Gastric duplication (bronchogenic) cyst mimicking a gastrointestinal stromal tumour.

Gastric duplication cysts (GDC) lined with pseudostratified columnar ciliated epithelium (PCCE) are uncommon lesions that stem from a foregut developmental malformation. The clinical and radiological diagnosis is usually difficult. Definitive diagnosis can be established by histopathological examination. In this study, we report a rare case of a peri-gastric mass that was operated and reported as a bronchogenic cyst. Microscopically, the gastric cyst was lined by PCCE. Although rare, GDC should be included in the differential diagnosis of gastric wall masses. Surgical intervention is recommended in patients who have clinical symptoms.

Use of subjective global assessment and clinical outcomes in critically ill geriatric patients receiving nutrition support.

The objective of this study is to examine the prevalence of malnutrition and evaluate the nutrition status and clinical outcome in hospitalized patients aged 65 years and older receiving enteral-parenteral nutrition. This retrospective study was carried out at Baskent University Hospital, Adana, Turkey. A total of 119 patients older than 65 years were recruited. Patients were classified into 3 groups: protein-energy malnutrition (PEM), moderate PEM, and well nourished according to subjective global assessment (SGA) at admission. All patients were fed by enteral or parenteral route. Acute physiological and chronic health evaluation (APACHE-2) and simplified acute physiology (SAPS 2) scores were recorded in patients followed in the intensive care unit (ICU). Nutrition status was assessed with biochemical (serum albumin, serum prealbumin) parameters. These results were compared with mortality rate and length of hospital stay (LOS). The subjects' mean (+/-SD) age was 73.1 +/- 5.4 years. Using SGA, 5.9% (n = 7) of the patients were classified as severely PEM, 27.7% (n = 33) were classified as moderately PEM, and 66.4% (n = 79) were classified as well nourished. Some 73.1% (n = 87) of the patients were followed in the ICU. Among all patients, 42.9% (n = 51) were fed by a combined enteral-parenteral route, 31.1% (n = 37) by an enteral route, 18.5% (n = 22) by a parenteral route, and 7.6% (n = 9) by an oral route. The average length of stay for the patients was 18.9 +/- 13.7 days. The mortality rate was 44.5% (n = 53). The mortality rate was 43% (n = 34) in well-nourished patients (n = 79), 48.5% (n = 16) in moderately PEM patients (n = 33), and 42.9% (n = 3) in severely PEM patients (n = 7) (P = .86). The authors observed no difference between well-nourished and malnourished patients with regard to the serum protein values on admission, LOS, and mortality rate. In this study, malnutrition as defined by SGA did not influence the mortality rate of critically ill geriatric patients receiving enteral or parenteral nutrition. Furthermore, no factor was found to be a good predictor of survival.

Giant hepatic hydatid cyst: a case report.

Large type 1 cysts are prone to perforation. Furthermore, insufficient drainage with subsequent abscess is a frequent problem of large cysts. We report here a case of a 19-year old man who was admitted to the hospital with pain in the right upper quadrant and epigastric region. An asymmetrical right upper quadrant enlargement was detected on physical examination. Ultrasonography and computerized tomography revealed a type 1 giant hydatid cyst in the right hepatic lobe, measuring 16 cm in diameter. During operation, partial cystectomy and drainage were done. The large dead space was obliterated by the 'sandwich' method. Omentum and gelatin sponges were used to fill the cavity. The postoperative period was uneventful and the patient was discharged on the 5th postoperative day.

The effect of metoclopramide on gastric emptying in traumatic brain injury.

OBJECTIVE: Gastric paresis in traumatic brain injury (TBI) hinders the effectiveness of enteral support in this patient group. In this study we have investigated the effect of metoclopramide on gastric emptying in TBI patients. METHOD: In this prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blind study, 19 TBI patients with Glasgow Coma Scale scores of 3-11 were included. In all patients, enteral nutrition was commenced with a nasogastric feeding tube within 48 hours of trauma. Patients were randomized into two groups. In the metoclopramide (M) group, 10 mg metoclopramide was delivered intravenously three times daily for 5 days. In the control (C) group, an equal volume of saline was administered. Besides demographics, gastric emptying according to a paracetamol absorption test at days 0 and 5, time to reach target nutritional requirements, gastric residues, intolerance to feeding, nutritional complications, and clinical outcomes were recorded for each patient. RESULTS: The gastric residue rates were 2.7+/-7.4 mL and 8.1+/-17.7 mL per 100 patient days for groups C and M respectively (p=0.408). Similarly, feeding intolerance and complication rates did not significantly differ between groups C and M, (respectively p=0.543 and 0.930). Gastric emptying parameters also were similar between the study groups. CONCLUSION: We were unable to document any advantage to using metoclopramide in TBI patients. Simple intragastric enteral feeding with close monitoring of the possible complications seems to be sufficient with acceptable morbidity rates.

