Spilled Gallstones: the Source of an Enigma

Spillage of gallstones may occur in the course of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The incidence of this mishap and its consequences are variable. Ignored by many surgeons, stone spillage may be the source of significant morbidity many years after surgery. In this report, we describe the clinical course of a patient who presented with upper abdominal pain and swelling. The past history was positive for laparoscopic cholecystectomy 15 years earlier. After excision, the swelling was found to be a pseudocyst formed around spilled gallstones during a previous cholecystectomy. Apart from postoperative wound infection, the patient recovered well and remains so. Here, we discuss the problem and provide suggestions for spillage prevention and stone retrieval once spillage occurs.     

Spontaneous appendico-cutaneous fistula, after drainage of a right loin abscess--a case report

A young male patient presented with right lower abdominal pain and fever. He had tenderness in the right lumbar region, with no palpable lump. Subsequently he developed a tender fluctuant lump in the right loin. Abdominal ultrasonography showed heterogenous collection in the right lumber region near the posterior abdominal wall. Making a diagnosis of right-sided perinephric abscess, drainage was done. The patient was discharged. Eight months after his discharge, he developed fever and painful swelling in the previous operation site followed by spontaneous discharge of pus. Sinogram showed the contrast passed through the sinus tract into the large bowel and into the terminal ileum. Laparotomy, fistula tract was found communicating with the appendix. Appendicectomy and curettage of the fistula tract was followed by complete cure.     

The effect of total arterial grafting on medium-term outcomes following coronary artery bypass grafting

Background  

While it is believed that total arterial grafting (TAG) for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) confers improved long-term outcomes when compared to conventional grafting with left internal mammary artery and saphenous vein grafts (LIMA+SVG), to date, this has not become the standard of care. In this study, we assessed the impact of TAG on medium-term outcomes after CABG.     

Low preoperative HSP70 atrial myocardial levels correlate significantly with high incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: Atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery is still a frequent encountered complication and has been associated with increased hospital length of stay and numerous postoperative complications. The pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation involves an overall sequence of perioperative events, collectively termed as ischemia-reperfusion injury. Heat-shock proteins have been found to provide increased protection during ischemia-reperfusion as well as increased postischemic cardiac functional recovery. We sought to determine whether preoperative atrial heat shock levels were correlated with the appearance of postoperative atrial fibrillation. BASIC METHODS: Preoperative atrial myocardial samples obtained just before cannulation from 101 patients were used to detect immunohistochemically the expression of heat-shock proteins. The derived results were compared statistically with the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation, its time of appearance, duration and resistance to administered antiarrhythmics. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The overall incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation was 22.3%. Of these patients, 58.3% had no detectable heat shock proteins in their cytoplasm, in sharp contrast with 100% of the patients with no atrial fibrillation who were positive for heat shock proteins (p<0.01). Four percent of our patient group had prolonged atrial fibrillation (defined as duration >48 h). These patients had significantly less (p<0.01) nuclear heat shock protein expression compared with the non-atrial fibrillation group. However, the difference of the heat shock protein expression between the prolonged atrial fibrillation and the rest of the atrial fibrillation patients was not significant (p=0.891). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that patients with low preoperative atrial heat shock protein expression have a significantly greater incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation. Heat shock protein expression did not, however, correlate with the onset of atrial fibrillation and the resistance to administered medications. Heat shock protein preoperative induction as a measure of myocardial preconditioning may potentially decrease the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation.     

Effects of dexmedetomidine in morbidly obese patients undergoing laparoscopic gastric bypass

