CLINICAL COURSE OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY IN KOREAN TYPE 2 DIABETES AFTER BARIATRIC SURGERY: A Pilot Study.

PURPOSE: To assess the changes in diabetic retinopathy (DR) in Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients after bariatric surgery. METHODS: Consecutive 20 patients with T2DM who underwent bariatric surgery and were followed for at least 12 months were enrolled. The case history was reviewed retrospectively, and laboratory data were assessed at baseline and every 3 months postoperatively. Two retinal specialists evaluated the severity of DR with dilated fundus examination preoperatively and postoperatively. Factors associated with DR progression were assessed. RESULTS: During the follow-up period, 2 of 12 patients without DR and 2 of 3 patients with mild nonproliferative DR before surgery developed moderate nonproliferative DR. All five patients with moderate nonproliferative DR or worse preoperatively had progression requiring intervention. Preexisting DR (P = 0.005) and albuminuria (P = 0.01) were identified as associated with DR progression. Six patients (30%) entered remission of T2DM, but remission of T2DM could not halt the DR progression. CONCLUSION: Diabetic retinopathy progression can occur in patients with or without before DR after bariatric surgery, regardless of remission of T2DM. All patients with T2DM should be examined regularly by an ophthalmologist postoperatively, and more carefully patients with previous DR or albuminuria.

Enteroendocrine Reprogramming by Altered Epithelial-Mesenchymal Crosstalk in Metabolic Surgery.

Metabolic surgery is an effective treatment option for type 2 diabetes. However, the therapeutic scope has been limited by unexpected inconsistent outcomes. This study aims to overcome these obstacles by determining fundamental mechanisms from a novel perspective by analyzing and comparing the surgical anatomy, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of metabolic surgery, including duodenal-jejunal bypass, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, biliopancreatic diversion, one anastomosis gastric bypass, and their modified procedures, predominantly focusing on nonobese patients to mitigate confounding effects from overweighted type 2 diabetes. Regional epithelial cell growth and unique villus formation along the anterior-posterior axis of the small intestine depend on crosstalk between the epithelium and the underlying mesenchyme. Due to altered crosstalk between the epithelium and the opposite mesenchyme at the anastomotic site, the enteroendocrine lineage of the distal intestine is replaced by the proximal epithelium after the bypass procedure. Subsequent intestinal compensatory proliferation accelerates the expansion of the replaced epithelium, including enteroendocrine cells. The primary reasons for unsatisfactory results are incomplete duodenal exclusion and insufficient biliopancreatic limb length. We anticipate that this novel mechanism will have a significant impact on metabolic surgery outcomes and provide valuable insight into optimizing its effectiveness in type 2 diabetes.

Internal plug mesh without fixation in laparoscopic total extraperitoneal (TEP) repair of inguinal hernias: a pilot study.

PURPOSE: Mesh fixation is essential in laparoscopic total extraperitoneal (TEP) repair of inguinal hernia; however, fixation sometimes causes post-operative pain. This study investigated a novel method of laparoscopic TEP repair without mesh fixation. METHODS: This study reviewed data from about two-hundred and forty-one laparoscopic TEP repairs on 219 patients, which were performed between December 2004 and October 2005. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in the recurrence rate, seroma formation, and hospital stay. However, the mean operation time was shorter in the internal plug mesh group than the fixation group (p = 0.009), and post-operative pain only occurred in 4 cases in the internal plug mesh group in comparison to 29 cases in the mesh fixation group (p = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS: An internal plug mesh without fixation might reduce post-operative pain after laparoscopic TEP repair of an inguinal hernia. Internal plug mesh without fixation may be an alternative method in laparoscopic TEP repair, especially for those involving indirect hernias.

Current status of laparoscopic liver resection in Korea.

