[Is there any indication for inserting a drain in elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy?]. / ¿Existe alguna indicación de colocación de drenaje en la colecistectomía laparoscópica electiva?

INTRODUCTION: Classically, a sub-hepatic drain was inserted routinely in a cholecystectomy to prevent intra-abdominal abscesses, possible post-surgical bleeding, and biliary fistulas. Over the years, it has been demonstrated that the systematic use of a drain does not have any benefits, and many studies conclude that, in special circumstances (bleeding, signs of gallbladder inflammation, incidental opening, or suspected bile leak), and depending on the experience of the individual surgeon, the insertion of a drain may be of use. MATERIAL AND METHODS: [corrected] A prospective study was conducted on 100 elective laparoscopic cholecystectomies performed due to symptomatic cholelithiasis or gallbladder polyps. A sub-hepatic drain was inserted in 15 of them. The indications for inserting it were: in 11 patients as a "control" due to a gallbladder bed bleed controlled during surgery, and in 4 due to a gallbladder opening with the excretion of turbid-purulent bile. The main outcomes investigated were the clinical benefit achieved by the insertion of the drain, the hospital stay, and the quantifying of the pain by the patients 24h after surgery, using a visual analogue scale. RESULTS: The insertion of a drain was of no benefit to any patient. The median hospital stay increased by 1 day in patients with a drain (P=.002). The median pain score at 24h was higher in patients with a drain inserted (P=.018). CONCLUSION: The insertion of a sub-hepatic drain after elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy increases post-surgical pain and prolongs hospital stay, and does not prevent the occurrence of intra-abdominal abscesses.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors: actin expression, a new prognostic factor?

The aim of this study is to analyze the clinical outcome of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) and to determine new prognostic factors. We perform a retrospective study of all the patients diagnosed with GIST in any location and operated on between 2000 and 2008 at our institution. We analyzed 35 patients, 16 males (45.7%) and 19 females (54.3%), with a mean age of 64 +/- 13.8 years. The tumors were located in the stomach in 22 patients (62.9%), in the small bowel in 10 (28.6%), and the retroperitoneum in three (8.6%). Referring to gastric GIST, endoscopy revealed an ulceration in the mucosa in five cases, suggesting an epithelial neoplasm. In all these cases, pathology of the biopsy specimen was nonconclusive. Survival rate at 1 and 5 years was 94.3 and 88.6 per cent, respectively. Disease-free survival at 1 and 2 years was 91.4 and 88.6 per cent, respectively. Analyzing prognostic factors, a lower disease-free survival was observed among patients with constitutional syndrome at diagnosis (P = 0.000), small bowel GIST (P = 0.037), and tumors not expressing actin (P = 0.015). A lower global survival was observed among men (P = 0,036), patients with an abdominal mass (P = 0.033) or with constitutional syndrome (P = 0.007) at diagnosis and tumors at a retroperitoneal location (P = 0.0002). Gastric GIST may be confused with epithelial neoplasms, modifying the surgery. In our patients, masculine gender, constitutional syndrome and abdominal mass at diagnosis, small bowel and retroperitoneal location, and actin negative tumors are bad prognostic factors.

Clinical outcome at ten years after laparoscopic fundoplication: Nissen versus Toupet.

Laparoscopic surgery has become the elective approach for the surgical treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease in the last decade. Outcome data beyond 10 years are available for open fundoplication, with good-to-excellent results, but few studies report long-term follow-up after laparoscopic fundoplication. We performed a retrospective study of all the patients that underwent laparoscopic Nissen and Toupet fundoplications as antireflux surgery between 1995 and 1998 in our institution. To evaluate the long-term results, a face-to-face interview was performed in 2009. One hundred and six patients were included in the study. Surgical techniques performed were Nissen fundoplication (NF) in 56 patients and Toupet (TF) in 50. Complication rate was 4 per cent in both groups (nonsignificant [NS]). Two patients (4%) of NF required reoperation because of dysphagia. After 10 years, 10 per cent of the patients remain symptomatic in both groups. Fifteen per cent of NF take daily inhibitors of the proton pump versus 14 per cent of TF (NS). Twenty per cent of NF refer dysphagia, all of them without evidence of stenosis at endoscopy or contrasted studies. The satisfaction rate of the patients was 96 per cent in NF and 98 per cent in TF. Laparoscopic Toupet fundoplication seems to be as safe and long-term effective as Nissen, but with a lower incidence of postoperative dysphagia. In our experience Toupet fundoplication should be the elective approach for the surgical treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease.

