Increase in future remnant liver function after preoperative portal vein embolization.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative portal vein embolization (PVE) is performed in patients with insufficient future remnant liver (FRL) to allow safe resection. Although many studies have demonstrated an increase in FRL volume after PVE, little is known about the increase in FRL function. This study evaluated the increase in FRL function after PVE using (99m) Tc-labelled mebrofenin hepatobiliary scintigraphy (HBS) with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and compared this with the increase in FRL volume. METHODS: In 24 patients, computed tomography volumetry and (99m) Tc-labelled mebrofenin HBS with SPECT were performed before and 3-4 weeks after PVE to measure FRL volume, standardized FRL and FRL function. A hypothetical model was used to assess safe resectability after PVE. The limit for safe resection for FRL function was set at an uptake of 2·69 per cent per min per m². For FRL volume and standardized FRL, 25 or 40 per cent of total liver volume was used, depending on the presence of underlying liver disease. RESULTS: After PVE, FRL function increased significantly more than FRL volume. The correlation between the increase in FRL volume and FRL function was poor. Using the hypothetical model, seven patients did not achieve a sufficient increase in FRL function to allow safe resection 3-4 weeks after PVE, compared with 12 and nine patients based on FRL volume and standardized FRL respectively. CONCLUSION: The increase in FRL function after PVE is more pronounced than the increase in FRL volume, suggesting that the necessary waiting time until resection may be shorter than indicated by volumetric parameters.

Laparoscopic ventral rectopexy for obstructed defecation syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: Obstructed defecation remains a serious syndrome. Several procedures have been applied to treat it. A concomitant enterocele excludes some of these procedures, because of potential threat of damaging the bowel. The aim of this study was to assess the outcome of patients who underwent laparoscopic nerve sparing ventral rectopexy for obstructed defecation syndrome with concomitant enterocele. METHODS: Seventeen patients were included. Data about clinical history, physical examination and a defecogram were collected. All patients underwent a laparoscopic ventral rectopexy. Complications, hospital stay, postoperative morbidity and long-term outcome were documented. RESULTS: All patients underwent laparoscopic ventral rectopexy. The median operating time was 199 min (range 186-239 min). One conversion laparotomy was required. Six patients had postoperative complications (ileus n = 2, posttraumatic leg dystrophy n = 1, wound infection n = 1, incisional hernia n = 2). The median hospital stay was 6 days (range 3-24 days). Fifteen patients had improvement of their defecation problem, although six patients still had minor constipation symptoms. In one patient the mesh was rejected and finally removed. CONCLUSION: Obstructed defecation syndrome is a combined functional and mechanical problem. In selected patients, especially when an enterocele is present, laparoscopic ventral rectopexy is a feasible technique, with an acceptable number of complications.

A systematic review of the efficacy of gum chewing for the amelioration of postoperative ileus.

BACKGROUND: Recent trials have shown promising results for the efficacy of gum chewing for the amelioration of postoperative ileus. This finding could have a major clinical impact since gum chewing is relatively harmless and cheap while postoperative ileus has a significant impact on healthcare. METHODS: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials comparing the efficacy of gum chewing after colorectal surgery to a standard control for the amelioration of postoperative ileus, expressed as time to flatus, time to defecation and overall hospital stay. RESULTS: Five randomized controlled trials with a total number of 158 patients were found. The studies were homogeneous and a meta-analysis was performed. The pooled weighted mean difference (WMD) of time to flatus was significantly shorter for the gum-chewing group (20 h with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 13-27). The pooled WMD of time to defecation was significantly shorter (29 h, 95% CI of 19-39). There was a non-significant trend towards a shorter postoperative hospital stay (1.3 days shorter, 95% CI of 3.2 days shorter to 0.6 days longer). CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis shows a favorable effect of gum chewing on time to flatus and defecation but no significant effect on the hospital stay.

Portal vein embolization before liver resection: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: This is a review of literature on the indications, technique, and outcome of portal vein embolization (PVE). METHODS: A systematic literature search on outcome of PVE from 1990 to 2011 was performed in Medline, Cochrane, and Embase databases. RESULTS: Forty-four articles were selected, including 1,791 patients with a mean age of 61 ± 4.1 years. Overall technical success rate was 99.3 %. The mean hypertrophy rate of the FRL after PVE was 37.9 ± 0.1 %. In 70 patients (3.9 %), surgery was not performed because of failure of PVE (clinical success rate 96.1 %). In 51 patients (2.8 %), the hypertrophy response was insufficient to perform liver resection. In the other 17 cases, 12 did not technically succeed (0.7 %) and 7 caused a complication leading to unresectability (0.4 %). In 6.1 %, resection was cancelled because of local tumor progression after PVE. Major complications were seen in 2.5 %, and the mortality rate was 0.1 %. A head-to-head comparison shows a negative effect of liver cirrhosis on hypertrophy response. The use of n-butyl cyanoacrylate seems to have a greater effect on hypertrophy, but the difference with other embolization materials did not reach statistical significance. No difference in regeneration is seen in patients with cholestasis or chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative PVE has a high technical and clinical success rate. Liver cirrhosis has a negative effect on regeneration, but cholestasis and chemotherapy do not seem to have an influence on the hypertrophy response. The use of n-butyl cyanoacrylate may result in a greater hypertrophy response compared with other embolization materials used.