Laparoscopic treatment of cholelithiasis in cirrhotic patients Experiencia en el tratamiento laparoscópico de la colelitiasis del cirrótico

Objective: to assess the safety and efficacy of laparoscopy in the treatment of symptomatic cholelithiasis in patients with Child&acute;s Class A and Class B cirrhosis. Study design: descriptive and retrospective study. Patients: we studied 14 patients (mean age 60 yrs) with Child&acute;s Class A and Class B hepatic cirrhosis who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. We analyzed the occurrence of intraoperative and postoperative complications. Results: eight patients were women (57.14%) and 6 were men (42.85%). Eight of the 14 patients presented with Child's Class B cirrhosis and 6 patients with Class A. Cholecystectomy was programmed for all patients. The average duration of surgery was 77 min. Intraoperative complications occurred in 2 patients (14.28%) in the form of liver bed bleeding. Postoperative complications were observed in 3 patients (21.42%), 2 presented with ascites which led to a worsening of Child's Class in one of them, and the third patient presented with angina-like symptoms (acute, sharp pain in the chest irradiating to the back). Mean length of hospital stay was 3 days. No postoperative morbidity or mortality occurred, and there were no conversions. Conclusions: LC (laparoscopic cholecystectomy) is a safe and effective alternative for the treatment of symptomatic cholelithiasis in patients with well-compensated Child's Class A and Class B cirrhosis. Postoperative morbi-mortality is low, bleeding is unimportant, and both duration of surgical procedure and hospital stay are short.<br>Objetivo: evaluar la seguridad y eficacia del uso de la laparoscopia en pacientes cirróticos en estadio A y B de Child-Pugh con colelitiasis sintomática. Diseño del estudio: estudio descriptivo, retrospectivo. Pacientes: catorce pacientes con una edad media de 60 años diagnosticados de cirrosis hepática en estadios A y B que se les practicó colecistectomía laparoscópica. Se estudia la aparición de complicaciones intraoperatorias y postoperatorias tras la intervención Resultados: ocho (57,14%) casos eran mujeres y 6 ( 42,85%) varones. De los 14 pacientes, 8 presentaban un estadio Child-Pugh B y 6 un Child-Pugh A. Todos los pacientes se intervienen de colelitiasis de forma programada. El tiempo operatorio medio fue de 77 min. Dos (14,28%) de los pacientes presentaron complicaciones intraoperatorias, sangrado del lecho quirúrgico. Tres (21,42%) pacientes presentaron complicaciones postoperatorias: dos (14,28%) presentaron ascitis con empeoramiento del Child-Pugh en uno de ellos y el otro presentó un cuadro anginoso. La estancia media de estos pacientes es de 3 días. No hubo ninguna muerte tras la intervención y no hubo ninguna reconversión. Conclusiones: la CL es una alternativa segura y efectiva en el tratamiento de colelitiasis sintomáticas en pacientes con cirrosis en estadio A y B compensada. Ofrece una baja morbimortalidad postoperatoria con una escasa pérdida de sangre, un tiempo operatorio corto y una reducida estancia hospitalaria

Surgical pathology associated with Meckel's diverticulum in a tertiary hospital: 12 year review Patología quirúrgica asociada a divertículo de Meckel en un hospital de tercer nivel: Revisión de 12 años

Objective: we want to present our experience about surgical pathology of Meckel's diverticulum by means of a retrospective study. Material and methods: we report a group of patients of our Department of General and Abdominal Surgery and Paediatric Surgery of our Hospital with Meckel's diverticulum since January 1997 to January 2010. We report the clinical presentation, complementary test, interventions, and the postoperative follow up. Results: 45 patients were operated in total, 33 of them in emergency surgery under the clinical form of acute abdominal pain; and the others 12 in programmed surgery, these cases came up more frequently like a clinical manifestations of latent abdominal pain, rectal bleeding and anaemia. The complementary tests were so varied; abdominal ultrasounds were used in 63% of emergency cases and the 40% of programmed cases, in these patients, gammagraphy with Tc99 was the second test in frequency. Laparoscopy was used in 10 cases (22%). The main surgery technique used was diverticulectomy (82%). Conclusions: the presence of Meckel's diverticulum has to be clinically suspected in all patients with abdominal pain of unknown aetiology. Access to the abdominal cavity using routine laparoscopy provides essential information on the diagnosis and for the treatment.Objetivo: presentar nuestra experiencia en la patología quirúrgica del divertículo de Meckel mediante un estudio retrospectivo. Material y métodos: presentamos una serie de casos de pacientes afectos de divertículo de Meckel, en los Servicios de Cirugía General y del Aparato Digestivo y de Cirugía Pediátrica del Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, en un periodo de tiempo comprendido entre enero de 1997 y enero de 2010. En la serie se recoge la tipología de paciente, la clínica de debut, las pruebas complementarias y el tipo de intervención realizada, así como el tiempo de seguimiento postoperatorio. Resultados: se intervinieron un total de 45 pacientes, 33 de forma urgente, bajo la forma de abdomen agudo, y 12 de ellos programada, estos casos se presentaron como un cuadro de dolor abdominal más larvado, acompañado a veces de anemia ferropénica, con rectorragia manifiesta o no. Las pruebas complementarias fueron muy variadas, la más utilizada, la ecografía abdominal, realizada en el 63% de los casos urgentes y en el 40% de los programados, en estos últimos cabe destacar también el empleo de la gammagrafía con Tc99. Se utilizó el abordaje laparoscópico en 10 casos (22% del total). La técnica quirúrgica mayoritaria consistió en diverticulectomía y enterorrafia (82% de los casos). Conclusiones: la sospecha clínica de divertículo de Meckel debe estar presente en todo paciente con dolor abdominal de etiología desconocida. Consideramos que el acceso por vía laparoscópica a la cavidad abdominal contribuye al diagnóstico y tratamiento de esta enfermedad

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the treatment of biliary lithiasis: outpatient surgery or short stay unit?

Objective: analysis of clinical and surgical factors in a series of patients subjected to laparoscopic cholecystectomy in an outpatient unit and their relationship with time of discharge and patient acceptance. Patients and method: eighty one consecutive patients underwent to elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy during year 2002 within S.A.S. (Andalusian Health Service) from a surgical waiting list. Retrospective and comparative study between two groups: group A includes patients discharged between 24 and 48 hours after intervention; group B includes patients discharged in less than 24 hours. We analyse the clinical and surgical characteristics and post-operative outcome of both groups of patients. Results: group A was composed of 53 patients and group B of 28 patients. Factors of clinical significance which determined discharge after 24 hours included: early post-surgical incidences or complications (p = 0.017), inability to tolerate oral diet (p = 0.002), and doubts and feelings insecurity of patients regarding discharge by traditional means 62.3% (p = 0.0003). Conclusions: outpatient laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a safe and reliable procedure with a high acceptance rate and few complications. Perhaps traditional culture has to be changed to obtain better results