The postoperative analgesic efficacy of intraperitoneal tramadol compared to normal saline or intravenous tramadol in laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the postoperative analgesic efficacy of intraperitoneal tramadol with intravenous tramadol or normal saline in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. METHODS: Sixty-one patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy were randomized to one of three groups in a double-blind manner via coded syringes. All patients received an intravenous and an intraperitoneal injection after installation of the pneumoperitoneum and again before removal of the trocars. In the control group, all injections were with normal saline. In the intravenous tramadol group, patients received intravenous tramadol 100 mg and intraperitoneal saline. In the intraperitoneal tramadol group, patients received intravenous saline and intraperitoneal tramadol 100 mg. All patients had a standard anaesthetic. Postoperative analgesia was with morphine. Postoperatively, numeric pain scores for parietal and visceral pain, 1 h and 24 h morphine consumption, and adverse effects were recorded. RESULTS: Parietal and visceral pain scores were lowest in the intravenous tramadol group during the first postoperative hour (P < 0.016 compared with control). The delay until the first analgesic administration was longest in the intravenous tramadol group (median 23 min, range 1-45), when compared with the intraperitoneal tramadol group (10, 1-120 min, P = 0.263) or with the control group (1, 1-30 min, P = 0.015). One-hour morphine consumption was significantly lower in the intravenous tramadol group (mean +/- SD; 3.4 mg +/- 2.5) and in the intraperitoneal tramadol group (4.4 +/- 4.3 mg) compared with the control group (6 +/- 2 mg) (P = 0.044). There was no difference between the three groups regarding pain scores, morphine consumption and incidence of shoulder pain or adverse effects at 24 h. CONCLUSION: Intravenous tramadol provides superior postoperative analgesia in the early postoperative period after laparoscopic cholecystectomy compared with an equivalent dose of tramadol administered intraperitoneally and with normal saline in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Early and long-term results of prosthetic chest wall reconstruction.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this report is to evaluate our results in patients who underwent prosthetic bony reconstruction after chest wall resection. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent chest wall resection and reconstruction with prosthetic material at the Mayo Clinic. RESULTS: From January 1, 1977, to December 31, 1992, 197 patients (109 male patients and 88 female patients) underwent chest wall resection and reconstruction with prosthetic material. Median age was 59 years (range, 11-86 years). The indication for resection was recurrent chest wall malignancy in 65 patients (33.0%), primary chest wall malignancy in 62 patients (31.5%), contiguous lung or breast carcinoma in 58 patients (29.4%), and other reasons in 12 patients (6.1%). Three patients (1.5%) each had an open draining wound. This review covers 2 time periods. Sixty-four patients (32.5%) underwent reconstruction with polypropylene mesh during the period from 1977 to 1986. One hundred thirty-three patients (67.5%) underwent reconstruction with polytetrafluoroethylene from 1984 to 1992. Soft tissue coverage was achieved with transposed muscle in 116 patients (58.9%), local tissue in 81 patients (41.1%), and omentum in 3 patients (1.5%). There were 8 deaths (operative mortality rate, 4.1%). Ninety-one patients (46.2%) experienced complications. Seromas occurred in 14 patients (7.1%). Wound infections occurred in 9 patients (4.6%; 5 patients with polypropylene mesh and 4 patients with polytetrafluoroethylene). The prosthesis was removed in all 5 patients with polypropylene mesh and in none of the patients with polytetrafluoroethylene. Follow-up was complete in 179 operative survivors (94.7%) and ranged from 1 to 204 months (median, 26 months). A well-healed asymptomatic wound was present in 127 patients (70.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Chest wall resection and reconstruction with prosthetic material will yield satisfactory results in most patients. Little difference exists between polypropylene mesh and polytetrafluoroethylene.

Effects of obstructive jaundice and external biliary diversion on bacterial translocation in rats.

OBJECTIVE: To find out the rate of translocation of bacteria to visceral organs in obstructive jaundice, and whether the absence of bile within the intestine or the presence of obstructive jaundice itself promotes bacterial translocation. DESIGN: Prospective, controlled experimental animal study. SETTING: University hospital, Turkey. SUBJECTS: 40 Inbred albino rats weighing 160-220 g. INTERVENTIONS: Three groups of rats were studied: sham operated controls (n = 15), ligation of the common bile duct (CBD) (n = 15), and CBD-ligation and proximal external biliary division through a Silastic catheter (n = 10). Specimens of distal small bowel mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), liver, spleen, and lung were obtained on the 10th postoperative day, and quantitative bacteriological analysis done. Caecal aerobic microflora were also measured for qualitative and quantitative comparisons. RESULTS: The translocation of bacteria to MLN, liver, and spleen, but not to the lungs, was slightly but not significantly increased by ligation of the CBD. Ligation of the CBD with simultaneous external biliary diversion caused increase translocation to all organs examined (with the increases to the MLN (p = 0.012), liver (p = 0.009), and spleen (p = 0.028) being significant). There was no difference in the raised bacterial counts in MLN and visceral organs after ligation of the CBD or biliary diversion. The pattern of caecal microflora did not change in any group. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the absence of bile from the gut may promote bacterial translocation to visceral organs.