Sleeve gastrectomy - still popular bariatric method

INTRODUCTION

Obesity is currently the most common multifactorial disease affecting almost all social strata of the population. Conservative therapy of obesity usually succeeds in reducing excess weight by an average of 10-15%. After surgical treatment of severe obesity (bariatric surgery), the average decrease in excess weight is several times greater and, in most cases, has a long-term positive effect on the overall clinical condition of the patients.

METHODS

Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) is the most used bariatric method of treating severe obesity today. The principle of SG is a vertical resection of a major portion of the gastric greater curvature. After the resection, the residual stomach has the shape of a sleeve with a remaining volume of about 120-150 ml. The effect of the method is both restrictive and hormonal, because after SG, the plasma level of active ghrelin decreases in the long term, among other things.

CONCLUSION

Obesity is considered one of the most serious global health problems today. In 2018 a total of 696,191 bariatric procedures were performed worldwide. Sleeve gastrectomy was originally used in high-risk severely obese patients as the first stage of a duodenal switch (DS) or gastric bypass. Since 2003, this method has been used independently because for most of the patients, SG had a sufficient effect on weight reduction and improvement of comorbidities, and that is why since 2015, SG has become the most frequently used bariatric method.

Peripheral vascular trauma - basic management, diagnosis and treatment

INTRODUCTION

Peripheral vascular injuries occur in 1-3% of all traumas in civilian settings. The management of these injuries is often based on experience derived from war medicine where these injuries are more common. The goal of this article is to summarize basic guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of vascular injuries.

METHODS

Western Trauma Association (WTA) and Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (EAST) both have their own guidelines for vascular trauma management.

RESULTS

Vascular injuries occur both in penetrating and blunt traumas. Complete vessel disruption occurs more frequently in penetrating traumas. In the case of blunt trauma, intimal defects are more common, resulting in dissection, false aneurysm, or intramural hematoma. The limb is mostly endangered due to ischemia, reperfusion injury and the compartment syndrome. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are paramount. Vascular trauma management is part of the ATLS protocol and life-over-limb principle. The primary goal is to stop the massive external bleeding. Clinical examination and CT angiography are the most helpful for the diagnosis. Surgical revision is indicated when hard signs are present. This can be a damage control surgery with the primary goal to stop the bleeding as quickly as possible. A shunt can be used for temporary reperfusion of the limb. Definitive treatment can take the form of a simple suture, patches or graft interposition; both prosthetic and autologous grafts are used. Sufficient debridement and fasciotomy are important steps in the therapy. In some cases, endovascular treatment can be used.

CONCLUSION

Over the last century, the treatment strategy changed dramatically. Data from recent military conflicts show a decrease in amputation rates, and limb salvage has become a standard.

Blast syndrome - pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of blast injuries

The incidence of explosions in large agglomerations is high even during peacetime and continues rising. Blast syndrome injuries are complex, with shock wave causing severe injuries of multiple organ systems. In situations with large numbers of injured persons, effective triage allows an early diagnosis and treatment of the highest number of victims. Treatment is challenging, and potentially conflicting therapeutic goals may alternate. This review provides an overview of the pathophysiology of blast injuries, current diagnostic algorithms and therapeutic procedures.

From adjustable gastric banding to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass - case report

INTRODUCTION

Adjustable gastric banding (AGB) used to be a popular bariatric procedure. However, it fails in more than half of those operated on in the long term, becomes ineffective and must be removed. Therefore, the use of AGB has been in decline globally. Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) are the most used bariatric revision surgeries when AGB is removed.

CASE REPORT

We present the case of a woman after AGB removal and conversion to SG who developed a stenosis of the sleeve. Therefore, a decision was made to convert to RYGB with a good effect.

CONCLUSION

Revisional procedures are more technically challenging than primary procedures and have higher complication rates. The most performed revisional operations include SG and RYGB. Stenosis of the sleeve can occur after SG, with a negative impact on the patient's nutritional status and quality of life. This can be managed by endoscopic dilatation, and where this solution proves ineffective, RYGB can be indicated.

Robotic-assisted resection of deep pelvic schwannoma

INTRODUCTION

Schwannomas are a group of well differentiated benign tumors originating from the Schwann cells of the peripheral nervous system. Their localization in the pelvis is very rare. Schwannomas with expansive growth can cause wide neurologic symptoms or oppression of pelvic organs.