Since laparoscopic liver resection was first introduced in 2001, Korean surgeons have chosen a laparoscopic procedure as one of the treatment options for benign or malignant liver disease. We distributed and analyzed a nationwide questionnaire to members of the Korean Laparoscopic Liver Surgery Study Group (KLLSG) in order to evaluate the current status of laparoscopic liver resection in Korea. Questionnaires were sent to 24 centers of KLLSG. The questionnaire consisted of operative procedure, histological diagnosis of liver lesions, indications for resection, causes of conversion to open surgery, and postoperative outcomes. A laparoscopic liver resection was performed in 416 patients from 2001 to 2008. Of 416 patients, 59.6% had malignant tumors, and 40.4% had benign diseases. A total laparoscopic approach was performed in 88.7%. Anatomical laparoscopic liver resection was more commonly performed than non-anatomical resection (59.9% vs 40.1%). The anatomical laparoscopic liver resection procedures consisted of a left lateral sectionectomy (29.3%), left hemihepatectomy (19.2%), right hemihepatectomy (6%), right posterior sectionectomy (4.3%), central bisectionectomy (0.5%), and caudate lobectomy (0.5%). Laparoscopy-related serious complications occurred in 12 (2.8%) patients. The present study findings provide data in terms of indication, type and method of liver resection, and current status of laparoscopic liver resection in Korea.

Learning curve for laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal repair of inguinal hernia.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal (TEP) repair has been accepted as a popular procedure for inguinal hernia repair, but surgeons still encounter technical difficulties owing to unfamiliar pelvic anatomy and limited working space. We sought to estimate the learning curve for laparoscopic TEP repair without supervision. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients scheduled for laparoscopic TEP repair of an inguinal hernia from December 2000 to October 2007. RESULTS: We reviewed medical records for 700 patients. The cases were divided into 8 groups: 20 patients each in groups I-V and 200 patients each in groups VI-VIII. No significant difference in demographic characteristics was identified among the groups. The mean duration of surgery significantly decreased (p < 0.001) in relation to experience; it reached a plateau of less than 30 minutes (mean 28 min) after 60 cases. The mean length of stay in hospital was 0.97 days, reaching a plateau after 20 cases. Six patients were converted to other techniques: 1 patient each in groups III and VIII and 4 patients in group VII. Three recurrences were detected; however, 2 were excluded because the patient had bilateral inguinal hernias. CONCLUSION: We estimate the learning curve for laparoscopic TEP repair is 60 cases for a beginner surgeon. The presence of an experienced supervisor during the first 60 cases can help prevent unnecessary complications and shorten the duration of surgery.

Laparoscopic mini-gastric bypass for type 2 diabetes: the preliminary report.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has become an epidemic health problem worldwide. Compared to Western countries, in Asia, T2DM occurs in patients with a lower body mass index (BMI) due to central obesity and decreased pancreatic ß-cell function. The efficacy of laparoscopic mini-gastric bypass (LMGB) in obese patients with T2DM has been proven by numerous studies. Treatment outcomes of LMGB for non-obese T2DM patients are also estimated to be excellent. The aim of the present pilot study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of LMBG in non-obese T2DM patients (BMI 25-30 kg/m(2)). METHODS: Ten consecutive patients underwent LMGB at our hospital from August 2009 to October 2009. Preoperative data including glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and 2 h postprandial glucose (2-h PPG) were compared with data collected at 1, 3, and 6 postoperative months. RESULTS: All procedures were completed laparoscopically. Mean age of the patients was 46.9 years, mean BMI was 27.2 kg/m(2), mean operative time was 150.5 min, and mean postoperative hospital stay was 5.3 days. Neither mortality nor major complications occurred. Mean preoperative glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2-h PPG, and C-peptide level were 9.7%, 222 mg/dl, 343 mg/dl, and 2.78 ng/ml, respectively. At the sixth postoperative month, HbA1c, FPG, 2-h PPG, and C-peptide level measured 6.7%, 144 mg/dl, 203 mg/dl, and 2.18 ng/ml. CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary study demonstrated the resolution of hyperglycemia in 70% of non-obese T2DM patients (BMI 25-30 kg/m(2)). Although long-term follow-up data are required, early operative outcomes were satisfactory in terms of glycemic control and safety of the procedure.

Swelling after laparoscopic total extraperitoneal repair of inguinal hernias: review of one surgeon's experience in 1,065 cases.

