Acute Calculous Cholecystitis: What is new in diagnosis and therapy?

The management of patients with acute calculous cholecystitis has changed during recent years. The etiology of acute cholecystitis is still not fully understood. Infection of bile is relatively unimportant since bile and gallbladder wall cultures are sterile in many patients with acute cholecystitis. Ultrasonography is first choice for diagnosis of acute cholecystitis and cholescintigraphy is second best. Percutaneous puncture of the gallbladder that can be used for therapeutic drainage has also diagnostic qualities. Early cholecystectomy under antibiotic prophylaxis is the treatment of choice, and has been shown to be superior to delayed surgery in several prospective trials. Mortality can be as low as 0.5% in patients younger than 70–80 years of age, but a high mortality has been reported in octogenerians. Selective intraoperative cholangiography is now generally accepted and no advantage of routine cholangiography was shown in clinical trials. Percutaneous cholecystostomy can be successfully performed under ultrasound guidance and has a place in the treatment of severely ill patients with acute cholecystitis. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be done safely in patients with acute cholecystitis, but extensive experience with this technique is necessary. Endoscopic retrograde drainage of the gallbladder by introduction of a catheter in the cystic duct is feasible but data are still scarce

Registration of surgical adverse outcomes: a reliability study in a university hospital

Objective: Accurate registration of adverse surgical outcomes is essential to detect areas for improvement of surgical care quality. One reason for inaccurate adverse outcome registration may be the method to collect these outcomes. The authors compared the completeness of the national complication registry database (LHCR) as used in our hospital with relevant information from other available resources

Staging Laparoscopy for Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma: Is it Still Worthwhile?

This study was designed to evaluate the benefit of staging laparoscopy (SL) in patients with suspected hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCCA) during the past 10 years. Only 50-60% of patients with HCCA who undergo laparotomy are ultimately amenable to a potentially curative resection. In a previous study, we recommended routine use of SL to prevent unnecessary laparotomies. The accuracy of imaging techniques, however, has significantly improved during the past decade, which is likely to impact the yield and accuracy of SL. From 2000 to 2010, 195 patients with suspected HCCA were analyzed. The yield and accuracy of SL were calculated by dividing total number of avoided laparotomies by the total number of laparoscopies or by all patients with unresectable disease, respectively. Factors associated with better yield and accuracy were assessed. Of 195 patients with HCCA, 175 underwent SL. The yield of SL was 14% and the accuracy was 32%. Operative morbidity of SL was 3%, and operative morbidity of laparotomy for unresectable disease was 33%. No clear factors that influenced the yield of SL were found. Overall yield and accuracy of SL for HCCA in the present series decreased to 14% and 32%, respectively, compared with earlier reports. This finding is likely the result of improved imaging techniques that evolved during the past decade. The place of SL in the workup of patients with HCCA needs to be reconsidered, and one should decide whether the declining additional value of SL still outweighs the drawbacks of S

Intraoperative fluid restriction in pancreatic surgery : a double blinded randomised controlled trial

Background : Perioperative fluid restriction in a variety of operations has shown improvement of: complications, recovery of gastrointestinal function and length of stay (LOS). We investigated effects of crystalloid fluid restriction in pancreatic surgery. Our hypothesis: enhanced recovery of gastrointestinal function. Methods : In this double-blinded randomized trial, patients scheduled to undergo pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) were randomized: standard (S: 10ml/kg/hr) or restricted (R:5ml/kg/hr) fluid protocols. Primary endpoint: gastric emptying scintigraphically assessed on postoperative day 7. Results : In 66 randomized patients, complications and 6-year survival were analyzed. 54 patients were analyzed in intention to treat: 24 S-group and 30 R-group. 32 patients actually underwent a PD and 16 patients had a palliative gastrojejunostomy bypass operation in the full protocol analysis. The median gastric emptying time (T1/2) was 104 minutes (S-group, 95% confidence interval: 74-369) versus 159 minutes (R-group, 95% confidence interval: 61-204) (P = 0.893, NS). Delayed gastric emptying occurred in 10 patients in the S-group and in 13 patients in the R-group (45% and 50%, P = 0.779, NS). The primary outcome parameter, gastric emptying time, did not show a statistically significant difference between groups. Conclusion : A fluid regimen of 10ml/kg/hr or 5ml/kg/hr during pancreatic surgery did not lead to statistically significant differences in gastric emptying. A larger study would be needed to draw definite conclusions about fluid restriction in pancreatic surgery

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

Long-term prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in patients after secondary peritonitis

