Umbilicus Necrosis During Mesh Repair of Rectus Diastasis for Abdominoplasty: Practical Tips for Prevention and Treatment.

Rectus muscles widened by pregnancy are handled in dramatically different ways in standard abdominoplasty and mesh abdominoplasty. Patients with significant abdominal wall laxity and/or umbilical hernia repair are treated with the use of retrorectus mesh placement. In these conditions the risk of damaging the blood supply to the umbilicus might be greater. Despite the fact that it is of no functional significance in adults, the umbilicus is a key esthetic landmark of the anterior abdominal wall. For both patients and surgeons alike, its absence, distortion, or misplacement after surgery can be distressing and can be a source of frequent patient complaint. Umbilical stalk necrosis represents an underreported yet important complication for patients following mesh abdominoplasty. We advance some recommendations for patients undergoing abdominoplasty with mesh repair of rectus diastasis and/or concomitant umbilical hernia mesh repair via the open approach. This information should help influence intraoperative decision-making to prevent the development of this undesirable complication.Level of Evidence V: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Simplified Technique for Creating an Umbilicus with Scarless Caudal Aspect and Superior Hooding.

A non-aesthetic post-abdominoplasty umbilicus is known to be a significant concern for many patients who consider this procedure, due to its central and visible location. The goal of this method is to minimize the visible scar and create a natural-looking and aesthetically pleasing umbilicus. In this multimedia article, we illustrate our technique that is both reproducible and easy to perform. It produces a scarless caudal aspect, pleasant depth, and natural superior hooding appearance to the post-op umbilicus. Limitations of this technique are discussed.Level of Evidence IV This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

The bleeding umbilicus: An uncommon presentation of endometriosis.

Dysmenorrhea is a common presentation in women of reproductive age in primary care. It can negatively affect the quality of life of a woman and restrict her daily activities. Endometriosis is the most common diagnosis for secondary dysmenorrhea. However, cutaneous endometriosis is an uncommon presentation of endometriosis. It requires a thorough history, physical examination and histological findings for definitive diagnosis. This paper reports an interesting case of a 47- year-old woman with primary cutaneous umbilical endometriosis and its management. Her final diagnosis was primary umbilical endometriosis with Stage 3 endometriosis based on the patient's history, clinical and surgical findings. The patient was discharged well on day three of operation and has been well since then with no signs of recurrence.

Umbilical Reconstruction Techniques: A Literature Review.

BACKGROUND: There are many instances in which sacrificing the umbilicus is unavoidable. Umbilical reconstruction (umbiliconeoplasty) is an important surgical procedure to complete the abdomen's reconstruction and to give again a pleasant cosmetic appearance. OBJECTIVES: To provide a complete overview of all surgical techniques for umbiliconeoplasty described in the literature. METHODS: PubMed database was queried using 'umbilical and reconstruction', 'umbilicus and reconstruction', 'navel and reconstruction', 'umbiliconeoplasty', 'neo-omphaloplasty' or 'umbilicaneoplasty' to select the papers dealing with the reconstruction of the umbilicus. RESULTS: Sixty different techniques for the reconstruction of the missing umbilicus were described in 77 papers. Local skin flaps and the purse-string suture technique were the most frequently described techniques. The Three flaps technique, the Four flaps technique and the 2 Lateral rectangular pedicle lateral flaps technique were the most popular local flap techniques. Indications ranged from congenital pediatric defects to reconstruction during abdominoplasty. CONCLUSIONS: Several surgical techniques were described for umbilicus reconstruction. While there is not a universal algorithm for the choice of the technique, the surgeon may decide which technique to use based on other surgeons' experiences reports. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

[Surgical Technique for Prevention of Incisional Hernia in Laparoscopic Small Bowel Resection in the Obese Patient].

