Feasibility and Outcomes of Simultaneous Gastric Bypass with Paraesophageal Hernia Repair in Elderly Patients.

BACKGROUND: Paraesophageal hernias (PEH) have a higher incidence in patients with obesity. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) with concomitant PEH repair is established as a valid surgical option for PEH management in patients with obesity. The safety and feasibility of this approach in the elderly population are not well elucidated. METHODS: We performed a multicenter retrospective cohort study of patients aged 65 years and older who underwent simultaneous PEH repair and RYGB from 2008 to 2022. Patient demographics, hernia characteristics, postoperative complications, and weight loss data were collected. Obesity-related medical conditions' resolution rates were evaluated at the last follow-up. A matched paired t-test and Pearson's test were used to assess continuous and categorical parameters, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 40 patients (82.5% female; age, 69.2 ± 3.6 years; BMI, 39.4 ± 4.7 kg/m2) with a mean follow-up of 32.3 months were included. The average hernia size was 5.8 cm. Most cases did not require mesh use during surgery (92.5%) with only 3 (7.5%) hernial recurrences. Postoperative complications (17.5%) and mortality rates (2.5%), as well as readmission (2.5%), reoperation (2.5%), and reintervention (0%) rates at 30-day follow-up were reported. There was a statistically significant resolution in gastroesophageal reflux disease (p < 0.001), hypertension (p = 0.019), and sleep apnea (p = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS: The safety and effectiveness of simultaneous PEH repair and RYGB are adequate for the elderly population. Patient selection is crucial to reduce postoperative complications. Further studies with larger cohorts are needed to fully assess the impact of this surgery on elderly patients with obesity.

Posterior infundibular dissection: safety first in laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is still fraught with bile duct injuries (BDI). A number of methods such as intra-operative cholangiography, use of indocyanine green (ICG) with infrared imaging, and the critical view of safety (CVS) have been suggested to ensure safer Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC).To these, we add posterior infundibular dissection as the initial operative maneuver during LC. Here, we report specific technical details of this approach developed over 30 years with no bile duct injuries and update our experience in 1402 LC. METHODS: In this manuscript, we present a detailed and illustrated description of a posterior infundibular dissection as the initial approach to laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). This technique developed after thirty years of experience with LC and have used it routinely over the past ten years with no bile duct injury. RESULTS: Between January of 2010 and December 2019, 1402 Laparoscopic cholecystectomies were performed using the posterior infundibular approach. Operations performed on elective basis constituted 80.3% (1122/1402) and 19.97% were emergent (280/1402). One intra-operative cholangiogram was performed after a posterior sectoral duct was identified. There was one conversion to open cholecystectomy due to bleeding. There were 4 bile leaks that were managed with endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP). There were no bile duct injuries. CONCLUSION: Adopting an initial posterior mobilization of the gallbladder infundibulum lessens the need for medial and cephalad dissection to the node of Lund, allowing for a safer laparoscopic cholecystectomy. In fact the safety of the technique comes from the initial dissection of the lateral border of the infundibulum. The risk of BDI can be reduced to null as was our experience. This approach does not preclude the use of other intra-operative maneuvers or methods.

Laparoscopic gastric fundus tamponade: a novel adaptation of the Toupet fundoplication for large paraesophageal hernia repair.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic repair of large paraesophageal hiatal hernia with defects too large to close primarily or greater than 8 cm is technically challenging. The ideal repair remains unclear and is often debated. Utilizing the gastric fundus as an autologous patch to obliterate and tamponade large hiatal defects may offer a new solution. The aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term outcomes following partial posterior fundoplication with gastric fundus tamponade. METHODS: Retrospective chart review and prospective patient follow up was conducted on patients who underwent laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair between 2015 and 2019 by a single surgeon. Basic demographics, pre-operative diagnoses, operative technique, and clinical outcomes were recorded. RESULTS: Fifteen patients underwent the described technique for repair of large paraesophageal hiatal hernia. All procedures were completed laparoscopically with a short post-operative length of stay (mean of 3 days) and no 30-day readmissions. The majority of patients reported resolution of their pre-operative symptoms. Only one patient required surgery for emergent indications and the same patient was the only mortality in the study, which was secondary to respiratory failure, necrotizing pneumonia, and sepsis as a result of gastric volvulus and obstruction. CONCLUSION: Utilizing the gastric fundus as an autologous patch to repair large hiatal hernia may be a safe and efficacious solution with good short-term outcomes. However, further studies should be conducted to elucidate long-term results.

Prevention and Early Detection of Pancreatic Cancer.

