Antimicrobial Prophylaxis Using a 2nd Generation Cephalosporin after Laparoscopic Colorectal Resection: A Randomized Trial of 1-day vs. 3-day

PURPOSE: We performed this study to compare 1-day group using a 2nd generation cephalsporin with 3-day group for evaluating hospital acquired infection. METHODS: The patients underwent laparoscopic colorectal surgery at Korea University Medical Center Anam Hospital, from August, 2007 to June, 2008. They were randomly allocated to 2 groups: 1-day or 3-day group. A 2nd generation cephalosporin was administered within 1 hour before surgery with 12-hour intervals. In cases of suspected infection, further studies were done to identify infection. RESULTS: The study included 154 patients (1-day group - 78, vs. 3-day group - 76). No differences were noted between the 2 groups in age, body mass index, smoking, diabetes mellitus, corticosteroid-use were noted. Gender (P=0.011) and mean operative time (P=0.047) between the 2 groups were different. The preventive rates of infection were 87.18% in the 1-day group compared with 82.89% in the 3-day group (P=0.456). CONCLUSION: Our prospective randomized control study concluded that there were no differences between the 1-day and 3-day group in hospital acquired infection. We could come to the conclusion that 1-day antimicrobial agent in laparoscopic colorectal surgery would be adequate in preventing infection.

Safety of Early Chemotherapy after a Laparoscopic Colorectal Cancer Resection: A Case-Control Study

PURPOSE: Since micrometastasis is generally inhibited by primary cancer, surgical ablation of the tumor may stimulate the growth of residual cancer cells, if they exist. This supports the importance of early administration of postoperative chemotherapy. METHODS: We reviewed the cases of patients who underwent a laparoscopic resection and then received chemotherapy (5 fluorouracil+leucovorin or FOLFOX4) between September 2006 and May 2008. The chemotherapy was scheduled on the 7th or the 8th postoperative day, but was postponed when a final pathologic report was delayed or patients were discharged early. The safety of chemotherapy was evaluated in two ways. Early safety, such as the presence of surgical complications and medical toxicity, was prospectively assessed just before the beginning of the second cycle of chemotherapy. Late safety, such as medical toxicity, was retrospectively estimated from the 2nd to the last cycle. These safeties were compared between the two groups: the early chemotherapy group (n=50) for which chemotherapy started on the 7th or 8th postoperative day as scheduled and the delayed chemotherapy group (n=31) for which chemotherapy started after the 14th postoperative day. RESULTS: Patient demographics were not different between the two groups. With regards to early safety, no differences in surgical complications existed between the two groups. In medical toxicities, there were no differences, except for a higher rate of nausea in the early chemotherapy group (20 percent vs. 10 percent, P=0.01). With regards to late safety, the two groups were not different in the development of medical toxicities. CONCLUSION: Because nausea is an easily controllable toxicity, we conclude that chemotherapy is safely started on the 7th or the 8th day after a laparoscopic colorectal cancer resection.

The Impact of Bowel Preparation on Anastomotic Complications after Laparoscopic Colorectal Resection: A Prospective Comparative Study between Oral Polyethylene Glycol and Phosphate Enema

PURPOSE: Although most randomized trials demonstrated no advantage of mechanical bowel preparation for colorectal resection, an oral solution is still widely used. The aims of this study were to evaluate whether a single phosphate enema is as effective as oral polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution in preventing anastomotic complications after laparoscopic colorectal surgery and to examine the clinical courses of anastomotic complications. METHODS: Between September 2006 and December 2007, 309 patients underwent laparoscopic colorectal resection with primary anastomosis. The bowel preparation used was PEG solution during initial period (PEG group), but since February 2007, a single phosphate enema (enema group) was utilized. Postoperative data were prospectively recorded. In patients with anastomotic complications, the clinical course was compared between the two groups. RESULTS: There were 150 patients in the PEG group and 159 patients in the enema group. Demographics did not differ between the two groups. Anastomotic leakage occurred in 3.3 percent of the patients in the PEG group and 5.7 percent of the patients in the enema group (P=0.326). The rates of anastomotic bleeding were 2.0 and 2.5 percent, respectively (P=0.761). The hospital stays for patients with anastomotic complication were not different between the two groups (P=0.137), but patients in the PEG group (80%) needed reoperation more frequently than those in the enema group (11.1%) (P=0.023). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that laparoscopic colorectal surgery may be safely performed with a single phosphate enema instead of oral polyethylene glycol.

Paraduodenal Hernia

Internal abdominal hernias are an unusual cause of intestinal occlusion. They are responsible for 2% of all the intestinal obstructions. Various types of hernia have been described. Paraduodenal hernias are relatively rare congenital malformations and result from incomplete rotation of the midgut with entrapment of the small intestine beneath the developing colon. We report a case of paraduodenal hernia of the small intestine in a 32-year-old man with presentation of intestinal obstruction. The patient suffered from nausea, vomiting and acute abdominal pain for 9 hours. Abdominal CT showed sac-like mass of clustered, dilatated small bowel in the right upper quadrant. At operation, herniation of small intestine into a retroperitoneal space through a defect on right mesocolon was noted. A right paraduodenal (mesocolic) hernia was diagnosed. The patient made an uneventful recovery except some diarrhea after extensive segmental resectio of strangulated small bowel. Paraduodenal hernia is important as it usually presents as intestinal obstruction, and is often misdiagnosed before laparotomy. Mortality is increased significantly with delays in surgical treatment. Though rare, paraduodenal hernia should be taken into account in a differential diagnosis of intestinal obstruction. Early surgical intervention allows uneventful recovery and also prevents the possible complication of gangrenous bowels.