Hind Right Approach Pancreaticoduodenectomy: From Skill to Indications

Background. Pancreaticoduodenectomy is the potentially curative treatment for malignant and several benign conditions of the pancreatic head and periampullary region. While performing pancreaticoduodenectomy, early neck division may be impossible or inadequate in case of hepatic artery anatomic variants, suspected involvement of the superior mesenteric vessels, intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm, and pancreatic head bleeding pseudoaneurysm. Our work aims to highlight a particular hind right approach pancreaticoduodenectomy in selected indications and assess the preliminary results. Methods. We describe our early hind right approach to the retropancreatic vasculature during pancreaticoduodenectomy by mesopancreas dissection before any pancreatic or digestive transection. Results. We used this approach in 52 patients. Thirty-two had hepatic artery anatomic variant and 2 had bleeding pancreatic head pseudoaneurysm. The hepatic artery variant was preserved in all cases out of 2 in which arterial reconstruction was performed. In nine patients with intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms the pancreaticoduodenectomy was extended to the body in 6 and totalized in 3 patients. Seven patients with adenocarcinoma involving the portomesenteric axis required venous resection and reconstruction. Conclusions. Early hind right approach is advocated in selected cases of pancreaticoduodenectomy to improve locoregional vascular control and determine, safely and early, whether there is mesopancreas involvement

The switch from patented medicine to the generic one: an option or a necessity?

This paper assesses the influence of a number of factors taken into account when a brand name drug is replaced by a generic one. It also evaluates responses of health professionals – physicians and pharmacist—and patients regarding the issue of switching. We compared and contrasted their responses in order to identify new points of cooperation for the intended benefit of the patient. Thus, the sample drew from all three groups, consisting of 50 doctors, 50 pharmacists, and 50 patients. We collected information regarding the age, residence, income level, and education level for the patients, and age and experience for the specialists. Based on responses to the survey, replacing the original medication with a generic one raises many issues, such as lack of information for the patient and specialist, lack of collaboration between physician and pharmacist, ineffective communication between specialist and patient, and the influence of the overall profit motive

Abdominal-pelvic pain in female patients with endometriosis - a review of the literature

Abdominal-pelvic pain is the dominant symptom in endometriosis, one of the most common pathologies that affect women, being also a multifactorial disorder. Exploratory laparoscopy allows the correct assessment of the location as well as severity and extent of the lesions, thus representing the current gold standard in diagnosis. The correlation of pain intensity with the evolutionary stage of endometriosis is inconstant. Surgical treatment, preferably performed laparoscopically, includes the excision of the ectopic endometrium, having as a primary objective the control of persistent pain and the removal of all endometriotic foci. This procedure helps to improve the life quality of the patient, to reduce relapses, to control postoperative pain, and to eliminate the disease. Pre- and post-operative adjuvant medical treatment is used due to its effects on the symptomatology, prolonging the asymptomatic period of the disease. Despite the use of the above procedures, there are cases in which the abdominal-pelvic pain persists even after surgery, which makes endometriosis a significant challenge for both the specialist and the patient, as well as for the medical system itself, as the study of the pathogenic mechanisms is yet the subject of numerous studies. Nutritional education in these patients is essential, given the recommendation to restrict the range of foods and to increase other foods that have an important role in reducing the risk or even leading to regression of the endometrial pathology

Timing of Revascularization and Parenteral Antibiotic Treatment Associated with Therapeutic Failures in Ischemic Diabetic Foot Infections

For ischemic diabetic foot infections (DFIs), revascularization ideally occurs before surgery, while a parenteral antibiotic treatment could be more efficacious than oral agents. In our tertiary center, we investigated the effects of the sequence between revascularization and surgery (emphasizing the perioperative period of 2 weeks before and after surgery), and the influence of administering parenteral antibiotic therapy on the outcomes of DFIs. Among 838 ischemic DFIs with moderate-to-severe symptomatic peripheral arterial disease, we revascularized 608 (72%; 562 angioplasties, 62 vascular surgeries) and surgically debrided all. The median length of postsurgical antibiotic therapy was 21 days (given parenterally for the initial 7 days). The median time delay between revascularization and debridement surgery was 7 days. During the long-term follow-up, treatment failed and required reoperation in 182 DFI episodes (30%). By multivariate Cox regression analyses, neither a delay between surgery and angioplasty (hazard ratio 1.0, 95% confidence interval 1.0-1.0), nor the postsurgical sequence of angioplasty (HR 0.9, 95% CI 0.5-1.8), nor long-duration parenteral antibiotic therapy (HR 1.0, 95% CI 0.9-1.1) prevented failures. Our results might indicate the feasibility of a more practical approach to ischemic DFIs in terms of timing of vascularization and more oral antibiotic use