BACKGROUND: It is often difficult to assess the clinical significance of scrotal or operative site swelling after a laparoscopic total extraperitoneal (TEP) repair of an inguinal hernia. Specifically, surgeons are often faced with the dilemma of determining whether such a swelling is a recurrent hernia or just a swelling only. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 1,065 laparoscopic TEP inguinal hernia repairs were performed on 944 patients by a single surgeon between December 2000 and December 2008, and we reviewed these data. RESULTS: The overall incidence of swelling formation was 6.5% (70 of 1,065 cases). Swellings were more frequent in males, and in association with the following diagnoses: indirect inguinal hernias, larger hernia defects, scrotal hernias, omental incarcerations, and the presence of residual distal sacs. Fifty-eight (83%) of 70 patients who had swelling after laparoscopic TEP did not need any intervention for swelling and the swelling resolved spontaneously. CONCLUSIONS: Although postoperative swellings are a common complication after laparoscopic TEP repairs of inguinal hernias, swellings are minor complications, are not associated with hernia recurrence, and generally subside spontaneously.

Determination of malignant and invasive predictors in branch duct type intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms of the pancreas: a suggested scoring formula.

Prediction of malignancy or invasiveness of branch duct type intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (Br-IPMN) is difficult, and proper treatment strategy has not been well established. The authors investigated the characteristics of Br-IPMN and explored its malignancy or invasiveness predicting factors to suggest a scoring formula for predicting pathologic results. From 1994 to 2008, 237 patients who were diagnosed as Br-IPMN at 11 tertiary referral centers in Korea were retrospectively reviewed. The patients' mean age was 63.1 ± 9.2 yr. One hundred ninty-eight (83.5%) patients had nonmalignant IPMN (81 adenoma, 117 borderline atypia), and 39 (16.5%) had malignant IPMN (13 carcinoma in situ, 26 invasive carcinoma). Cyst size and mural nodule were malignancy determining factors by multivariate analysis. Elevated CEA, cyst size and mural nodule were factors determining invasiveness by multivariate analysis. Using the regression coefficient for significant predictors on multivariate analysis, we constructed a malignancy-predicting scoring formula: 22.4 (mural nodule [0 or 1]) + 0.5 (cyst size [mm]). In invasive IPMN, the formula was expressed as invasiveness-predicting score = 36.6 (mural nodule [0 or 1]) + 32.2 (elevated serum CEA [0 or 1]) + 0.6 (cyst size [mm]). Here we present a scoring formula for prediction of malignancy or invasiveness of Br-IPMN which can be used to determine a proper treatment strategy.

Pancreatic resection guided by preoperative intraductal ultrasonography for intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm.

OBJECTIVES: Successful treatment requires reliable preoperative assessment of the highly variable extension of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs). We aimed to determine the role of intraductal ultrasonography (IDUS) in predicting the extension of IPMN, and in selecting the method of pancreatic resection and the long-term outcome after surgery. METHODS: Randomized prospective study. Forty consecutive patients who underwent IPMN resection were included in the study. Patients were randomly assigned to an IDUS group or control group, in which IDUS was not performed. RESULTS: Preoperative assessment by IDUS had an 85% (17 of 20) diagnostic accuracy for tumor extension of IPMN compared with 50% (10 of 20) in cases assessed by other imaging methods without IDUS (P=0.018). In 9 of 15 patients with invasive carcinoma, the tumor was located in the pancreatic head, and 11 had a main duct-type tumor. Recurrent disease was identified in 5 of 15 (33%) patients with invasive IPMN at a mean follow-up of 50 months; of them, 1 underwent preoperative IDUS and 4 were assessed by other imaging methods. None of the 25 patients with noninvasive IPMN had recurrent disease at follow-up. The overall cumulative 3-year survival rate was 79%. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative IDUS was useful in determining the type of surgery and the extent of resection, especially in main-duct IPMN.