Preventing cancer has much to offer. Aside from plummeting health care costs, we might enjoy a healthier life free of cancer and chronic disease. Prevention requires the adoption of healthier choices and a moderate amount of exercise. The supporting evidence is observational, clinical, and partly common sense. Further investigations reveal several substances in a whole-food plant-based diet that have protective effects and an inhibitory effect on tumor development. For pancreatic cancer, the basis of cure remains a century old operation that rarely cures. With little to lose, prevention deserves center stage and additional studies.

A Tale of 2 Techniques: Preoperative Biliary Drainage and Routine Surgical Drainage with Pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Preoperative drainage of an obstructed biliary tree before pancreaticoduodenal resection (PDR) and placement of intraabdominal drains following pancreatic resection have been suggested to be both unnecessary and associated with a higher complication rate. The evidence for and against that practice is presented and analyzed to highlight its risks and benefits. A selective approach on an individual basis for preoperative biliary decompression is advocated, based on multiple factors. Additionally, the evidence for routine use of surgical drains after PDR is critically reviewed and the rationale for routine drainage is made.

Cancer of the Pancreas-Actual 5, 10, and 20+Year Survival: The Lucky and Fortunate Few.

Cancer of the pancreas (CaP) is a dismal, uncommon, systemic malignancy. This article updates an earlier experience of actual long-term survival of CaP in patients treated between 1991 to 2000, and reviews the literature. Survival is expressed as actual, not projected, survival.

Rare, Uncommon, and Unusual Complications After Pancreaticoduodenal Resection.

Complications after pancreaticoduodenal resection occur in at least 30% of patients. Most are a direct result of an intraoperative event, dissection, or anastomoses which account for the most serious morbidities, sepsis, pseudoaneurysms, and hemorrhage. Rarely, complications are due to the systemic impact of the procedure even if the procedure itself was unremarkable. Rare systemic complications after PDR (Transfusion transmitted Babesiosis, pituitary apoplexy, and TRALI) and a number of uncommon and unusual other complications are discussed. Pancreaticoduodenal resection is a significant operation with serious consequences. Decisions on selection of candidates and safe operations should be thoughtful and always in surgeons' minds.

Diagnosis and Management of Perforated Duodenal Ulcers following Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass: A Report of Two Cases and a Review of the Literature.

Perforated duodenal ulcers are rare complications seen after roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGP). They often present as a diagnostic dilemma as they rarely present with pneumoperitoneum on radiologic evaluation. There is no consensus as to the pathophysiology of these ulcers; however expeditious treatment is necessary. We present two patients with perforated duodenal ulcers and a distant history of RYGP who were successfully treated. Their individual surgical management is discussed as well as a literature review. We conclude that, in patients who present with acute abdominal pain and a history of RYGB, perforated ulcer needs to be very high in the differential diagnosis even in the absence of pneumoperitoneum. In these patients an early surgical exploration is paramount to help diagnose and treat these patients.

Factors influencing incidence and type of postmastectomy breast reconstruction in an urban multidisciplinary cancer center.

BACKGROUND: On January 1, 2011, New York State amended the Public Health Law to ensure that patients receive "information and access to breast reconstruction surgery." The purposes of this study were to investigate the early impact of this legislation on reconstruction rates and to evaluate the influence of patient variables versus physician variables on the incidence and type of breast reconstruction performed. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on all patients who underwent mastectomy between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2011. Reconstruction rates were analyzed in relation to timing of legislation, breast surgeon variables, plastic surgeon faculty status, type of reconstruction, and patient variables. RESULTS: Two hundred fifty-eight patients met inclusion criteria. The overall reconstruction rate was 56.59 percent. There was no statistically significant increase in reconstruction rate after the 2011 legislation (OR, 0.45; p = 0.057). Patients whose breast surgeon was female were more likely to undergo reconstruction (OR, 5.17; p = 0.001). Patients who were Asian (OR, 0.22; p = 0.002), older than 60 years (OR, 0.09; p = 0.001), or had stage 3 and 4 cancer (OR, 0.04; p = 0.03) were less likely to undergo reconstruction. Patients reconstructed by a hospital-employed plastic surgeon were significantly more likely to undergo autologous versus implant reconstruction (OR, 6.85; p = 0.001) and to undergo microsurgical versus nonmicrosurgical autologous reconstruction (78.2 percent versus 0 percent; p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Breast surgeon sex and plastic surgeon faculty status were the factors that most affected the rate and type of reconstruction, respectively. Legislation mandating the discussion of breast reconstruction options had no impact on reconstruction rate. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Risk, II.

Evidence for overestimation of the prevalence of malignancy in indeterminate thyroid nodules classified as Bethesda category III.

