Laparoscopic versus open appendectomy: a retrospective cohort study assessing outcomes and cost-effectiveness.

BACKGROUND: Appendectomy is the most common surgical procedure performed in emergency surgery. Because of lack of consensus about the most appropriate technique, appendectomy is still being performed by both open (OA) and laparoscopic (LA) methods. In this retrospective analysis, we aimed to compare the laparoscopic approach and the conventional technique in the treatment of acute appendicitis. METHODS: Retrospectively collected data from 593 consecutive patients with acute appendicitis were studied. These comprised 310 patients who underwent conventional appendectomy and 283 patients treated laparoscopically. The two groups were compared for operative time, length of hospital stay, postoperative pain, complication rate, return to normal activity and cost. RESULTS: Laparoscopic appendectomy was associated with a shorter hospital stay (2.7 ± 2.5 days in LA and 1.4 ± 0.6 days in OA), with a less need for analgesia and with a faster return to daily activities (11.5 ± 3.1 days in LA and 16.1 ± 3.3 in OA). Operative time was significantly shorter in the open group (31.36 ± 11.13 min in OA and 54.9 ± 14.2 in LA). Total number of complications was less in the LA group with a significantly lower incidence of wound infection (1.4 % vs 10.6 %, P <0.001). The total cost of treatment was higher by 150 € in the laparoscopic group. CONCLUSION: The laparoscopic approach is a safe and efficient operative procedure in appendectomy and it provides clinically beneficial advantages over open method (including shorter hospital stay, decreased need for postoperative analgesia, early food tolerance, earlier return to work, lower rate of wound infection) against only marginally higher hospital costs. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02867072 Registered 10 August 2016. Retrospectively registered.

Revision of failed primary adjustable gastric banding to mini-gastric bypass: results in 48 consecutive patients.

Although laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) has been found to be a generally successful weight loss operation, many patients require revision for weight regain, mechanical complications or intolerance to restriction. We report our experience with laparoscopic mini-gastric bypass (LMGB) as a revisional procedure for failed primary LAGB. From June 2007 to November 2012, 48 patients, who had undergone LAGB, underwent revisional surgery to LMGB. Patient demographics, reasons for band removal, interval between removal and LMGB, operative times, complications, change in comorbidities, and weight loss were collected. The revisions to a mini-gastric bypass (MGB) were completed laparoscopically in all cases except in four, when the MGB was deferred because of gastric tube damage. Mean age was 38 years (range 20-59) and BMI was 43.4 ± 4.2 kg/m(2); 82 % of patients were females. Revision was performed after a mean of 28.6 months. The mean hospital stay was 3.25 days. Within 60 days of the MGB, mortality and morbidity were nil. We observed a significant difference in mean BMI after 6 months' follow-up (P < 0.001). Diabetes remission was observed in 88 % of patients, apnea remission in 66 %, and hypertension remission in 66 % after LMGB (p < 0.001). Moreover, four patients with GERD were cured. All LAGB patients had positive outcomes after the conversion to MGB, with a mean gain of 1.7 points in the bariatric analysis and reporting outcome system questionnaire. Our results suggested that LMGB is a safe, feasible, effective and easy-to-perform revisional procedure for failed LAGB.

Laparoscopic mini-gastric bypass: short-term single-institute experience.

