Surveillance Is Important After Surgical Excision of Giant Fibrovascular Polyps of the Esophagus.

Giant fibrovascular polyps of the esophagus are rare benign tumors arising from the cervical esophagus or hypopharynx. Radiologic and endoscopic investigation may struggle to identify a stalk or to delineate the tumor as luminal or submucosal in origin. Excision is advised, although the diagnosis, and therefore the optimal operative approach, may not be apparent until the time of operation. Individual case reports describe the technical success of surgical excision but rarely include follow-up. Our case series highlights the range of approaches for surgical excision and also the importance of long-term follow-up because of the risk of recurrence and potential for airway obstruction.

Gastric electrical stimulation for treatment of clinically severe gastroparesis.

BACKGROUND: Severe, drug-resistant gastroparesis is a debilitating condition. Several, but not all, patients can get significant relief from nausea and vomiting by gastric electrical stimulation (GES). A trial of temporary, endoscopically delivered GES may be of predictive value to select patients for laparoscopic-implantation of a permanent GES device. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a clinical audit of consecutive gastroparesis patients, who had been selected for GES, from May 2008 to January 2012. Delayed gastric emptying was diagnosed by scintigraphy of ≥50% global improvement in symptom-severity and well-being was a good response. RESULTS: There were 71 patients (51 women, 72%) with a median age of 42 years (range: 14-69). The aetiology of gastroparesis was idiopathic (43 patients, 61%), diabetes (15, 21%), or post-surgical (anti-reflux surgery, 6 patients; Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, 3; subtotal gastrectomy, 1; cardiomyotomy, 1; other gastric surgery, 2) (18%). At presentation, oral nutrition was supplemented by naso-jejunal tube feeding in 7 patients, surgical jejunostomy in 8, or parenterally in 1 (total 16 patients; 22%). Previous intervention included endoscopic injection of botulinum toxin (botox) into the pylorus in 16 patients (22%), pyloroplasty in 2, distal gastrectomy in 1, and gastrojejunostomy in 1. It was decided to directly proceed with permanent GES in 4 patients. Of the remaining, 51 patients have currently completed a trial of temporary stimulation and 39 (77%) had a good response and were selected for permanent GES, which has been completed in 35 patients. Outcome data are currently available for 31 patients (idiopathic, 21 patients; diabetes, 3; post-surgical, 7) with a median follow-up period of 10 months (1-28); 22 patients (71%) had a good response to permanent GES, these included 14 (68%) with idiopathic, 5 (71%) with post-surgical, and remaining 3 with diabetic gastroparesis. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, 71% of well-selected patients with intractable gastroparesis had good response to permanent GES at follow-up of up to 2 years.

Long-term follow-up after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: 8-9-year results.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) has rapidly gained popularity as a definitive bariatric procedure despite the sparse long-term follow-up data. On the basis of extensive experience with the open Magenstrasse and Mill operation, we began practice of LSG in 2000. The objective of the present study was to analyze 8-9 years of our follow-up data for LSG at a university hospital in the United Kingdom. METHODS: From January 2000 to December 2001, 20 patients underwent LSG. A 32F bougie was used for calibration in all cases. RESULTS: The preoperative median body mass index was 45.8 kg/m(2) (range 35.8-63.7), and 9 patients (45%) were superobese (body mass index ≥ 50 kg/m(2)). For LSG as a definitive bariatric procedure, 8-9-year follow-up data were available for 13 patients. Of the remainder, 4 patients underwent revision surgery and 3 were lost to follow-up after 2 years. For the entire cohort, the median excess weight loss (EWL) was 73% (range 13-105%) at 1 year, 78% (range 22-98%) at 2 years, 73% (range 28-90%) at 3 years, and 68% (range 18-85%) at 8 or 9 years (P = .074). Of the 13 LSG-only patients with 8-9 years of follow-up, 11 (55% of the starting cohort) had >50% EWL at 8 or 9 years. No significant difference was found in the initial body mass index between the LSG-only patients with >50% EWL and others (45.9 kg/m(2), range 35.8-59.4 versus 45.7 kg/m(2), range 38.9-63.7, respectively; P = .70). The LSG-only patients with >50% EWL had a marginally significantly greater EWL at 1 year compared with the others (76%, range 48-103% versus 45%, range 13-99%, respectively; P = .058). CONCLUSION: At 8-9 years of follow-up, 55% of patients had >50% EWL from LSG as a definitive bariatric procedure.