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to determine the long-term prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomology in patients following secondary peritonitis and to determine whether the prevalence of PTSD-related symptoms differed between patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and patients admitted only to the surgical ward. METHOD: A retrospective cohort of consecutive patients treated for secondary peritonitis was sent a postal survey containing a self-report questionnaire, namely the Post-traumatic Stress Syndrome 10-question inventory (PTSS-10). From a database of 278 patients undergoing surgery for secondary peritonitis between 1994 and 2000, 131 patients were long-term survivors (follow-up period at least four years) and were eligible for inclusion in our study, conducted at a tertiary referral hospital in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. RESULTS: The response rate was 86%, yielding a cohort of 100 patients; 61% of these patients had been admitted to the ICU. PTSD-related symptoms were found in 24% (95% confidence interval 17% to 33%) of patients when a PTSS-10 score of 35 was chosen as the cutoff, whereas the prevalence of PTSD symptomology when borderline patients scoring 27 points or more were included was 38% (95% confidence interval 29% to 48%). In a multivariate analyses controlling for age, sex, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score, number of relaparotomies and length of hospital stay, the likelihood of ICU-admitted patients having PTSD symptomology was 4.3 times higher (95% confidence interval 1.11 to 16.5) than patients not admitted to the ICU, using a PTSS-10 score cutoff of 35 or greater. Older patients and males were less likely to report PTSD symptoms. CONCLUSION: Nearly a quarter of patients receiving surgical treatment for secondary peritonitis developed PTSD symptoms. Patients admitted to the ICU were at significantly greater risk for having PTSD symptoms after adjusting for baseline differences, in particular ag

Acute cholecystitis in high risk surgical patients: percutaneous cholecystostomy versus laparoscopic cholecystectomy (CHOCOLATE trial): Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in acute calculous cholecystitis in high risk patients can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Percutaneous cholecystostomy may be an alternative treatment option but the current literature does not provide the surgical community with evidence based advice.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>The CHOCOLATE trial is a randomised controlled, parallel-group, superiority multicenter trial. High risk patients, defined as APACHE-II score 7-14, with acute calculous cholecystitis will be randomised to laparoscopic cholecystectomy or percutaneous cholecystostomy. During a two year period 284 patients will be enrolled from 30 high volume teaching hospitals. The primary endpoint is a composite endpoint of major complications within three months following randomization and need for re-intervention and mortality during the follow-up period of one year. Secondary endpoints include all other complications, duration of hospital admission, difficulty of procedures and total costs.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The CHOCOLATE trial is designed to provide the surgical community with an evidence based guideline in the treatment of acute calculous cholecystitis in high risk patients.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>Netherlands Trial Register (NTR): <a href="http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC=2666">NTR2666</a></p

Preoperative biliary drainage for periampullary tumors causing obstructive jaundice; DRainage vs. (direct) OPeration (DROP-trial)

BACKGROUND: Surgery in patients with obstructive jaundice caused by a periampullary (pancreas, papilla, distal bile duct) tumor is associated with a higher risk of postoperative complications than in non-jaundiced patients. Preoperative biliary drainage was introduced in an attempt to improve the general condition and thus reduce postoperative morbidity and mortality. Early studies showed a reduction in morbidity. However, more recently the focus has shifted towards the negative effects of drainage, such as an increase of infectious complications. Whether biliary drainage should always be performed in jaundiced patients remains controversial. The randomized controlled multicenter DROP-trial (DRainage vs. Operation) was conceived to compare the outcome of a 'preoperative biliary drainage strategy' (standard strategy) with that of an 'early-surgery' strategy, with respect to the incidence of severe complications (primary-outcome measure), hospital stay, number of invasive diagnostic tests, costs, and quality of life. METHODS/DESIGN: Patients with obstructive jaundice due to a periampullary tumor, eligible for exploration after staging with CT scan, and scheduled to undergo a "curative" resection, will be randomized to either "early surgical treatment" (within one week) or "preoperative biliary drainage" (for 4 weeks) and subsequent surgical treatment (standard treatment). Primary outcome measure is the percentage of severe complications up to 90 days after surgery. The sample size calculation is based on the equivalence design for the primary outcome measure. If equivalence is found, the comparison of the secondary outcomes will be essential in selecting the preferred strategy. Based on a 40% complication rate for early surgical treatment and 48% for preoperative drainage, equivalence is taken to be demonstrated if the percentage of severe complications with early surgical treatment is not more than 10% higher compared to standard treatment: preoperative biliary drainage. Accounting for a 10% dropout, 105 patients are needed in each arm resulting in a study population of 210 (alpha = 0.95, beta = 0.8). DISCUSSION: The DROP-trial is a randomized controlled multicenter trial that will provide evidence whether or not preoperative biliary drainage is to be performed in patients with obstructive jaundice due to a periampullary tumor