CASE REPORT

The authors present a case study of a 60-year-old woman with a large, symptomatic deep pelvic schwannoma. The patient underwent robotic-assisted surgery resulting in complete tumor extirpation. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful with a total of two hospitalization days. The diagnosis of a schwannoma was confirmed by histopathologic analysis. At 11-month follow-up surveillance the patient did not present any neurological deficit or other symptoms.

CONCLUSION

Robotic-assisted surgery allows safe and effective surgical treatment in difficult-to-access anatomical areas. Magnetic resonance imaging is required for preoperative imaging of neurogenic tumors. Histological verification is not recommended in cases where evidence of a schwannoma is found. Multidisciplinary cooperation of a dedicated team experienced in minimally invasive pelvic surgery is necessary.

Delayed Post-Traumatic Hemobilia in a Patient With Blunt Abdominal Trauma: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Hemobilia is a rare condition defined as bleeding in the biliary tract. The clinical presentation is variable. The typical manifestation consists of jaundice, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, and right upper quadrant abdominal pain. This set of symptoms is known as "Quincke's triad." It is present in only 22%-35% of cases. Post-traumatic hemobilia is an extraordinarily rare condition occurring in only 6% of the patients with hemobilia. In general, it occurs in less than 0.2% of patients with liver trauma. A delay in the development of bleeding after liver trauma is frequent. Early diagnosis is essential because massive bleeding into the biliary tract is a potentially life-threatening condition. We present a case of a patient with massive hemobilia developed 12 days after blunt abdominal trauma. Computed tomography angiography showed two pseudoaneurysms in hepatic segments V and VIII with contrast medium extravasation. We successfully performed digital subtraction angiography with selective transcatheter arterial embolization of the leaking segment VIII pseudoaneurysm. Embolization of the pseudoaneurysm in segment V was technically impracticable. Our article provides a review of the published literature focussing on the prevalence, diagnostics, and treatment of post-traumatic hemobilia.

Vascular supply of postresection pancreatic remnant after pancreaticoduodenectomy: A cadaveric study

OBJECTIVES

The vascular supply to the neck and body of the pancreas is highly variable. The dorsal pancreatic artery is the dominant artery feeding this area. The aim of this study was to describe the vascular supply of postresection pancreatic remnants after pancreaticoduodenectomy. Patients with hazardous anatomical arrangement may be at a higher risk of postresection remnant ischemia and postoperative pancreatic fistula development.

METHODS

The modified Whipple procedure was performed on 20 cadaveric donors. The macroscopic anatomical supply of the postresection pancreatic remnant of each donor was evaluated.

RESULTS

The arterial supply of the postresection remnant was highly variable. In 30% of cases (6/20), the dorsal pancreatic artery was cut during the pancreatoduodenectomy or it was missing. In these cases, the area of the pancreaticojejunostomy construction was fed only through anastomoses between the transverse pancreatic artery and the pancreatic branches of the splenic artery.

CONCLUSIONS

In 30% of cases, the arterial supply of the postresection pancreatic remnant was dependent on inconstant intraparenchymal arterial anastomoses. These patients may be at a higher risk of postoperative pancreatic fistula development.

The significance of glycocalyx in surgery

INTRODUCTION

Surgical treatment is associated with an unwanted response of the organism to the so-called surgical trauma. This response is called surgical stress. Ischaemia-reperfusion injury is one of essential causes of tissue damage. It comprises functional and structural changes in tissue that occur after the restoration of circulation, after an episode of ischaemia. Necrosis of irreversibly changed cells and endothelial and mitochondrial-induced tissue swelling occur.

