Gastroduodenal perforation: maximal or minimal intervention?

[Endoscopic treatment of gastroduodenal perforations]

A 93-year-old patient underwent endoscopic treatment of perforated duodenal ulcer after previous laparoscopic suturing complicated by failure of sutured defect. A self-expanding nitinol stent with partial polyurethane coating was used. Positive effect of the treatment was noted. Further study of this method and its clinical introduction in case of favorable results can significantly reduce the incidence of complications and mortality in patients with perforated gastroduodenal ulcers.

Endoscopic treatment of perforated duodenal ulcer using a partially polyurethane-covered self-expandable nitinol stent: A case report

We describe a clinical case involving endoscopic treatment of a perforated duodenal ulcer using a partially polyurethane-covered self-expandable nitinol stent. A 93-year-old patient with severe cardiovascular comorbidity underwent a laparoscopic closure of a perforated duodenal ulcer. The early postoperative period was complicated by failure of the closure, and as a result, endoscopic treatment was performed, including the placement of a partially polyurethane-covered self-expandable nitinol stent. The treatment had a positive effect. Further study of the proposed method is required, and favorable results will allow endoscopists to actively introduce this procedure into clinical practice.

Laparoscopy is an available alternative to open surgery in the treatment of perforated peptic ulcers: a retrospective multicenter study

Background

Perforated peptic ulcers (PPU) remain one of the most frequent causes of death. Their incidence are largely unchanged accounting for 2–4% of peptic ulcers and remain the second most frequent abdominal cause of perforation and of indication for gastric emergency surgery. The minimally invasive approach has been proposed to treat PPU however some concerns on the offered advantages remain.

Methods

Data on 184 consecutive patients undergoing surgery for PPU were collected. Likewise, perioperative data including shock at admission and interval between admission and surgery to evaluate the Boey’s score.

It was recorded the laparoscopic or open treatments, the type of surgical procedure, the length of the operation, the intensive care needed, and the length of hospital stay.

Post-operative morbidity and mortality relation with patient’s age, surgical technique and Boey’s score were evaluated.

Results

The relationship between laparoscopic or open treatment and the Boey’s score was statistically significant (p = 0.000) being the open technique used for the low-mid group in 41.1% and high score group in 100% and laparoscopy in 58.6% and 0%, respectively. Postoperative complications occurred in 9.7% of patients which were related to the patients’ Boey’s score, 4.7% in the low-mid score group and 21.4% in the high risk score group (p = 0.000). In contrast morbidity was not related to the chosen technique being 12.8% in open technique and 5.3% in laparoscopic one (p = 0.092, p > 0.05).

30-day post-operative mortality was 3.8% and occurred in the 0.8% of low-mid Boey’s score group and in the 10.7% of the high Boey’s score group (p = 0.001). In respect to the surgical technique it occurred in 6.4% of open procedures and in any case in the Lap one (p = 0.043). Finally, there was a statistically significant difference in morbidity and mortality between patients < 70 and > 70 years old (p = 0.000; p = 0.002).

Conclusions

Laparoscopy tends to be an alternative method to open surgery in the treatment of perforated peptic ulcer. Morbidity and mortality were essentially related to Boey’s score. In our series laparoscopy was not used in high risk Boey’s score patients and it will be interesting to evaluate its usefulness in high risk patients in large randomized controlled trials.

Vagotomy/drainage is superior to local oversew in patients who require emergency surgery for bleeding peptic ulcers

OBJECTIVE

To compare early postoperative outcomes of patients undergoing different types of emergency procedures for bleeding or perforated gastroduodenal ulcers.

BACKGROUND

Although definitive acid-reducing procedures are being used less frequently during emergency ulcer surgery, there is little published data to support this change in practice.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of data for patients from the 2005-2011 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database who underwent emergency operation for bleeding or perforated peptic ulcer disease was performed to determine the association between surgical approach (local procedure alone, vagotomy/drainage, or vagotomy/gastric resection) and 30-day postoperative outcomes. Multivariable regression analysis was used to adjust for a number of patient-related factors.

RESULTS

A total of 3611 patients undergoing emergency ulcer surgery (775 for bleeding, 2374 for perforation) were included for data analysis. Compared with patients undergoing local procedures alone, vagotomy/gastric resection was associated with significantly greater postoperative morbidity when performed for either ulcer perforation or bleeding. For patients with perforated ulcers, vagotomy/drainage produced similar outcomes as local procedures but required a significantly greater length of postoperative hospitalization. Conversely, vagotomy/drainage was associated with a significantly lower postoperative mortality rate than local ulcer oversew when performed for bleeding ulcers.

