Effects of preoperative nutritional support on colonic anastomotic healing in malnourished rats

Experimental models of high-risk bowel anastomosis in rats: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Anastomotic leaks remain one of the most dreaded complications in gastrointestinal surgery causing significant morbidity, that negatively affect the patients’ quality of life. Experimental studies play an important role in understanding the pathophysiological background of anastomotic healing and there are still many fields that require further investigation. Knowledge drawn from these studies can lead to interventions or techniques that can reduce the risk of anastomotic leak in patients with high-risk features. Despite the advances in experimental protocols and techniques, designing a high-quality study is still challenging for the investigators as there is a plethora of different models used.

AIM

To review current state of the art for experimental protocols in high-risk anastomosis in rats.

METHODS

This systematic review was performed according to The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. To identify eligible studies, a comprehensive literature search was performed in the electronic databases PubMed (MEDLINE) and Scopus, covering the period from conception until 18 October 2023.

RESULTS

From our search strategy 102 studies were included and were categorized based on the mechanism used to create a high-risk anastomosis. Methods of assessing anastomotic healing were extracted and were individually appraised.

CONCLUSION

Anastomotic healing studies have evolved over the last decades, but the findings are yet to be translated into human studies. There is a need for high-quality, well-designed studies that will help to the better understanding of the pathophysiology of anastomotic healing and the effects of various interventions.

Risk factors and predictive model for abdominal wound dehiscence in neonates: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Abdominal wound dehiscence (AWD) is a major complication of abdominal surgery, and neonates are a group with a high risk of AWD, which has serious consequences or can even result in death. The purpose of this study is to explore the risk factors for neonatal AWD and construct a predictive model.

METHODS

The clinical data of 453 cases that underwent neonatal laparotomy from June 2009 to June 2020 were retrospectively analyzed, among which 27 cases of AWD were identified. Nine factors, including gender, age at admission, weight at admission, preterm delivery, level of preoperative anaemia, hypoalbuminemia, operation time, incision length, and incision type, were analyzed to explore their correlation with neonatal AWD.

RESULTS

The incidence of neonatal AWD was 6.0% (27/453), among which partial wound dehiscence accounted for 4.9% (22/453) and complete wound dehiscence accounted for 1.1% (5/453). Hypoproteinemia and incision type were the independent risk factors for neonatal AWD, and weight at admission was a protective factor for AWD in the multivariate models. All these factors were incorporated to construct a nomogram, and a calibration curve was plotted. The result indicated that the actual risk was close to the predicted risk when the predicted risk rate was greater than about 35%.

CONCLUSIONS

Neonatal AWD is closely related to hypoproteinemia and incision contamination. Our predictive model showed the potential to provide an individualized risk estimate of AWD for neonatal patients undergoing abdominal surgery.Key messagesNeonatal abdominal wound dehiscence (AWD) has a serious consequence and the incidence of neonatal AWD was about 6.0% and the complete AWD morbidity is 1.1%.Hypoproteinemia and incision type were the independent risk factors for neonatal AWD.Our predictive model showed the potential to provide an individualized risk estimate of AWD for neonatal patients undergoing abdominal surgery.

Acquired choledochal cyst following intraabdominal tumor surgical excision: A case report

Introduction

Choledochal cyst (CC) is a morphological malformation characterized by dilatations of the biliary tree that might present later with clinical symptoms, including jaundice, abdominal pain or pancreatitis.

Presentation of case

Here, we reported a 10-month-old female infant with CC presenting with jaundice and a right upper quadrant mass and who was malnourished following a surgical excision of retroperitoneal teratoma one month ago. Laboratory findings were total bilirubin of 14.17 mg/dL, direct bilirubin of 12.24 mg/dL, gamma glutamyl transferase of 1157 U/L, and alkaline phosphatase 187 U/L. Abdominal computed tomography scan showed a CC that caused dilatation of the proximal common bile duct (CBD), common hepatic duct, and intrahepatic bile duct. We decided to perform an explorative laparotomy and found a CC with diameter of 5 cm. Then, we conducted a Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy. Due to hepaticojejunostomy anastomosis leakage, relaparotomies were done. The patient was uneventfully discharged 17 days after the third surgery.

Discussion

Our findings are unique because the patient had a normal biliary tree previously and underwent intraabdominal tumor surgery. Notably, besides being an acquired CC, our case might be due to inadvertent bile duct ligation during the first operation or bile duct obstruction as a complication of the first operation.

Conclusions

CC should be considered as a potential complication of intraabdominal tumor excision, especially if its location is near the CBD. Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy is still the best choice for CC management.

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The development of acquired choledcohal cyst (CC) might be due to disruption of the biliary tree especially the common bile duct during the excision of intraabdominal tumor.

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Abdominal computed tomography scan is useful and highly accurate to diagnose of CC.

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Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy is still the best choice for CC management.

Effects of Parenteral Amino Acid Administration on the Postoperative Nutritional Status and Wound Healing of Protein-Malnourished Rats

In Japan, parenteral nutrition (PN) solutions are frequently administered to patients in the postoperative short-term period. In these cases, amino acid-containing peripheral parenteral nutrition (PPN) solutions, amino acid-free maintenance solutions or combinations of the two are used. However, consensus regarding the most beneficial solution for these patients is lacking. Here, we examined the nutritional status and wound healing outcomes in protein-malnourished rats receiving postoperative administrations of PPN solution, maintenance solution or combinations of the two solutions. Protein malnutrition was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats by feeding an AIN-93G-based low-protein diet (5% casein) for 2 wk. After laparotomy, dorsal skin incision, and placement of a jugular vein catheter, the rats were divided into 3 groups. Each group was administered 113 kcal/kg/d, with group A receiving maintenance solutions without amino acid, group B receiving PPN with 1.5% amino acid, and group C receiving PPN with 3% amino acid. After 5 d post-operative administration, we measured the tensile strength of the wound area, skeletal muscle weights, and nutritional parameters. Significantly higher plasma nutritional parameters and gastrocnemius and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle weights were observed in groups B and C than in group A. Group C exhibited significantly elevated tensile strength of the wound area along with up-regulation of type I collagen mRNA expression compared to group A. These findings demonstrate the nutritional status and wound healing benefits of short-term postoperative administration of PPN solutions containing amino acids in protein-malnourished rats.