Reemployment and Recovery from Stigma after Metabolic/Bariatric Surgery: A Case Report and Review.

Bariatric surgery is performed worldwide to address morbid obesity. The benefits of this surgery are weight loss and a decrease in obesity-related complications. The relationship between metabolic/bariatric surgery and reemployment has been evaluated in Western countries, but few such studies have been performed in Japan because the number of metabolic/bariatric surgeries is small. Only a limited number of Japanese studies have evaluated the effects of bariatric surgery on obesity stigma, which affects employment and advancement opportunities for obese persons and may result in dismissal. We describe a case of bariatric surgery for a 39-year-old man who was dismissed from his job because of morbid obesity. Traditional weight loss methods failed to maintain weight loss and, preoperatively, the patient was receiving treatment for type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and abnormal lipid metabolism. He underwent sleeve gastrectomy and lost 50.4 kg (percent excess weight loss: 68.1%) in the first postoperative year. All medications were stopped after improvement in the results of laboratory blood tests and he was reemployed at 8 months after surgery. Increased social activity associated with employment is a factor in suppressing rebound weight gain after bariatric surgery, and weight loss associated with bariatric surgery helps decrease anti-obesity social stigma.

Laparoscopic Repair Using Self-Fixating Mesh in an Adult Patient with a Sciatic Hernia and Irreducible Small Bowel: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Sciatic hernia is a rare type of pelvic floor hernia. The herniated tissue can include the ureter, small and large bowel, and ovary, among other tissues. Only a few cases of laparoscopic treatment for a sciatic hernia with small-bowel incarceration have been reported. We report our experience using a laparoscopic approach for treatment of sciatic hernia in an 83-year-old woman and review the literature on sciatic hernias. The patient was referred to our hospital complaining of constipation and abdominal bloating. Computed tomography (CT) scanning showed a right sciatic hernia containing the small bowel. Laparoscopic repair of the sciatic hernia was performed using a self-fixating mesh. The patient was discharged after an uneventful postoperative course and has not developed abdominal bloating or constipation postoperatively. In conclusion, a sciatic hernia was successfully repaired using a laparoscopic trans-preperitoneal approach and ProGrip Self-Fixating Mesh.

Periappendiceal fluid collection on preoperative computed tomography can be an indication for interval appendectomy: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: The treatment strategies for acute appendicitis, such as emergency appendectomy (EA), interval appendectomy (IA), and repeating nonoperative management (NOM), are controversial. In this study, we examined the preoperative factors that can be used to distinguish which patients should undergo IA. METHODS: We retrospectively identified 902 patients who underwent surgery for appendicitis in our hospital from January 2010 to December 2021. Of these patients, 776 were included in this study. The patients were divided into two groups: those with a periappendiceal fluid collection (PAFC) on preoperative computed tomography (PAFC-positive group, n = 170) and those without a PAFC (PAFC-negative group, n = 606). In each group, we compared patients who underwent EA and IA. RESULTS: In the PAFC-positive group, patients who underwent EA had a significantly higher postoperative complication rate than those who underwent IA (40.5% vs. 24.0%, p = 0.037). In the multivariate analysis, only the presence of PAFC was significantly associated with an increased risk of postoperative complications (odds ratio, 7.11; 95% confidence interval, 2.73-18.60; p < 0.001). The presence of PAFC alone was not significantly associated with an increased risk of IA or NOM failure (odds ratio, 1.48; 95% confidence interval, 0.19-11.7; p = 0.71). The rate of neoplasia on pathologic examination was significantly higher in the PAFC-positive than PAFC-negative group (7.6% vs. 1.5%, p < 0.001); the rate of carcinoma was also higher in the PAFC-positive group (2.4% vs. 0.17%, p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of PAFC on preoperative computed tomography was found to be a risk factor for postoperative complications but not IA or NOM failure. It was also correlated with neoplasia as the etiology of appendicitis. Therefore, PAFC positivity is useful as an indication for IA.

Laparoscopic repair of a Bochdalek hernia in an elderly patient: a case report with a review from 1999 to 2019 in Japan.

