[Results from application of a portal vein ligature at surgical treatment of primarily unresectable colorectal liver metastases].

Introduction: Selected patients with unresectable colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) may become resectable using a two-step approach with portal vein ligature (PVL). The purpose of this study is the evaluation of the results of the tow-staged liver resection (LR) using PVL for CRLM in our clinic. Material and Methods: During the period 2005-2015 year at the Clinic of hepatobiliary and transplant surgery, MMA-Sofia 290 curative LR for CRL were carried out. In 17 (5.9%) of them is used a two-stage approach with an initial PVL. Results: The reasons for unresectability were multinodularity of the disease in 70.6%, the size of LM (11.8%), poor location (17.6%). Synchronous LM was at 94% of the cases. Simultaneous resection of the primary tumor at the first operation carried out in 58.8% of the cases. During the second operation, at 94% of patients require a major LR. Patients completed a two-staged approach median survival was 40.43 m., with a found that extended right hemihepatectomy adversely affect survival in patients with two-stage hepatectomy (p=0.023), increasing the risk over 6 times. Conclusion: The multidisciplinary approach is the most precise form, ensuring proper selection and behavior in patients under consideration for two-stage approach to optimize the therapeutic behavior and clinical outcomes.

[OPEN LAPAROSCOPY--A MODIFIED HASSON TECHNIQUE].

The open technique was first described by Hasson in 1970. This technique consists of creating a small umbilical incision under direct visualization to enter the abdominal cavity followed by the introduction of a blunt trocar. Pneumoperitoneum is then rapidly created. Hasson proposed its potential benefits to be the avoidance of blind insertion of the Veress needle and bladed trocar, prevention of visceral and vascular injuries, preperitoneal insufflation and gas embolism, guaranteed pneumoperitoneum, and a more anatomical repair of the abdominal wall. Since that time, many surgeons have made some modifications to first Hasson technique. Here we described the way we do the open laparoscopy in our hospital and different positive and useful details we put to original Hasson version.

A Meta-Analysis of Quality of Life, Estimated by Questionnaires of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) after Rectal Cancer Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Rectal carcinoma is one of the most common cancers on a global scale. Although there were major improvements in its treatment during the last two decades, surgery is still the only curative method. However, is often complicated and can cause disorder of different aspects of the patients self-perception of health. The aim of this study is performing ofa meta-analysis for evaluation and comparison of the quality of liferesults after rectal cancer treatment. METHODS: Search of relevant articles, which were published between 2000 and 2015, was performed. The outcomes of abdominoperineal resection and anterior resection were analyzed with the EORTC's quality of life measuring instruments - quality-of-life questionnaire C30 (QLQ-C30)and quality-of-life questionnaire CR38 (QLQ-CR38). The assessment score, appropriate for the survey, was established at least one year after radical surgery. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) package of IBM Statistics, version 19 was used for the statistical analyses. RESULTS: 13 studies, published between 2001 and 2015, have been presented in this meta-analysis. Data from 1805 patients,with a mean age of 64.7 years, have been included. When comparing Miles extirpation and sphincter-sparing operations,statistical significance was detected for the following variables:social functioning (74.6 ± 8.5 vs. 83.4 ± 8.6, P = 0.045),constipation (11 ± 8.4 vs. 22.6 ± 8.3, P = 0.032), and body image (67.9 ± 14 vs. 82.5 ± 9.1, P= 0.01). CONCLUSION: Preservation of the sphincter is a better treatment option that should be carefully considered. Dependently registered differences, our conviction for the rectal cancer care concern needs individualization of the approach in this surgery.It is essential that the policy of avoidance of abdominoperineal resection (APR) cannot currently be justified on the grounds of quality-of-life (QoL) results alone.

MULTIVISCERAL RESECTIONS FOR GASTRIC CANCER.

