Craniocervical junction malformation treated by transoral approach. A survey of 25 cases with emphasis on postoperative instability and outcome

Summary An experience with 25 consecutive cases of craniocervical junction (CCJ) malformations operated upon via the transoral route is reported. Twenty-two patients also underwent posterior occipitocervical stabilization with alloplastic material and in only one patient was transoral odontoidectomy and fusion with bone autograph performed.Indication for the transoral route consisted of an irreducible ventral compression of the cervicobulbar junction by the abnormal bone complex.Two patients died during the early postoperative period and the remaining 23 survivors were followed for an average of 3.5 years: 17 of these showed marked improvement and 5 a stabilization of the neurological disturbances. A further patient, who refused posterior stabilization, eventually died because of progressive cranial settling.Long-term results have shown this approach to be decisive in the surgical management of well-selected CCJ anomalies.     

Local anesthesia in reduction mastoplasty for out-patient surgery

To perform a breast reduction under local anesthesia we need a large amount of anesthetic with lasting effects. For this I use a solution of 25 cc of lidocaine, 25 cc of bupivacaine, and 1 cc of epinephrine in 350 cc of saline solution. The bupivacaine allows a 4–6-hour operation. Once the breast is infiltrated, a great amount of anesthetic is lost in the incision, in the dissection, and in the resected tissue. Thus, a low dose remains subcutaneously to be metabolized by the liver. The serum lidocaine levels are low during these operations, as demonstrated by fluorescence polarization immunoassay. Under analgesic sedation the submammary sulcus and the retroglandular space are infiltrated, blocking the perforants of the intercostal nerves, under the areola, beneath the skin where the incision is made and where the aerola is placed. This procedure has been applied to many techniques of breast reduction by modifying the infiltration under the incision lines. For hypertrophy up to 1000 g, 200–300 cc of anesthetic solution is used for both breasts at one stage, while for gigantomastia, about 400 cc of anesthetic is used, infiltrating and reducing one after the other. As the blood loss is minimal and the recovery very fast, with an appropriate adhesive bandage and a soutien, the patient could be discharged in the afternoon. Our experience includes 94 reduction mastoplasties with local anesthesia, and also 74 other mastoplasties with equally good results. There were no patient complaints and, in general, they felt very comfortable, awakening without pain or side effects.     

The Rationale and Results of Gastroplasty/Distal Gastric Bypass

A recent review of the results of gastroplasties done at the University of Alberta Hospital showed that there was a high incidence of late weight loss failure. Therefore a new operation, gastroplasty/distal gastric bypass, has been performed on 263 patients. This operation results in a profound (mean greatest percentage excess weight loss of 87% at approximately 2 years) and lasting weight loss (mean final percentage excess weight loss of 78%) at 4 years, range 2-7.5 years post-operatively. Only 0.9% of patients failed to maintain at least a 40% excess weight loss. The operation achieves its effect through a moderate restriction that permits patients to eat normal table food from the time of discharge and with a mild malabsorption that is not ordinarily associated with diarrhea or notable deficiencies. Certain patients required debanding of the stoma and others developed staple-line eventration. Neither of these events after long-term follow-up resulted in weight loss failure nor in other serious side-effects. It is concluded that moderate failure of the gastroplasty stoma and staple line does not necessarily result in weight loss failure, because the malabsorptive portion of the operation remains intact. Low hemoglobin occurred in 16% of cases and deficiency of serum iron in 34%; a much smaller number of patients had chronic or intermittent deficiencies of these entities. Correction was easily achieved with oral replacement. Deficiencies in albumin, calcium, phosphorus and folate were rarely seen and minimal elevation of serum AST values occurred in just over 1% of patients. Chronic deficiencies or elevations were not seen in these patients. Stomal ulcer occurred in 6% of patients and bleeding associated with stomal ulcer in 1%. Half the patients with ulcer were managed with H₂ blockers, the other half with vagotomy. Both forms of treatment when individualized effectively prevent re-ulceration.     

Revisional Surgery for Severe Obesity with Fascia Banded Stoma Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

The fascia banded stoma Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) has been effective both as a primary and revision operation for severe obesity or failure of another operation. Since May 1984, 361 primary and 100 revisional fascia banded RYGBP operations have been reported. Weight loss achieved a mean body mass index of 30 for primary and 31 for revision patients at most recent follow-up of 3-6 years (mean 4.3 years) postoperatively. Mean overweight was 28% for primary, and 34% for revision patients. Eighty percent of primary and 79% of revision patients were within 50% of ideal weight. Revision rates for these patients were 0 for primary and 1% for revision patients. Operative mortality was 0 for primary and 1% for revision patients. Since morbidity and mortality, although low, are higher for revision than primary surgery, it is important to use an effective primary operation.     

