Two-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy: an innovative new method for gallbladder removal

This study was directed at defining the optimal in vitro screening methodology for the selection of new anti-myelogenous leukemia agents. Using thousands of samples of synthetic compounds from the Eastman Pharmaceutical, Inc. and Sterling Research Corporation (Eastman/Sterling) inventory, a number of sequential combinations of 8 cell lines were employed to optimize the model. The cells in these lines were of either murine (L1210 lymphocytic leukemia, C1498 myelogenous leukemia, and colony-forming unit-granulocyte macrophage [CFU-GM]) or human (HL-60, K-562, HEL, and THP-1 myelogenous leukemias, and CFU-GM) origin. The focus of the study was to find the most efficient and cost-effective manner in which to test compounds for both cytotoxicity against the tumor cells and for differential cytotoxicity against tumor as compared with normal cells.     

Endoscopic bile duct stone removal prior to laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Of 1049 patients referred for laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for symptomatic gallstone disease, 67 (6%) had clinical, biochemical, or echographic findings suggesting common bile duct stones. Patients in this group were studied preoperatively with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). In 26 patients (39%), the diagnosis was confirmed. In 12 other cases (18%), the macroscopic finding of a stripped or bleeding papilla without common bile duct stones suggested stone migration. ERCP in the remaining 29 patients (43%) was normal. Thirty-four endoscopic sphincterotomies (ES) were performed, 26 for common bile duct stones and 8 for cystic lithiasis or gallbladder microlithiasis. In the entire group of patients with choledocholithiasis, stone removal was possible. All 67 patients underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy on an average of 2.8 days following the endoscopic procedure. Twenty-one patients (31%) had acute cholecystitis, and 5 had chronic scleroatrophic cholecystitis. Five (7.5%) of the 67 patients were converted to an open procedure. In 10 cases (16%), the cystic diameter was larger than an 8-mm M-L clip, which made necessary the use of endoligature or extra clips. No complications or deaths resulted from ERCP or ES. Two of the 62 patients (3.2%) who underwent LC had to be reoperated on, 1 because of a right subphrenic collection, and the other because of bilious ascites. No common bile duct lesions or deaths resulted in the analyzed group. The average hospitalization time, with the exception of those patients converted or reoperated on, was 8 days.     

A modified mediocolic approach to removal of local relapse of renal tumour

A modified approach is recommended for removal of local relapse following leftside nephrectomy. In the course of transperitoneal mesocolic approach, the retroperitoneum is opened as usual at Treitz's ligament, between the aorta and the inferior mesenteric vein. For further exposure, two or three radial vessels are preserved. Thus, sufficient room ir available between these bridges to remove the tumour, expose the v. cava and the aorta and remove the renal vessels. Mobilization of the colon is not necessary.     

Carcinoid of the gallbladder. A report of a clinical case treated by video laparoscopic cholecystectomy

The authors report a clinical case of the gallbladder carcinoid tumour treated with laparoscopic cholecystectomy. After a short analysis of the classification, the malignant potentiality and the symptoms of gallbladder carcinoids, they conclude that it is possible to treat carcinoids with laparoscopic cholecystectomy, but only in some selected cases, that is to say in the absence of factors indicative of local invasion and that in the other cases it is preferable the classic surgical treatment of laparotomic resection.     

The value of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the treatment of gallbladder pathologies]