Laparoscopic management of gallbladder duplication.

Gallbladder duplication is a rare condition. Because laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the primary treatment modality for the diseased single gallbladders, it should be the choice of treatment for double gallbladders. However, preoperative imaging methods may be unsatisfactory for the correct diagnosis. As a result, incomplete resections may be performed. Intraoperative cholangiography should be performed in suspected cases to prevent inadvertent injury to the biliary system. In this report, we present a symptomatic patient with double gallbladders with separate cystic ducts in whom the gallbladders were successfully resected as a single specimen by laparoscopic means. The pitfalls of diagnostic modalities and surgical strategy are discussed in the context of the available literature.

Effects of a static magnetic field on wound healing: results in experimental rat colon anastomoses.

BACKGROUND: Research has shown that pulsed electromagnetic fields (EMFs) promote wound healing in experimental colonic anastomosis; however, the effects of static EMFs in this setting have not been investigated to date. METHODS: Fifty male Wistar rats were used. Ten served as controls for mechanical strength testing, and the other 40 underwent descending colon resection and anastomosis. Twenty of these 40 animals (M group) had NeFeB magnets placed in contact with the anastomosis site (magnetic field strength at the site 390 to 420 G). The other 20 animals (sham [S] group) had non-magnetized NeFeB bars of the same dimensions and weight implanted. Half of the animals in each group were killed and assessed for healing parameters on postoperative day 3 (M3 and S3 groups) and the other half on postoperative day 7 (M7 and S7 groups). Four types of assessment were done: gross healing, mechanical strength, hydroxyproline deposition, and histopathology. RESULTS: There were no differences between the M and S animals with respect to gross healing parameters. The mechanical strength was also not different between groups (23.8 +/- 12.7 and 24.7 +/- 9.6 mm Hg for M3 and S3, respectively; P = .863 and 91.3 +/- 65.4 and 94.8 +/- 55.9 mm Hg for M7 and S7, respectively; P = .902). Similarly, hydroxyproline deposition was not different between groups on postoperative day 3 or day 7. On postoperative day 3, the M group had significantly higher scores than the S group for fibroblast infiltration (2.4 +/- 0.7 vs 1.4 +/- 0.7, respectively; P = .008) and capillary formation (2.5 +/- 0.7 vs 0.9 +/- 0.4, respectively; P <.001). However, these effects were reversed and did not endure by day 7. CONCLUSIONS: The study results suggest that static EMF has no effect on experimental colonic wound healing in the rat.

A new weighted scoring system for Subjective Global Assessment.

OBJECTIVE: Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) is a widely used and validated method for identifying and classifying malnutrition. Recently, in effort to assess nutritional status more accurately, quantitative systems have been devised in which scores are assigned for items or components of the SGA. In addition to validation of conventional SGA in our patient population, this prospective study investigated the association of a recently devised quantitative SGA (Q-SGA) method and an invented modified Q-SGA (MQ-SGA) scoring system with conventional SGA. METHODS: A total of 2197 patients was evaluated. Each subject was assessed for malnutrition by SGA, anthropometric measurements, and laboratory testing. The items of SGA were scored by assigning 1 point for each increasing severity level to obtain the Q-SGA score. In the invented MQ-SGA system, the items were entered into the logistic regression model and weighted scores were calculated according to the weighted effect of the SGA items. The efficiencies of Q-SGA and MQ-SGA were compared to predict malnutrition according to SGA. RESULTS: Eighty-nine percent of patients were classified as well nourished according to conventional SGA, whereas 27 patients (1.2%) were classified as severely malnourished. When patients were grouped according to binary SGA outcome (well nourished versus malnourished), receiver operating characteristics curve areas for the Q-SGA and MQ-SGA scores were 0.897 (95% confidence interval = 0.875-0.919) and 0.952 (95% confidence interval = 0.939-0.964), respectively. The cutoff points for Q-SGA and MQ-SGA were identified as 10 and 18, respectively. Although the sensitivity of these systems in identifying malnutrition were similar (90.0% and 90.9%, respectively), the specificity of MQ-SGA was greater than that of Q-SGA (85.6% versus 67.0%). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that MQ-SGA outperforms Q-SGA in identifying malnutrition according to SGA. Future nutrition scoring studies need to take into account the weighted effects of items on outcome.