A 67-year-old woman reporting lower abdominal pain and anemia was examined. Small intestinal tumor was diagnosed by small intestinal radiographic contrast study and small intestinal endoscopy, and we decided to perform a laparoscopic partial resection of the small bowel. Since she was obese patients(BMI 36.3, abdominal wall 6 cm)at high risk of postoperative incisional hernia, we devised a way to make the wound smaller. We judged thick abdominal wall make umbilical wound larger in single port surgery. We performed multi-port surgery by using one 15 mm trocar, and removed small intestinal tumor from 15 mm port incision. In addition, to prevent incisional hernia, we used a trocar with a wound closure assist function for securely closing the port wound in all layers. Histopathological diagnosis was neuroendocrine tumor. The patient is being followed up without recurrence and without incisional hernia. In partial small bowel resection of obese patient, the use of a 15 mm port to minimize wound site and the use of trocar with a wound closure assist function may lead to prevent incisional hernia.

Does umbilical contamination correlate with colorectal surgery patient outcomes?

PURPOSE: Most preoperative assessment tools to evaluate risk for postoperative complications require multiple data points to be collected and can be logistically burdensome. This study evaluated if umbilical contamination, a simple bedside assessment, correlated with surgical outcomes. METHODS: A 6-point score to measure umbilical contamination was developed and applied prospectively to patients undergoing colorectal surgery at an academic medical center. RESULTS: There were 200 patients enrolled (mean age 58.1 ± 14.8; 56% female). The mean BMI was 28.6 ± 7.4. Indications for surgery included colon cancer (24%), rectal cancer (18%), diverticulitis (13.5%), and Crohn's disease (12.5%). Umbilical contamination scores were 0 (23%, cleanest), 1 (26%), 2 (21%), 3 (24%), 4 (6%), and 5 (0%, dirtiest). Umbilical contamination did not correlate with preoperative functional status (p > 0.2). Umbilical contamination correlated with increased length of stay (rho = 0.19, p = 0.007) and postoperative complications (OR 1.3, 1.02-1.7, p = 0.04), but not readmission (p = 0.3) or discharge disposition (p > 0.2). CONCLUSION: Sterile preparation of the abdomen is an important component of proper surgical technique and umbilical contamination correlates with increased postoperative complications.

Gossypiboma with perforation of the umbilicus mimicking a complicated urachal cyst: a case report.

BACKGROUND: A retained surgical sponge, also known as a gossypiboma, is a rare cause of serious postoperative complications. Diverse retained surgical materials including instruments such as clamps and sutures have been reported, but surgical sponges are the most common material. We report an unusual case of a gossypiboma mimicking a complicated urachal cyst that led to perforation of the umbilicus. CASE PRESENTATION: A 38-year-old female patient presented in our facility with a palpable periumbilical mass and discharge of pus from the umbilicus for 7 months after an open appendectomy. Since the onset of symptoms, the patient had been treated conservatively in a peripheral hospital where she had been operated on. As no improvement was seen, an ultrasound scan was performed that suggested an intraperitoneal abscess adjacent to the umbilicus. Consequently, the patient was referred to our specialist outpatient department for surgical intervention. Suspecting a complicated urachal cyst, an exploratory laparotomy was performed but revealed a retained surgical sponge as the underlying cause. The gossypiboma was resected, and the postoperative period was unremarkable. CONCLUSION: This case demonstrates that gossypibomas, even though rare, continue to occur. They may clinically and radiologically mimic other pathologies, especially abscesses and tumors. Preventive measures as well as the inclusion of gossypibomas in the differential diagnosis of intraabdominal masses or fistulation detected in patients with a history of surgery are of utmost importance to minimize morbidity, mortality, and potential medicolegal implications.

