Dehiscencia de la cúpula vaginal como causa de abdomen agudo / Acute abdomen due to vaginal cuff dehiscence

La dehiscencia de la cúpula vagina tras una histerectomía es una complicación poco frecuente con una mayor incidencia en casos de cirugía laparoscópica. Su diagnóstico es clínico y, en caso de acompañarse de evisceración de contenido intraabdominal, supone una auténtica emergencia quirúrgica debido al riesgo de lesión intestinal y peritonitis. Respecto a la vía de abordaje para su tratamiento continua existiendo controversia, recomendándose la laparoscopia si la situación de la paciente lo permite. Presentamos el caso de una paciente con antecedente de histerectomía total y doble anexectomía 3 meses antes con exploración compatible con abdomen agudo y TC indicativa de perforación de víscera hueca. En la cirugía por vía laparoscópica se evidenció una dehiscencia a nivel de la cúpula vaginal. (AU)

Vaginal cuff dehiscence after hysterectomy is a rare complication. It is more frequent in laparoscopic surgery and its diagnosis isclinical. In case of bowel evisceration it is a surgical emergency due to the risk of bowel injury and peritonitis. Controversy existsregarding the surgical approach. If the patient´s situation allows it, laparoscopy is recommended. We present the case of a patientwith total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy 3 months before. She presented an acute abdomen and the CT scanwas indicative of hollow viscus perforation. Laparoscopic surgery showed a vaginal cuff dehiscence. (AU)

Unilateral blindness after orthognathic surgery: hypotensive anaesthesia is not the primary cause.

Perioperative vision loss in non-ocular surgery represents a rare but devastating complication and multiple causes have been proposed. Any portion of the visual system may be involved and several authors have tried to relate that complication with deliberate hypotension anaesthetic technique, used to control intraoperative bleeding. We report a patient operated for orthognathism who suffered unilateral blindness. After review of similar cases, we can state that the transmission of forces generated during Le fort I osteotomy is related to the complication. This osteotomy technique is regularly performed in our hospital using a curved osteotome to achieve the pterygomaxillary disjunction and the adverse transmission of forces via the sphenoid bone is the main reason for indirect damage to the optic nerve and its vascular structures causing the neuropathy and blindness. Hypotensive anaesthesia may certainly lead to transient ischaemia but only in specific cases because of decreased ocular perfusion pressured.

Short-term outcome of percutaneous posterior tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) for the treatment of faecal incontinence.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to establish the efficacy of percutaneous posterior tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) in treating flatal, urge and passive faecal incontinence (FI). METHODS: A prospective study with 55 patients with FI was carried out. Clinical anamnesis, physical examination, a reverse visual analogue scale (VAS) score, Wexner score and the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons quality of life score were recorded at baseline and 6 months, along with an incontinence diary. Subjects underwent one weekly session for 12 consecutive weeks and then continued with six additional fortnightly sessions. An intention-to-treat analysis was performed. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients (44 females; mean age 58.62 ± 10.74 years) with FI were treated with PTNS. The origins of the incontinence were obstetric (52.7 %) and perineal surgery (34.5 %). Eight patients did not continue with the second stage of treatment. The median Wexner baseline value was 9.98. After 6 months, it had decreased to 4.55 (p < 0.001). The visual analogue scale (VAS) increased from 4.94 to 6.80 (p < 0.001). There was a significant improvement in lifestyle, coping/behaviour, depression/self-perception and embarrassment scores. With respect to different types of FI, there was an improvement in the Wexner score both in patients with true passive FI and in those with urge or mixed FI. CONCLUSIONS: PTNS is an effective treatment for FI. Patients with passive or urge FI can benefit from this therapy, with improvement of the Wexner score and quality of life variables.

Glucoma appendicular. La importancia de un diagnostic postoperatorio / Appendicular glucagonoma. The importance of a postoperative diagnosis

Los tumores neuroendocrinos del apéndice son entidades raras y normalmente su diagnóstico es casual en el estudio anatomopatológico tras apendicectomía. Aquellos tumores < 1 cm rara vez metastatizan y su tratamiento es la apendicectomía, mientras que aquellos > 2cm se tratan mediante hemicolectomia derecha por el mayor riesgo de metástasis. El pronóstico de estos tumores es excelente en todas las edades(AU)

Neuroendocrine tumours of the appendix (formerly 'carcinoids') are rare and are usually detected incidentally in the anatomopathological studio after appendectomy. Tumours <1 cm hardly ever metastasize and are treated by appendectomy. Tumours >2 cm require right hemicolectomy because of a significant risk of metastatic spread. Overall prognosis of small appendiceal neuroendocrine tumors is excellent in all ages (AU)

