Manejo del vólvulo de sigmoides en tres hospitales integrales comunitarios de la misión médica cubana en Bolivia / Management of sigmoid volvulus in three general community hospitals of the cuban medical mission in Bolivia

Fundamento: el vólvulo de sigmoides es una emergencia que se presenta con frecuencia en los hospitales del área andina sudamericana. Representa más del 50 por ciento de todas las obstrucciones intestinales y aún mantiene altos índices de mortalidad.Objetivo: caracterizar el manejo del vólvulo de sigmoides. Métodos: estudio descriptivo de los pacientes con vólvulo de sigmoides que acudieron a tres hospitales integrales comunitarios de la misión médica cubana en Bolivia desde junio de 2006 hasta junio de 2007 y fueron atendidos por cirugía general. Se analizaron las variables: edad, sexo, antecedentes patológicos, diagnóstico operatorio, tipo y clasificación de la cirugía, operación realizada, evolución, complicaciones, uso de antibiótico-profilaxis, ingreso en sala de cuidados intensivos. La información se obtuvo del expediente clínico, informe operatorio y un modelo recolector de datos.Resultados: el vólvulo de sigmoides se presentó con mayor frecuencia en el hospital de Yapacaní, departamento de Santa Cruz; predominó el grupo de edades de 55 a 64 años y el sexo masculino; la enfermedad de Chagas estuvo presente en la mayoría de los pacientes; entre los síntomas predominaron la distención, el dolor abdominal y la detención de heces fecales. La descompresión, desvolvulación y el tratamiento quirúrgico fue la conducta tomada en todos los casos, la colostomía de Rankin-Mikulicz fue la más utilizada. No se reintervinieron pacientes, ni existió mortalidad. Conclusiones: la descompresión, desvolvulación y el tratamiento quirúrgico fue la conducta tomada en todos los casos; la colostomía de Rankin-Mikulicz fue la más utilizada. La mayoría de los pacientes evolucionaron de forma satisfactoria(AU)

Background: Sigmoid volvulus is an emergency that occurs very frequently in the South American Andean area hospitals. It accounts for over 50 percent of all intestinal obstructions and still retains high mortality rates.Objective: To characterize the management of sigmoid volvulus.Methods: A prospective and descriptive study was conducted including all patients with sigmoid volvulus who attended three general community hospitals of the Cuban medical mission in Bolivia from June 2006 to June 2007 and were treated trough general surgery. We analyzed the following variables: age, sex, medical history, surgical diagnosis, classification and type of surgery, surgery performed, evolution, complications, use of antibiotic-prophylaxis and admission to intensive care units. The information was obtained from medical records, operative reports and a data collector model. Results: Sigmoid volvulus occurred more frequently in the Yapacaní hospital, department of Santa Cruz; the predominant age group was that from 55 to 64 years old as well as the predominant sex was that of males. Chagas disease was detected in most of the patients studied. Among symptoms those that predominated were distension, abdominal pain and stool detention. Decompression, devolvulation and surgical treatment were the processes followed in all cases, being the Rankin-Mikulicz colostomy the most widely used. No patients underwent a second surgery, and there were no mortality rates.Conclusions: Decompression, devolvulation and surgical treatment were the processes followed in all cases, being the Rankin-Mikulicz colostomy the most widely used. Most patients had a satisfactory evolution(AU)

Advantages of laparoscopic colectomy in older patients.

HYPOTHESIS: Few data describe the relative benefits of an expedited recovery program and laparoscopic technique in older vs younger patients undergoing colectomy. We compared short-term outcomes in age-matched cohorts of patients undergoing laparoscopic vs open segmental colectomy managed with the Controlled Rehabilitation With Early Ambulation and Diet program. DESIGN: Four age-matched cohorts of patients were compared: (1). patients 70 years or older undergoing laparoscopic colectomy (group 1), (2). those 70 or older undergoing open colectomy (group 2), (3). those younger than 60 undergoing laparoscopic colectomy (group 3), and (4). those younger than 60 undergoing open colectomy (group 4). METHODS: Data collected included age, sex, body mass index, Physiologic and Operative Severity Score for the Enumeration of Morbidity and Mortality, American Society of Anesthesiologists' score, estimated blood loss, operative duration in minutes, pathologic findings, type of segmental colectomy, complications, mortality, length of hospital stay, and 30-day readmission rate. RESULTS: Four hundred seventy-six patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria and had complete data available for collection (group 1, 50 patients; group 2, 123 patients; group 3, 181 patients; and group 4, 122 patients). Demographic data, operative procedures, and pathologic findings were similar among the cohorts. The mean +/- SEM length of hospital stay was significantly shorter with laparoscopic surgery in both age cohorts (group 1, 4.2 +/- 3.0 days; group 2, 9.3 +/- 7.6 days; group 3, 3.9 +/- 5.9 days; and group 4, 6.1 +/- 3.0 days). The mean +/- SEM direct hospital costs were significantly lower only with laparoscopic colectomy in the older cohorts. Using the Physiologic and Operative Severity Score for the Enumeration of Morbidity and Mortality, it was noted that group 2 experienced an observed rate of morbidity similar to that predicted. Conversely, groups 1, 3, and 4 had rates that were significantly lower than expected. Mean +/- SEM readmission rates were comparable in the older cohorts (group 1, 6.0%, and group 2, 6.5%) but significantly different in the younger cohorts (group 3, 9.4%, and group 4, 4.1%). CONCLUSIONS: The Controlled Rehabilitation With Early Ambulation and Diet program in combination with laparoscopic segmental colectomy can be safely performed in all age groups. The technique offers particular advantages to older patients because of reductions in length of hospital stay, morbidity and mortality rates, and direct cost of care.

Hospital stay of 2 days after open sigmoidectomy with a multimodal rehabilitation programme.

BACKGROUND: Hospital stay after colonic surgery is usually between 5 and 10 days, limiting factors being pain, ileus, organ dysfunction and fatigue. Single-modality intervention to reduce these factors with laparoscopic surgery usually requires a hospital stay of 5 days. This paper reports the results of a multimodal rehabilitation regimen after open sigmoidectomy. METHODS: Sixteen unselected patients scheduled for elective sigmoid resection (median age 71 years) underwent operation under combined spinal-epidural anaesthesia. After operation, epidural analgesia was continued for 48 h, with immediate oral nutrition and mobilization, and with planned discharge 2 days after surgery. RESULTS: The median postoperative hospital stay was 2 (range 2-6) days (48 h), patients being mobilized for a median of 5 h on the second postoperative day (24-48 h) and for 10 h on the third day (48-72 h). Within 48 h of operation 14 patients had an oral intake of 2000 ml or more and 15 had resumed defaecation. Fatigue and pain scores were low during the first 8-9 days after operation, with a median of 13 h of mobilization per day after discharge. There were no medical or surgical complications during 30 days of follow-up, except for two patients who suffered postspinal headache. CONCLUSION: Postoperative recovery after open colonic surgery may be accelerated by effective pain relief integrated into an accelerated rehabilitation programme.