CONCLUSIONS

Simple repair is the procedure of choice for patients requiring emergency surgery for perforated peptic ulcer disease. For patients requiring emergency operation for intractable ulcer bleeding, vagotomy/drainage is associated with lower postoperative mortality than with simple ulcer oversew.

Gastroduodenal perforation

The cause and management of gastroduodenal perforation have changed as a result of increasing use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatories and improved pharmacologic treatment of acid hypersecretion as well as the recognition and treatment of Helicobacter pylori. As a result of the reduction in ulcer recurrence with medical therapy, the surgical approach to patients with gastroduodenal perforation has also changed over the last 3 decades, with ulcer-reducing surgery being performed infrequently.

Omentum patch substitute for facilitating endoscopic repair of GI perforations: an early laparoscopic pilot study with a foam matrix plug (with video)

BACKGROUND

Endoscopic perforations are surgically repaired by using an omentum patch. Omentum substitutes may have broader applications particularly in certain sites (eg, esophagus).

OBJECTIVE

Evaluate a self-expandable foam matrix plug as a synthetic omentum substitute for repairing iatrogenic gastric perforations in a 4-week survival pig model.

DESIGN

Experimental pilot study.

SETTING

Laboratory.

INTERVENTION

A laparoscopic plug repair of a 1-cm, full-thickness, gastric perforation was carried out by using either a polyurethane foam matrix plug (FMP, 8 animals) or an omentum plug (OP, 6 animals, control group).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

Follow-up endoscopy was carried out at 1 and 4 weeks. At necropsy, the perforation site was evaluated for adhesions and histology by using hematoxylin and eosin analysis. A portion of the implant was sent for bacterial and fungal culture.

RESULTS

All procedures were technically simple and successful. Thirteen animals thrived well for 4 weeks. One animal from the FMP group died 3 days postoperatively from diffuse peritonitis because of a misplaced plug. All remaining FMPs were intact at 4 weeks and colonized with mixed bacteria, except one animal presenting with FMP migration after 1 week. Histologically, the FMP group had more prominent inflammation and suppuration as compared with the OP group, all limited to its adjacent tissue.

LIMITATIONS

Animal study.

CONCLUSION

The FMP offered a technically simple and feasible option for repairing iatrogenic gastric perforations. With effective sealing, the clinical outcome is similar to that of an omentum patch repair. Migration and inadequate sealing is a concern, which can lead to peritonitis and sepsis. Further development is needed to improve FMP performance.

Reappraising the surgical approach on the perforated gastroduodenal ulcer: should gastric resection be abandoned?

Background

Advancements in medical care for peptic ulcer disease (PUD) have reduced the need for invasive surgical procedures such as gastric resection (GR). Community-based PUD studies from a large sampling of PUD patients designed to analyze hospital resource use and outcomes after different surgical procedures have been rare. We aimed to exhaustively reappraise the risk factors and patient demographics that affect PUD patient recoveries after GR compared to those after simple closure (SC).

Methods

We used a Japanese administrative database for 6 consecutive months each year between 2006 and 2010. The database included a total of 68,432 PUD patients; we analyzed 6,334 perforation cases and 3,148 cases of patients who underwent GR or SC. Study variables were demographics, comorbidities, characteristics of PUD, and operative day. Study outcomes that were analyzed included mortality, postoperative complications, ventilation administration, postoperative blood transfusions, length of stay, total charges, operating room (OR) time, and the postoperative fasting period (defined as the day of surgery to the day oral food intake was resumed.) To reduce selection bias in study procedures and to control the variation in hospital practice, a propensity score (PS) matching cohort analysis and a mixed linear regression model were used to assess the effects of GR on the outcomes.

Results

In 699 hospitals, 322 GRs and 2,826 SCs were observed. Younger age, duodenal ulcers, preexisting anemia and an operative day no more than 24hours were significant associated with the choice of SCs. No significant differences were observed in study outcomes after either GR or SC; more postoperative blood transfusions and longer OR times but shorter postoperative fasting periods were observed after GR. Longer OR times, ventilation and postoperative blood transfusion were significantly associated with mortality. Not GR but longer OR times use of ventilation and complications were the most significant indicators of increased resource use.

Conclusions

There were no major significant differences in GR when compared to SC with regards to patient recoveries. Surgeons should obtain the skills and establish strategies to optimize either type of surgical procedure including minimizing OR time and establishing the best perioperative critical care.

Keywords

Peptic ulcer perforation; Simple closure; Gastric resection; Outcome; Resource use