Biliary Anatomy Visualization and Surgeon Satisfaction Using Standard Cholangiography versus Indocyanine Green Fluorescent Cholangiography during Elective Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Intraoperative biliary anatomy recognition is crucial for safety during laparoscopic cholecystectomy, since iatrogenic bile duct injuries represent a fatal complication, occurring in up to 0.9% of patients. Indocyanine green fluorescence cholangiography (ICG-FC) is a safe and cost-effective procedure for achieving a critical view of safety and recognizing early biliary injuries. The aim of this study is to compare the perioperative outcomes, usefulness and safety of standard intraoperative cholangiography (IOC) with ICG-FC with intravenous ICG. Methods: Between 1 June 2021 and 31 December 2022, 160 patients undergoing elective LC were randomized into two equal groups: Group A (standard IOC) and group B (ICG-FC with intravenous ICG). Results: No significant difference was found between the two groups regarding demographics, surgery indication or surgery duration. No significant difference was found regarding the visualization of critical biliary structures. However, the surgeon satisfaction and cholangiography duration presented significant differences in favor of ICG-FC. Regarding the inflammatory response, a significant difference between the two groups was found only in postoperative WBC levels. Hepatic and renal function test results were not significantly different between the two groups on the first postoperative day, except for direct bilirubin. No statistically significant difference was noted regarding 30-day postoperative complications, while none of the complications noted included bile duct injury events. Conclusions: ICG-FC presents equivalent results to IOC regarding extrahepatic biliary visualization and postoperative complications. However, more studies need to be performed in order to standardize the optimal dose, timing and mode of administration.

Effect of Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy with Regorafenib on IL-6 and TNF-α Levels and Peritoneal Cytology: Experimental Study in Rats with Colorectal Peritoneal Carcinomatosis.

Cytoreductive surgery (CRS), combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy, has significantly improved survival outcomes in patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis from colorectal cancer (CRC). Regorafenib is an oral agent administered in patients with refractory metastatic CRC. Our aim was to investigate the outcomes of intraperitoneal administration of regorafenib for intraperitoneal chemotherapy (IPEC) or/and CRS in a rat model of colorectal peritoneal metastases regarding immunology and peritoneal cytology. A total of 24 rats were included. Twenty-eight days after carcinogenesis induction, rats were randomized into following groups: group A: control group; group B: CRS only; group C: IPEC only; and group D: CRS + IPEC. On day 56 after carcinogenesis, euthanasia and laparotomy were performed. Serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) as well as peritoneal cytology were investigated. Groups B and D had statistically significant lower mean levels of IL-6 and TNF-α compared to groups A and C, but there was no significant difference between them. Both B and D groups presented a statistically significant difference regarding the rate of negative peritoneal cytology, when compared to the control group, but not to group C. In conclusion, regorafenib-based IPEC, combined with CRS, may constitute a promising tool against peritoneal carcinomatosis by altering the tumor microenvironment.

Two case reports of mesenteric and retroperitoneal actinomycosis and a narrative review of the relevant literature.

Introduction: Actinomycosis is an uncommon subacute or chronic suppurative bacterial granulomatous infectious disease with clinical heterogeneity. The majority of actinomycosis cases were of extra-abdominal origin, with oro-cervico-facial cases representing 55%, abdominopelvic representing 20%, and thoracic representing 15% of total reports. Currently, abdominal actinomycosis incidence is approximately 1 case per 119,000 people, being found three times more frequently among males. We report two rare clinical presentations of abdominal actinomycosis affecting the mesentery and the retroperitoneum, respectively. Case Report 1: A 58-year-old Caucasian male presented to our clinic with abdominal pain in the right upper quadrant. Pre-operative evaluation, although inconclusive, showed a mesocolic mass infiltrating the right and transverse colon. The patient underwent exploratory laparotomy. After partial resection of the mass, the histopathology report demonstrated mesenteric actinomycosis. Case Report 2: A 40-year-old Caucasian male presented to our clinic complaining about a mucopurulent material from an orifice at the right inguinal region. After appropriate work-up, a large abdominopelvic, stellate mass (75 x 22.8 mm) in the retroperitoneum was revealed. Surgery along with the appropriate antibiotics was used to treat the patient. Conclusion: Preoperative suspicion and diagnosis of actinomycosis are very challenging, with a high rate of misdiagnosis often resulting in delayed treatment. Our case reports highlight that abdominal actinomycosis should always be part of differential diagnosis, especially when there is involvement of multiple organs. The gold standard treatment of actinomycosis is surgical excision with prolonged antibiotic treatment.

