[Laparoscopy coupled with classical abdominoplasty in 10 cases of large rectus diastasis]. / Couplage cœlioscopie-abdominoplastie dans dix cas d'important diastasis des grands droits.

UNLABELLED: In 10 cases of abdominoplasty where an important rectus diastasis had to be corrected, we completed the plication of the rectus sheath included in a classical abdominoplasty with the laparoscopic positioning of an intraperitoneal prosthesis. PURPOSE: To assess the middle-term results of this technique and present its advantages and drawbacks. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Fifteen patients have been operated from 2007 to 2011 by two surgeon teams. Ten of them have accepted to be included in our survey. RESULTS: All the patients said they were satisfied with their surgery. Four of them reported mild pain during the first postoperative weeks, and two of them mentioned very moderate pain at the time of the survey. The surgeons were not satisfied with the results obtained in two cases. Only one of these two patients accepted revision abdominoplasty with a good result. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic positioning of an intraperitoneal prosthesis, coupled with a classical plication of the rectus sheath, gives excellent results in difficult cases of rectus diastasis.

Impact of immunosuppression on improvement of results in clinical pancreas transplantation.

Since November 1975, 103 pancreas transplantations have been performed in 97 insulin-dependent diabetic patients. Pancreas and kidney were grafted simultaneously in 84 patients (plus 1 double retransplantation). Eighty-nine pancreas grafts were prepared by duct obstruction with neoprene, and 14 were pancreaticoduodenal grafts with enteric diversion in a Roux-en-Y loop. Five immunosuppressive protocols were subsequently used. With the latest protocols, patient and pancreas survival improved to 93 and 72% at 1 yr, respectively. The improvement in graft survival appeared to be particularly related to the reduction of the number of pancreas grafts lost in rejection. The patients treated with the last protocols, including cyclosporin A (CsA) and only low doses of steroids, showed a better glucose tolerance after provocative tests. Pancreas-graft function did not appear to be influenced by CsA treatment.

Kidney-graft survival in simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplantation.

Patient and kidney survival rates were compared between 69 diabetic patients undergoing simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplantation (group 1) and 723 nondiabetic patients undergoing kidney transplantation (group 2). The patients were treated with different immunosuppressive regimens over the years: steroids plus antilymphocyte globulin (ALG) plus azathioprine (Aza); cyclosporin A (CsA) plus ALG; steroids plus ALG plus Aza, replacing Aza 1 mo posttransplantation; or low doses of steroids plus CsA plus Aza. One-year kidney survival rates with the different regimens were 50, 42, 54, and 76%, respectively, in group 1 and 71, 74, 78, and 84%, respectively, in group 2. Patient survival was 60, 57, 71, and 86%, respectively, in group 1 and 93, 95, 94, and 96%, respectively, in group 2. Differences between the two groups were statistically significant for the first three protocols but not for the one used in this study. In group 1, 38 patients (55%) had a functioning kidney graft, whereas 15 (21%) lost their kidney to rejection. Between these two patient categories, there was no significant difference in age, sex, duration of diabetes, time on dialysis, blood transfusion number, HLA immunization, or HLA matching. Thus, since 1984, kidney-graft survival has not been inferior in diabetic patients. This improvement is mainly due to a decreased mortality related to better patient preparation and improvement in immunosuppression.

Segmental duct-obstructed pancreas grafts versus pancreaticoduodenal grafts with enteric diversion.