Holmium:YAG- und erbium :YAG-infrarotlaser-osteotomie

Zusammenfassung Die knochenablative Wirksamkeit der gepulsten Festkörperlaser Holmium:YAG ( = 2120 nm) and Erbium:YAG ( = 2940 nm) wurde im Tierversuch vergleichend untersucht. Als Modell für eine klinische Anwendung wurden partielle Oberkiefer-, Unterkiefer-und Nasenbeinosteotomien an der Ratte durchgeführt. In einer ersten Versuchsreihe wurden die unmittelbare klinische Wirkung und das histologische Wirkungsprofil dieser Infrarotlaser am Hartgewebe erforscht und die Temperaturgradienten im Knochen während der Laseranwendung gemessen. Die geringe Ausdehnung der Schädigungszone im Randbereich der Laserinzisionen und das für den Erbium:YAG-Laser praktisch atraumatische, athermische Knochenabtragungsvermögen läßt die neuen Infrarotlaser als ideale Schneidegeräte für Osteotomien erscheinen.

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Holmium:YAG laser and erbium:YAG laser infrared laser osteotomy

Summary The in-vivo bone ablation characteristics of a pulsed solid-state erbium:YAG laser were compared to those of a pulsed solid-state holmium:YAG laser. Partial osteotomies in the maxillary, the mandibulary, and the nasal bones of white rats were performed. The tissue response was examined by light microscopy. Thermal gradients following the laser application were also measured. Over all energy levels tested the erbium:YAG laser produced ablation of bone with minimal thermal damage to the adjacent tissue. The results of this study are promising for future application of the infrared holmium-and erbium:YAG lasers in otorhinolaryngology.

     

Syringe liposculpture: A two-year experience

Syringe liposcupture is a method that combines two relatively new techniques of plastic surgery: syringe liposuction and fat grafting. We can reshape the face and the body by removing localized fat deposits and reinjecting this fat where needed. When we do not reinject, we call the technique reduction liposculpture. In 1989 we introduced a new technique—superficial syringe liposculpture—to treat patients with flaccid skin, superficial irregularities or depressions, cellulite, and liposuction sequelae. The technique combines syringe liposculpture, superficial liposuction, and our method of treating skin irregularities by breaking the fibrous adherences and injecting fat superficially.     

Secondary hyperparathyroidism and osteopenia in women following gastric exclusion surgery for obesity

Gastric exclusion has been introduced as a surgical treatment for morbid obesity. We describe two women who had undergone gastric bypass for obesity with metabolic bone disease and secondaryhyperparathyroidism. In one patient transiliac bone biopsy after double tetracycline labelling demonstrated histologic evidence of hyperparathyroidism with osteitis fibrosa cystica. Six additional women who had undergone gastric exclusion were evaluated. Serum phosphorus, calcium, and creatinine were normal in all but one patient who had hypocalcemia. Serum immunoreactive parathyroid hormone was elevated in seven of eight patients and urinary calcium was 2 mmol/d (80 mg/24 h) in 6 patients. Lumbar spine bone mineral density was 86±7 (mean±SE) per cent of predicted and femoral neck bone mineral density was 89±6 per cent of predicted. Women who have had gastric exclusion for obesity may develop secondary hyperparathyroidism which could result in loss of bone mass.Deceased     

Predeposit Autologous Blood Donation: a survey of patient attitudes

Attitudes to autologous blood donation have been surveyed in a group of 38 postoperative bariatric patients. Only two patients (5%) declined to participate. Twenty-eight of 38 (70%) successfully predeposited autologous blood. Twenty-five of 28 donors (90%) had done so at the suggestion of their surgeon. Concern about contracting AIDS was the motivating factor in the majority of patients (21 patients, = 55%). Lack of infectious complications in general was cited by an additional four (11%). All respondents would donate autologous blood in the future, and would recommend the procedure to others who were about to undergo elective surgery. There was an increase from 29% to 50% who stated that, following their autologous donation experience, they would consider being homologous volunteer blood donors in the future.     

Long-term Result of Treatment of Prader-Willi Syndrome by Scopinaro's Bilio-pancreatic Diversion. Study of Three Cases and the Effect of Dextrofenfluramine on the Postoperative Evolution

The Prader-Willi syndrome shortens the life of patients due to the morbid obesity which it entails. The compulsive hyperphagia associated with it makes a dietetic treatment or a gastroplasty difficult. This study presents the case-histories of three patients suffering from the Prader-Willi syndrome who were operated on by means of a Scopinaro's bilio-pancreatic diversion. Following a marked reduction the first year, the weight loss stabilized and then tended to diminish. The observation of three cases which continued for two and a half to six years did not reveal any considerable metabolic problems. The deficiency of iron, vitamins D and B12 as well as folic acid had to be made up by supplementation. These results are comparable with the most favorable ones in the literature. Even if the effect on the weight loss is not spectacular, the operation manages to hold off the development of the obesity, inexorable for those with the Prader-Willi syndrome, and prevents lethal complications, without having notable side effects. Lifting coercive dietary measures improves the quality of life.