Our initial experience with ventriculo-epiplooic shunt in treatment of hydrocephalus in two centers

Introduction Hydrocephalus represents impairment in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dynamics. If the treatment of hydrocephalus is considered difficult, the repeated revisions of ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) shunts are even more challenging. Objective The aim of this article is to evaluate the efficiency of ventriculo-epiplooic (VEp) shunt as a feasible alternative in hydrocephalic patients. Material and methods A technical modification regarding the insertion of peritoneal catheter was imagined: midline laparotomy 8–10cm long was performed in order to open the peritoneal cavity; the great omentum was dissected between its two layers; we placed the distal end of the catheter between the two epiplooic layers; a fenestration of 4cm in diameter into the visceral layer was also performed. A retrospective study of medical records of 15 consecutive patients with hydrocephalus treated with VEp shunt is also presented. Results Between 2008 and 2014 we performed VEp shunt in 15 patients: 5 with congenital hydrocephalus, 8 with secondary hydrocephalus and 2 with normal pressure hydrocephalus. There were 7 men and 8 women. VEp shunt was performed in 13 patients with multiple distal shunt failures and in 2 patients, with history of abdominal surgery, as de novo extracranial drainage procedure. The outcome was favorable in all cases, with no significant postoperative complications. Conclusions VEp shunt is a new, safe and efficient surgical technique for the treatment of hydrocephalus. VEp shunt is indicated in patients with history of recurrent distal shunt failures, and in patients with history of open abdominal surgery and high risk for developing abdominal complications

Clinical outcomes of a balloon-expandable stent for symptomatic obstructions of the subclavian or innominate arteries

Background: Upper-extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD) may present with a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms. If an endovascular treatment is planned, percutaneous angioplasty and stent placement may lead to a better patency compared to percutaneous angioplasty alone. We assessed the characteristics and clinical course of patients with upper-extremity PAD who received angioplasty and a balloon-expandable stent. Patients and methods: We analyzed data from consecutive patients treated with angioplasty and placement of a balloon-expandable BeSmooth Peripheral Stent System$^{®}$ (Bentley, Germany) at the Angiology Department (University Hospital Zurich) between 2018 and 2022. The primary outcome was re-intervention at the target lesion within 6 months from index angioplasty and during available follow-up. The study was approved by the local ethical commission. Results: A total of 27 patients were treated. The median age was 70 (Q1-Q3: 60-74) years and 59% were men. The subclavian artery (74%) represented the most frequently treated target lesion, followed by the innominate artery (26%). The mean improvement in blood pressure in the treated arm was 21 (95%CI 7 to 35) mmHg at 24 hours and 29 (95%CI 15 to 43) mmHg at 6 months. At 6 months, 2 (8%) patients required a target lesion re-intervention. During the remaining follow-up period up to 24 months, one of these two patients required additional intervention and a total of 3 (11%) patients died due to sepsis, cancer, and unknown causes, respectively. Conclusions: Percutaneous catheter-based treatment with a balloon-expandable stent for symptomatic upper extremity PAD appeared to be effective and safe

