[Colo-anal anastomosis: improvement of early function outcome by reconstruction with the colonic pouch]. / Coloanale Anastomose: Verbesserung der funktionellen Frühergebnisse durch Rekonstruktion mit Colonpouch.

INTRODUCTION: Early functional outcome after ultra-low anterior resection with coloanal anastomosis (CAA) may be improved by construction of a colonic pouch. The aim of this prospective observational study was to compare results of colonic pouch-anal anastomosis (CPAA) with conventional CAA including the learning curve. METHODS: From February 1996 through May 1998, 45 consecutive patients underwent CAA or CPAA following radical rectal resection for cancer. The technique of resection was identical in both groups, and all patients received a diverting stoma. The colonic pouch was constructed using linear staplers. Three and 12 months following stoma closure subjective continence and bowel habits were assessed; anal manometry was performed at 3 months. RESULTS: 20 patients with CPAA (9 F, 11 M, age 62 +/- 9 years) were compared to 25 CAA patients (11 f, 14 m, age 64 +/- 10 years). There was no mortality, and morbidity was comparable between groups. Three months following stoma closure, in the CPAA group bowel frequency was significantly diminished (1.4 vs 5.8; P < 0.0001), fewer patients had liquid motions (0/20 vs 12/25 patients; P < 0.0001), and more were continent (20/20 vs 4/25; P < 0.001) and able to defer defaecation (20/20 vs 2/25; P < 0.0001). Functional anal canal length was significantly shorter in CPAA patients (2.9 vs 3.5 cm; P < 0.008). Although at 12 months follow-up continence had improved in patients with CAA, bowel frequency (2.5 vs 1.3; P < 0.002), and number of patients with liquid motions (10/25 vs 0/20; P < 0.007) and passive incontinence (12/25 vs 0/20; P < 0.0001) were still significantly higher than the CPAA group. CONCLUSION: Even including the learning curve, CPAA may yield superior functional results at 3 months and 1 year compared to conventional CAA without increasing morbidity.

Candida infection of local necrosis in severe acute pancreatitis is associated with increased mortality.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of Candida infection of pancreatic necrosis in patients suffering from severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) and to analyze its impact on the outcome. Two-hundred and fifty consecutive patients with SAP from January 1986 to December 1998 were studied retrospectively. Their mean APACHE II score at the day of admission was in 16.1 (range 8-35). All patients were in need of operative therapy. Overall mortality was 38.8% (97 patients). One-hundred and eighty-two patients (72.8%) suffered from local infected necrosis. Among these patients, local Candida infection was observed in 31 patients, whereof 23 patients (74%) suffered from local fungal infection detected at first operation. During the course of disease, 12 patients (39%) also revealed fungemia. Local Candida infection as compared to no Candida infection was associated with an increased mortality rate (84% vs. 32%; P 0.0001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified APACHE II score (P < 0.0001), age of the patient (P < 0.003), extent of pancreatic necrosis (P < 0.002), and local bacterial (P < 0.04) and fungal infection (P < 0.004) as independent factors significantly contributing to mortality. SAP, requiring surgical treatment, is associated with high in-hospital mortality. Patients suffering from local Candida infection are at high risk of fatal outcome.

Severe acute pancreatitis causes alterations in HLA-DR and CD14 expression on peripheral blood monocytes independently of surgical treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To find out if the severity of acute pancreatitis or the surgical treatment of severe acute pancreatitis influences HLA-DR and CD14 expression on peripheral blood monocytes. DESIGN: Prospective open study. SETTING: University hospital, Austria. SUBJECTS: 9 consecutive patients with severe acute pancreatitis in need of operative treatment, 5 patients with mild acute pancreatitis, and 7 healthy volunteers. INTERVENTIONS: Samples of 5 ml blood were taken daily into endotoxin free tubes at same time points. Surgical treatment for severe acute pancreatitis consisted of blunt necrosectomy, operative lavage, laparostomy, and open drainage. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Correlation between HLA-DR and CD14 expression on peripheral blood monocytes on the one hand and the severity of acute pancreatitis and operative treatment of severe acute pancreatitis, on the other. RESULTS: In patients with severe acute pancreatitis expression of HLA-DR and CD14 was significantly downregulated both before and after operation (p < 0.0001; ANOVA), compared with patients with mild acute pancreatitis or healthy controls. However the expression of the two cell surface markers was not affected either by the first operation, or by the reoperations. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that in acute pancreatitis the expression of cell surface markers on peripheral blood monocytes is related to the severity of disease but is not influenced by operative treatment.