[Transparieto-hepatic dilation of benign biliary stenosis: 5 years experience]. / Dilatación transparietohepática de estenosis biliar benigna: experiencia de 5 años.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the results of percutaneous transparieto-hepatic dilation of benign biliary stenosis achieved over a period of 5 years. DESIGN: A retrospective study to assess the technique, complications and the clinical, analytical and radiology results. PATIENTS: Data was gathered on 13 patients diagnosed in our Hospital between the years 2002 and 2006 with benign biliary stenosis and who had been treated using percutaneous dilation. Patients diagnosed with malignant disease and those who had a prosthesis were excluded. Seven of the patients had received a liver transplant. One patient had an endoscopic dilation on two occasions, with the stenosis persisting. RESULTS: A clinical and radiological improvement was observed in 60% of the cases, and an analytical improvement in 69% (61% normal). Re-stenosis occurred in 30% of the cases, of which 50% were rescue support using re-dilation. The complications presented (30.7%) were resolved conservatively. No significant differences were observed between the transplanted and the non-transplanted groups. CONCLUSIONS: Transparieto-hepatic dilation of benign biliary stenosis is a fairly safe technique and has a high rate of resolution in the medium term, and avoids the use of surgery in 75% of patients. The results need to be confirmed in larger samples.

[Acute cholecystitis: is it still justified to delay surgery?]. / Colecistitis agudas: ¿está justificado hoy en día diferir la cirugía?

INTRODUCTION: Acute cholecystitis treatment may initially be surgical or conservative with subsequent surgery; we reviewed the cases found in our centre, including their treatment and outcome. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of treatment in 178 patients with acute cholecystitis during one year. We evaluated variables associated with patient characteristics, as well as clinical data, diagnostic tests, treatment and outcome. RESULTS: The majority (70.2%) was treated conservatively (group A), and 29.8% were operated on in the first 72 h (group B). In group A, 96 patients were treated with antibiotics, 15 with antibiotic therapy and cholecystectomy, and 12 with antibiotics and ERCP. In group B urgent laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed in 60.4%, and 35.8% had open cholecystectomy. In group A, admission time was 11 days, with satisfactory progress in 79.2%, mortality rate of 5.6% and 10.7% of readmissions. In group B, operation time was 111 +/- 43 min, a mean of 8.7 days hospital stay, and 68% of cases did not require further treatment after surgery. Outcome was satisfactory in all but 7, there was no mortality in this group. We had a return rate of 2%. CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of conservative treatment was carried out at the expense of emergency surgery, although in absolute numbers conservative treatment seems to have a higher rate of complications, mortality and hospitalisation time.

Tolerance to Specific Foods After Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy.

