Single umbilical incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy: results of the prospective trial of the Coelio Club.

AIM: To assess the cosmetic outcome after single umbilical incision laparoscopic cholecystectomies (SILC) performed by the surgeons of the Coelio Club. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Multicenter prospective study concerning 105 consecutive patients operated between December 2009 and February 2011 by SILC for non-complicated gallstones. Perioperative and postoperative parameters were analyzed with a systematic follow-up at 1 and 6months postoperative. RESULTS: Conversion to conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy (CLC) was required for six patients (5.7%). Conversion rate is higher in case of acute cholecystitis (25%, P<0.001). Cosmetic outcome is found excellent by the patient (in 86% of the cases at 6months) and by the surgeon (in 90% of the cases at 6months) using an EVA scale. An incisional hernia was found in two cases (1.9%) and a superficial wound infection in four cases (3.8%). CONCLUSIONS: The cosmetic outcome after SILC is found excellent. SILC has its place in the surgical management of the non-complicated gallstone. We did not notice higher level of peroperative complications (biliary tract injury) during SILC than during CLC. Postoperative higher level of abdominal wall complications than after a CLC makes the surgeon caution to a careful abdominal wall closure.

Splenic injury: management in the Languedoc-Roussillon region.

GOAL OF STUDY: Treatment of splenic injury is not standardized. We conducted an inventory of splenic injury treatment modalities of splenic injury in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France. METHODS: A questionnaire was sent by e-mail to 33 surgeons practicing in 10 hospitals in that region. Surgeons were asked: how many cases were treated per year (PMSI databank for the last three years), local resources (resuscitation bay or intensive care unit, availability of CT and interventional radiology), indications (surgery, embolization, nonoperative management [NOM]), prognostic criteria, NOM modalities (duration of bed rest, hospital stay, restriction of physical activity, thromboembolic prophylaxis, and imaging schedule). RESULTS: Thirty-one surgeons replied. An average of 185 patients were treated per year. There was consensus concerning the indication for urgent splenectomy, NOM was practiced in the stable patient (even with diffuse hemoperitoneum) and splenic artery embolization was performed for active bleeding (blush on CT) (for the six centers who have interventional radiology at their disposal). Disparities existed between centers concerning the modalities of NOM excepting imaging monitoring, initial surveillance in resuscitation bay or intensive care and in the therapeutic indications when bleeding persisted. CONCLUSION: Based on the consensus observed in this study and an analysis of the literature, a uniform treatment policy can be proposed.

Single umbilical incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy: initial experience of the Coelio Club.

AIM: To assess the initial results of single umbilical incision laparoscopic cholecystectomies (SUILC) performed by the members of the Club Coelio. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This multicenter study involved 65 consecutive patients undergoing SUILC between September 2008 and December 2009. The operation was performed with a 0° scope in 35 and with a 30° scope in 30 patients. There were 56 women and nine men with a mean age of 49 ± 14 years and a mean body mass index of 25 ± 4. The main perioperative parameters analyzed were duration of operation, conversion, morbidity and duration of hospitalization. One month after surgery, the esthetic result was assessed by each patient on a visual analogue scale (VAS). A VAS score between 9 and 10 was considered as an excellent result. RESULTS: During laparoscopy, some degree of cholecystitis was seen in 10 patients. Intraoperative cholangiography was performed in 57 patients and the mean duration of operation was 68 ± 22 min. Conversion to conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy (CLC) was required in eight patients (12%). We noted three complications (4%): two wound abscesses and one hemoperitoneum. The mean hospital stay was 2 ± 1 days. The esthetic result was considered as excellent by 45 patients (69%). Multivariable analysis revealed that duration of operation was shorter after five procedures (61 ± 25 vs. 72 ± 18 min, regression coefficient: -7, P<0.032) and when a 30° scope was used (56 ± 18 vs. 76 ± 20 min, regression coefficient: -14, P<0.011), the conversion rate was higher in cholecystitis (60% [6/10] vs. 4% [2/55], OR: 33, P<0.002) and the percentage of excellent esthetic results was greater in patients who did not required a conversion to CLC (77% [44/57] vs. 12% [1/8], OR: 18, P<0.012). CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that SUILC is feasible with low morbidity but duration of operation is long and conversion to CLC is frequent in cholecystitis. However, duration of operation decreases with rising experience of the surgeon and when a 30° scope is used. The major value of this technique is cosmetic.

