Endoscopic ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration allows accurate diagnosis of mycobacterial disease in HIV-positive patients with abdominal lymphadenopathy

BACKGROUND : Abdominal lymphadenopathy in HIV remains a challenge due to inaccessibility of lymph nodes and multitude of causes. The diagnostic yield of EUS FNA in HIV-infected patients with abdominal lymphadenopathy in the setting of high tuberculosis (TB) prevalence was assessed. METHODS : Prospective cohort study was conducted in tertiary referral centres recruiting symptomatic HIV+ patients (N=31, mean age 38.5 years, mean CD4 count 124 cells/μl, WHO stage 3-4 with abdominal lymphadenopathy. EUS was performed to assess lymph node characteristics and FNA aspirate subjected to cytological analysis, microbial culture and PCR. RESULTS : EUS appearance of lymph nodes was highly variable. Mycobacterial infections were the most common cause of lymphadenopathy in this cohort. Of the 31 patients 21/31 67.7 % had mycobacterial infections; 17 (80.9 %) of these were tuberculosis. Cytology failed to identify 23.8% and culture 38.1% of cases. PCR identified 16/17 (94.1%) of these cases. EUS-FNA altered the management of more than half of the patients. CONCLUSIONS : Mycobacterial disease was the commonest cause of lymphadenopathy in HIV but a third of patients had reactive lymphadenopathy. By combining the appearance of EUS FNA and cytological aspirate we could develop a diagnostic algorithm with a high PPV and NPV to identify patients in whom further analysis with PCR would be useful. PCR was highly accurate in confirming mycobacterial disease and determining genotypic drug resistance.South African Gastroenterological Society (SAGES)/Astra Zeneca Fellowship in Gastroenterologyhttp://www.journals.elsevier.com/ultrasound-in-medicine-and-biology/hb201

Polymerase chain reaction amplifying mycobacterial DNA from aspirates obtained by endoscopic ultrasound allows accurate diagnosis of mycobacterial disease in HIV-positive patients with abdominal lymphadenopathy

Abdominal lymphadopathy in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection remains a diagnostic challenge. We performed a prospective cohort study recruiting thirty-one symptomatic HIV+ patients with abdominal lymphadenopathy assessing diagnostic yield of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) fine needle aspiration (FNA). Mean age was 38 years, 52% were female, mean CD4 count and viral load were 124 cells/pl, and 4 log respectively. EUS confirmed additional mediastinal nodes in 26 %. Porta- hepatis was the most common abdominal site. EUS FNA was subjected to cytology, culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. Mycobacterial infections were confirmed in 67.7% and 31% had reactive lymphadenopathy. Cytology and culture had low sensitivity whereas PCR identified 90% of mycobacterial infections. Combining appearance of EUS FNA and cytology a diagnostic algorithm was developed to indicate when analysis with PCR would be useful. PCR performed on an EUS guided aspirate was highly accurate in confirming mycobacterial disease and determining genotypic drug resistance.South African Gastroenterological Society (SAGES)/ Astra Zeneca Fellowship in Gastroenterology awarded to Schalk van der Merwehttp://www.journals.elsevier.com/ultrasound-in-medicine-and-biology/hb201

Improved outcomes in the non-operative management of liver injuries

AbstractObjectivesNon-operative management has become the treatment of choice in the majority of liver injuries. The aim of this study was to assess the changes in primary treatment and outcomes in a single Dutch Level 1 trauma centre with wide experience in angio-embolisation (AE).MethodsThe prospective trauma registry was retrospectively analysed for 7-year periods before (Period 1) and after (Period 2) the introduction of AE. The primary outcome was the failure rate of primary treatment defined as liver injury-related death or re-bleeding requiring radiologic or operative (re)interventions. Secondary outcomes were liver injury-related intra-abdominal complications.ResultsDespite an increase in high-grade liver injuries, the incidence of primary non-operative management more than doubled over the two periods, from 33% (20 of 61 cases) in Period 1 to 72% (84 of 116 cases) in Period 2 (P < 0.001). The failure rate of primary treatment in Period 1 was 18% (11/61), compared with 11% (13/116) in Period 2 (P= 0.21). Complication rates were 23% (14/61) and 16% (18/116) in Periods 1 and 2, respectively (P= 0.22). Liver-related mortality rates were 10% (6/61) and 3% (4/116) in Periods 1 and 2, respectively (P= 0.095). The increase in the frequency of non-operative management was even higher in high-grade injuries, in which outcomes were improved. In high-grade injuries in Periods 1 and 2, failure rates decreased from 45% (9/20) to 20% (11/55) (P= 0.041), liver-related mortality decreased from 30% (6/20) to 7% (4/55) (P= 0.019) and complication rates fell from 60% (12/20) to 27% (15/55) (P= 0.014). Liver infarction or necrosis and abscess formation seemed to occur more frequently with AE.ConclusionsOverall, liver-related mortality, treatment failure and complication rates remained constant despite an increase in non-operative management. However, in high-grade injuries outcomes improved after the introduction of AE

Endoscopic treatment of persistent thoracobiliary fistulae after penetrating liver trauma

AbstractBackgroundThis study evaluated the outcomes of patients with complex or persistent thoracobiliary fistulae following penetrating liver trauma, who underwent endoscopic biliary intervention at a tertiary referral centre.MethodsAll patients who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC) and endoscopic biliary intervention for traumatic thoracobiliary fistulae between 1992 and 2008 were evaluated. Bile duct injuries were classified according to their biliary anatomic location on cholangiography and type of pulmonary communication.ResultsTwenty-two patients had thoracobiliary (pleurobiliary, n=19; bronchobiliary, n=3) fistulae. The site of the bile duct injury was identified in 20 patients on cholangiography. These 20 patients underwent either sphincterotomy and biliary stenting (n=18) or sphincterotomy alone (n=2). In 17 patients the fistulae resolved after the initial endoscopic intervention. Three patients required secondary stenting with replacement of the initial stent. Three patients developed mild pancreatitis after stenting and one stent migrated and was replaced. All fistulae healed after endoscopic treatment. In 18 patients the stents were removed 4 weeks after bile drainage ceased. Three of the 22 patients required a thoracotomy for infected loculated pleural collections after initial catheter drainage.ConclusionsEndoscopic retrograde cholangiography is an accurate and reliable method of demonstrating post-traumatic thoracobiliary fistulae and endoscopic biliary intervention with sphincterotomy and stenting in this situation is safe and effective. Surgery in patients with thoracobiliary fistulae should be reserved for fistulae which do not heal after endoscopic biliary stenting or for patients who have unresolved pulmonary or intra-abdominal sepsis as a result of bile leak

Determining the Minimum Dataset for Surgical Patients in Africa: A Delphi Study.

BACKGROUND: It is often difficult for clinicians in African low- and middle-income countries middle-income countries to access useful aggregated data to identify areas for quality improvement. The aim of this Delphi study was to develop a standardised perioperative dataset for use in a registry. METHODS: A Delphi method was followed to achieve consensus on the data points to include in a minimum perioperative dataset. The study consisted of two electronic surveys, followed by an online discussion and a final electronic survey (four Rounds). RESULTS: Forty-one members of the African Perioperative Research Group participated in the process. Forty data points were deemed important and feasible to include in a minimum dataset for electronic capturing during the perioperative workflow by clinicians. A smaller dataset consisting of eight variables to define risk-adjusted perioperative mortality rate was also described. CONCLUSIONS: The minimum perioperative dataset can be used in a collaborative effort to establish a resource accessible to African clinicians in improving quality of care