Interventional Treatment of Abdominal Compartment Syndrome during Severe Acute Pancreatitis: Current Status and Historical Perspective.

Abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is a marker of severe disease. It occurs as combination of inflammation of retroperitoneum, visceral edema, ascites, acute peripancreatic fluid collections, paralytic ileus, and aggressive fluid resuscitation. The frequency of ACS in SAP may be rising due to more aggressive fluid resuscitation, a trend towards conservative treatment, and attempts to use a minimally invasive approach. There remains uncertainty about the most appropriate surgical technique for the treatment of ACS in SAP. Some unresolved questions remain including medical treatment, indications, timing, and interventional techniques. This review will focus on interventional treatment of this serious condition. First line therapy is conservative treatment aiming to decrease IAP and to restore organ dysfunction. If nonoperative measures are not effective, early abdominal decompression is mandatory. Midline laparostomy seems to be method of choice. Since it carries significant morbidity we need randomized studies to establish firm advantages over other described techniques. After ACS resolves efforts should be made to achieve early primary fascia closure. Additional data are necessary to resolve uncertainties regarding ideal timing and indication for operative treatment.

Decompressive laparotomy with temporary abdominal closure versus percutaneous puncture with placement of abdominal catheter in patients with abdominal compartment syndrome during acute pancreatitis: background and design of multicenter, randomised, controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Development of abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) has a strong impact on the course of disease. Number of patients with this complication increases during the years due more aggressive fluid resuscitation, much bigger proportion of patients who is treated conservatively or by minimal invasive approach, and efforts to delay open surgery. There have not been standard recommendations for a surgical or some other interventional treatment of patients who develop ACS during the SAP. The aim of DECOMPRESS study was to compare decompresive laparotomy with temporary abdominal closure and percutaneus puncture with placement of abdominal catheter in these patients. METHODS: One hundred patients with ACS will be randomly allocated to two groups: I) decompresive laparotomy with temporary abdominal closure or II) percutaneus puncture with placement of abdominal catheter. Patients will be recruited from five hospitals in Belgrade during two years period. The primary endpoint is the mortality rate within hospitalization. Secondary endpoints are time interval between intervention and resolving of organ failure and multi organ dysfunction syndrome, incidence of infectious complications and duration of hospital and ICU stay. A total sample size of 100 patients was calculated to demonstrate that decompresive laparotomy with temporary abdominal closure can reduce mortality rate from 60% to 40% with 80% power at 5% alfa. CONCLUSION: DECOMPRESS study is designed to reveal a reduction in mortality and major morbidity by using decompresive laparotomy with temporary abdominal closure in comparison with percutaneus puncture with placement of abdominal catheter in patients with ACS during SAP. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NTC00793715.

[Surgical treatment of liver injury--5-year experience].

Due to improved methods of treatment and management of hemorrhage, the mortality from liver injuries has decreased significantly over the past few decades. In spite of that, liver injuries still represent diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. This retrospective study included 197 patients surgically treated because of trauma of the liver at The Clinic for Emergency Surgery, during the period 2004-2009. The results showed significant difference in mortality rates in cases of penetrating wounds compared to blunt trauma and gunshot wounds. The severity of injury evaluated by Organ Injury Scale was significantly higher in gunshot wounds compared to blunt and penetrating trauma. The correlation of severity of injuries and mortality rates showed that the mortality is significantly lower in patients with grade 1, 2, and 3 injuries compared to grades 4 and 5 (p = 0.016). Specific complication rate was 28.4%, while mortality rate was 21.8%. The results reflect diagnostic and treatment problems, as well as the importance of multidisciplinary approach to the patients with liver trauma.

[Operative treatment of flexor pollicis longus tendon with Krackow suture, functional results--preliminary results].

INTRODUCTION: Surgical treatment of the injuried flexor tensons is the important part of hand surgery. Tendon adhesions, ruptures, joint contcatures-stifness are only one part of the problem one is faced during the tendon treatment. In spite of improvement in surgical technique and suture material, the end result of sutured flexor tendons still represent a serious problem. THE AIM: To present of operative treatment of flexor pollicis longus injury with Krakow suture technique. METHODS: All patients are treated in the first 48 hours after the accident. The regional anesthesia was performed with use of turniquet. Beside spare debridement, the reconstruction of digital nerves was done. All patients started with active and pasive movements-excercises on the first postoperative day. Follow-up was from 6 to 24 months. In evaluation of functional recovery the grip strenght, pinch strenght, range of movements of interphalangeal and metacarpophalangeal joiht and DASH score were used. RESULTS: In the last two years there were 30 patients, 25 males (83.33%) and 5 females (16.66%). Mean age was 39.8 years, ranged from 17 to 65 years. According to mechanism of injury the patients were divided in two groups: one with sharp and other with wider zone of injury. Concomitant digital nerve lesions was noticed in 15 patients (50%). CONCLUSION: the Krackow sutrue allowed early rehabilitation, which prevent tendon adhesions, enabled faster and better functional recovery.

[Acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome--what should we know?].

Acutelunginjury (ALI) and its more severe form acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are syndromes with a spectrum of increasing severity of lung injury defined by physiologic and radiographic criteria. There are many clinical disorders as sociated with the development of ALI/ARDS and can be divided into those associated with direct or indirect lung injury. Early detection and protective lung ventilation strategy contribute to lowering the mortality rate.

[Laparoscopy in the evaluation of blunt abdominal trauma].

Laparoscopic diagnostics provides fast, reliable, clear, and obvious information on extent and depth of abdominal organs injury with minimizing additional trauma to the patient. It is performed without any specific preparations and, if needed, it may be promptly converted into conventional laparotomy. Through use of optical equipment with various refraction angles and through variable patient positioning, laparoscopic technique enables visualization of whole abdominal cavity. In approximately 20% of cases of unclear findings, and after other performed diagnostic procedures, laparoscopy provides definitive diagnosis. Abdominal surgeons are familiar with this method, making interpretaion of the results very fast and reliable and, what is the most important, this method avoids additional trauma caused by conventional laparotomy.

[Surgical treatment of injuries of the stomach and duodenum in abdominal trauma].

Injuries of the stomach and duodenum have an important place in abdominal trauma, even though that the isolated injuries are rare. This kind of injury is most commonly associated with injuries of other abdominal organs. This retrospective study has been done at the Department of Emergency Surgery, Clinical Centre of Serbia, during the period from January 2004. until January 2009. The study included 36 patients diagnosed intraoperatively with the injury of the stomach and duodenum. The most common mechanism of harming were injuries due to blunt trauma (41.7%), the ones followed by gunshot wounds (30.5%), and the least were stab injuries (27.8%). With the majority of patients has been conducted sutures (46.3%) and serosation (30.6%) of the stomach and duodenum. In 24 (66.7%) patients on admission have been done ultrasound of the abdomen, in 6 (16.7%) abdominal CT was done, in 4 (11.1%) peritoneal lavage have been done and the x-ray of the abdomen was performed in 3 (8.3%) patients. Specific complications had 1 (2.8%) patient, while 14 (29.9%) patients have had non-specific complications. Total mortality has been 33.3%

[Hanging manuever in liver trauma].

The phylosophy of aggressive surgical approach, its complete implementation in liver trauma surgery did not appear efficient. No matter of permanenent development of diagnostic imaging methods, anesthesia, intensive therapy, medical technology and suture materials, operational theater and operative tchniques, major liver resections in trauma had mortality rate up to 60%. With introduction of computerized tomography (CT, 1981) in everyday clinical praxis and with better evaluation of trauma patients, the whole approach to liver trauma patient has been redesigned. Based on AAST-OIS classification, almost 70% of traumatized with grade I, II and III sholud be treated non-operatively, hospitally, with repeating FAST (focused abdominal ultrasound in trauma) and abdominal CT scans. The rest of traumatized patients, with grade IV and V injuries of juxtahepatic structures demand complexive surgical treatment. The modalities of surgical treatment depend on trauma mechanisms, extensivity, anatomical localisation and affection of vascular structures. Hanging Manuevr--the Method of French surgeon Belghiti bases on anterior approach in liver resection is a try for fast solution for fatal bleeding in liver trauma. It consists of placing the elastic cord throughout the anterior surface of VCI or ligamentum venosusm, of upper end of the cord is located in superior part of VCI where hepatic veins are emerging. Lower end of the cord is located in subhepatic part of VCI between 3 Glisonian pedicles. Concerning hepatic veins liver is divided in 3 sections, which derives blood in right hepatic vein RHV, middle hepatic vein MHV and left hepatic vein LHV. Belghiti proposed the usage of hanging maneuver when resecting the right liver, while the cord is placed throughout retrohepatic VCI, lower end between elements of Glisonian pedicle and upper end between hepatic veins. Complications like bleeding from caudal veins are minimal, then speed in liver resection in hemodynamic unstable and ishemic patient, defects like bleeding because compressing tapes or lesions IVC tile mobilazion of liver for conventional resection.

[Liver injuries].

The liver is the most commonly injured abdominal organ. Severe hepatic trauma continue to be associated with high mortality. Management of liver injuries has changed significantly over the last two decades. Nonoperative management of hemodynamically stable patients has become the first treatment of choice. In unstable patients immediate control of bleeding is critical. In the management of severe injuries of the liver, particularly for patients who had developed a metabolic insult (hypothermia, coagulopathy, and acidosis), perihepatic packing has emerged as the key to effective damage control (DCS). The surgical aim is control of hemorrhage, preservation of sufficient hepatic function and prevention of secondary complications. Currently available surgical methods include hepatorrhaphy, resectional debridement, anatomical/nonanatomical resection, selective hepatic artery ligation, Pringle maneuver, total vascular exclusion, liver transplatation. This review discusses available diagnostic modalities and the best management options for liver injury, based on literature search and authors experience.

