Fibrinolytic activity in laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

The aim of this study was to examine the fibrinolytic activity in laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) to determine whether changes occur that might indicate a greater risk of thrombosis. The study was carried out in 20 patients who had undergone laparoscopic surgery for cholelithiasis without complications. The average age was 59.4 years (34-77 years). Seventy-five percent were women. The mean operating time was 70 minutes (35-120 minutes). Pneumoperitoneum at 14 mm Hg was maintained in all patients, and they were in 30 degrees reverse Trendelenburg position. Postoperative mobilization was obtained before 24 hours, and patients were discharged 48 hours after surgery. The control group was composed of 12 patients, evenly distributed by age, sex, and length of surgery, who had undergone Bassini herniorrhaphy without complications or relapses. The following hemostatic parameters were studied: plasma fibrinolytic activity (PFA), euglobulin fibrinolytic activity (EFA), tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA), fast-acting plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), and D-dimer (D-D). Samples were obtained at the following times: (1) under basal conditions the day before surgery, (2) preoperatively, (3) at the end of surgery, (4) 24 hours after surgery, and (5) on the seventh day following surgery. No patient had clinical manifestations of thromboembolic disease immediately after surgery or during an average follow-up period of 16 months (range 15-18 months). Analysis of the results of global fibrinolysis showed that fibrinolytic activity was enhanced only in the postoperative period (third sample) of the LC patients. The fraction of euglobulins enhances fibrinolytic activity in both groups in the third sample with regard to the other determinations; the LC patients showed a higher degree of significance (p<0.005). A significant increase of postoperative t-PA in both groups was found, being more significant in the LC group (p<0.005). In the PAI-1 values, no significant differences existed between either determinations or groups. A significant increase in D-dimer (p<0.05) occurred in the immediate postoperative period (third sample) and 24 hours later (fourth sample), returning to normal basal values on the seventh day. No significant differences were found between the two groups. These results seem to indicate that LC produces an increase in the fibrinolytic activity in plasma as a result of the liberation of tissue plasminogen activator from the venous endothelium, which could indicate hypocoagulability during the immediate postoperative period and, therefore, signify less thrombotic risk for patients undergoing this procedure.

[Risk factors of peptic ulcer hemorrhage]. / Estudio de factores de riesgo de la hemorragia por úlcera péptica.

A retrospective analysis is made of the risk factors in 229 patients admitted to hospital with hemorrhage from peptic ulcer. The factors that have been studied are: 1) age. 2) type of ulcer lesion. 3) associated disease. 4) antiinflammatory intake. 5) prior ulcer symptoms. 6) intensity and outcome of the bleeding episode. 7) endoscopic findings. 8) treatment modality. 9) mortality. The analysis of these factors tries to establish, by means of the square chi test with Yates correction, the possible relations between the factors, to determine which ones will have a pronostic value. From the results obtained we conclude that the factors with the highest pronostic importance are: 1) With respect to the severity of the bleeding episode, antiinflammatory intake and duodenal location of the ulcer lesion. 2) With respect to the need for urgent surgical treatment, antiinflammatory intake and prior ulcer symptoms. 3) With respect to mortality, severity, persistence and recurrence of bleeding, and the need for urgent surgical treatment. Finally, it is important to mention the absence of pronostic value, with respect to mortality, of advanced age and the endoscopic findings of active and/or recent bleeding.

[Determination of basal and stimulated blood gastrin in duodenal ulcer]. / Valoración de la gastrinemia basal y estimulada en la úlcera duodenal.

Serum gastrin levels were measured under basal conditions and after hyperproteic meal stimulation in 24 patients with non-stenotic duodenal ulcer, 78% of them were males with a mean age of 36.4 years. Results were compared with those obtained in 20 volunteers. Basal gastrin levels in patients with duodenal ulcer 46.2 +/- 17.5 pg/ml did not show any significant statistical differences when compared with those in the control group (51.01 +/- 28.1 pg/ml). After meal stimulation gastrin levels at different time intervals, were similar in patients with duodenal ulcer and in the control group. We conclude that serum gastrin does not seem to play a relevant pathogenic role in the development of duodenal ulcer; its measurement is of no value as a biological marker of duodenal ulcer disease.

Laboratory evaluation of the effect of prophylaxis for thromboembolism with fractionated heparin in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

OBJECTIVE: We studied the effect of prophylaxis for thromboembolism with low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) during hospitalization on the biological hemostasis system in patients who had undergone laparoscopic cholecystectomy. METHODS: This was a prospective paired cohort study without a control group (i.e., a before-after study). The subjects were 20 patients operated on laparoscopically for uncomplicated cholelithiasis. All patients received LMWH 2 h before the operation and 24 h after the first dose. Mean duration of surgery was 70 min. Pneumoperitoneum was accomplished at 14 mmHg, and all patients were operated on in the inverted Trendelenberg position (30 degrees). Patients were mobilized within 24 h, and were discharged within 48 h after surgery. As parameters of hemostasis we studied anti-Xa factor activity (anti-Xa), antithrombin III (AT III), partial active thromboplastin time (PTT) and fibrinogen. Samples were taken for laboratory analyses under basal conditions the day before the operation (first determination), 1 h after the first preoperative dose of LMWH was given (second), at the end of the operation (third), 24 h after surgery (fourth), and on postoperative day 7 (fifth). RESULTS: Mean basal values of all parameters were within the normal range. Mean anti-Xa activity was significantly higher in the second and third determinations than in the first and fifth measurements (p < 0.05). Mean PTT was significantly elevated on the second determination and decreased thereafter; however, none of the results differed significantly from the normal value. Mean AT III was significantly lower in the third determination in comparison with the first and fifth measurements. Fibrinogen was significantly higher in the fourth and fifth determinations than in the second and third measurements. Among all parameters and sampling times, the only values outside the normal range were anti-Xa activity on the second, third and fourth determinations. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma anti-Xa factor activity was increased preoperatively, and remained elevated for 24 h after surgery, returning to basal values on postoperative day 7. Partial thromboplastin time was slightly prolonged after the first dose of LMWH, indicating good antithrombotic action.

