Efficacy of transanal drainage tube in preventing anastomotic leakage after surgery for rectal cancer: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Anastomotic leakage(AL)following rectal cancer surgery is an important cause of mortality and recurrence.Although transanal drainage tubes(TDTs)are expected to reduce the rate of AL,their preventive effects are controversial.AIM To reveal the effect of TDT in patients with symptomatic AL after rectal cancer surgery.METHODS A systematic literature search was performed using the PubMed,Embase,and Cochrane Library databases.We included randomized controlled trials(RCTs)and prospective cohort studies(PCSs)in which patients were assigned to two groups depending on the use or non-use of TDT and in which AL was evaluated.The results of the studies were synthesized using the Mantel-Haenszel randomeffects model,and a two-tailed P value>0.05 was considered statistically significant.RESULTS Three RCTs and two PCSs were included in this study.Symptomatic AL was examined in all 1417 patients(712 with TDT),and TDTs did not reduce the symptomatic AL rate.In a subgroup analysis of 955 patients without a diverting stoma,TDT reduced the symptomatic AL rate(odds ratio=0.50,95%confidence interval:0.29–0.86,P=0.012).CONCLUSION TDT may not reduce AL overall among patients undergoing rectal cancer surgery.However,patients without a diverting stoma may benefit from TDT placement.

Effect of preoperative biliary drainage on malignant obstructive jaundice:A meta-analysis

AIM: To evaluate the effect of preoperative biliary drainage (PBD) on obstructive jaundice resulting from malignant tumors. METHODS: According to the requirements of Cochrane systematic review, studies in the English language were retrieved from MEDLINE and Embase databases from 1995 to 2009 with the key word "preoperative biliary drainage". Two reviewers independently screened the eligible studies, evaluated their academic level and extracted the data from the eligible studies confirmed by cross-checking. Data about patients with and without PBD after resection of malignant tumors were processed for meta-analysis using the Stata 9.2 software, including postoperative mortality, incidence of postoperative pancreatic and bile leakage, abdominal abscess, delayed gastric emptying and incision infection.RESULTS: Fourteen retrospective cohort studies involving 1826 patients with malignant obstructive jaundice accorded with our inclusion criteria, and were included in meta-analysis. Their baseline characteristics were comparable in all the studies. No significant difference was found in combined risk ratio (RR) of postoperative mortality and incidence of pancreatic and bile leakage, abdominal abscess, delayed gastric emptying between patients with and without PBD. However, the combined RR for the incidence of postoperative incision infection was improved better in patients with PBD than in those without PBD (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: PBD cannot significantly reduce the post-operative mortality and complications of malignant obstructive jaundice, and therefore should not be used as a preoperative routine procedure for malignant obstructive jaundice.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of prophylactic abdominal drainage after pancreatic resection

AIM: To investigate whether prophylactic abdominal drainage is necessary after pancreatic resection. METHODS: Pub Med, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were systematically searched to obtain relevant articles published before January 2014. Publications were retrieved if they met the selection criteria. The outcomes of interest included: mortality, morbidity, postoperative pancreatic fistula(POPF), clinically relevant pancreatic fistula(CRPF), abdominal abscess, reoperation rate, the rate of interventional radiology drainage, and the length of hospital stay. Subgroup analyses were also performed for pancreaticoduodenectomy(PD) and for distal pancreatectomy. Begg's funnel plot and the Egger regression test were employed to assess potential publication bias.RESULTS: Nine eligible studies involving a total of 2794 patients were identified and included in this meta-analysis. Of the included patients, 1373 received prophylactic abdominal drainage. A fixedeffects model meta-analysis showed that placement of prophylactic drainage did not have beneficial effects on clinical outcomes, including morbidity, POPF, CRPF, reoperation, interventional radiology drainage, and length of hospital stay(Ps > 0.05). In addition, prophylactic drainage did not significantly increase the risk of abdominal abscess. Overall analysis showed that omitting prophylactic abdominal drainage resulted in higher mortality after pancreatectomy(OR = 1.56; 95%CI: 0.93-2.92). Subgroup analysis of PD showed similar results to those in the overall analysis. Elimination of prophylactic abdominal drainage after PD led to a significant increase in mortality(OR = 2.39; 95%CI: 1.22-4.69; P = 0.01).CONCLUSION: Prophylactic abdominal drainage after pancreatic resection is still necessary, though more evidence from randomized controlled trials assessing prophylactic drainage after PD and distal pancreatectomy are needed.