The Role of Adipose Tissue Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Colonic Anastomosis Healing in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Experimental Study in Rats.

(1) Background: A surgical operation on an inflamed bowel is, diachronically, a challenge for the surgeon, especially for patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stromal cells are already in use in clinical settings for their anti-inflammatory properties. The rationale of the current study was to use AdMSCs in high-risk anastomoses to monitor if they attenuate inflammation and prevent anastomotic leak. (2) Methods: a total of 4 groups of rats were subjected to a surgical transection of the large intestine and primary anastomosis. In two groups, DSS 5% was administered for 7 days prior to the procedure, to induce acute intestinal inflammation. After the anastomosis, 5 × 106 autologous AdMSCs or an acellular solution was injected locally. Macroscopic evaluation, bursting pressure, hydroxyproline, and inflammatory cytokine expression were the parameters measured on the 8th post-operative day. (3) Results: Significantly less intra-abdominal complications, higher bursting pressures, and a decrease in pro-inflammatory markers were found in the groups that received AdMSCs. No difference in VEGF expression was observed on the 8th post-operative day. (4) Conclusions: AdMSCs attenuate inflammation in cases of acutely inflamed anastomosis.

The Efficacy of Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Synbiotics in Patients Who Have Undergone Abdominal Operation, in Terms of Bowel Function Post-Operatively: A Network Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Abdominal operations may lead to post-operative bowel dysfunction, while administration of probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics may limit its manifestation. Τhe study aimed to assess the efficacy of probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics in patients who undergone abdominal operation, in terms of bowel function post-operatively. METHODS: PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Central), Embase, US Registry of clinical trials, and sources of grey literature were searched. The relative effect sizes were estimated, and we obtained the relative ranking of the interventions using cumulative ranking curves. RESULTS: In total, 30 studies were included in the analysis. For the outcome of post-operative ileus, probiotics was superior to placebo/no intervention (relative risk, RR: 0.38; 95%CI: 0.14-0.98) with the highest SUCRA (surface under the cumulative ranking) value (92.1%). For time to first flatus, probiotics (MD: -0.47; 95%CI: -0.78 to -0.17) and synbiotics (MD: -0.53; 95%CI: -0.96 to -0.09) were superior to placebo/no intervention. For time to first defecation and for post-operative abdominal distension probiotics were superior to placebo/no intervention. For post-operative hospitalization days, synbiotics were superior to placebo/no intervention (MD: -3.07; 95%CI: -4.80 to -1.34). CONCLUSIONS: Administration of probiotics in patients who had undergone abdominal surgery reduced the prevalence of post-operative ileus, time to first flatus, time to first defecation, and prevalence of post-operative abdominal distension. Synbiotics reduce time to first flatus and post-operative hospitalization days.

Laparoscopic para-aortic lymphadenectomy for metastatic colon cancer in a patient with left-sided inferior vena cava: a case report.

Transposition of inferior vena cava, or, left-sided inferior vena cava (LS-IVC) is a rare clinical entity, in which the inferior vena cava ascends along the left side of the abdominal aorta. Literature contains mainly clinical case reports. Although it is usually not associated with clinical symptomatology, this anomaly should be detected during preoperative planning to avoid iatrogenic injuries intraoperatively. We present a case of left-sided inferior vena cava encountered during laparoscopic lymphadenectomy in a 45-year-old man with previous laparoscopic hemicolectomy due to colon adenocarcinoma. Preoperative CT abdomen revealed the left-sided location of infrarenal IVC and laparoscopic trans-peritoneal aortic lymphadenectomy was decided. Intraoperatively, transposition of inferior vena cava was confirmed in accordance with the CT findings. Resection of lymph node block was conducted with no complications and with minimal blood loss. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged from the hospital the day following surgery. In conclusion, transposition of the inferior vena cava, although rare, constitutes an anatomical variant that should be identified preoperatively to decrease intraoperative risks. Several anatomical variants have been associated with left-sided inferior vena cava.

Anaplastic testicular seminoma presenting as a hydrocele, in a 36-year-old patient with a family history of anaplastic seminoma.