We have prospectively studied all cholecystectomies performed in one year in our clinic in two groups: 190 cases performed laparoscopically and 98 open. We used standardized records and the EPI 5 program on an IBM compatible computer. There were no significant differences between groups regarding weight, sex and proportion of cases with acute cholecystitis. There were however major differences regarding age, type of habitat, ASA score and association with acute pancreatitis, obstructive jaundice and angiocholitis. Conversion of laparoscopic cholecystectomy to open procedure was imposed in 17 cases (not included in statistical analysis) due to technical difficulties (12 cases), haemorrhagic accidents (6 cases), injury of the common bile duct (1 case), stones lost in the abdominal cavity (3 cases), local peritonitis (5 cases). Laparoscopic cholecystectomy lasted a mean of 74 minutes. We encountered 3 specific complications: one CBD injury recognized intraoperatively and managed by Kehr's procedure (one CBD injury in the open cholecystectomy group), one small bowel perforation and one of biloma. Mortality averaged 0.5% in the LC group (one case of late postoperative stroke considered not related to the procedure) and 1% in the open cholecystectomy group. The hospital admission period was significantly reduced in the LC group (5 days vs. 12 days). LC appears as a safe procedure with a low complication rate. Conversion to open procedure is not a complication. Our study recommend LC as the method of choice in the treatment of gallbladder lithiasis.     

Pediatric laparoscopic splenectomy using the lateral approach

Laparoscopic splenectomy in children has been shown to be safe, to reduce postoperative pain and hospital stay, and to accelerate return to full activities. We describe our experience with a four-port "lateral" approach in 18 patients. Patients were placed in the lateral decubitus position and the table was flexed to separate the left subcostal margin and iliac crest. The camera port was inserted at the umbilicus and additional ports were placed in the epigastrium and left lower quadrant. After mobilization of the splenic flexure a port was inserted in the left flank below the 12th rib for elevation of the spleen. A 30 degrees laparoscope was used and the splenic vessels were controlled with an endo-GIA and/or clips. The spleens were placed in a bag, morcellated, and extracted through a port site. Eight females and 10 males with a median age of 12.5 years (5-17 years) and weight of 55.5 kg (17-124 kg) underwent splenectomy of idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpora (10), spherocytosis (6), elliptocytosis (1), and Hodgkin's disease (1). The median operating time was 160 min (90-300 min) and median blood loss was 105 ml (5-350 ml). Accessory spleens were removed in four cases. Three patients required extensions of a port site to remove large spleens which could not be placed in a bag. The sole complication was a transient pancreatitis with associated pleural effusion. The median postoperative hospital stay was 2 days (1-11 days) and time to full activities was 8 days (3-25 days). The lateral approach affords excellent visualization of the splenic vessels, pancreas, and accessory spleens. This approach is safe and reliable and is our preferred approach for laparoscopic splenectomy in children.     

Incidental gallbladder carcinoma--a report of experiences after 1,200 laparoscopic cholecystectomies]

SUMMARY STATEMENT: Processed digitized Doppler signals abstracted from recordings during continuous air infusion in dogs were used to train a neural network to estimate air embolism infusion rates. BACKGROUND: Precordial Doppler is a sensitive technique for detecting venous air embolism during anesthesia, but it requires constant attentive listening. Since neural networks are particularly well suited to the task of pattern recognition, we sought to investigate this technology for detection and grading of air embolism. METHODS: Air was infused into peripheral veins of four anesthetized dogs at rates of 0.025, 0.05, 0.10, 0.25, 0.50 and 1.0 ml-1.kg-1.min-1 while digital recordings of the precordial Doppler ultrasound signal were collected. The frequency content of the recordings was determined by Fourier analysis. The output of the Fourier transform was the input to a neural network. The network was then trained to estimate the air infusion rate. RESULTS: The correlation coefficient between the size of the air embolism and the air infusion rate was greater than r2 = 0.93 for each of the four animals in the study when the network was trained using the data for all four dogs. When the data from a dog was withheld from the training set and used only for testing the correlation coefficients ranged from r2 = 0.75 to r2 = 0.27. For frequencies below 250 Hz, the acoustic energy tended to fall as the air infusion rate increased. The opposite occurred at frequencies above 325 Hz. CONCLUSIONS: Neural network processing of the precordial Doppler signal provides a quantitative estimate of the size of an air embolism.     