Use of the obesity surgery mortality risk score to predict complications of laparoscopic bariatric surgery.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the role of the Obesity Surgery Mortality Risk Score (OS-MRS) to predict the risk of post-operative adverse events, in addition to death, from any laparoscopic bariatric procedure. METHODS: The OS-MRS was applied to consecutive patients at a single hospital during October 2008-September 2009. The composite end point comprised one or more of the following adverse events: mortality, re-intervention, re-admission to hospital, venous thromboemobolism, or blood transfusion. RESULTS: There were 381 patients (men, 19%). The median age was 43 years (range, 19-67 years), with 42% patients aged ≥45 years. The median weight was 126 kg (75-295 kg) and median BMI 46 kg/m(2) (30-84 kg/m(2)); 37% had BMI ≥50 kg/m(2). Twenty-seven percent of patients had hypertension and 3% had a past history of venous thromboembolism. The OS-MRS classes were A (60.1%), B (35.9%), or C (4.0%). Operations comprised adjustable gastric band (37%), Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (54%), sleeve gastrectomy (8%), or biliopancreatic diversion (1%). Of the operations, 1.6% were revisional procedures. An adverse outcome occurred in 19 patients, with distribution in 3.5% of class A patients, 5.8% of class B, and 20.0% of class C (A vs. B, P = 0.451; A vs. C, P = 0.002; B vs. C, P = 0.025). There was one death: OS-MRS class C. On multivariate analysis, OS-MRS (class C vs. A or B; Odds Ratio [OR], 4; P = 0.050) and type of operation (band vs. bypass or sleeve; OR, 9.2; P = 0.033) were independently predictive of the composite end point. CONCLUSION: OS-MRS and type of the bariatric operation are independently predictive of the risk of post-operative adverse events.

Spinal Epidural Abscess Presenting with Paraplegia Following Delayed Presentation of Traumatic Esophageal Perforation without Spinal Fracture: Lessons to be Learnt.

We describe a case of esophageal perforation following blunt chest trauma with delayed presentation as paraplegia secondary to spinal epidural abscess formation. The case highlights the importance of the awareness of the possibility of esophageal injury in patients following road traffic collisions.

Comparison of oncological outcomes after laparoscopic transhiatal and open esophagectomy for T1 esophageal adenocarcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: This study compared pathological characteristics and patterns of disease recurrence for patients with pT1 esophageal adenocarcinoma treated with either laparoscopic transhiatal esophagectomy or open esophagectomy. METHODS: From January 2000-December 2006, 44 patients had pT1 esophageal adenocarcinoma after esophagectomy. No patients had neoadjuvant treatment. Twenty-four patients had an Ivor Lewis operation, 4 had an open transhiatal and 16 had a laparoscopic transhiatal operation. RESULTS: There were 37 men. The median age was 64 years (range 35-80 years). Median lymph node yield was 19 (10-51) after an Ivor Lewis operation, 16 (3-28) after an open transhiatal operation and 15 (4-41) after a laparoscopic transhiatal operation. There were two in-hospital deaths (5%), both following open Ivor Lewis operation. All patients in the laparoscopic group had N0 disease; none received adjuvant treatment. Two patients (7%) in the open group had N1 disease, of whom one patient received adjuvant chemotherapy. Eleven patients had submucosal invasion. Alive patients had median follow-up of 36 months (range 5-87 months). One patient in the laparoscopic group had recurrence at 22 months. This patient had poorly differentiated N0 disease which was limited to the mucosa and died at 24 months. Two patients in the open group developed recurrence, at 6 months (N0 disease with submucosal invasion) and 8 months (N1 disease with submucosal invasion) and died at 7 and 14 months, respectively. Both patients had poorly differentiated tumours. The second patient with N1 disease is alive and well at 14 months. Estimated survival (Kaplan-Meier) at 3 years was 93%. CONCLUSIONS: As compared with open transthoracic esophagectomy, there is no oncological detriment in the treatment of pT1 esophageal adenocarcinoma by laparoscopic transhiatal esophagectomy. The incidence of recurrence is small (7%) but can occur even in patients with tumour limited to the mucosa or N0 disease.

Comparison of early outcomes for laparoscopic ventral hernia repair between nonobese and morbidly obese patient populations.

