Minimally Invasive Treatment of Obscure Gastrointestinal Bleeding Using Laparoscopic Ultrasonography

Application of laparoscopy in the management of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding

Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is considered obscure when it persists or recurs after negative endoscopy. Small bowel lesions account for approximately 1-fourth of cases of obscure GI bleeding. These lack specific clinical symtoms and signs, and tend to be inaccessible to routine examinations. The management of patients with intermittent obscure GI bleeding poses both diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. The aim of this study was to report the importance of laparoscopy in diagnosing and treating small bowel lesions responsible for obscure bleeding in 5 patients with subacute presentations. Data were collected from 2 hospitals' in-patient records and a prospective database. All patients underwent laparoscopic exploration. After the identification of the diseased segments, laparoscopy-assisted segmental resection of the small bowel and enteroentorostomy were carried out in all cases. This approach enabled a successful minimally invasive treatment of the obscure GI bleeding. The overall procedure was safe and our results were satisfactory.

Laparoscopic ultrasonography-assisted retroperitoneal lymph node sampling in patients evaluated for stomach cancer recurrence

OBJECTIVE

The precise localization of target lymph nodes during laparoscopic biopsy can often be technically challenging. The purpose of this series was to report 2 patients who successfully underwent laparoscopic para-aortic lymph node sampling with the assistance of laparoscopic ultrasonography (LUS).

METHODS

We describe 2 patients previously treated for gastric cancer who later had suspicious retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy detected by computed tomography. They received LUS-assisted lymph node biopsies for histologic evaluation.

RESULTS

Laparoscopic ultrasonography precisely localized the target lymph nodes, which measured 1.4 and 1.5 cm, respectively, in both patients. A transperitoneal laparoscopic approach and target lymph node sampling were successfully performed. No procedure-related technical difficulties or immediate complications occurred. The 2 patients were histologically proven to have nodal tumor recurrence and tuberculous lymphadenopathy, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Precise localization of a small lymph node located deep in the abdomen can be readily performed by intraoperative LUS.