Feasibility of Catheter Placement Under Ultrasound Guidance for Progressive Preoperative Pneumoperitoneum for Large Incisional Hernia with Loss of Domain.

INTRODUCTION: Large incisional hernias with loss of domain (LIHLD) of the abdominal wall remain a therapeutic challenge due to the difficulty of replacing the contents of the hernia sac into the peritoneal cavity. Preoperative progressive pneumoperitoneum (PPP) is a valuable option. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of peritoneal catheter insertion under ultrasound guidance for PPP and to compare the morbidity and mortality of this new technique to previously used techniques in our department. METHODS: Medical records were reviewed retrospectively from February 1989 to April 2013 in a single institution. Three different techniques of PPP were evaluated: surgical subcutaneous implantable port (SIP), surgical peritoneal dialysis catheter (PDC), and radiologic multipurpose drainage catheter (MDC). Collected data included patients' age, sex, body mass index, medical and surgical history, hernia location, PPP technique, length of hospitalization, volume of air injected, morbidity and mortality linked to PPP, and the procedure of hernia repair. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients with a mean age of 63.1 years were evaluated. Progressive preoperative pneumoperitoneum was performed using SIP, PDC, and MDC for 14, 11, and 12 patients, respectively. Overall morbidity related to the technique was seen in 36 % of SIP, 27 % of PDC, and 0 % of MDC. One patient from the SIP group died on the 3rd postoperative day due to septic shock following aspiration pneumonia. No postoperative mortality in the other groups was observed. CONCLUSION: The MDC is an interesting modification of the original technique and is a safe procedure. It is a minimally invasive technique with a very low risk of perforation of the viscera. Therefore, the use of a non-absorbable prosthesis with MDC technique can be offered for all patients undergoing PPP without increasing the risk of infection.

[Original vacuum dressing for the treatment of open femur fracture with gangrene immobilized by external fixation]. / Pansement aspiratif pour gangrène sur fracture ouverte du fémur immobilisée par fixateur externe.

We report a case of gangrene, which developed following an open fracture of the femur immobilized with an external fixator in a 45-year-old patient. A conventional vacuum dressing (VAC Therapy) could not be applied with the external fixator in place. An original vacuum dressing was thus fashioned after surgical debridement. Scabs were covered with calcium alginate. The lower limb was enveloped in sterile dressings and vacuum was achieved by suction with gastric tubes under adhesive films. The dressing was redone every 48 h in a surgical setting. Antibiotic prophylaxis enabled cure of the infection. Budding appeared within two weeks enabling skin grafting. Centro-medullary nailing was undertaken on day 30 to accelerate bone healing. At three months from the trauma, the initial loss of sensitivity in the leg and foot noted at the first weight bearing required programmed disarticulation of the knee after femur and wound healing. At six months, the patient had resumed his occupational activities and was pain free. This type of dressing could be useful for tissue loss over a fracture immobilized with an external fixator. This type of assembly can easily be installed in the operating room.

Abbreviated laparotomy or damage control laparotomy: Why, when and how to do it?

The goal of abbreviated laparotomy is to treat severely injured patients whose condition requires an immediate surgical operation but for whom a prolonged procedure would worsen physiological impairment and metabolic failure. Indeed, in severely injured patients, blood loss and tissue injuries enhance the onset of the "bloody vicious circle", triggered by the triad of acidosis-hypothermia-coagulopathy. Abbreviated laparotomy is a surgical strategy that forgoes the completeness of operation in favor of a physiological approach, the overriding preference going to rapidity and limiting the procedure to control the injuries. Management is based on sequential association of the shortest possible preoperative resuscitation with surgery limited to essential steps to control injury (stop the bleeding and contamination), without definitive repair. The latter will be ensured during a scheduled re-operation after a period of resuscitation aiming to correct physiological abnormalities induced by the trauma and its treatment. This strategy necessitates a pre-defined plan and involvement of the entire medical and nursing staff to reduce time loss to a strict minimum.