Cardiac output, leg blood flow and oxygen uptake during foot plantar flexions.

When studying the adjustment of muscle perfusion during exercise, the influence of central factors (e.g. blood volume, central blood pressure and venous return) can be reduced by choosing small muscle groups. In the present study parallel determinations of cardiac output (CO), leg blood flow (LBF) and pulmonary oxygen (VO2) uptake were performed in 9 healthy male subjects at the onset and cessation of dynamic foot plantar flexions. The volunteers exercised with both feet for 5 minutes at 3 different resistances corresponding to 6%, 18% and 30% of the mean maximal voluntary contraction. Doppler measurements at the aortic root and in the femoral artery were utilized to estimate CO and LBF. Oxygen uptake was analyzed breath-by-breath as the difference between inspired and expired oxygen volumes. Within the first 10 s of exercise LBF increased from 400 ml x min(-1) to about 1,000 ml x min(-1) at all exercises intensities. During the subsequent 5 minutes of exercise, LBF decreased to about 800 ml x min(-1) at the lowest intensity. By contrast, it increased to about 1,900 ml x min(-1) at the highest intensity. The changes in CO during exercise were quantitatively identical with the changes in LBF. The present results suggest that the fine adjustment of muscle blood flow and muscle metabolism starts only after a fast and uniform circulatory on response. The second component may lead to leg perfusion values above, at or below the initial peak perfusion levels. The off-transients of LBF displayed no comparable fast responses. They were slower than the recovery kinetics of any cardiovascular parameter measured in the present study.

[Liver transplantation in acute liver failure]. / Lebertransplantation bei akutem Leberversagen.

Acute hepatic failure is characterized by jaundice and hepatic encephalopathy within eight weeks after the onset of disease. Although acute hepatic failure is a rare occurrence, its rapid progression and high mortality (50 to 90%, depending on the etiology of disease) necessitate immediate intervention. In the absence of causal therapy, orthotopic liver transplantation is currently the only definitive and effective means of treating acute hepatic failure in Europe, acute hepatic failure accounts for 11% of all liver transplantations. At the University department of transplantation surgery in Vienna a total of 27 patients with acute hepatic failure underwent 31 liver transplantations in the last 10 years (1.1.1987 to 31.12.1996). Twenty (74%) of the 27 patients survived the acute event and were discharged from hospital in good general condition after a median postoperative stay of 25 days (range 14-81 days). Seven patients (26%) died between the first and 34th postoperative day (median 26 days) in the intensive care unit, although all potential modern options of intensive care and surgery were used. The causes of death were irreversible cerebral edema (n = 3), multiple organ failure due to bacterial sepsis (n = 3) and uncontrollable haemolysis (n = 1). With a 3-year graft survival rate of 70% the 3-year patient survival rate was 74%. A retrospective analysis of our patients revealed that the postoperative graft function and the incidence of re-transplantation were significant prognostic factors (p < 0.05) for survival following orthotopic liver transplantation for acute hepatic failure. In the absence of further prognostically relevant preoperative indices and in consideration of the potentially fulminant progression of disease, we strongly recommend that any patient, in whom acute hepatic failure is suspected, is immediately transferred to a specialized center with experience both in the conservative treatment of acute hepatic failure and emergency liver transplantation.

Parameters associated with chronic renal transplant failure.

BACKGROUND: Although chronic progressive renal transplant failure (CPTF) is one of the leading causes of end-stage renal disease its exact pathogenesis is still incompletely understood. Histopathological as well as clinical similarities between chronic native kidney diseases and CPTF open the possibility that the latter condition is not exclusively due to a prolonged immunological insult to the grafted organ but also is caused by a mismatch between the metabolic demands of the recipient and the excretory capacity of the transplanted kidney. In this retrospective study we defined clinical parameters which are associated with CPTF. METHODS: Creatinine clearance was followed in 469 patients 45 +/- 0.9 months after transplantation for 2 years. Various immunological and non-immunological parameters were included in an univariate and multivariate regression analysis to define those which are independently associated with CPTF, defined as a decrease of creatinine clearance during the study period. RESULTS: Of all the parameters proteinuria, systolic blood pressure, high Cyclosporin trough concentrations and the cumulative steroid dose were found to be significantly associated with CPTF. A persistent proteinuria of > 2 g/d during the observation period was found to have a positive predictive value of 83% for a deterioration of excretory kidney function of > or = 25% within 2 years. CONCLUSION: In CPTF immunological as well as non immunological factors are independently associated with the decline of excretory allograft function in the late postoperative period.