Between January 1985 and September 1987, we performed a prospective comparative study between segmental-pancreas transplantation with duct obstruction by neoprene (n = 17) and pancreaticoduodenal transplantation with enteric diversion to a Roux-en-Y intestinal loop (n = 14). All recipients had insulin-dependent diabetes. The immunosuppressive protocol consisted of low doses of the steroids cyclosporin A and azathioprine. Mean follow-up was 16.5 mo for the enteric-diversion group and 13.5 mo for duct-obstructed groups. Two-year patient and pancreas- and kidney-graft actuarial survival rates were 92.9, 75.5, and 74.2%, respectively, in the former group and 92.3, 58.4, and 63.7%, respectively, in the latter group (NS). Five whole-organ grafts were lost (3 vascular thromboses, 1 pancreatitis, 1 rejection), and four segmental grafts were lost (2 vascular thromboses, 1 bleeding, 1 patient's death with functional graft). More surgical complications occurred in the recipients of whole-organ grafts and were often related to the intestinal anastomosis. A satisfactory blood glucose control was observed at 3 mo and 1 yr in both groups. Provocative tests showed higher and prompter insulin secretion in patients with whole-organ grafts. In patients with segmental grafts, the response was lower and delayed with a general tendency to impaired glucose tolerance. A marked hyperinsulinemia after meals was observed in whole-organ graft recipients. Slight nocturnal hyperinsulinemia was observed in both groups. At 1 yr, glycosylated hemoglobin was normal in both groups. The absence of a significant difference between the two groups, in terms of survival and graft function, and the lower surgical complication rate seen with segmental grafts have made us return to neoprene-injected segmental grafts.

A randomized trial of OKT3-based versus cyclosporine-based immunoprophylaxis after liver transplantation. Long-term results of a European and Australian multicenter study.

A multicenter randomized trial was performed to compare two immunosuppressive protocols after first ABO-compatible liver transplantation. Forty six patients were randomized to a 14-day treatment with Orthoclone (OKT3) in association with steroids and azathioprine, cyclosporine being progressively introduced on day 11 posttransplant. Fifty patients were randomized to a standard protocol of cyclosporine with steroids and azathioprine. Minimum follow-up was 1 year and graft and patient survivals were updated for the purpose of the study. The cumulative 1-year incidence of acute rejection tended to be greater in the cyclosporine group (75%) than in the OKT3 group (67%), especially when patients who did not receive full-course treatment with OKT3 were excluded (59%). Renal function was better preserved during the first two postoperative weeks in the OKT3 group than in the control group but plasma creatinine levels were comparable in both groups thereafter. The incidence of severe infections was lower in the OKT3 group (13.6%) than in the cyclosporine group (32%). The 4-year incidences of patient and graft survival in the OKT3 group (69% and 61%, respectively) were not different from those in the cyclosporine group (62% versus 54%, respectively). Thus this prospective trial shows that OKT3 immunoprophylaxis is a safe alternative to cyclosporine immunoprophylaxis in unselected recipients of a first liver graft.

[Autoimmune hemolytic anemia during treatment with cyclosporin after liver transplantation]. / Anémie hémolytique auto-immune au cours d'un traitement par la ciclosporine après transplantation hépatique.

Hemolytic anemia was observed in a 36 year-old liver transplant patient. The immunosuppressive regimen included cyclosporine A and prednisolone. Hemolysis appeared a few days after amoxicillin treatment. The presence of anti-D allo-antibodies, auto-antibodies active against erythrocytes, and an immuno-allergic phenomenon against erythrocytic membrane coated by cyclosporine was demonstrated. Increase of daily dose of prednisolone without modification of cyclosporine doses was followed by the disappearance of allo- and auto-sensitization. The role of amoxicillin in promoting these hemolytic phenomenons may be suggested.

[Late cryptococcal meningitis after liver transplantation]. / Cryptococcose neuro-méningée tardive après transplantation hépatique.

We report a case of cryptococcal meningitis, eight years after liver transplantation for primary biliary cirrhosis. Detection of the cryptococcal antigen in serum and cerebrospinal fluid appears to be essential for initial diagnosis and follow-up. Oral fluconazole treatment alone can be effective, when given for a very long period to prevent relapse.

[Vesico-ureteral-renal reflux in the adult. Preliminary results of endoscopic treatment]. / Reflux vésico-urétéro-rénal de l'adulte. Résultats préliminaires du traitement endoscopique.

Vesico-ureteric reflux in adult patient may now be treated endoscopically by injecting teflon under the ureteral orifices. Twenty-six ureteral units were treated by this technique in 18 patients. Correction of the reflux was obtained in 22 units (85 p. 100); the technique was ineffective in 4 units (15 p. 100). No complication was observed in this series; in particular, there was no stenosis of the intramural ureter. These encouraging preliminary results have to be confirmed on a long-term basis in large series of patients.