METHODS

Physiology, pathophysiology of endothelial glycocalyx: Endothelial glycocalyx is a 0.2 to 5 micrometres thin heteropolysaccharide layer that covers the endothelium on its intraluminal side. Backbone molecules of the glycocalyx include proteoglycans, glycoproteins, and glycosaminoglycans. Damage of the endothelial glycocalyx was described in trauma patients, in patients with septic shock, in ischemia and reperfusion injury, and during extensive surgical procedures. Approaches to prevent endothelial glycocalyx damage: Remote ischemic preconditioning was tested as a method of ischemia and reperfusion injury prevention during and after surgery. Nevertheless, the expected effect was not confirmed in performed meta-analyses. Endothelial glycocalyx damage can be prevented pharmacologically with a broad spectrum of substances, such as antithrombin III, doxycycline, hydrocortisone, etanercept, or nitric oxide donors. Hydrogen inhalation or albumin affects glycocalyx positively. Sulodexide provides a positive effect on the protection and reparation of endothelial glycocalyx. This proteoglycan with antithrombotic, fibrinolytic, hypofibrinogenemic, and lipolytic function is used for the treatment of venous diseases, ischaemic heart disease, and peripheral arterial disease. A positive effect of sulodexide on renal dysfunction was documented in a model of ischaemia and reperfusion injury. Equally, a positive effect of sulodexide was described on endothelium repair after its mechanical damage.

CONCLUSION

Further research needs to be performed to evaluate the effect of endothelium-protectives on glycocalyx damage prevention and repair in ischaemia and reperfusion models involving large laboratory animals or in clinical trials in patients undergoing surgical revascularisation procedures.

A scoring system for predicting malignancy in intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms of the pancreas: a multicenter EUROPEAN validation

PURPOSE

A preoperative estimate of the risk of malignancy for intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN) is important. The present study carries out an external validation of the Shin score in a European multicenter cohort.

METHODS

An observational multicenter European study from 2010 to 2015. All consecutive patients undergoing surgery for IPMN at 35 hospitals with histological-confirmed IPMN were included.

RESULTS

A total of 567 patients were included. The score was significantly associated with the presence of malignancy (p < 0.001). In all, 64% of the patients with benign IPMN had a Shin score < 3 and 57% of those with a diagnosis of malignancy had a score ≥ 3. The relative risk (RR) with a Shin score of 3 was 1.37 (95% CI: 1.07-1.77), with a sensitivity of 57.1% and specificity of 64.4%.

CONCLUSION

Patients with a Shin score ≤ 1 should undergo surveillance, while patients with a score ≥ 4 should undergo surgery. Treatment of patients with Shin scores of 2 or 3 should be individualized because these scores cannot accurately predict malignancy of IPMNs. This score should not be the only criterion and should be applied in accordance with agreed clinical guidelines.

A comparison of surgical approaches in the treatment of grade C postoperative pancreatic fistula: A retrospective study

Background

Postoperative pancreatic fistula is one of the most dreaded complications following pancreatic resections with Grade C the most severe. Several possible types of surgical intervention are available but to date, none of them have clearly shown superiority. This study aims to compare different surgical approaches.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of patients who underwent revision surgery for postoperative pancreatic fistula between 2008 and 2020 was performed. Three surgical approaches were compared: open drainage; a disconnection of the pancreaticojejunostomy; and salvage total pancreatectomy. The data of nine monitored parameters were collected. Selected parameters were statistically analyzed and compared.

Results

A total of 54 patients were included. Eighteen patients underwent open drainage, 28 had disconnections of the pancreaticojejunostomy and eight had salvage total pancreatectomy. Statistically significant differences were observed in the time of Intensive Care Unit stay, the number of surgical interventions, 90-day mortality, the number of administered blood transfers and treatment costs. Open drainage showed to be superior in each category. The difference in long-term survival also slightly favored simple drainage.

Conclusion

Open drainage procedure showed to be superior to other types of interventions in most of the monitored parameters. Disconnection of the pancreaticojejunostomy and a salvage total pancreatectomy had similar results, which correlated with the surgical burden of these interventions.

The dorsal pancreatic artery: A meta-analysis with clinical correlations

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

The dorsal pancreatic artery is the main artery of the body and tail of the pancreas. Its origin and branching is highly variable. The aim of this study was to perform a meta-analysis to generate pooled prevalence data on the presence and origin of the dorsal pancreatic artery. Clinically important aspects of the dorsal pancreatic artery were summarised during the literature review.

METHODS

Major medical databases were searched. Data on the presence and point of origin of the dorsal pancreatic artery were extracted and quantitatively synthesised. The obtained data of anatomical based studies and computed tomography based studies were statistically analysed.