Simple two-part tool for screening of malnutrition.

OBJECTIVE: Malnutrition in hospitalized patients is a major problem that is underdiagnosed. Early recognition of malnutrition is important for nutritional support to be effective. Our aims were to determine the malnutrition rate at our center and to devise an effective screening tool for identifying patients at risk for malnutrition. METHODS: This prospective study included 2211 patients. Each subject was assessed for malnutrition by the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA), and combination criteria (CC), which included anthropometric measurements and laboratory testing. Findings based on these methods were compared with findings in a series of malnutrition screening tests (malnutrition screening tool, self-assessment portion of a mini-nutritional assessment, a question about unintentional weight loss, evaluation of loss of subcutaneous fat, and various combinations of these). RESULTS: The SGA and CC methods identified 242 (11.0%) and 345 (15.6%) patients as malnourished, respectively. Of the screening methods that were tested, the combination of unintentional weight loss and loss of subcutaneous fat proved to be the most valuable, with 93% accuracy for predicting malnutrition according to the SGA, and 82.9% accuracy for predicting malnutrition according to CC. The corresponding negative predictive values were 95.5% and 87.3%. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that this simple two-part nutritional screening tool (unintentional weight loss and loss of subcutaneous fat) is valuable for identifying malnutrition according to the SGA and CC at our institution; however, its validity must be confirmed at other centers.

Epidemiology of pediatric burn injuries in southern Turkey.

The aim of this study was to identify the epidemiological features of pediatric burn injuries in southern part of Turkey. In this retrospective study, 137 hospitalized pediatric patients (85 men and 52 women) who were admitted to our burn unit during a period of 3 years were analyzed. Pediatric patients were categorized into three groups: the infants and toddlers (0-2 years), early childhood (3-6 years), and late childhood (7-15 years). Epidemiological data included age, sex, location, the cause and type, and place of burn. In the first two groups, scalding (95.1% and 86.7%, respectively) was the predominant cause of burn whereas in late childhood electric burns (51.4%) were a more common occurrence. No differences were found between the groups with respect to mean TBSA and full-thickness burns. A total of 15 (10.1%) patients died during the study period. A total of 74.4% of burn injuries occurred at home, and almost all were preventable, with 16 % of the burns occurring in the autumn; however, 42% occurred in the summer. These findings will be used as a basis for developing targeted preventive programs to protect children from burns. We also consider it is necessary to educate children and their parents about the prevention of burn injuries.

Bacteriological profile and antibiotic resistance: comparison of findings in a burn intensive care unit, other intensive care units, and the hospital services unit of a single center.

The purpose of the study was to define the bacteriological profile and antibiotic resistance patterns of a burn intensive care unit (ICU) and to compare them with the patterns from three other hospital areas in the same center (ie, cardiovascular-coronary ICU, a general ICU, and the hospital service unit). Bacterial isolates were collected prospectively from the burned patients and the patients from the other hospital areas between May 2001 and November 2003. In the burn ICU, Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the isolated pathogen most frequently (40.4%), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (29.3%) and Acinetobacter spp. (9.8%). S. aureus was the most common isolated pathogen in other hospital areas. The agents that were most effective against P. aeruginosa in the burn ICU were piperacillin/tazobactam and sulbactam/cefoperazon. We observed higher antimicrobial resistance in burn ICU than in the other hospital areas studied. In conclusion, bacteriological profile and antibiotic resistance patterns of patients in the burn ICU are significantly different from those in other ICUs and hospital units at our center. This knowledge is crucial for early treatment of infections in burned patients.

