Staged laparoscopic management of locally advanced gastric cancer with outlet obstruction.

BACKGROUND: The prognosis of patients with locally advanced gastric cancer with outlet obstruction is poor. Gastrectomy with curative intent is often initially impossible or difficult. OBJECTIVE: We report our experience of curative distal gastrectomy after laparoscopic gastrojejunostomy and fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and docetaxel (FLOT) chemotherapy to examine the feasibility and safety of this modified strategy for locally advanced gastric cancer with outlet obstruction, initially deemed unresectable. METHODS: Between October 2017 and June 2019, 15 patients diagnosed with locally advanced gastric cancer with outlet obstruction sequentially underwent gastrojejunostomy, received four cycles of FLOT chemotherapy, and underwent laparoscopic distal gastrectomy with curative intent (R0 resection + D2 lymphadenectomy). Clinical data were retrospectively collected and analyzed. RESULTS: R0 resection was possible in 12/15 patients, laparoscopically in 11, and one conversion to laparotomy was necessary. There was no perioperative mortality in the 12 patients. Pathologic evaluation of the resected specimens revealed that complete tumor grade regression 1a (TRG1a), TRG1b, TRG2, and TRG3 occurred in 3, 2, 4, and 3 patients, respectively. CONCLUSION: This case series showed that curative surgical resection was feasible as a staged approach for patients with locally advanced gastric cancer with outlet obstruction, after initial staged gastrojejunostomy and chemotherapy.

Gastric Pneumatosis in a Critically Ill Pediatric Burn Patient: Case Report and Overview of Risk Factors, Diagnosis, and Management.

Pneumatosis intestinalis and gastric pneumatosis are rare, but potentially morbid conditions in the burn-injured patient. They present a pediatric patient with severe scald injuries and isolated gastric pneumatosis who was successfully treated with a multidisciplinary approach and nonoperative management.

Complications After Endoscopic Stenting for Malignant Gastric Outlet Obstruction: A Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Gastric stenting has become a common place in clinical practice. The aim of our study was to evaluate the factors influencing the clinical outcome in patients who received endoscopic stenting for malignant gastric outlet obstruction (GOO). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively evaluated the clinical course of 87 patients who presented to our attention with malignant GOO. RESULTS: There was neither mortality nor major morbidity after endoscopic stenting. Survival was reduced (average, 2 mo) in patients with an obstruction due to no resectable pancreatic cancer. In patients with primary no resectable pyloric adenocarcinoma, the crude survival was >1 year. Almost half of the patients required a new endoscopy. Food obstruction was common after 6 months from stent placement, limiting the quality of life of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic stenting represents a valid treatment in patients with symptoms of GOO from metastatic cancer. Patients with metastatic pyloric adenocarcinoma and normal liver function tests have survival rates longer than 1 year. In this selected group of patients, laparoscopic surgical gastrojejunostomy can be a valid alternative to avoid a close and exhausting follow-up, with the possibility of a better quality of life (res Registry 808).

Successful Management of Hypothyroidism in Gastric Outlet Obstruction Using Levothyroxine Rectal Enemas: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND Hypothyroidism is the second most common endocrine disorder following diabetes. Appropriate hormone replacement therapy is the cornerstone of its management and is typically in the form of oral preparations of levothyroxine. Intravenous replacement is a well-known alternative in patients who are unable to take medication orally for long periods. However, effective and safe alternatives to oral preparations of levothyroxine should be sought in the absence of the parenteral alternative. The aim of this report is to describe an alternative route for levothyroxine supplementation when the oral and parenteral routes are not available. CASE REPORT This study reports a hypothyroid patient with symptomatic malignant gastric outlet obstruction requiring surgery. However, the patient's surgical condition precluded oral administration of levothyroxine and the parenteral alternative was unavailable. Hormone replacement therapy was administered rectally in the form of enemas in preparing the patient for surgery. CONCLUSIONS Rectal administration of levothyroxine using enemas can be a safe and effective alternative for patients in whom administration via the oral route is not feasible, especially when parenteral formulas are unavailable.