Negative pressure external drainage of the pancreatic duct in pancreaticoduodenectomy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Despite the development of surgical techniques, postoperative pancreatic fistula is still one of the main causes of serious morbidity after pancreaticoduodenectomy. Nevertheless numerous studies have been done, studies on preventing pancreatic fistula are lacking. This study is focused on the effectiveness of negative pressure external drainage for pancreaticojejunostomy in pancreaticoduodenectomy patients. METHODOLOGY: Seventy-six patients were scheduled for pancreaticoduodenectomy at Soonchunhyang University Hospital from January of 2003 to August of 2007. Negative suction drainage group (n = 41) and no negative suction drainage group (n = 35) were compared by patient characteristics, parameters related to operation, and complications. RESULTS: There were no statistical differences between both groups in patient demographics and parameters related to operation. The complication rates were significantly lower in negative suction drainage group in terms of postoperative bleeding (P = 0.012), choledochojejunostomy leak (P = 0.014), and pancreatic fistula (P = 0.018). CONCLUSIONS: This retrospective study showed that external stenting with negative pressure suction drainage of the pancreatic duct has significantly reduced the rate of pancreatic fistula in duct-to-mucosa pancreaticojejunostomy with improved surgical outcomes.

Metabolic Outcomes of Surgery for Non-Obese Type 2 Diabetes.

The most plausible contributing factor to non-obese type 2 diabetes may be imbalanced incretin release from the intestinal epithelium in response to nutrients. Rerouting intestinal continuity through bypass surgery to modulate incretin release is therefore a reasonable treatment. We believe that a major determinant of metabolic outcomes is entire duodenal exclusion without leaving any duodenal epithelium and exclusion of sufficient length of jejunum. More importantly, the procedure should be implemented with safety and without sequelae. To achieve this, we invented a novel procedure with acceptable surgical safety and excellent and durable metabolic outcomes. Post-surgical intestinal adaptation should be considered to achieve successful outcomes.

Initial Experience with Laparoscopic Loop Duodenojejunal Bypass with Sleeve Gastrectomy in Korean Obese Patients.

Laparoscopic loop duodenojejunal bypass with sleeve gastrectomy (LDJB-SG) has theoretical advantages compared with laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. We performed 7 cases of LDJB-SG from May 2019 to September 2019. All procedures were successfully completed by laparoscopy. The mean operative time was 282.9 (210~335) minutes and the mean estimated blood loss was 82.9 (20~150) ml. There was no intraoperative complications, however, there was 1 case of postoperative anastomotic leakage. The average length of postoperative hospital stay was 5.3 (3~12) days. The mean body weight at baseline was 117.1 (88.4~151.1) kg, and was decreased to 90.4 (69.4~130.9) kg at postoperative 3 month. The mean of HbA1c at baseline was 7.6 (5.5~9.4) %, and was decreased to 5.3 (4.8~5.6) % at postoperative 3 month. Although LDJB-SG is a technically demanding procedure, it can be a feasible and safe procedure if the learning curve can be overcame.

[A case of liposarcoma arising in the mesentery].

A liposarcoma is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in adults with an incidence of about 20% of all soft tissue sarcomas. Although incidence differs from a region of origination, a case arisen from mesentery has rarely been reported. We experienced a case of liposarcoma arising from the mesentery of a 51-year-old male patient. He was treated by wide excision. Histologically, the tumor was composed of a mixed well-differentiated liposarcoma with myxoid and spindle cell type.

Mini-gastric bypass to control morbid obesity and diabetes mellitus: what radiologists need to know.

Laparoscopic mini-gastric bypass surgery is a safe and simple surgical intervention for treating morbid obesity and diabetes mellitus and is now being performed more frequently. Radiologists must be critical in their postoperative evaluation of these patients. In this pictorial review, we explain and illustrate the surgical technique, normal postoperative anatomy, and associated complications as seen on imaging examinations, including fluoroscopy and computed tomography.

Short-term outcomes of laparoscopic single anastomosis gastric bypass (LSAGB) for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in lower BMI (<30 kg/m(2)) patients.

