Laparoscopic management of adhesive small bowel obstruction with strangulation: when to resect and how to distinguish reversible from nonreversible bowel ischaemia - a video vignette

Establishment of a risk prediction model for bowel necrosis in patients with incarcerated inguinal hernia

INTRODUCTION

Incarceration occurred in approximately 5% to 15% of inguinal hernia patients, with around 15% of incarcerated cases progressing to intestinal necrosis, necessitating bowel resection surgery. Patients with intestinal necrosis had significantly higher mortality and complication rates compared to those without necrosis.The primary objective of this study was to design and validate a diagnostic model capable of predicting intestinal necrosis in patients with incarcerated groin hernias.

METHODS

We screened the clinical records of patients who underwent emergency surgery for incarcerated inguinal hernia between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2022. To ensure balanced representation, the enrolled patients were randomly divided into a training set (n = 180) and a validation set (n = 76) using a 2:1 ratio. Logistic regression analysis was conducted using the rms package in R software, incorporating selected features from the LASSO regression model, to construct a predictive model.

RESULTS

Based on the results of the LASSO regression analysis, a multivariate logistic regression model was developed to establish the predictive model. The predictors included in the model were Abdominal effusion, Hernia Sac Effusion, and Procalcitonin. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for the nomogram graph in the training set was 0.977 (95% CI = 0.957-0.992). In the validation set, the AUC for the nomogram graph was 0.970. Calibration curve and decision curve analysis (DCA) verified the accuracy and practicability of the nomogram graph in our study.

CONCLUSION

Bowel necrosis in patients with incarcerated inguinal hernia was influenced by multiple factors. The nomogram predictive model constructed in this study could be utilized to predict and differentiate whether incarcerated inguinal hernia patients were at risk of developing bowel necrosis.

Intestinal ischemia in patients with incarcerated groin hernia: proposal and validation of a score

Purpose

Intestinal ischemia (II) is the most critical factor to determine in patients with incarcerated groin hernia (IGH) because II could be reversible, and it is considered as a “time sensitive condition.” Although predictive factors of II were identified in several previous studies, preoperative diagnosis of II cannot be reliably made or excluded by any known parameter. The aims of this study were: to devise and to validate a clinic-biologic score, with a strong discriminatory power, for predicting the risk of II in patients with IGH.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective bicentric study including 335 patients with IGH. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent predictive factors of II. We assigned points for the score according to the regression coefficient. The area under the curve (AUC) was determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The scoring system was then prospectively validated on a second independent population of 45 patients admitted for IGH in the same departments (internal validation).

Results

Four independent predictive factors of II were identified: heart rate, duration of symptoms before admission, prothrombin, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR). A predictive score of II was established based on these independent predictive factors. Sensitivity was 94.50%; specificity was 92.70%. The AUC of this score was 0.97. The AUC was 0.96 when the score was applied on the second population of patients.

Conclusions

We performed a score to predict the risk of intestinal II with a good accuracy (the AUC of our score was 0.97). This score is reliable and reproducible, so it can help a surgeon to prioritize patients with II for surgery (especially at this time of COVID-19 pandemic), because ischemia could be reversible, avoiding thus intestinal necrosis.

The use of indocyanine green fluorescence to define bowel microcirculation during laparoscopic surgery for acute small bowel obstruction

AIM

Although there is growing evidence to support the feasibility of a minimally invasive approach for acute small bowel obstruction, the inability to adequately evaluate compromised bowel segments has been cited as a major limitation. The aim of this work is to report a novel application of extemporaneous indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence to assess bowel viability where there is a concern for ischaemic damage.

METHOD

After the cause of obstruction has been identified and resolved, and where there are dubious signs of bowel ischaemia present, fluorescent selective angiography is undertaken. The segment of bowel in question is observed under both normal and fluorescent light to assess local microcirculation. The adequacy of both the arterial supply and the venous drainage is thus appraised to define bowel viability.

RESULTS

Among 71 patients who have undergone surgery for acute small bowel obstruction with a laparoscopic approach, seven received extemporaneous ICG fluorescence assessment of bowel viability. Different presentations with their relevant management are described.

CONCLUSIONS

Selective use of intraoperative fluorescent angiography may overcome some of the intrinsic limitations of laparoscopy in assessing bowel viability during surgery for acute small bowel obstruction.

Predicting Intestinal Ischaemia in Patients with Adhesive Small Bowel Obstruction: A Simple Score

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Intestinal ischaemia (II) is the most critical factor to determine in patients with adhesive small bowel obstruction (ASBO) because intestinal ischaemia could be reversible. The aim of this study was to create a clinicoradiological score to predict II in patients with ASBO.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective study including 124 patients with ASBO. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictive factors of II. We assigned points for the score according to the regression coefficient. The area under the curve (AUC) was determined using receiver operating characteristic curves.

RESULTS

Six independent predictive factors of II were identified: age, pain duration, body temperature, WBC, reduced wall enhancement and segmental mesenteric fluid at CT scan. According to the regression, coefficient points were assigned to each of the variables associated with II. The estimated rates of II were calculated for the total scores ranging from 0 to 24. The AUC of this clinicoradiological score was 0.92. A cut-off score of 6 was used for the low-probability group (the risk of II was 1.13%). A score ranging from 7 to 15 defined intermediate-probability group (the risk of II was 44%). A score ≥16 defined high-probability group (100% of patients in this group had II).

CONCLUSIONS

We performed a score to predict the risk of intestinal II with a good accuracy (the AUC of our score exceeded 0.90). This score is reliable and reproducible, so it can help surgeon to prioritize patients with II for surgery because ischaemia could be reversible, avoiding thus intestinal necrosis.