RESULTS

In total, 30 studies, comprising 2322 anatomical and computed tomography based cases were included. The dorsal pancreatic artery was present in 95.8% of cases. It originated from the splenic artery in 37.6% of cases, common hepatic artery in 18.3% of cases, coeliac trunk in 11.9% of cases and the superior mesenteric artery in 23.9% of cases. Other rare origins were present in 2.77% of cases. Multiple dorsal pancreatic arteries were found in 1,7% of cases. There was no significant difference in the presence or origin of the dorsal pancreatic artery between anatomical and computed tomography based studies.

CONCLUSION

The dorsal pancreatic artery is present in the vast majority of cases. Its origin and branching are highly variable. Multiplicity of the dorsal pancreatic artery is infrequent.

Regenerative abilities of a nanofiber wound dressing based on polylactide

INTRODUCTION

The development of an ideal dressing for wound healing remains an unresolved issue. Thanks to the development of electrospinning technology, polymers in the form of nanofibers have come to the forefront of research interest. A modern and very promising dressing material is a &#8220;nonwoven&#8221; based on nanofibers of the synthetic polymer polylactide (PLA). The aim of this work was to assess the regenerative abilities of PLA in a standardized wound in a porcine model and compare our results to the literature data.

METHODS

We applied PLA-based nanofiber dressings to the standardized wounds created in the porcine model. On the third, tenth, seventeenth and twenty-fourth days after the formation of the defect, we changed the wound dressing while taking a tissue sample for histopathological examination. We continuously monitored serum levels of acute phase proteins.

RESULTS

PLA stimulated an inflammatory response. From the third day, the thickness of the fibrin layer with granulocytes increased. It reached its maximum values on the tenth day (mean 340 &#956;m); at the same time the level of serum amyloid A, as a marker of inflammation, culminated. The individual phases of healing intertwined. The highest thickness values of the granulation tissue with cellular connective tissue (diameter 8463 &#956;m) were reached on the seventeenth day. On the twenty-fourth day, the defects were healed macroscopically with a mean reepithelialization layer of 9913 &#956;m.

CONCLUSION

PLA-based nanofiber dressing potentiates the inflammatory, proliferative and reepithelialization phases of healing. Its structure perfectly mimics the extracellular matrix and serves as a 3D network for the growth and interaction of cellular elements. In addition to biocompatibility, PLA has a unique ability of two-phase biodegradation. It is a promising material for industrial production of dressing materials. Most of the available studies were performed in vitro. In vivo comparative studies approximating the use of PLA to daily practice are still missing.

Acute appendicitis during the spring COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 - a comparative retrospective study

INTRODUCTION

Acute appendicitis (AA) is the most common abdominal emergency. This article aims to document the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on timely diagnosis of AA, duration of symptoms before examination in a medical institution, levels of laboratory inflammatory markers, and the length of hospital stay. Collected data were compared with current world literature.

METHOD

Two datasets were created, comprising patients with the histological diagnosis of AA determined from March 1 to June 30, 2019 (before of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic) and in the same period of the spring pandemic of COVID-19 in 2020. The following information was obtained from patient medical records: Demographic data, information on symptom duration before AA diagnosis, information on laboratory inflammatory marker levels, the used surgical method, antibiotic treatment, histopathological findings, and the length of hospital stay. These data were processed using descriptive statistics methods and the two created datasets were compared with the use of statistical methods (an unpaired t-test and Welchs t-test).

RESULTS

Thirty seven patients (26 men and 11 women) with the median age of 41 years were operated on for acute appendicitis at the Department of Surgery, Military University Hospital in Prague from March 1 to June 30, 2019. Thirty four patients (19 men and 15 women) with the median age of 42 years were operated on in the same period of 2020. No significant differences were found between these two compared datasets in terms of symptom duration, laboratory inflammatory marker levels or the length of hospital stay. The distributions of histopathological findings and used antibiotic treatments were also similar.

CONCLUSION

In our study, we were unable to demonstrate any statistically significant differences between the datasets of patients operated on before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Posttraumatic intercostal pulmonary herniation - case report

INTRODUCTION

Pulmonary hernias are rare conditions, most are the results of an injury or previous thoracic surgery.

CASE REPORT

We present a case of a 48-year-old woman injured in a car accident. The examination in the trauma centre revealed a chest injury with herniation of the lung parenchyma into the chest wall and fractures of long bones of lower limbs. Initially, an osteosynthesis of the left femur and the right tibia fracture were performed. The patient underwent a subsequent surgery to repair the pulmonary hernia.

