Exhortation to lose weight prior to complex ventral hernia repair: Nudge or noodge?

BACKGROUND: Exercise and weight loss are recommended for patients with obesity undergoing elective complex ventral hernia repair (cVHR). METHODS: Weight and BMI trajectory data on 230 obese patients undergoing cVHR from 2012 to 2017 were retrospectively analyzed from 12 months prior to first visit with the hernia surgeon to 12 months after surgery. RESULTS: One year prior to initial visit, 76 (33%) patients had lost > 1kg/m2, 98 (43%) had gained> 1kg/m2, and 56 (24%) had no change in body mass index (BMI). Between initial visit and operation, 53 (23%) lost >1kg/m2, 43 (19%) gained, and 134 (58%) had no change. Post-operative hyperglycemia was associated with BMI> 40kg/m2 at time of operation. Twelve months post-operatively, 69 (35%) had lost >1kg/m2, while 52 (26%) had gained, and 108 (47%) had no change. CONCLUSIONS: Exhortations for pre-operative and post-operative weight management are not often successful or sustainable, implying a need for individualized holistic approaches.

Postoperative hyperglycemia in patients undergoing cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC: A cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Hyperglycemia following elective or emergency surgery is generally associated with an increased risk of complications. The impact of hyperglycemia following surgery for peritoneal surface malignancy remains unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Records of patients undergoing cytoreduction and HIPEC for peritoneal surface malignancy were reviewed at two institutions. Postoperative hyperglycemia was defined as serum glucose >140 mg/dl at the first measurement after surgery. Lengths of stay and 30-day complication rates were recorded. RESULTS: There were 115 total patients included, 65 from Institution A (A) and 50 from Institution B (B). Perioperative steroids were given to 55% (A) and 100% (B) of patients, with postoperative hyperglycemia present in 39% and 86% of patients respectively. Complication rates were not significantly different in patients with hyperglycemia versus patients who were normoglycemic at each site [56% vs. 53%, p = 0.8 at (A); 47% vs. 43%, p = 1.0 at (B)]. Infection rates were also similar between groups [16% vs. 13%, p = 0.72 at (A); 14% vs. 29%, p = 0.31 at (B)]. CONCLUSIONS: Rates of hyperglycemia in patients undergoing cytoreduction and HIPEC are high. This likely represents a stress response but does not seem to have the same adverse impact as seen in other abdominal surgical patient populations.

Oral omega-3 fatty acids promote resolution in chemical peritonitis.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies suggest that purified omega-3 fatty acids may attenuate acute inflammation and hasten the transition to healing. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that pretreatment with omega-3-rich fish oil (FO) would promote resolution of peritoneal inflammation through production of specific lipid mediators. METHODS: C57/BL6 mice were given a daily 200-µL oral gavage of saline (CTL) or FO (1.0-1.5 g/kg/d docosahexaenoic acid and 1.3-2.0 g/kg/d eicosapentaenoic acid) for 7 d before chemical peritonitis was induced with thioglycollate. Peritoneal lavage fluid was collected before induction and at days 2 and 4 after peritonitis onset. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), Leukotriene B4 (LTB4), Resolvin D1 (RvD1), and the composition of immune cell populations were examined in peritoneal lavage exudates. Cells harvested from the peritoneum were assessed for macrophage differentiation markers, phagocytosis, and lipopolysaccharide-induced cytokine secretion profiles (interleukin [IL]-6, IL-10, IL-1ß, TNFα). RESULTS: The ratio of RvD1 to pro-inflammatory PGE2 and LTB4 was increased in the peritoneal cavity of FO-supplemented animals. FO induced a decrease in the number of monocytes in the lavage fluid, with no change in the number of macrophages, neutrophils, or lymphocytes. Macrophage phagocytosis and M1/M2 messenger RNA markers were unchanged by FO with the exception of decreased PPARγ expression. FO increased ex vivo TNFα secretion after stimulation with lipopolysaccharide. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide evidence that nutraceutically relevant doses of FO supplements given before and during chemical peritonitis shift the balance of lipid mediators towards a proresolution, anti-inflammatory state without drastically altering the number or phenotype of local innate immune cell populations.