Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy for weight loss and treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVES: Weight loss is a key component in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This outcome can be potentially achieved by laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). This study aims to determine the efficacy of LSG in reducing weight and to evaluate its impact on controlling T2DM by measuring HbA1c and body mass index (BMI) preoperatively and during the first year following the procedure. METHODS: This retrospective study was carried out on 340 patients aged ≥15 years who had T2DM and a BMI of ≥ 35 kg/m2. These patients had LSG at King Fahad Hospital Almadinah Almunawwarah KSA between January 2015 and July 2019. Their HbA1c and BMI were measured preoperatively and then postoperatively at less than one month, 1-3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12 months as well as after one year. RESULTS: Average BMI dropped consistently from a preoperative BMI of 49.27 kg/m2 to 32.72 kg/m2 at 10-12 months following LSG. A reduction in HbA1c from 8.38% to 6.43% was observed over one year (p = 0.0001). Seventy-five percent of the patients achieved the HbA1c target of 6.5% or less within one year. The remaining 25% of the patients showed improvement in their HbA1c but did not reach the target level. CONCLUSION: This study endorses a positive impact of LSG on both weight loss and diabetic status. There was a significant reduction of both BMI (up to the first year) and HbA1c levels postoperatively.

Asymptomatic gallstones: should we operate?

Symptomatic gallstones are easy to treat, unfortunately however asymptomatic gallstones are as easy to treat. This creates a problem for health care planners in the form of the financial implications involved, since asymptomatic gallstones are even more common than gallstones associated with symptoms and require no surgical intervention, while the funds diverted towards dealing with them drains the health care establishment of much needed funds in an era of costly health care. In this review we attempt to clarify the fact that asymptomatic gallstones need no intervention in most cases, thereby saving the patient unnecessary surgery and the health care establishment costs, both in the financial form and in manpower.

Validity of leukocyte count to predict the severity of acute appendicitis.

OBJECTIVE: To ascertain whether white blood cell (WBC) count with differential analysis may predict severity of disease in acute appendicitis. METHODS: We conducted this retrospective study on appendectomy patients from 1996 to 2001, at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We reviewed patient's age, gender, duration of symptoms, temperature on admission, WBC count including differential and the histological diagnosis of the appendicular specimen. We further analyzed the data of those patients found to have acute, gangrenous and perforated appendicitis to determine the correlation between a high WBC count and a more advanced form of appendicitis. RESULTS: Out of an aggregate of 232 patients, 162 were males and 70 females with a mean age of 23.7 years (range, 12-70 years). Mean duration of symptoms was 1.9 +/- 1.1 days, mean temperature 37.8 +/- 1.4 degrees C, with reported elevated WBC count in 167 (71.9%) and normal in 65 (28.1%) cases. Mean WBC counts in acute were 14.5 +/- 7.3 x 10(9)/L, gangrenous 17.1 +/- 3.9 x 10(9)/L and perforated appendicitis 17.9 +/- 2.1 x 10(9)/L. This reflected a persistently higher WBC count in the complex (gangrenous, perforated) appendicitis compared with acute appendicitis (p < 0.05). The differential analysis showed neutrophilia in 123 (53%) and lymphopenia in 112 (48%) cases and out of these, 116 (94%) with neutrophilia and 107 (95%) with lymphopenia were reported to have appendicitis. CONCLUSION: A high WBC with differential count is a reliable indicator of the severity of appendicitis and signifies a more advanced stage.

Post appendectomy small bowel obstruction.

OBJECTIVE: Postoperative small bowel obstruction is one of the adverse effects of appendectomy but its frequency varies from center to other. This study was conducted to determine the incidence of this complication among our patients who had appendectomy and identify the factors which may increase the risk. METHODS: Case notes of patients who underwent appendectomy from January 1998 to December 2003 in King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were reviewed. Patients readmitted for adhesive small bowel obstruction were traced and their clinical data were analyzed. RESULTS: Six hundred and seven patients were eligible for the study. Six patients (1%) developed intestinal obstruction. Frequency of readmission of patients with features of intestinal obstruction ranged from 1-6 (mean of 2 times). CONCLUSION: The incidence of small bowel obstruction after appendectomy is low. The main risk factors were reviewed and measures to avoid them were suggested.

Cholesterolosis. Incidence, correlation with serum cholesterol level and the role of laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To report the incidence of cholesterolosis in the surgically removed gallbladders, its association with serum cholesterol level and to review the role of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the treatment. METHODS: This retrospective study included all patients who had consecutive cholecystectomies for various gallbladder disorders, performed by 2 consultants during a 5-year period from January 1997 through to December 2002, in the College of Medicine and King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The clinical records of those found to have cholesterolosis on histopathological examination were reviewed, and the data were analyzed for their age, sex, fasting serum cholesterol level and the final outcome of cholecystectomy. RESULTS: The study group was comprised of 549 patients and out of which, 74 (13.4%) had cholesterolosis of the gallbladder. There were 59 (79.9%) female and 15 (20.1%) male patients. Age ranged from 18-64-years with a mean of 35.7-years. Sixty-three (85.1%) cases were reported to have abnormally high fasting serum cholesterol levels (>=5.5 mmol/L), whereas 11 (14.9%) had normal serum cholesterol level. Cholesterolosis with coexistent gallstones was documented in 47 (63.3%) patients while 27 (36.5%) subjects showed acalculous cholesterolosis. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed in 71 (95.9%) individuals, whereas 3 patients ended up with open cholecystectomy (conversion rate of 4.2%). There were no postoperative complications. CONCLUSION: Cholesterolosis of the gallbladder is a distinct pathologic entity and carries a positive correlation with high serum cholesterol level. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is effective, safe and a feasible treatment modality for cholesterolosis.