CONCLUSION

A pulmonary hernia is diagnosed either directly during a clinical examination or by imaging. A sovereign diagnostic method is a computed tomography. The method of treatment is a surgical repair with primary suture of the chest wall defect or implantation of a mesh to repair the pulmonary hernia.

Minimally invasive pancreatic resection in the light of evidence state of the art

The trend of minimally invasive surgery expands even into the most technically demanding areas, including HPB surgery. Faster recovery and elimination of surgical site infections achieved with a minimally invasive approach provides, in addition to a better quality of life, the possibility of starting adjuvant treatment earlier. However, evidence of non-inferiority of short-term and oncological results compared to open surgery is required. In minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy, there is sufficient evidence to suggest that it as the method of choice for benign tumors and low-grade malignancies. For pancreatic cancer, the long-term results so far appear to be equivalent, although this still needs to be confirmed by ongoing randomized controlled trials (RCT). Enucleation of accessible lesions is also a suitable procedure for the minimally invasive approach. In contrast, in pancreaticoduodenectomy, available evidence does not demonstrate a clear benefit of the minimally invasive approach. Safety concerns still remain, and not even formal training has been successful in eliminating the consequences of the long learning curve for perioperative outcomes. Robotic approach appears to be more promising than laparoscopy for pancreaticoduodenectomy. Key words: pancreaticoduodenectomy distal pancreatectomy minimally invasive - laparoscopic robotic.

Robotic-assisted surgery for rectal cancer results of a non-randomized study

INTRODUCTION

The Czech Republic belongs to countries in which colorectal cancer significantly contributes to the overall oncological burden. Radical removal of tumor-affected tissues plays a key role in the multimodal therapy of rectal cancer. In the first decade of the third millennium the mini-invasive approach in rectal cancer surgery gradually expanded to include robotic-assisted surgeries. The aim of this paper is to present the results of a non-randomized study with prospectively collected data from robotically assisted rectal cancer surgeries.

METHODS

204 patients with rectal cancer (.

Penetrating abdominal trauma - selected case reports

We present 3 case-reports with penetrating abdominal injury from our practice in this article. An urgent laparotomy was performed in all cases because of haemodynamic instability or the mechanism of injury. Penetrative abdominal traumas are associated with a high risk of life-threatening intra-abdominal injuries, require urgent revision and are often accompanied by postoperative infections of the peritoneal cavity. In recent years, there has been a growing tendency towards mini-invasive approaches or even non-operative treatment. This trend is particularly evident in the United States of America, where doctors experience a higher number of penetrating injuries compared to the prevalent blunt force trauma in Europe. The authors describe the need to follow all recommended procedures in the pre-hospital and hospital phases of treatment of these patients and compare them with recent literature. Key words: penetrating abdominal trauma.

Negative pressure wound therapy updates for 2021

Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has been used in clinical practice for 25 years. Worldwide, it has been used to treat more than 10 million wounds. The repertoire of NPWT procedures is still growing. This originally simple procedure entails a number of pitfalls and limits, and full utilisation of the micro-deformation potential of NPWT depends on many key details. We present the pathophysiology, effects and forms of NPWT use including our own experience, tips and a proposal for the use of NPWT during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ten years of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy at the Military University Hospital in Prague

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study was to evaluate a group of bariatric patients operated at the Military University Hospital in Prague during the last 10 years (20112020), in whom laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy was performed.

METHODS

Retrospective survey of the internal operation database. The search used the following combination of keywords: &#8220;sleeve&#8220;, &#8220;LSG&#8220; and the diagnosis &#8220;E6*&#8220;. A total of 279 operated patients were enrolled. We evaluated the sex, age at the time of surgery, complications, need for drainage, weight, BMI, presence of type two diabetes mellitus and any effect of the surgery on its improvement, length of hospital stay, follow-up duration and % excess weight loss.

RESULTS

A total of 279 patients, including 195 women and 84 men, underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in the period of 10 years. The mean age was 44.46 years. The average operating time was 111 minutes. The mean BMI of the patients before surgery was 42.24 and the weight was 123.4 kg. The mean BMI one year after the surgery corresponded to a decrease of approximately 10 and the mean weight of 93.8 kg. Rather severe acute postoperative complications occurred in 2.87% patients. An improvement or complete cure of type two diabetes mellitus was observed in 57.8% patients.

