Factors Affecting Morbidity in Solid Organ Injuries.

Background and Aim. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of demographic characteristics, biochemical parameters, amount of blood transfusion, and trauma scores on morbidity in patients with solid organ injury following trauma. Material and Method. One hundred nine patients with solid organ injury due to abdominal trauma during January 2005 and October 2015 were examined retrospectively in the General Surgery Department of Dicle University Medical Faculty. Patients' age, gender, trauma interval time, vital status (heart rate, arterial tension, and respiratory rate), hematocrit (HCT) value, serum area aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) values, presence of free abdominal fluid in USG, trauma mechanism, extra-abdominal system injuries, injured solid organs and their number, degree of injury in abdominal CT, number of blood transfusions, duration of hospital stay, time of operation (for those undergoing operation), trauma scores (ISS, RTS, Glasgow coma scale, and TRISS), and causes of morbidity and mortality were examined. In posttraumatic follow-up period, intra-abdominal hematoma infection, emboli, catheter infection, and deep vein thrombosis were monitored as factors of morbidity. Results. One hundred nine patients were followed up and treated due to isolated solid organ injury following abdominal trauma. There were 81 males (74.3%) and 28 females (25.7%), and the mean age was 37.6 ± 18.28 (15-78) years. When examining the mechanism of abdominal trauma in patients, the following results were obtained: 58 (53.3%) traffic accidents (22 out-vehicle and 36 in-vehicle), 27 (24.7%) falling from a height, 14 (12.9%) assaults, 5 (4.5%) sharp object injuries, and 5 (4.5%) gunshot injuries. When evaluating 69 liver injuries scaled by CT the following was detected: 14 (20.3%) of grade I, 32 (46.4%) of grade II, 22 (31.8%) of grade III, and 1 (1.5%) of grade IV. In 63 spleen injuries scaled by CT the following was present: grade I in 21 (33.3%), grade II in 27 (42.9%), grade III in 11 (17.5%), and grade IV in 4 (6.3%). The mean length of hospital stay after trauma was 6.46 days in the medically followed patients. This ratio was 8.13 days in 22 patients with morbidity and 5.98 days in 78 patients without morbidity. There was a morbidity in 22 (22%) patients medically followed after trauma. In this study, nonoperative treatment was observed to be performed safely in solid organ injuries after trauma in case of absence of hemodynamic stability and peritoneal irritation. It has been emphasized that injury of both liver and spleen (p < 0.01), high respiratory rate (p < 0.01), trauma scores (GKS, ISS, RTS) (p < 0.0001), and elevation of ALT AST values (p < 0.01) are stimulants for morbidity that may occur during follow-up. Conclusion. Medical follow-up can be considered in patients with high grade injuries similar to patients with low-grade solid organ injury after trauma. The injury of both liver and spleen, high respiratory rate, high GCS and ISS, low RTS, and elevation of ALT AST values were found to increase morbidity again in the follow-up of these patients.

Nebivolol Ameliorates Hepatic Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury on Liver But Not on Distant Organs.

INTRODUCTION: Hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury may occur after large tumor resection and liver transplantation procedures. Nitric oxide was shown to have protective effects on ischemia/reperfusion injury. Nebivolol is a compound that has been reported to improve nitric oxide release. We evaluated the effects of nebivolol in a rat liver ischemia/reperfusion model. METHODS: A total of 40 rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 10 each). Group I underwent only laparotomy, Group II was administered nebivolol and then underwent laparotomy, Group III underwent laparotomy and hepatic ischemia/reperfusion, and Group IV was administered nebivolol and then underwent laparotomy and hepatic ischemia/reperfusion. Serum AST, ALT, urea, and creatinine levels, and TAS and TOS levels of liver, lung, and kidney tissues were determined. Histopathological determination was also performed. RESULTS: Nebivolol significantly reduced liver function tests in group IV, but it did not improve renal functions. Oxidative stress and abnormal histopathological findings were found to be reduced in liver tissue in group IV. Although the oxidative stress was increased after hepatic ischemia/reperfusion, nebivolol could not reduce the oxidative stress in kidney tissue. There were no significant differences between group III and group IV in terms of the histopathological changes in kidney tissue. There were no significant differences in lung tissue between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that nebivolol has protective effects on liver but not on distant organs in a hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury model. These experimental findings indicate that nebivolol may be useful in the treatment of hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Pilonidal sinus disease: risk factors for postoperative complications and recurrence.