Cumplimentación del consentimiento informado para la transfusión de hemoderivados en los Servicios de Urología y Cirugía / Enforcement of informed consent request for blood transfusion in urology and surgery departments

Objetivo: Aplicar un círculo de mejora a la petición de consentimiento informado (CI) para la transfusión de hemoderivados en los servicios de Cirugía General y Urología. Métodos: Durante 8 meses se incluyeron 120 pa­cientes intervenidos en el Hospital General Reina Sofía de Murcia. Tras realizar un análisis de causa-efecto de Ishikawa, se establecieron 4 criterios: C1: identifica­ción del médico; C2: identificación del paciente; C3: firma del paciente; C4: fecha del documento. En el pri­mer periodo se incluyeron 60 pacientes. Se analizaron Ias causas de incumplimiento y se aplicaron las medidas correctoras, reevaluando los criterios en otros 60 pacientes. Resultados: Todos los criterios estaban por debajo del estándar: C1: 3%; C2: 95%; C3: 16% y C4: 65%. En la segunda evaluación el cumplimiento de C1 (70%), C3 (98%) y C4 (88%) mejoró significativamente pero aún así los resultados continúan, también significativamente, por debajo de los estándares establecidos. Los resultados se expresan en porcentaje de cumplimiento con un intervalo de confianza del 95%. Conclusiones: La realización de un ciclo de mejora ha permitido detectar y corregir incumplimientos en el C1 de transfusiones sanguíneas. El nivel de cumplimiento de los criterios mejoró en la segunda evaluación aunque continuamos por debajo del estándar establecido. Hemos conseguido una mayor concienciación por parte de los profesionales a la hora de cumplimentar el consentimiento.

Objective: To analyze the degree of compliance with a variety of standards defined for the quality control of the informed consent request for human blood products transfusion in our departments of Surgery and Urology. Material and method: Retrospective study of patients treated during 8 consecutive months in a university teaching hospital (n=120). Assessment of quality was performed through measurements of compliance using 4 criteria: C1, Physician Identification; C2, patient identification; C3, patient signature; C4, document date. In the first period 60 patients were included. Corrective measures aimed at resolving the quality problem were applied to the deficient criteria during one month, paying particular attention to those criteria with the highest percentage of errors in the study. During a third period of six months (60 patients) the information of all criteria was gathered again and the improvement with regard to the standard values and to the compliance of the first period was evaluated. Results: Compliance of all criteria was significantly below standard values in the first evaluation: C1 :3%; C2: 95%; C3: 16% and C4: 65%. In the second period all the criteria below its standard improved with regard to the first period; nonetheless the results are, also significantly, below the established standards. Conclusions: This improvement cycle enabled us to detect and correct breaches on the informed consent request for human blood products transfusion. Corrective measures introduced were effective since it was improved in all the criteria below standard. We have achieved a good awareness of health professionals to complete the authorization.

Cumplimentación del consentimiento informado para la transfusión de hemoderivados en los Servicios de Urología y Cirugía / Enforcement of informed consent request for blood transfusion in urology and surgery departments

Objetivo: Aplicar un círculo de mejora a la petición de consentimiento informado (CI) para la transfusión de hemoderivados en los servicios de Cirugía General y Urología. Métodos: Durante 8 meses se incluyeron 120 pa¡cientes intervenidos en el Hospital General Reina Sofía de Murcia. Tras realizar un análisis de causa-efecto de Ishikawa, se establecieron 4 criterios: C1: identifica¡ción del médico; C2: identificación del paciente; C3: firma del paciente; C4: fecha del documento. En el pri¡mer periodo se incluyeron 60 pacientes. Se analizaron Ias causas de incumplimiento y se aplicaron las medidas correctoras, reevaluando los criterios en otros 60 pacientes. Resultados: Todos los criterios estaban por debajo del estándar: C1: 3%; C2: 95%; C3: 16% y C4: 65%. En la segunda evaluación el cumplimiento de C1 (70%), C3 (98%) y C4 (88%) mejoró significativamente pero aún así los resultados continúan, también significativamente, por debajo de los estándares establecidos. Los resultados se expresan en porcentaje de cumplimiento con un intervalo de confianza del 95%. Conclusiones: La realización de un ciclo de mejora ha permitido detectar y corregir incumplimientos en el C1 de transfusiones sanguíneas. El nivel de cumplimiento de los criterios mejoró en la segunda evaluación aunque continuamos por debajo del estándar establecido. Hemos conseguido una mayor concienciación por parte de los profesionales a la hora de cumplimentar el consentimiento. (AU)