Testicular cancer is the solid tumor with the greatest incidence in men between 15 and 44 years old. Its main histological type is germ cell tumor, that is divided into seminomatous and non-seminomatous tumors. Seminoma, consisting 55% of testicular cancer, manifests in the fourth decade of men's life and a rare type of it is the anaplastic seminoma (5% to 15% of testicular seminoma). Diagnosis is based on clinical examination, testicular ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, tumor markers measurement and pathological examination, while treatment of choice is radical orchiectomy, with or without retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy, potentially followed by radiotherapy or chemotherapy. We present the case of a 36-year-old male patient, whose father suffered from anaplastic seminoma and visited the hospital due to a painless hydrocele. The testicle was swollen and hard on palpation, while cytological examination of the drained fluid detected neoplasm, potentially seminoma. Tumor markers measurement, as well as abdominal and pelvic computerized tomography scans, were evaluated and the patient was staged as IIA, according to the American Joint Commission on Cancer. Radical orchiectomy with high ligation of the seminal vesicle was performed and the pathological examination showed anaplastic testicular seminoma. Postoperatively, four cycles of chemotherapy with bleomycin, etoposide and platinum (BEP) were performed and no signs of recurrence were present after 1 year. In conclusion, anaplastic seminoma has a good prognosis and is suggested to be treated with radical orchiectomy, with or without retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy, potentially followed by radiotherapy or chemotherapy.

Amyand's Hernia as a Random Finding in Acute Abdominal Pain and the Role of Thorough Investigation: a Case Report.

Objective:Amyand's hernia is a rare clinical entity, in which the sac of an inguinal hernia contains the appendix. Its incidence is less than 1% of all inguinal hernia cases. Clinical presentation is not specific and can mislead clinical suspicion towards inguinal hernia incarceration. Different classifications have been proposed, with significant importance for the surgical management plan. The main factors to take into consideration include hernia sac content and macroscopic appearance of the appendix, intra-abdominal inflammation, the possibility of hernia recurrence, and patient's general situation and comorbidities. Materials and methods: A 60-year-old male patient with previous history of tension-free right inguinal hernia repair with mesh and cholelithiasis presented to the Emergency Department complaining of acute abdominal pain localized at the right lumbar and right iliac region and a right groin easily reducible mass. The patient had an abdominal CT performed 48 hours ago that revealed cholelithiasis and a recurrent right inguinal hernia containing the appendix. Because of the consistent pain in the right abdomen despite the easily reducible hernia, a high suspicion of a coexisting pathology was raised and a new abdominal CT scan with intravenous and per os contrast agent was ordered. The latter showed an Amyand's hernia and cholelithiasis, but also detected lithiasis of the right ureter with upstream dilatation as the main cause of abdominal pain. Results:The patient was subsequently treated with ureteral stent placement and the following day laparoscopic hernia repair with a transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) approach and cholecystectomy were performed. The patient was discharged from hospital on the second postoperative day without complications. Conclusion:Surgeons should be aware of different types of Amyand's hernia and have to include this entity in the differential diagnosis of right iliac fossa abdominal pain combined with a groin mass to avoid intraoperative complications and suboptimal management. It is equally important, though, to exclude other causes of abdominal pain. This case report reviews a rare entity of right inguinal hernia recurrence presenting as Amyand's hernia during the investigation of right abdominal and iliac fossa pain, that was finally attributed to ureteric colic. Special attention should be given to the thorough investigation of abdominal pain causes.

Abdominal Wall Defect Reconstruction with Use of Biological Mesh and Negative Pressure Wound Therapy: a Case Report.

Objectives: Complex abdominal wall reconstruction cases constitute a challenging issue, with high morbidity and mortality rates. Materials and methods: A young trauma patient presented abdominal dehiscence after multiple laparotomies. The fascial defect was managed with the use of a biological mesh, while initially primary wound closure was attempted. Due to cutaneous dehiscence, the use of negative pressure wound therapy was decided. Results: Granulation tissue formation was noticed on the eighth day while complete wound closure was achieved after 57 days. Conclusions:In conclusion, the combined use of biological mesh and negative pressure wound therapy is feasible in the management of complicated abdominal defects.

Variations of plasma levels of insulin, glucagon, amylase and glucose and histopathological lesions of pancreatic tissue after complete elimination of exocrine pancreatic function with surgical ligation versus prolamine occlusion.