Malignant duodenocolic fistula. Various therapeutic surgical modalities.

Malignant duodenocolic fistulas are the most rare and evolutive complication of colonic cancer due to their rapid nutritional disturbances and difficult surgical management. This case report details a 23-year-old female who presented with diarrhea, anorexia, weight loss, anemia and abdominal pain. A series of examinations showed a transverse colon carcinoma with a malignant duodenocolic fistula and direct infiltration of the right lobe of the liver. The patient underwent extended right hemicolectomy with wide local excision of the duodenum and segmental hepatic resection. Postoperative recovery was uneventful. The analysis of other similar cases from the literature treated with this procedure or less frequently, with right hemicolectomy and pancreaticoduodenectomy, allows us to discuss the indications and results of radical surgery. Whenever feasible, resection offers the best treatment as lesser techniques such as bypass and exclusion result only in minimal palliation. The benefit of exploration should almost always be offered, even in such secondary fistulas, as a better quality of life and long term survival are realistic goals and prognostically justifiable.

Extra adrenal retroperitoneal paraganglioma.

We herein report a case of a 45-year-old Saudi lady not diabetic nor hypertensive who presented to the emergency room with a one day history of severe central and lower abdominal pain. On examination, she was hemodynamically stable and abdominal examination showed tenderness in the lower abdomen. Her hematological and biochemical investigations were normal. Computed tomography of the abdomen showed an 8 x 7 cm retroperitoneal mass located at the aortic bifurcation. The patient had exploratory laparotomy and complete excision of the mass. The histopathological study showed a paraganglioma. The patient had an uneventful postoperative period and follow up.

Coexistence of multiple anomalies in the celiac-mesenteric arterial system.

The origins and distribution of arteries of the celiac-mesenteric system were examined by dissection of 52 formalin-fixed human cadavers. Seventy-five percent of the cadavers exhibited the classic Michels' Type I hepatolienogastric pattern; 25% had different branching patterns. Multiple anomalies of the celiac-mesenteric arterial system were observed in one Caucasian female cadaver: a short lienogastric trunk; a common hepatic artery arising directly from the abdominal aorta; an anomalous course of the hepatic arteries; an accessory left hepatic artery arising from the left and right gastric arterial anastomosis along the lesser curvature of the stomach; a double cystic artery; a common inferior phrenic trunk arising from the celiac trunk; and an aberrant arterial channel connecting the proximal segments of the splenic and gastroduodenal arteries. A patent ductus venosus and an anomalous formation of the portal vein by the confluence of the splenic and superior and inferior mesenteric veins was also observed. Although single anomalies of the celiac-mesenteric arterial system are common, complex combinations, such as were observed in the present case, represent a significant deviation from the normal developmental pattern. There seems to be no report in the literature of such a combination of anomalies coexisting in one individual. The developmental and clinical significance of these anomalous vessels is discussed.

Sternalis. An anatomic variant of chest wall musculature.

OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence of sternalis muscle in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and resolve the question of its genesis by studying the innervation of this uncommon variant of anterior chest wall musculature. METHODS: A morphological study of 75 adult cadavers of both sexes was carried out over a 5-year period by macroscopic dissection. We also retrospectively studied the medical records of 1580 adult females who had undergone screening and diagnostic mammographic imaging at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, KSA, from 1997 to 2001. RESULTS: Out of 75 cadavers studied, 3 cases of sternalis muscle were observed. Two adult male cadavers had well developed bilateral sternalis muscles whereas one female cadaver exhibited right sided unilateral sternalis. All 5 sternalis muscles were positioned vertically, in a parasternal position superficial to the medial part of pectoralis major and innervated by branches of intercostal nerves. None of the 1580 women, however, who had undergone mammographic imaging were found to be sternalis positive. CONCLUSION: Consistent with other geographic populations of the world, the frequency of sternalis in KSA is approximately 4%; however, its innervation by the intercostal nerves, as observed in our study is not common. This study highlights the need for familiarity with sternalis, which may mimic a focal density in medial breast craniocaudal mammograms and may be encountered during reconstructive surgery of breast and chest wall.

Sternalis. An anatomic variant of chest wall musculature.

OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence of sternalis muscle in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and resolve the question of its genesis by studying the innervation of this uncommon variant of anterior chest wall musculature. METHODS: A morphological study of 75 adult cadavers of both sexes was carried out over a 5-year period by macroscopic dissection. We also retrospectively studied the medical records of 1580 adult females who had undergone screening and diagnostic mammographic imaging at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, KSA, from 1997 to 2001. RESULTS: Out of 75 cadavers studied, 3 cases of sternalis muscle were observed. Two adult male cadavers had well developed bilateral sternalis muscles whereas one female cadaver exhibited right sided unilateral sternalis. All 5 sternalis muscles were positioned vertically, in a parasternal position superficial to the medial part of pectoralis major and innervated by branches of intercostal nerves. None of the 1580 women, however, who had undergone mammographic imaging were found to be sternalis positive. CONCLUSION: Consistent with other geographic populations of the world, the frequency of sternalis in KSA is approximately 4%; however, its innervation by the intercostal nerves, as observed in our study is not common. This study highlights the need for familiarity with sternalis, which may mimic a focal density in medial breast craniocaudal mammograms and may be encountered during reconstructive surgery of breast and chest wall.