BACKGROUND: A Bochdalek hernia (BH) is a congenital defect of the diaphragm that generally presents in the newborn as life-threatening cardiorespiratory distress. In contrast, the diagnosis of a BH in adults is rare. Surgical repair for adult BH is recommended, but the optimal surgical method remains unclear. CASE PRESENTATION: A 75-year-old woman presented with progressive dyspnea and back pain, and a diagnosis of BH was made based on chest X-ray and computed tomography. Laparoscopic evaluation revealed a defect in the left posterior attachment of the diaphragm, and a left-sided BH without hernia sac was diagnosed. Parts of the stomach, small intestine, colon, pancreas, and spleen had prolapsed into the left thoracic cavity, without ischemic change, and these herniated organs were reduced to the abdominal cavity. A direct closure of the hernia orifice was possible by the laparoscopic suture technique using a mesh reinforcement. The patient made an uneventful recovery, and no recurrence was found in the 2-year follow-up. CONCLUSION: A recently published study reviewing detailed cases of repair of adult BH from 1999 to 2019 identified 96 cases, including the present case. The number of reports on laparoscopic and/or thoracoscopic surgery for BH in adults has recently increased, and the approach for repairing BH should be selected carefully on a case-by-case basis.

Use of a Novel Open Posterior Wall Technique for Laparoscopic Excision of Hydrocele of the Canal of Nuck in an Adult Female: Case Report.

Complete surgical excision is the standard treatment for hydrocele of the canal of Nuck. We developed a novel open posterior wall technique for laparoscopic transabdominal pre-peritoneal (TAPP) excision. A 38-year-old woman with a 5-month history of a painless reducible lump in the right groin had recently noticed a slight increase in the size of lump. Computed tomography showed a simple cystic lesion measuring 30 × 27.5 mm. We performed laparoscopic excision of the hydrocele by using the TAPP approach and the open posterior wall technique developed by us. Complete excision of the hydrocele was satisfactorily performed because the region from the external inguinal ring to the periphery could be clearly observed. After an uneventful postoperative course, the patient was discharged. Laparoscopic TAPP excision with open posterior wall technique was useful for complete excision of hydrocele of the canal of Nuck.

Absorbable barbed suture device for laparoscopic peritoneal closure after hernia repair via the transabdominal preperitoneal approach: A single-center experience with 257 cases.

INTRODUCTION: The laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal approach requires peritoneal closure and technically skilled knotting. We have started to use a barbed running suturing device (V-Loc 180) without knotting for transabdominal preperitoneal repair of hernias. This study aimed to determine whether using V-Loc 180 was safe and shortened the time for laparoscopic peritoneal closure. METHODS: Between December 2010 and February 2017, 3-0 V-Loc 180 and a multifilament absorbable running suture (3-0 Vicryl) were used for three-port transabdominal preperitoneal repair of inguinal hernia in 363 cases. Data including peritoneal closure time and the complications were retrospectively recorded. RESULTS: Factors identified as significantly prolonging the peritoneal closure time were the hernia side (P = 0.0269), the type of hernia (P = 0.001), the suture device used (P < 0.0001), and the surgeon's experience (P < 0.0001). Use of the barbed suture was associated with a significantly shorter peritoneal closure time than the multifilament suture (mean closure time: 10.2 and 12.7 min, respectively). While there were no postoperative complications in the barbed suture group, there were two cases (1.9%) of postoperative complications in the multifilament suture group (P = 0.0272). CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that the use of the barbed suturing device for laparoscopic peritoneal closure was safe and feasible.

Is the Laparoscopic Approach Feasible for Reduction and Herniorrhaphy in Cases of Acutely Incarcerated/Strangulated Groin and Obturator Hernia?: 17-Year Experience from Open to Laparoscopic Approach.