PURPOSE: We assessed the degree of tolerance to different types of food after LSG to provide specific useful advice concerning food intake to these patients during the first postoperative year. METHODS: A specific questionnaire measuring tolerance to 59 types of food was completed in postoperative months 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 in a prospective consecutive cohort of patients who underwent LSG. An ordinal score of tolerance based on the median (Me) and a cumulative link ordinal model (CLOM) analyzing temporal variability in oral tolerance to each type of food were used. Foods with Me values of 3 points or higher and CLOM values of approximately 80% or higher were considered well tolerated. RESULTS: Sixty-five patients were included in the study. The questionnaire was completed in the first, third, sixth, ninth, and twelfth months by 42 (64%), 44 (67%), 41 (63%), 41 (63%), and 39 (60%) patients, respectively. All kinds of fish were very well tolerated. Regarding meat intake, chicken, turkey, rabbit, and minced meat were well tolerated, whereas lamb, veal, and pork were not. Except for noodles and toasted bread, a poor degree of tolerance during follow-up was found for most carbohydrates. Yogurt, skimmed milk, and cottage cheese were well tolerated. A heterogeneous degree of tolerance was observed for vegetables, with cooked vegetables being well tolerated, and raw vegetables not. CONCLUSION: Our study provides individual information on specific foods regarding their degree of tolerance. This information may be useful for advising patients during the first postoperative year after LSG.

[CUN-BAE formula and biochemical factors as predictive markers of obesity and cardiovascular disease in patients before and after sleeve gastrectomy]. / Fórmula CUN-BAE y factores bioquímicos como marcadores predictivos de obesidad y enfermedad cardiovascular en pacientes pre y post gastrectomía vertical.

INTRODUCTION: Body Mass Index (BMI) is one of the most used parameters in bariatric surgery. However, it does not discriminate the weight associated with adiposity. CUN-BAE formula is an equation that calculates Body Fat Percentage or adiposity, based on easily available values (age, sex and BMI). With this new classification many of the subjects that was considered normal weight or overweight (BMI ≤30 kg/m2) really have a higher adiposity and they have comorbidities associated with obesity. The objective of this study is to evaluate the adiposity by formula CUN-BAE as a predictive marker of cardiovascular risk in morbidly obese patients before and after sleeve gastrectomy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective observational study of women that were intervened with sleeve gastrectomy, between 2007 and 2012 at the Universitary General Hospital of Elche. The adiposity was calculated by formula CUN-BAE preoperatively and 12 months after surgery. These values were correlated with different metabolic and cardiovascular risk parameters. RESULTS: 50 women were studied. Preoperatively, the mean BMI was 50.4 ± 7 kg/m2 and adiposity 54.8 ± 3%. One year after surgery, the mean BMI was 27.7 ± 3 and adiposity 39.4 ± 4%. The adiposity was significantly correlated with 3 biochemical factors associated with increased cardiovascular risk (cortisol, vitamin D and ratio TG/HDL). CONCLUSION: Adiposity, according to the formula CUNBAE, and biochemical analysis of predictive factors of obesity together represent useful tools for assessing the risk of cardiovascular disease after sleeve gastrectomy.

Introducción: Introducción: El Índice de Masa Corporal (IMC) es uno de los parámetros más utilizados en cirugía bariátrica. Sin embargo, no discrimina el peso asociado a adiposidad. La fórmula CUN-BAE es una ecuación que permite calcular el Porcentaje de Grasa Corporal (PGC) o adiposidad, basándose en valores fáciles de disponer (edad, sexo e IMC). Con esta nueva clasificación muchos de los sujetos considerados con normopeso o sobrepeso (IMC ≤30 kg/m2) en realidad tienen un PGC alto y presentan comorbilidades asociadas a la obesidad. El objetivo de este estudio es evaluar PGC cuantificado mediante fórmula CUN-BAE como marcador predictivo de riesgo cardiovascular en pacientes obesos mórbidos, antes y después de ser sometidos a Gastrectomía Vertical (GV). Material y métodos: Realizamos un estudio observacional retrospectivo de mujeres intervenidas de GV entre 2007 y 2012 en el Hospital General Universitario de Elche, calculando el PGC mediante la fórmula CUN-BAE de forma preoperatoria y 12 meses tras la intervención. Se correlacionaron estos valores con diferentes parámetros metabólicos y de riesgo cardiovascular. Resultados: Se estudiaron 50 mujeres. Preoperatoriamente, el IMC medio de 50,4 ± 7,4 kg/m2 y PGC del 54,8 ± 3%. Al año de la intervención, el IMC medio era de 27,7 ± 2,6 y el PGC 39,4 ± 3,7%. La PGC se correlacionó significativamente con 3 factores bioquímicos asociados con mayor riesgo cardiovascular (cortisol, vitamina D y cociente TG/HDL). Conclusión: la adiposidad, según la fórmula CUN-BAE, y el análisis de factores bioquímicos predictivos de obesidad, de forma conjunta suponen herramientas útiles para valorar el riesgo de enfermedad cardiovascular, después de GV.