Objective: To analyze the degree of compliance with a variety of standards defined for the quality control of the informed consent request for human blood products transfusion in our departments of Surgery and Urology. Material and method: Retrospective study of patients treated during 8 consecutive months in a university teaching hospital (n=120). Assessment of quality was performed through measurements of compliance using 4 criteria: C1, Physician Identification; C2, patient identification; C3, patient signature; C4, document date. In the first period 60 patients were included. Corrective measures aimed at resolving the quality problem were applied to the deficient criteria during one month, paying particular attention to those criteria with the highest percentage of errors in the study. During a third period of six months (60 patients) the information of all criteria was gathered again and the improvement with regard to the standard values and to the compliance of the first period was evaluated. Results: Compliance of all criteria was significantly below standard values in the first evaluation: C1 :3%; C2: 95%; C3: 16% and C4: 65%. In the second period all the criteria below its standard improved with regard to the first period; nonetheless the results are, also significantly, below the established standards. Conclusions: This improvement cycle enabled us to detect and correct breaches on the informed consent request for human blood products transfusion. Corrective measures introduced were effective since it was improved in all the criteria below standard. We have achieved a good awareness of health professionals to complete the authorization. (AU)

[Evaluation of perioperative nutritional therapy in patients with gastrointestinal tract neoplasms]. / Evaluación de la terapia nutricional perioperatoria en pacientes con neoplasia del tracto gastrointestinal superior.

OBJECTIVES: Cancer is usually associated to an important level of desnutrition together with a postoperative morbidity and mortality increase. The purpose of this study was evaluating its efficacy perioperative nutritional support to reduce surgical complications, stances and mortality significantly in patients undergoing higher digestive tract procedures. METHOD: A prospective, randomized trial was done among a sample of neoplasic patients undergoing higher intestinal tract resective surgery during a period of 4 years. After a nutritional assessment, a perioperative immune-enhancing formula was randomly assigned to a group of patients who presented malnourished preoperatively (DS) while well-nourished and the rest of malnourished patients (DNS) received pre-surgical dietetic guidance and intravenous fluids after surgery until the reintroduction of normal diet. The variables studied were: age, sex, tumor stage and length of hospital stay. Nutritional status at admission and discharge, mortality, outcome from surgery and gastrointestinal side effects (tolerability, diarrhoea, vomits or distension) were also collected. Statistical analyses were performed with the with the chi2 for qualitative variables, ANOVA and the Turkey post-hoc tests for the quantitative ones, with a significance of 95%. RESULTS: Sample conformed by 50 patients in 3 groups that were compared for all baseline and surgical characteristics. Significant differences were observed in the incidence of gastrointestinal and infectius complications with better progress in DS group. It was obtained a reduction in the length of hospital stay in 12.29 days in DS group in contrast to DNS group (P=0.224). CONCLUSIONS: Significant benefit from perioperative nutritional support has been demonstrated in severely malnourished patients undergoing major surgery. A statistically significant decrease in the incidence of postoperative gastrointestinal symptoms, a reduction in the length of hospital stay and less morbidity occurred on the group that received perioperative nutrition.

Prostatectomía radical laparoscópica. ¿Afecta la anatomía patológica de la pieza en la forma de seguimiento posterior? / Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. Does the histopathological examination of the specimen have an effect on the postoperavie follow-up?

OBJETIVO. Analizar la capacidad predictiva del Gleason definitivo, la afectación extracapsular y la afectación de márgenes respecto a la recurrencia bioquímica y al PSA Doubling Time, en pacientes con prostatectomía radical. MATERIAL Y MÉTODO. Estudio retrospectivo. Se realizó un análisis de supervivencia de Kaplan-Meyer y una comparación de medias del PSA DT mediante la “t” de Student. RESULTADOS. De 110 pacientes estudiados, 9 presentaron recidiva bioquímica. La media de seguimiento fue de 22.57 meses. La media de meses libres de recurrencia bioquímica fue de 65.28 meses para Gleason <7 y de 35.29 meses para ?7 (p=0.03). La media de PSA DT en el grupo con afectación extracapsular fue de 24.83 meses mientras que en los que no la tenían fue de 35.66 (p=0,028). CONCLUSIONES. Pese al limitado número de pacientes y el escaso tiempo de seguimiento demostramos que un Gleason elevado, o la afectación extracapsular pueden indicar la necesidad de un seguimiento más exhaustivo (AU)

OBJECTIVE. Our aim was to analyze the predictive ability of final Gleason score, extracapsular extension and peritumoral margins affection with regard to the biochemical relapse and the PSA Doubling Time, in patients treated with radical prostatectomy. MATERIAL AND METHODS. Retrospective study. The Kaplan Meier method was used for survival analysis. The nonpaired Student's t test was used to compare the mean PSA DT. RESULTS. Of the 110 patients studied, 9 presented biochemical relapse. Median follow-up period was 22.57 (DE 16,2) months. Mean time from surgery to biochemical relapse was 65.28 months for Gleason <7 and 35.29 months for ?7 (p=0.03). The average PSA-DT for the patients in the group with extracapsular affection was 24.83 months whereas in the group without extension it was 35.66 (p=0.028). CONCLUSIONS. Despite the limited number of patients and the scarce follow-up time, our study suggests that patients with high Gleason grade or extracapsular affection are likely to need of a more exhaustive control (AU)

