Lost gallstones during laparoscopic cholecystectomy as a common but underestimated complication-case report and review of the literature.

Introduction: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) represents one of the most commonly performed routine abdominal surgeries. Nevertheless, besides bile duct injury, problems caused by lost gallstones represent a heavily underestimated and underreported possible late complication after LC. Methods: Case report of a Clavien-Dindo IVb complication after supposedly straightforward LC and review of all published case reports on complications from lost gallstones from 2000-2022. Case Report: An 86-year-old patient developed a perihepatic abscess due to lost gallstones 6 months after LC. The patient had to undergo open surgery to successfully drain the abscess. Reactive pleural effusion needed additional drainage. Postoperative ICU stay was 13 days. The patient was finally discharged after 33 days on a geriatric remobilization ward and died 12 months later due to acute cardiac decompensation. Conclusion: Intraabdominal abscess formation due to spilled gallstones may present years after LC as a late complication. Surgical management in order to completely evacuate the abscess and remove all spilled gallstones may be required, which could be associated with high morbidity and mortality, especially in elderly patients. Regarding the overt underreporting of gallstone spillage in case of postoperative gallstone-related complications, focus need be put on precise reporting of even apparently innocuous complications during LC.

Surgery due to mechanical bowel obstruction in relapsed ovarian cancer: clinical and surgical results of a bicentric analysis of 87 patients.

INTRODUCTION: Mechanical bowel obstruction is a frequent acute and life-threatening event in relapsed ovarian cancer. Salvage surgery after failure of all conservative approaches, resulting in short bowel syndrome (SBS) constitutes a therapeutic dilemma. Our aim was to evaluate patients' surgical and clinical outcome in these highly palliative situations. Previous, limited, data reported a high morbidity and mortality. However, recent surgical and therapeutical improvements in relapsed ovarian cancer (ROC) offer better identification of patients who might benefit from surgery in an effort to extend the window of opportunity to subsequently offer these patients novel systemic therapeutic approaches. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All subsequent ROC patients between 2012 and 2017 with acute mechanical bowel obstruction who underwent salvage extraperitoneal en bloc intestinal resection were retrospectively identified. Data were collected from two ESGO certified Ovarian Cancer Centers of Excellence (Charité Berlin and Imperial College London) and systematically evaluated regarding surgical and clinical outcomes. RESULTS: Overall, 87 ROC patients were included in the analysis (median age 56 years, range 24-88), 47% were platinum resistant. High grade serous was the most common histology (76%) while most of the patients (67%) had at least two previous lines of treatment. Mean observed OS was 7.8 months. After salvage surgery, 46% of the patients had a residual small bowel length < 180 cm and 18% > 180 cm resulting in 41% in need of total parental nutrition. In 80% of the patients a permanent stoma was necessary. 30d morbidity and mortality was 74% and 10%, respectively. More than half of the patients were able to receive further courses of chemotherapy after surgery. DISCUSSION: Salvage surgery for bowel obstruction in ROC patients needs careful consideration and identification of optimal surgical candidates to have the maximal therapeutic benefit. Despite the challenging morbidity profile, most patients managed to proceed to subsequent novel and conventional systemic treatment and so have their window of therapeutic opportunity extended.

[Digital documentation of complications in visceral surgery: possibilities and evaluation of an instrument for quality management]. / Digitale Komplikationserfassung in der Viszeralchirurgie: Möglichkeiten und Evaluation eines Instrumentes für das Qualitätsmanagement.

Against the background of the growing economization of clinical medicine, in the last decades the topics of risk and complication management have also become more important in surgical disciplines. The standardization and reproducible documentation of outcome and complication data play a key role for valid quality control. In this article a digital system implemented at the surgical clinic of the Charité University Medicine in Berlin is analyzed with respect to its practicability for perioperative and postoperative monitoring of complications within the framework of quality assurance.

De-novo Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Cancer after Liver Transplantation: A Demographic Report.

BACKGROUND: Immunosuppression is essential after liver transplantation (LT). It, however, increases the risk for cancer. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence and outcome of upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract cancer in LT patients and assess the perioperative risk of surgery for the upper GI malignancies post-LT. METHODS: 2855 patients underwent LT at our clinic from 1988 to 2018. 20 patients developed upper GI cancer. Data were retrospectively extracted from our database. Analysis included patients' specific data, tumor histopathology and stage, the treatment given and survival. RESULTS: 23 patients developed upper GI malignancies (2 gastric and 18 esophageal cancers; 3 excluded), translating to a incidence of 26.4 per 100,000 population per year. All patients were male. 80% showed alcohol-induced cirrhosis before LT. Most of the tumors were diagnosed at a stage ≥III. 70% underwent surgery and 78.6% developed postoperative complications. One-year-survival was 50%. Total survival rate was 28.6% with a median follow-up of 10 months (range: 0-184). CONCLUSION: Upper GI malignancies are more common after LT compared to the general population. Men after LT, due to alcohol-induced liver cirrhosis, are at a higher risk. Upper GI surgery after LT can be safe, but the severe risk for complications and a poor survival require strict indications.

