[Comparative study about alloplastic surgical procedures of incisional hernias]. / Studiu comparativ asupra procedeelor chirurgicale homo si alloplastice de cura a eventratiilor.

This retrospective study analyzes a series of 604 patients with incisional hernias, operated on between 1994 and 1998. The hernias where divided according to their dimensions and their reccurrence. The postoperative outcome and follow up leaded to some conclusions: although the postoperative immediate complications were frequent after the alloplastic procedures, the long term results, judged by the rate of reccurrence and the rejection of the mesh, were better. With the alloplastic procedures the best results were obtained when the mesh was fixed in a retromuscular--properitoneal position.

[Laparoscopic adjustable gastric-banding treatment for morbid obesity our first year experience]. / Tratamentul obezitatii morbide prin gastric banding laparoscopic. Rezultate la un an de la debut.

The authors present the results of a prospective study regarding their 1st year experience in laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LABG), which included 21 patients (5 males, 16 females), with an average age of 39 (between 20-53 years). The follow up was made at one and six months postoperative. The medium weight was 138 kg (between 95-172 kg), with a medium excess of body mass of 66.89 kg (extremes between 27.75 and 104 kg). The medium BMI (body mass index) was 48.9 (extremes: 34.5-66), 8 patients being superobese (BMI > 50). The average operating time was 120 min, all operations were finished laparosopically. Postoperative complications were: total disfagia (1 case), parietal suppuration (2 cases) and partial intragastric migration of the prosthesis (1 case). There were no deceased patients. The medium excess of body mass at 6 months after surgery was 46.57 (only 13 patients evaluated in this interval). After 6 months postoperative the comorbidities were healed at half of the patients. Although we do not benefit of a long time follow up, the favorable initial results permits us to state that LABG must find its place in the efforts of struggling against obesity and its consequences.

ERCP after bariatric surgery--literature review and case report.

Obesity is a disease which has become more prevalent in Romania. Bariatric surgical procedures are among the treatment options for obese patients. Obesity and the metabolic disorders induced by it are risk factors for gallstones formation and their complications. ERCP is a minimally invasive therapeutic procedure indicated in the treatment of choledochal lithiasis and its complications. ERCP is generally considered the most difficult endoscopic procedure from the technical point of view. The authors have proposed to consider the possibility of performing therapeutic ERCP in patients who have undergone bariatric procedures. Literature data are reviewed and the case of a patient treated in a minimally invasive (laparoendoscopic) way for cholecyst and choledocholithiasis after longitudinal gastrectomy is presented.

Post-ERCP acute pancreatitis and its risk factors.

INTRODUCTION: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a complex endoscopic technique that evolved from a diagnostic to a mainly therapeutic procedure. This was due to the identification of post-procedural complications that can follow both simple ERCP and that associated with the instrumentation of the biliary and pancreatic ductals. The identification of post ERCP complications in a proportion of 5 to 10% of cases, with a mortality rate of 0.33%, imposed their analysis and study of risk factors involved in their occurrence. The significance of post ERCP complications reveals the necessity of their avoidance by adopting additional measures if risk factors are identified. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We have retrospectively analyzed 900 cases that underwent ERCP in the Surgery Department of "Sf. Ioan" Clinical Hospital in a period of 17 years. The complications of the procedure were studied. Among them, a special attention was given to post-ERCP acute pancreatitis (pERCP-AP), the most common complication that occurred in the study group. We also tried to find out and highlight the risk factors for this complication. RESULTS: ERCP is a relatively safe invasive procedure, yet it has complications (8% of cases), some of them potentially fatal (mortality 0.43%). The most common complications after ERCP are acute pancreatitis (3.7%), papillary bleeding (1.04%), retroperitoneal duodenal perforation (0.69%) and biliary septic complications like acute cholecystitis and cholangitis (1.21%). Acute pancreatitis is by far the most common complication. Risk factors for its occurrence are difficult sphincterotomy with precut use, failure of CBD desobstruction, pancreatic sphincterotomy, repeated injection of contrast in the pancreatic ductal system, dysfunction of the sphincter of Oddi and the absence of changes of chronic pancreatitis. When risk factors are identified, the patients' selection must be very strict and diagnostic ERCP should be avoided in favor of non-invasive diagnostic methods (MRI-cholangiography, echo-endoscopy).