OBJECTIVE: Pancreaticoduodenectomy has been established as the treatment of choice for the management of benign and malignant lesions of the pancreatic head, and pancreaticojejunal or pancreaticogastric anastomosis seems to be the safer choice for the management of the pancreatic duct. However, in certain seldom, but still existing circumstances, pancreatic duct ligation or occlusion with a chemical substance is a valuable and viable alternative. The aim of the current study is to compare these two methods of occlusion of the pancreatic duct regarding the endocrine and exocrine function of the pancreas and its histopathology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 18 health mixed breed dog of both sexes were randomized in two groups: group A, in which the pancreatic duct was ligated and group B, in which the pancreatic duct was occluded with prolamine. RESULTS: None of the animals presented postoperatively steatorrhea and significant body weight changes. Peripancreatic inflammation at sacrifice, inflammatory cell infiltration and edema of the pancreas on the 15th postoperative day and 30th postoperative day were milder after occlusion with prolamine than after ligation. Ligation of pancreatic duct lead to significantly greater hyperamylasemia than prolamine occlusion every day until the 15th. Mild hyperglycemia presented from the first to the fourth day in both groups, which was associated with a significant drop in insulin. Glucagon remained within the normal values at all times during the experiment. None of glucose, insulin and glucagon differed between groups. CONCLUSION: Prolamine occlusion of the pancreatic duct causes milder hyperamylasemia and less extensive inflammation both macroscopically and microscopically than ligation. KEY WORDS: Pancreas, Pancreaticoduodenectomy, Hyperamylasemia.

The effect of hepatic ischemia in the liver of rats with obstructive jaundice.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of ischemia-reperfusion injury on the liver's function and morphology during the establishment and progress of obstructive jaundice. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 80 Wistar rats were used for the purposes of the study and were allocated in four groups: JAUNDICE (obstructive jaundice), JAUN-ISC (obstructive jaundice and ischemia reperfusion), CONTROL (laparotomy) and ISCHEMIA (ischemia reperfusion). RESULTS: Obstructive jaundice, and ischemia-reperfusion injury following obstructive jaundice led to increased mortality, while no mortality was noticed in the control and ischemia groups. In the JAUN-ISC group, SGOT was significantly increased on the 10th day and SGPT was significantly increased on the 1st day compared to JAUNDICE group. Moreover, in the JAUN-ISC group, sinusoid dilation was significantly increased on the 5th and 10th days and neutrophil infiltration was significantly increased on the 10th day compared to the JAUNDICE group. CONCLUSIONS: A mild ischemia-reperfusion injury that in the normal liver led only to slight increase of hepatic neutrophil infiltration in the presence of obstructive jaundice led to increased hepatic biochemical markers (SGOT, SGPT) and increased hepatic sinusoid dilatation and enhanced neutrophil infiltration. KEY WORDS: Dilatation of sinusoids, Granulocytes infiltration, Oxaloxate, Pyruvate transaminase, Transaminase reperfusion.

Klatskin tumors and "Klatskin-mimicking lesions": our 22-year experience

Background and study purpose: Hilar cholangiocarcinoma, also known as Altemeier-Klatskin tumor, is a rare malignancy that arises in the confluence of the hepatic ducts of the porta hepatis. The prognosis is rather poor. Several lesions mimic these tumors and lead to a misdiagnosis, resulting in radical hepatic resections. These lesions are known as Klatskin-mimicking lesions. We present our experience with the diagnosis and treatment of pathological lesions that can mimic a perihilar cholangiocarcinoma and establish an algorithm of treatment Methods: For the current retrospective study, a prospectively established bile-duct tumor database was analyzed by selecting patients with a preoperative diagnosis of perihilar cholangiocarcinoma. Results: In the last 22 years (from January 1, 1996, to December 31, 2017), 73 patients who were referred to our tertiary center with a primary diagnosis of a Klatskin tumor were treated. All patients underwent a thorough evaluation before deciding upon the treatment. However, only 58 cases had a confirmed preoperative diagnosis of hilar cholangiocarcinoma in the final histopathological examination. The final diagnosis in 15 patients differed from the primary cause for referral and the lesions were regarded as Klatskin-mimicking lesions. Conclusions: Clinicians should always highly suspect Klatskin-mimicking lesions when they evaluate a patient for a possible hilar cholangiocarcinoma in order to avoid a misdiagnosis and propose a proper treatment

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Klatskin tumors and "Klatskin-mimicking lesions": our 22-year experience.