The aim of this study is to analyze the risk factors for complications and recurrence in pilonidal sinus disease. The prospective study consisted of 144 patients with pilonidal sinus disease who were operated on at Dicle University Medical Faculty, Department of General Surgery, between February 2008 and December 2010. Patients receiving the Limberg flap totaled 106 (73.6%), while 38 (26.4%) had primary closure. Postoperative complications developed in 42 subjects (29.2%), and recurrence occurred in 19 (13.2%). The Limberg flap method was statistically considered as a risk factor for postoperative complications (P  =  0.039). Regarding recurrence, family tendency (P  =  0.011), sinus number (P  =  0.005), cavity diameter (P  =  0.002), and primary closure (P  =  0.001) were found to be risk factors. Postoperative complication rate is higher in the Limberg flap method than primary closure method. The risk of recurrence is related to family tendency, sinus number, cavity diameter and anesthesia type and is also higher in primary closure.

Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy: Mortality and Risk Factors for Survival.

BACKGROUND: The present study evaluated long-term risk factors for survival in patients who have undergone Percutaneous endoscopic Gastrostomy, as well as morbidity and mortality rates. METHODS: The retrospective study included 44 patients who underwent placement of a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube at various departments at Dicle University Medical Faculty between April 2008-September 2010. RESULTS: The study evaluated 23 women (52.3%) and 21 men (47.7%), with a median age of 50 ± 20 (17 - 87) years. Median time for Percutaneous endoscopic Gastrostomy placement was 23 ± 8.3 (5 - 45) minutes per patient. Total morbidity was 15.9%, including wound infection (4), tube occlusion (1), peristomal leakage (1), and abdominal wall bleeding (1). Short-term complications were not associated with albumin level (P = 0.312).The median hospital stay was 49.34 ± 60.99 (1 - 314) days. The mean follow-up period was 13.07 ± 13.12 (1 - 41) months. The above-normal level of albumin was found to be effective on survival (P = 0.024). Mortality occurred in 18 (40.9%) patients during the follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous endoscopic Gastrostomy is both safe and effective in that it does not require surgical operation and it can be performed under surface anesthesia. The serum albumin level with patients who have undergone percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomyis an effective factor for survival.

A serious medicolegal problem after surgery: gossypiboma.

After surgery, the most common foreign bodies retained in the abdominal cavity are the surgical sponges. The aim of the present study was to emphasize the importance of gossypiboma, which is a serious and medicolegal problem. The records of 12 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of gossypiboma after abdominal surgery at Dicle University Hospital were retrospectively reviewed between January 1994 and December 2009. Eight of the 12 patients were females, and 4 were males. Previously, 7 patients had been operated on electively, and 5 had undergone operations on an emergency basis. Abdominal ultrasonography clearly demonstrated gossypibomas in 5 patients, and computed tomography demonstrated a more precise image of retained surgical sponges in 3 patients. One patient died because of ventricular fibrillation; the other 11 patients were discharged in good health. To eliminate the risk of gossypibomas, all sponges should be counted at least twice (once preoperatively and once postoperatively); use of small sponges should be avoided during laparotomy, and only sponges with radiopaque markers should be used. The surgeon should explore the abdomen before closure. In cases in which the sponge count is uncertain, an abdominal x-ray should be performed before closure.

Management of duodenal injury: our experience and the value of tube duodenostomy.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to report our experience with duodenal injuries and determine if primary repair and/or tube duodenostomy are valid options for definitive operative repair of severe duodenal injuries. METHODS: Sixty-seven patients who underwent surgery for duodenal injuries were evaluated. Management of duodenal injury was classified as primary repair and tube decompression. RESULTS: Fifty-nine patients were injured by a penetrating mechanism, and eight were injured by blunt mechanism. The most common injury site was in the second portion of the duodenum. There were no significant differences between the two groups with respect to morbidity and mortality rate. In 35 patients without morbidity, the mean length of hospital stay was 18.53+/-1.85 days in the tube duodenostomy group and 11.45+/-1.92 days in the primary repair group, and the difference was statistically significant. In the 32 patients with morbidity, the mean length of hospital stay was 47.05+/-10.46 days in the tube duodenostomy group and 49.86+/-10.86 days in primary repair group, but there was no statistically significant difference between the groups. CONCLUSION: Primary repair is suitable in the vast majority of duodenal injuries; tube duodenostomy increases the length of hospital stay and does not improve clinical outcome.

