[Minimising hospital costs in the treatment of bile duct calculi: a comparison study]. / Estudio de minimización de costes hospitalarios en el tratamiento de la coledocolitiasis.

INTRODUCTION: The treatment of bile duct calculi associated with cholelithiasis is controversial. The hospital costs could be a decisive factor in choosing between the different therapeutic options. OBJECTIVES: To compare the effectiveness and costs of two options in the treatment of common bile duct calculi: 1) One-stage: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy and bile duct exploration, and 2) Two-stage: sequential endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and laparoscopic cholecystectomy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective, observational study was performed on 49 consecutive patients with bile duct calculi and gallbladder in situ, treated consecutively and simultaneously over a two year period. The post-operate complication, hospital stay, number of procedures per patient, conversion to laparotomy, efficacy of removing the calculi, and hospital costs. RESULTS: There were no differences as regards the patient clinical features or morbidity. The mean post-surgical hospital stay for the One-stage group was less than that in the Two-stage group. Three patients of the Two-stage group required conversion to laparotomy. The median costs per patient were less for the One-stage strategy, representing an overall saving of 37,173€ during the period studied. CONCLUSIONS: No significant differences were found between the two treatment options as regards efficacy or post-surgical morbidity and mortality, but there were differences in hospital stay and costs. The management of patients with gallstones in one-stage surgery represents a saving of 3 days hospital stay and 1,008€ per patient.

How abnormal is the normal? Clinical characteristics of CF patients with normal FEV1.

BACKGROUND: Normal values (>80%) of Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1 ) in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) may lead to the interpretation that there is no lung disease. This study is a comprehensive analysis of lung involvement in CF patients having normal FEV1 . METHODS: Patients were recruited from two CF centers: Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem and Vall d' Hebron Hospital, Barcelona. Lung disease was assessed by lung clearance index (LCI), chest CT-Brody score, respiratory cultures, number of pulmonary exacerbations (PEx), and days of antibiotic treatment in the year before the assessment. RESULTS: Of the 247 patients, 89 (36%) had FEV1 ≥80% and were included in the study (mean age, 17.6; range, 4.25-49 years). Chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection was found in 21%, and 31% had at least one major PEx in the year before the study. Abnormally elevated LCI was found in 86% of patients, ranging between 7.52 and 18.97, and total Brody score (TBS) was abnormal in 92% (range, 5.0-96.5). Patients with chronic P. aeruginosa had significantly higher LCI (p = .01) and TBS (p = .02) which were associated with more major PEx (p < .01 and p = .01, respectively) and more days of intravenous (IV) antibiotic treatment in the preceding year (p = .03 and p = .001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Most CF patients with normal FEV1 have already physiological and structural lung abnormalities which were associated with more PEx and IV antibiotic treatment. Further studies are needed to determine if better adherence to the currently used therapies and the new cystic fibrosis transmembrane modulators will prevent the progression of lung disease.

Crecimiento endobiliar de las metástasis de carcinoma colorrectal / Intrabiliary growth of colorectal liver metastases

No disponible

[Usefulness of pre-surgical biopsy in selecting patients with hepatocellular carcinoma for liver transplant]. / Utilidad de la biopsia preoperatoria en la selección de pacientes con hepatocarcinoma para el trasplante hepático.

The selection of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) for liver transplantation must be improved. One of the methods proposed to achieve this objective consists of including predictors of tumour aggressiveness to the decision making algorithm. The procedures that would enable this characteristic to be assessed, are: 1. Serum biomarkers, 2. Response to transarterial chemoembolisation and 3. Data on the tumour histology. In this review, the available data on the usefulness of each of these procedures are analysed. Special attention is given to the evidence associated with the possible usefulness of a preoperative biopsy. It can be concluded that a preoperative biopsy could be useful to indicate liver transplantation in patients with extended criteria, but not in patients that fulfil the Milan criteria. This scenario could soon change if the initial data on the prognostic value of some molecular markers of tumour progression are confirmed.