The elevated variety of procedures proposed for surgical treatment of obesity in the last few years suggests the necessity to find an ideal operation. Laparoscopic mini-gastric bypass (LMGB) was developed to obtain better results with lesser morbidity and mortality. LMGB was introduced by Rutledge, in 1997, and it consists of a long lesser-curvature tube with a terminolateral gastroenterostomy 180 cm distal to the Treitz ligament. From July 1995 to May 2011 we have performed 552 bariatric operations, among them we have operated 197 laparoscopic mini-gastric bypass (Fig. 1). There were 147 female (75%) and 50 male (25%) with the mean age of 37.9 years (range 20-55) and the mean BMI of 52.9 kg/m(2). All procedures were completed laparoscopically, without conversion and the mean operative time was 120 min (range from 90 to 170 min). The average postoperative stay was 5.0 days. We report one case of mortality for pulmonary septic complications. Major complications were two cases of pulmonary embolism (treated in ICU), six cases of melena on seventh postoperative day and three cases of anastomotic ulcers resolved with high doses of PPI. We registered a significant reduction of BMI and percentage of excess weight after surgery with a significant improvement in obesity-related comorbidities including blood pressure, hyperglycemia, blood lipid, uric acid, and liver function. An ideal weight loss operation should be effective, easy to perform and safe. Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass is actually the "gold-standard" technique but LMGB seems to be an attractive alternative: shorter operative time, with less morbidity and mortality, easier to teach and to perform. Another advantage could be the presence of a single anastomosis alone reducing the possibility of leaks.

Laparoscopic biliopancreatic diversion: our preliminary experience with 201 consecutive cases.

Surgery as a treatment modality for morbid obesity has shown impressive progress over the past decades because of a better understanding of the metabolic characteristics of obesity and the rationale for its surgical treatment. Biliopancreatic diversion was first performed in humans in 1976. Since then it has been an excellent operation for morbid obesity to achieve long-term weight reduction. We present our laparoscopic biliopancreatic diversion protocol, with or without distal gastrectomy (Resa's operation). From 1995 to October 2008 we operated on 201 patients; open biliopancreatic diversion was performed in 48 patients, while the remaining patients underwent laparoscopic biliopancreatic diversion (84 laparoscopic Scopinaro's operations, 69 laparoscopic Resa's operations). The mean operating time was 140 minutes for the open procedures, 180 minutes for Scopinaro's laparoscopic operation and 135 minutes for Resa's laparoscopic operation. The mean postoperative stay was 5.5 days. Our mortality rate consisted of two patients (0.99%) who had pulmonary embolisms. Other major complications were three cases of leakage from the jejuno-ileal anastomosis, 18 cases of incisional hernia, 6 cases of metabolic diseases; 1 case of acute hepatitis and 1 case of bronchopneumonia. Biliopancreatic diversion can be performed satisfactorily by laparoscopy. A factor that may reduce the technical difficulties and make the technique totally reversible is the gastric sparing. Thus an upper digestive endoscopy can determine preoperatively whether the patient will need a gastrectomy, depending on its results.

Carcinoma of the appendix and its natural history in relation to surgical management. A case report.

There are several classifications of appendicular epithelial cancer with a wide variety of nomenclature. Epithelial tumours of the appendix have been classified into four distinct types: carcinoids, mucinous adenocarcinoma (often called mucinous cystadenocarcinoma or malignant mucocele), colonic-type adenocarcinoma, and adenocarcinoids with a dual cell origin. We report a case of a woman who presented to our emergency unit with a history of acute appendicitis and who had undergone an appendectomy. The histopathological analysis showed the presence of a well differentiated mucinous adenocarcinoma, infiltrating the full thickness of the appendix wall.

[The ambulatory treatment of varicose veins pathology. Personal experience]. / Il trattamento ambulatoriale della patologia varicosa: esperienza personale.

OBJECTIVE: In time of Surgery Cost Planning, progress is every step to ward an efficient and complete ambulatory treatment of pathology. In the field of venous surgery, a large share of patients take profit from a complete treatment in a single hospitalisation day. MATERIALS: The Authors carried out 21 strippings of great saphenous vein in 21 patients with local and regional anaesthesia. RESULTS: The results were the same as those of the traditional operation carried out with the help of spinal anaesthesia for a greater safety and comfort of the surgeons action. Moreover the authors obtained an immediate take off of the patient and his discharging after a few hours under observation. COMMENTS: The particular surgery technique perfectly copes with the anaesthetic method and fully profits from it because it limits local complication and unacceptable aesthetic defects. The chosen anaesthetic technique and the early take off haven't brought to any complications; moreover subcutaneous bleeding has been reduced, due to the absence of vasoparalysis typical of spinal anaesthesia.