Aortic injury using the Hasson trocar: a case report and review of the literature.

Case reports of major vascular injury during open primary access during laparoscopy are very limited. An injury to the aorta with the Hasson trocar is documented here, followed by a review of the literature on major vascular injury during primary access.

Expectant treatment or cholecystectomy after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for choledocholithiasis in patients over 80 years old?

BACKGROUND: It is recommended that most patients between 18-80 years old, who have had an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for choledocholithiasis, should be offered cholecystecytomy. However, we were uncertain whether this was the correct advice for patients over 80. METHOD: A retrospective case note analysis was performed on 81 patients over 80, who had had an ERCP for choledocholithiasis. The primary end points were further biliary symptoms, cholecystectomy, death from biliary independent causes, and those still alive without further biliary symptoms. RESULTS: The records of 81 patients (median age 87; range, 80-96 years) were analyzed. Of the patients, 11% experienced further biliary symptoms at a median time of 4.5 months [interquartile range (IQR), 2.25-8.5 months] from the ERCP; 6% received cholecystectomy; 61% were still alive with no further biliary symptoms at a median time of 17 months (IQR, 12.25-23.75 months) after ERCP; and 22% had died from biliary independent causes at a median time of 9 months after ERCP (IQR, 3-12 months). CONCLUSION: Expectant treatment can be recommended in this group of patients. Those who do present with further biliary symptoms do so soon after ERCP. Therefore, we recommend follow-up for 12 months after ERCP, prior to discharge.

Endoscopic irrigation--a surgical technique.

We report on a method of endoscopic irrigation that is inexpensive, simple and effective.