CONCLUSION

Currently, laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is the most common bariatric operation at the Military University Hospital in Prague. This study demonstrates a satisfactory effect of bariatric surgery in terms of long-term significant weight loss and an improvement or even cure of associated diseases such as type two diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension and others.

Pancreatic head resections in the setting of celiac axis stenosis: Case report and review of literature

INTRODUCTION

Ischemic complications are a notable cause of morbidity in patients after pancreatic head resections. Stenosis of celiac axis in patients undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy requires further perioperative attention.

CASE REPORT

We present a patient with pancreatic head malignancy scheduled for Whipple procedure in the setting of hemodynamically significant celiac axis stenosis. Despite release of the artery from compression by median arcuate ligament, elevation of liver function tests on the first postoperative day was noted. Endovascular stenting was performed on the same day with significant radiological improvement and subsequent normalization of laboratory values. The patient had no further postoperative complications.

CONCLUSION

Fast recognition of ischemic complications after pancreatic head resection is crucial. Even postoperatively, endovascular intervention might be a feasible treatment modality of celiac axis stenosis in selected patients who undergo pancreatoduodenectomy.

Increasing incidence of tuberculosis diagnosed by surgery: a single centre analysis in low-incidence country

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of thoracic tuberculosis (TB) in patients who underwent surgery for indeterminate lung nodules, mass and pleural effusions.

METHODS

A monocentric retrospective study was carried out from 2012 to 2018 in a high-volume thoracic surgery centre. All patients with finding of thoracic TB within surgery and/or confirmed post-surgery were studied. Demography, origin, TB related symptoms, immunosuppression, type of surgery, and complication of surgery were analyzed.

RESULTS

During the seven-year period TB was diagnosed in 71 cases, 58% were men. The mean age was 50 years. 21% of the cases had family history of TB or were successfully treated for TB in the past. 14% of patients had prior history of treatment for malignancy. Five patients (7%) received immunosuppressive therapy. The indication for surgery was indeterminate lung nodules and mass in 55 patients (77.5%) and indeterminate recurrent or persistent pleural effusions in 21 patients (22.5%). In five patients (7%) a lung carcinoma and a concomitant TB infection was detected. 63 of the cases (88.7%) had positive real-time PCR TBC test. Direct microscopic detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis detected TB in five cases (7%). The microbiological diagnosis by culture was achieved in 19 patients (26.8%). Two patients (2.8%) were diagnosed with multidrug-resistant TB. Surgical procedure complications occurred in nine cases (12.7%).

CONCLUSIONS

Although the overall incidence of TB in the Czech Republic is low and constantly continues to decrease, the number of TB detected by surgical procedures is increasing. Surgery still remains an important tool in diagnostics of nonobvious cases of TB, especially in patients with a potential risk of malignancy.

[Laparoscopic versus open left pancreatectomy: surgical stress response comparison in the porcine model]

INTRODUCTION

Although several techniques of laparoscopic left pancreatectomy have already been developed through experiments on animals and human patients, there is still insufficient information about their pathophysiological mechanisms, especially the impact on surgical stress.

METHOD

In a group of 10 pigs, open left pancreatectomy was performed, and the other group of 10 pigs underwent laparoscopic left pancreatectomy. Postoperative stress was compared by determining serum levels of leukocytes, interleukin 1, 6 and CRP from peripheral venous blood collection. The blood was collected prior to incision, 1 and 2 hours after incision, 24 hours after the beginning of the procedure, and on the 7th postoperative day.

RESULTS

No statistically significant difference was found between open and laparoscopic left pancreatectomy in the measured values of leukocytes, IL-1 and 6 and CRP.Key words: laparoscopy - left pancreatectomy surgical stress response interleukin 1 interleukin 6.

[Epithelial cyst in an intrapancreatic accessory spleen -a case report]

INTRODUCTION

Accessory spleen is a relatively common congenital defect with a 10% incidence in the population. Intrapancreatic accessory spleens are rare and cystic formation may mimic a hypervascular pancreatic tumour.

CASE REPORT

We present the case of a 27-year-old woman who underwent abdominal ultrasonography (USG) because of chronic abdominal discomfort. USG findings revealed a 20 mm cystic mass in the tail of the pancreas. Additional preoperative investigations showed a tumour in the tail of the pancreas suspected of being a non-active neuroendocrine tumour. The intraoperative finding was a hard mass in the tail of the pancreas and neither peritoneal dissemination nor metastasis was detected. Distal pancreatectomy was performed. Pathological examination described an epithelial cyst in an intrapancreatic accessory spleen.