Transplant coordination activities in the Baskent University Hospital Network.

Our transplantation center adopted a new model of operation, with 3 affiliated centers of the Baskent University. The aim of this system is to standardize procedures related to organ procurement and transplantation, to increase organ donation, and to improve the quality of services. The transplant team is composed of a transplant coordinator, and transplant clinicians and surgeons. The transplant coordinator works independently, and promotes organ donation and procurement, organizes interviews with donor families, and is in contact with national and international organ-sharing organizations. The organs and tissues are transplanted in the Ankara hospital of the network if the cadaver organ source is one of the Baskent University hospitals. If no appropriate recipient is available, the organs and tissues are offered to the National Coordination Center for other transplantation centers. To implement this system most efficiently and effectively, periodic situation analyses were made.

[Intraabdominal and intramural hemorrhage due to warfarin therapy]. / Warfarin'e bagli gelisen karin içi ve barsak duvari kanamalari.

BACKGROUND: The study investigated clinical, radiological findings and treatment methods used in patients who developed intraabdominal hemorrhage due to chronic warfarin use. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eight patients receiving warfarin for cardiac valve replacement, pulmonary thromboemboli, and atrial fibrillation were admitted to our hospital. The patients had abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting although there was no hematemesis and melena. RESULTS: Abdominal ultrasonography and computerized tomography identified the individuals' problems as intraabdominal hemorrhage (n=2), intestinal intramural and intraabdominal hemorrhage (n=2), bleeding into the sheath of the rectus abdominus muscle (n=1), subcapsular splenic hemorrhage (n=1), and bleeding due to ruptured ovarian cyst (n=2). CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians must be alert for intraabdominal bleeding in patients who are prescribed warfarin treatment. Abdominal ultrasonography and computerized tomography should be used to investigate all such cases of suspected hemorrhage. Blood and plasma replacements are first line of supportive treatment and surgery should be avoided if possible.

Reaching proficiency in laparoscopic splenectomy.

AIM: To investigate the proficiency level reached in laparoscopic splenectomy using the learning curve method. METHODS: All patients in need of splenectomy for benign causes in whom laparoscopic splenectomy was attempted by a single surgeon during a time period of 6 years were included in the study (n = 33). Besides demographics, operation-related variables and the response to surgery were recorded. The patients were allocated to groups of five, ranked according to the date of the operation. Operation duration, complications, postoperative length of stay, conversion to laparotomy and splenic weight were then compared between these groups. RESULTS: There was a significant difference regarding operation times between the groups (P = 0.001). An improvement was observed after the first 5 cases. The learning curve was flat up to the 25th case. Following the 25th case the operation times decreased still further. There was no difference between the groups regarding the other parameters. CONCLUSION: Unlike the widely accepted "L" shape, the learning curve for laparoscopic splenectomy is a horizontal lazy "S" with two distinct slopes. Privileges may be granted after the first 5 cases. However proficiency seems to require 25 cases.

The impact of gallbladder aspiration during elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a prospective randomized study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this prospective randomized study was to investigate the effect of gallbladder aspiration during elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy on the operative and postoperative course of patients. METHODS: Between August 2005 and February 2007, 160 consecutive patients with symptomatic cholelithiasis were randomized into 2 clinically comparable groups. Gallbladders were aspirated before dissection in group A (aspiration, n = 80), and they were not aspirated in group C (control, n = 80). Patients' characteristics and general operative outcomes were compared and analyzed. RESULTS: The mean dissection time (P = .45), amount of gas used (P = .49), and liver bed bleeding (P = .30) were not significantly different between group A and group C. Similarly, there were no differences between the groups regarding gallbladder perforation (P = .12), spillage of gallstones into the abdominal cavity (P = 1.00), or wound infection (P = 1.00). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that routine gallbladder aspiration is unnecessary in elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Clinicopathological significance of PTEN loss and the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt pathway in sporadic colorectal neoplasms: is PTEN loss predictor of local recurrence?