Surgical approach to adrenal neoplasms: laparoscopic versus open adrenalectomy

There are a number of different approaches available to surgically remove the adrenal gland. These can be broadly classified into two general categories, open and laparoscopic. There is no one best method for all patients. Surgeons, skilled in all aspects of adrenal surgery, should choose an approach for adrenalectomy based on patient and tumor related factors. Once advantages and disadvantages of a specific procedure, with these factors in mind, are weighed, the best approach for the individual patient should be chosen.     

Unsuspected gallbladder cancer diagnosed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a clinicopathological study

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for gallstones has become a popular treatment modality, but LC for gallbladder cancer is not yet established and its prognosis is still unknown. We clinicopathologically studied unsuspected gallbladder cancer presenting at pathologic evaluation after LC. The entire cross section of gallbladders after 456 LCs was histologically examined. The presence of malignant lesions was confirmed in 13 (2.85%) of 456 cases. The preoperative diagnoses were gallstones in 5 patients, gallbladder polyps in 5, gallstones with gallbladder polyps in 2, and gallstones with adenomyomatosis in 1. The carcinoma had invaded the mucosa in 7, the proper muscle in 2, and the subserosa in 3; the serosa was exposed in 1. The tumor size ranged from 2 mm to the entire gallbladder. An additional resection was performed in 2 patients. During the mean follow-up period of 25.9 months, 1 patient died of recurrence at 8 months while 1 demonstrated recurrence at the port site 1 year after surgery. No other patients have had any recurrence to date. Since early gallbladder cancer removed laparoscopically can be expected to have a satisfactory outcome, diagnostic and therapeutic LC is recommended in cases where total biopsy is indicated. However, in every case, extreme caution needs to be exercised to prevent the dissemination and implantation of cancer cells at the port site.     

DullRazor: a software approach to hair removal from images

Recently, there has been a growing number of studies applying image processing techniques to analyze melanocytic lesions for atypia and possible malignancy and for total-body mole mapping. However, such lesions can be partially obscured by body hairs. None of these studies has fully addressed the problem of human hairs occluding the imaged lesions. In our previous study we designed an automatic segmentation program to differentiate skin lesions from the normal healthy skin, and learned that the program performed well with most of the images, the exception being those with hairs, especially dark thick hairs, covering part of the lesions. These thick dark hairs confused the program, resulting in unsatisfactory segmentation results. In this paper, we present a method to remove hairs from an image using a pre-processing program we have called DullRazor. This pre-processing step enables the segmentation program to achieve satisfactory results. DullRazor can be downloaded as shareware from http:/(/)www.derm.ubc.ca.     

Relation between postoperative infections and gallbladder bile leakage during laparoscopic cholecystectomies

BACKGROUND: In 1,577 laparoscopic cholecystectomies, 111 due to acute and 1,466 due to chronic cholecystitis, the incidence of intraoperative gallbladder rupture and its relationship with abdominal wound infections were evaluated. METHODS: A sampling test for binomial proportions and a binomial approximation test for discrete data were employed for statistical analysis. Gallbladder accidental opening took place in 250 (19%) out of the 1,466 chronic and in 44 (40%) out of the 111 acute cholecystitis, disclosing a statistically significant difference (p < 0.01). Postoperatively, there were 32 (2%) surgical wound infections, 17 (1.3%) in the absence of gallbladder injury and 15 (5%) when gallbladder injury was observed, likewise showing a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05). RESULTS: It should be pointed out that all 32 wound infections involved the umbilical incision, of which 3 with chronic suppuration required reintervention where remnants of stones were found in the parietal route. The seven with symptomatic abdominal fluid resolved without specific treatment. As regards the seven intraabdominal infections, two remitted with antibiotics and five required percutaneous drainage. There was no significant correlation between the presence of cavity fluid abdominal collections or infections and bile spillage. CONCLUSION: Gallbladder injury proved more frequent in laparoscopic cholecystectomies performed due to acute cholecystitis, while bile spillage increased the incidence of umbilical wound infection, particularly in the presence of remnants of stones, but there was no correlative increase in the incidence of intraabdominal collections or infections.     

