Surgical techniques for mesenteric lengthening in ileoanal pouch surgery:a systematic review

Aim: The key to successful construction of an ileal pouch–anal anastomosis (IPAA) following proctocolectomy in patients with ulcerative colitis or familial adenomatous polyposis is the ability of the pouch reservoir to reach the anus well vascularized and without tension. The aim of this systematic review was to provide an overview of previously described different surgical lengthening techniques to achieve adequate length for a tension-free IPAA. Method: Pubmed, Embase and Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched. Two reviewers conducted a systematic search with combinations of keywords for the surgical procedure and surgical lengthening techniques. All publications that reported one or more surgical lengthening techniques during IPAA surgery in adult patients were selected, consisting of reviews, cohort studies, case reports, human cadaver studies and expert opinions. The primary outcomes measured were the different surgical lengthening techniques and the step-by-step approach they involve that can be used during surgery to achieve adequate length for an IPAA. Results: Of 1577 records reviewed, 19 articles were included in this systematic review describing at least 1181 patients (i.e. one review, four retrospective studies, five human cadaver studies, two case reports and seven expert opinions). A total of six different surgical lengthening techniques with various subtechniques were found and described, consisting of pouch folding, construction of different types of pouches, stepladder incisions, skeletonization of vessels, division and ligation of mesenteric vessels and using an interposition vein graft. No prospective or randomized controlled trials were performed regarding this topic. Quality assessment showed a medium quality of the included studies. Conclusion: Different surgical lengthening techniques are described in a step-by-step approach to create adequate mesenteric length during IPAA surgery, in patients in whom the ileal pouch cannot reach the dentate line.</p

Towards a standardised informed consent procedure for live donor nephrectomy: The PRINCE (Process of Informed Consent Evaluation) project-study protocol for a nationwide prospective cohort study

Introduction: Informed consent is mandatory for all (surgical) procedures, but it is even more important when it comes to living kidney donors undergoing surgery for the benefit of others. Donor education, leading to informed consent, needs to be carried out according to certain standards. Informed consent procedures for live donor nephrectomy vary per centre, and even per individual healthcare professional. The basis for a standardised, uniform surgical informed consent procedure for live donor nephrectomy can be created by assessing what information donors need to hear to prepare them for the operation and convalescence. Methods and analysis: The PRINCE (Process of In formed Consent Evaluation) project is a prospective, multicentre cohort study, to be carried out in all eight Dutch kidney transplant centres. Donor knowledge of the procedure and postoperative course will be evaluated by means of pop quizzes. A baseline cohort (prior to receiving any information from a member of the transplant team in one of the transplant centres) will be compared with a control group, the members of which receive the pop quiz on the day of admission for donor nephrectomy. Donor satisfaction will be evaluated for all donors who completed the admission pop-quiz. The primary end point is donor knowledge. In addition, those elements that have to be included in the standardized format informed consent procedure will be identified. Secondary end points are donor satisfaction, current informed consent practices in the different centres (eg, how many visits, which personnel, what kind of information is di