Benign intracranial hypertension with recurrent spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhoea treated by laparoscopic gastric banding.

We present the case of a 45-year-old woman presenting with a spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhoea. A CSF leak, arising from a posterior ethmoidal left cell, was closed using an underlay procedure with a turbinate composite graft with applied fibrin glue. Twenty-three months later the CSF rhinorrhoea recurred. Recurrence was imputed to morbid obesity (BMI 48) responsible for benign intracranial hypertension. The patient underwent a laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding. CSF rhinorrhoea gradually decreased during the 12 months following surgery, in correlation with the weight loss, until total resolution was achieved. To our knowledge, this is the second reported case of a spontaneous CSF leak treated by bariatric surgery. This observation strengthens the theory that severe obesity can cause benign intracranial hypertension which can lead to CSF leak.

A glomic tumour of the stomach treated by laparoscopy.

Glomic tumours are rare tumours usually found on the fingertips, particularly the nail-beds, but they can occur anywhere in the body. The first gastric glomic tumour was identified in 1942 and reported with two other cases in 1951 by Key et al. At present, 100 cases of glomic tumour of the stomach have been reported in the literature. We report a case of benign gastric glomic tumour treated by laparoscopic surgery. This type of tumour is most frequently benign but cases of malignity have been described. The preoperative assessment is important.

Cystic dystrophy in heterotopic pancreas of the duodenal wall: medical and surgical treatment.

A patient with cystic dystrophy in heterotopic pancreatic tissue, localized in the second duodenum, is described. Diagnosis was assessed by computed tomography, endosonography and magnetic nuclear resonance (MNR). Medical treatment with octreotid during three weeks was effective but duodenal stenosis persisted. Finally, pylorus preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed. Microscopy examination confirmed the diagnosis and the efficiency of medical treatment. A review of the literature about cystic dystrophy is done.

Effect of graft preservation and IgM depletion on guinea pig to rat cardiac xenograft survival.

BACKGROUND: Heterotopic guinea pig (GP) cardiac xenografts (XG) are hyperacutely rejected within minutes when transplanted into rats. METHODS: In this GP to rat cardiac XG model, we studied the effect on graft survival of a short cold preservation time (1 hr at 4 degrees C) in the presence or absence of rat anti-GP IgM preformed antibodies. The complete depletion of circulating IgM was obtained by two intraperitoneal injections of anti-rat IgM monoclonal antibody (MARM-4) on preoperative days -3 and -1. RESULTS: When the GP cardiac XG was cold preserved for 1 hr before transplantation, the mean graft survival time (MST) was 13.5+/-2.8 min, whereas without previous cold preservation, the MST was significantly prolonged to 51.5+/-12.3 min (P<0.001). Interestingly, the complete depletion of preformed circulating IgM before grafting significantly prolonged the MST of a cold-preserved XG to 37.1+/-11.3 min in comparison with a nondepleted recipient of a cold-preserved XG (P<0.02), but did not prolong the graft survival of a XG that was not cold preserved (42.5+/-14.1 min). To assess the effect of cold preservation and/or ischemia reperfusion, we intravenously injected a superoxide-dismutase mimetic (EUK-134) just before transplantation of a cold-preserved XG. This antioxidant regimen improved the MST from 13.5+/-2.8 min to 35.3+/-7.3 min (P<0.001). These results clearly suggested that either preservation lesions or preformed IgM are capable of accelerating the loss of the cardiac graft function, but also that the presence of preformed IgM seems to be especially deleterious when the cardiac XG has previously been ischemically injured. Analyzing the histological data, we also observed that the prompt cessation of cardiac function seen in cold-preserved grafts was uniformly associated with massive interstitial hemorrhage, thereby suggesting a particular susceptibility of the GP cardiac XG to cold preservation. To assess the effect of preservation on the GP cardiac function in a nonimmunological model, we performed syngeneic GP cardiac grafts and found that 1 hr of cold preservation provoked massive interstitial hemorrhage capable of promptly inducing the cessation of the heartbeat. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, this study demonstrated that both ischemic lesions and immunological processes might induce the cessation of cardiac graft function in the GP to rat model and this cessation of graft function is probably often misinterpreted as a XG rejection only.