Pancreatic fistulae after pancreatic resections for neuroendocrine tumours compared with resections for other lesions

AbstractBackgroundResection for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (PNET) is suggested to be associated with an increased risk of a post-operative pancreatic fistula (POPF). The aim of this study was to describe morbidity after resections for PNET, focusing on POPF. Outcomes were compared with resections for other lesions.MethodsPatients undergoing an elective pancreatic resection during a 12-year period were retrospectively analysed. Morbidity was defined according to the International Study Group of Pancreatic Surgery (ISGPS) definitions.ResultsEighty-eight out of 832 patients (10.6%) underwent a resection for PNET. Atypical pancreatic resections (enucleation and central pancreatectomy) and distal pancreatectomies were more frequently performed for PNET. The POPF rate was 22.7% in patients operated for PNET compared with 17.2% in other patients (P = 0.200). In univariate analysis, body mass index (BMI), pancreatic duct diameter, somatostatin analogue administration, type of resection and type of pathology were associated with a POPF. In multivariate analysis, BMI, a pancreatic duct diameter <3 mm and central pancreatectomy remained independent risk factors [odds ratio (OR) 1.93, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.22–3.07 and OR 3.04, 95% CI 1.05–8.82, respectively].ConclusionsHigh rates of POPF were found in patients operated for PNET. However, this was mainly owing to the fact that atypical resections, known to be associated with a higher fistula rate, were performed more frequently in these patients

Diagnostic value of C-reactive protein to rule out infectious complications after major abdominal surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Purpose: Infectious complications occur frequently after major abdominal surgery and have a major influence on patient outcome and hospital costs. A marker that can rule out postoperative infectious complications (PICs) could aid patient selection for safe and early hospital discharge. C-reactive protein (CRP) is a widely available, fast, and cheap marker that might be of value in detecting PIC. Present meta-analysis evaluates the diagnostic value of CRP to rule out PIC following major abdominal surgery, aiding patient selection for early discharge. Methods: A systematic literature search of Medline, PubMed, and Cochrane was performed identifying all prospective studies evaluating the diagnostic value of CRP after abdominal surgery. Meta-analysis was performed according to the PRISMA statement. Results: Twenty-two studies were included for qualitative analysis of which 16 studies were eligible for meta-analysis, representing 2215 patients. Most studies analyzed the value of CRP in colorectal surgery (eight studies). The pooled negative predictive value (NPV) improved each day after surgery up to 90 % at postoperative day (POD) 3 for a pooled CRP cutoff of 159 mg/L (range 92–200). Maximum predictive values for PICs were reached on POD 5 for a pooled CRP cutoff of 114 mg/L (range 48–150): a pooled sensitivity of 86 % (95 % confidence interval (CI) 79–91 %), specificity of 86 % (95 % CI 75–92 %), and a positive predictive value of 64 % (95 % CI 49–77 %). The pooled sensitivity and specificity were significantly higher on POD 5 than on other PODs (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Infectious complications after major abdominal surgery are very unlikely in patients with a CRP below 159 mg/L on PO

External Validation of a Decision Tool To Guide Post-Operative Management of Patients with Secondary Peritonitis

Timely identification of patients in need of an intervention for abdominal sepsis after initial surgical management of secondary peritonitis is vital but complex. The aim of this study was to validate a decision tool for this purpose and to evaluate its potential to guide post-operative management. A prospective cohort study was conducted on consecutive adult patients undergoing surgery for secondary peritonitis in a single hospital. Assessments using the decision tool, based on one intra-operative and five post-operative variables, were performed on the second and third post-operative days and when the patients' clinical status deteriorated. Scores were compared with the clinical reference standard of persistent sepsis based on the clinical course or findings at imaging or surgery. Additionally, the potential of the decision tool to guide management in terms of diagnostic imaging in three previously defined score categories (low, intermediate, and high) was evaluated. A total of 161 assessments were performed in 69 patients. The majority of cases of secondary peritonitis (68%) were caused by perforation of the gastrointestinal tract. Post-operative persistent sepsis occurred in 28 patients. The discriminative capacity of the decision tool score was fair (area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic = 0.79). The incidence rate differed significantly between the three score categories (p  < 0.001). The negative predictive value of a decision tool score categorized as low probability was 89% (95% confidence interval [CI] 82-94) and 65% (95% CI 47-79) for an intermediate score. Diagnostic imaging was performed more frequently when there was an intermediate score than when the score was categorized as low (46% vs. 24%; p  < 0.001). In patients operated on for secondary peritonitis, the decision tool score predicts with fair accuracy whether persistent sepsis is presen

Anticoagulants for the prevention and treatment of catheter-related thrombosis in adults and children on parenteral nutrition: a systematic review and critical appraisal