[Early postoperative infections after liver transplantation--pathogen spectrum and risk factors]. / Frühe postoperative Infektionen nach Lebertransplantation--Keimspektrum und Risikofaktoren.

Infections occurring during the early postoperative phase after liver transplantation result in a significant rise in morbidity and mortality. The records of 279 orthoptic transplantations performed in 248 patients were analyzed retrospectively. 55.6% of all patients suffered from one or more episodes of bacterial and/or fungal infection during their postoperative hospitalisation. The median onset of bacterial/fungal infection was on day 7 after transplantation. Enterococci (42 episodes), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (38 episodes), staphylococci (37 episodes), Escherichia coli (17 episodes) and Candida albicans (11 episodes) were the most frequently detected organisms. 74 (29.8%) patients developed viral infections. 20 patients (8.1%) showed infection with cytomegalovirus (CMV), 32 patients (12.9%) with herpes simplex virus (HSV) and 6 patients (2.4%) with varicella zoster virus (VZV). 14 patients (5.6%) developed infection with both CMV and VZV. Triple infection with CMV, HSV and VZV occurred in one patient. Statistical analysis of potential risk factors showed a significant influence of blood volume replacement (p < 0.001) and occurrence of at least one rejection period (p < 0.02) for major bacterial/fungal infection and immunosuppression (p < 0.001), cold ischemic time (p < 0.04), occurrence of at least one rejection period (p < 0.005) and blood volume replacement (p < 0.04) for viral infection.

[Revision of diffuse peritonitis: planned versus on demand]. / Revision bei diffuser Peritonitis: geplant v. on-demand.

Planned and "on-demand' reoperations are well-established concepts in the management of severe diffuse peritonitis. Both concepts were applied at our surgical department and reviewed with regard to specific complications and lethality. In the period between 1 January 1989 and 31 May 1994, 62 patients with the diagnosis of diffuse peritonitis underwent operative treatment at our surgical department. The mean age of the 29 female and 33 male patients was 58.2 years (range 17-93 years). The origin of peritonitis was the stomach in 8.1%, duodenum in 16.1%, small intestine in 12.9%, large intestine in 41.9% and the pancreas in 16.1%. Among these 62 patients, 15 were reoperated upon according to plan and 47 were reoperated upon on demand. The intraoperatively gained Mannheim peritonitis index and the Apache II score were similar in both groups. The average number of reoperations was five in the group of planned revisions and three in the group of on-demand revisions. Also lethality was similar in both groups. Regarding lethality, only the age of the patient (P < 0.03) and the preoperative Apache II score (P < 0.01) reached statistical significance. As expected, eradication of the infectious source was the precondition of survival regardless of the type of reoperation. Regarding our results, we conclude that planned or on-demand reoperations lead to similar results in the treatment of diffuse peritonitis. The crucial point for success is that elimination of the infection source take place as soon as possible.

Reasons for 50% reduction in the number of organ donors within 2 years--opinion poll amongst all ICUs of a transplant centre.