[Comparative study of two enteral feeding formulas in hospitalized elders: casein versus soybean protein]. / Estudio comparativo de dos dietas enterales en ancianos hospitalizados: proteína de soja frente a proteína caseína.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the incidence of gastrointestinal side effects of two enteral feeding formulas with changes in the origin of protein (casein and isolated soy protein) in hospitalised elderly patients. METHOD: A cross sectional survey was done among a sample of elderly patients carrying nasogastric tube admitted to the Reina Sofia General Hospital (Murcia) during a period of 6 months. A formula based on casein or soybean protein was randomly assigned. The variables studied were: age, sex, cause for indication of EN, duration of the EN and maximum amount of EN administered per day. Nutritional status at admission and discharge, mortality and gastrointestinal side effects (diarrhoea, constipation, vomits or regurgitation) were also collected. Statistical analyses were performed with the Student's T and chi 2 tests, with a significance of 95%. RESULTS: Sample conformed by 50 patients over 65 years (48% casein, 52% soybean) without statistically significant differences in age nor cause of indication of the EN. Either there were no differences in the nutritional status at the admission and discharge in both groups. Significant differences were observed in the incidence of diarrhoea (C: 45.83%, S: 7.69%, p = 0.009) and vomits (C: 41.66%, S: 15.38%, p = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: A significant reduction in the incidence of gastrointestinal complications, a reduction in the incidence of ulcers by pressure and less mortality occurred on the group that took formula based on the soybean protein. The individualized nutritional evaluation must be performed routinely when the patient is admitted to the hospital for detection and treatment of early signs of malnutrition.

[Perioperative nutritional support in patients with colorectal neoplasms]. / Apoyo nutricional perioperatorio en pacientes con neoplasia colorrectal.

OBJECTIVES: Malnutrition is clearly associated with increased morbidity and mortality after elective abdominal surgery. The purpose of this study was to compare perioperative nutritional support with traditional postoperative dietary management, evaluating its efficacy to reduce surgical complications, stances and mortality significantly in patients undergoing major colorectal procedures. METHOD: A prospective, randomized trial was done among a sample of neoplasic patients undergoing intestinal resective surgery during a period of near 3 years. A perioperative immune-enhancing formula was randomly assigned to a group of patients who presented malnourished preoperatively (DS) while well-nourished and the rest of malnourished patients (DNS) received conventional postoperative intravenous fluids until the reintroduction of normal diet. The variables studied were: age, sex, tumor stage and length of hospital stay. Nutritional status at admission and discharge, mortality, outcome from surgery and gastrointestinal side effects (tolerability, diarrhoea, vomits or distension) were also collected. Statistical analyses were performed with the with the chi2, ANOVA and the Turkey post-hoc tests, with a significance of 95%. RESULTS: Sample conformed by 82 patients. The 3 groups were comparable for all baseline and surgical characteristics. Significant differences were observed in the incidence of gastrointestinal complications, length of hospital stay (DS: 13.15±5.26; DNS: 19.34±9.6; p=0.001) and mortality (DS: 13.8%, DNS:30%, p=0,004). CONCLUSIONS: Significant benefit from perioperative nutritional support has been demonstrated in severely malnourished patients undergoing major surgery. A statistically significant decrease in the incidence of postoperative gastrointestinal symptoms, a reduction in the length of hospital stay and less morbidity and mortality occurred on the group that received perioperative nutrition.

Small intestinal strangulation due to a primary internal paracecal hernia.

The discovery of a paracolic hernia is an unusual event, even for an experienced specialist in colorectal surgery. We report a case of a 59-year-old woman with no previous history of abdominal surgery, who presented to the Emergency Department complaining of episodic abdominal pain and distension accompanied by a palpable mass in the right lower quadrant. At laparotomy, a paracecal hernia with small bowel volvulation was found. The prime objective of this report is to draw the clinician's attention to the necessity of making a rapid diagnosis of internal hernias.

Spontaneous retroperitoneal hemorrhage from adrenal artery aneurysm.

Spontaneous adrenal hemorrhage is a very rare but serious disorder of the adrenal gland that can require emergent treatment. We report on a 42-year-old man who underwent selective angiography for diagnosis and treatment of retroperitoneal hemorrhage from small adrenal artery aneurysm. This case gives further details about the value of transluminal artery embolization in the management of visceral aneurysm rupture.