[Transanal total mesorectal excision-Indications, technique and results]. / Transanale totale mesorektale Exzision ­ Indikation, Technik, Ergebnisse.

Total mesorectal excision (TME) has become the standard treatment for rectal cancer in the middle and lower third. Meanwhile, many international trials have confirmed the noninferiority of laparoscopic TME compared to the open technique. Nevertheless, in the presence of anatomical limitations, such as narrow, obese, male pelvises as well as large rectal tumors, the adequate resection of the lower third of the rectum according to oncological criteria, is still challenging even for specialized colorectal surgeons. Therefore, the implementation of innovative approaches, such as robotic-assisted and transanal TME (TaTME) should shed light on this anatomically complex region and guarantee an oncological radical resection and the best possible preservation of neural structures. The advantages of this technique have so far only been provided by retrospective cohort studies by large international centers. Therefore, international prospective randomized trials are currently recruiting patients to analyze the surgical and oncological outcome of TaTME compared to conventional techniques. This article describes the TaTME technique per se, the fields of application and the current data situation. Practical recommendations for the safe implementation of this operative procedure are also presented. The TaTME procedure is reserved for highly specialized colorectal centers with a high volume of rectal cancer cases and appropriate expertise in minimally invasive visceral surgery.Die totale mesorektale Exzision (TME) ist der Goldstandard im Kontext der multimodalen Behandlung des Rektumkarzinoms im mittleren und unteren Drittel. Der transanale Zugang ist eine Ergänzung des zunehmend laparoskopischen Vorgehens, welcher gerade bei anatomischen Limitationen bei der onkologisch adäquaten Resektion des distalen Rektums Abhilfe schaffen soll. Die Nichtunterlegenheit in chirurgischen und onkologischen Parametern wird gegenüber konventionellen (laparoskopisch/offen) Operationsmethoden derzeit intensiv beforscht. Eine sichere Implementation dieser herausfordernden Technik ist an ein modulares Trainingskurrikulum gebunden.

[Laparoscopic versus open gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer : Operative and postoperative results]. / Laparoskopische vs. offene Gastrektomie bei fortgeschrittenem Magenkarzinom : Operative und postoperative Ergebnisse.

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive gastrectomy is increasingly becoming established worldwide as an alternative to open gastrectomy (OG); however, the majority of available articles in the literature refer to Asian populations and early stages of gastric cancer. This makes an international comparison difficult due to a discrepancy in patient populations and tumor biology as well as Asian and western treatment approaches. Little is known, therefore, whether laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) can be performed in advanced cancer, in particular with respect to laparoscopic D2 lymphadenectomy, with sufficient radicality and safety in this country. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All gastrectomies performed for the treatment of advanced gastric cancer with clinical UICC stages 2 and 3 between 2005 and 2017 were analyzed. A case match by age, gender and UICC stage was performed to compare the operative and early postoperative results of LG and OG. RESULTS: A total of 243 patients with advanced gastric cancer were analyzed. Of these 81 patients (33.3%) underwent LG. The operative time for LG was around 74 min longer (279.2 min vs. 353.4 min, OG vs. LG; p < 0.001), the hospital stay after LG was around 4 days shorter (22.9 days vs. 18.4 days, OG vs. LG; p < 0.001). Significantly more lymph nodes were resected by LG (24.1 lymph nodes vs. 28.8 lymph nodes, OG vs. LG; p < 0.001). In terms of morbidity and mortality there were no differences between the groups. CONCLUSION: The present study showed that minimally invasive gastrectomy can be performed safely and with comparable histopathological results to open surgery, even in advanced gastric cancer in western populations; however, larger case series and evidence from high-quality studies are urgently needed especially to compare short-term and long-term survival.

Anastomotic leak after transanal total mesorectal excision: grading of severity and management aimed at preservation of the anastomosis.

