Are Foley catheters needed after minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum?

Background

High narcotic requirements after minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum (MIRPE) can increase the risk of urinary retention. Placement of intraoperative Foley catheters to minimize this risk is variable. This study determines the rate of urinary retention in this population to guide future practice.

Is epidural anesthesia truly the best pain management strategy after minimally invasive pectus excavatum repair?

Objective

The repair of pectus excavatum with bar placement is associated with substantial postoperative pain. Optimal pain control strategy has not been addressed with level 1 or substantial level 2 evidence. Many institutions operate under the assumption that a thoracic epidural offers the best pain control for these patients. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective evaluation to examine the validity of this assumption.

Methods

A retrospective review of patients undergoing pectus excavatum repair with bar placement from January 2000 to February 2006 was conducted. The demographic variables collected included age, sex, weight, and Haller's index scores. Outcome variables included total operating room time, number of calls to the anesthesiologist, hours of urinary catheterization, hours until complete transition to oral pain medication, length of hospitalization, and maximum pain scores for each of the first 5 postoperative days.

Results

There were a total of 203 patients, of which 188 had an epidural, compared with 15 with intravenous narcotic therapy. Of the 188 patients committed to an epidural, 65 had a failed attempt in the operating room or a dysfunctional catheter removed within 24 hours. Patients without an epidural had a shorter operating room time, less time of urinary catheterization, decreased time to complete transition to oral medication, and decreased length of hospitalization with lower maximum scores.

Conclusions

Our data challenge the assumption that routine epidural catheter placement on all patients undergoing pectus excavatum repair with bar placement offers the best pain management strategy. There is clearly a role for a prospective randomized trial to clarify the best management for these patients.     

Same day discharge for pectus excavatum—is it possible?

PurposeThe use of intercostal nerve cryoablation (INC) has been an effective modality for treating pain in patients undergoing pectus excavatum (PE) repair. This study sought to evaluate if PE patients undergoing Nuss procedures with INC and intercostal nerve block (INB) could safely be discharged the same day of surgery.MethodsA prospective study with IRB approval of 15 consecutive patients undergoing PE Nuss repair with INC, INB, and an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol was conducted. The primary outcome measure was hospital length of stay (LOS) in hours. Secondary variables included same day discharge, postoperative complications, emergency department (ED) visits, urgent care (UC) visits, opioid use, and return to the operating room (OR).ResultsLOS averaged 11.9 h amongst 15 patients. Ten patients (66.7%) went home on postoperative day (POD) 0, and the rest went home on POD 1. No patients stayed in the hospital due to pain. Reasons for failure to discharge included urinary retention, drowsiness, vomiting, and anxiety, but not pain. No patients were readmitted to the ED. One patient visited UC for constipation. One patient had bar migration requiring return to the OR for revision. Ten (66.7%) patients did not use opioids after discharge.ConclusionsSame day discharge is feasible and safe in PE patients undergoing Nuss procedure with INC and INB. INC with INB can adequately control pain without significant complications. Same day discharge can be safely considered for PE patients undergoing Nuss procedure with INC with INB.Type of studyPrognosis studyLevel-of-evidence ratingLevel II     

Can surgical repair for pectus excavatum contribute to lung growth?

 Open in a separate windowOBJECTIVESThis study investigates whether the surgical correction of chest deformity is associated with the growth of the lung parenchyma after surgery for pectus excavatum.METHODSTen patients with pectus excavatum who were treated by the Nuss procedure were examined. The preoperative and postoperative computed tomography (2.5 ± 1.2 years after surgery) scans were performed, and the Haller index, lung volume and lung density were analyzed using a three-dimensional image analysis system (SYNAPSE VINCENT, Fujifilm, Japan). The radiological lung weight was calculated as follows: lung volume (ml) × lung density (g/ml).RESULTSThe average age of the 10 patients (men 8; women 2) was 13.8 years (range: 6–26 years). The Haller index was significantly improved from the preoperative value of 5.18 ± 2.20 to the postoperative value of 3.68 ± 1.38 (P = 0.0025). Both the lung volume and weight had significantly increased by 107.1 ± 19.6% and 121.6 ± 11.3%, respectively, after surgery.CONCLUSIONSA significant increase in the weight of the lung after surgical correction suggests that the growth of the lung parenchyma is associated with the correction of chest deformity in younger patients with pectus excavatum.     

