Management of duodenal stump fistula after gastrectomy for malignant disease: a systematic review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Duodenal stump fistula (DSF) remains one of the most serious complications following subtotal or total gastrectomy, as it endangers patient's life. DSF is related to high mortality (16-20%) and morbidity (75%) rates. DSF-related morbidity always leads to longer hospitalization times due to medical and surgical complications such as wound infections, intra-abdominal abscesses, intra-abdominal bleeding, acute pancreatitis, acute cholecystitis, severe malnutrition, fluids and electrolytes disorders, diffuse peritonitis, and pneumonia. Our systematic review aimed at improving our understanding of such surgical complication, focusing on nonsurgical and surgical DSF management in patients undergoing gastric resection for gastric cancer. METHODS: We performed a systematic literature review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyzes (PRISMA) guidelines. PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases were used to search all related literature. RESULTS: The 20 included articles covered an approximately 40 years-study period (1979-2017), with a total 294 patient population. DSF diagnosis occurred between the fifth and tenth postoperative day. Main DSF-related complications were sepsis, abdominal abscess, wound infection, pneumonia, and intra-abdominal bleeding. DSF treatment was divided into four categories: conservative (101 cases), endoscopic (4 cases), percutaneous (82 cases), and surgical (157 cases). Length of hospitalization was 21-39 days, ranging from 1 to 1035 days. Healing time was 19-63 days, ranging from 1 to 1035 days. DSF-related mortality rate recorded 18.7%. CONCLUSIONS: DSF is a rare but potentially lethal complication after gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Early DSF diagnosis is crucial in reducing DSF-related morbidity and mortality. Conservative and/or endoscopic/percutaneous treatments is/are the first choice. However, if the patient clinical condition worsens, surgery becomes mandatory and duodenostomy appears to be the most effective surgical procedure.

Correction to: Management of duodenal stump fistula after gastrectomy for malignant disease: a systematic review of the literature.

Following publication of the original article [1], the authors have notified us that due to administrative reasons they would like to modify the first affiliation from.

How to transect the liver? A history lasting more than a century.

There is a close relationship between blood loss during transection and unfavorable outcome. Many different methods have been used in order to cut the parenchyma, while leaving vital structures intact, coagulate small vessels and seal small biliary ducts. The first method described was the finger-fracture technique and, alternatively, the clamp-crushing method using a small forceps. With this technique, the liver is crushed between the 'jaws', and the vessels and bile ducts are successively ligated and divided. Technological research using different sources of energy developed the water jet dissectors and the ultrasonic dissectors. The CUSA® has been widely adopted for the fascinating way it could selectively destroy and aspirate parenchyma leaving vascular structures almost intact. Several studies have been addressed to clarify these critical points. However, in the majority of cases they are underpowered to demonstrate clear advantages of one method over the others. In conclusion, the evidence suggested no superiority of other techniques over clamp-crushing. But it must be taken into account that it requires strictly hepatic pedicle clamping. The devices available should be used within the limits of each instrument, as well as the surgical skills of the surgeon. Probably the best option should be a combined approach.

Is there still a role for laparoscopy combined with laparoscopic ultrasonography in the staging of pancreatic cancer?

PURPOSE: This study was designed to compare our laparoscopic ultrasonography (LUS) experience in the resectability evaluation of pancreatic or periampullary cancers (PAC) in two different periods: before and after the introduction of multidetector CT (MDCT). METHODS: We prospectively enrolled 104 CT-resectable patients with PAC. During Step 1 (1995-1999), we performed LUS on all patients, whereas during Step 2 (2002-2007), LUS was performed selectively according to Pisters' criteria. RESULTS: LUS was satisfactorily performed in all cases. At Step 1 accuracy of LUS in predicting pancreatic resectability was high (96%) but it was markedly lower in a subgroup of patients with close contact between tumor and portal vein (sensibility of 57%). At Step 2, selective LUS was performed on 9 of 64 patients (14%). LUS confirmed the MDCT finding of unresectability in 8 of 9 cases, and allowed curative resection in 1 case. Only 1 of 55 of the patients who did not undergo LUS would have benefited from the procedure. The yield of LUS decreased from 45% before to 1.8% after MDCT. CONCLUSIONS: In resectable-MDCT patients, routine LUS is unjustified. However, in doubtful MDCT cases, LUS has yet a good yield. In the event of close vascular contact, neither MDCT nor LUS seem to be conclusive, and laparotomy is still the only solution.