Safe Veress Needle Intraperitoneal Placement and Safer Laparoscopic Entry.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Fifty percent of laparoscopic bowel and vascular injuries occur at the time of entry. These serious complications can lead to significant morbidity and even mortality. This video demonstrates 3 techniques that have been developed to minimize the risk of these injuries during entry. DESIGN: Step-by-step description of 3 techniques that can be used as a highly reliable and safe method of obtaining intraperitoneal entry during laparoscopy. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Caudal displacement of the umbilicus before insertion of the veress needle allows for a median displacement of 6 cm between the site of entry and the common iliac vessels. An entry pressure of less than 9 mm Hg is suggestive of successful intraperitoneal entry. The left upper quadrant should be used in specific cases instead of the umbilicus as the point of entry for the veress needle. The use of a visualized trocarless cannula instead of a conventional primary trocar for entry after insufflation allows for real-time recognition of injury and converts linear penetrating force to radial torque. CONCLUSION: These 3 techniques can help decrease the risk and improve intraoperative recognition of serious bowel and vascular injuries during laparoscopy.

Complications associated with intimate body piercings.

Intimate body piercings involving the nipple and genitalia have increased in prevalence in both men and women. Despite this increase, there is a deficiency in the literature regarding the short and long-term complications of body piercings, including an increased risk of infection, malignancy, and structural damage to the associated tissue. Breast abscesses associated with nipple piercing can be mistaken as inflammatory carcinoma. Male genital piercings have been associated with urethral rupture, paraphimosis, urethral obstruction, scar formation, and squamous cell carcinoma, whereas female genital piercings may lead to a higher risk of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. There are additional problems related to piercings during pregnancy and thereafter. Nipple piercings can hinder breast feeding by inhibiting the milk letdown reflex, increasing nipple sensitivity, and causing discomfort to the infant. Removal of genital piercings during pregnancy could introduce bacteria into the piercing tract, but retaining the piercings could theoretically hinder childbirth. Prevention of complications is critical. Patients must understand the risks of piercings and disclose relevant medical conditions to the practitioner before the procedure. The piercings should be carried out in a hygienic and sterile manner. Finally, physicians should maintain a non-judgmental attitude to encourage patients to seek medical care for complications.

Novel Technique for Contained Power Morcellation through Umbilicus with Insufflated Bag.

In April 2014, the US Food and Drug Administration published a safety communication warning of the risk of an unsuspected uterine sarcoma being morcellated during a laparoscopic procedure and therefore advising against the use of power morcellation. These statements have encouraged the scientific community to look for new techniques that allows performing this procedure in a safer way, decreasing the risk of malignant dissemination thorough the abdominal cavity. We describe a new technique for power morcellation using a plastic bag through umbilicus using a latex glove and skin retractor as a single port device. This new procedure was performed in 4 women diagnosed with myomatous uterus. Median age was 40.5 years. No intraoperative complications, conversion to laparotomy or bag rupture occurred. Median surgical time was 195 min and median morcellation time was 48 min. Median in-hospital stay was 4.5 days. This new technique could be an acceptable and feasible alternative for specimen delivery during laparoscopic hysterectomy and myomectomy. However, it is still necessary to increase the number of procedures to assess its safety in case of uterine sarcoma. The video and supplemental contents demonstrate the safety and feasibility of the technique.

Efficacy of transumbilical laparoscopic-assisted appendectomy for appendicitis: a four-year experience at a single center.

PURPOSE: To compare the surgical outcomes after transumbilical laparoscopic-assisted appendectomy (TULAA) and open appendectomy (OA) at a single institution. METHODS: We compared the surgical outcomes for 94 consecutive patients who underwent TULAA between April 2010 and March 2014 to those for 91 consecutive patients who underwent OA between April 2006 and March 2010. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the clinicopathological backgrounds between the two groups. Although the lengths of the operations were similar in both groups, the postoperative hospital stay was significantly shorter in the TULAA group (4.7 days vs. 5.4 days, P = 0.02). The need for abdominal drain insertion was significantly reduced in the TULAA group owing to sufficient intraperitoneal exploration (P = 0.03). The incidence of postoperative complications was also lower in the TULAA group, but the difference was not significant (8.6 % vs. 12.1 %, P = 0.31). In complicated cases, a lower incidence of surgical site infection was confirmed in the TULAA group (6.7 % vs. 20.7 %, P = 0.12). CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated that TULAA provided better surgical outcomes, especially a faster recovery. TULAA could be an effective procedure incorporating both open and laparoscopic techniques, and can be implemented as a standard procedure for the treatment of appendicitis, regardless of disease severity.