BACKGROUND: PTEN is a tumor-suppressor gene located on chromosome 10. Deficient PTEN expression leads to activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt (pAkt) signaling pathway, which may contribute to multiple human cancers. The relation between PTEN expression and Akt activation is still unclear in colorectal cancers and adenomatous polyps. Moreover, PTEN and pAkt expression in relation to demographic, tumoral, and outcome variables remains to be elucidated. METHODS: PTEN and pAkt expression were evaluated in 76 primary colorectal cancers and 25 adenomatous colorectal polyp tissues using immunohistochemical staining on paraffin-embedded sections. PTEN and pAkt expression were compared with clinicopathologic features of colorectal cancers. The relationship between PTEN and pAkt expression was also investigated. RESULTS: In colorectal cancers, pAkt expression was found to be significantly higher than polyps (P = .007). On the other hand, PTEN expression was significantly lower in polyps (P <.0001). In colorectal cancer patients, PTEN expression showed a negative correlation with young age, female sex, and left-sided (distal) tumors. On multivariate analysis, low PTEN expression (PTEN loss) was noted as an independent parameter for local recurrence (P = .024). There was significant association between pAkt expression and stage (P = .008), and preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels (P = .017) in colorectal cancers. A negative correlation between PTEN and pAkt expression was found in colon cancer patients (P = .010), whereas no significiant association was found in adenomatous polyps (P = .403). No correlation of PTEN expression or pAkt expression was observed in Kaplan-Meier survival statistics and multivariate analyses for disease-free and overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: The current study suggests that the PTEN loss-PI3K/pAkt pathway may play an important role in sporadic colon carcinogenesis and that reduced PTEN expression may predict relapse in colorectal cancer patients.

Scrotal calcinosis due to resorption of cyst walls: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Scrotal calcinosis is a rare benign entity defined as the presence of multiple calcified nodules within the scrotal skin. There are controversies about the origin of this entity. In fact, it is still debatable whether scrotal calcinosis is an idiopathic growth or dystrophic calcification of dartoic muscles. It is also unclear whether scrotal calcinosis originates from inflammation of epidermal cysts affected by mild to moderate inflammation of mononuclear cells, from foreign body granuloma formation followed by resorption of cyst walls or from eccrine epithelial cysts. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a 41-year-old male Turkish patient presenting with a 10-year history of scrotal tumours increasing slowly in size and number. Histopathologically, there was no epithelial lining around the calcified nodules, but there was fibrosis adjacent to atrophic stratified squamous epithelium. CONCLUSION: Results of histopathological examinations suggested that scrotal calcinosis might have been due to resorption of cyst walls. Surgery remains the key for this problem. In cases of non-massive scrotal calcinosis, like the case presented here, excision of the nodules from the affected part of the scrotal wall and repairing the defect with horizontal stitches offer good cosmetic results without relapse.

Adhesion molecules as prognostic markers in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is a highly aggressive cancer with high metastatic potential and therefore, a high mortality rate. Ezrin, radixin, moesin, and E-cadherin are transmembrane glycoproteins that regulate cell motility, migration, and metastasis. In this study, we investigated the relationship of ezrin, moesin, and E-cadherin expression with the clinicopathological features of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. METHODS: Data including demographic features, size and grade of tumor, presence of perineural and lymphovascular invasion, and survival were obtained retrospectively from 46 patient records. RESULTS: No significant correlation was found among ezrin, moesin, and E-cadherin. Significant correlations were found between ezrin and the tomographic size of the tumor (P = 0.034) and resectability (P = 0.052). Moesin-stained tumors were found to have high lymphovascular (P = 0.030) and perineural (P = 0.036) invasion rates and a high histopathologic grade (P = 0.053). E-cadherin staining was correlated with perineural invasion (P = 0.003) but not with lymphovascular invasion (P = 0.334). Only moesin was correlated with survival in resected pancreatic adenocarcinomas and moesin-negative patients had longer survivals compared with moesin-positive patients (P = 0.021). CONCLUSIONS: We could not demonstrate a relation between ezrin and E-cadherin staining with survival. However, we found ezrin to be related to local tumor behavior, and moesin to be a potential prognostic molecule.

