[Hemobilia]

The phenomenon now known as haemobilia was first recorded in XVII century by well known anatomist from Cambridge, Francis Glisson and his description was published in Anatomia Hepatis in 1654. Until today etiology, clinical presentation and management are clearly defined. Haemobilia is a rare clinical condition that has to be considered in differential diagnosis of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. In Western countries, the leading cause of haemobilia is hepatic trauma with bleeding from an intrahepatic branch of the hepatic artery into a biliary duct (mostly iatrogenic in origin, e.g. needle biopsy of the liver or percutaneous cholangiography). Less common causes include hepatic neoplasm; rupture of a hepatic artery aneurysm, hepatic abscess, choledocholithiasis and in the Orient, additional causes include ductal parasitism by Ascaris lumbricoides and Oriental cholangiohepatitis. Clinical presentation of heamobilia includes one symptom and two signs (Quinke triad): a. upper abdominal pain, b. upper gastrointestinal bleeding and c. jaundice. The complications of haemobilia are uncommon and include pancreatitis, cholecystitis and cholangitis. Investigation of haemobilia depends on clinical presentation. For patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding oesophagogastroduodenoscopy is the first investigation choice. The presence of blood clot at the papilla of Vater clearly indicates the bleeding from biliary tree. Other investigations include CT and angiography. The management of haemobilia is directed at stopping bleeding and relieving biliary obstruction. Today, transarterial embolization is the golden standard in the management of heamobilia and if it fails further management is surgical.

Ambulatory surgery of umbilical, epigastric and small incisional hernias: open preperitoneal flat mesh technique in local anaesthesia

Introduction. The dilemma whether to use the mesh or non mesh technique in the management of umbilical, epigastric and small incisional hernia is slowly fading away. The open preperitoneal "flat mesh" technique performed as ambulatory surgery may be one of the solutions. The Aim. The aim of this retrospective study is to present the results of open preperitoneal "flat mesh" technique in the management of umbilical, epigastric and small incisional hernia within Material and methods. This study included 34 patients (11 of them with umbilical, 13 with epigastric and 8 of them with small incisional hernia) operated by one surgeon in the period January 2004 - January 2006. Results. The median operative time was 52 minutes for umbilical hernia?s, 43 minutes for epgastric and 54 minutes for incisional hernia?s. The ambulatory surgery was performed at 91% of patients. The median hospitalization was 4h for patients with umbilical hernia?s, 3,7h for patients with epigastric and, 7,7h for patients with small incisional hernia. The follow up is 10,5 months. Apart of one superficial infection other complications were absent. Conclusion. The open preperitoneal "flat mesh" technique performed in local anesthesia as an ambulatory surgery provides good results in the management of umbilical, epigastric and small incisional hernia.

[Retrohepatic veins of the posterior section of the right hepatic lobe--terminology and surgical significance]

Three main hepatic veins: right, middle and left are constant, but there is a variable number of retrohepatic vessels called accessory or minor hepatic veins. The most important of them are veins reffered to as middle right hepatic vein (MRHV) draining segment VII and inferior right hepatic vein (IRHV) draining segment VI. The incidence of large MRHV and IRHV reaching or exceeding a caliber of 5mm, their arrangement in the liver and drainage territories were investigated in our collection of 142 injection-corrosion specimens of the liver. In 1/5 of the cases with large IRHV this vein drains small part of segment VI, sometimes its insignificant marginal part so it couldn't be used for segment VI preservation when it is necessary. A precise knowledge of the vein anatomy of right posterior sector of the liver and its vein drainage territories is very important during complex dissections of the retrohepatic areas, resections and preservation liver parenchima.

[Assessment of the degree of maturity in the wall of pancreatic pseudocysts in relation to choice of surgical procedure]

The aim of this study is to present our experience in the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic pseudocysts. A pancreatic pseudocyst is an incapsulated collection of pancreatic juice, enclosed by nonepithelial elements, containing a high concentration of pancreatic enzymes, bicarbonates and necrotic detritus. It is a common complication of acute pancreatitis and trauma of the pancreas. In the period between 1996 and 2001, 53 surgical procedures were performed for pancreatic pseudocyst at the Institute for Digestive Diseases (First Surgical University Hospital), 35 male patients (67%) and 17 female patients (33%) underwent surgery. In 39 (75%) patients the method of choice was cystojejunostomy by Roux. In 4 cases distal pancreatectomy for pseudocysts localized within the pancreatic tail was performed, complete pseudocyst excision only was performed in one case and complete pseudocyst excision combined with cystojejunostomy was also performed in one case. Cystogastrostomy and drainage in one case and partial cystectomy and drainage also in one case. Surgical internal drainage is the method of choice for the treatment of pancreatic pseudocysts, involving low morbidity and mortality rates.