DISCUSSION

Cyst formation in an intrapancreatic accessory spleen is extremely rare. Most patients with this condition have no clinical symptoms and it is often detected incidentally by imaging studies. It is difficult to differentiate an epithelial splenic cyst in the pancreas from a primary pancreatic neoplasm because it lacks particular characteristics on radiological examination; epithelial splenic cysts should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a cystic lesion in the tail of the pancreas. Key words: spleen - epithelial cyst - intrapancreatic accessory spleen.

[Quality of life is an important factor in the indication in patients with advanced pancreatic carcinoma--a prospective multicentric study]

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this report is to present results of prospective multicentric study on quality of life (QoL) in advanced ductal pancreatic adenocarcinoma patients.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

In 426 patients with advanced ductal pancreatic adenocarcinoma, the following parameters were studied: type of treatment, complication rates, 1, 2 and 3-year survival rates. QoL was assessed in 151 patients, using a generic SF-36 questionnaire prior the therapy and then 3 months after the treatment. Arithmetic mean and standard deviation (SD) were used for the QoL pool analysis. The results were evaluated using SF-36 software, t-test for independent samples, ANOVA, paired t-test and SPSS 19.0.1 (IBM Corporation, 2010). The p value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

RESULTS

There was a significant difference in the median, 1,2 and 3-year survival rates in the patients with stage III pancreatic cancer who underwent radical resection (RR) compared to the paliative therapy patients (p < 0.001). The highest initial overal QoL value was observed in 39 stage III patients who underwent RR (60.5 +/- 1.84) and no significant decrease in this value was recorded over a 3-month postoperative period (difference--5.1 +/- 16.6, p = 0.064). Paliative therapy resulted in significant reduction in the overall QoL value (p = 0.020). In the paliative therapy group of patients, BDA resulted in significant reduction in the overall QoL value 3 months after the procedure (p = 0.017 vs. ns.). In the group of stage IV patients, nonsignificant increase in the overall QoL value was recorded in 8 patients 3 months after BDA (46.4 +/- 17.0 vs. 51.1 +/- 9.5 p = 0.525). Nonsignificant increase in the overal QoL values was also observed in 18 patients after stent introduction (30.6 +/- 8.3 vs. 31.5 +/- 8.5 p = 0.783). Nonsignificant deterioration in QoL was recorded in patients undergoing exploration, whose initial QoL values corresponded with those in RR patients, while 3 months after the explorative surgery their QoL values were similar to those recorded in the stent group patients (62.0 +/- 16.1 vs. 41.7 +/- 23.6 s rozdílem -20.3 +/- 16.2 p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Based on the results of the multicentric prospective study in patients with locally advanced stage III and IV ductal pancreatic adenocarcinoma, the following conclusions can be presented: (1) median and 1, 2 and 3-year survival rates in stage III patients were significantly higher in the RR group compared to the paliative therapy patients, (2) initial QoL in stage III patients was significantly the highest in patients who underwent RR. Significant decrease in QoL was recorded in BDA patients. Paliative stent introduction resulted in nonsignificant improvement in the QoL 3 months after the procedure, while the initial QoL values were the lowest in this group, (3) QoL assessment in stage IV patients showed statistically nonsignificant improvement after BDA or stent procedures, the most significant deterioration was observed in the exploration group, (4) no complication which would result in prolongation of the respective hospitalization times was recorded in 67%, (5) early postoperative complications did not result in significant QoL deterioration 3 months after the procedure, (6) absence of chemotherapy results in significant decrease in QoL.

