Laparoscopic gastrojejunostomy and endoscopic biliary stent placement for palliation of incurable gastric outlet obstruction with cholestasis

Background: For patients with incurable malignant gastric outlet obstruction and cholestasis, laparoscopic gastrojejunostomy combined with endoscopic biliary stent placement seems to offer a minimally invasive palliation. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 16 patients submitted to laparoscopic gastrojejunostomy. Laparoscopic gastroenterostomy was performed as an antecolic, side-to-side gastrojejunostomy with enteroenterostomy. In 12 patients cholestasis was relieved preoperatively by stent placement via endoscopy (n= 6, 37.5%), percutaneous access (n= 5, 31%) or bilioenteric anastomosis (n= 1, 6.25%). One patient needed a percutaneous Yamakawa prosthesis postoperatively. Results: Mean operative time was 126 min. There were no intraoperative complications. In one patient conversion to open surgery became necessary because of extensive adhesions. The only postoperative complication was bleeding from a trocar site requiring reintervention; there was no mortality. Median postoperative hospital stay was 7 days. Delayed gastric emptying was observed in 3 (18.7%) patients. Median survival was 87 days after the operation. All patients died from their primary disease but could maintain oral intake during the remaining survival time. Conclusions: We conclude that laparoscopic gastrojejunostomy and endoscopic or percutaneous biliary stenting provide a good functional result while impairing the quality of life only to a minimal extent. Received: 7 May 1996/Accepted: 12 December 1996     

Endoscopic transthoracic sympathectomy for idiopathic upper limb hyperhidrosis

A 5-Year experience of 51 endoscopic transthoracic dorsal sympathectomies for idiopathic palmar hyperhidrosis in 26 patients is presented. Fifty-two percent complained of excessive sweating over their hands, 28% of axillary sweating and 20% over both areas, with a mean duration of 10 years. The second, third and fourth thoracic ganglia and their interconnecting fibres on the affected side were ablated using diathermy cautery. Over a mean follow up time of 26 months, this procedure was successful in curing or improving intractable sweating in 92%. However, axillary sweating was less well controlled than in the palms with 20% of patients describing residual wetness in the axilla. Compensatory sweating (75%) and gustatory sweating (48%) were the commonest side effects; despite this, most patients were satisfied with the functional and cosmetic outcome. Other complications included a temporary Horner's syndrome in one patient, a pneumothorax in the immediate post-operative period in another and a unilateral non-infective reactionary pleural effusion in a third. Two patients developed recurrence of palmar hyperhidrosis within 6 months of surgery. One has been successfully treated by re-operation on the affected side. All patients complained of mild to moderate interscapular chest pain which was easily controlled by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, and resolved within 7–10 days post-operatively. The technique of endoscope transthoracic sympathectomy is effective, relatively simple to perform and usually requires only an overnight stay. It is recommended as the surgical treatment of choice for upper limb hyperhidrosis unresponsive to conservative measures.     

Surgical relevance of diagnostic imaging techniques in pretherapeutic staging of carcinoma of the esophagus, stomach, colon and rectum

Summary. The increasing spectrum of therapeutic options for tumors of the gastrointestinal tract has resulted in a refinement of the pretherapeutic diagnostic strategies. The diagnostic approach in surgical institutions that are focused on primary surgical resection will therefore be much less sophisticated than in institutions who propose a selective therapeutic approach based on the pretherapeutic tumor stage and prognostic parameters. Pretherapeutic assessment of the depth of tumor infiltration, i. e. the T-category, is essential because most further diagnostic and therapeutic decisions are based on this information. This can today be achieved with a high degree of accuracy by endoscopy and endoscopic ultrasonography. Early T-stages (T1–2) are usually an indication for primary surgical resection and, after exclusion of distant metastases, no further diagnostic studies are required. In patients with locally advanced esophageal, gastric or rectum tumors (T3–4) multimodal therapeutic concepts should be considered. This usually requires additional diagnostic studies. None of the available diagnostic imaging modalities today allows satisfactory pretherapeutic assessment of lymph node metastases. The assumed nodular status should therefore currently not influence therapeutic decisions. Essential is, however, the assessment of distant metastases, since the documentation of distant tumor spread will change the therapeutic approach to a palliative situation. Detailed histologic and molecular-biologic assessment of tumor characteristics is growing in importance. This not only provides therapeutically relevant information regarding tumor grading, but opens the door towards a modern molecular diagnostic approach. It can be expected that in the near future a vast amount of relevant prognostic information can be obtained from endoscopic tumor biopsies, which may soon alter our therapeutic concepts.      

