In colorectal surgery, anastomotic leakage is a serious complication, leading to higher postoperative morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of serum and ...intraperitoneal C-reactive protein (CRP) in early diagnostics of anastomotic leakage on the first four postoperative days after colorectal surgery. From January to October 2019, fifty-nine patients with colorectal carcinoma were operated on, with formation of primary anastomosis. Anastomotic leakage was diagnosed in eight patients. Comparing the levels of serum and intraperitoneal CRP, our study showed that serum CRP was a better predictor of anastomotic leakage. Serum CRP levels lower than 121 mg/L on postoperative day 4 were predictive of good healing of anastomosis.
The aim was to analyze patients with clinical diagnosis of triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) lesion using standard x-ray, ultrasound, conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and MR ...arthrography (MRA); to evaluate the accuracy of MRA compared with MRI in the diagnosis of this lesion; and to evaluate ultrasound as a method of diagnosing TFCC lesion. We analyzed 72 patients (46 female and 26 male; age range, 22-61 years; mean age 37 years; 50 right and 22 left wrists) with suspected TFCC lesion with clinical examination, standard x-rays, and ultrasound. We confirmed patients with traumatic TFCC injury on MRI and MRA. Ultrasound found 13 lesions in 72 patients with suspected TFCC lesions. Conventional MRI found 66 and MRA 68 TFCC lesions. Ultrasound is useful for visualizing intra-articular effusion, soft tissue, bone surface, and for early detection of occult fractures. MRI is a better diagnostic modality, fully able to visualize the TFCC cartilage and ligaments. MRA is consistently and accurately able to visualize structural abnormalities of TFCC. Key words: Magnetic resonance imaging; Arthrography; Triangular fibrocartilage complex; Diagnostic imaging; Ultrasound
- The aim of the study was to reevaluate the safety and feasibility of discharge 24 h after elective uncomplicated laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Since the introduction of laparoscopic cholecystectomy ...in our hospital, the minimum postoperative stay was considered to be two days based on surgeons' experience. The study included 337 operations performed by 21 surgeons during 2016 in the Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Centre. Conversion to open technique and cases of acute cholecystitis were excluded, while 15 patients had insufficient postoperative data. The mean length of stay was 2.38 (range 1 to 6) postoperative days, median two postoperative days. Serious complications involving suspected drain bile leakage and postoperative hemorrhage occurred in two (0.59%) patients, both in the first 24 h following surgery. One patient required emergency laparotomy on the first postoperative day. Readmission rate was 1.2%. The postoperative minor complication rate was 42 of 337 (12.46%); these included wound infections, urinary tract infections, symptoms included in postcholecystectomy syndrome, etc. The onset of these complications was mostly after postoperative day 3. The data obtained suggest that discharge on the first postoperative day after elective uncomplicated laparoscopic cholecystectomy should be considered safe and can be practiced in our hospital.
Gallstone ileus is an uncommon cause of small bowel obstruction, accounting for only 1% to 4% of all intestinal obstructions. In the group of patients over 65 years of age, gallstones cause about 25% ...of all non‐strangulated obstructions of the small bowel. Gallstone ileus is burdened with high mortality rate, ranging from 12% to 18%, and most patients are of advanced age, with many other concomitant diseases that may increase the operative risk. The purpose of this study was to compare the two investigated surgical procedures: treatment of intestinal obstruction alone or combined with urgent cholecystectomy and fistula repair. Analysis of 30 patients undergoing operation for gallstone ileus at the Clinical Hospital “Sestre milosrdnice” between 1985 and 2001 is presented. Patients were treated either for ileus alone (group 1, 11 patients) or as one‐stage procedure with urgent fistula closure (group 2, 19 patients). Operating time was significantly longer for the one‐stage procedure. Complications occurred in 3 of 11 patients (27.3%) from group 1 and in 11 of 18 patients (61.1%) from group 2 (one tailed, p = 0.043). One patient in group 1 died and two patients in group 2 died. Urgent fistula repair was significantly associated with the occurrence of complications (odds ratio OR 12.1, 95% confidence internal 95% CI 1.2–121.5). Simple enterotomy should be the procedure of choice for patients with gallstone ileus. The one‐stage procedure including urgent fistula repair should be reserved only for highly selected patients with absolute indications.
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of bispectral index (BIS) monitoring on intra-operative anaesthesia consumption and extubation time.
Randomised controlled study.