[Carcinoma of Unknown Primary Associated with a Sister Mary Joseph's Nodule--A Case Report].

A 72-year old woman visited our hospital complaining of an umbilical mass and a foul smell from the umbilical region. During the evaluation, a massive immobile tumor was palpated in the center of the lower abdomen in addition to an umbilical mass with necrosis. Computed tomography (CT) revealed a massive ovarian tumor accompanied by an umbilical tumor and cyst with peritoneal dissemination, metastases in the liver and spleen and a urachal tumor. There were no symptoms or imaging findings of gastrointestinal obstruction. While searching for the primary focus, it was determined that the ovarian tumor was not of ovarian origin. Under these circumstances, colonoscopy was the only remaining diagnostic modality. However, evaluation of the large intestine was impossible due to compression by the tumor, and diverticulosis of the sigmoid colon did not allow smooth insertion of the colonoscope. Therefore, an excisional biopsy of the umbilical tumor was performed. The most likely diagnoses based on the histopathological findings were colorectal cancer and urachal cancer. Therefore , mFOLFOX6 was selected for chemotherapy because it has been reported to be effective against both urachal and colorectal cancer. At the time of writing, good tumor control had been achieved in the lesions evaluated. Cases of Sister Mary Joseph's nodule have sporadically been reported. The most common primary foci for peritoneal metastases are the stomach, pancreas and ovary. However, in the present case, these sites were ruled out and the primary focus remained unidentified, making it difficult to select appropriate treatment. We present this case with a discussion of the literature.

[Laparoscopic resection of persistent patent urachus]. / Ductus urachus persistens laparoszkópos eltávolítása.

The urachus in the foetus is a fibromuscular duct, which connects the allantois to the bladder and it is usually occluded in the 4-5th gestation months. Incomplete occlusion of the urachus at the time of birth is considered to be physiological, but later it can lead to recurrent discharge and inflammation of the umbilicus. To establish the diagnosis, ultrasound is the first examination of choice. A 19-year old obese female patient presented with umbilical discharge, and a persistent urachus was detected by ultrasound. After incision of the peritoneum the duct was excised from the umbilicus to the dome of the bladder by 3-port laparoscopy where the duct was clipped. The operation time was 38 minutes. The patient required minor analgesia on one single occasion in the postoperative period and was discharged on the first postoperative day. The authors recommend laparoscopic operation for the urachal remnant; the enlarged duct on the ventral abdominal wall can be better detected from the umbilicus to the Retzius spatium with 30-degree camera, and the cosmetic outcome is also more favourable.

Hybrid laparoscopic complete untinatectomy of pancreas by Shuriken shaped umbilicoplasty with sliding windows method.

In this study, we demonstrated the complete resection of untinate process that was performed by the hybrid laparoscopic surgery using our original new technique of Shuriken shaped umbilicoplasty with sliding window`s method. A 70-year-old weman was hospitalized for surgery of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm located in the uncinate process of pancreas. Under general anesthesia, a Shuriken shaped umbilical skin incision was made by 7 cm in horizontal and 4cm longitudinal width with 3cm round skin incision. The intermediate skin between outside and inside skin incision was removed. Subcutaneous tissue around the umbilicus and the upper abdominal subcutaneous region was dissected, and the 8cm of upper abdominal minilaparotomy was performed. The complete resection of untinate process was performed by hybrid laparoscopic procedure with the hand-assisted or the laparo-assisted manner. The umbilicoplasty of only 3cm round skin wound was made by the reefing of subcutaneous suture with 5-0 absorbable suture. The patient suffered from pancreas leakage from pancreas stump, however it was recovered spontaneously. Our new procedure could be used for PD, DP, and Major hepatectomy with the hybrid laparoscopic procedure. It might be considered that our method is good for both cosmetic and safety benefits in HPB surgery.