Patients on parenteral nutrition require a central venous access and are at risk of catheter-related thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and vena cava syndrome. Parenteral nutrition guidelines suggest anticoagulation for the primary prevention of catheter-related thrombosis during long-term parenteral nutrition. We conducted a systematic review of the efficacy, safety and feasibility of anticoagulant use for preventing and treating catheter-related thrombosis during parenteral nutrition. We searched for interventional and observational studies on adults and children receiving systemic anticoagulants during either short- or long-term parenteral nutrition delivered via central venous access. Primary outcomes were: objectively-confirmed catheter-related thrombosis, pulmonary embolism and bleeding. Secondary outcomes were: heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, prevalence of anticoagulation, and quality of International Normalised Ratio management in vitamin K antagonist-treated patients. We identified 1,199 studies, of which 23 were included. Seven interventional studies of short-term parenteral nutrition (adult population, n=5) were classified as low-quality: in those, intravenous unfractionated heparin did not prevent catheter-related thrombosis if compared to saline. No interventional studies were conducted in patients on long-term parenteral nutrition. Observational data were sparse, rarely focusing on anticoagulation, and overall of low quality. The reported use of anticoagulants was between 22 and 66% in recent multicentre cohorts. The amount and quality of data in this area are very suboptimal: most studies are outdated and involved heterogeneous populations. Currently, there is insufficient evidence to allow conclusions to be reached regarding the efficacy and safety of anticoagulants in this settin

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the repair of potentially contaminated and contaminated abdominal wall defects

Repair of contaminated abdominal wall defects entails the dilemma of choosing between synthetic material, with its presumed risk of surgical site complications, and biologic material, a costly alternative with questionable durability. Thirty-two studies published between January 1990 and June 2015 on repair of (potentially) contaminated hernias with ≥25 patients were reviewed. Fifteen studies solely described hernia repair with biologic mesh, 6 nonabsorbable synthetic meshes, and 11 described various techniques. Surgical site complications and hernia recurrence rates were evaluated per degree of contamination and mesh type by calculating pooled proportions. Analysis showed no benefit of biologic over synthetic mesh for repair of potentially contaminated hernias with comparable surgical site complication rates and a hernia recurrence rate of 9% for biologic and 9% for synthetic repair. Biologic mesh repair of contaminated defects showed considerable higher rates of surgical site complications and a hernia recurrence rate of 30%. As only 1 study on synthetic repair of contaminated hernias was available, surgical decision making in the approach of contaminated abdominal wall defects is hampere

Diagnostic value of C-reactive protein to rule out infectious complications after major abdominal surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Infectious complications occur frequently after major abdominal surgery and have a major influence on patient outcome and hospital costs. A marker that can rule out postoperative infectious complications (PICs) could aid patient selection for safe and early hospital discharge. C-reactive protein (CRP) is a widely available, fast, and cheap marker that might be of value in detecting PIC. Present meta-analysis evaluates the diagnostic value of CRP to rule out PIC following major abdominal surgery, aiding patient selection for early discharge. A systematic literature search of Medline, PubMed, and Cochrane was performed identifying all prospective studies evaluating the diagnostic value of CRP after abdominal surgery. Meta-analysis was performed according to the PRISMA statement. Twenty-two studies were included for qualitative analysis of which 16 studies were eligible for meta-analysis, representing 2215 patients. Most studies analyzed the value of CRP in colorectal surgery (eight studies). The pooled negative predictive value (NPV) improved each day after surgery up to 90% at postoperative day (POD) 3 for a pooled CRP cutoff of 159 mg/L (range 92-200). Maximum predictive values for PICs were reached on POD 5 for a pooled CRP cutoff of 114 mg/L (range 48-150): a pooled sensitivity of 86% (95% confidence interval (CI) 79-91%), specificity of 86% (95% CI 75-92%), and a positive predictive value of 64% (95% CI 49-77%). The pooled sensitivity and specificity were significantly higher on POD 5 than on other PODs (p  < 0.001). Infectious complications after major abdominal surgery are very unlikely in patients with a CRP below 159 mg/L on POD 3. This can aid patient selection for safe and early hospital discharge and prevent overuse of imagin

Association of preoperative symptoms of gastric outlet obstruction with delayed gastric emptying after pancreatoduodenectomy

