Laparoscopic hepatic left lateral lobectomy combined with fiber choledochoscopic exploration of the common bile duct and traditional open operation

AIM: To investigate the possibilities and advantages of laparoscopic hepatic left lateral lobectomy combined with fiber choledochoscopic exploration of the common bile duct compaired with traditional open operation.METHODS: Laparoscopic hepatic left lateral lobectomy combined with fiber choledochoscopic exploration of the common bile duct and traditional open operation were performed in two groups of patients who had gallstones in the left lobe of liver and in the common bile duct. The hospitalization time, hospitalization costs, operation time, operative complications and post-operative liver functions of the two groups of patients were studied.RESULTS: The operation time and post-operative liver functions of the two groups of patients had no significant differences, while the hospitalization time, hospitalization costs and operative complications of the laparoscopic hepatic left lateral lobectomy combined with fiber choledochoscopic exploration in the common bile duct group were significantly lower than those in the traditional open operation group.CONCLUSION: For patients with gallstones in the left lobe of liver and in the common bile duct, laparoscopic hepatic left lateral lobectomy combined with fiber choledochoscopic exploration of the common bile duct can significantly shorten the hospitalization time, reduce the hospitalization costs and the post-operative complications,without prolonging the operation time and bringing about more liver function damages compared with traditional open operation. This kind of operation has more advantages than traditional open operation.

Incidental gallbladder cancer during laparoscopic cholecystectomy:Managing an unexpected finding

AIM:To evaluate the impact of incidental gallbladder cancer on surgical experience.METHODS:Between 1998 and 2008 all cases of cholecystectomy at two divisions of general surgery,one university based and one at a public hospital,were retrospectively reviewed.Gallbladder pathology was diagnosed by history,physical examination,and laboratory and imaging studies [ultrasonography and computed tomography(CT)].Patients with gallbladder cancer(GBC) were further analyzed for demographic data,and type of operation,surgical morbidity and mortality,histopathological classification,and survival.Incidental GBC was compared with suspected or preoperatively diagnosed GBC.The primary endpoint was diseasefree survival(DFS).The secondary endpoint was the difference in DFS between patients previously treated with laparoscopic cholecystectomy and those who had oncological resection as first intervention.RESULTS:Nineteen patients(11 women and eight men) were found to have GBC.The male to female ratio was 1:1.4 and the mean age was 68 years(range:45-82 years).Preoperative diagnosis was made in 10 cases,and eight were diagnosed postoperatively.One was suspected intraoperatively and confirmed by frozen sections.The ratio between incidental and nonincidental cases was 9/19.The tumor node metastasis stage was:pTis(1),pT1a(2),pT1b(4),pT2(6),pT3(4),pT4(2);five cases with stageⅠa(T1 a-b);two with stageⅠb(T2 N0);one with stage Ⅱa(T3 N0);six with stage Ⅱb(T1-T3 N1);two with stage Ⅲ(T4 Nx Nx);and one with stage Ⅳ(Tx Nx Mx).Eighty-eight percent of the incidental cases were discovered at an early stage(≤Ⅱ).Preoperative diagnosis of the 19 patients with GBC was:GBC with liver invasion diagnosed by preoperative CT(nine cases),gallbladder abscess perforated into hepatic parenchyma and involving the transversal mesocolon and hepatic hilum(one case),porcelain gallbladder(one case),gallbladder adenoma(one case),and chronic cholelithiasis(eight cases).Every case,except one,with a T1b or more advanced invasion underwent Ⅳb + Ⅴ wedge liver resection and pericholedochic/hepatoduodenal lymphadenectomy.One patient with stage T1b GBC refused further surgery.Cases with Tis and T1a involvement were treated with cholecystectomy alone.One incidental case was diagnosed by intraoperative frozen section and treated with cholecystectomy alone.Six of the nine patients with incidental diagnosis reached 5-year DFS.One patient reached 38 mo survival despite a port-site recurrence 2 years after original surgery.Cases with non incidental diagnosis were more locally advanced and only two patients experienced 5-year DFS.CONCLUSION:Laparoscopic cholecystectomy does not affect survival if implemented properly.Reoperation should have two objectives:R0 resection and clearance of the lymph nodes.

Patients' quality of life after laparoscopic or open cholecystectomy

Objective: This study was aimed at evaluating and comparing the quality of life in patients who underwent laparo-scopic and open cholecystectomy for chronic cholecystolithiasis. Methods: The study included 25 patients with laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC group) and 26 with open cholecystectomy (OC group). The quality of life was measured with the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GLQI) preoperatively, thereafter regularly at 2, 5, 10 and 16 weeks after the operation. Results: The mean preoperative overall GLQI scores were 112.5 and 110.3 in LC and OC group respectively (P>0.05). In the LC group, the mean overall GLQI score reduced slightly to 110.0 two weeks after the operation (P>0.05). The LC group showed significant improvement in overall score and in the aspects of symptomatology, emotional and physiological status from 5 to 16 weeks postoperatively. In the OC group, the GLQI score reduced to 102.0 two weeks after surgery (P<0.05). Significant reductions were shown in the aspects of symptomatology, physiological and social status. The GLQI scores returned to the preoperative level of 115.6 ten weeks after the operation (P>0.05). The patients experienced significant improvements of GLQI sixteen weeks after OC operation (P<0.01-0.05). Within the 10 postoperative weeks, the LC group had significantly higher GLQI scores than the OC group (P<0.05). Conclusions: LC can improve the quality of life postoperatively better and more rapidly than OC. The assessment of quality of life assessment is a valid method for measuring the effects of surgical treatment.

Effect of acupoint injection of Neostigmine on gastrointestinal function after cholecystectomy

Objective： To observe the effect of acupoint injection with Neostigmine Methylsulfate at Zusanli（ST 36） on gastrointestinal function of patients after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.Methods： Totally 120 patients undergone laparoscopic cholecystectomy were randomized into an acupoint injection group, a muscular injection group, and a blank control group at 1：1：1 by random number table, 40 cases in each group. The blank control group was intervened by conventional post-operation treatment, the acupoint injection group was by acupoint injection with Neostigmine Methylsulfate 2 m L at bilateral Zusanli（ST 36） in addition to the treatment given to the blank control group, and the muscular injection group was by muscular injection with Neostigmine Methylsulfate 2 m L in addition to the treatment given to the blank control group. The two injection groups both received injection twice a day, totally for 3 d at most. The restored time of bowel sounds, initial flatulence time, defecation time and clinical efficacy were observed. Results： After treatment, there were significant differences in comparing the restored time of bowel sounds among the three groups（F=17.30, P〈0.05）, the acupoint injection group and muscular injection group were significantly different from the blank control group（P〈0.05）, and there was a significant difference between the acupoint injection group and muscular injection group（P〈0.05）; there were significant differences in comparing the initial flatulence time among the three groups（F=19.12, P〈0.05）, and the acupoint injection group was significantly different from the muscular injection group and the blank control group（P〈0.05）; there were significant differences in comparing the initial defecation time among the three groups（χ^2=21.23, P〈0.05）, while the difference between the acupoint injection group and muscular injection group was statistically insignificant（P〈0.05）. The total effective rate was 87.5% in the acupoint injection group, versus 72.5% in the muscular injection group and 60.0% in the blank control group, and there were significant differences among the three groups（P〉0.05）. Conclusion： Acupoint injection with Neostigmine Methylsulfate at Zusanli（ST 36） can shorten the restored time of bowel sounds and flatulence time in patients undergone laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and the efficacy is more significant compared to muscular injection with Neostigmine Methylsulfate.