Low-pressure pneumoperitoneum with deep neuromuscular blockade versus standard pressure pneumoperitoneum in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy for gallstone disease: a non-inferiority randomized control trial.

BACKGROUND: Low-pressure pneumoperitoneum (LPP) is an attempt at improving laparoscopic surgery. However, it has the issue of poor working space for which deep neuromuscular blockade (NMB) may be a solution. There is a lack of literature comparing LPP with deep NMB to standard pressure pneumoperitoneum (SPP) with moderate NMB. METHODOLOGY: This was a single institutional prospective non-inferiority RCT, with permuted block randomization of subjects into group A and B [Group A: LPP; 8-10 mmHg with deep NMB [ Train of Four count (TOF): 0, Post Tetanic Count (PTC): 1-2] and Group B: SPP; 12-14 mmHg with moderate NMB]. The level of NMB was monitored with neuromuscular monitor with TOF count and PTC. Cisatracurium infusion was used for continuous deep NMB in group A. Primary outcome measures were the surgeon satisfaction score and the time for completion of the procedure. Secondarily important clinical outcomes were also reported. RESULTS: Of the 222 patients screened, 181 participants were enrolled [F: 138 (76.2%); M: 43 (23.8%); Group A n = 90, Group B n = 91]. Statistically similar surgeon satisfaction scores (26.1 ± 3.7 vs 26.4 ± 3.4; p = 0.52) and time for completion (55.2 ± 23.4 vs 52.5 ± 24.9 min; p = 0.46) were noted respectively in groups A and B. On both intention-to-treat and per-protocol analysis it was found that group A was non-inferior to group B in terms of total surgeon satisfaction score, however, non-inferiority was not proven for time for completion of surgery. Mean pain scores and incidence of shoulder pain were statistically similar up-to 7 days of follow-up in both groups. 4 (4.4%) patients in group B and 2 (2.2%) in group A had bradycardia (p = 0.4). Four (4.4%) cases of group A were converted to group B. One case of group B converted to open surgery. Bile spills and gallbladder perforations were comparable. CONCLUSION: LPP with deep NMB is non-inferior to SPP with moderate NMB in terms of surgeon satisfaction score but not in terms of time required to complete the procedure. Clinical outcomes and safety profile are similar in both groups. However, it could be marginally costlier to use LPP with deep NMB.

Perioperative complications of laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair in India: a prospective observational study.

Purpose: These days laparoscopic inguinal hernia surgery, both totally extraperitoneal (TEP) and transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP), is a commonly performed procedure due to advancements in laparoscopic instruments and the availability of skilled laparoscopic surgeons. The purpose of this study was to compare the perioperative complications of these two procedures. Methods: This was a prospective observational study between July 2019 and December 2020. Perioperative complications were compared with a 6-month follow-up. It included 144 patients, of whom 71 underwent TAPP repair and 73 underwent TEP repair. The selection was based on the surgeon's choice. Results: Early postoperative complications were scrotal edema (12 cases in TEP and 16 in TAPP), urinary retention (one case in TEP), ecchymosis (six cases in TEP and two in TAPP), and scrotal subcutaneous emphysema (two cases in TEP). On follow-up, seroma was found in a total of 22 cases, of which 12 were TEP and 10 were TAPP. While only one case of TAPP developed surgical site infection. There was no statistically significant difference in hospital stay between the two groups (p = 0.58). The pain scores significantly decreased throughout recovery and were comparable between the groups. Neither group experienced a recurrence during the 6-month follow-up. Fifty-eight patients developed Clavien-Dindo grade I complications, one had grade II, and three had grade IIIa complications. Conclusion: With the increasing experience of the surgical fraternity in laparoscopic surgery, TEP and TAPP were proven to be comparable in terms of duration of surgery, postoperative complications, hospital stay, pain scores, and recurrence during the 6-month follow-up.

Recurrent Desmoid Fibromatosis of the Thyroid Gland: A Diagnostic Challenge.

A 31-year-old Indian female with a history of near-total thyroidectomy 2.5 years prior presented with recurrent neck swelling. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the neck revealed an infiltrating mass involving the thyroid bed. Biopsy from the mass and review of slides from the previous thyroidectomy revealed a spindle cell tumour with interspersed areas of fibrosis and infiltrative edges entrapping thyroid follicles. Beta-catenin immunopositivity and CTNNB1 mutation confirmed the diagnosis of fibromatosis. The case is being reported for its rarity and the discussion of its differential diagnoses.

Endoscopic totally extraperitoneal repair for groin hernia: Experience from a tertiary care centre.

