Fundus-first laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Removal of the gallbladder with commencement of dissection at the fundus is well recognized as a safe technique during difficult open cholecystectomy because it minimizes the risks of damage to the structures in or around Calot's triangle. We report here the routine employment of liver retractors and fundus-first dissection during laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) as an alternative to techniques previously described.Retraction of the liver and fundus-first dissection was used in 53 patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecytectomy. There were 16 male and 37 female patients. Seven were operations performed during an acute admission and 20 had moderate or severe adhesions involving the gallbladder. Thirteen patients had a preexisting abdominal incision.The procedure was successful in 52 patients (98%), but in one patient it was converted to open operation because of dense adhesions. Median duration of operation was 90 min (range 35–240 min). There was no mortality and two complications (persistent right upper quadrant pain for 2 weeks after operation and bile leakage from the gallbladder bed).The facility to retract the liver and carry out a fundus-first dissection extends techniques developed for open surgery into the laparoscopic arena. It offers the surgeon the safety and versatility during laparoscopic cholecystectomy that it confers during conventional open surgery.Presented at the annual meeting of the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES), Nashville, Tennessee, USA, 18–19 April 1994     

A Guide to Immunotherapy of Genital Warts

Genital warts affect at least 1% of sexually active adults. Current therapies are inadequate because they are often painful, may fail to prevent recurrence and transmission of warts, and usually require either surgery or at least application by a physician. Investigation of immunotherapy for genital warts began with interferon. It has been studied in topical, intralesional, systemic and adjuvant applications. We review the major clinical trials of interferon for genital warts, and conclude that intralesional therapy with interferon-alpha or interferon-beta, with complete response rates of 36 to 63%, is the most successful route for interferon monotherapy. In choosing patients for therapy with interferon, major considerations include immune status, pregnancy and ability to return for frequent injections. Imiquimod is a new immune response enhancer that acts through stimulating host cytokine production. Interleukins-1, -2, -6, -8 and -12, interferons alpha, beta and gamma and tumour necrosis factor alpha have all been associated with the mechanism of action of imiquimod. Recently, 3 clinical trials have reported positive results using topical imiquimod to treat genital warts. Complete response rates ranged from 37 to 54% for these controlled trials of 5% imiquimod cream. Adverse effects reported include localised pruritis, erythema, erosion, burning and pain, which were rarely severe enough to cause discontinuation of the medication. Although further trials are necessary to identify the role of imiquimod in the therapy of genital warts, it appears to be an efficacious and well tolerated patient-controlled measure for wart therapy.     

Neutralization of endogenous NGF prevents the sensitization of nociceptors supplying inflamed skin

Evidence suggests that nerve growth factor (NGF) is an important mediator in inflammatory pain states: NGF levels increase in inflamed tissue, and neutralization of endogenous NGF prevents the hyperalgesia which normally develops during inflammation of the skin. Here we asked whether NGF contributes to sensitization of primary afferent nociceptors, which are an important component of pain and hyperalgesia in inflamed tissue. An in vitro skin nerve preparation of the rat was used to directly record the receptive properties of thin myelinated (Adelta) and unmyelinated (C) nociceptors innervating normal hairy skin, carrageenan-inflamed skin and carrageenan-inflamed skin where endogenous NGF had been neutralized by application of a trkA-IgG (tyrosine kinase Aimmunoglobulin G) fusion molecule. Following carrageenan inflammation, there was a marked increase in the proportion of nociceptors which displayed ongoing activity (50% of nociceptors developed spontaneous activity compared to 4% of nociceptors innervating normal uninflamed skin), and this was reflected in a significant increase in the average ongoing discharge activity. Spontaneously active fibres were sensitized to heat and displayed a more than twofold increase in their discharge to a standard noxious heat stimulus. Furthermore, the number of nociceptors responding to the algesic mediator bradykinin increased significantly from 28% to 58%. By contrast, the mechanical threshold of nociceptive afferents did not change during inflammation. When the NGF-neutralizing molecule trkA-IgG was coadministered with carrageenan at the onset of the inflammation, primary afferent nociceptors did not sensitize and displayed essentially normal response properties, although the inflammation as evidenced by tissue oedema developed normally. We therefore conclude that NGF is a crucial component for the sensitization of primary afferent nociceptors associated with tissue inflammation.     

