined cases and the adjuvant systemic treatment using chemotherapy and hormonal therapy. The laparoscopic ovariectomy is a safe and simple technique. For the local advanced cancer (IIIA and IIIB) the treatment begins with a systemic aggressive approach, the surgery being applied following the tumoral regression. In the stage IV the complex palliative treatment is indicated.