Background: Totally extra-peritoneal (TEP) and transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) repair are two established minimal access techniques of groin hernia surgery. TEP offers the advantage of avoiding violation of the peritoneal cavity. Aim: This study aims to describe the decade-long experience of TEP in groin hernia repair in a tertiary care teaching institute and the feasibility of the same in difficult scenarios. Materials and Methods: Retrospective analysis of the database of patients undergoing TEP repair for inguinal hernia in a single surgical unit at a tertiary teaching hospital between January 2008 and December 2019 was performed. Detailed pre-operative clinical details, operative duration, intraoperative and post-operative complications, including pain, length of post-operative hospital stay and hernia recurrence data were analysed. Results: Over 12 years' duration, 511 patients underwent endoscopic TEP mesh repair and the total number of hernias repaired was 614. Majority (97.45%) of patients were male. The mean age of the patient population was 51.3 years. Primary hernia was seen in 490 patients. The mean operating time for unilateral inguinal hernia repair was 56.8 ± 16 min and for bilateral repair 80.9 ± 25.2 min. TEP in previous lower abdominal/suprapubic surgical scars was attempted in 17 (3.3%) patients, with only one requiring conversion. The intraoperative peritoneal breach was the most common documented complication (34.8%). Seroma was seen in 9.4% of patients. Seventeen patients required conversion (14 TAPP and 3 open). Recurrence was seen in 4 (0.7) patients. Conclusion: TEP repair is an effective method of groin hernia repair and can be attempted in the majority of patients groin hernia, including patients with previous lower abdominal incisions.

Illness wellness scale: novel grading system for performance status of patients under surgical care.

BACKGROUND: Grading the illness using clinical parameters is essential for the daily progress of inpatients. Existing systems do not incorporate these parameters holistically. The study was designed to internally validate the illness wellness scale, based upon clinical assessment of the patients requiring surgical care, for their risk stratification and uniformity of communication between health care providers. METHODS: Prospective observational study conducted at a tertiary care hospital. An expert panel devised the scale, and it was modified after feedback from 100 health care providers. A total of 210 patients (150 for internal validation and 60 for inter-observer variability) who required care under the department of surgical disciplines were enrolled. This included patients presenting to surgery OPD, admitted to COVID/non-COVID surgical wards and ICUs, aged ≥16 years. RESULTS: The response rate of the final illness wellness scale was 95% with 86% positive feedback and a mean of 1.7 on the Likert scale for ease of use (one being very easy and five being difficult). It showed excellent consistency and minimal inter-observer variability with the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) above 0.9. In the internal validation cohort (n = 150), univariate and multivariable analysis of factors affecting mortality revealed that categorical risk stratification, age ≥ 60 years, presence or absence of co-morbidities especially hypertension and chronic kidney disease significantly affect mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The Illness wellness scale is an effective tool for uniformly communicating between health care professionals and is also a strong predictor of risk stratification and mortality in patients requiring surgical care.

Gastric Outlet Obstruction Following Recurrent Pancreatitis Uncovers a Giant Parathyroid Adenoma: A Case Report.

A 35-year-old female presented with abdominal pain, fever, projectile vomiting, and a diffuse tender epigastric mass. She was diagnosed to have acute persistent pancreatitis with a pancreatic pseudocyst. Elevated serum calcium levels provided an etiologic link between hypercalcemia and pancreatitis. On examination, a nodule was found in the left side of her neck which was later diagnosed as a giant left inferior parathyroid adenoma. This report highlights the critical analysis of history, examination, and investigations to reach an ultimate diagnosis. Pseudocyst drainage and parathyroidectomy resolved her symptoms.

Laparoscopic management of type VI choledochal cyst with common bile duct stone: report of a case and review of literature.

A young adult male presented with biliary colic and intermittent jaundice for 1 year. Abdomen findings were unremarkable. Routine investigations revealed a raised total bilirubin. On abdominal ultrasonography, common bile duct (CBD) dilatation with multiple stones was noted. On further imaging with magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography, type I choledochal cyst (CDC) was suspected. A laparoscopic approach was planned. Intraoperatively, dilatation of cystic duct was noted which constitute type VI CDC. Partial malrotation of the gut and accessory right hepatic artery were also noted as incidental finding. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy with CBD exploration and removal of stones, biliary stent placement, cystic duct cyst excision and primary repair of CBD was done. Postoperatively, the patient improved symptomatically with a fall in bilirubin to normal range. We are describing the laparoscopic management of a rare case of type IV CDC which was diagnosed intraoperatively.

Giant secretory multifocal adrenal myelolipoma: a diagnostic dilemma.

A 38-yearr-old man presented with erectile dysfunction and infertility. On examination, he was hypertensive and detected to have a left flank mass. Blood investigations were unremarkable except raised serum noradrenaline levels. Imaging revealed multiple well-defined fat-containing hypodense lesions in left suprarenal area with largest one measuring 14×16 cm, suggestive of left adrenal myelolipoma. Diagnostic dilemma was posed due to discordance between clinical, biochemical and imaging findings. Left adrenal mass resection was planned keeping the possibility of pheochromocytoma. However, histopathology revealed it to be adrenal myelolipoma. Hypertension was resolved in the postoperative period and serum noradrenaline levels were normalised. Final diagnosis of a secretary adrenal myelolipoma was made, which is an extremely rare entity.

Malignant Brenner tumour of the ovary manifesting as distal intestinal obstruction and perforation.