Electrical cutting device for laparoscopic removal of tissue from the abdominal cavity

The extraction of large tissue masses from the abdominal cavity during laparoscopic surgery is a time-consuming, complicated process. A new prototype instrument is introduced that allows quick laparoscopic removal of fibromas, ovaries, or other tissues from the abdomen. A cylinder with a coning knife at its intra-abdominal end is placed inside the trocar sleeve and is rotated by an electrical micro-engine attached to the trocar. Cylindrical tissue blocks are cut step by step out of the main specimen and removed from the peritoneal cavity through the sleeve with a grasping forceps. Tissue removed is suitable for histologic examination. The principal application is morcellation of fibromas, whereas use in ovarian disease is limited. This new device provides a safe and effective approach inside the abdominal cavity.     

How to grasp the gallbladder reliably

The authors describe a new laparoscopic instrument to be used for reliable gripping of tissue. The instrument is very simple from the technical aspect. Due to the firm and reliable grip the preparation of tissue is greatly facilitated. This shortens the operation time and is thus less demanding on the patient. The instrument is used currently in clinical practice and proved very useful.     

Advanced laparoscopic surgery for the removal of rectovaginal septum endometriotic or adenomyotic nodules

In the pelvis, three different forms of endometriosis (Donnez et al, 1992) must be considered: (1) peritoneal, (2) ovarian, (3) rectovaginal septum. By evaluation of the mitotic activity and the stromal vascularization, we have recently suggested (Nisolle et al, 1993) that peritoneal red lesions were the most aggressive form of the disease and progress to the so-called typical or black lesion, which must be considered as an enclosed implant surrounded by fibrosis. This type of infiltration must be clearly differentiated from the rectovaginal endometriotic nodule. Koninckx (1993) recently described three types of deep-infiltrating endometriosis: deep-infiltrating endometriosis of type I is a rather large lesion in the peritoneal cavity, infiltrating conically with the deeper parts becoming progressively smaller. It has been suggested that this type of endometriosis is caused by infiltration. In type II lesions, the main feature is that bowel is retracted over the lesion which thus becomes deeply situated in the rectovaginal septum although not actually infiltrating it. Type III lesions are the deepest and most severe. They are spherically shaped, situated deep in the rectovaginal septum, often only visible as a small typical lesion at laparoscopy or often not visible at all. This lesion is often more palpable than visible and is acutely tender if the patient is examined at the time of menstruation, and gives rise to severe dyspareunia. In our experience there are two different types of 'deep-infiltrating endometriosis': 1. True deep-infiltrating endometriosis caused by the invasion of a very active peritoneal lesion deep in the retroperitoneal space. In cases of lateral peritoneal invasion, uterosacral ligaments can be involved as well as the anterior wall of the rectosigmoid bowel junction resulting in a retraction, adhesions and secondary obliteration of the cul-de-sac. 2. Pseudo deep-infiltrating endometriosis or adenomyosis of the rectovaginal septum. This lesion originates from the rectovaginal septum tissue and consists essentially of smooth muscle with active glandular epithelium and scanty stroma. In our study, the rectovaginal nodule was histologically similar to an adenomyoma (Zaloudek and Norris, 1987). It was a circumscribed, nodular aggregate of smooth muscle, endometrial glands and endometrial stroma. As in the 'adenomyoma', secretory changes were frequently absent in 'endometriotic' rectovaginal nodules. The invasion of the muscle by a very active glandular epithelium, without stroma, proved that the stroma is not necessary for invasion in this particular type of pathology called adenomyosis. In some instances, it can be seen that the vaginal pluristratified epithelium was replaced by a glandular epithelium. The fact that ciliated cells were present and the co-expression of both vimentin and cytokeratin (Donnez and Nisolle, personal communication) proved the Mullerian origin of the nodule, where certain histological characteristics are completely different to those observed in peritoneal lesions (Nisolle et al, 1990). In our series, deep fibrotic tissue assumed to contain endometriosis was excised or vaporized from the anterior rectum with the aid of multiple rectovaginal examinations. Cul-de-sac dissection was followed by excision of deep fibrotic endometriosis, without cul-de-sac reconstruction. In three cases, the bowel lumen was entered. A comprehensive laparoscopic procedure, while not eradicating all the endometriosis, may result in considerable pain relief or a desired pregnancy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Open compared with laparoscopic approach to Burch colposuspension: a cost analysis