BACKGROUND: Multivisceral resection for locally advanced gastric cancer is necessary to achieve R0-margins. This surgical option is accompanied by short- and long-term outcomes that still remain questionable. AIM: Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy of "en bloc"-resections as an "aggressive" surgical approach with regard to postoperative morbidity, mortality and survival. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Postoperative morbidity, mortality and survival rates of 60 patients with locally advanced gastric carcinoma, who underwent total or subtotal gastrectomy with multivisceral resection between 2004-2014, were retrospectively analysed. RESULTS: The most common adjacent organs resected were spleen (n = 46) - 76.7%, pancreas (n = 24) - 40%, colon (n = 11) - 18.3%, liver (n = 9) - 15% and duodenum (n = 4) - 6.7%. Resection of more than one organ was performed in 70% of cases, R0-resection was achieved in 75%, histopathologic examination confirmed involvement of adjacent organs (pT4) in 42 patients (70%). Surgical mortality and morbidity rates were 6.7% and 28.3% respectively. The overall 5-year survival rate was 24.1% (R0 vs R1 resections - 32.6 vs 0%, p < 0.05). There is a 10-year survival rate of 5.2% registered. CONCLUSION: R0-multivisceral resection is the key therapeutic option for advanced gastric cancer. It appears to be feasible in selected patients on providing adequate selection and surgical expertise and can be achieved with relatively low mortality and morbidity, offering good overall and 5-year survival rates.

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL REGISTRY OF NEUROENDOCRINE TUMORS IN BULGARIA--A PILOT SURVEY.

The National registry of patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NET) in Bulgaria was established in 2013 as a joint initiative of the Bulgarian Surgical Society and the Institute for Rare Diseases. The register aims to explore the epidemiology of NET in Bulgaria, as well as the different diagnostic and treatment approaches for the disease throughout the country. This the first of its kind retrospective study of NET in the country is covering the period January 2012 - January 2013. A total of 127 patients with NET were identified. At the time of the survey the average age of patients with NET was 58.61 ± 15.59 years. The data show almost equal distribution between the genders with a slight predominance of women. The largest relative part of NET is those of NET located in the gastrointestinal tract (54.10 ± 4.51%), followed by those located in the pancreas (12.30 ± 2.97%) and in the lungs (10.66 ± 2.79%). In 72.44 ± 3.96% of the patients a immunohistochemical diagnosis was performed. The study confirmed the leading role of the surgery method of the NET management. In 65.83 ± 4.33% of the patients a radical removal of the tumor was conducted, while the relative part of the undertaken partial resection was 7.50 ± 2.40%. A statistically significant association between the type of surgical treatment and during the follow-up of patients was found. An update of the information in the register will allow a more precise determining of the distribution and management of NET in Bulgaria.

AN APPROACH TO THE DETERMINATION OF A PROGNOSTIC INDEX FOR THE SCOPE OF SIMULTANEOUS RESECTION IN PATIENTS WITH SYNCHRONOUS COLORECTAL LIVER METASTASES.

Based on the results of 62 simultaneous operations in patients with synchronous liver metastases from colorectal cancer, an attempt was made to calculate the index, assisting the surgeon in the selection of the liver resection, considering the sensitivity and specificity of the test. The index is calculated using equations based on variables and their coefficients from Cox regression analysis. The type of surgery is associated with prognosis for survival of the operated patients. The results can serve as a basis for further research in this area.

Single centre experience with surgical treatment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

UNLABELLED: BACKGROUND /AIMS: Surgical resection is a radical treatment option for hilar cholangiocarcinomas. However it is still difficult to cure and patient prognosis is poor. An evaluation of the surgical options and results may elucidate effective treatments. METHODOLOGY: We retrospectively examined the demographic characteristics, surgical records and outcome in 64 patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma undergoing surgical resections or palliative surgical procedures for the period of 2004-2012. RESULTS: The patients included 43 males and 17 females with a mean age of 61.4 ± 10.4 years (±SD, range 35-81 years). Forty four resections were done - R0-22 cases (34.4%), R1 - 10 (15.6 %) cases, R2 -12 cases (18.7%) and 20 palliative (31.3%) operations were performed. R0 - resection of common bile ducts with right hepatectomy with Sg 1 was done in 8 cases, resection of common hepatic duct with left hepatectomy with Sg 1 in 9 cases and resection of common hepatic duct in 5 cases. The total percentage of postoperative morbidity is 51.5 %. The types of complications are as follows: intra abdominal bleeding 31.25 %, temporary biliary leakage - 26.56 %, leakage of hepatico-jejunostomyâ7.81 %, biliary fistula 7.81%, liver insufficiency 17.18 %, pleural effusion 48.13 %, intraabdominal abscess 28.13 %, surgical site infection 48.3 %. The mean five-year overall survival for R0 - resection is 32%, for R1 - and R2 - resection is 12% and for the palliative operations - 0%. The mean overall survival for R0-resection is 37 months, for R1 - and R2 - resection is 19 months and for the palliative operations 7 months. CONCLUSIONS: Radically extended surgical resection for hilar cholangiocarcinoma is necessary to obtain improved patient survival.