A rare case of malignant Brenner tumour of ovary manifesting with intestinal perforation due to colonic infiltration is elaborated in the present report. Brenner's tumour accounts for 1%-2% of all ovarian neoplasms and malignant Brenner tumour is even rarer and only about 5% of Brenner tumours are malignant. A 62-year-old woman came to surgical emergency with 1-month history of abdominal pain, vomiting and constipation with a palpable mass in right iliac fossa. Abdominal radiograph was suggestive of colonic obstruction. Contrast-enhanced CT of the abdomen revealed cystic right ovarian mass of 10.2×8.8 cm2 with pneumoperitoneum. Exploratory laparotomy was done, which revealed mass arising from right ovary involving terminal ileum, cecum and ascending colon. Possibility of ovarian malignancy was kept. Patient underwent debulking surgery along with ileostomy and descending colon mucous fistula was created. Histology was compatible with malignant Brenner tumour of the ovary.

Incidental Carcinoma Gallbladder: Incidence, Risk Factors, and Factors Affecting Survival-5-Year Experience from a Tertiary Care Institute.

INTRODUCTION: Carcinoma gallbladder is a very lethal disease. It can get detected incidentally after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The overall outcome of incidentally detected carcinoma gallbladder is a matter of debate in literature. AIM: To estimate the overall incidence of the incidental gallbladder carcinoma, the various risk factors associated with it and factors affecting overall survival in patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy with eventual histology turning out to be carcinoma gallbladder. METHODS: Data of all the patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomies in one surgical unit under the Department of Surgery at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India, between January 2014 and December 2018 was retrospectively analyzed. All patients with incidental carcinoma gallbladder were followed up and completion radical cholecystectomy was performed. The demographic profile, preoperative imaging, intra-operative finding, histopathology of primary surgery, and median interval between two surgeries were analyzed to look for various risk factors associated with incidental carcinoma gallbladder and factors affecting overall survival. RESULTS: Incidence of the incidental carcinoma gallbladder was 0.51% with a female/male ratio of 4:1 and mean age of 47.2 years. Preoperative imaging of most of them was suggestive of chronic cholecystitis; however, one patient had multiple gallbladder polyps. Six patients had uneventful laparoscopic cholecystectomy, while four had bile spillages intraoperatively. All the patients had adenocarcinoma on histopathology. Pathological staging of four patients was pT1b and six patients had pT2 tumor. The median interval between cholecystectomy and completion radical cholecystectomy in this series was 8 weeks. At the end of 19-month median follow-up, overall survival was 55.5%. CONCLUSION: Incidence of incidental carcinoma gallbladder is 0.51%, most commonly affecting middle-aged females. Risk factors associated with incidental carcinoma gallbladder were found to be multiple gallbladder calculi, single large stone, and gallbladder polyps. Survival is better in males, young patients with uneventful primary surgery and better-differentiated pathology.

Lipoleiomyosarcoma of spermatic cord: an unusual presentation.

Spermatic cord malignancies are very rare tumours. Less than 100 cases of cord liposarcoma have been reported in the literature. Divergent differentiation into leiomyosarcoma and liposarcoma is a rare phenomenon but can occur. Lipoleiomyosarcoma usually represents the well-differentiated subtype of this entity. We report such a rare case in spermatic cord with an unusual presentation as a recurrent inguinal hernia in a 62-year-old man.

Spontaneous cholecystocutaneous fistula: empirically treated for a missed diagnosis, managed by laparoscopy.

A 70-year-old woman was referred to our hospital from primary health centre with complaints of pain in the abdomen, swelling and discharging sinus in the right hypochondrium since 2 years. She had received anti-tubercular treatment for 18 months as the wedge biopsy of the sinus tract suggested granulomatous lesion. As the symptoms did not subside she was referred to our hospital. Her blood investigation reports at our hospital were normal. Ultrasound of the abdomen suggested cholelithiasis with normal common bile duct. CT fistulogram findings were diagnostic of cholecystocutaneous fistula (CCCF). She underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy and excision of the sinus tract. Postoperative recovery was uneventful. Indiscriminate usage of anti-tubercular drugs should be discouraged and possibility of CCCF should be considered in patients presenting with discharging sinus in the anterior abdominal wall. CT fistulogram is helpful in making diagnosis of CCCF. Cholecystectomy with excision of the sinus tract is the treatment of choice.

Combined caesarean with splenectomy in pregnancy with portal hypertension: defining plausibility.

24-year-old woman at 28 weeks gestation was referred from peripheral hospital with diagnosis of pregnancy with portal hypertension. She had received multiple transfusion for pancytopaenia in the past and had undergone endoscopic sclerotherapy for oesophageal varices. Initially, she was admitted in our hospital at 28 weeks gestation for blood transfusion and was evaluated by multispecialty team of doctors. She was advised splenectomy for transfusion-dependent pancytopaenia secondary to hypersplenism in non-cirrhotic portal hypertension. She was readmitted at 36 weeks gestation. A decision for caesarean was taken owing to failed induction of labour at 38 weeks gestation. She underwent combined caesarean with splenectomy. Mother and child had an uneventful postoperative recovery and were discharged on ninth postoperative day. Preconceptional counselling, treatment of oesophageal varices and multispecialty approach was paramount in the management. Combined caesarean with splenectomy is feasible and cost-effective treatment associated with improved quality of life. Prospective clinical trials are essential to prove safety and efficacy of treatment.