[Littré hernia: an unusual cause of intestinal obstruction.

BACKGROUND: Littre's hernia is the presence of a Meckel diverticulum within an orifice in the abdominal wall. There are few cases published in the literature and its frequency is not well described. CLINICAL CASE: We present the case of a 74-year-old patient who arrived at the emergency service with clinical signs of intestinal obstruction caused by an incarcerated right inguinal hernia. Emergency surgery was performed using a preperitoneal approach. Within the hernia, 5 cm of small bowel containing a Meckel diverticulum was found. Therefore, we decided to extirpate the diverticulum and repair the hernia placing a polypropylene mesh. CONCLUSIONS: Meckel diverticulum is the persistence of the omphalomesenteric duct. It is usually asymptomatic, producing bleeding, infection or intestinal obstruction as the main symptoms.

Clinical outcome at 10 years after laparoscopic versus open Nissen fundoplication.

INTRODUCTION: Laparoscopic surgery has become the elective approach for the surgical treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in the last decade. Outcome data beyond 10 years are available for open fundoplication, but few studies report long-term follow-up after laparoscopic fundoplication and comparison between laparoscopic and open approaches. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this study, we performed a retrospective study of all the patients undergoing Nissen fundoplication (open and laparoscopic) for antireflux surgery between 1996 and 1998 at our institution. RESULTS: In total, 166 patients were included: 88 underwent open Nissen fundoplication and 78 the laparoscopic approach. Complication rate was 5% for both groups. Conversion rate for the laparoscopic approach was was 4%. Median postoperative hospital stay was 9.5 days for open surgery and 3 days for laparoscopic 1 (P < 0.001). During the follow-up, 3 patients required reoperation, 1 after laparoscopic Nissen and 2 after open surgery, all of them due to dysphagia, though complementary tests showed normal features. After 10 years, 24% of the patients of the open surgery group (OS) remain symptomatic, and in the laparoscopic group (LS) 11% (P < 0.05). Overall, 16% of OS take dialy proton-pump inhibitors and 7% of LS (P < 0.05). Three patients have undergone an open Nissen fundoplication and 2 a laparoscopic referring mild dysphagia (NS). The satisfaction rate of the patients was 96% for OS and 97% for LS (NS). CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication appears to be at least as safe and long term in effectiveness for GERD as the open approach, with the associated postoperative advantages of a minimally invasive access.

[Laparoscopic adrenalectomy]. / Adrenalectomía laparoscópica.

INTRODUCTION: In the last few years, laparoscopic adrenalectomy has become widely used in the management of adrenal disease. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We reviewed our experience of 24 patients who underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy between 1998 and 2006. RESULTS: Surgery was indicated for Cushing's syndrome in 46% of the patients, aldosteronoma in 25%, incidentaloma in 21% and pheochromocytoma in 8%. A lateral transabdominal approach was employed in all patients. The mean age of the patients was 50.4 years (17 women and 7 men). Left unilateral adrenalectomy was performed in 63% of the patients, right unilateral adrenalectomy in 29% and bilateral adrenalectomy in 8%. The conversion rate was 4%. The mean operating time was 134 minutes in unilateral approaches and 245 minutes in bilateral approaches. The mean size of the gland was 4 cm. The complications rate was 4% and there was no mortality. Disease control was achieved in 96% of the patients after a mean follow-up of 49 months. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic adrenalectomy should be considered the procedure of choice for the surgical management of benign adrenal disease.