Transesophageal echocardiography during pectus excavatum correction in children: What happens to the heart?

ObjectivesCardiac compression in pectus excavatum remains difficult to evaluate. We describe the findings with intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography during pectus excavatum correction in pediatric patients.MethodsWe studied right heart changes during surgical correction of pectus excavatum by transesophageal echocardiograph. Four-D echo was associated to assess morphology of the tricuspid annulus.ResultsTwenty patients were included, mean age 13.5 (+/? 2.9). Mean preoperative Haller Index was 6.3 (+/? 2.63) and mean Correction Index 47.63% (+/? 12.4%). Preoperative transthoracic echocardiography at rest showed mild right heart compression in 6. Correction was gained by Nuss technique in 19, and Taulinoplasty in one. Initial transesophageal echocardiography showed compression of the right heart and deformation of the tricuspid annulus in all. During the sternal elevation, diameters of right atrium, ventricle and tricuspid annulus significantly improved: mean augmentation of right ventricle was 5.78 mm (+/? 3.56 p < 0.05), right atrium 6.64 mm (+/? 5.55 p < 0.05) and tricuspid annulus 6.02 mm (+/? 3.29 p < 0.05). The morphology of the tricuspid annulus in 4D normalized.ConclusionsPreoperative transthoracic echocardiography at rest underestimates right chamber compression in pediatric patients with pectus excavatum. Surgical correction improves diameters of the right ventricle, right atrium and tricuspid annulus and normalizes the morphology of the tricuspid annulus (4D).Level of evidenceLevel III.     

Residual fistula after laparoscopically assisted anorectoplasty: is it a rare problem?

Purpose

Although various urologic complications have been reported after abdominoperineal pull-through and posterior sagittal anorectoplasty for the treatment of high-type imperforate anus, reports regarding complications after laparoscopically assisted anorectoplasty (LAARP) are surprisingly rare. Here, we discuss the potential complications of LAARP.

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted of 24 patients treated with LAARP from 2000 to 2006. The clinical and operative records were reviewed. Of the 24 patients, 18 were evaluated postoperatively by screening magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Results

The 24 participants are composed of patients with rectoprostatic urethral fistula (n = 15), rectal agenesis (n = 3), rectovesical fistula (n = 2), rectovaginal fistula (n = 2), and cloaca (n = 2). Defecatory function after LAARP was satisfactory. None of the patients had dysuria or urinary infection postoperatively. Cystic formations posterior to the urethra were demonstrated in 9 of the 18 cases examined by MRI. Postoperative voiding cystourethrography failed to demonstrate the lesion in 6 of 9 patients. The types of imperforate anus in this subgroup were rectoprostatic urethral fistula (n = 7), rectovesical fistula (n = 1), and rectal agenesis without fistula (n = 1). Average cyst diameter was 22 ± 19 mm. Two patients with large cysts (62 and 42 mm) underwent surgical resection.

Conclusions

Although satisfactory fecal continence could be achieved by LAARP, we experienced 2 cases with a large residual fistula that required surgical resection. In addition, screening MRI demonstrated the presence of cystic formations in 9 of 18 patients. We recommend that MRI be performed routinely during follow-up of patients treated with LAARP.     

Complications after hip fracture surgery: are they preventable?

European Journal of Trauma and Emergency Surgery - Surgery for hip fractures is frequently followed by complications that hinder the rehabilitation of patients. The aim of this study was to...