[Laparoscopic Janeway gastrostomy: an advantageous solution for self-sufficient enteral feeding]. / Gastrostomie tubulisée coelioscopique : une solution avantageuse pour une nutrition entérale autonome.

INTRODUCTION: Laparoscopic gastrostomy according to Janeway (LGJ) is an alternative to percutaneous gastrostomy techniques. METHODS: A series of 10 LGJ is reported. The laparoscopic technique involves an isoperistaltic tube of 6-7 cm of length and 10-12 mm of diameter is created by 2 applications of linear stapling and cutting device. The tube is led out, opened and fixed to the fascial and cutaneous planes and a Foley catheter is inserted. RESULTS: Mean operation time was 35 minutes. There was no complication. The LGJ was indicated in 9 patients with tumour of the pharynx and 1 patient with encephalopathy. CONCLUSION: The main drawback of the LGJ is the need of general anaesthesia. The main advantage is the creation by minimal invasive surgery of a permanent gastrostomy equipped with a removable catheter easily changeable by non specialized health professionals, and even by the patient himself.

[Surgical glove use in France]. / Le gantage chirurgical en France: une évolution lente mais nécessaire.

Since the end of the 19th century, surgeons have used gloves to prevent infectious complications to the patient. The AIDS epidemic of the 1980's sparked the use of universal precautions to protect the surgeon from infection and vice-versa. The interface between surgeon and patient is in effect a two-way street. Surgical techniques must be modified and barrier protection optimized to minimize these risks. A single layer glove is a fragile barrier to blood exposure; unrecognized glove perforations may lead to unrecognized and prolonged exposure. Double gloving, though far from being a widespread practice in France, seems to be the best protection from pathogen exposure. Glove powder and latex allergies have their own inherent risks to both surgeon and patient in the form of latex allergies and adhesive peritonitis. New institutional protocols will be necesssary in order to make powder-free non-latex gloves available to French surgeons.

Peritonectomy combined with intraperitoneal chemohyperthermia in abdominal cancer with peritoneal carcinomatosis: phase I-II study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility and the tolerance of Peritonectomy Procedure (PP) combined with Intraperitoneal Chemohyperthermia (IPCH) in patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis, a phase I-II study has been realised from January 1997 to September 1998. METHODS: Eighteen patients were included for peritoneal carcinomatosis from colorectal cancer (13), ovarian cancer (2), gallbladder cancer (1), gastric cancer (1) and peritoneal mesothelioma (1). Peritoneal carcinomatosis were mainly advanced disease (16 stage 3 and 4, 2 stage 2). All the patients underwent surgical resection of their primary tumor with PP as described by Sugarbaker and IPCH (with Mitomycin C, Cisplatinum or both). IPCH used in this study was a "closed sterile circuit" device with inflow temperatures ranging from 46 to 48 degrees C. IPCH was performed on the same day as PP (8118) or delayed (10/18). RESULTS: Significant down-staging of peritoneal carcinomatosis was achieved for 16 patients. One patient died postoperatively, while the morbidity rate was 6/18 (long postoperative ileus, grade 3 leucopenia and anastomotic leakage). CONCLUSIONS: Combination of PP and IPCH could achieve significant tumoral volume reduction in peritoneal carcinomatosis. This aggressive treatment must be employed selectively because of its morbidity. Larger phase III studies are now needed.

A new case of congenital cyst of the pancreas.

A new case of congenital cyst of the pancreas is reported. A 34-year-old woman was admitted with a painless, large, epigastric mass. Ultrasonography revealed an anechogenic retrogastric tumor. Computed tomography scan described a liquid cyst of the pancreas which was 15 cm in diameter. During surgery, a well-delimited translucent cyst was found and no local malignancy was observed. Extensive distal pancreatic resection with preservation of the spleen was performed and a thin part of cephalic pancreas was preserved. The liquid of the cyst did not contain any mucus. Microscopic study of the cyst wall described normal cuboidal cells and congenital cyst of the pancreas was diagnosed. Several diagnoses including hydatid cyst, pseudocyst and cystic tumors of the pancreas are discussed. Before surgery, lack of acute pancreatitis in recent medical history rules out pseudocyst and hydatid cyst. During the operation, if cystadenocarcinoma is easily ruled out, macrocystic serous cystadenoma is more difficult to exclude. Only histological examination of the cystic wall confirms the difference between cystadenoma and congenital cyst which remains an exceptional entity.