Estrategia quirúrgica como prevención y tratamiento del síndrome de 'small for size' / No disponible

No disponible

Estudio de minimización de costes hospitalarios en el tratamiento de la coledocolitiasis / Minimising hospital costs in the treatment of bile duct calculi: A comparison study

Introducción El tratamiento de la coledocolitiasis asociada a colelitiasis es controvertido. Los costes hospitalarios podrían ser un factor decisivo para elegir entre las distintas opciones terapéuticas. Objetivos Comparar la eficacia y los costes de 2 alternativas en el tratamiento de la coledocolitiasis: 1) Un-tiempo: colecistectomía y exploración de la vía biliar por laparoscopia y 2) Dos-tiempos: colangiopancreatografía retrógrada endoscópica y colecistectomía laparoscópica secuencial. Material y métodos Estudio observacional, retrospectivo de 49 pacientes con coledocolitiasis y vesícula in situ, tratados de forma consecutiva y simultánea durante 2 años, mediante una de las 2 estrategias. Se compararon las complicaciones postoperatorias, estancia, número de procedimientos por paciente, conversión a laparotomía, eficacia en la extracción de cálculos y costes hospitalarios. Resultados No hubo diferencias en cuanto a características clínicas y morbilidad de los pacientes. La estancia postoperatoria media para el grupo Un-tiempo fue menor que para el grupo Dos-tiempos. Tres pacientes del grupo Dos-tiempos requirieron conversión a laparotomía. La mediana de costes por paciente fue menor para la estrategia en Un-tiempo, representando un ahorro global de 37.173€ durante el período estudiado. Conclusiones Entre las 2 opciones terapéuticas, no se han encontrado diferencias significativas en cuanto a la eficacia, ni la morbimortalidad postoperatorias, pero sí desde el punto de vista de la estancia y los costes hospitalarios. El manejo de los pacientes con coledocolitiasis en un solo tiempo representó un ahorro de 3 días de estancia y 1.008€ por paciente (AU)

Introduction The treatment of bile duct calculi associated with cholelithiasis is controversial. The hospital costs could be a decisive factor in choosing between the different therapeutic options. Objectives To compare the effectiveness and costs of two options in the treatment of common bile duct calculi: 1) One-stage: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy and bile duct exploration, and 2) Two-stage: sequential endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Material and methods A retrospective, observational study was performed on 49 consecutive patients with bile duct calculi and gallbladder in situ, treated consecutively and simultaneously over a two year period. The post-operate complication, hospital stay, number of procedures per patient, conversion to laparotomy, efficacy of removing the calculi, and hospital costs. Results There were no differences as regards the patient clinical features or morbidity. The mean post-surgical hospital stay for the One-stage group was less than that in the Two-stage group. Three patients of the Two-stage group required conversion to laparotomy. The median costs per patient were less for the One-stage strategy, representing an overall saving of 37,173€ during the period studied. Conclusions No significant differences were found between the two treatment options as regards efficacy or post-surgical morbidity and mortality, but there were differences in hospital stay and costs. The management of patients with gallstones in one-stage surgery represents a saving of 3 days hospital stay and 1,008€ per patient (AU)

Utilidad de la biopsia preoperatoria en la selección de pacientes con hepatocarcinoma para el trasplante hepático / Usefulness of pre-surgical biopsy in selecting patients with hepatocellular carcinoma for liver transplant

La selección de pacientes con hepatocarcinoma para el trasplante hepático es susceptible de mejorarse. Uno de los métodos propuestos para lograr este objetivo consiste en la incorporación al algoritmo decisorio de factores pronóstico de agresividad tumoral. Los procedimientos que permitirían valorar esta característica pueden agruparse en 3 categorías: a) biomarcadores séricos; b) respuesta a la quimioembolización, y c) datos de la histología tumoral. En este estudio de revisión se analizan los datos disponibles acerca de la utilidad de cada uno de estos tipos de marcadores, y se presta una especial atención a las evidencias relacionadas con la posible utilidad de una biopsia preoperatoria. Puede concluirse que la biopsia preoperatoria podría ser útil para indicar el trasplante hepático en pacientes con criterios expandidos, pero no en pacientes que cumplan los criterios de Milán. Este escenario podría cambiar en un futuro no muy lejano si se confirman los primeros datos del valor pronóstico de algunos parámetros de biología molecular (AU)

The selection of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) for liver transplantation must be improved. One of the methods proposed to achieve this objective consists of including predictors of tumour aggressiveness to the decision making algorithm. The procedures that would enable this characteristic to be assessed, are: 1. Serum biomarkers, 2. Response to transarterial chemoembolisation and 3. Data on the tumour histology. In this review, the available data on the usefulness of each of these procedures are analysed. Special attention is given to the evidence associated with the possible usefulness of a preoperative biopsy. It can be concluded that a preoperative biopsy could be useful to indicate liver transplantation in patients with extended criteria, but not in patients that fulfil the Milan criteria. This scenario could soon change if the initial data on the prognostic value of some molecular markers of tumour progression are confirmed (AU)

Receptores con hipertensión portopulmonar primaria y síndrome hepatopulmonar / No disponible

No disponible