Analysis of outcome after using high-risk criteria selection to surgery versus endovascular repair in the modern era of abdominal aortic aneurysm treatment.

INTRODUCTION: The concept of high-risk patients suggests that such patients will experience a higher rate of postoperative complications and worse short- and long-term outcomes, and should therefore benefit from the use of endovascular techniques for aortic abdominal aneurysm (AAA) repair. The primary goal of this study was to assess the relevance of the different high-risk criteria, defined by the French health agency Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits de Santé (AFSSAPS) in a single-centre continuous series. Secondary goals were to retrospectively compare the incidence of postoperative complications and short- and long-term survival in three groups of patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 1999 and December 2006, details of all the patients undergoing elective surgery for AAA in our hospital were recorded into a prospective registry (n=626). Three groups were considered according to the level of risk and type of repair defined by the AFSSAPS: endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) high-risk (HR) (at least one high-risk factor and EVAR, n=138), open HR (at least one high-risk factor and open repair, n=134) and open low-risk (LR) (no high-risk factors and open repair, n=344). None of the low-risk patients were treated using an endovascular approach. The demographics, preoperative risk factors, intra-, postoperative data and short- and long-term survival were compared between the groups. Interrelations among the set of high-risk criteria for mortality were calculated using multiple correspondence analysis (MCA). RESULTS: The distribution of high-risk criteria was similar in both high-risk groups, except for age, heart failure and hostile abdomen, which were significantly more frequent in EVAR HR. Operation time, blood loss and length of stay in an intensive care unit and hospital were significantly lower in the EVAR HR group. The 30-day mortality and survival rates at 5 years were 5.4 and 59.4% for EVAR HR, 3.7 and 70.4% for open HR and 2.3 and 83.7% for open LR, respectively, with no significant difference between the three groups for the mortality, but a significant higher survival at 5 years for the open LR versus both high-risk groups. CONCLUSION: The high-risk AFSSAPS criteria were not predictive of postoperative mortality and should not be used to determine the choice of treatment technique. Other criteria therefore need to be established to determine whether open or EVAR repair should be used.

[Management of ureteral injuries]. / Prise en charge des lésions urétérales iatrogènes.

Ureteral injury is a rare but potential serious complication that can occur during a variety of general surgical procedures. Knowledge of the course of the ureter is the first step toward preventing ureteral injuries. While some injuries are noticed intraoperatively, most are missed and present later with pain, sepsis, urinary drainage or renal loss. The choice of treatment is based on the location, type and extend of ureteral injury. For injuries recognized during open surgery, when involving the distal 5 cm of the ureter, an antireflux ureterocystostomy such as the Politano-Leadbetter procedure or a vesicopsoas hitch can be performed. For the middle ureter, an ureteroureterostomy is satisfactory and for the proximal ureter, most injuries can be managed by transureteroureterostomy. In complex situations intestinal interposition, autotransplantation or even nephrectomy can be considered. The majority of patients with delayed diagnosed ureteral injuries should be managed by an initial endo-urologic approach.

[Anisakiasis: an infestation to be known by surgeons]. / Anisakiase: une parasitose que le chirurgien doît connaître.

BACKGROUND: Anisakis infestation is related to the consumption of raw or undercooked fish. It can cause allergic reactions, or abdominal pain when the gastrointestinal tube is involved. Its incidence is rising in Europe. OBJECTIVE: To analyze a group of patients complaining of right iliac fossa pain with ileitis or colitis and establish its relationship with Anisakis spp. infection. PATIENTS AND METHODS: During a 3-months period, 28 patients with abdominal pain were referred to the hospital with a diagnosis of ileitis or colitis by imaging, endoscopy or surgery. Specific serology for Anisakis was performed in all of them. RESULTS: At imaging study, 14 patients had ileitis or colitis, three intestinal obstruction and one acute appendicitis. Fourteen patients were operated on and 7 of them underwent resection; histopathologic diagnosis were eosinophilic ileitis (2 cases) or colitis (3 cases), non specific ileitis (1 case) and Crohn's disease (1 case). Another patient had an endoscopic biopsy that concluded eosinophilic colitis. Anisakis serology was positive in 25 (89%), negative in two and unknown in one. All patients were discharged uneventfully. CONCLUSIONS: Digestive anisakiasis may present as acute abdomen. Surgeons should know and consider this diagnosis in patients with ileitis or colitis, moreover if an antecedent of raw or undercooked fish ingestion is present. A conservative approach is best performed but the clinical picture can require an emergent laparotomy.

