An evaluation of the long-term effectiveness of Gatekeeper™ intersphincteric implants for passive faecal incontinence

Background

Implantation of Gatekeeper™ prostheses presents an option for the treatment of passive faecal incontinence (FI). Whilst preliminary results are encouraging, long-term data regarding its sustained benefit are limited. The aim of this study was to assess and evaluate the long-term clinical function and quality of life of patients with passive faecal incontinence who were treated with Gatekeeper™ prostheses.

Methods

This was a single centre, single surgeon retrospective study of prospectively collected clinical data in patients with FI treated between June 2012 and May 2019. Patients with passive FI with symptoms refractory to conservative treatment and endoanal ultrasonography showing intact or disrupted internal anal sphincter were included. Formal clinical and quality of life assessments were carried out using the St. Mark’s Incontinence Score (SMIS) and Faecal Incontinence Quality of Life (FIQoL) questionnaires at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months and then annually. Endoanal ultrasonography was performed both before and after surgery.

Results

Forty patients (14 males, 26 females) with a median age of 62.5 (range 33–80) years were treated with the Gatekeeper™ implant. The majority of patients (87.5%) received six implants. There were no peri or post-operative complications. Prosthesis migration was observed in 12.5% patients. The median follow-up duration was 5 years (interquartile range (IQR) 3.25–6.00 years). A sustained improvement in median SMIS and FIQoL scores from baseline to follow-up was noted. Significant differences were observed between the median baseline SMIS score and last follow-up score of 16.00 (IQR 15.00–16.75) to 7.00 (IQR 5.00–8.00) respectively (p < 0.001), a 56.25% decrease. The overall median FIQoL score showed a significant improvement from 7.95 (IQR 7.13–9.48) to 13.15 (IQR 12.00–13.98) (p < 0.001) a 65.40% increase.

Conclusions

Gatekeeper™ implantation is a safe approach to treating passive FI and is minimally invasive, reproducible and has minimal complications. Long-term sustained clinical improvement is achievable beyond 5 years. Careful patient selection is paramount, as is consistency of technique and follow-up protocol.

Laparoscopic Training Opportunities in an Emergency Biliary Service

Background and Objectives:

Optimizing single-session management of biliary emergencies whilst maximizing laparoscopic training opportunities is challenging. We analyzed training opportunities available in an emergency biliary department and its impact on service provision and patient outcomes.

Methods:

A single surgeon's practice of 2049 emergency laparoscopic cholecystectomies and common bile duct explorations was prospectively analyzed. Training involved a modular stepwise approach incorporating access, gallbladder bed dissection, pedicle dissection, intra- corporeal tying, and cholangiogram ± common bile duct exploration. Training cases were identified, trainee involvement ascertained, and parameters predictive of a training case were established.

Results:

Thirty percent of laparoscopic cholecystectomies were performed in part or completely by trainees, with a training component in 30% of bile duct explorations. Trainee involvement increased mean operating time by approximately 10 minutes. There was no difference in minor (5% vs 5%, P = .8) or major complications (1% vs 0.9%, P = .7) on trainee versus consultant cases. Postoperative hospital stay was greater in consultant cases (2.87 vs 4.44 days, P = .0025).

Multivariate analysis identified predictors of trainee cases including lower age (OR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.1-1.7), female sex (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.3-2), normal-weight subjects (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.3-1.9), lower difficulty grade (1-2) (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.4-2.2), and American Society of Anesthesiologists score ≤ 2 (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.4-2.4).

Conclusions:

Surgical training is possible in a singlesession biliary emergency service without significantly impacting theatre utilization times or early patient outcomes. Further dedicated studies will allow individual learning curves to be determined.

A Glasgow Tipple-transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt insertion prior to Whipple resection

Abdominal surgery performed in patients with significant liver disease and portal hypertension is associated with high mortality rates, with even poorer outcomes associated with complex pancreaticobiliary operations. We report on a patient requiring portal decompression via transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) prior to a pancreaticoduodenectomy. The 49-year-old patient presented with pain, jaundice and weight loss. At ERCP an edematous ampulla was biopsied, revealing high-grade dysplasia within a distal bile duct adenoma. Liver biopsy was performed to investigate portal hypertension, confirming congenital hepatic fibrosis (CHF). A TIPS was performed to enable a pancreaticoduodenectomy. Prophylactic TIPS can be performed for preoperative portal decompression for patients requiring pancreatic resection. A potentially curative resection was performed when abdominal surgery was initially thought impossible. Notably, CHF has been associated with the development of cholangiocarcinoma in only four previous instances, with this case being only the second reported distal bile duct cholangiocarcinoma.