[55 laparoscopic cholecystectomies using single incision laparoscopic surgery--initial experience]

INTRODUCTION

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is currently the commonest laparoscopic procedure, and is considered the method of choice in the treatment of cholecystolithiasis. Advancements in miniinvasive surgery allowed for gradual reduction in the number of ports and resulted in introduction of single incision laparoscopic surgery. Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery (SILS)--is a laparoscopic method, in which all working ports are introduced into a single, umbilical, incision. LESS (Laparo Endoscopic Single-Site Surgery)--a miniinvasive procedure using a specialized multi-instrumental port (Tri-port), introduced in the periumbilical region. The authors present the following two methods of single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy: using three individual ports or using a port, specialized for the method.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Retrospective assessment of all patients, who were operated using single incision laparoscopy at the Surgical Clinic of 2nd Faculty Medicine of the Charles University and at the Central Military Hospital Prague (UVN Praha), from December 2008 to October 2009. The authors assessed age, gender, body-mass index, procedure duration, blood loss during operations, indications for the procedures and postoperative complications. The data collected were analyzed with descriptive statistics methods, using the Excel tabulator.

RESULTS

During the 11-month period, a total of 50 patients underwent SILS cholecystecomy. The procedure was indicated for cholecystolithiasis (66%), cholecystitis (28%) and gallbladder polyps (6%). No serious complications were recorded, a single patient (2%) suffered from wound infection. LESS cholecystectomy for symptomatic cholecystolithiasis was performed in 5 patients. No complications were recorded.

CONCLUSION

Single Incision Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy is a promising method, combining general advantages of laparoscopic surgery and minimizing abdominal wall injury, since the incision site is located within the existing umbilical scar. Due to technical advancements, it is a safe method, comparable to conventional laparoscopic procedures.

[Gastrointestinal stromal tumor--analysis of a patient group, literature overview]

INTRODUCTION

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are common mesenchymal gastrointestinal tumors, however, their incidence rate is low. The tumors originate from progenitor cells of interstitial cells of Cajal-gastrointestinal pacemaker cells, and the majority of them express c-Kit, a tyrosin kinase receptor. The aim of this study was to assess the GIST treatment in a group of patients and to compare the outcomes with literature data.

METHODS

The authors performed a retrospecitve analysis of all patients with histologically confirmed GISTs, who were operated in the 2nd Surgical Clinic of the Charles University Medical Faculty (LF UK) in Prague and in the Central Military Hospital Prague (UVN Praha), from 2003 to 2008.

RESULTS

During the five-year period, 13 patients underwent surgery in the Central Military Hospital Prague. The commonest tumor locations were the following: stomach (46%), small intestine (duodenum 23%, jejunum 23%, ileum 8%). R0 resection was performed in 12 subjects (92%). 10 patients (77%) remain in remission, in one patient, the disease is stabilized (8%), and in one patient, the disease progression and generalization has been recorded (8%).

CONCLUSION

Surgery is a standard treatment in localized tumors. Following radical resection, the patients benefit from adjacent treatment with tyrosin kinase inhibitors. Specific tyrosin kinase inhibitors have been shown effective in the treatment of metastatic and relapsing disorders. Primary surgical treatment in metastatic diseases remains a paliative option for patients with bleeding and obstruction.

[Rare cases of extensive retroperitoneal liposarcomas]

INTRODUCTION

Liposarcomas of the retroperitoneal area (LSRP) are rare mesenchymal tumour, which are literary ranked among the retroperitoneal soft-tissue sarcomas, they can reach enormous size, while patients complains aren't distinctive. The most common symptoms are abdominal discomfort and distention of abdominal volume with a palpable resistention. The only successful treatment of this tumor is surgical exstirpation. CASE REPORT 1: 77-year-old patient was investigated because of gradually accruing size of the abdomen. There was a lipoid tumour in the peritoneal cavity shown by computed tomography, suspected coming out of the retroperitoneal area. During the operation we found out giant well-differentiated liposarcoma which grew from the retroperitoneal area. Postoperative period was complicated by bleeding and consequently by MOF. 14th postoperative day patient died. Dissection finding was another location of liposarcomas in the retroperitoneal area. CASE REPORT 2: 66-year-old patient was investigated because of increasing girth. Abdominal ultrasonography and CT displayed adipoid formation which filled up most of the peritoneal cavity with compression of surrounding organs. The tumour was completely resected during operation. The patient has been followed in dispensatory for two years without any signs of recurrence of the illness.

DISCUSSION

Liposarcomas are the most frequent histological type among primary retroperitoneal sarcomas. Metastatic potential of LSRP is low but these tumors often recur locally. In diagnostics and in follow-up are essential CT and MRI. Successful therapy is radical resection. It could be difficult to distinguish giant well-differentiated liposarcomas from normal retroperitoneal fat. Incomplete resection is a palliation operation without chance for long survival.