Efficacy of Manual Lymphatic Drainage for Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema

Purpose: The effect of manual lymphatic drainage in patients with breast cancer is controversial. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the role of manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) in breast cancer-related lymphedema treatment. Methods: The electronic databases of EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, and The Cochrane Library were searched to find English articles on MLD which were published before January 2020. After two evaluators selected the studies and independently evaluated literature quality, meta-analysis was carried out with RevMan 5.3 software. The outcome index of lymphedema treatment changed in edema volume. Results: The study included six RCTs of 364 patients and the meta-analysis showed no significant difference in the effect of MLD for BCRL compared with other treatments (mean difference, 3.76;95% confidence interval, -35.09 to 42.62;Z, 0.19;p = 0.850). Conclusion: MLD can relieve the body tissue, rapidly improve local condition, and enhance complete decongestive therapy (CDT) efficacy. MLD can prevent BCRL and improve the symptoms of stage I lymphedema. It should be widely applied to prevent BCRL from entering an irreversible state.

Primary duct closure versus T-tube drainage after laparoscopic common bile duct exploration:a meta-analysis

Background and aims:Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration(LCBDE)is considered a safe and effective method for the removal of bile duct stones.However,the choice of primary duct closure(PDC)or T-tube drainage(TTD)technique after LCBDE is still controversial.This study aimed to compare the safety and effectiveness of PDC and TTD after LCBDE.Methods:Studies published before May 1,2021 in Pub Med,Web of Science,and Cochrane Library databases were searched to screen out randomized controlled trials(RCTs)and cohort studies to compare PDC with TTD.Meta-analyses of fixed effect and random effect models were performed using Rev Man 5.3.Results:A total of 1865 patients were enrolled in six RCTs and ten cohort studies.Regarding RCTs,the PDC group was significantly better than the TTD group in terms of operation time,total postoperative complications,postoperative hospital stay,and hospitalization expenses(all P<0.05).Based on cohort studies of the subgroup,the PDC group had shorter operation time,shorter postoperative hospital stay,less intraoperative blood loss,and limited total postoperative complications.Statistically,there were no significant differences in bile leakage,retained stones,stone recurrence,bile duct stricture,postoperative pancreatitis,other complications,or postoperative exhaust time between the TTD and PDC groups.Conclusions:Based on the available evidence,compared with TTD,PDC is safe and effective,and can be used as the first choice after transductal LCBDE in patients with choledocholithiasis.

T-tube vs no T-tube for biliary tract reconstruction in adult orthotopic liver transplantation:An updated systematic review and metaanalysis

BACKGROUND Whether to use a T-tube for biliary anastomosis during orthotopic liver transplantation(OLT)remains a debatable question.Some surgeons chose to use a T-tube because they believed that it reduces the incidence of biliary strictures.Advances in surgical techniques during the last decades have significantly decreased the overall incidence of postoperative biliary complications.Whether using a T-tube during OLT is still associated with the reduced incidence of biliary strictures needs to be re-evaluated.AIM To provide an updated systematic review and meta-analysis on using a T-tube during adult OLT.METHODS In the electronic databases MEDLINE,PubMed,Scopus,ClinicalTrials.gov,the Cochrane Library,the Cochrane Hepato-Biliary Group Controlled Trails Register,and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials,we identified 17 studies(eight randomized controlled trials and nine comparative studies)from January 1995 to October 2020.The data of the studies before and after 2010 were separately extracted.We chose the overall biliary complications,bile leaks or fistulas,biliary strictures(anastomotic or non-anastomotic),and cholangitis as outcomes.Odds ratios(ORs)with 95%confidence intervals(CIs)were calculated to describe the results of the outcomes.Furthermore,the test for overall effect(Z)was used to test the difference between OR and 1,where P≤0.05 indicated a significant difference between OR value and 1.RESULTS A total of 1053 subjects before 2010 and 1346 subjects after 2010 were included in this meta-analysis.The pooled results showed that using a T-tube reduced the incidence of postoperative biliary strictures in studies before 2010(P=0.012,OR=0.62,95%CI:0.42-0.90),while the same benefit was not seen in studies after 2010(P=0.60,OR=0.76,95%CI:0.27-2.12).No significant difference in the incidence of overall biliary complications(P=0.37,OR=1.41,95%CI:0.66-2.98),bile leaks(P=0.89,OR=1.04,95%CI:0.63-1.70),and cholangitis(P=0.27,OR=2.00,95%CI:0.59-6.84)was observed between using and not using a T-tube before 2010.However,using a T-tube appeared to increase the incidence of overall biliary complications(P=0.049,OR=1.49,95%CI:1.00-2.22),bile leaks(P=0.048,OR=1.91,95%CI:1.01-3.64),and cholangitis(P=0.02,OR=7.21,95%CI:1.37-38.00)after 2010.A random-effects model was used in biliary strictures(after 2010),overall biliary complications(before 2010),and cholangitis(before 2010)due to their heterogeneity(I2=62.3%,85.4%,and 53.6%,respectively).In the sensitivity analysis(only RCTs included),bile leak(P=0.66)lost the significance after 2010 and a random-effects model was used in overall biliary complications(before 2010),cholangitis(before 2010),bile leaks(after 2010),and biliary strictures(after 2010)because of their heterogeneity(I2=92.2%,65.6%,50.9%,and 80.3%,respectively).CONCLUSION In conclusion,the evidence gathered in our updated meta-analysis showed that the studies published in the last decade did not provide enough evidence to support the routine use of T-tube in adults during OLT.