Background and study purpose: Hilar cholangiocarcinoma, also known as Altemeier-Klatskin tumor, is a rare malignancy that arises in the confluence of the hepatic ducts of the porta hepatis. The prognosis is rather poor. Several lesions mimic these tumors and lead to a misdiagnosis, resulting in radical hepatic resections. These lesions are known as Klatskin-mimicking lesions. We present our experience with the diagnosis and treatment of pathological lesions that can mimic a perihilar cholangiocarcinoma and establish an algorithm of treatment Methods: For the current retrospective study, a prospectively established bile-duct tumor database was analyzed by selecting patients with a preoperative diagnosis of perihilar cholangiocarcinoma. Results: In the last 22 years (from January 1, 1996, to December 31, 2017), 73 patients who were referred to our tertiary center with a primary diagnosis of a Klatskin tumor were treated. All patients underwent a thorough evaluation before deciding upon the treatment. However, only 58 cases had a confirmed preoperative diagnosis of hilar cholangiocarcinoma in the final histopathological examination. The final diagnosis in 15 patients differed from the primary cause for referral and the lesions were regarded as Klatskin-mimicking lesions. Conclusions: Clinicians should always highly suspect Klatskin-mimicking lesions when they evaluate a patient for a possible hilar cholangiocarcinoma in order to avoid a misdiagnosis and propose a proper treatment.

Effects of albumin/glutaraldehyde glue on healing of colonic anastomosis in rats.

AIM: To evaluate the effect of local surgical adhesive glue (albumin/glutaraldehyde-Bioglue) on the healing of colonic anastomoses in rats. METHODS: Forty Albino-Wistar male rats were randomly divided into two groups, with two subgroups of ten animals each. In the control group, an end-to-end colonic anastomosis was performed after segmental resection. In the Bioglue group, the anastomosis was protected with extraluminar application of adhesive glue containing albumin and glutaraldehyde. Half of the rats were sacrificed on the fourth and the rest on the eighth postoperative day. Anastomoses were resected and macroscopically examined. Bursting pressures were calculated and histological features were graded. Other parameters of healing, such as hydroxyproline and collagenase concentrations, were evaluated. The experimental data were summarized and computed from the results of a one-way ANOVA. Fisher's exact test was applied to compare percentages. RESULTS: Bursting pressures, adhesion formation, inflammatory cell infiltration, and collagen deposition were significantly higher on the fourth postoperative day in the albumin/glutaraldehyde group than in the control group. Furthermore, albumin/glutaraldehyde significantly increased adhesion formation, inflammatory cell infiltration, neoangiogenesis, and collagen deposition on the eighth postoperative day. There was no difference in fibroblast activity or hydroxyproline and collagenase concentrations. CONCLUSION: Albumin/glutaraldehyde, when applied on colonic anastomoses, promotes their healing in rats. Therefore, the application of protective local agents in colonic anastomoses leads to better outcomes.

Fournier's Gangrene: Lessons Learned from Multimodal and Multidisciplinary Management of Perineal Necrotizing Fasciitis.

BACKGROUND: Fournier's gangrene (FG) is a rapidly evolving necrotizing fasciitis of the perineum and the genital area, the scrotum as it most commonly affects man in the vast majority of cases. It is polymicrobial in origin, due to the synergistic action of anaerobes and aerobes and has a very high mortality. There are many predisposing factors including diabetes mellitus, alcoholism, immunosuppression, renal, and hepatic disease. The prognosis of the disease depends on a lot of factors including but not limited to patient age, disease extent, and comorbidities. The purpose of the study is to describe the experience of a general surgery department in the management of FG, to present the multimodal and multidisciplinary treatment of the disease, to identify predictors of mortality, and to make general surgeons familiar with the disease. METHODS: The current retrospective study is presenting the experience of our general surgery department in the management of FG during the last 20 years. The clinical presentation and demographics of the patients were recorded. Also we recorded the laboratory data, the comorbidities, the etiology, and microbiology and the therapeutic interventions performed, and we calculated the various severity indexes. Patients were divided to survivors and non-survivors, and all the collected data were statistically analyzed to assess mortality factors using univariate and then multivariate analysis. RESULTS: In our series, we treated a total of 24 patients with a mean age 58.9 years including 20 males (83.4%) and 4 females (16.6%). In most patients, a delay between disease onset and seeking of medical help was noted. Comorbidities were present in almost all patients (87.5%). All patients were submitted to extensive surgical debridements and received broad-spectrum antibiotics until microbiological culture results were received. Regarding all the collected data, there was no statistically significant difference between survivors and non-survivors except the presence of malignancy in non-survivors (p = 0.036) and the lower hemoglobin (p < 0.001) and hematocrit (p = 0.002) in non-survivors. However, multivariate analysis did not reveal any predictor of mortality. CONCLUSION: Early diagnosis, aggressive thorough surgical treatment, and administration of the proper antibiotic treatment comprise the cornerstone for the outcome of this disease. In small populations like in the present study, it is difficult to recognize any predictors of mortality and even the severity indexes, which take into account a lot of data cannot predict mortality.