Risk Factors of Early Complications after Pancreaticoduodenectomy in 200 Consecutive Patients

To study the risk factors for early complications after pancreaticoduodenectomy （PD）. Methods： Two hundred patients undergoing PD at our hospital between December 1996 and September 2002 were reviewed retrospectively. Standard PD was performed on 176 cases, standard PD with extended lymphadenectomy on 24 patients, whereas pylorus-preserving PD was not used. An end-toside combined with mucosa-to-mucosa pancreaticojejunostomy was performed on the patients with a hard pancreas and a dilated pancreatic duct, and a traditional end-to-end invagination pancreaticojejunostomy on the patients with a soft pancreas and a non-dilated duct. The risk factors with the potential to affect the incidence of complications were analyzed with SAS 8.12 software. Logistic regression was then used to determine the effect of multiple factors on early complications. Results： The overall rate of the major com- plications was 21% （42/200）, with the failure of pancreaticojejunal anastomosis being the most frequently encountered. Age （odds ratio [OR] 2.162）, diabetes mellitus （OR 4.086）, total serum bilirubin level （OR 7.556）, end-to-end pancreaticojejunostomy （OR 2.616）, T tube through the choledochojejunostomy （OR 0.100）, and blood transfusion over 1000 mL （OR 2.410） were the significant risk factors for the morbidity. Conclusion： The results from published series concerning morbidity after pancreaticoduodenectomy are not comparable because of lack of homogeneity between them. The knowledge of the complications rate in each particular department turns out essentially to provide the patient with tailored information about risks before surgery. Additionally, management of postoperative complications is essential for improving the results of this operation.

Superior mesenteric artery syndrome following scoliosis surgery: Its risk indicators and treatment strategy

AIM: To investigate the risk indicators, pattern of clinical presentation and treatment strategy of superior mesenteric artery syndrome (SMAS) after scoliosis surgery.METHODS: From July 1997 to October 2003, 640 patients with adolescent scoliosis who had undergone surgical treatment were evaluated prospectively, and among them seven patients suffered from SMAS after operation. Each patient was assigned a percentile for weight and a percentile for height. Values of the 5th、 10th、 25th、 50th、 75th、 and 95thpercentiles were selected to divide the observations. The sagittal Cobb angle was used to quantify thoracic or thoracolumbar kyphosis. All the seven patients presented with nausea and intermittent vomiting about 5 d after operation.An upper gastrointestinal barium contrast study showed a straight-line cutoff at the third portion of the duodenum representing extrinsic compression by the superior mesenteric artery (SMA).RESULTS: The value of height in the seven patients with SMAS was above the mean of sex- and age-matchednormal population, and the height percentile ranged from 5% to 50%. On the contrary, the value of weight was below the mean of normal population with the weight percentile ranging from 5% to 25%. Among the seven patients, four had a thoracic hyperkyphosis ranging from 55° to 88°(average 72°), two had a thoracolumbar kyphosis of 25° and 32° respectively. The seven patients were treated with fasting, antiemetic medication, and intravenous fluids infusion. Reduction or suspense of traction was adopted in three patients with SMAS during halo-femoral traction after anterior release of scoliosis. All the patients recovered completely with no sequelae. No one required operative intervention with a laparotomy.CONCLUSION: Height percentile＜50% , weight percentile ＜25%, sagittal kyphosis, heavy and quick halo-femoral traction after spinal anterior release are the potential risk indicators for SMAS in patients undergoing correction surgery for adolescent scoliosis.

Omeprazole maintenance therapy prevents recurrent ulcer bleeding after surgery for duodenal ulcer

AIM： To evaluate the omeprazole maintenance therapy in patients with recurrent ulcer bleeding after surgery for duodenal ulcer. METHODS： We studied 15 consecutive patients with recurrent ulcer bleeding after surgery for duodenal ulcer. Omeprazole （20 mg/d） maintenance therapy was given after ulcer healing. In addition to clinical follow-up, ambulatory 24-h gastric pH assay was performed before and during omeprazole therapy in those patients and controls with previous duodenal ulcer surgery but no ulcer recurrence. RESULTS： All the 15 ulcers were healed after being treated with omeprazole （40 mg/d） for 2 too. Eleven patients with two （1-9） episodes of recurrent ulcer bleeding completed the follow-up （43, 12-72 too）. None of them had a bleeding episode while on omeprazole. One patient discontinued the therapy and had recurrent bleeding. The median 24-h fraction time of gastric pH 〈4 in patients was 80, 46-95%, and was reduced to 32, 13-70% by omeprazole （P= 0.002）. CONCLUSION： Long-term maintenance therapy with omeprazole （20 rag/day） is effective in preventing recurrent ulcer bleeding.