[Liver abscesses secondary to sigmoid diverticulitis: report of four cases]. / Abcès intrahépatiques secondaires à une sigmoïdite diverticulaire: à propos de quatre cas.

INTRODUCTION: Pyogenic liver abscess often revealed by right sided abdominal pain and fever is a serious and life-threatening pathology. Biliary tract disease is the origin of the abscess in most cases but sometimes remains unidentified. A sigmoid septic source sometimes paucisymptomatic or hidden by an immunosuppressive treatment must be looked for. EXEGESIS: Here are four observations of liver abscesses, which are secondary to unknown sigmoiditis. The etiologic diagnosis was made either by abdomino-pelvic computed tomography or by enema with water-soluble products completed by a coloscopy. Each patient's liver abscesses were emptied by aspiration or catheter drainage in conjunction with antibiotics. Surgical treatment of sigmoiditis was performed either at the same time or later. CONCLUSION: Any liver abscess of unknown origin must lead to a search for unknown or disguised septic sigmoid pathology. Most of the time, injected abdomino-pelvic computed tomography makes the diagnosis possible, but enema associated with coloscopy is sometimes necessary.

[Electronic detection of breaks in the surgeon-patient barrier. Evaluation of protective clothing in visceral surgery]. / Détection électronique des ruptures de la barrière opérateur-opéré. Evaluation de la protection vestimentaire en chirurgie viscérale.

STUDY AIM: Breakdown of the aseptic surgeon-patient barrier causing abnormal contact between skin and body fluids represents a risk for transmission of infectious disease. Such breakdowns are frequently not perceived by the surgical team over prolonged periods. The aim of this prospective randomized study was to evaluate the protection afforded by double gloving and reinforced gowns in visceral surgery. METHODS: An electronic device detected breakdowns of the surgeon-patient barrier in a series of 80 surgical procedures, randomly assigned to double or single gloves, and normal or reinforced gowns. Fluid contacts due to glove perforation, glove porosity or gown wetting were recorded during 151 individual participations covering 238 hours. Surgical procedures were called deep for incisions of more than 10 cm. RESULTS: Deep surgical procedures carried a sevenfold-increased risk of barrier breakdown, compared with superficial ones. Skin contacts through wet gowns were not prevented by the use of double thickness materials, but double gloving reduced the number of perforation and porosity alarms twofold in both superficial and deep surgery. CONCLUSION: Without electronic detection, 96% of barrier breakdowns would remain undetected by the surgical team and lead to prolonged contact with potentially contaminating-fluids. The use of double gloving provides a real protection against contamination risk.

[The gastro-omental flap: a secreting mucous flap for reconstruction of the oropharynx and the oral cavity]. / Le lambeau gastro-épiploïque: un lambeau muqueux sécrétant pour la reconstruction de l'oropharynx et de la cavité buccale.

The gastro-omental flap consists of a patch taken from the greater curvature of the stomach and the bordering omentum. It is based on the right gastro epiploic vessels and is used as a free flap for intraoral reconstruction after resection of oral carcinoma. Twenty patients underwent gastro-omental flap. The operative technique is described. The evaluation consisted in questioning, chemism on the salivary flow and biopsies. There is no morbidity related with the donor site. The gastro-omental flap avoids post irradiation xerostomia. Oral irritation and bleeding of the flap may occur.

[Splenectomy for splenomegaly of more than 1000 grams. A retrospective study of 36 patients]. / Splénectomie pour splénomégalie de plus de 1000 g. Etude rétrospective sur 36 patients.