[Pancreatic cancer--multidisciplinary approach and possibilities for surgical treatment].

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most serious and severe diseases and takes a significant part of malignant diseases in Bulgaria, during the last years. The fast progression of this disease requires complex treatment and is still a considerable challenge for the conservative and the surgical approaches. We present a series of 196 consecutive patients operated in our clinic for the period September 2003-February 2008. 106 radical pancreatic resections and 90 palliative procedures were performed. All of the patients were assessed before operation by multimodality team using standard protocols. The criteria for respectability are absence of distant metastasis as well as absence of data for infiltration of celiac trunk and superior mesenteric artery. In the presented series the percent of respectability is 54.1%. 35 Whipple procedures. 49--Traverso-Longmire (PPPD--resections), 15-distal pancreatectomies and 7 papillectomies were performed. In 28 cases the pancreatic resection was combined with vessel resection. 17 patients underwent extended resections. The average postoperative stay for the patients with radical operations is 16.1 days. 39 patients (36.8%) had complications. Six patients among the radically operated died (5.6%). The average survival rate for the patients with radical surgical interventions is 16.2 months. The surgical resection is the only method of choice for radical treatment of pancreatic cancer and periampular tumors. The indications for pancreato-duodenal resections have expended thanks to the development of the surgical technique and reanimation care during the last ten years. In order to achieve better results it's recommended that type of surgery to be concentrated in highly specialized centers.

[Contemporary aspects in the performance of pancreatic anastomosis after pancreatoduodenal resecions].

BACKGROUND: Historically, the pancreatic anastomosis has a significant impact on the high morbidity levels in pancreatoduodenal resections. This leads to parallel development of alternative techniques for reconstruction. The major methods are pancreato-jeuno and pancreato-gastroanastomosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We present 82 consecutive cases with pancreatoduodenal resections for the reason of pancreatic head malignancies. Pancreato-jeunal anastomosis is the preferred method and the evolution in the anastomosing technique of pancreatic rermnat is presented. RESULTS: Nine patients had pancreatic fistula (10.9%) and in six cases (7.3%) intra abdominal abscess was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Our experience as well as the analysis of different investigations confirmed the thesis that each center should choose one of the major techniques and develop it--clear tendency of decrease of the frequency of pancreatic fistulas with the growth of the experience, is observed.

Aggressive surgery in the multimodality treatment of liver metastases from colorectal cancer.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of aggressive surgery concerning resection of liver metastases (LMs) from colorectal cancer (CRC) on morbidity, mortality and survival rates and to establish the benefits of multimodal strategies in increasing the resectability rates of LMs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From January 2004 - April 2006 184 patients with CRC underwent surgical interventions at our clinic. Thirty-four (18.4%) of them had LMs at the time of initial diagnosis, and 26 patients developed LMs in a certain period of time after resection of the primary CRC. Multimodal therapeutic approach included thermoablation, neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgery. RESULTS: 44 resections were performed in 29 patients: one-stage resection of the primary CRC and the LMs in 15 (40%) cases, resection and thermoablation after adjuvant chemotherapy in 2 (4.3%), resection after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in 8 (17.2%), two-stage liver resection in 1 (2.15%), resection after recurrence or because of a newfound LM in 3 (6.45%). Five resections of metastases larger than 5 cm, and 4 resections of 4 or more liver metastases were performed. Morbidity rate was 15.9% (bile leakage in 4 patients, liver abscess in 1 and wound disruption in 2). Mortality rate was 2.2% (1 patient). CONCLUSION: Multimodal approach in the treatment of LMs of CRC increases resectability and patient survival and has no influence on morbidity and mortality.

[Laparoscopic treatment of Morgagni diaphragmatic hernia]. / Laparoskopsko lechenie na diafragmalna khernia v otvora na Morgani.

Morgagni-Larey diaphragmatic hernias are very rare. The defect of diaphragm is usually small and the disease passes asymptomatically. If complaints are present and surgical treatment is needed, two types of operative access could be performed--thoracic and abdominal. A 18 years old man with asymptomatic flow of the disease is presented. The laparoscopic treatment was successful. The possible aspects of operative technique are discussed.