[Elective resection of the spleen--overview of resection technics and description of a new technic based on radiofrequency coagulation and dessication]

The authors present a short overview of the development of elective splenic resections. Past and present indications are presented. Contemporary hemostatic technique for elective splenic resection are discussed. An original new technique for transsegmental partial splenic resection using RF generator Radionic Cool Tip(without any aditional hemostatic procedures is presented. This technique is inovative and when use properly it is a practically zero blood loos technique. A patient with transsegmental splenic resection using RF generator is presented. Further clinical application of the technique is necessary.

[The Rives technique (direct inguinal approach) in treatment of large inguino-scrotal and recurrent hernias]

In solving inguinal hernias, surgeons today have in front of them many variations of different operative procedures (both tensional and non-tensional techniques). They are performed through operative or endoscope approach. Classical tension techniques present the operation of choice for smaller indirect, direct or femoral hernias among younger patients while non/tensional techniques are the best solution for all types of inguinal hernia among older patients with big destruction of transversal fascia and the best solution for most of recurrent hernias. Positioning of mesh with non-tensional techniques can be completed on different levels, with big hernias where the biggest part of transversal fascia of miopectineal orifitium is destroyed it is anatomically the most useful to place the mesh in preperitoneal space. Rives technique is the base of that concept and it presents one of good solutions in that kind of situations. In the period January 2001 until december 2002 using different operative techniques the authors treated 99 inguinal hernias of which 78 were primary and 21 recurrent hernias. Rives technique was performed in 46 cases (46.5%) among which 26 cases were primary inguinoscrotal hernias (3 patients IIIA, 22 patients IIIB, 1 patient IIIC, according to Nyhus classification) and 20 cases were recurrent hernias (6 patients IVA, 11 IVB, 3 IVD). Complications after Rives technique were the following: 1 recurrence (2.17%), 1 ischemic orchitis (2.17%) and 1 scrotal hematoma (2.17%). Infections and chronic pain were not present. The follow up was from 30 days to 2 years. Authors have shown that Rives technique is reliable solution for primary indirect, direct and femoral hernias with big hernial defect (especially for big, so called "giant" inquinoscrotal hernias) and for all types of recurrent hernias. The advantage of the technique is an easy performance without some previous special training because of the fact that dissection and preparation is the same as for the tension techniques. With small amount of prosthetic material all weak points of miopectineal orifitium are closed. The real risks of this technique are ischemic orchitis and chronis neuralgia in treatment of recurrent hernias and the presence of polypropylene mesh in Bogras space.

[Modified Rives technic in the treatment of recurrent inguinal hernia]

After the introduction of prosthetic material in hernia surgery the fundamental changes in operative strategy occurred. This is because the coverage of myopectineal orifitium with non-absorbable prosthesis decreases the incidence of recurrences. Because of the appearance of lateral re-recurrences after the classical Rives procedure, we modified the operative technique. The modified Rives technique consists of the following: always polypropilen mesh 15x10 cm; creation of the new internal inguinal ring between Poupart's ligament and mesh; no lateral notching the mesh and anchoring mesh 2-3 cm from the medial, inferior, lateral and superior edge. During the period January 2001-December 2003, 34 cases of recurrent hernias were operated on 7th dept. of I Surgical Clinic of CCS. The recurrences were managed by classical (10/34) or modified Rives technique through direct inguinal approach (22/34), less frequently Lichtenstein procedure (1/34) and McVay (1/34) technique. Among 10 patients with recurrent inguinal hernias managed by classical Rives technique 2 re-recurrences appeared (indirect and interstitial) and 2 cases of infection (immediately after the operation or 7 months after the operation), and in the group of 22 cases with recurrent inguinal hernias managed by modified Rives technique the aim complications didn't appear. Using the modified Rives technique we managed the primary hernias in 56 cases without recurrences and infections. The modified Rives technique, because of the way of mesh fixation (all around), no lateral notching of mesh and remaining hem in all directions secures abdominal wall protection 2-3 cm from the line of fixation and prevents any movement of the mesh. This procedure enables management of all inguinal hernias regardless to their size and full protection of the medial, femoral and lateral inguinal triangle. The modified Rives technique is the technique of choice for big multiple defects (giant inguino-scrotal and re-recurrences), especially among patients with increased intra-abdominal pressure when other techniques may be insufficient because of mesh protrusion.

[Surgical treatment of liver metastases of colorectal carcinoma]

Colorectal carcinoma metastasizes into the liver, but liver-only metastases are infrequent. Liver-only metastases are seen mainly from colorectal carcinoma. This is the only metastatic disease where treatment aimed only or mainly at the liver metastases is employed with curative intent. If liver resection for colorectal metastases is done by an experienced team, adhering to predefined indications, five year survival ranges from 30-40%, operative mortality is 3-5% and the postoperative morbidity is acceptable. New diagnostic techniques have been introduced and indications for liver resection extended. This paper presents the current limitations and possibilities for the surgical management of colorectal metastases in the liver.