The anterior band of the inferior glenohumeral ligament. Assessment of its permanent deformation and the anatomy of its glenoid attachment

Surgical treatment for traumatic, anterior glenohumeral instability requires repair of the anterior band of the inferior glenohumeral ligament, usually at the site of glenoid insertion, often combined with capsuloligamentous plication. In this study, we determined the mechanical properties of this ligament and the precise anatomy of its insertion into the glenoid in fresh-frozen glenohumeral joints of cadavers. Strength was measured by tensile testing of the glenoid-soft-tissue-humerus (G-ST-H) complex. Two other specimens of the complex were frozen in the position of apprehension, serially sectioned perpendicular to the plane containing the anterior and posterior rims of the glenoid, and stained with Toluidine Blue. On tensile testing, eight G-ST-H complexes failed at the site of the glenoid insertion, representing a Bankart lesion, two at the insertion into the humerus, and two at the midsubstance. For those which failed at the glenoid attachment the mean yield load was 491.0 N and the mean ultimate load, 585.0 N. At the glenoid region, stress at yield was 7.8 +/- 1.3 MPa and stress at failure, 9.2 +/- 1.5 MPa. The permanent deformation, defined as the difference between yield and ultimate deformation, was only 2.3 +/- 0.8 mm. The strain at yield was 13.0 +/- 0.7% and at failure, 15.4 +/- 1.2%; therefore permanent strain was only 2.4 +/- 1.1%. Histological examination showed that there were two attachments of the anterior band of the inferior glenohumeral ligament at the site of the glenoid insertion. In one, poorly organised collagen fibres inserted into the labrum. In the other, dense collagen fibres were attached to the front of the neck of the glenoid.     

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in pregnancy

Background: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is now the standard treatment for symptomatic gallstones; while symptomatic gallstones during pregnancy are not frequent they are by no means rare. The role of laparoscopic cholecystectomy during pregnancy is controversial but initial reports suggest it is both safe and feasible. Methods: During a consecutive series of 500 laparoscopic cholecystectomies, 3 patients have undergone laparoscopic cholecystectomy during pregnancy. The 3 patients were 16–27 weeks pregnant with an average age of 32 years. The indication for laparoscopic cholecystectomy was severe pain in two patients and gallstone pancreatitis in one patient. Following standard obstetric anesthesia, laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed. Open cannulation was used to establish peritoneal access, following which standard, four-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed without complication. The insufflation pressure used was 8–10 mmHg CO₂ and a liver retractor was employed to facilitate access. Results: In each case the postoperative recovery was rapid and uneventful for both mother and fetus. The patients were discharged on the first or second postoperative day. Conclusions: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy during the second trimester of pregnancy is both safe and feasible provided both suitable surgical and anesthetic expertise are available. Even up to the end of the second trimester there is sufficient access for the technique to be employed.     

Treatment of severe side effects after vagotomy and gastroenterostomy by closure of gastroenterostomy without pyloroplasty

We describe nine patients who had severe, persistent abdominal pain, vomiting, dumping, or diarrhoea several years after truncal vagotomy and gastroenterostomy had been performed for duodenal ulceration. Each patient was judged to have a bad clinical result (Visick grade 4). There was no evidence of recurrent ulceration in any of the patients, and in each the patency of the pyloric canal was confirmed radiologically or endoscopically. Each patient was treated by simply dismantling the gastroenterostomy without addition for a pyloroplasty. In one patient the surgeon suspected that a vagal trunk might have been left intact, and a revagotomy was performed by the "highly selective" technique. Postoperatively, none of the patients developed gastric retention. Symptomatic improvement occurred in eight patients, and four of them achieved perfect results (Visick grade 1). Side effects are common after vagotomy and gastroenterostomy, and are largely attributable to the presence of the gastroenterostomy stoma. Our results show that the symptoms may be alleviated by closing the gastroenterostomy, without precipitating gastric retention.