AIM: The transanal approach to total mesorectal excision (TaTME) as an alternative to conventional anterior resection offers an improved view to otherwise restricted anatomical regions in obese and narrow male pelves and unfavourable tumour locations. Guidelines for the management of anastomotic leakage (AL) following low rectal resections are scarce. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Prospectively collected data of all consecutive patients undergoing TaTME between December 2014 and April 2017 in our centre were analysed retrospectively. Existing classification systems for AL were modified with regard to transanal anastomotic-preserving management. RESULTS: TaTME was performed in 66 patients with a median age of 56.2 years. The overall incidence of AL was 12.1% (n = 8). AL grading was differentiated in Grades I to V according to the severity of necrosis and abscess development. Two patients suffered from AL Grade II, one patient from Grade III, three patients from Grade IV and two patients from Grade V. Preservation of the anastomosis following AL was achieved by the damage control concept in six of eight patients (75%) with a median duration of hospital stay of 36 days. Two patients received a Hartmann procedure (Grades IV and V). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that management of AL following TaTME is challenging but definitely amenable to strategies aimed at preserving the anastomosis by appropriate damage control. The modified classification system might serve as guidance for anastomosis-preserving management.

Robot-Assisted Oesophagectomy: Recommendations Towards a Standardised Ivor Lewis Procedure.

A considerable number of reports have been published on the feasibility, techniques, and early postoperative results of robotic-assisted oesophageal surgery. However, these are mostly smaller case series, suggesting that the robot-assisted Ivor Lewis procedure is still in the implementation phase and far from being standardised. Oesophageal surgeons from seven robotic university centres in Germany, experienced in both minimally invasive and robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery, took part in a workshop on robot-assisted surgery. An intensive exchange of opinions and experiences, followed by a step-by-step re-enactment of the operation in a cadaver lab, enabled us to develop a standardised robot-assisted Ivor Lewis surgical workflow, which is presented here. Systematic and objective comparison of experiences and results using a robot-assisted Ivor Lewis procedure has made it possible to develop a standardised surgical workflow that is now clinically applied in our centres. It is hoped that standardisation of this procedure will help to maintain patient safety, prevent medical errors, and facilitate the learning curve, while introducing robotic surgery into a centre.

Revisional Gastric Bypass After Failed Adjustable Gastric Banding-One-Stage or Two-Stage Procedure?

BACKGROUND: Revisional laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (R-LRYGB) is the preferred procedure after failed adjustable gastric banding. Little is known about whether a one-stage procedure (one surgery for band removal and R-LRYGB) or a two-stage procedure (first band removal and later R-LRYGB) is superior. Aim of this study is to compare early- and long-term results of both methods at our institution. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 165 (m 26/f 139) consecutive patients (98 one-stage, 67 two-stage) with R-LRYGB. Mean follow-up time was 50.1 ± 38.8 months. Indications for one-stage vs. two-stage procedures, operating time, peri- and postoperative complications, morbidity, mortality, and length of stay (LOS) were analyzed. Data are reported as total numbers (%) and mean ± standard deviation. RESULTS: Mean age at R-LRYGB was 43.9 ± 10.7 vs. 44.3 ± 10.7 years with a BMI of 37.1 ± 6.8 vs. 39.8 ± 7.1 (one-stage vs. two-stage). In the one-stage group, the main indication for revisional surgery was weight regain (57.1%), followed by dilatation of the esophagus or pouch (37.7%) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) (36.7%), whereas in the two-stage group, it was band erosion (52.2%) and dilatation of the esophagus or pouch (17.9%) and GERD (11.9%). There was no significant difference in operative time (208.5 ± 61.2 vs. 206.3 ± 73.5 min), LOS (8.6 ± 3.4 vs. 9.3 ± 5.7 days) or mortality (0% overall). Major complications (Clavien-Dindo ≥ IIIa) occurred similarly often in both groups: 15.3% vs. 16.9% (one-stage vs. two-stage). CONCLUSION: Both approaches achieve good results. However, the one-stage R-LRYGB is the preferable procedure because it reduces costs and LOS by doing without an additional surgical procedure.

[Training course transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME) : Concept and establishment of a training course for safe application]. / Trainingskurs transanale totale mesorektale Exzision (TaTME) : Konzept und Realisation eines Trainingskurses zur sicheren Anwendung.

