The Effect of Preoperative Oral Intake of Liquid Carbohydrate on Postoperative Stress Parameters in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: An Experimental Study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of preoperative oral intake of liquid carbohydrate on postoperative stress parameters (blood glucose, insulin resistance, cortisol, noradrenaline, and adrenaline levels) in patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. DESIGN: This is an experimental study with intervention and control groups. METHODS: The sample consisted of 68 patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy (control group = 33; intervention group = 35). Twelve-hour preoperative fasting was applied to the patients in the control group in accordance with the clinical routine. Clear oral liquid carbohydrate (400 mL; 12.5 g/100 mL maltodextrin, 50 kcal/100 mL, pH 5.0) was administered to the patients in the intervention group at the preoperative second hour. Blood samples were taken from the patients at the preoperative 2nd and postoperative 2nd and 24th hours, and their blood glucose, insulin resistance, cortisol, noradrenaline, and adrenaline levels were measured. RESULTS: Preoperative oral intake of carbohydrate had no effect on blood glucose (P > .05) but decreased insulin resistance at the postoperative 24th hour (P = .044; intervention and control group: 3.62 ± 3.44 to 8.16 ± 12.57 respectively) and cortisol level at the postoperative 2nd hour (P = .005; intervention and control group: 15.16 ± 6.53 mg/dl to 20.14 ± 7.49 mg/dl, respectively). In all of the three measurements, we found that the noradrenaline level of the patients in the intervention group was higher than the value of those in the control group (319.80 ± 301.49 pg/mL to 211.65 ± 141.11 pg/mL [P = .450]; 361.40 ± 213.50 pg/mL to 216.13 ± 114.53 [P = .001]; 268.40 ± 164.04 pg/mL to 196.00 ± 83.33 pg/mL [P = .026], respectively). Preoperative oral intake of liquid carbohydrate had no effect on postoperative adrenaline level (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: Oral intake of liquid carbohydrate given at the preoperative 2nd hour decreased postoperative stress response through insulin resistance and cortisol.

Inflamed vermiform appendix within the sac of incarcerated left inguinal hernia.

A 54-year-old male complained of a continuous pain together with an irreducible swelling of the left inguinal region 8 hours prior to admission to the surgical emergency department. His physical examination revealed a very painful, erythematous, irreducible swelling in the left inguinal region without abdominal peritoneal irritation. Routine blood tests disclosed mild leukocytosis. Abdominal plain X-ray film was not specific, and ultrasonography revealed a 10 cm in length inactive, edematous intestinal section within the inguinal hernia. With the diagnosis of strangulated inguinal hernia, he underwent surgical exploration through a transverse inguinal incision. By opening the hernia sac, 6-8 cc inflammatory fluid drained out, and an inflamed vermiform appendix adhered to the inner surface of the sac was seen. Appendicectomy and primary hernia repair were performed at the same time through the inguinal incision. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the histological examination of the specimen revealed an inflamed appendix.

Comparison of two different bowel anastomosis types using finite volume method.

The purpose of this study was to compare side-to-side and functional end-to-end anastomosis techniques that are commonly used in bowel surgery. Considering the dimensions of these two different anastomosis models, SolidWorks program was used for 3 D studies. Intra-intestinal flow analyzes were performed based on the finite volume method using Ansys Fluent, a computational fluid Dynamics (CFD) program. The flow velocity, pressure, turbulent knetic energy, turbulence vortex distribution, vortex viscosity and wall shear stresses for each model were calculated in results of the analysis for the side-to-side and functional end-to-end anastomosis technique. Due to the geometrical structure of the functional end - to - end anastomosis model, turbulence and hence the vortex formation is less than the side - to - side anastomosis technique. Because intersect area of bowels has wider in functional end - to - end anastomosis model, flow become easier than other. In surgical practice, functional end-to-end anastomosis is preferred over side-to-side anastomosis because of the low probability of leakage. It can be noted that the functional end - to - end anastomosis technique will be safer because of less turbulence, based on the data of fluid flow velocities, pressure, turbulent knetic energy, turbulence vortex distribution, vortex viscosity and wall shear stresses in the anastomosis.

Does the Intestinal Parasite Enterobius vermicularis Cause Acute Appendicitis?

OBJECTIVE: Although intestinal parasitic infections rarely cause acute appendicitis, they are common public health problems in undeveloped and developing countries. Parasitic infections should be kept in mind in patients clinically suspected of having acute appendicitis, and treatment procedures should be adopted according to the etiology. METHODS: Herein we presented the cases of four patients with clinical findings of acute appendicitis. Patients were clinically suspected of having acute appendicitis, and Enterobius vermicularis was detected in the pathological examinations of specimens. Pinworm infections are common parasitic infections that may mimic appendicitis. RESULTS: The pathology of the four cases was noted when the file of 186 patients aged between 4 and 72 years who underwent surgery for acute appendicitis in my hospital was retrospectively reviewed. When the appendectomy specimen was examined histopathologically it was understood that acute appendicitis was caused by Enterobius vermicularis parasite. CONCLUSION: In Enterobius infections, performing systemic therapy for patients and their family members is sufficient. To prevent unnecessary appendectomy, this type of infection should be made to ask in the history and clinical findings of patients.

Predictors of malignancy in patients with a thyroid nodule that contains Hürthle cells.

OBJECTIVE: Fine needle aspiration cytology of a thyroid nodule with Hürthle cells can be present in both benign and malignant diseases of the thyroid. The aim of this study was to identify the factors that predict malignancy in patients who underwent thyroidectomy with a preoperative fine needle aspiration cytology that contains a predominance of Hürthle cells. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective data collection. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Medical records of 70 consecutive patients were reviewed between March 2005 and August 2010. Predictive factors, as well as age, gender, preoperative serum thyroid-stimulating hormone level, the microscopic findings of fine needle aspiration, ultrasonographic appearance, and size and number of nodules in the pathology report, were correlated with final histopathologic diagnosis of benign or malignant disease. RESULTS: Patients' final pathology showed that 21 patients (30%) had malignant disease, of whom 15 patients (71.4%) had papillary carcinoma and 6 patients (28.6%) had Hürthle cell carcinoma. Forty-nine (70%) patients had benign disease (hyperplastic/adenomatoid nodule in 24 patients, Hashimoto thyroiditis in 18 patients, Hürthle cell adenoma in 5 patients, and follicular adenoma in 2 patients). The rate of malignancy was higher in male patients (42.9% vs 28.6%), with nodules measuring ≥2 cm (36.7% vs 25.0%), the presence of a solitary nodule (34.3% vs 27.7%), and the presence of metaplasia in fine needle aspiration (36.4% vs 27.1%), although none was found to be significant (P > .05). CONCLUSION: Thyroid nodules that are reported in cytology as Hürthle cell lesions require surgery to differentiate benign from malignant disease.