Effect of preoperative biliary drainage on surgical results after pancreaticoduodenectomy in patients with distal common bile duct cancer:Focused on the rate of decrease in serum bilirubin

AIM: To examine if the rate of decrease in serum bilirubin after preoperative biliary drainagecan be used as a predicting factor for surgical complications and postoperative recovery after pancreaticoduodenectomy in patients with distal common bile duct cancer.METHODS: A retrospective study was performed in 49 consecutive patients who underwent pancrea-ticoduodenectomy for distal common bile duct cancer. Potential risk factors were compared between the complicated and uncomplicated groups. Also, the rates of decrease in serum bilirubin were compared pre- and postoperatively. RESULTS: Preoperative biliary drainage (PBD) was performed in 40 patients (81.6%). Postoperative morbidity and mortality rates were 46.9% (23/49) and 6.1% (3/49), respectively. The presence or absence of PBD was not different between the complicated and uncomplicated groups. In patients with PBD, neither the absolute level nor the rate of decrease in serum bilirubin was significantly different. Patients with rapid decrease preoperatively showed faster decrease during the first postoperative week (5.5 ± 4.4 μmol/L vs -1.7 ± 9.9 μmol/L, P = 0.004).CONCLUSION: PBD does not affect the surgical outcome of pancreaticoduodenectomy in patients with distal common bile duct cancer. There is a certain group of patients with a compromised hepatic excretory function, which is represented by the slow rate of decrease in serum bilirubin after PBD.

Gastroenterostoma after Billroth antrectomy as a premalignant condition

Gastric stump carcinoma （GSC） following remote gastric surgery is widely recognized as a separate entity within the group of various types of gastric cancer. Gastrecto- my is a well established risk factor for the development of GSC at a long time after the initial surgery. Both exo- as well as endogenous factors appear to be involved in the etiopathogenesis of GSC, such as achlorhydria, hypergastrinemia and biliary reflux, Epstein-Barr virus and Helicobacter pylori infection, atrophic gastritis, and also some polymorphisms in interleukin-l~ and maybe cyclo-oxygenase-2. This review summarizes the litera- ture of GSC, with special reference to reliable early di- agnostics. In particular, dysplasia can be considered as a dependable morphological marker. Therefore, close endoscopic surveillance with multiple biopsies of the gastroenterostomy is recommended. Screening start- ing at 15 years after the initial ulcer surgery can detect tumors at a curable stage. This approach can be ofspecial interest in Eastern European countries, where surgery for benign gastroduodenal ulcers has remained a practice for a much longer time than in Western Eu- rope, and therefore GSC is found with higher frequency.

Optimizing management of pancreaticopleural fistulas

AIM:To evaluate the management of pancreaticopleural fistulas involving early endoscopic instrumentation of the pancreatic duct.METHODS:Eight patients with a spontaneous pancre-aticopleural fistula underwent endoscopic retrograde cholang iopancreatography(ERCP) with an intentionto stent the site of a ductal disruption as the primarytreatment. Imaging features and management were evaluated retrospectively and compared with outcome.RESULTS:In one case,the stent bridged the site of aductal disruption. The fistula in this patient closed with in3 wk. The main pancreatic duct in this case appearednormal,except for a leak located in the body of the pancreas. In another patient,the papilla of Vater couldnot be found and cannulation of the pancreatic ductfailed. This patient underwent surgical treatment. In the remaining 6 cases,it was impossible to insert a stentinto the main pancreatic duct properly so as to coverthe site of leakage or traverse a stenosis situated down-stream to the fistula. The placement of the stent failed because intraductal stones(n = 2) and ductal strictures(n = 2) precluded its passage or the stent was too short to reach the fistula located in the distal part of the pancreas(n = 2) . In 3 out of these 6 patients,the pancre-aticopleural fistula closed on further medical treatment.In these cases,the main pancreatic duct was normalor only mildly dilated,and there was a leakage at the body/tail of the pancreas. In one of these 3 patients,additional percutaneous drainage of the peripancre atic fluid collections allowed better control of the leakageand facilitated resolution of the fistula. The remaining3 patients had a tight stenosis of the main pancreatic duct resistible to dilatation and the stent could not beinserted across the stenosis. Subsequent conservative treatment proved unsuccessful in these patients. Aftera failed the rapeutic ERCP,3 patients in our series developed superinfection of the pleural or peripancreatic fluid collections. Four out of 8 patients in our series required subsequent surgery due to a failed non-operative treat-ment. Distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy was performed in 3 cases. In one case,only external drainage of the pancreatic pseudocyst was done because of diffuse peripancreatic inflammatory infiltration precluding safe dissection. There were no perioperative mortalities.There was no recurrence of a pancreati copleural fistulain any of the patients.CONCLUSION:Optimal management of pancreaticopleural fistulas requires appropriate patient selection that should be based on the underlying pancreatic ductab normalities.

