Cervicomediastinal arterial injuries. A surgical challenge.

The initial clinical observations and methods and results of treatment in 104 patients with subclavian (48), vertebral (four), and carotid (52) artery injuries are reported. Delayed hemorrhage ten days after misdiagnosed subclavian artery injuries resulted in false aneurysms causing compressive brachial plexus palsies. A conservative approach to penetrating cervicomediastinal wounds was adopted with selective use of arch aortography when arterial injury was suspected by defined criteria. This proved safe, accurate, and invaluable for planning operative approach. Partial median sternotomy without entering the pleura proved optimal for superior mediastinal access; simple clavicle transection provided adequate distal subclavian exposure. External carotid and vertebral arteries were ligated. No shunts were employed for common and internal carotid repair. None of the 14 patients revascularized in the presence of a neurologic deficit died and none was made worse by carotid reconstruction.

Selective management of abdominal and thoracic stab wounds with established peritoneal penetration: the eviscerated omentum.

In a prospective study involving 276 patients, stab wounds to the abdomen and lower chest with certain penetration into the peritoneal cavity were managed selectively. On the basis of physical findings, patients underwent either immediate laparotomy or close observation with frequent reexaminations and operation only if signs changed. The reliability of physical examination and the safety of nonoperative treatment in the absence of peritoneal signs were assessed. The overall incidence of major damage, including damage to the diaphragm, was 59.1 percent. Significant intraperitoneal visceral injury was found in 45.7 percent of patients with transabdominal stab wounds and in 25 percent of those with transthoracic stab wounds. Physical examination correctly predicted the findings in 90 to 96 percent of patients at initial assessment, with a sensitivity of 88.4 percent and a specificity of 93.9 percent. As delayed laparotomy after a change in signs during observation did not increase morbidity or hospital stay, and the unnecessary laparotomy rate in this study was 5.9 percent, we recommend a policy of selective management of abdominal and thoracic stab wounds with omental evisceration or other evidence of peritoneal penetration. Local wound care with amputation of the protruded omentum followed by close observation and monitoring of vital signs is safe surgical practice when no peritoneal signs or other indication for urgent exploration are present on admission.

Surgical intervention for regional complications of chronic pancreatitis.

In a five year review of 648 patients with chronic pancreatitis, 446 (68.8%) were documented with regional complications consisting of biliary, duodenal or colonic obstruction, pseudocysts, haemorrhage, pancreatic ascites and gastric varices. Although the majority could be treated conservatively, surgical intervention was needed in 129 patients (28.9%). The commonest operations were choledocho-duodenostomy for distal bile duct obstruction, gastro-enterostomy for duodenal obstruction, local resection for colon obstruction, cyst-gastrostomy for pseudocysts, duct-enteric anastomosis for pancreatic ascites and splenectomy for gastric varices. Operative mortality was 8.5% and morbidity 27.9%. During 1-5 year follow-up, re-admission for pancreatitis was needed in 24%. No secondary biliary cirrhosis was encountered in long standing bile duct obstruction, but fibrosis was present in 73% of liver biopsies. Cholangitis occurred in 14%. Angiographic embolisation was useful in the control of massive bleeding from peri-pancreatic visceral arteries. Although relief of pain in chronic pancreatitis has generally been disappointing, regional complications, occurring in the majority of patients, can be corrected satisfactorily by surgical intervention.

The treatment of established iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis with streptokinase.

Sixteen patients (mainly Blacks) with iliofemoral deep vein thrombosis were treated with streptokinase and the results assessed by venography. Clear improvement in the venographic appearance was limited to 3 patients, but clinical improvement in the affected leg occurred in all patients. The thrombolytic effect of streptokinase cannot be assessed on clinical criteria alone. The purpose of this report is to draw attention to the poor clearing of main venous channels by streptokinase therapy.

Health care provision and surgical education in South Africa.

Apartheid policies have led to inequalities in the delivery of health care and the training of surgeons in South Africa. The nation's population of 33 million is comprised of 73.6% Blacks, 14.8% Whites, 8.8% Coloureds, and 2.7% Asians. Only 17% of the population are covered by medical insurance (78% of Whites, 28% of Asians, 26% of Coloureds, 4% of Blacks) that funds the private sector which accounts for 46% of the nation's total health care expenditure of 9.2156 million rand. The remainder receive care from curative state hospital based services, which consume 77% of the public expenditure on health. Preventive and promotive health services account for 23%. Only 3.2% of South Africa's gross national product is spent on health care provision for 80% of the population--well short of the World Health Organization's recommendation of 5.8%. This figure translates into a per capita expenditure of 138, 340, 356, and 597 rands for Blacks, Coloureds, Asians, and Whites, respectively. Eight medical schools produce just over 900 graduates per year, 80% of whom are white. The medium of instruction is English at five (Cape Town, Witwatersrand, Natal, MEDUNSA, and Transkei) and Afrikaans at three (Pretoria, Stellenbosch, and Bloemfontein). Natal and MEDUNSA are creations of apartheid and have graduated almost all the Black South African doctors, of whom only 15 are practicing surgeons. Many universities are cognizant that dramatic change is needed to redress such imbalances, and admission policies are changing.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The influence of splenectomy on infective morbidity after colonic and splenic injuries.