Delayed gastric emptying (DGE) is among the most common complications after pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) and might demand postoperative nutritional support. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between preoperative symptoms of gastric outlet obstruction and DGE after PD in an attempt to identify patients in whom placement of a feeding tube at time of operation might be beneficial. We analyzed a consecutive series of 401 patients undergoing PD from a prospective database. Preoperative symptoms of nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, weight loss, postprandial complaints, and dysphagia were retrospectively determined. Primary outcome was clinically relevant DGE according to the International Study Group of Pancreatic Surgery classification and the necessity of postoperative insertion of a nasojejunal feeding tube. The incidence of clinically relevant DGE was 33.2% (133/401 patients). A nasojejunal feeding tube was inserted in 119 patients (29.7%). Patients having ≥2 symptoms of gastric outlet obstruction except weight loss (50 patients; 12.5%), were at a greater risk of developing both DGE (21.1% vs 8.2%; P < .001) and the need for insertion of a feeding tube (21.8% vs 8.5%; P < .001). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, the presence of ≥2 symptoms of gastric outlet obstruction other than weight loss remained a significant predictor of DGE (odds ratio [OR], 3.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7-5.8) and the need for insertion of a nasojejunal feeding tube (OR, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.7-5.7). The preoperative presence of ≥2 symptoms of gastric outlet obstruction is a significant predictor of postoperative DGE after PD. By applying this risk factor, patients in whom placement of a feeding tube during surgery should be considered can be identifie

Immediate Closure of Abdominal Cavity with Biologic Mesh versus Temporary Abdominal Closure of Open Abdomen in Non-Trauma Emergency Patients (CLOSE-UP Study)

Background: In more than 10% of emergency laparotomies in non-trauma patients, primary fascial closure is not achievable because of excessive visceral edema, which leaves the patient with an open abdomen (OA). An OA harbors an inherent high risk of serious complications, and temporary closure devices are used to achieve delayed fascial closure. A potential new strategy in preventing OA is immediate closure during the emergency procedure with a non-crosslinked biologic mesh. Methods: This is a prospective comparative cohort feasibility study in 13 teaching hospitals in the Netherlands. Non-trauma patients who underwent emergency laparotomy in which regular sutured primary fascial closure was not achievable because of excessive intra-abdominal edema were eligible. In one cohort, Biomesh (n = 20), the abdominal cavity was immediately closed at the emergency laparotomy with a non-crosslinked biologic mesh. In a parallel cohort, Control (n = 20), the resulting OA was managed by temporary abdominal closure (TAC; inlay polyglactin [Vicryl™] mesh [n = 7]) or commercial (ABTheraTM) abdominal negative pressure therapy device (n = 13)). The primary end point was the proportion of closed abdominal cavities at 90 days. Results: At 90 days, 65% (13/20) of the abdominal cavities were closed in the Biomesh cohort versus 45% (9/20) in Controls (p = 0.204). In the Biomesh cohort, seven of 20 (35%) patients had at least one major complication versus 15 of 20 (75%) patients in the Control cohort (p = 0.011). Both the median number of intensive care unit (ICU) and mechanical ventilation days were significantly lower in the Biomesh cohort; one versus 10 (p = 0.002) and 0 versus four (p = 0.003) days, respectively. The number of abdominal reoperations was significantly lower in the Biomesh cohort (median 0 vs. two, p < 0.001; total number five vs. 44). Conclusions: If primary fascial closure cannot be achieved at the emergency laparotomy in non-trauma patients, immediate abdominal closure by use of a non-crosslinked biologic mesh prevents OA management. This results in a non-significant higher proportion of closed abdominal cavities at 90 days compared with OA management with TAC techniques, and in a significant reduction of major complications and reoperations, and a shorter ICU stay

A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Timing and Outcome of Intestinal Failure Surgery in Patients with Enteric Fistula

The timing of intestinal failure (IF) surgery has changed. Most specialized centers now recommend postponing reconstructive surgery for enteric fistula and emphasize that abdominal sepsis has to be resolved and the patient's condition improved. Our aim was to study the outcome of postponed surgery, to identify risk factors for recurrence and mortality, and to define more precisely the optimal timing of reconstructive surgery. PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were systematically reviewed on the outcomes of reconstructive IF surgery (fistula recurrence, mortality, morbidity, hernia recurrence, total closure, enteral autonomy). If appropriate, meta-analyses were performed. Optimal timing was explored, and risk factors for recurrence and mortality were identified. Fifteen studies were included. The weighted pooled fistula recurrence rate was 19% (95% CI 15-24). Lower recurrence rates were found in studies with a longer median time and/or, at the minimum of the range, a longer time interval to surgery. Overall mortality was 3% (95% CI 2-5). Total fistula closure rates ranged from 80 to 97%. Enteral autonomy after reconstructive surgery, mentioned in four studies, varied between 79 and 100%. Postponed IF surgery for enteric fistula is associated with lower recurrence. Due to the wide range of time to definitive surgery within each study, optimal timing of surgery could not be defined from published dat