To detect the reasons for a massive decrease in the annual number of organ donors and as a means of evaluating the effectiveness of our information programme, a questionnaire was designed and sent to all intensive care units (ICUs) in our catchment area. We wished to obtain information about medical, organizational and capacity problems and negative occurrences that had happend during past retrievals. Although 60% of the answers we reiceved (87% feedback rate) mentioned the additional workload involved in treating an organ donor (and 88% had serious problems because of the shortage of nurses), less than 16% remembered a "lost" donor because of capacity problems. Eighty-six percent recognized our efforts to support them in any respect and were satisfied with the amount of "service" provided by the transplantation (TX) centre. About 45% remembered negative occurrences. More than 85% of all replies asked for more and continuing information related to organ donation and transplantation. We think that the key to a successful TX programme is a system of active care for the ICU staff in all peripheral hospitals; repeated mailing of updated information brochures, annual lectures about new developments, letters of thanks after each reported donor (including information on the fate of the organs), visiting donor ICU's accompanied by successfully transplanted recipients, etc.... The downwards trend of donor rates in our area clearly shows that it takes more than a stable legal situation to ensure the necessary amount of donor organs, even a very successful TX centre has to work hard to maintain a certain standard of knowledge, information and motivation amongst the staff of the peripheral hospitals. Moreover, the high turnover rate of ICU personnel requires a steady "flow of information" and cooperation between the "transplant people" and their coworkers outside to guarantee a permanent state of awareness concerning organ donation and transplantation. In fact, awareness seems to be the key issue: the activity of sending out the questionnaires was enough to raise the number of reported donors from 72 (estimated in July) to 96 (31 December 1992).

Cadaveric kidney donation beyond the age of 60 years--a comparative analysis of 1180 grafts from different donor age groups.

The impact of high donor age on transplantation outcome was analysed in 1180 consecutive cadaveric grafts transplanted in adult recipients. Grafts were divided into three groups acording to donor age (< 55 years (n = 1073, group 1), 55-59 years (n = 51, group 2), > or = 60 years (n = 56, group 3)) and transplantation outcome was compared for these groups. Criteria investigated were the incidence of primary non-function (PNF), initial function (IF) (urine production first 24 h) and long-term function (LTF). The impact of donor age on LTF was analysed among other potential donor, graft and recipient risk factors by the multivariate proportional hazardous model analysis (Cox model). The incidence of PNF was 5.8% (group 1), 11.8% (group 2), and 16.1% (group 3) (P = 0.002). Analysis of paired kidneys of PNF grafts in group 2 and group 3 revealed good function for all paired grafts except for one in each group. IF was anuria in 19.7% of group 1, 29.4% group 2 and 21.5% of group 3, oliguria in 18.2% of group 1, 23.5% of group 2 and 32% of group 3. Normal diuresis was found in 62.1% of group, 47.1% of group 2 and 47.3% of group 3 (P = 0.05). Independent risk factors for graft survival were year of transplantation, recipient age, panel reactive antibodies, donor age group and number of transplantation. After the exclusion of PNF grafts from the analysis, recipient age, year of transplantation and level of panel reactive antibodies remained as independent risk factors.

Risk factors for development of panel reactive antibodies and their impact on kidney transplantation outcome.

The impact of potential risk factors for development of panel reactive antibodies (PRA) in 1078 cadaveric kidney graft recipients was investigated in a multivariate analysis. Multiple transplantation, transfusion of more than five blood units and more than two pregnancies were revealed as factors with a significant independent impact on the formation of high levels of PRA. Multiple transplantation and polytransfusion also affected primary non-function, initial function and long-term graft survival at 1, 3 and 5 years. Incidence of early rejection (within 30 days) was significantly increased with repeated transplantation and decreased with a full-house HLA match. However, these effects on transplantation outcome could only be observed when risk factors lead to the formation of antibodies. In patients with risk factors present, but without subsequent sensitization, the graft survival expectation was the same as in patients in whom risk factors were absent.

A reliable and safe way of shortening cadaver kidney ischemia time: prenephrectomy tissue typing using donor lymph node cells.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of prenephrectomy donor tissue typing on tissue typing quality and transplantation outcome in human kidney transplantation. We report on 680 consecutive kidney transplantations performed at the Vienna Transplantation Center from 1986 to June 1991. In 343 of them, HLA typing was performed using donor lymph node cells obtained in a small surgical procedure several hours before organ retrieval. The mean cold ischemia time (CIT) could be reduced to 17.7 h in these patients compared with 21.9 h in the control group (n = 337, conventional tissue typing using spleen lymphocytes obtained during the organ removal, P = 0.0001). There was a trend towards better initial and long-term function in the lymph node group; however, this did not reach statistical significance. The clarity of tissue typing results was significantly better when lymph nodes were used as the lymphocyte source. We conclude that prenephrectomy tissue typing is a feasable and inexpensive method of shortening CIT in renal transplantation and favors HLA typing, both likely to benefit transplantation outcome particularly within organ exchange programs.