BACKGROUND: In recent years the video endoscopy-assisted transanal approach to total mesorectal excision (TME) combined with the conventional laparoscopic technique was developed as an alternative indication for treatment of low rectal cancer (TaTME). OBJECTIVE: The concept and results of the first German TaTME hands-on cadaver course with subsequent live surgery are presented. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The 2­day training course was structured into an anatomical and a clinical surgery part. The participants could learn from basics to live surgery and shared their experiences during presentations about currently available data, rationale and technique of TaTME with special emphasis on technical failures and pitfalls. The supervised simulator training and TaTME exercises at three cadaver work stations were proctored by experienced surgeons. On day 2 the participants observed two cases of TaTME at the moderated live surgery session. RESULTS: The step-up learning curve for the transanal approach could be clearly observed in each team from warm-up to hands-on training sessions. In the practical session the participants could train the milestones of the transanal approach on cadavers, including the pitfalls. Finally, the participants observed live surgery on two patients with low rectal tumors on day 2 of the course. CONCLUSION: A step-up training course on cadavers is indispensable regarding implementation of techniques, such as TaTME into clinical practice. Coordinated clinical guest demonstrations provide translation of theoretical basic principles and practical skills from the cadaver course to real patient treatment. Participants should be encouraged to report their cases to registered trials or registries.

Anatomical considerations for transanal minimal-invasive surgery: the caudal to cephalic approach.

AIM: Nerve-sparing surgery during laparoscopic rectal mobilization is still limited by anatomical constraints such as obesity, the narrowness of the male pelvis, an ultra low rectal cancer or all of these. The transanal approach for total mesorectal excision has overcome the shortcomings of limited access to the rectal 'no-man's land' close to the pelvic floor. The aim of this anatomical study was to define a roadmap of anatomical landmarks for the caudal to cephalic approach so as to standardize nerve-sparing rectal mobilization procedures. METHOD: Macroscopic dissections of the pelvis in a caudal to cephalic direction were performed in eight alcohol-glycerol embalmed cadavers. A roadmap of anatomical landmarks was created at different levels of section to demonstrate the sites of nerve injury. RESULTS: Extrinsic autonomic nerves to the urogenital organs and the internal sphincter muscle are closely adjacent to the lowest portion of the rectum above the pelvic diaphragm. CONCLUSION: This anatomical guide for the pelvic surgeon should facilitate a safe and nerve-sparing dissection of the mesorectal plane with a meticulous overview of the lowest autonomic nerve fibres. New anatomical insights by a 'caudal to cephalic' approach to the 'no-man's land' should help overcome anatomical constraints of a narrow, obese and male pelvis during rectal mobilization procedures.

Repair of arterial injury after blunt trauma in the upper extremity - immediate and long-term outcome.

OBJECTIVE: In contrast to upper extremity stab and gunshot wounds, data on management and outcome in blunt trauma (BT) are limited by small numbers and short follow-up periods. METHODS: This study is a retrospective data analysis. All patients who had undergone arterial repair after upper-limb BT were included. Exclusion criteria were artery ligation and/or primary limb amputation. Endpoints included the following: peri-operative death, limb salvage, primary and secondary patency, vascular re-operation and/or intervention. RESULTS: Eighty-nine patients (71 male; median age: 34.6 years, range: 2.5-81.7) underwent reconstruction of 96 arteries after BT since 1989: subclavian (n=16), axillary (n=22), brachial (n=48) and forearm (n=10). Concomitant arm vein lesions were present in 15 patients (17%) and accompanying nerve (n=38; 43%) and/or orthopaedic injuries (n=64; 72%) in 77 patients (87%). The 30-day mortality rate was 2% with the limb-salvage rate being 98%. Six reconstructions occluded during the first week (primary/secondary patency rate: 93%/99%). After a median follow-up time of 5.1 years, 67% of the patients were followed: There were no secondary amputations and no arterial re-interventions. CONCLUSIONS: Arterial repair in upper extremity BT has excellent early and long-term outcome. In contrast to a significant risk of early occlusion, limb loss after repair, late vascular re-intervention and late arterial occlusion or stenosis are rare.

Rotavirus enteritis in solid organ transplant recipients: an underestimated problem?

BACKGROUND: Diarrhea in solid organ transplantation can be a complication with a high morbidity and mortality. Rotavirus (RV) infection normally occurs in children up to 3 years of age and often presents with severe diarrhea; however, it can also affect adults. We investigated the prevalence and outcome of RV infections in both adult and pediatric patients after solid organ transplantation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of RV-related enteritis in solid organ transplant recipients with a minimum of a 1-year follow-up from a single center between 2000 and 2004. RESULTS: Within our cohort of 1303 solid organ transplants, RV infection was observed in 19 patients (1.5%); 14 of these were liver recipients. Infection was most prevalent among pediatric liver recipients, with 52% (11/21) of the children affected. Five adults acquired the infection during their initial hospitalization. Two adult patients had to be readmitted following late-onset RV infection. In all cases, infection was self-limiting, but led to prolonged hospitalization because of significant loss of fluids and electrolytes. CONCLUSIONS: RV enteritis is a common infection in pediatric solid organ recipients but may also affect adult patients.

