[Nocturnal hypoxemia after abdominal surgery: associated factors and usefulness of oxygen therapy]. / Hipoxemia nocturna después de cirugía abdominal: factores asociados y rol de la oxigenoterapia.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative nocturnal hypoxemia (PONH) is a main factor in the genesis of respiratory, cardiac and neurologic complications after surgery. AIM: To describe the phenomenon of PONH after elective laparoscopy and laparotomy, and to evaluate the usefulness of oxygen therapy in its prevention. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifteen elective patients (6 M, 9 F, 51 +/- 8 years old) scheduled for laparotomy (n = 8) or laparoscopy (n = 7) were studied. Ventilatory parameters and pulse oximetry were measured pre and postoperatively. Patients were randomly assigned to receive oxygen by nasal cannula either during the first or the second postoperative night. RESULTS: PONH (SatO2 < 85) developed in seven patients (47%), of which four had undergone laparoscopic surgery. PONH was more frequent in mildly obese patients and those presenting preoperative hypoxemia (p = 0.03). Peak Flow was lower in patients presenting PONH (p = 0.04). In five patients, PONH was associated with significant tachycardia. Oxygen administration was associated with a higher SatO2 and prevented PONH in 6/7 patients. CONCLUSIONS: PONH is a common event in patients older than 40 years scheduled for open or laparoscopic abdominal surgery, and develops more frequently in those with preoperative nocturnal hypoxemia and greater ventilatory impairment. PONH can be prevented, most of the time, with oxygen administration.

[Characteristics of gastric cancer in the IX region of Chile]. / Caracteristicas del cancer gastrico en la IX region en Chile.

The results of a prospective protocol for the management of patients with gastric cancer applied from May 1988 to June 1991 are reported. 123 patients were operated on and a resection performed in 55%. Only 14 patients had incipient tumor and 44 had "curative" surgery. There was a preponderance of non differentiated tumors located high in the stomach. Endoscopy and biopsy were performed in cases with positive diagnosis in 91 and 93%, respectively. The overall actuarial survival rate was 37% at 38 months, rising to 50% for patients undergoing resection and to 82% in patients with "curative" resection.

Operative findings in patients with early forms of gallbladder cancer.

Of 52 patients diagnosed as having gallbladder cancer in a 2-year period, 15 had no evidence of serosal involvement. Four of these 15 patients had tumour confined to the mucosa and did not undergo reoperation while 11 patients underwent lymph node dissection and hepatic wedge resection at a second operation. The correct diagnosis was suspected before the first operation in only one of 11 patients undergoing reoperation; the tumour was found microscopically in seven patients. Of the 11 patients who underwent reoperation, five had lymph node involvement, and three of these patients had both liver and lymphatic involvement. Our results underline the difficulty of establishing the diagnosis of gallbladder cancer before operation and the lack of major morbidity and mortality suggests that there may be value in reoperating on patients found to have gallbladder carcinoma without serosal involvement. Further follow-up is required to assess the long-term value of this approach.