Splenectomy for massive splenomegaly is frequently performed for hematologic disorders for diagnostic and therapeutic indications. The role of splenectomy is complex and controversial. The aims of our retrospective study were to focus on postoperative complications and advantages of splenectomy for massive splenomegaly. Thirty six patients with splenomegaly weighing 1000 g or more, underwent splenectomy at Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Lyon Sud, from January 1st, 1982, to December 31, 1995. Thirty-one (85%) of these patients had hematologic malignancy and more than half of them were older than sixty years. The main indications for splenectomy were hypersplenism (18 patients) and diagnosis (14). Preliminary ligation of the splenic artery was performed in 25 patients (42%). All patients had drainage. The mortality and morbidity rates were 5.5% and 20%, respectively. No major septic or thromboembolic complications occurred. There was only one major bleeding complication. The advantages of splenectomy included histopathological diagnosis in 13 of 14 patients with splenomegaly of unknown origin, permanent pain relief in all cases, and immediate correction of hematological cytopenia in 27 cases (75%). We conclude that the large weight of the spleen does not constitute a contraindication to splenectomy, but indications must be carefully selected, and the operative and perioperative management, must be appropriate.

[Appendectomy: evaluation of medical record maintenance in a series of 200 cases]. / Appendicectomies: évaluation de la tenue du dossier médical sur une série de 200 cas.

To improve the management of appendicular syndromes, two hundred files of patients undergoing appendectomy in an emergency surgery department between January 1993 and August 1994 were submitted to a retrospective and descriptive study with evaluation of the medical file content. To evaluate clinical and investigations data collecting, a histopathological review protocol was elaborated to obtain an objective and reliable criterion of the degree of inflammation of the appendix. This review was possible only for 197 files that were included. Data collecting rates are inferior than expected rates, particularly for the association of temperature, abdominal defence and white blood cells count that was found in only 159 files (80.7%). Data were less collected for women, patients operated by celioscopy and when histopathologic review concluded to absence of acute inflammation. Rate of acute appendicitis was 73.6% (145/197). Appendectomies without acute inflammation were higher for women (34.6% = 37/107) than for men (16.7% = 15/90) and for patients who underwent celioscopic appendectomy (42.9% = 33/77) than for patients who underwent Mac Burney appendectomy (16% = 19/119). These results highlight the need to improve competition of medical files with better collection of clinical data, which could lead to improve care quality and management of operated appendicular syndromes, first step to a reduction of the number of appendectomies. A global assessment of file completion could be proposed on the basis of clinical audit.

[Damage control laparotomy for haemorragic abdominal trauma. A retrospective multicentric study about 109 cases]. / La laparotomie écourtée dans les traumatismes abdominaux hémorragiques. Etude multicentrique rétrospective sur 109 cas.

AIM OF THE STUDY: Damage control laparotomy is a new approach to the more severe abdominal traumas. It stems from a better understanding of the physiopathology of the haemorragic shock. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A national retrospective study from 27 centers about 109 trauma patients who underwent a damage control procedure between January 1990 and December 2001, is analysed. Surgical procedures included 97 hepatic packing, 10 abdominal packing, 4 exclusive skin closure, 1 open laparotomy technique and 3 digestive stapplings. RESULTS: The mortality rate is 42%. Eleven abdominal compartment syndromes have occurred with 7 decompressive laparomy (4 deaths). CONCLUSION: This study is based on the largest series of damage control laparotomy published in France. Results in terms of mortality and morbidity are similar to those of published studies from the USA.

[Postpartum mesenteric-portal thrombosis of pseudotumor presentation]. / Thrombose mésentérico-portale du post-partum à présentation pseudotumorale.

Portal thrombosis complicating delivery has not been reported to date. We report on a 28-year-old woman who presented 15 days after abdominal delivery with an abdominal mass. US, color Doppler and CT showed thrombosis of the superior mesenteric and portal veins. Percutaneous thrombolysis was unsuccessful. US and Doppler follow-up showed progressive portal hypertension with recanalization of the left portal vein.

[Tracheal rupture in closed cervicothoracic injuries]. / Ruptures trachéales au cours des traumatismes fermés cervico-thoraciques.