Surgical anatomy of the innervation of pylorus in human and Suncus murinus, in relation to surgical technique for pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy

AIM： To clarify the innervation of the antro-pyloric region in humans from a clinico-anatomical perspective. METHODS： The stomach, duodenum and surrounding structures were dissected in 10 cadavers, and immersed in a 10mg/L solution of alizarin red S in ethanol to stain the peripheral nerves. The distribution details were studied to confirm innervations in the above areas using a binocular microscope. Similarly, innervations in 10 Suncus murinus were examined using the method of whole-mount imm unohistochemistry. RESULTS： The innervation of the pyloric region in humans involved three routes： One arose from the anterior hepatic plexus via the route of the suprapyloric/supraduodenal branch of the right gastric artery; the second arose from the anterior and posterior gastric divisions, and the third originated from the posterior-lower region of the pyloric region, which passed via the infrapyloric artery or retroduodenal branches and was related to the gastroduodenal artery and right gastroepiploic artery. For Suncus murinus, results similar to those in humans were observed. CONCLUSION： There are three routes of innervation of the pyloric region in humans, wherein the route of the right gastric artery is most important for preserving pyloric region innervation. Function will be preserved by more than 80% by preserving the artery in pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy （PPPD）. However, the route of the infrapyloric artery should not be disregarded. This route is related to several arteries （the right gastroepiploic and gastroduodenal arteries）, and the preserving of these arteries is advantageous for preserving pyloric innervation in PPPD. Concurrently, the nerves of Latarjet also play an important role in maintaining innervation of the antro-pyloric region in PPPD. This is why pyloric function is not damaged in some patients when the right gastric artery is dissected or damaged in PPPD.

Pseudoaneurysm of gastroduodenal artery following radical gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma patients

We report a rare case of postoperative pseudoaneurysm of the gastroduodenal artery following radical gastrectomy.Surgical trauma to the gastroduodenal artery during regional lymphadenectomy was considered as the cause of the postoperative pseudoaneurysm. The pseudoaneurysm was successfully managed by ligating the bleeding vessel. We should consider the possibility of pseudoaneurysm formation in a patient with gastrointestinal bleeding in the postoperative period following radical gastrectomy with regional lymph node and perivascular lymphatic dissection.

EVALUATION OF SURGERY IN SIMPLE OVARIAN CYSTS

Objective. To evaluate the surgery in simple ovarian cysts.Methods. From Jan.1994 to Dec.1999, 221 women with simple ovarian cysts were admitted into our hospital. The diameter of cysts was <5 cm in 76 cases, and was>5 cm in 145 cases ultrasonically. One hundred and eighty-four patients underwent laparosocopy, and thirty-seven underwent laparotomy.Results. Histological findings showed no malignancy in this series. Simple cysts, paraovarian cysts and corpus luteum were found histologically in 90.8% of cases with cysts <5 cm, and 60% of those with cysts >1 cm respectively, their difference was significant (x2=37.13, P<0.001). The simple cysts, paraovarian cysts and corpus luteum cysts were found in 81.5% of postmenopausal women and 84.0% of pre-menopausal women.Conclusion. Patients with cysts >1 cm are indicated for surgical procedures, while a period of fol-lowup is acceptable for patients with cysts <7 cm, and surgery is advisable if the cyst is persistent during followup. Postmenopausal women with cysts should have operations.

65 CASES OF PRESERVING PYLORUS PANCREATODUODENECTOMY：EXPERIENCE AND PROBLEMS

Sixty-five patients with neoplasm (62 cases) or pancreatitis (3 cases) were treated with preserving pylorus pancreatoduodenectomy (PPPD) from 1984 to 1991. One postoperative death occurred. Follow-up studies were performed in 35 patients who had been treated by PPPD or the standard Whipple's procedure; they were questioned carefully concerning clinical symptoms. Further studies were porformed in 20 patients with or without pylorus preservation (10 patients, respectively). Nutritional status and gastrointestinal digestive and absorptive functions were evaluated by detemination of serum components, gastric analysis, barium emptying time, D-xylose absorption test,14CO2 breath test, PABA, and other methods. The results demonstrated malnutrition and postgastrectomy syndromes in some patients after the standard Whipple' s procedure, but not in those with PPPD. The quality of life was better in the latter. Pylorus preservation may be the main reason for this above difference. Delayed gastric emptying in the early postoperative period was a complication in some patients(21%) treated by PPPD.We recommend PPPD for pancreatoduodenectomy.