The role of the endoscopic extraperitoneal approach in large inguinal scrotal hernias

The role of endoscopic extraperitoneal herniorrhaphy (EEPH) in the management of giant scrotal hernias has not been well defined, and the technical details relating to operations on such hernias have not been described. We present our experience with 17 patients undergoing repair of giant scrotal hernias. Foley catheter bladder decompression was routinely employed. The Retzius space was developed early in the procedure and hernia sac contents were reduced in all cases. The inferior epigastric vessels were likewise divided in all patients. The average operative time was 76 min and all patients were discharged home the same day. There have been no recurrences on follow-up. There was no mortality, and morbidity was limited to seroma formation in two patients. We conclude that with certain technical modifications, EEPH can be safely employed for the treatment of giant scrotal hernias. Received: 7 May 1996/Accepted: 12 July 1996     

内镜鼻胆管引流术在腹腔镜和开腹胆总管探查术中的应用

目的　评价内镜鼻胆管引流术 (Endoscopicnasobiliarydrainage ,ENBD)配合腹腔镜和常规开腹手术治疗胆总管结石的疗效。　方法　回顾分析 1997年 1月～ 2 0 0 1年 7月应用ENBD配合完成腹腔镜胆总管探查、I期缝合术 4 4例及开腹胆总管探查、I期缝合术 34例。　结果　 78例均手术成功 ,术后无胆漏、胆道出血、胆管炎等并发症。术中结石取净率 10 0 % (78 78)。术后住院时间 :腹腔镜组为 (6 2±1 3)d ,开腹组为 (7 4± 2 1)d。随访 5 7例 ,时间 (1～ 4 5 )年 ,平均 2 6年 ,腹部彩色B超检查无胆管狭窄及结石复发。　结论　ENBD配合腹腔镜和开腹胆总管探查取石、胆总管I期缝合术安全、可靠。     

十二指肠乳头括约肌切开胆总管取石术前静注咪唑安定对麻醉及手术效果的影响

目的　探讨在十二指肠乳头括约肌切开 (EST)胆总管取石术前静注咪唑安定的可行性及价值。方法　将 71例拟行 EST胆总管取石患者随机分为咪唑安定组 (试验组 ) 5 1例和对照组 (2 0例 ) ,两组术前均给予 6 5 4 -2 (10 mg)静脉注射 ,试验组同时静脉注射咪唑安定 (3～ 5 mg)。观察两组患者的进镜时间、麻醉程度 ,患者的反应与配合程度、自身感受程度 ,同时监测患者的血压、心率、血氧饱和度。结果　试验组进镜时间缩短、镇静程度适中、患者自身感受好 ,与对照组比较 ,差异有显著性 (P<0 .0 1) ;患者心血管及呼吸参数无明显变化。结论　EST胆总管取石术前静脉注射咪唑安定可提高麻醉效果 ,有利于提高患者配合的依从性 ,对血压、心率、血氧饱和度无明显影响     

Outcome of a conservative approach in severe ulcerative colitis.

BACKGROUND: Severe ulcerative colitis is potentially life threatening even though a policy of intensive medical management and early colectomy in recent years reduced mortality to almost zero. However, colectomy, with or without ileal-anal anastomosis, has its own problems (morbidity, pouchitis, cuffitis) and no reliable prognostic index of surgical outcome has been developed. Intravenous steroids are still the mainstay of medical therapy but their maximal duration before stating a 'treatment failure' has not been defined. AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate the effectiveness, safety and outcome of an intensive medical approach in a series of patients with severe ulcerative colitis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred and forty-nine episodes of severe ulcerative colitis in 115 patients admitted to a Gastroenterology Unit in a 7-year period were retrospectively evaluated. Intravenous glucocorticosteroids--methylprednisolone 1 mg/kg/day--and topical steroids were administered, and supportive treatments with intensive monitoring were extended to all the patients. Second-line strategies for steroid-refractoriness were prolonged glucocorticosteroids treatment, oral ciclosporin, infliximab or surgery. RESULTS: The median number of Truelove criteria at admission was 3 (range 2-5), median CRP 34 mg/l (range 10-196). Median follow-up after discharge was 49 months. In 84 (57%) episodes an early response was noted, while 65 (43%) did not respond within 10 days to the standard steroid treatment. In the non-responders group, 28 patients went into remission with a prolonged steroid treatment (slow responders); 15 patients were treated with ciclosporin (eight responders) and 6 with infliximab (four responders). A total of 24 colectomies was performed in this group of patients (in 21 cases within 30 days from admission). Slow responders showed lower albumin levels (P = 0.02), higher cumulative dose of glucocorticosteroids in the year prior to admission (P = 0.02) and higher age (P = 0.03), in comparison with early responders. Major complications were noted in four episodes which responded to medical treatment. Disease-related mortality was zero. CONCLUSIONS: Medical treatment and use of second-line therapies were effective in the present series of patients. A group of slow responders has been identified and, if an intensive medical monitoring is guaranteed, steroids can be safely prolonged after the first 10 days of treatment. Cumulatively, about 80% of the patients responded to short-term medical treatment, only 5% of the patients underwent colectomy in the follow-up period. Major adverse events were recorded in four patients, who had recovered completely after adequate medical treatment.     