BACKGROUND: Obese patients may be sensitive to the respiratory depressant effect of opioid analgesics. Alternative methods for analgesia may be beneficial for management of bariatric surgery. We evaluated the effect of dexmedetomidine on anesthetic requirements during surgery, hemodynamic, recovery profile and morphine use in the postoperative period. METHODS: Eighty adult patients scheduled for elective laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery were randomly assigned to one of two study groups; Group D (40 patients) received dexmedetomidine (0.8-microg/kg bolus, 0,4 microg kg(-1) h) and Group P (40 patients) received normal saline (placebo) in the same volume and rate. Intraoperative and postoperative mean blood pressure and heart rate were recorded. The total amount of intraoperative fentanyl and propofol required to maintain anesthesia were measured. Recovery profile, pain score and total amount of morphine used via patient controlled analgesia (PCA) were assessed. RESULTS: During surgery, dexmedetomidine decreased the total amount of intraoperative fentanyl and propofol required for maintenance of anesthesia compared to placebo. Patients who received dexmedetomidine showed significant decrease of intraoperative and postoperative mean blood pressure, heart rate. In the postoperative period, dexmedetomidine decreased pain scores and PCA morphine use significantly and showed better recovery profile as compared to the placebo Group. There was no difference in the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) between both groups. CONCLUSION: The intraoperative infusion of dexmedetomidine decreased the total amount of propofol and fentanyl required to maintain anesthesia, offered better control of intraoperative and postoperative hemodynamics, decreased postoperative pain level, decreased the total amount of morphine used and showed better recovery profile compared with placebo.     

Transitional-cell carcinoma recurrence rate after nephroureterectomy in patients who undergo open excision of bladder cuff v transurethral incision of the ureteral orifice

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The gold standard treatment for upper-tract transitional-cell carcinoma is radical nephroureterectomy, but management of the distal ureter is not standardized. Two treatment options to detach the distal ureter are open cystotomy (OC) and excision of a bladder cuff or transurethral incision of the ureteral orifice (TUIUO). We compared the clinico-pathologic outcomes of these two techniques. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Hospital records were reviewed on all 51 patients who had undergone open or laparoscopic nephroureterectomy at our institution between 1 January 1990 and 30 June 2005. Patient demographics, intraoperative parameters, and pathology data were collected. The mean follow-up was 23.2 months (range 4.5-75 months) and 22.1 months (range 1-50 months) for the OC and TUIUO groups, respectively. There were no significant differences in sex, age at operation, American Society Anesthesiologists risk score, previous transitional-cell tumors, pathologic tumor grade and stage, or metastatic disease status in the two groups. RESULTS: Five patients had an unplanned incomplete ureterectomy. The bladder recurrence rates were similar in the OC group (22.2%; 6/27) and the TUIUO group (26.3%; 5/19). There were no pelvic recurrences in either group. Four of the five patients who had an incomplete ureterectomy had tumor recurrences, three in the form of metastatic disease. CONCLUSION: Management of the distal ureter by TUIUO in appropriate patients offers the same rate of bladder recurrence as OC. Incomplete ureterectomy results in a significantly higher rate of recurrence, often associated with the development of metastatic disease.     

Axial length and anterior chamber indices in elderly population: Tehran Geriatric Eye Study

AIM: To determine the normative distribution of axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD), anterior chamber volume (ACV), anterior chamber angle (ACA), and some of their associated factors in subjects aged 60 and over.METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 160 clusters were sampled using multi-stage cluster sampling in Tehran, Iran. After a preliminary interview, the participants underwent optometric examinations including visual acuity and refraction measurement followed by slit lamp biomicroscopy. Finally, ocular imaging was done using the Pentacam AXL to measure AL, ACD, ACV, and ACA.RESULTS: A total of 4519 eyes of 2436 participants were evaluated, of whom 58.0% (n=1412) were female. The mean age of the subjects was 67.32±6.05y (range: 60-95y). The mean AL, ACD, ACV, and ACA was 23.22 mm (23.18-23.27 mm), 2.61 mm (2.59-2.62 mm), 126.56 mm3 (125.08-128.04 mm3), and 30.61° (30.3°-30.92°), respectively. In the multivariable model, after adjusting for the effect of both eyes, the longest and shortest AL was seen in myopic and hyperopic subjects, respectively. AL, ACD, ACV and ACA were significantly larger in men compared to women (P<0.001). Except ACA, other evaluated parameters showed an inverse correlation with age (P<0.001), however, this correlation was insignificant for AL (P=0.623).CONCLUSION: Normative value of AL, and other biometric parameters are specific for each ethnicity, age and sex group. Any alteration in these parameters and their effect on refraction should be considered in this age group, especially in case of cataract surgery.