Plastic freezer bags: a cost-effective method to protect extraction sites in laparoscopic colorectal procedures?

PURPOSE: To review surgical-site infection (SSI) and retrieval-site tumor recurrence rates in laparoscopic colorectal procedures when using a plastic freezer bag as a wound protector. METHODS: Laparoscopic colorectal procedures where a plastic freezer bag used as a wound protector at the extraction site were reviewed between 1991 and 2008 from a prospectively collected database. χ test was used to compare SSI and tumor recurrence rates between groups. Costing data were obtained from the operating room supplies department. RESULTS: A total of 936 cases with 51 (5.45%) surgical-site infections were identified. SSI rates did not differ when comparing groups based on demographic factors, diagnosis, or location of procedure. Retrieval-site tumor recurrence rate was 0.21% (1/474). Cost of plastic freezer bags including sterilization ranged from $0.25 to $3. CONCLUSIONS: Plastic freezer bags as wound protectors in laparoscopic colorectal procedures are cost effective and have SSI and retrieval-site tumor recurrence rates that compare favorably to published data.

Cardiac tamponade caused by incarcerated small bowel in the pericardium after coronary bypass grafting using the right gastroepiploic artery.

Although rare, herniation of the gastrointestinal contents into the pericardium after coronary artery bypass grafting using the right gastroepiploic artery has been previously described. The associated clinical symptoms vary from gastrointestinal obstruction to cardiac tamponade. We report a patient who presented with cardiac tamponade secondary to incarceration of the small bowel in the pericardium 1 year after coronary artery bypass grafting utilizing the right gastroepiploic artery.