Two cases are reported of tracheal fracture occurring during blunt cervico-thoracic trauma. The first case emphasized the impossibility of passing a tracheal tube below the fracture preoperatively, without the fibreoptic or rigid tracheoscope which has the added advantage of making an accurate diagnosis of the fracture. The clinical and paraclinical signs could only lead to a suspicion of the diagnosis, but not its confirmation. The second case showed the use of different ventilatory means during and after surgery (separate lung ventilation, jet ventilation, high frequency ventilation) in case of proximal fractures. The monitoring of intratracheal pressure should be used so as to have the best ventilation for the lowest pressures in the suture zone.

[Acute intestinal ischemia after voluntary drug poisoning]. / Ischémie intestinale aiguë dans les suites d'une intoxication médicamenteuse volontaire.

A case is reported of a patient who suffered from ischaemic enteritis after having taken an overdose of several drugs. The 42-year-old woman was found out no more than 7 h after she had taken a mixture of benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressants and barbiturates (4 mg.l-1 blood level on admission). She had been lying against a bedpost, resulting in compression of her anterior abdominal wall below the umbilicus, involving her right femoral nerve. There was a severe rhabdomyolysis. Despite clinical improvement, the patient being extubated the following day, her abdomen remained painful and swollen. A CT abdominal scan showed a peritoneal effusion and a distended small bowel. Laparatomy revealed severe ischaemia of the terminal 80 cm of ileum, with some gangrenous areas. This was resected, and a right-sided ileostomy performed. Histopathological examination demonstrated a mucosal necrosis without mesenteric arterial thrombosis. A bilateral pleural effusion occurred during postoperative course, requiring drainage. Thereafter, the clinical course was uneventful, with intestinal continuity being re-established three months later. The femoral paralysis receded spontaneously. It is likely that this unusual postural complication of coma may be attributed to a transient compression of mesenteric vessels.

[Emergency vascular access in patients with renal failure. Apropos of 32 implantations of permcath]. / L'abord vasculaire de secours chez l'insuffisant rénal. A propos de 32 implantations de permcath.

Central venous catheters allow for the most rapid hemodialysis procedure with sparing of peripheral blood vessels. 32 flexible, double-lumen "permcath" catheters were implanted to 27 patients over a period spanning 42 months (February 86-August 89). Catheter placement was definitive in 2 cases while another 30 provided previsory intravenous access for plasmapheresis (25 cases), acute renal insufficiency (7 cases), and chronic renal failure (17 cases). The mean utilization time per patient was 10.7 +/- 8.01 (SE) weeks. As respects chronic renal failure, this provided a time-opportunity for prospective maturation of conventional venous routes of access or transplantation. Permcath thrombosis occurred in 6 instances (18.75%), 5 times unremittingly (15.4%). Infection occurred in 6 patients (18.75%), leading to ablation of the permcath only once. Thus, permcath ensures safe, effective access for hemodialysis and enables maturation of a conventional venous cutdown. It may be used directly as a permanent vascular approach in case of limited life expectancy or of an extremely precarious vascular bed.

[Diaphragm rupture in closed trauma]. / Rupture du diaphragme dans les traumatismes fermés.

Ruptures of the diaphram occur in approximately 2% of cases of severe thoraco-abdominal trauma. They are present on the left in 80% of cases. The rupture is cupolar, sagittal or transversal, with peripheral desinsertion (the last always observed on the right), or paravertebral and retropericardiac posterior tears. Movement of the abdominal viscera toward the thorax can be progressive, with signs appearing only after 3 or 4 days or more. Any attempt to evacuate an intrathoracic effusion should be made carefully. In half the cases in polytraumatic patients, the lesion is confirmed by clinical suspicion or by appropriate surgical exploration. The first emergency step is repair. In cases of recent occurrence and for reasons of abdominal safety, coeliotomy is preferred. Mortality ranges from 20 to 30% and depends on the polytraumatic state but also on heart and respiratory failure and on infectious complications.