Purpose: Management strategies for acutely incarcerated/strangulated groin and obturator hernias may differ from institution to institution, although, conventionally, the open approach has been used. Recently, laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) repair and totally extraperitoneal (TEP) repair have become commonly used operative procedures for the repair of groin hernias. It is unclear whether laparoscopic reduction and herniorrhaphy can be successfully accomplished in all cases. This study was aimed at assessing the effectiveness of laparoscopic treatment. Methods: We conducted a prospective clinical trial of the laparoscopic approach from December 2011 and comparatively analyzed the surgical outcomes between the open and laparoscopic approaches for incarcerated/strangulated hernias seen from December 2000 to March 2017. Results: The open approach for repair was used in 54 patients (50.9%) and the laparoscopic approach in 52 patients (49.1%). There was 1 case in which from the laparoscopic approach to laparotomy (1.9%) was required. The operation time treated by the laparoscopic approach was significantly longer than the open approach (126.4 minutes versus 104.6 minutes; P = .0079); however, the incidence of postoperative complications and the postoperative length of hospitalization were also less in the former group than in the latter group (3.9% versus 18.5%; P = .0172 and 5.6 days versus 14.7 days; P = .0096). Second-stage TAPP herniorrhaphy was performed in 7 patients (15.2%) after bowel resection or closure of bowel perforation, and first-stage TEP herniorrhaphy was performed in 1 patient after bowel resection. There was no case of mesh infection in the group treated by the laparoscopic approach, and there was 1 case of mesh infection in the group treated by the open approach. The mortality rate was 0% in the group treated by the laparoscopic approach. Conclusions: Laparoscopic reduction and herniorrhaphy for acutely incarcerated/strangulated groin and obturator hernias is effective, safe, and feasible.

Totally Extraperitoneal (TEP) Removal of an Infected Mesh by Laparoscopy after Open Preperitoneal Repair: Initial Case Report.

Prosthetic mesh infection after open or laparoscopic hernia repair is a rare complication. Superficial wound infection can be resolved by treatment with a combination of antibiotics and wound drainage, whereas deep-seated mesh infection, which can lead to chronic groin sepsis, usually requires removal of the mesh. A 56-year-old Japanese man was admitted to our hospital for the treatment of deep-seated mesh infection. The patient had undergone inguinal hernia repair at another hospital 18 months earlier. The operation was prosthetic mesh repair via an anterior approach. The patient developed deep-seated mesh infection despite conservative treatment for infection, such as abscess drainage and antibiotic therapy. Since the patient eventually developed chronic groin sepsis, he was referred to our hospital, and infected mesh was removed successfully by laparoscopic surgery via a totally extraperitoneal approach. The laparoscopic approach provides several advantages, including less postoperative pain, a shorter hospital stay, and earlier rehabilitation. Furthermore, seeding of the abdominal cavity with pus never occurs with this approach unlike the laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal approach.

Single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy with an additional needle grasper: a novel technique.

BACKGROUND: Single-incision laparoscopic surgery has gained increasing attention due to its potential to improve the benefits of laparoscopic surgery. However, the technique remains technically challenging for most surgeons. We developed a new technique utilizing a needle grasper held in the surgeon's left hand as an alternative to conventional single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: From August 2011 through May 2013, 29 patients at Nippon Medical School Musashi Kosugi Hospital, with gallbladder stones or polyps underwent single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) with an additional needle grasper that was held in the surgeon's left hand (SILCAN) and introduced in the right subcostal region without a trocar. We analyzed intraoperative and postoperative outcomes of 29 patients for whom SILCAN was performed and retrospectively compared these outcomes to those of 32 patients who underwent conventional 4-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy (CLC) from January 2011 through May 2013. RESULTS: No differences in patient characteristics or intraoperative/postoperative outcomes were observed between the groups. None of the patients in either group required conversion to an open procedure or additional ports. In the SILCAN group, no patients had complications within the first 4 weeks after surgery, with the exception of 1 patient with severe chronic cholecystitis in whom bile duct stenosis developed due to inadvertent clipping of the common hepatic duct. The frequency of postoperative analgesic use was similar in both groups, although none of the patients in the SILCAN group received analgesics for pain from the small, inconspicuous wound in the right subcostal region. CONCLUSIONS: SILCAN is a safe and feasible alternative to SILC which does not compromise the qualities of CLC. It is less technically challenging, and postoperative pain and cosmesis are comparable to those of conventional SILC.

Performance assessment of the risk index category for surgical site infection after colorectal surgery.