OBJECTIVE: To establish the incidence of early postoperative infections after civilian injuries to the spleen, colon, or both and assess the effect of splenectomy on outcome. DESIGN: Retrospective study of case notes. SETTING: University hospital. SUBJECTS: 403 Patients of whom 353 had splenic injuries, 91 with associated colonic injuries, together with 50 randomly selected patients with colonic injuries alone. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Morbidity and mortality. RESULTS: 45 Patients had splenectomy and colonic injury (group 1), 46 had a colonic injury and the spleen conserved (group 2) 50 had colonic injury alone (group 3), 143 had splenectomy for injured spleen without colonic injury (group 4), and 119 had the spleen injured and conserved without colonic injury (group 5). Their mean age was 28 years. Overall mean Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 30.1, and Abdominal Trauma Index (ATI) 22.4. 68/403 died (17%), more than half within 48 hours. Early mortality was higher in both groups in which the spleen was removed but after stratification by ISS and ATI the differences were not significant. Late mortality (after 48 hours) associated with sepsis did not differ significantly among the groups, nor did the rate of infective complications. Mechanism and severity of injury had the most influence on morbidity and mortality. CONCLUSION: Removal of an injured spleen does not have an adverse influence on the incidence of serious infective complications in the early postoperative period in patients with injuries to the spleen, the colon, or both.

Treatment of persistent and complicated pancreatic pseudocysts.

In a review of 1895 patients admitted with pancreatitis during a 4-year period, 241 (12.7%) were identified as having pseudocysts. The majority of these were treated without operation, but 59 patients (24.5%) needed surgical intervention because of persistence (17 cases) or development of complications (biliary obstruction in 16, infection in 12, duodenal obstruction in ten and haemorrhage in four). Most cysts (68%) resulted from alcohol-related chronic pancreatitis. Blunt abdominal trauma was the cause in three. Operations included internal drainage in 35 (cystogastrostomy in 23, cystojejunostomy with Roux-en-Y in ten and cystoduodenostomy in two), external drainage in 20, pancreatic resection in two, and gastroenteric or bilioenteric bypass in ten. There were six postoperative deaths (10.2%), one after internal drainage (3%) and 5 (25%) after external drainage (P < 0.01, Fisher's exact test). Pseudocyst decompression failed to relieve biliary obstruction in half of the patients and biliary-enteric anastomosis was necessary because of a stricture in the distal bile duct. Massive bleeding from pseudocyst-related false aneurysms was successfully controlled by transcatheter angiographic embolization in four patients. During 1-5 years' follow-up, 24 of the 53 surviving patients (45%) were readmitted with pancreatitis and three of these died. Pseudocysts recurred in three patients, with spontaneous resolution in two and need for operation in one. It is concluded that operative treatment of complicated pseudocysts carries a substantial mortality rate. The need for additional biliary-enteric bypass after cyst decompression should be carefully assessed during operation. Angiographic embolization of pseudocyst haemorrhage is a valuable therapeutic manoeuvre.

Major arterial trauma: review of experience with 267 injuries.

Experience with 267 arterial injuries treated over a 3--4-year period is reported. Vessels in the lower limb were involved most commonly (43 per cent), but there was also a relatively high incidence of carotid (13 per cent) and subclavian (9 per cent) injuries in this series. Penetrating wounds (stab and gunshot) were most commonly responsible. We found that serious distal ischaemia is uncommon in upper limb injuries, but expanding haematoma at the root of the limb is a cause of mortality and serious morbidity. Selective use of preoperative angiography is recommended. Successful results follow liberal use of interposition grafts after wide excision of doubtful vessel, rigorous wound excision, delayed primary closure and fixation of associated fractures. Repair of concomitant venous injuries should always be attempted but is more important in the lower than the upper limb. Late revascularization in the presence of critical ischaemia yields a 50 per cent limb salvage rate, but great care must be taken to avoid renal insufficiency and, if it occurs, energetic treatment is necessary for survival.

Subclavian and axillary artery injuries.

Experience with 36 Black patients with disruption of the subclavian or axillary arteries is reported. The clinical presentation and operative approaches are described. The average time interval between injury and diagnosis of arterial injury was 10 days. Two case reports which illustrate the adverse consequences of delayed treatment are presented. Careful clinical assessment of penetrating injuries in the neck and shoulder region is necessary to exclude major arterial injury. Arch aortography is indicated if arterial injury is suspected.

Late revascularization of the lower limb following acute arterial occlusion.

Thirty-four patients presenting with signs of grave ischaemia of the lower limb following acute arterial occlusion had revascularization procedures performed. Fifteen of the incidents followed embolism or thrombosis and 19 were due to a traumatic cause. Limb salvage was achieved in 67 per cent of the nontraumatic group and in 56 per cent of the traumatic group. Severe complications such as crush syndrome and disseminated intravascular coagulation occurred but there were no deaths. No significant adverse factors with regard to limb prognosis could be defined. We feel that late revascularization in the absence of major gangrene is worth while provided that facilities for critical postoperative care exist.