Individualized management of umbilical endometriosis: a report of seven cases.

AIM: The aim of this study was to review diagnostic/therapeutic strategies of umbilical endometriosis managed in our department and evaluate the effectiveness of these strategies. METHODS: Medical records for patients with diagnosis of endometriosis managed from 1999 through 2011 in the University of Tokyo Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Cases with diagnosis of umbilical endometriosis were identified. Clinical information of age, gravida, parity, histories of surgery and oral contraceptive (OC), management for the disease prior to the first visit, symptoms, patients' desire for pregnancy, diagnostic/therapeutic methods and prognosis were reviewed and summarized. RESULTS: During the period, 2530 patients with diagnosis of endometriosis were identified. Seven patients had diagnosis of umbilical endometriosis, giving an incidence of 0.29% of all endometriosis cases and 5.6% of extragenital endometriosis cases. A definitive diagnosis was made by histological examination following a biopsy (two cases) or a resection (three cases). A clinical diagnosis was made by empirical treatment with OC (one case) or dienogest (one case). With regard to therapy, three patients chose expectant management and did not require therapeutic intervention. Three patients began OC and symptoms were well controlled in all patients. One patient who wished to conceive chose a wide resection followed by umbilical reconstruction. She became pregnant afterwards and recurrence was not reported. CONCLUSION: There are various options of diagnostic/therapeutic strategies, such as empirical treatments and OC that can provide individualized management of umbilical endometriosis, congruent with the severity of patient symptoms, age and desire for pregnancy.

[Suprapubis-assisted umbilical laparoendoscopic mini-dual-site surgery for varicocele: a report of 80 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To study the safety, effectiveness and feasibility of suprapubis-assisted umbilical laparoendoscopic mini-dual-site surgery (SAU-LEMDS) in the treatment of varicocele. METHODS: This study included 80 varicocele patients aged 24 - 44 (mean 28.5 +/- 2.6) years, 25 cases of grade I, 45 cases of grade II and 10 cases of grade III, 58 cases in the left side, 6 in the right and 16 in both sides, and all with asthenospermia. The patients were treated by SAU-LEMDS under subarachnoid anesthesia combined with general anesthesia in a supine position with a head-down-feet-up slope of 15 degrees. Two 5 mm trocars were inserted bilaterally at the umbilical edge, one with a 5 mm 30 degrees laparoscope placed in it, and another into the abdominal cavity below the pubic hairline with a 5 mm laparoendoscopic clipper placed in it. The operation procedure was similar to that of standard laparoscopic ligation of spermatic veins, with reservation of the spermatic artery and double-ligation of spermatic veins. And the procedure was repeated for the contralateral lesion in the bilateral cases. Postoperative follow-up was conducted for the incidences of orchiatrophy and testicular hydrocele and changes of seminal parameters. RESULTS: All the operations were successful, with the mean operation time of (10 +/- 5.0) min (range 8 to 25 min) for the unilateral cases and (18 +/- 6.5) min (range 15 to 30 min) for the bilateral cases, the mean blood loss of (1.5 +/- 0.5) ml (range 1 to 2 ml), and the mean postoperative hospital stay of (2 +/- 0.5) d (range 1.5 to 3 d). The patients were followed up for 6 -24 (12 +/- 2.5) months, which showed significant improvement in sperm motility as compared with the baseline ([28.53 +/- 5.21] vs [19.62 +/- 3.56]%, P < 0.05), with 28 cases (35.0%) restored to normal. Recurrence was found in 4 cases (5.0%). Testicular hydrocele occurred in 7 cases (8.75%), but orchiatrophy in none. The scars in the umbilicus and suprapubis were invisible because of the wrinkles and pubic hair. CONCLUSION: SAU-LEMDS is safe, effective and feasible for the treatment of varicocele. It is superior to umbilical laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (U-LESS) for its less invasiveness, simpler operation, and better cosmetic appearance.