Gastro-Gastric Fistulas and Marginal Ulcers in Gastric Bypass Procedures for Weight Reduction

Background: Gastro-gastric fistulas and marginal ulcers are frequent and serious complications of gastric compartmentalization procedures for obesity. Methods: The authors analyzed 810 patients after 911 operations for gastro-gastric fistulas and marginal ulcers over an 8-year period. All patients underwent a form of gastric bypass, in which a pouch is constructed along the lesser curvature of the stomach. The outlet of the pouch was restricted with a prosthetic band. In the first 189 patients (Group I), the pouch and stomach were stapled in continuity or partially divided. In the next 222 patients (Group II), segments were stapled and separated by transection. In the remaining 492 cases (Group III), in addition to transection of the stomach, a limb of jejunum was interposed between the pouch and excluded stomach. Stapled anastomoses were done in Group I and II patients and a portion of Group III patients. The remaining patients underwent hand-sewn anastomosis. Results: Gastro-gastric fistulas occurred in 49% of the patients in Group I, 2.6% of those in Group II, and 0% of those in Group III. In stapled anastomosis, the incidence of marginal ulceration in Groups I, II, and III were 8.5%, 5.4%, and 5.1%, respectively. In a subset of Group III patients, in whom a two-layer, hand-sewn anastomosis was done, the incidence was 1.6% when the outer layer was not absorbable and 0% when both layers were absorbable. Conclusions: Gastro-gastric fistulas and marginal ulcerations are likely the result of breakdown of the mucosa resulting from migrating staples and other foreign material. Lack of integrity of the gastric lining facilitates the action of the gastric digestive process. Transection of gastric segments with interposition of jejunum prevents gastro-gastric fistula formation. An intact serosa appears to block the digestion of bowel wall by gastric enzymes. Our early data suggest that the use of absorbable sutures at the gastrojejunostomy significantly decreases the incidence of marginal ulceration.     

Effects of computer-assisted documentation in orthopedic surgery on budget and reimbursement

Summary Since 1995 German health maintenance laws require hospitals to document and code all referals, admissions and discharges using the 4-digit ICD. Operative procedures are documented and coded using the ICPM. Beginning in January 1996, reimbursement for health services requires a diagnosis-related billing and payment for special procedures. The decision for billing is based on documented diagnosis and therapy. This extended request for documentation makes an online access to diagnosis and therapy with a computer-assisted coding system advisable. In 1996 in our hospital each diagnosis and operation was manually documented and coded on a form. Since the beginning of 1997, documentation and coding has been exclusively computer-assisted. On the basis of documented diagnosis and therapy the computer provides the route of reimbursement. Retrospectively we evaluated the number of charged diagnosis-related billings and payments for special procedures from January to April of 1996 and 1997. It became evident that with computer-assisted documentation and coding the number of detected and charged diagnosis-related billings and payments for special procedures was significantly increased in comparison with the previous year.      

Invasive diagnosis and therapy—are they still reasonable in the age of sildenafil?

Diagnosis of erectile dysfunction is important because sildenafil may not be the proper therapy for patients with underlying major diseases such as coronary sclerosis, arteriosclerosis of the stroke vessels, depression, etc., where erectile dysfunction is just a symptom of the disease.     

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous laser ablation of liver tissue in a rabbit model

The present report evaluates the efficacy and safety of percutaneous interstitial laser tissue ablation of the liver in nine New Zealand rabbits. A Nd: YAG laser was coupled to a quartz fibreoptic guide (600 m) with a flat tip. The fibre and a thermocouple were placed in the lumen of two Chiba needles (18G) and these were inserted into the liver 10 mm apart under ultrasound guidance. The laser was fired for 5 min at 1, 3 and 5 W power, respectively, in three groups of rabbits. There were no acute complications and all the rabbits except one survived until the established time of sacrifice. The procedure induced a cavity surrounded by a zone (about 10 mm) of coagulative necrosis. After 2 weeks a strong peripheral inflammatory response was evident and after 4 weeks a capsule of connective tissue enclosed the lesions. Our study seems to offer a safe and rapid technique producing a guaranteed kill radius for the treatment of small hepatic neoplasms. Correspondence to: C. M. Pacella     

Surgical management of recurring or metastatic thyroid cancer

The surgical oncologist is sometimes confronted with a patient who was surgically treated for cancer of the thyroid gland and now has recurrent disease. In most instances, additional surgical treatment is indicated. The magnitude of surgery is primarily determined by the amount of tissue removed at the original operation. Surgery for recurrent disease may include completion of total thyroidectomy with dissection of lymphatic tissues in the thyroid compartment or/and neck dissection, preferably modified. Several clinical situations are outlined and discussed.     

开放性氩氦靶向冷冻治疗脑胶质瘤

目的 探索氩氮靶向冷冻治疗系统(氩氮刀)在脑胶质瘤治疗中的应用价值。方法 开颅后，根据MRI及CT设计冷冻范围，应用氩氮刀冷冻-复温-冷冻后切除胶质瘤，并取冷冻前后标本送病理检查。结果 8例Ⅱ～Ⅳ级胶质瘤患者肿瘤均达到全切，术中出血少，术后短期未见副作用及神经功能缺失。冷冻前后病理切片对比：与冷冻前对比，冷冻后标本在普通显微镜下见有明显出血灶；透射电镜下可见几乎所有细胞核膜肿胀，核形状不规则，染色质凝结为粗颗粒状，明显边聚，线粒体明显肿胀，部分破裂崩解。结论氩氮靶向冷冻治疗系统治疗脑胶质瘤具有能直接摧毁肿胀细胞、手术安全、出血少、全切率高的优点。     

Particle release in extracorporeal low-density lipoprotein lowering therapies

Release of microparticles into the blood during extracorporeal circulation must be kept low because of possibly serious acute and chronic adverse effects. Concentration and size distribution of microparticles were measured during simulated treatments (n = 7) on original equipment for 2 standard low-density lipoprotein (LDL) elimination procedures (DALI 750, Fresenius AG, St. Wendel, Germany and Liposorber, Kaneka Corporation, Osaka, Japan) and compared to hemofiltration solutions. For both systems as well as in hemofiltration solutions, the mean particle concentrations in 500 ml portions gathered from the efferent blood line stayed below 10% of pharmacopoeia standards for infusion solutions (United States Pharmacopoeia, European Pharmacopoeia) in all measured size classes. Although particle concentrations were comparable in all systems, the mean total number of particles > or =2 microm released per session was lowest in the DALI (167,000) compared to the Liposorber (465,000) and hemofiltration solutions (2,240,000). This was mainly due to different total processed blood volumes necessary to achieve the required LDL reduction.     

心外管道全腔肺动脉吻合术的临床应用

目的 评价心外管道全腔肺动脉吻合术的临床应用价值。方法 １９９８年６月～１９９９年８月,１０例先天性心脏复杂畸形的患者接受了心外管道全腔肺动脉吻合术。包括单心室８例,均伴有完全性大动脉转位;右心室发育不良２例。均在全麻低温体外循环下手术。结果 患者全部治愈出院。术后随访６～１８个月,无晚期死亡。所有患者症状消失,无静脉压明显升高现象,超声检查显示心外管道血流通畅,无血栓形成;心电图检查显示无严重心