BACKGROUND: The traditional National Healthcare Safety Network (previously National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance) risk index is used to predict the risk of surgical site infection across many operative procedures. However, this index may be too simple to predict risk in the various procedures performed in colorectal surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the risk index by analyzing the impact of the risk index factors on surgical site infection after abdominal colorectal surgery. METHODS: Using our surgical site infection surveillance database, we analyzed retrospectively 538 consecutive patients who underwent abdominal colorectal surgery between 2005 and 2010. Correlations between surgical site infection and the following risk index factors were analyzed: length of operation, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, wound classification, and use of laparoscopy. The 75th percentile for length of operation was determined separately for open and laparoscopic surgery in the study model. RESULTS: Univariate analyses showed that surgical site infection was more strongly associated with a >75th percentile length of operation in the study model (odds ratio [OR], 2.07) than in the traditional risk index model (OR, 1.64). Multivariable analysis found that surgical site infection was independently associated with a >75th percentile length of operation in the study model (OR, 2.75; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.66-4.55), American Society of Anesthesiologists score ≥3 (OR, 2.22; 95% CI, 1.10-4.34), wound classification ≥III (OR, 5.29; 95% CI, 2.62-10.69), and open surgery (OR, 2.21; 95% CI, 1.07-5.17). Performance of the risk index category was improved in the study model compared with the traditional model. CONCLUSIONS: The risk index category is sufficiently useful for predicting the risk of surgical site infection after abdominal colorectal surgery. However, the 75th percentile length of operation should be set separately for open and laparoscopic surgery.

Risk factors for surgical site infection in emergency colorectal surgery: a retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: Since 2005, we have been conducting prospective surgical site infection (SSI) surveillance and infection control according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for patients who undergo gastrointestinal surgery at our institution. Surgical site infection occurs with greater frequency in emergency than in elective surgery because of factors such as ill-conceived preoperative preparation and "dirty" operations. A large number of studies have been reported on risk factors for SSI in elective colorectal surgery; however, there are few papers on such factors in emergency colorectal surgery. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for incisional SSI in emergency colorectal surgery. METHODS: Using our SSI surveillance database, we analyzed retrospectively 78 patients who underwent emergency colorectal surgery between 2005 and 2010. Univariable and multivariable analyses were used to identify risk factors for incisional SSI. Moreover, we subclassified dirty-infected operations (class IV) by the extent of contamination according to our own definition to study the incidence of incisional SSI at each degree. RESULTS: The incidence of incisional SSI was 32.1% (25/78 patients). By univariable analysis, seven parameters correlated with a higher risk of incisional SSI: Surgical incision class III-IV, obesity (body mass index ≥25 kg/m(2)), American Society of Anesthesiologists score 3 or 4 points, chronic kidney disease (serum creatinine concentration >1.2 mg/dL), blood loss ≥200 mL, blood transfusion, and ventilator support. Multivariable analyses showed that surgical incision class III-IV (odds ratio [OR] 5.9; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.7, 25.2) and obesity (OR 11.9; 95% CI 2.1, 87.8) were independent risk factors for incisional SSI. The incidence of incisional SSI in colon perforation with generalized contamination was statistically higher than that in prepared colon perforation and colon perforation with localized contamination (82.4% vs. 25.0%; p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The risk factors for incisional SSI in emergency colorectal surgery were incision contamination and obesity. Moreover, the incidence of incisional SSI among the incision class IV operations increased significantly with increasing extents of contamination. As a tactic for management of dirty abdominal wounds, we suggest that primary skin closure is suitable in cases of perforation of a prepared colon or colon perforation with localized contamination. On the other hand, in cases of colon perforation with generalized contamination, delayed primary skin closure or leaving an incision open to heal by secondary intention should be considered.

Giant epidermoid cyst of the spleen with elevated CA 19-9 production managed laparoscopically: report of a case.

True splenic cysts are uncommon and are associated with elevated serum and intracystic tumor marker CA 19-9 levels. A 33-year-old woman presented to our hospital with a chief complaint of epigastralgia. Computed tomography of the abdomen showed a 10-cm cystic lesion in the spleen. The serum carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 level was 3,347 U/mL (normal, <37 U/mL). Total laparoscopic splenectomy was performed, and the serum level of CA 19-9 had normalized 2 weeks later. Pathological examination showed a benign true epidermal cyst of the spleen with strong immunohistological staining for CA 19-9. Splenic epidermoid cysts most often occur in young women, and laparoscopic surgery to remove cysts of this type is minimally invasive. Thus, laparoscopic surgery should be the method of first choice for most cases of splenic benign true cyst.