[Damage control surgery--our experience].

Damage control surgery represents widely implemented technique of treatment of seriously injured patients all over the world. In medical facilities with large number of seriously injured patients, type of injuries often imposes method of damage control surgery as ultimate way in treating such patients. In Emergency center from 2005-2009. 895 patients had been operated because of the trauma to the abdomen and thorax. Method of damage control surgery had been implented on 41 patients (4.6% of all operated patients). 18 patients died, and 30 seriously injured patients that hadn't been treated according to this method had died in operating room. Likewise, 11 non-trauma patients were treated according to the principles of damage control surgery because of uncontrolled bleeding. The greatest challenge today is defining criteria for choosing right patients for damage control surgery.

[Abdominal compartment sydrome in trauma patients].

Intra-abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) are increasingly recognised to be a contributing cause of organ dysfunction and mortality in critically ill patients. The term abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) describes the clinical manifestations of the pathologic elevation of the intra abdominal pressure (IAP). This syndrome is most commonly observed in the setting of severe abdominal trauma. ACS affects mainly the respiratory, cardiovascular, renal, gastrointestinal and central nervous system. Preventing ACS by the identification of patients at risk and early diagnosis is paramount to its successful management. Because of the frequency of this condition, routine measurement of intra abdominal pressure should be performed in high risk patients in the intensive care unit. Surgical decompression is definitive treatment of fully developed abdominal compartment syndrome, but nonsurgical measures can often effectively affect lesser degrees of IAH and ACS.

[Oversights in the care of severe injuries].

Question of missed injuries is more often a question of human errors: task execution errors, procedural errors, communication errors, decision errors and noncompliance. Missed injuries are those which are not idetified in the first three days of hospitalisaation. This theme is not popular among physicians. Literature data mention percent from 3-29% missed injuries overall. The underlying causes errors are: false attributin, false negative prediction and false lebeling. False attribution involves a tendency to incorrectly link a clinical observation with an arroneous cause. This tendency also ignores one of the fundamental principles of the management of traumatic injury: that the index of suspicion should proceed on the basis of assumed wors resonable case scenario. Weaknesses of trauma systems: high patients volume, high-risk patients, long hours, changing set of resources, and problems sush bad admission planing, defficite anamnesis, defficite diagnostic procedures, bad communication, improvisation etc.

[Transfusion practice in trauma patient].

Anemia is common in critically ill patients and carries risk of reduced oxygen carriage and worse outcomes. Transfusion, however, carry their own risk, and the physician must balance the risks of anemia with the risk of transfusion in each patient. Some recent studies compared a liberal with a restrictive approach to transfusion, and a clinical practice guidelines were made. This protocols consider that acute hemorrhage has been controlled, the initial resuscitation has been completed, and the patient is stabile in the intensive care unit without ongoing bleeding. The trigger for PRBC transfusion in patients without severe cardiovascular disease is hemoglobin g/dL (or a hematocrit %).

Planned staged reoperative necrosectomy using an abdominal zipper in the treatment of necrotizing pancreatitis.

PURPOSE: The optimal operative treatment for severe necrotizing pancreatitis (SNP) still remains controversial. This article describes the operative approach with a planned staged necrosectomy using the "zipper" technique. METHODS: Between 1996 and 2000, 35 patients with SNP were treated with this approach. The patient demographics, etiology and severity of SNP, hospital course, and outcome were recorded and comparisons of several parameters were made between the patients who survived and those who died. RESULTS: Hospital mortality was 34%. A total of 16 fistulae developed in 11 patients (31%), recurrent intra-abdominal abscesses in 4 (11%), and hemorrhaging in 5 (14%). The patients who died compared with those who survived had a higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE)-II score on admission (14.5 vs 9, P < 0.001), extrapancreatic extension of necrosis more often (100% vs 65%, P = 0.02), and developed postoperative hemorrhaging more often (33% vs 4%, P = 0.038). A multivariate logistic analysis revealed an APACHE-II score of > 13 on admission (P = 0.018) and an extension of necrosis behind both paracolic gutters (P < 0.001) to both be prognostic factors for mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Severe necrotizing pancreatitis still carries significant morbidity and mortality. This surgical approach facilitates the removal of all devitalized tissue and seems to decrease the incidence of recurrent intra-abdominal infection requiring reoperation. An APACHE-II score of > or = 13 and an extension of necrosis behind both paracolic gutters was thus found to signify a worse outcome.