SURGICAL TREATMENT OF HALLUX VALGLUS BY RECONSTRUCTION OF METATARSAL ARCH AND MODIFIED MCBRIDE OPERATION（40 CASES REPORT）

feet with hallux valgus among 40 patients treated by reconstruction of metatarsal arch and modified McBride operation are reported in this paper. After an average of 4. 5 years of postoperative follow-up, the results showed an overll 9° and 3° correction of the hallux abductus angle and the intermetatarsal angle, respectively. 95% of the cases of bunions disappeared, 66% calli under the heads of the first and second metatarsal disappeared, and 9l% patients were satisfied with the changes of their feet appearance.

Impact of surgical volume on nationwide hospital mortality after pancreaticoduodenectomy

AIM:To evaluate the impact of surgical volume on nationwide hospital mortality after pancreaticoduodenectomy(PD) for periampullary tumors in South Korea.METHODS:Periampullary cancer patients who underwent PD between 2005 and 2008 were analyzed from the database of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service of South Korea.A total of 126 hospitals were divided into 5 categories,each similar in terms of surgical volume for each category.We used hospital mortality as a quality indicator,which was defined as death during the hospital stay for PD,and calculated adjusted mortality through multivariate logistic models using several confounder variables.RESULTS:A total of eligible 4975 patients were enrolled in this study.Average annual surgical volume of hospitals was markedly varied,ranging from 215 PDs in the very-high-volume hospital to < 10 PDs in the verylow-volume hospitals.Admission route,type of medical security,and type of operation were significantly different by surgical volume.The overall hospital mortality was 2.1% and the observed hospital mortality by surgical volume showed statistical difference.Surgical volume,age,and type of operation were independent risk factors for hospital death,and adjusted hospital mortality showed a similar difference between hospitals with observed mortality.The result of the HosmerLemeshow test was 5.76(P = 0.674),indicating an acceptable appropriateness of our regression model.CONCLUSION:The higher-volume hospitals showed lower hospital mortality than the lower-volume hospitals after PD in South Korea,which were clarified through the nationwide database.

Gallbladder carcinoma with tumor thrombus in common bile duct: an unusual way of growing invasion

Objective： To summarize the experience of diagnosis and surgical treatment for a rare invasion manner of gallbladder carcinoma, which was combined with tumor thrombus in common bile duct （CBD）. Methods： Between February 2003 and January 2005, 3 patients with gallbladder carcinoma who were identified of tumor thrombus in common bile duct in surgical procedure were retrospectively analyzed. Results： Abdominal ultrasound and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography （MRCP） were used for preoperative diagnosis. All 3 patients were given radical operations, which were composed of cholecystectomy, resection of the extrahepatic biliary duct, cuniform hepatectomy of gallbladder bed, skeletonization of the hepatoduodenal ligament, hilar choledochojejunostomy, and clearance of tumor thrombus from bile duct. Three patients were recovered well after surgery, which were respectively alive for 30 months, 17 months and 23 months without tumor recurrence,and 58 months, 41 months and 40 months for survival time after operation. Conclusion： Gallbladder carcinoma with tumor thrombus in common bile duct was very rare but with relatively special clinical manifestation and characteristic radiography manifestation. MRCP was one of the most potent diagnostic method. The prognosis of gallbladder carcinoma with tumor thrombus in common bile duct after surgical procedure was apparently better than gallbladder carcinoma with invasion of hilar tissues. Radical operation was feasible and safe for obtaining longer survival

Duodenal obstruction following acute pancreatitis caused by a large duodenal diverticular bezoar

Bezoars are concretions of indigestible materials in the gastrointestinal tract. It generally develops in patients with previous gastric surgery or patients with delayed gastric emptying. Cases of periampullary duodenal divericular bezoar are rare. Clinical manifestations by a bezoar vary from no symptom to acute abdominal syndrome depending on the location of the bezoar. Biliary obstruction or acute pancreatitis caused by a bezoar has been rarely reported. Small bowel obstruction by a bezoar is also rare, but it is a complication that requires surgery. This is a case of acute pancreatitis and subsequent duodenal obstruction caused by a large duodenal bezoar migrating from a periampullary diverticulum to the duodenal lumen, which mimicked pancreatic abscess or microperforation on abdominal computerized tomography. The patient underwent surgical removal of the bezoar and recovered completely.