Intraperitoneal octenidindihydro-chloride - phenoxyethanol solution to prevent peritoneal adhesion formation in a rat peritonitis model.

BACKGROUND: Peritoneal adhesion is a common complication following abdominal surgery. Despite recent advances in diagnosis and treatment, it still presents a problem for the patients and surgeons. In the present study, we investigated the effects of octenidindihydro-chloride - phenoxyethanol (OCP) on peritoneal adhesions. METHOD: Rats were divided into four groups: Group 1 (saline), Group 2 (peritonitis plus saline), Group 3 (OCP), and Group 4 (peritonitis plus OCP). Peritonitis was induced in the rats of Groups 2 and 4. The abdominal cavities of the rats in Groups 1 and 2 were washed with saline, while those of the rats in Groups 3 and 4 were irrigated with 1:10 OCP solution. Adhesion and fibrotic scores were determined by re-laparotomy after 21 days. RESULTS: The adhesion scores in Groups 1 (saline), 2 (peritonitis plus saline), 3 (OCP) and 4 (peritonitis plus OCP) were 3.30+/-0.94, 5.25+/-1.03, 1.12+/-0.83 and 0.28+/-0.48, respectively. Statistical analysis of adhesion scores revealed significant differences between groups, except between Groups 3 and 4 (p=0.265). Statistical analyses of grades of histopathological signs showed that Group 1 differed from Groups 2 and 4 (p=0.004, p=0.003, respectively); Group 2 differed from Groups 3 and 4 (p=0.001, p=0.001, respectively). On the other hand, differences between Group 3 and Groups 1 and 4 were not significant (p=0.06, p=0.08, respectively). CONCLUSION: OCP decreased the peritoneal adhesion formation macroscopically and microscopically in the presence or absence of peritonitis. Peritoneal defects due to trauma are to be left open and OCP diluted 1:1 should not be used intraperitoneally.

Acute appendicitis in pregnancy--risk factors associated with principal outcomes: a case control study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors associated with the principal outcomes in acute appendicitis during pregnancy: appendix-perforation, and maternal and fetal mortality and maternal morbidity. METHODS: Fifty-two pregnant women who were diagnosed and operated upon acute appendicitis in Dicle University Hospital, Diyarbakir, Turkey were presented. RESULTS: The frequency of appendicitis was higher in second trimester. On laparotomy 21 patients had perforated, 29 patients had non-perforated and 2 patients had normal appendix. Interval between symptom onset and operation was found as the only predictive variable, which was independently associated with the presence of appendiceal perforation. There was a significant difference between perforated and non-perforated patients about the rate of complications (52% vs. 17%). Gestational age (p=0.036), interval between symptom onset and operation (p=0.018) and white blood cell count (p=0.025) were the variables related with preterm labor. Tocolytic treatment after the onset of contractions could not prevent preterm labor. The rate of fetal mortality was 8%. CONCLUSIONS: Presence of perforation is the only predictive factor for maternal morbidity. The aim of the surgeon should be operating the patient before perforation. An observation period may be essential in equivocal patients, but should be individualized according to duration of symptoms and findings of physical examination. The interval between the symptom onset and operation should never exceed 20 hours. Tocolytics should be ordered for the patients with delayed presentation and advanced gestational age in order to prevent preterm labor and fetal loss.

Protective effects of some antineoplastic agents on ischemia-reperfusion injury in epigastric island skin flaps.