BACKGROUND: Obesity predisposes to incisional herniation and increased the incidence of recurrence after conventional open repair. Only sparse data on the safety and security of laparoscopic ventral hernia repair (LVHR) for morbidly obese patients are available. This study compared the incidence of perioperative complications and early recurrence after LVHR between morbidly obese and non-morbidly obese patients. METHODS: The case records of consecutive patients who underwent LVHR between December 2002 and August 2007 were reviewed. Patients with a body mass index (BMI) lower than 35 kg/m2 were compared with morbidly obesity patients who had a BMI of 35 kg/m2 or higher. RESULTS: The study included 168 patients (87 men) with a median age of 55 years (range, 24-92 years). Two conversions to open repair (1.2%) were performed, both for non-morbidly obese patients. Of the 168 patients, 42 (25%) were morbidly obese (BMI range, 35.0-58.0 kg/m2) and 126 (75%) were non-morbidly obese (BMI range, 15.5-34.9 kg/m2). The groups showed no significant differences in age, gender, number or size of fascial defects, operative time, length of hospital stay, or incidence of perioperative complications. At a median follow-up period of 19 months (range, 6-62 months), 20 patients (12%) had recurrent hernias. The incidence of recurrence was significantly associated with the size of the fascial defect and the size of the mesh, but not with morbid obesity. CONCLUSION: No significant difference in the incidence of perioperative complications or recurrence after LVHR was observed between the morbidly obese patients and the non-morbidly obese patients.

Randomized crossover study that used methylene blue or random 4-quadrant biopsy for the diagnosis of dysplasia in Barrett's esophagus.

BACKGROUND: Barrett's esophagus is generally accepted to be a premalignant condition. Previous studies have suggested the use of methylene blue (MB) chromoendoscopy to aid the identification of dysplasia in Barrett's esophagus surveillance programs, but a recent study has raised the concern that MB might induce oxidative damage of DNA. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare MB directed biopsies (MBDB) with our current standard, which is random 4 quadrant biopsies (RB). DESIGN: A randomized prospective crossover study. SETTING: Single center. PATIENTS: Patients with a diagnosis of dysplasia identified in Barrett's esophagus within a 2-year period before entering the study. INTERVENTIONS: Either 4 random quadrant biopsies taken every 2 cm through the length of the Barrett's esophagus or MBDB from unstained or heterogenously stained mucosa. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: The number of patients with a diagnosis of dysplasia by each intervention. LIMITATIONS: Thirty-six percent of eligible patients declined the invitation to participate. RESULTS: Thirty patients completed the crossover study. The median length of Barrett's esophagus was 5 cm (interquartile range [IQR] 3-9 cm). At baseline histology, grades were as follows: 17 low-grade dysplasia (LGD), 3 high-grade dysplasia (HGD), and 10 no dysplasia. At completion, there were 10 LGD, 8 HGD, and 12 no dysplasia. Overall, dysplasia was identified in 17 of 18 patients by RB and in 9 of 18 by MBDB (McNemar test, p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed MBDB to be significantly less sensitive in detecting dysplasia than RB in Barrett's esophagus. Hence, we discourage its use during routine surveillance of Barrett's esophagus.

Diagnostic variation and outcome for high-grade gastric epithelial dysplasia.

HYPOTHESIS: High-grade dysplasia (HGD) of the gastric epithelium is associated with high prevalence of invasive carcinoma, and distinction by endoscopic biopsy is difficult. DESIGN: Cohort study, 1996 to 2003. SETTING: Tertiary care center. PATIENTS: Consecutive sample of 22 patients with initial diagnosis of gastric HGD by endoscopic biopsy. Biopsy specimens were separately reviewed by 3 experienced pathologists. Clinical management was individually decided. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Strength of interpathologist agreement (kappa) and final pathological diagnosis. RESULTS: The diagnosis was revised to intramucosal carcinoma in 14% to 32% of patients or suspicious for invasive carcinoma in 23% to 41%. The strength of agreement between any 2 pathologists for distinguishing between dysplasia and invasive carcinoma was fair (kappa = 0.35-0.36). A diagnosis of intramucosal carcinoma or suspicious for invasive carcinoma by 2 pathologists correlated strongly with subsequent detection of invasive carcinoma. Three patients underwent gastrectomy for HGD, and invasive carcinoma was detected in all (2 patients, T1 N0; 1 patient, T2 N0). Six patients had invasive carcinoma on endoscopic surveillance at a median of 15 months (range, 3-34 months) after diagnosis of HGD and underwent endoscopic mucosal resection (2 patients, T1 NX), gastrectomy (2 patients, T1 N0), or no resection (2 patients). Another patient had metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma despite having a diagnosis of only HGD by endoscopy. Seven patients (32%) died of unrelated causes, without invasive carcinoma, at a median of 19 months (range, 1-38 months). Three patients were alive with persistent HGD at 26 to 61 months. Two patients had no dysplasia on follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Experienced pathologists often disagreed in distinguishing invasive carcinoma from HGD in gastric biopsy specimens. One third of patients with gastric HGD died of causes unrelated to cancer. Invasive carcinoma was detected in 67% of the remainder.