Incisional hernias – results of present therapy options

Sp. Sf. Pantelimon, București, Al XI-lea Congres al Asociației Chirurgilor „Nicolae Anestiadi” din Republica Moldova și cea de-a XXXIII-a Reuniune a Chirurgilor din Moldova „Iacomi-Răzeșu” 27-30 septembrie 2011Introducere: Hernia incizională este cea mai frecventă complicație după operațiile abdominale. Este dificil de estimat exact costul acestei patologii pentru societate. Dacă adăugam la costul intervenției chirurgicale și costul spitalizării, dificultățile operațiilor de recidivă multiplă, costul protezelor, morbiditățile pacienților neoperați, afectarea capacității de muncă și a calității vieții, vom avea magnitudinea problemei dezvoltate de această complicație redutabilă a tuturor intervențiilor chirurgicale. Material și metodă: Am analizat rezultatele mai multor studii de prestigiu ale unor colective românești și internaționale în domeniul herniilor incizionale. Rezultate: Din nefericire rezultatele globale ale tratamentului în hernia incizională oscilează între 12-63% pentru procedeele tisulare și între 2-36% pentru procedeele allopalstice. Abordul chirurgical este cel mai adesea bazat pe traditie si pe liberul arbitru, decat pe evidențe statistice sau ghiduri de tratament. Nu este deloc surprinzător faptul că, în ciuda noilor cuceriri în domeniul defectelor parietale și a folosirii explozive a protezelor, rata de re-operații pentru recidiva incizională se situează la același nivel. Concluzii: Componența operatorie ca unică etiologie în hernia incizională este supraestimată. Datorită faptului că și alți factori etiologici, cunoscuți sau nu, concura la apariția herniei incizionale și la re-recidivă, și datorită faptului că acești “factori” nu sunt deocamdată influențabili de tratamentul medical nu ne rămțne decât să analizăm lucid și responsabil factorii chirurg-dependenți. Greselile de tactică/tehnică chirurgicală trebuie evidențiate, explicate, și înlăturate. Soluția nu este o abordare pur tehnică, ci una fiziologică, în termeni de elasticitate, complianța și rezistența a întregului perete abdominal, deseori modificat profund de marile defecte incizionale.Introduction: incisional hernia is the most common complication after abdominal surgery. It is difficult to estimate the exact cost to society of this pathology. If we add to the cost of surgery and hospitalization costs, the difficulties of relapse multiple operations, the cost of prostheses, unoperated patient morbidity, impaired work capacity and quality of life, the magnitude of the problem we have developed this redoubtable complication of all surgical procedures. Methods: We analyzed the results of several studies of prestigious romanian and international collectives about incisional hernias. Results: Unfortunately, the overall results of treatment in incisional hernia procedures vary between 12-63% for tissular procedures and between 2-36% for allopalstic procedures. Surgical approach is most often based on tradition and the free will, rather than obvious statistical treatment guidelines. Not surprisingly, despite the new advancements in the field of herniology and the use of new parietal prosthesis, the rate of re-operations for recurrent incisional fall at the same level. Conclusions: Surgery as the only component in etiology of incisional hernias is overestimated. Due to the fact that other etiological factors, known or not compete in the emergence and re-incision hernia recurrence, and because these “factors” are not influenced by medical treatment for now, we are just lucid and analyze the factors responsible - surgeon dependent. Mistakes tactics/surgical technique must be highlighted, explained and removed. The solution is not a purely technical approach, but a physiological, in terms of elasticity, compliance and resistance of the entire abdominal wall

Clinical outcomes of ultrasound-assisted coagulation monitoring-adjusted catheter-directed thrombolysis for acute pulmonary embolism

BACKGROUND Ultrasound-assisted catheter-directed thrombolysis (USAT) may reverse right ventricular dysfunction due to acute pulmonary embolism (PE) with a favorable safety profile. METHODS We studied intermediate-high- and high-risk acute PE patients who underwent USAT at the University Hospital Zurich, 2018-2022. The USAT regimen included alteplase 10 mg per catheter over 15 h, therapeutic-dosed heparin, and dosage adaptations based on routinely monitored coagulation parameters, notably anti-factor Xa activity and fibrinogen. We focused on the mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) and the National Early Warning Score (NEWS) before and after USAT, and reported the incidence of hemodynamic decompensation, PE recurrence, major bleeding, and death over 30 days. RESULTS We included 161 patients: 96 (59.6 %) were men and the mean age was 67.8 (SD 14.6) years. Mean PAP decreased from a mean of 35.6 (SD 9.8) to 25.6 (SD 8.2) mmHg, whereas the NEWS decreased from a median of 5 (Q1-Q3 4-6) to 3 (Q1-Q3 2-4) points. No cases of hemodynamic decompensation occurred. One (0.6 %) patient had an episode of recurrent PE. Two (1.2 %) major bleeding events occurred, including one (0.6 %) intracranial, fatal hemorrhage in a patient with high-risk PE, severe heparin overdosing, and a recent head trauma (with negative CT scan of the brain performed at baseline). No other deaths occurred. CONCLUSIONS USAT resulted in a rapid improvement of hemodynamic parameters among patients with intermediate-high risk acute PE and selected ones with high-risk acute PE, without any recorded deaths related to PE itself. A strategy including USAT, therapeutic-dosed heparin, and routinely monitored coagulation parameters may partly explain the overall very low rate of major bleeding