Postoperative hypothermia and surgical site infection following peritoneal insufflation with warm, humidified carbon dioxide during laparoscopic colorectal surgery: a cohort study with cost-effectiveness analysis.

BACKGROUND: Surgical Site Infection (SSI) occurs in 9 % of laparoscopic colorectal surgery. Warming and humidifying carbon dioxide (CO2) used for peritoneal insufflation may protect against SSI by avoiding postoperative hypothermia (itself a risk factor for SSI). This study aimed to assess the impact of CO2 conditioning on postoperative hypothermia and SSI and to perform a cost-effectiveness analysis. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing elective laparoscopic colorectal resection was performed at a single UK specialist centre. The control group (n = 123) received peritoneal insufflation with room temperature, dry CO2, whereas the intervention group (n = 123) received warm, humidified CO2 (using HumiGard™, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare). The outcomes were postoperative hypothermia, SSI and costs. Multivariate analysis was performed. RESULTS: A total of 246 patients were included in the study. The mean age was 68 (20-87) and mean BMI 28 (15-51). The primary diagnosis was cancer (n = 173), and there were no baseline differences between the groups. CO2 conditioning significantly decreased the incidence of postoperative hypothermia (odds ratio 0.10, 95 % CI 0.04-0.23), with hypothermic patients found to be at increased risk of SSI (odds ratio 4.0, 95 % CI 1.25-12.9). Use of conditioned CO2 significantly decreased the incidence of SSI by 66 % (p = 0.04). The intervention group incurred costs of £155 less per patient. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was negative. CONCLUSION: CO2 conditioning during laparoscopic colorectal surgery is a safe, feasible and a cost-effective intervention. It improves the quality of surgical care relating to SSI and postoperative hypothermia.

A Y-shaped vinyl hood that creates pneumoperitoneum in laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery (Y-hood method.): a new technique for laparoscopic low anterior resection.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have focused on laparoscopic techniques for the treatment of colon cancer, but such work is more limited for the treatment of rectal cancer, largely because of concerns for safety issues. This report presents an effective method of anal lavage and excision in laparoscopic low anterior resection. METHODS: The authors developed clamp forceps for intestinal lavage and a Y-shaped vinyl hood that can be operated under pneumoperitoneum for airproof surgery. These devices enabled secure clamping and cleansing of the area and use of automatic suture instruments for open laparotomy through a minilaparotomy wound. The authors called this technique the Y-Hood method and compared its short-term results from May 2005 to October 2008 (n = 28) with those for double-stapling technique surgical cases between September 2000 and October 2008 in which automatic suture instruments were used more than once (n = 107). A multivariate analysis of risk factors for anastomotic leakage also was performed. RESULTS: No difference in background factors such as patient sex, age, and tumor node metastasis (TNM) staging were detected. Anastomotic leakage was found in 12 cases that used multiple stapling for rectal transection (11.2%) and 2 cases that used the Y-Hood (7.1%). The cost for rectectomy was 92,505 yen for multiple stapling and 53,107 yen for the Y-Hood (p < 0.0001). As risk factors for anastomotic leakage, multivariate analysis identified the number of times stapling for rectal transection was performed and the height of the anastomotic region. CONCLUSION: The Y-Hood method enables operations to be performed within the interior of the pelvis without reducing the number of ports because the instruments can be accessed using minilaparotomy. Because the use of stapling for rectal transection is minimized, this method is effective in avoiding anastomotic leakage and also cost efficient. The Y-Hood method allows for thorough intestinal lavage and safe laparoscopic low anterior resection.

Costs and benefits of laparoscopic cholecystectomy: abdominal wall lifting vs. pneumoperitoneum procedure.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Gasless laparoscopic surgery using the abdominal wall lifting (AWL) method was first developed in Japan and has been used in various surgical fields. The AWL method allows the use of conventional reusable surgical instruments. The purpose of this study was to compare the cost-effectiveness of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LSC) using the AWL method in relation to that using pneumoperitoneum (P) method. METHODOLOGY: Retrospective analysis of 431 LSC procedures between 1991 and 2004 was performed. The two surgical groups consisted of consecutively operated patients with a diagnosis of cholecystolithiasis or gallbladder polyps. One group consisted of 224 LSC procedures performed using the P method from 1992 to 1998 and the other group comprised 207 LSC performed using the AWL method from 1998 to 2004. All instruments used in the P method were disposable, whereas trocars, scissors, dissectors, graspers and L-hook electrodes (excluding clips) used in the AWL method were reusable. Hospital expenses, length of hospital admission and complication rates were analyzed. RESULTS: Mean hospital cost per case for LSC using the AWL method (dollars 6743) was 7% less expensive than that using the P method (dolars 7215). Costs of operative equipment contributed to the difference (mean dollars 912 per case) in total cost. Conversion to open cholecystectomy occurred in 6 cases (2.9%) using the AWL method and 7 cases (3.1%) using the P method. There were no significant differences in length of hospital admission or complication rates between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: LSC using AWL method was less expensive than that using P method. This is mainly due to the use of reusable instruments in the AWL method. If LSC is performed using the AWL method instead of using disposable equipment, considerable savings can be achieved without compromising patient safety.

Techniques of pneumoperitoneum.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has become the standard of care for symptomatic gallstone disease. One of the key steps in the procedure is to obtain pneumoperitoneum and insert the first trocar safely through the umbilicus. In our first 150 laparoscopic cholecystectomies, the pneumoperitoneum was obtained by inserting a Veress needle through the umbilicus, followed by blind insertion of the first trocar through the umbilicus. This was associated with several complications, including bowel laceration. Subsequently, we adopted the open laparoscopic technique described by Hasson in 1974. Using this, we have performed 150 laparoscopic procedures without complications. In this article, we compare and analyze the results and complications of both techniques. We find open laparoscopy to be a quicker, safer, and superior technique for obtaining pneumoperitoneum as well as a more cost-effective procedure.