The study ...included 45 patients undergoing major abdominal surgery under general anaesthesia in a six month period (February - July 2011), aged 18 years or older, and classified as ASA (American Society of Anaesthesiologists) physical status II or III. Patients were randomly assigned to receive BIS-guided anaesthesia or routine anaesthesia care as a non BIS-guided group. At the induction of anaesthesia, and during the operation the following parameters were continuously recorded: BIS level, heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (sBP), end-tidal CO2 (etCO2).Operation time and time to extubation were also recorded. On the first post-operative day all patients were visited and interviewed about intra-operative recall.
BIS levels in the non BIS-guided group were significantly lower from 30 minutes further to the end of the operation, compared to the BIS-guided group (p <0.05). Time to extubation was significantly shorter in the BIS-guided group (17.5 min vs. 75 min, p <0.001). There were no statistically significant differences in the required amounts of anaesthetics. In the post-operative interview, none of the patients reported an episode of intra-operative awareness.
Guiding anaesthesia according to BIS level will result in significantly faster recovery after anaesthesia. The investigation was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01470898).
The aim of the study was to assess diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity and specificity)
of Fenyö-Lindberg and Teicher scores for distinguishing patients that need immediate surgical treatment
from the ...others, in a female population from an urban setting. The study prospectively included
130 female patients admitted to the emergency department with abdominal pain indicating acute
appendicitis. The scores and parameters of validity were calculated and compared to definitive diagnosis.
For Fenyö-Lindberg score of -17 or less, 84.5% sensitivity, 55.6% specificity, 87.9% positive predictive
value (PPV) and 48.4% negative predictive value (NPV) were recorded. For cut-off value greater
or equal to -2, there was 59.2% sensitivity, 77.8% specificity, 91% PPV and 33.3% NPV. The Receiver
Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of Fenyö-Lindberg score showed that the best single
cut-off value for discriminating acute appendicitis in the study population was -15. For Teicher score,
values greater than -3 yielded 89.3% sensitivity and 22.2% specificity, 81.4% PPV and 35.3% NPV. In
conclusion, Fenyö-Lindberg score could be used as an additional tool to exclude appendicitis and
avoid unnecessary appendectomies. Teicher score may help in recognizing patients with appendicitis.
None of the two scores can indicate or decline appendectomy in all cases. Scoring systems may be
useful for pointing to important clinical signs and symptoms in specific subpopulations.
A surgical resection is the only curative method in the therapy of colorectal carcinoma and liver metastases. Along with the development of interventional radiological techniques the indications for ...surgery widen. The number of metastases and patients age should not present a contraindication for surgical resection. However, there are still some doubts concerns what to resect first in cases of synchronous colorectal carcinoma and liver metastases and how to ensure the proper remnant liver volume in order to avoid postoperative liver failure and achieve the best results. Through this review the surgical therapy of colorectal carcinoma and liver metastases was revised in the setting of “liver-first” approach and the problem of ensuring of remnant liver volume.
Many clinical and preclinical studies demonstrated that measurements of liver hemodynamic Doppler perfusion index (DPI) may be used to accurately diagnose and predict liver metastases from primary ...colorectal cancer in a research setting. However, Doppler measurements have some serious limitations when applied to general population. Ultrasound is very operator-dependent, and requires skilled examiners. Also, many conditions may limit the use of Doppler ultrasound and ultrasound in general, such as the presence of air in digestive tract, cardiac arrhythmias, vascular anomalies, obesity and other conditions. Therefore, in spite of the results from clinical studies, its value may be limited in everyday practice. On the contrary, scientific research of the DPI in detection of liver metastases is of great importance, since current research speaks strongly for the presence of systemic vasoactive substance responsible for observed hemodynamic changes. Identification of such a systemic vasoactive substance may lead to the development of a simple and reproducible laboratory test that may reliably identify the presence of occult liver metastases and therefore increase the success of adjuvant chemotherapy through better selection of patients. Further research in this subject is therefore of great importance.
The laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) represents a new pathway in hepatic surgery. Several studies have reported its application in both malignant and benign liver diseases. The most common liver ...resections performed laparoscopically are wedge, segmental resections and metastasectomy; although in large centers the laparoscopic right and left hepatectomies have begun to perform more frequently. We report the initial experience in LLRs at our department including a case of the first laparoscopic left lateral liver bisegmentectomy performed in patient with follicular nodular hyperplasia and the 15 cases of wedge laparoscopic resections of echinococcic liver cysts. According to literature the mortality rate in LLRs is up to 0.3% and morbidity rate up to 10.5%. The most common cause of the death is liver failure, while the most frequent complication is the bile leakage. Advantages for patients include smaller incisions, less blood loss, and shorter lengths of hospital stay. The LLRs in experienced hands were shown to be safe with acceptable morbidity and mortality for both minor and major hepatic resections in benign and malignant diseases.