Pediatric T-tube in adult liver transplantation:Technical refinements of insertion and removal

BACKGROUND With the increasing use of extended-criteria donor organs,the interest around Ttubes in liver transplantation(LT)was restored whilst concerns regarding T-tuberelated complications persist.AIM To describe insertion and removal protocols implemented at our institution to safely use pediatric rubber 5-French T-tubes and subsequent outcomes in a consecutive series of adult patients.METHODS Data of consecutive adult LT patients from brain-dead donors,treated from March 2017 to December 2019,were collected(i.e.,biliary complications,adverse events,treatment after T-Tube removal).Patients with upfront hepaticojejunostomy,endoscopically removed T-tubes,those who died or received retransplantation before T-tube removal were excluded.RESULTS Seventy-two patients were included in this study;T-tubes were removed 158 d(median;IQR 128-206 d)after LT.In four(5.6%)patients accidental T-tube removal occurred requiring monitoring only;in 68(94.4%)patients Nelaton drain insertion was performed according to our protocol,resulting in 18(25%)patients with a biliary output,subsequently removed after 2 d(median;IQR 1-4 d).Three(4%)patients required endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP)due to persistent Nelaton drain output.Three(4%)patients developed suspected biliary peritonitis,requiring ERCP with sphincterotomy and nasobiliary drain insertion(only one revealing contrast extravasation);no patient required percutaneous drainage or emergency surgery.CONCLUSION The use of pediatric rubber 5-French T-tubes in LT proved safe in our series after insertion and removal procedure refinements.

Value of T-tube in biliary tract reconstruction during orthotopic liver transplantation:a meta-analysis

Objective:To compare biliary complications after biliary tract reconstruction with or without T-tube in orthotopic liver transplantation.Methods:Randomized control trials(RCTs) and comparative studies were identified by a computerized literature search of the Cochrane Library,MEDLINE(1966/1-2010/4),Scopus(1980/1-2010/4),ClinicalTrials.gov(2010/4),the Cochrane Hepato-Biliary Group Controlled Trials Register,and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials.Studies and data were extracted and assessed independently.Dichotomous outcomes were reported as odds ratios(ORs) and weighted mean difference with 95% confidence intervals(CI).Results:Five RCTs and eight comparative studies with a total of 1 608 subjects were identified.The data showed that the operation with T-tube had better outcomes for duct stenosis(P=0.01,OR=0.45,95% CI 0.24-0.85).The operations with or without T-tube had equivalent outcomes as follows:overall biliary complications(P=0.85,OR=1.15,95% CI 0.28-4.72),bile leaks(P=0.38,OR=0.75,95% CI 0.39-1.42),and cholangitis(P=0.24,OR=4.64,95% CI 0.36-60.62).These results were strengthened by the analysis of all thirteen non-randomized and randomized studies.Conclusions:Our systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that the insertion of a T-tube reduces the incidence of biliary stenosis without increasing the incidence of other biliary complications.