BACKGROUND: Bariatric surgery is an efficient procedure for remission of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in morbid obesity. However, in Asian countries, mean body mass index (BMI) of T2DM patients is about 25 kg/m(2). Various data on patients undergoing gastric bypass surgery showed that control of T2DM after surgery occurs rapidly and somewhat independent to weight loss. We hypothesized that in non-obese patients with T2DM, the glycemic control would be achieved as a consequence of gastric bypass surgery. METHODS: From September 2009, the 172 patients have had laparoscopic single anastomosis gastric bypass (LSAGB) surgery. Among them, 107 patients have been followed up more than 1 year. We analyzed the dataset of these patients. Values related to diabetes were measured before and 1, 2, and 3 years after the surgery. RESULTS: The mean BMI decreased during the first year after the surgery but plateaued after that. The mean glycosylated hemoglobin level decreased continuously. The mean fasting and postglucose loading plasma glucose level also decreased. CONCLUSION: After LSAGB surgery in non-obese T2DM patients, the control of T2DM was possible safely and effectively. However, longer follow-up with matched control group is essential.

Incretin levels 1 month after laparoscopic single anastomosis gastric bypass surgery in non-morbid obese type 2 diabetes patients.

PURPOSE: Bariatric surgery is an efficient procedure for the remission of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) from morbid obesity. However, in Asian countries, the mean body mass index (BMI) of T2DM patients is about 25 kg/m(2). Various data on patients undergoing gastric bypass surgery suggest that the control of T2DM after surgery occurs rapidly. We hypothesized that even in nonobese patients with T2DM, the levels of incretin and insulin changed along with the improvement of T2DM as a consequence of the gastric bypass. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From March to December 2011, 12 nonobese patients (mean BMI; 26.2 kg/m(2)) with poorly-controlled [mean glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C); 9.5%] diabetes underwent gastric bypass surgery. Values related to diabetes, including incretin [gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)] levels were measured before and 1 month after surgery. All values were measured in response to a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). RESULTS: On average, the BMI decreased by 2.1 ± 0.7 kg/m(2). Mean HbA1C level decreased by 1.6 ± 2%. Oral glucose-stimulated insulin levels increased and GLP-1 levels also increased significantly. Oral glucose-stimulated GIP levels decreased sharply. CONCLUSION: Soon after gastric bypass in nonobese T2DM patients, control of T2DM is achieved. The incretin release after oral glucose is improved. This could be a consequence of changes of the enteroinsular axis, particularly in the incretins.

Is transverse abdominis plane block effective following local anesthetic infiltration in laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal hernia repair?

BACKGROUND: Transverse abdominis plane (TAP) block can be recommended as a multimodal method to reduce postoperative pain in laparoscopic abdominal surgery. However, it is unclear whether TAP block following local anesthetic infiltration is effective. We planned this study to evaluate the effectiveness of the latter technique in laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal hernia repair (TEP). METHODS: We randomly divided patients into two groups: the control group (n = 37) and TAP group (n = 37). Following the induction of general anesthesia, as a preemptive method, all of the patients were subjected to local anesthetic infiltration at the trocar sites, and the TAP group was subjected to ultrasound-guided bilateral TAP block with 30 ml of 0.375% ropivacaine in addition before TEP. Pain was assessed in the recovery room and post-surgery at 4, 8, and 24 h. Additionally, during the postoperative 24 h, the total injected dose of analgesics and incidence of nausea were recorded. RESULTS: On arrival in the recovery room, the pain score of the TAP group (4.33 ± 1.83) was found to be significantly lower than that of the control group (5.73 ± 2.04). However, the pain score was not significantly different between the TAP group and control group at 4, 8, and 24 h post-surgery. The total amounts of analgesics used in the TAP group were significantly less than in the control group. No significant difference was found in the incidence of nausea between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: TAP block following local infiltration had a clinical advantage only in the recovery room.

2014 clinical practice guidelines for overweight and obesity in Korea.

The dramatic increase in the prevalence of obesity and its accompanying comorbidities are major health concerns in Korea. Obesity is defined as a body mass index ≥25 kg/m² in Korea. Current estimates are that 32.8% of adults are obese: 36.1% of men and 29.7% of women. The prevalence of being overweight and obese in national surveys is increasing steadily. Early detection and the proper management of obesity are urgently needed. Weight loss of 5% to 10% is the standard goal. In obese patients, control of cardiovascular risk factors deserves the same emphasis as weight-loss therapy. Since obesity is multifactorial, proper care of obesity requires a coordinated multidisciplinary treatment team, as a single intervention is unlikely to modify the incidence or natural history of obesity.