BACKGROUND: Several recent analyses of indeterminate thyroid nodules classified as Bethesda III (follicular lesion of undetermined significance) have reported considerably greater rates of malignancy than those initially reported by the Bethesda System for Reporting Cytopathology (BSRTC). These values, however, may be overestimates owing to several sources of bias, such as referral, selection, and publication biases. Our aim was to analyze the prevalence of malignancy in Bethesda III and IV thyroid nodules in a comprehensive health system less prone to institutional referral bias, excluding incidental carcinomas, and we examine the literature for publication bias. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis with pathologic re-review of 119 patients with Bethesda III/IV cytology undergoing surgery in a comprehensive health system by examining patient and nodule characteristics. A review of the literature was performed and analyzed for publication bias. RESULTS: The malignancy rate in resected thyroid nodules was 13% (6/48) for Bethesda III and 28% (20/71) for Bethesda IV. There were 9 of 119 patients (8%) with incidental microcarcinomas. Age <30 years was associated with an increased risk of malignancy (odds ratio, 25.8; P = .005). Sex, nodule size, and ultrasonographic features were not associated with risk of malignancy. Analysis of the literature was indicative of publication bias for Bethesda III cohorts, with reported rates positively skewed (P = .039). CONCLUSION: In a comprehensive health system, the rate of malignancy in Bethesda III nodules was similar to the range reported by the BSRTC. Recent reports of greater rates of malignancy may be attributable to institutional referral patterns, operative selection, inclusion of incidental microcarcinomas, and publication bias.

Three synchronous, sporadic and separate periampullary and pancreatic tumors: more than a coincidence?

Three sporadic, synchronous, and separate lesions in the ampulla of Vater and the head of the pancreas presented in an 81-year-old male. One was symptomatic and two were incidental. One was detected preoperatively (the ampullary lesion) and two by examination of the resected specimen (the neuroendocrine and pancreatic carcinomas). The case is summarized and the literature and the issue of commonality are reviewed.

Familial pancreatic cancer: the case for prophylactic pancreatectomy in lieu of serial screening and shared decision making.

At-risk family members with familial pancreatic cancer (FCaP) face uncertainty regarding the individual risk of developing pancreatic cancer (CaP) and whether to choose serial screening or prophylactic pancreatectomy to avoid CaP. We treated 2 at-risk siblings with a history of FCaP, congenital hepatic fibrosis (CHF), and jaundice secondary to a bile duct stricture. In one, a pancreaticoduodenal resection was done and in the second a total pancreatectomy. Malignancy was not present, but extensive pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIn) 2 was present throughout both pancreata. The clinical course and literature review are presented along with the previously unreported association of CHF and CaP.

Biliary pain, no gallstones--remove the gallbladder, anyway?

As these 2 cases show, cholecystectomy may be helpful for such patients, even those with a high ejection fraction.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy for a left-sided gallbladder.

Cholecystectomy is a common procedure. Abnormalities in the anatomy of the biliary system are common but an abnormal location of the gallbladder is much rarer. Despite frequent pre-operative imaging, the aberrant location of the gallbladder is commonly discovered at surgery. This article presents a case of a patient with the gallbladder located to the left of the falciform ligament in the absence of situs inversus totalis that presented with right upper quadrant pain. A laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed and it was noted that the cystic duct originated from the right side. The presence of a left sided gall bladder is often associated with various biliary, portal venous and other anomalies that might lead to intra-operative injuries. The spectrum of unusual positions and anatomical gallbladder abnormalities is reviewed in order to facilitate elective and emergent cholecystectomy as well as other hepatobiliary procedures. With proper identification of the anatomy, minimally invasive approaches are still considered safe.

Robotic pancreatic surgery is no substitute for experience and clinical judgment: an initial experience and literature review.

Robotic pancreatic surgery offers technical advantages, and has been applied across many surgical specialties. We report an initial experience of 12 distal pancreatic resections for benign tumors from an established pancreatic center with previous general and biliary laparoscopic experience. Of a total of 12 patients, 7 were women; the mean age was 55.5 years, and the lesions included 8 distal intraductal papillary mucinous tumors, 1 insulinoma and in 3 a non-functioning neuroendocrine tumor. All operations were performed in between 90 and 180 minutes, and blood loss and hospital stay were minimal.

Complicated sporadic cardiac myxomas: a second recurrence and myxomatous cerebral aneurysms in one patient.

A second recurrence of an excised nonfamilial cardiac myxoma is rare. Myxomatous cerebral aneurysms as a complication of cardiac myxomas are equally rare. A unique case of a patient with a total of 4 myxomas over a 20-year interval is presented. Her most recent presentation was a second recurrence of a left atrial myxoma, a de novo right atrial myxoma, and multiple cerebral myxomatous aneurysms. The challenging reconstruction of the normal anatomy was achieved with the use of porcine extracellular matrix patches. A diagnostic cerebral angiogram was later performed, and the aneurysms will be monitored for growth and possible intervention.