[Normal values for basal serum gastrin with and without stimulation]. / Estudio de los valores normales de la gastrina sérica basal y tras estimulación.

In the present work we report a study of the basal gastrin serum levels and stimulated serum gastrin levels after an hyperproteic meal, in a group of 20 healthy volunteers, with neither actual nor previous digestive symptoms. 60% were males, with a mean age of 35, 7 years, the highest percentage (40%) belonging to the fourth decade of life. The procedure used to determine serum gastrin levels is described. The mean value of the 3 samples obtained in basal conditions was of 51.01 pg/ml. The mean value of the 6 samples obtained after the stimulation meal was of 73.4 pg/ml. The results obtained in this study are discussed and compared with the ones of the reviewed literature.

Incisional hernias after laparoscopic vs open cholecystectomy.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was retrospectively to compare the incidence of incisional hernia formation at trocar sites in laparoscopic cholecystectomy with that after conventional open cholecystectomy. METHODS: In all, 271 patients with cholelithiasis underwent either laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC group, n = 142) or open cholecystectomy (OC group, n = 129). In the OC group, the surgical approach was to use a right subcostal incision in 20.2%, right transrectal laparotomy in 73.6%, and midlaparotomy in 6.2%. Laparotomy closure was performed by continuous absorbable suture for the peritoneum and discontinuous absorbable stitches for muscle and fascia. Laparoscopic access was achieved by use of four trocars (two 10 mm and two 5 mm). Umbilical port closure was performed by suture of fascia using discontinuous stitches. Closure of the remaining ports was performed by suture of the skin. RESULTS: Both patient groups were statistically similar with respect to general risk factors. Follow-up was performed in 84 (65.1%) OC and 123 (86.6%) LC patients and ranged from 2 to 10 years (mean, 8 years) and 1 to 5 years (mean, 3 years) respectively. Five (5.9%) OC and two (1.6%) LC patients developed incisional hernias, although the difference between groups was not significant. All hernias in OC patients appeared after transrectal laparotomy. The LC hernias appeared at the umbilical port, and one of the patients developed an additional xiphoides port-associated hernia. CONCLUSIONS: The laparoscopic technique showed a lower (although not significantly) incidence of incisional hernias than the open procedure.

Changes in hemostasis after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this work was to study hemostasis in laparoscopic cholecystectomy in order to determine if there are any changes that indicate a greater risk of thrombosis. METHODS: The study was carried out in 20 patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery for noncomplicated cholelithiasis. The average age was 59.4 years (range, 34-77). A total of 75% were female. Mean operation time was 70 min (ranges 35-120). Pneumoperitoneum at 14 mmHg was performed on all patients, who were positioned in the 30 degrees reverse Trendelenburg position. Postoperative mobilization was acheived in 24 hs and patients were discharged 48 hs after the operation. The control group was composed of 12 patients, who were evenly distributed by age, sex, and length of surgery. These patients underwent Bassini herniorraphy for inguinal hernia without any complications or relapse. The following hemostatic parameters were studied: prothrombin activity (PA), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen (Fg), anti-thrombin III (ATIII), plasma fibrinolytic activity (PFA), euglobulin fibrinolytic activity (EFA), and D-dimer (D-D). Samples were obtained at the following times: (a) under basal conditions the day before surgery, (b) preoperatively, (c) at the end of the operation, (d) 24 hs after the operation, and (e) On the 7th day following the operation. RESULTS: No patient showed any clinical manifestations of thromboembolic disease immediately after surgery or during a medium follow-up period of 16 months (range, 15-18 months). All hemostatic parameters values were within normal range in the basal samples of both groups. In both groups, the mean value of PA showed a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in the second, third, and fourth basal samples, returning to normal levels by the fifth determination. The mean value of fibrinogen decreased slightly in the second and third samples, increasing significantly with respect to the fourth and fifth determinations in both groups (p < 0.05). The mean value of APTT in both groups was slightly enhanced in the second and third determinations in relation to the first and fifth. The global activity of fibrinolysis (PFA and EFA) increased significantly in the third sample with respect to the other determinations in the group who had laparoscopic surgery (p < 0.005). Only EFA increased in the control group (p < 0.05). D-D decreased in the preoperative second determination followed by a significant enhancement immediate postoperatively (third), and 24 hs (fourth) (p < 0.05); it returned to normal basal values on the seventh day. No significant differences were found between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that laparoscopic cholecystectomy leads to no greater activation of plasma coagulation than low-risk surgery. On the contrary, the increase of fibrinolytic activity in plasma would extend a certain degree of hypocoagulability during surgery, maintaining it for 24 hs and thus possibly reducing thromboembolic risk in patients undergoing this type of surgery.