Effectiveness of laparoscopic stomach-partitioning gastrojejunostomy for patients with gastric outlet obstruction caused by advanced gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Distal advanced gastric cancer (AGC) occasionally causes gastric outlet obstruction (GOO). We developed a laparoscopic stomach-partitioning gastrojejunostomy (LSPGJ) to restore the ability of food intake. METHODS: This was a retrospective study performed at a single institution. Of consecutive 78 patients with GOO caused by AGC between 2006 and 2012, 43 patients who underwent LSPGJ were enrolled. The procedure was performed in an antiperistaltic Billroth II fashion, and the afferent loop was elevated and fixed along the staple line of the proximal partitioned stomach. Then, patients for whom R0 resection was planned received chemotherapy prior to laparoscopic gastrectomy. The primary end point was food intake at the time of discharge, which was evaluated using the GOO scoring system (GOOSS). Short- and long-term outcomes were assessed as secondary end points. Overall survival was estimated and compared between the groups who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery (NAC group), definitive chemotherapy followed by curative resection (Conversion group), and best supportive care (BSC group). RESULTS: The median operative time was 92 min, blood loss did not exceed 30 g in any patient, and postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo grade ≥2) were only seen in four patients (9.3 %). The median time to food intake was 3 days, and GOOSS scores were significantly improved in 41 patients (95.3 %). Chemotherapy was administered to 38 patients (88.4 %), of whom 11 later underwent radical resection, and 4 of 11 patients underwent conversion surgery following definitive chemotherapy. Median survival times were significantly superior in the NAC (n = 7; 46.8 months) and Conversion (n = 4; 35.9 months) groups than in the BSC group (n = 26; 12.2 months); however, the difference was not significant between the Conversion and NAC groups. CONCLUSIONS: LSPGJ is a feasible and safe minimally invasive induction surgery for patients with GOO from surgical and oncological perspectives.

[Palliative endoscopic treatment of malignant gastroduodenal obstructions with uncovered enteral stents]. / Malignus gastroduodenalis obstrukció endoszkópos palliációja fedetlen enteralis stenttel.

INTRODUCTION: Palliative treatment of malignant gastroduodenal obstructions with enteral stents is an effective and safe method, and a viable alternative to gastroenterostomy. AIM: The authors present the most common malignancies behind gastroduodenal obstructions, the aspects of stent selections, insertion techniques, technical and clinical success rates, and possible procedure-related complications. METHOD: Between 1 March, 2013 and 9 April, 2015 nineteen patients were treated with uncovered, self-expandable enteral stents. Out of the 19 patients, 6 were females and 13 males, with an average age of 67 years. Indications of stenting were peripyloric ventricular tumour in five cases, malignancies of the duodenum, gastroenteralis anastomosis, Vater papilla and gallbladder in one case respectively, pancreatic tumor in seven cases and bile duct malignancies in three cases. RESULTS: The technical success rate of stent placement was 100%. The evaluation of clinical success was analised on the basis of the Gastric Outlet Obstruction Scoring System. CONCLUSIONS: The use of enteral stents in malignant gastroduodenal obstructions is a reliable and safe method, which promptly decreases symptoms of the patients and improves their quality of life.

Stent versus gastrojejunostomy for the palliation of gastric outlet obstruction: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Gastrojejunostomy (GJJ) is the most commonly used palliative treatment modality for malignant gastric outlet obstruction. Recently, stent placement has been introduced as an alternative treatment. We reviewed the available literature on stent placement and GJJ for gastric outlet obstruction, with regard to medical effects and costs. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was performed by searching PubMed for the period January 1996 and January 2006. A total of 44 publications on GJJ and stents was identified and reported results on medical effects and costs were pooled and evaluated. Results from randomized and comparative studies were used for calculating odds ratios (OR) to compare differences between the two treatment modalities. RESULTS: In 2 randomized trials, stent placement was compared with GJJ (with 27 and 18 patients in each trial). In 6 comparative studies, stent placement was compared with GJJ. Thirty-six series evaluated either stent placement or GJJ. A total of 1046 patients received a duodenal stent and 297 patients underwent GJJ. No differences between stent placement and gastrojejunostomy were found in technical success (96% vs. 100%), early and late major complications 7% vs. 6% and 18% vs. 17%, respectively) and persisting symptoms (8% vs. 9%). Initial clinical success was higher after stent placement (89% vs. 72%). Minor complications were less frequently seen after stent placement in the patient series (9% vs. 33%), however the pooled analysis showed no differences (OR: 0.75, p = 0.8). Recurrent obstructive symptoms were more common after stent placement (18% vs. 1%). Hospital stay was prolonged after GJJ compared to stent placement (13 days vs. 7 days). The mean survival was 105 days after stent placement and 164 days after GJJ. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that stent placement may be associated with more favorable results in patients with a relatively short life expectancy, while GJJ is preferable in patients with a more prolonged prognosis. The paucity of evidence from large randomized trials may however have influenced the results and therefore a trial of sufficient size is needed to determine which palliative treatment modality is optimal in (sub)groups of patients with malignant gastric outlet obstruction.