Clinical spectrum and surgical approach of adult intussusceptions: a multicentric study.

BACKGROUND: The preoperative diagnosis of adult intussusceptions (AIs) remains difficult, and the assessment of the radiological methods has been evaluated very little in the literature. The aim of this study was to evaluate the interest of the different imaging modalities for the preoperative diagnosis of AI and describe causes of AI. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Consecutive patients of 15 years and older with the postoperative diagnosis of intussusception from 1979 to 2004 were reviewed retrospectively for this multicentric study. Data concerning clinical considerations, morphological examinations, surgical procedure, histological conclusions, mortality rate and recurrence were analysed. RESULTS: Forty-four patients with documented intussusception were included. The mean age was 51 years (15-93 years). The preoperative diagnosis of intussusception was made in 52% of the cases. The sensitivities of the different radiological methods were abdominal ultrasounds (35%), upper gastrointestinal barium study (33%), abdominal computed tomography (CT) (58%) and barium enema (73%). An organic lesion was identified in 95% of the cases. There was 29 enteric and 15 colonic (including appendicular) intussusceptions. Thirty-seven percent of the enteric lesions were malignant, and a bit less than 50% of them were metastatic melanomas. The benign enteric lesions were Meckel's diverticulum and Peutz-Jeghers syndrome in half of the cases. Fifty-eight percent of the pure colonic lesions (excluding appendix) were malignant, and 85% of them were primary adenocarcinomas. The benign colonic lesions were lipomas in 80% of the cases. All patients, except one, had a surgical treatment, and 13 of them had a complete reduction of the intussusception before resection. The mortality rate was 16% and recurrence occurred in three patients; two of them had a Peutz-Jeghers syndrome. CONCLUSION: Intussusception rarely occurs in adults, but nearly half of their causes are malignant. The CT scan is a helpful examination for enteric intussusceptions whether barium enema seems to be the most performing method for colonic lesions. Surgery is the recommended treatment, with or without a primary reduction of the intussusception. During the surgical procedure, this reduction can lead to a more limited bowel resection.

[Vitamin C and prevention of reflex sympathetic dystrophy following surgical management of distal radius fractures]. / Vitamine C et prévention du syndrome douloureux régional complexe de type 1 après fracture du radius distal traitée chirurgicalement.

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy is a major complication following surgical treatment of fractures of the distal radius. Its pathogenesis is related to lipid peroxidation which damages vascular endothelial cells, increasing capillary permeability. Vitamin C is a natural antioxidant. The authors have made a comparative study of two groups of patients with isolated closed displaced fractures of the distal radius, which were reduced and stabilized by intrafocal pinning. Group 1 included 100 patients who were treated from 1995 until 1998 and who did not receive any vitamin C supplementation; group 2 included 95 patients who were treated from 1999 to 2002 and who received daily administration of one gram vitamin C orally during 45 days, starting on the day of fracture. The incidence of reflex sympathetic dystrophy was five time times lower in group 2 (2.1% versus 10%). This is in line with previous observations and lends credit to the value of vitamin C administration as a prophylactic measure to prevent the occurrence of reflex sympathetic dystrophy in patients who undergo surgical treatment of a displaced fracture of the distal radius.

[Volvulus of the sigmoid colon]. / Volvulus du côlon sigmoïde.

The authors report of 34 cases of sigmoid colon volvulus occurring in young subjects (15%) and in elderly subjects (60% over the age of 75 years). The diagnosis is frequently suggested by the clinical features and the history (30% of patients have a history of a previous identical episode) and is confirmed by a plain abdominal x-ray and/or an opaque enema. Endoscopy is performed in every case, except in the presence of peritoneal signs, in an attempt to perform detorsion and colonic intubation under direct vision in order to avoid emergency surgery; this procedure is effective in 87% of cases. Emergency surgery has a high mortality rate (43.5%). Elective or deferred emergency surgery after preparation is much safer (6.6% mortality). In patients with multiple diseases, non-surgical conservative management after detorsion too frequently results in repeated complications, leading to decompensation of the concurrent illnesses and a mortality rate of 34%. Endoscopic detorsion followed by surgical resection after a short 3 to 4 day preparation seems to be the best guarantee of therapeutic success.

[Peroperative autotransfusion]. / Autotransfusion peropératoire.

Intraoperative autotransfusion was used in 15 patients undergoing peripheral vascular, porta-caval and liver surgery. This technique is blood saving in these indications. The most important physiopathological consequence is disseminated intravascular coagulation, whatever anticoagulation protocol is used. Low-dose heparin continuously administered is considered.

[Problems posed by massive hemorrhages of colorectal origin. Apropos of 12 case reports]. / Problèmes posés par les hémorragies massives d'origine colo-rectale. A propos de 12 observations.

Urgent surgical operation to treat massive hemmorrhage of colorectal origin was necessary in 12 patients: --colon diverticulosis: 7 cases, --cecal angiodysplasia: 1 case, --pancreatocolic fistula: 1 case, --ischemic colitis: 2 cases, --post-radiation therapy rectitis: 1 case. Lesions exclused from discussion in this report and provoking hemorrhage were colorectal tumors, chronic inflammatsry colitis, rectosigmoid angiomatosis, and post-traumatic or iatrogenic lesions. After a definition of massive hemmorrhage based on pre-operative transfusional requirements, the exploratory procedures necessary for localization of the site of the hemorrhage or for detecting a right colon angiodysplasia are discussed. Bimesenteric arteriography represents the exploration of choice, but its usefulness is limited in patients with several risk factors and an average age of 70 years. The respective values of a barium enema and peroperative endoscopy in this particular context are also discussed. Elective surgery should be performed only when the exact site of bleeding has been determined or when an angiodysplasia is present. Particular problems arise when treating diffuse colon diverticulosis hemorrhage, and that provoked by the association of an angiodysplasia and a diverticulosis, as well as hemorrhagic lesions that may require emergency therapy in much rarer affections: ischemic colitis, pancreatocolic fistula, iliosigmoidal fistula, colorectal varices, colon and rectal ulcers, and colorectal radiolesions.

[Uretero-colic fistula. Apropos of 2 cases complicating sigmoid diverticulitis after surgery]. / Fistules urétéro-coliques. A propos de 2 cas compliquant une sigmoïdite diverticulaire opérée.

The authors report on two cases of uretero-colic fistulization in the post-operative period, following surgery for infectious complications involving sigmoidal diverticulitis. In the aftermath of surgery for sigmoidal diverticula, the appearance of very liquid stools at the exact moment when the infectious and semi-occlusive picture seems to resolve, the occurrence of a uro-steraceous fistula should make one suspect a uretero-colic fistula. Air pyelography and the retrograde opacification of the ureter following a radio-opaque enema are diagnostic. The IVU does not help to establish a firm diagnosis but is useful for showing the state of the adjacent kidney and above all the state of the contralateral kidney. In regard to the sepsis which accompanies these complications (there is nearly always a pericolic abscess at the site of the utero-colic fistula) all attempts at repair are futile. Only nephrectomy may be sometimes appropriate. At the same time, nothing except treatment of the infectious focus (colic or pericolic) will safeguard the patient from the risk of further infection which might end in death. The risk of damage to the ureter which sigmoidal diverticular surgery carries, necessitates the following precautions: a pre-operative IVU, a painstaking dissecting-out and well wide of the neighbouring ureter, the systematic injections of dye to colour the urine at the time of operation in order to avoid ureteric injury and of course to ensure the repair of any injury as soon as it happens. It is only possible to save the adjacent kidney and protect the normal urinary outlet if the ureteric lesion is properly identified at operation.