内镜下套扎与硬化夹心联合法治疗食管静脉曲张出血的研究

目的　了解套扎与硬化夹心联合法 (套扎 硬化 套扎 )能否获得优于单纯内镜下食管静脉曲张结扎 (EVL)的疗效。方法　对 98例肝硬化食管静脉曲张伴活动性出血或近期出血的患者随机采用单纯EVL或夹心法治疗 (EVL组 5 0例 ,夹心法组 4 8例 )。EVL组每条曲张静脉结扎皮圈不超过 3个 ,夹心法组每条曲张静脉结扎 2个皮圈 ,并在两个结扎点之间的曲张静脉内注射 1～ 3ml硬化剂。夹心法组 7例在首次内镜治疗时接受食管静脉造影检查。 7～ 10d重复 1次内镜治疗 ,直至静脉曲张消除。结果　 7例行静脉造影检查 ,其中 6例硬化剂在曲张静脉内滞留时间超过 4 5min。两种方法控制活动性食管静脉曲张出血 (EVB)的止血成功率相同 (10 0 .0 % ) ;两组间静脉曲张消除率相似 (夹心法组 93.8% ,EVL组 90 .2 % ,P >0 .0 5 ) ,但夹心法组一次治疗后静脉曲张消除率明显高于EVL组 (6 6 .7%比10 .0 % ,P <0 .0 0 1) ,达到消除的平均治疗次数明显减少 (1.2± 0 .4比 3.8± 1.5 ,P <0 .0 1) ,所需时间显著缩短 [(13.1± 4 .3)d比 (42 .5± 16 .7)d ,P <0 .0 1];与EVL组相比 ,夹心法组再出血率较低 (8.3%比2 8.0 % ,P <0 .0 5 ) ,随访期内静脉曲张复发率明显下降 (8.3%比 4 4 .0 % ,P <0 .0 0 5 ) ;两组间并发症发生率相似 (夹心法组 1     

Intra-operative Total Enteroscopy for the Management of Peutz-Jegher's Syndrome

We present a case of Peutz-Jegher's syndrome in an 18 year old female who was followed for gastrointestinal polyps for 13 years from the age of 5 years. The patient was treated four times with surgical or endoscopic polypectomy for gastrointestinal polyps. At the age of 14 years, a combined surgical and endoscopic approach for the management of Peutz-Jegher's syndrome was carried out. A large polyp of the ileum required enterotomy for its removal, and another smaller polyp of the upper jejunum was identified and removed by intra-operative total enteroscopy via the anus. Intra-operative enteroscopy allows one to identify polyps that would previously have been missed. A more complete polypectomy can be performed using this technique, allowing the patient with Peutz-Jegher's syndrome a longer interval between laparotomies and a reduction in symptoms attributed to polyps.     

内镜治疗老年总胆管结石30例体会

目的：探讨内窥镜治疗老年总胆管结石的安全性和有效性。方法：对我院普外科收治的30例70岁以上的老年总胆管结石患者进行回顾性分析，所有患者均经B超或螺旋CT明确诊断并接受内镜治疗，治疗方法包括逆行胰胆管造影（endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography,ERCP)，鼻胆管引流（endoscopic nasobiliary drainage,ENBD)，乳头括肌切开（endoscopic shincterotomy,est)和取石术，碎石术，测定患者内镜治疗前后的生化指标变化。结果：30例老年总胆管结石患者行ERCP检查，成功率100％，28例行EST，总胆管结石直径＜1.0cm者成功率100％，结石直径1.0-1.5cm者成功率86％，结石直径≥1.5cm者需进行机械碎石取石，成功率75％；另有2例患者植入塑料支架作长期引流。1例患者发生与内镜有关的并发症，死亡例，30例患者治疗后各项生化指标较治疗前均有明显改善（P＜0．001）。结论：内镜治疗老年总胆管结石成功率增高，避免了手术创新，安全性好，缩短住院时间，是当前治疗老年总胆管结石的首选方法。