Neutrophil depletion has a beneficial effect on ischemic myocardium and skeletal muscle upon reperfusion. Antineoplastic agents reduce blood neutrophils effectively, and lead to neutrophil depletion. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of four antineoplastic agents in low doses (cyclophosphamide, cisplatinum, mitomycin-C, and 5-fluorouracil) on ischemia-reperfusion injury, using an epigastric island skin-flap model in rats. Fifty male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 250-300 g, were randomly divided into five groups, each consisting of 10 rats: control, cyclophosphamide, cisplatinum, mitomycin-C, and 5-fluorouracil groups. Epigastric island skin flaps (measuring 3.5 x 4 cm) were raised and subjected to 10 h of in situ ischemia, followed by 7-day reperfusion and evaluation. Treatment with antineoplastic agents (cyclophosphamide, cisplatinum, mitomycin-C, and 5-fluorouracil) was used to introduce neutropenia. Complete blood counts, cutaneous bleeding time, and skin-flap survival were evaluated. Additionally, levels of malonyldialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured from extracted skin tissue. Numbers of leukocytes and platelets were decreased in all experimental groups. However, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia were not seen. Cutaneous bleeding activity was prolonged in all experimental groups, but not above the normal value. MDA and NO levels were found to be lower in all four antineoplastic agent groups than in the control group, while GSH, GSH-Px, and SOD enzyme activities were significantly higher (P < 0.05). However, MDA and NO levels were significantly decreased in the cyclophosphamide and 5-fluorouracil groups, as compared to the cisplatinum and mitomycin-C groups (P < 0.01). Also, GSH, GSH-Px, and SOD enzyme activities were significantly increased in the cyclophosphamide and 5-fluorouracil groups, compared to the other two antineoplastic agent groups (P < 0.01). We conclude that antineoplastic agents have beneficial effects on ischemia-reperfusion injuries when their doses are carefully adjusted, by decreasing the number of leukocytes and platelets, and altering the activity of free oxygen radicals.

Spontaneous liver hematoma and a hepatic rupture in HELLP syndrome: report of two cases.

Subcapsular liver hematomas and ruptures are unusual fatal complications of HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets) syndrome (HS). We present two cases of a spontaneous rupture of subcapsular liver hematoma occurring in HS and review the literature on this subjects. One case demonstrated a secondary rupture of a subcapsulary liver hematoma due to HS in one patient and HS associated with preeclampsia in another. The defects were on the medial and lateral sectors of the left lobe in one patient and on the medial sector of the right lobe in the other patient. In case 1 deep mattress sutures and omentoplasty were performed, and in the other case a defective area was closed with an absorbable gelatin sponge with a hemostatic effect. In addition, the liver was compressed by abdominal towels. A high index of suspicion and immediate recognition are keys to proper diagnosis and management of affected patients. The multidisciplinary approach to the management of these patients led to a remarkable decrease in the mortality rates. Less aggressive treatment is preferable to aggressive intervention such as a hepatic resection in such patients with coagulopathy.

[The metabolic and hormonal effects of perioperative ibuprofen treatment on surgical stress]. / Perioperatif ibuprofen tedavisinin cerrahi stres üzerindeki hormonal ve metabolik etkileri.

BACKGROUND: Surgical stress induces hormonal and cytokine responses proportional to the extent of the injury. Perioperative administration of cyclo-oxygenase inhibitors reduces cytokine production and nitrogen losses. The objective of this study is to evaluate clinically the metabolic and hormonal effects of ibuprofen which is cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor on surgical stress. METHODS: A prospective clinic study was performed in 20 patients who undergone thyroidectomy. Patients were randomly divided two groups as ibuprofen group (n = 10) and control group (n = 10). In the ibuprofen group, pills containing ibuprofen (400 mg) were administered orally 12 and 2 hours before surgery, and every 8 hours until the third postoperative day. In the both groups, blood samples were collected 24 and 2 hours before surgery and 1, 4, 6, 24, 48, and 72 hours after skin incision for glucose, CRP, leukocytes, ACTH, cortisol determinations. RESULTS: When preoperative values were compared with postoperative values, surgical stress caused significantly changes on the all parameters in the both groups. The highest levels of ACTH and cortisol were at 1st and 6th hours respectively. In both groups, plasma cortisol levels remained elevated for 3 days, whereas plasma ACTH levels returned to the basal level at 1 day. In the ibuprofen group, the levels of ACTH and cortisol were significantly less than those of control group (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001). In the ibuprofen group glucose level (p < 0.001) and count leukocyte (p < 0.001) increased mildly. The level of CRP increased gradually after first day and were high until 3rd days (p < 0.01). In the ibuprofen group the fever increased smaller (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, in perioperative period pretreatment with ibuprofen is able to reduce the neuroendocrine and humoral responses, but it can not completely suppress. Our present study suggests that ibuprofen may be useful in decreasing the surgical stress response in the serious patients.