Is it possible to resterilize disposable laparoscopy trocars in a hospital setting?

Nosocomial infections associated with interventional procedures have been attributed to improper decontamination of instruments. Disinfection of solid laparoscopic instruments, such as telescopes, by 2% glutaraldehyde and ethylene oxide was shown to be effective in preventing infection transmission. However, instrument design in more complex surgical instruments may hamper the quality of disinfection. The aim of this study is to investigate the safety of hospital disinfection of disposable laparoscopic instruments with a relatively more complex design. A total of 40 laparoscopic trocars were divided into two equal groups: group 1 was contaminated with bacteria and yeast, and group 2 was contaminated with the hepatitis B virus. Each group was then divided to two equal subgroups. After disinfecting subgroup A with 2% glutaraldehyde and B with ethylene oxide, samples were obtained for bacterial cultures and for virus detection using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Bacterial and yeast cultures were positive in three instruments in group 1A and in two instruments in group 1B. Tests results for the hepatitis B virus were negative in group 2A, but positive in group 2B. Results of this study indicate that disinfection for multiple use of disposable laparoscopic instruments with a relatively complex structure is not effective and may result in nosocomial disease transmission by bacteria, fungi, and viruses.

Management of intrabiliary rupture of hydatid cyst of the liver.

Thirty-six patients with intrabiliary rupture of hepatic echinococcal cysts were managed between 1974 and 1993. Clinical findings, skin tests, serologic tests, and imaging techniques were used to establish the diagnosis. Twenty-five (69.4%) patients had pain, 24 (66.6%) jaundice, 22 (61.1%) fever, 20 (55.5%) chills, 10 (27.7%) malaise, and 7 (19.4%) other symptoms as the major causes of admission. All patients underwent choledochotomy and T-tube drainage. Treatment directed to the cyst was cystectomy and capittonage, cystectomy and drainage, and partial hepatectomy in 22, 12, and 2 patients, respectively. Omentoplasty was added to the treatment in 10 patients. Seven (19.4%) patients had complications. The period of hospitalization for patients with and without complications was 34.6 +/- 18.1 and 15.1 +/- 2.7, days, respectively. This study indicates that better results are obtained in patients with cystic lesions of the liver by avoiding percutaneous puncture or biopsy, the early use of ultrasonography and computed tomography, evacuation of the cyst together with its germinative membrane and the involved biliary tract under adequate care to avoid spillage into the peritoneal cavity, treating the remaining cavity according to its location, size, and the presence of infection, and decreasing the pressure in the biliary tract by T-tube drainage.

An alternative technique for treatment of choledocholithiasis found at laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To introduce a new strategy for dealing with abnormal cholangiograms at laparoscopic cholecystectomy that makes postoperative cholangiograms possible and facilitates stone extraction by assuring access to the duct for a guide-wire-assisted endoscopic retrograde sphincterotomy. DESIGN: Retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database. PATIENTS: Twenty-four patients with abnormal cholangiograms had a percutaneously placed double-lumen catheter threaded through the cystic duct and advanced into the duodenum. RESULTS: Ten successful guide-wire-assisted endoscopic retrograde sphincterotomies were performed without complications. Eleven normal postoperative cholangiograms suggested spontaneous stone passage or false-positive intraoperative cholangiograms. There were three technical failures in the early part of the series. CONCLUSIONS: This strategy is a reasonable alternative to laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (1) when the cholangiogram is questionably positive, (2) when prolonged anesthesia (poor-risk patient) should be avoided, (3) when the equipment for laparoscopic common bile duct exploration is not available, and (4) when spontaneous stone passage seems likely. Postoperative endoscopic retrograde sphincterotomy with stone extraction is facilitated when it becomes necessary because a guide wire can be introduced through the catheter.

Preliminary experience with a double-illumination technique for laparoscopic left colectomy.

This report describes our technique and initial experience with total intraabdominal laparoscopic left colectomy on 3 patients. Three consecutive patients, 2 females and 1 male, underwent laparoscopic left colectomy due to sigmoid volvulus and villous adenoma, respectively. The technique described herein helps to locate the intracolonic lesion, enables en bloc resection, shortens the operation time, and reduces the cost. Because the procedure is minimally invasive, patient recovery is remarkable compared with the conventional technique. All of the patients in this report were discharged on postoperative day 4 without any morbidity.

Early wound excision and skin grafting restores cellular immunity after severe burn trauma.

Suppression of cellular immunity following thermal injury may contribute to the high incidence of postburn sepsis. Early excision and skin grafting may remove deleterious local wound factors and prevent immunosuppression. The effect on cellular immunity of early burn wound excision and skin grafting was investigated in an animal model using female Wistar rats. The development of immunosuppression shortly after burn injury was shown by popliteal lymph node assay and a 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene skin reaction test. Excision and skin grafting 2 days after burn trauma restored parameters to normal. Burned tissue suppresses cellular immunity; this effect is preventable by early excision and skin grafting.

Single session ligation treatment of bleeding hemorrhoids.

Rubber band ligation (RBL) was prospectively used in 49 consecutive patients with bleeding internal hemorrhoids between 1987 and 1990. All patients underwent a two year follow-up period. Ten patients experienced complications consisting of pain, bleeding, mild discomfort and dissatisfaction. Hemorrhoidectomy was required in three patients. Long term results were satisfactory in 93.9 percent of the patients. The results of this study confirm that single session RBL is a valuable alternative to hemorrhoidectomy in selected patients.