Is routine preoperative ultrasonographic mapping for arteriovenous fistula creation necessary in patients with favorable physical examination findings? Results of a randomized controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Preoperative ultrasonographic mapping (PUSM) is widely used for arteriovenous fistula creation in end-stage renal disease patients, and some authors even advocate that it be used routinely. To date, however, there are no prospective randomized data to support this suggestion. METHODS: This prospective, randomized, controlled study compared PUSM and physical examination in relation to short-term outcome after AVF creation. Data sets from 70 hemodialysis patients who were deemed eligible for AVF surgery-according to specific physical examination (PE) criteria for vessel anatomy-were analyzed. The patients were randomly divided into two groups. In the PE group, no other investigation was performed, and the patient underwent AVF creation. The other patients (M group) underwent PUSM, and the AVF was created according to the mapping results. Early AVF success was defined as clinical detection of thrill (immediately and on postoperative day 1). Ultrasonographic parameters were recorded on the first postoperative day and at 1 and 6 months postoperatively. The need for intervention and intervention-free AVF survival and cumulative AVF survival were also noted. RESULTS: The PE and M groups showed similar rates of early AVF success: immediate thrill, PE 24/35 (68.6%) vs. M 26/33 (78.8%), P=0.340; postoperative day 1, PE 20/34 (58.8%) vs. M 24/32 (75%), P=0.164. The groups' results for ultrasonographic parameters of AVF function were also similar on postoperative day 1 and at 1 month after surgery. The groups had similar intervention-free AVF survival (P=0.770) and cumulative AVF survival as well (P=0.916). After an average follow-up of 217.7+/-239.7 days, the two groups also had similar proportions of patent AVFs: 23/35 (65.7%) vs. 23/35 (65.7%) for PE vs. M, respectively; P=1.0). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that PUSM offers no advantage over PE with regard to AVF function in patients with favorable forearm anatomy. The authors do not advocate routine use of PUSM in patients with favorable PE findings scheduled for forearm AVF creation.

Epidemiologic analysis of patients with burns presenting to the burn units of a University Hospital Network in Turkey.

This retrospective study analyzed risk factors in addition to the demographic and epidemiological features of 813 burn patients who were admitted to the burn units of a University Hospital Network in Turkey during a 6-year period. The study consisted of 436 men (53.6%) and 377 women (46.4%; mean age, 31; range, 0-87 years). The age distribution of the patients peaked at 1 to 6 years and at 35 to 44 years. The most common types of burns were scalds (63.8%) and flame burns (22.1%). The mean TBSA burned was 9.4 +/- 15.3% in adults and 19.8 +/- 18.6% in children. The median and mean hospital stays were 16 and 22.8 days, respectively (range, 1-114 days). A total of 813 patients were evaluated, leaving only 255 hospitalized patients. Of the hospitalized patients, 100 (74.6%) underwent autografting, 8 (6.0%) underwent amputation, 113 (84.3%) underwent débridment, and 76 (56.7%) underwent escharotomy. The mortality rate among hospitalized patients was 14.1%. Although this study provides information about the population within close proximity to our burn units, there remains a need for a countrywide database of burn incidents.

Surgical treatment of liver hydatid cysts.

BACKGROUND: The surgical treatment technique for liver hydatic cyst (LHC) cannot be standardized, and the surgical technique should be tailored according to the extent of the cyst and any adjunct complications of hydatid disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients were treated with albendazole (10 mg/kg/day) for 15 days preoperatively. Total pericystectomy was performed in three patients (7%). Partial cystectomy and its modifications were performed in the remaining 41 patients (93%). RESULTS: A total of 44 patients were operated on for LHC between December 1998 and October 2004 in our center. Patients were evaluated with ultrasonography and computed tomography scan to determine the extent of the disease and preoperative staging. Twenty-four (53%) of these patients were women and 20 were men (median age, 52.5 years; range, 19-81 years). The majority of patients (n=27) had 1 cyst, and the remaining 17 patients had multiple cysts. In four patients (9.1%), daughter cysts were found in the biliary system, and abscesses were present in three patients (7%). Biliary fistula was the most frequent complication (n=5). Three patients had wound infections. Follow-up was complete for 33 patients (75%). The mean postoperative follow-up was 11.9+/-10.8 months; there were four recurrences during this time. DISCUSSION: The aim should be to provide complete drainage and obliteration of the cavity. Bile leak and biliary obstruction may complicate the postoperative course if bile leakage into the peritoneal cavity and obstruction in the biliary system are missed.