[Our experience in "ad libitum" feeding after pyloromyotomy (review of 97 cases)]. / Sténose hypertrophique du pylore: comparaison entre deux protocoles de réalimentation postopératoire : "progressif " et "ad libitum".

UNLABELLED: A recent alternative feeding regimen at the progressive feeding (PF) after a pyloromyotomy for hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (HPS) is the so-called ad libitum feeding (AL). The aim of this study was to determine if this new feeding regimen has modified the follow-up of postoperative course in HPS. POPULATION AND METHODS: From January 1998 to December 2003, 97 consecutive neonates have been operated on for HPS in our hospital. This retrospective study was based on the comparison between two groups of patients with different postoperative feeding regimens: group one of 30 neonates with PF regimen and group two of 60 neonates with AL regimen. Seven remaining neonates had had a mucosal perforation and were not included in this comparative study but in a separate group (MP). The clinical, ultrasonographic, operative and postoperative data were compared. RESULTS: There was no difference between the PF and AL groups for sex ratio M/F=4/1, preoperative weight loss ratio, ultrasonographic data and intra-operative difficulties rate. A small difference was found - which was not significative - between the PF and the AL groups for median age at diagnosis (44,6 v 36,7 days, respectively). A statistically significative difference between the PF and the AL groups was observed for time to establish feeding (69 vs 35.6 hours, respectively) (P<0,001), postoperative stay (4.16 vs 2.98 days, respectively) (P<0,001) and total hospital charges. We didn't found any difference in the incidence and severity of postoperative emesis whether slow (PF) or rapid (AL) feeding regimens were used. Furthermore, intra-operative mucosal tear didn't influence postoperative course and the duration of hospital stay. CONCLUSION: We recommend AL regimen for routine feeding in simple cases after pyloromyotomy for HPS. It has a positive impact on length of hospital stay, and decreases hospital charges. Most neonates with MP can be managed with a rapid feeding regimen.

Outcome of a latex avoidance program in a high-risk population for latex allergy - a five-year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: Children with a shunted hydrocephalus are at highest risk for developing an immediate type allergy to latex. Limited data are available for preventive or therapeutical approaches. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of latex avoidance, with special regard to status of sensitization and compliance. METHODS: In 1995, 131 children with a shunted hydrocephalus were screened for sensitization to latex by skin prick test and determination of specific IgE. Patients and parents were instructed on latex-avoiding strategies. Hospital physicians, family doctors and dentists were advised to perform further surgical and other medical interventions under latex-free conditions. In 2000, 100 of these 131 patients were re-evaluated according to the same testing procedures. Special attention was directed at the extent prophylaxis had been performed. RESULTS: In 1995, 30/100 patients re-evaluable in 2000 proved sensitized to latex, 70 had negative testing results. In 2000, 64/70 patients were still negative, six had meanwhile developed latex-specific IgE. Seven out of thirty subjects with former positive testing had changes within the same RAST-class, 20 showed a decline of at least one RAST-class, whereas in three cases an increase of latex-specific IgE was found. However, only 34 patients, mainly those being already sensitized, had thoroughly followed both medical and private prophylaxis. Within this group, 16 subjects (47.1%) had improved and another nine (26.5%) were still negative. Only three (8.8%) already previously sensitized patients presented with a further increase of latex-specific IgE. Medical prevention contributed more to the outcome than home prevention. No statistically significant correlation with latex-avoidance was observed, however, in previously unsensitized subjects. Underlying disease, atopy, number of operations, and age did not prove as significant variables. CONCLUSION: Secondary prevention results in a decrease of specific IgE in latex-sensitized patients with hydrocephalus. This is due to medical more than home prophylaxis. Sensitization obviously occurs mainly in early childhood, thus primary prevention remains to be the main target.