Relevance of group Milleri streptococci in thoracic surgery: a clinical update.

Group Milleri streptococci (GMS), a heterogeneous group of streptococci, are associated with purulent infections. This study was a retrospective analysis of all consecutive thoracic infections of GMS between 2001 and 2004. Of 246 surgical GMS infections, thoracic infections accounted for 4.5 per cent, including 10 pleural infections (eight empyemas and two infected pleural effusions) and one mediastinal infection. The etiology of pleural infection was parapneumonic (7), second to esophageal perforation (1), liver transplantation (1), and liver resection (1). Polymicrobial infections were present in 64 per cent. All patients underwent removal of the infected masses, including drainage (3), thoracoscopic decortication (5), thoracotomy with debridement (2), and incision with drainage (1). The case fatality rate was 9 per cent (there was one patient with congestive heart disease unfit to undergo surgical empyema evacuation) and the recurrence rate was 27.3 per cent (three patients). Combined antibiotic/surgical treatment was successful in all other cases. GMS isolates were susceptible to clindamycin and all beta-lactam antibiotics except ceftazidime, but were resistant to aminoglycosides. If found intrathoracically, GMS frequently progress to severe empyema. Therefore, timely removal of pleural collection by percutaneous drainage or surgical intervention seems indicated. If surgery is required, thoracoscopic decortication may be the preferred approach.

Clostridium difficile colitis in solid organ transplantation--a single-center experience.

Clostridium difficile (CD) is one of the most common causes of diarrhea in solid organ transplantation (SOT). Between 1996 and 2005, a total of 2474 solid organ transplants were performed at our institution, of which 43 patients developed CD-associated diarrhea. There were 3 lung, 3 heart, 20 liver, 8 kidney-pancreas, 6 kidney, 1 composite tissue, and 2 multivisceral recipients. Onset of CD infection ranged from 5 to 2453 days posttransplant. All patients presented with abdominal pain and watery diarrhea. Toxins A and B were detected using rapid immunoassay or enzyme immunoassay. Treatment consisted of reduction of immunosuppression, fluid and electrolyte replacement, metronidazole (n=20), oral vancomycin (n=20), and a combination of metronidazole and vancomycin (n=2). Toxic megacolon was seen in five patients. Two of them had colonoscopic decompression, and the remaining three required colonic resection. One of these patients died due to multiorgan failure after cured CD enteritis. The remaining patients were discharged with well-functioning grafts and all are currently alive. CD colitis was a rare complication prior to 2000; 38 of the 43 cases occurred thereafter. We conclude that CD colitis represents a severe complication following SOT. Recently, a dramatic increase in the incidence of this complication has been observed. The development of life-threatening toxic megacolon must be considered in solid organ recipients.

[Ambivalent bacteriophages of different species active on Escherichia coli K12 and Salmonella sps. strains].

A study was made of several bacteriophages (including phages U2 and LB related to T-even phages of Escherichia coli) that grow both on E. coli K12 and on some Salmonella strains. Such phages were termed ambivalent. T-even ambivalent phages (U2 and LB) are rare and have a limited number of hosts among Salmonella strains. U2 and LB are similar to canonical E. coli-specific T-even phages in morphological type and size of the phage particle and in reaction with specific anti-T4 serum. Phages U2 and LB have identical sets of structural proteins, some of which are similar in size to structural proteins of phages T2 and T4. DNA restriction patterns of phages U2 and LB differ from each other and from those of T2 and T4. Still, DNAs of all four phages have considerable homology. Unexpectedly, phages U2 and LB grown on Salmonella bungori were unstable during centrifugation in a CsCl gradient. Ambivalent bacteriophages were found in species other than T-even phages and were similar in morphotype to lambdoid and other E. coli phages. One of the ambivalent phages was highly similar to well-known Felix01, which is specific for Salmonella. Ambivalent phages can be used to develop a new set for phage typing in Salmonella. An obvious advantage is that ambivalent phages can be reproduced in the E. coli K12 laboratory strain, which does not produce active temperate phages. Consequently, the resulting typing phage preparation is devoid of an admixture of temperate phages, which are common in Salmonella. The presence of temperate phages in phage-typing preparations may cause false-positive results in identifying specific Salmonella strains isolated from the environment or salmonellosis patients. Ambivalent phages are potentially useful for phage therapy and prevention of salmonellosis in humans and animals.