Mitochondrial DNA alterations in colorectal cancer cell lines.

Somatic mutations of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) have been reported in different types of cancers and are suggested to play roles in metastasis, cancer development and response to anticancer agents. To predict potential roles of mtDNA alterations in colorectal cancer, we determined the entire mtDNA sequence of eleven human-derived colorectal cancer cell lines and compared with the revised Cambridge Reference Sequence to identify nucleotide alterations. Four homoplasmic and six heteroplasmic alterations were found to be novel. Among them, homoplasmic G6709A (MT-CO1) and G14804A (MT-CYB) alterations cause amino acid changes in the highly conserved residues. Heteroplasmic G1576A (MT-RNR1) and G2975A (MT-RNR2) alterations are expected to make the stem structure of mitochondrial ribosomal RNAs unstable. These nucleotide alterations are candidates that could play important roles in cancer.

Total colonoscopy detects early colorectal cancer more frequently than advanced colorectal cancer in patients with fecal occult blood.

The efficacy of total colonoscopy following a positive result of the fecal occult blood test (FOBT) for the early detection of colorectal cancer and polyps was evaluated. A total of 1,491 patients with positive FOBT results underwent total colonoscopy at the Institute of Gastroenterology, Nippon Medical School, Musashi Kosugi Hospital, from April 2002 through July 2009. Abnormalities were found in 1,312 of the 1,491 patients (88.0%). Ninety-six of the 1,491 patients (6.4%) were found to have early cancer, but 59 patients (4.0%) were found to have advanced cancer. The early cancers were treated with endoscopic mucosal resection or endoscopic submucosal dissection in 81 patients, with laparoscopy-assisted colectomy in 10 patients, and with open surgery in 5 patients. Fifty-one of the 59 patients with advanced colorectal cancer underwent conventional open surgery, and 8 patients underwent laparoscopic surgery. The cancers detected were more likely to be early cancers than advanced cancers. In addition to malignancies, other abnormalities found included inner or external hemorrhoids, diverticula of the colon, ulcerative colitis, ischemic colitis, infectious colitis, and colorectal polyps. Our results show that a high percentage of lesions detected with total colonoscopy following a positive FOBT result are early colorectal cancers and polyps.

Successful use of endoscopic argon plasma coagulation for patients with early gastric cancer and diabetes mellitus.

We report on two patients with gastric tumors (early cancer and adema) and diabetes mellitus who were treated with argon plasma coagulation (APC) therapy. Case 1. A 78-year-old woman visited the Nippon Medical School Musashi Kosugi Hospital because of epigastric pain. An early gastric cancer (IIc) in the anterior wall of the gastric antrum was diagnosed on the basis of the results of a gastric endoscopy examination. The patient had had diabetes mellitus for 18 years and had injected insulin (NovoRapid 30 Mix, 72 units/day) by herself everyday for 10 years. Case 2. A 61-year-old man was referred to our hospital because of a gastric tumor. A gastric adenoma in the anterior of the gastric antrum was diagnosed on the basis of the results of a gastric endoscopy examination. The patient had had diabetes mellitus for 12 years and had been taking oral medication for 2 years. Endoscopic APC was performed in both patients to remove the gastric tumors. These patients have been well for 28 months and 30 months, respectively, after undergoing APC treatment. APC therapy appears to be a safe and useful treatment for patients with diabetes and gastric mucosal lesions.

Case of intra-abdominal endocrine tumor possibly arising from an ectopic pancreas.

We report an intra-abdominal endocrine tumor possibly arising from an ectopic pancreas. A 45-year-old woman visited the Nippon Medical School Musashi-Kosugi Hospital because of right-sided hypochondralgia and upper abdominal discomfort of 1 years duration. An intra-abdominal tumor was diagnosed on the basis of the results of an ultrasound examination, computed tomography and magnetic resonance. Surgery was subsequently performed using laparoscopic techniques, and a tumor without firm adhesions was found near the wall of the duodenal bulbus. The tumor was easily removed; the resected specimen (55 x 45 x 25 mm, 50 g) was composed of bloody fluid within a cystic tumor. Histological and immunohistochemical examinations of the tumor showed a type 3 ectopic pancreas, according to the classification proposed by Heinrich. The patients recovery was uneventful.