OBJECTIVE: To compare postoperative course and hospital charges of an open versus laparoscopic approach to Burch colposuspension for the treatment of genuine stress urinary incontinence. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed to identify all patients undergoing open or laparoscopic Burch colposuspension by the same surgeon over a 2-year period. Patients undergoing additional surgical procedures at the time of colposuspension were excluded from the study. Twenty-one patients underwent open Burch colposuspension and 17 patients underwent laparoscopic colposuspension. Demographic data including age, parity, height, and weight were collected for each group. Both groups also were compared with regard to operative time, operating room charges, estimated blood loss, intraoperative complications, change in postoperative hematocrit, time required to resume normal voiding, length of hospital stay, and total hospital charges. RESULTS: The laparoscopic colposuspension group had significantly longer operative times (110 versus 66 minutes, P < .01) and increased operating room charges ($3479 versus $2138, P < .001). There was no statistical difference in estimated blood loss or change in postoperative hematocrit between the two groups. No major intraoperative complications occurred in either group. Mean length of hospital stay was 1.3 days for the laparoscopic group and 2.1 days for the open group (P < .005). However, total hospital charges for the laparoscopic group were significantly higher ($4960 versus $4079, P < .01). CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic colposuspension has been described as a minimally invasive, cost-effective technique for the surgical correction of stress urinary incontinence. Although the laparoscopic approach was found to be associated with a reduction in length of hospital stay, it had significantly higher total hospital charges than the traditional open approach because of expenses associated with increased operative time and use of laparoscopic equipment.     

General oncologic effects of the laparoscopic surgical approach. 1997 Frankfurt international meeting of animal laparoscopic researchers

The results from the majority of the reviewed studies support the hypothesis that abdominal surgery, performed via either a large incision or CO2 pneumoperitoneum, systemically encourages tumor growth in the postoperative period. A full laparotomy incision appears to have a significantly greater effect than CO2 pneumoperitoneum on postoperative tumor growth. Whether the large tumor observed in the surgical groups are the result of increased tumor cell proliferation or diminished tumor cell death remains unclear. There is some evidence pointing to both mechanisms. The loss of the postoperative tumor growth differences between the open and pneumo animals in the athymic mouse experiment suggests that cell-mediated immune function plays a role in tumor containment. The proliferation study results, however, suggest that other stimulatory influence(s) are also at work. Clearly, much research needs to be done regarding the etiology of these tumor growth differences. Other tumor cell lines need to be studied, and investigations regarding tumor growth in an intra-abdominal location need be performed as well. This body of research suggests that the manner in which the surgeon gains access to the abdominal cavity may have an impact on the propensity of tumor cells to implant, survive, and grow in the period immediately after surgery. If true, this may be the most compelling justification for the use of minimally invasive techniques for the curative resection of malignancies. However, it remains to be proven that human tumors will demonstrate differences in tumor growth similar to those noted in some of these animals models. Furthermore, it is not all clear that slight differences in tumor growth postoperatively will translate into significant differences in long-term survival or recurrence rates. At first glance, the existence of port-site tumors would appear to contradict totally the conclusions of many studies discussed in this synopsis. If laparoscopic methods are associated with decreased rates of tumor growth and establishment, then why do port-site tumors form? This is a complex issue calling for discussion that goes far beyond the scope of this article. However, several brief comment on this topic follow. The etiology of port tumors is unknown, although traumatization of the tumor during mobilization, resection, or removal is likely to play a significant role in the liberation of tumor cells from the primary. A relatively small protective benefit, in terms of slower tumor growth rates in laparoscopic patients, will likely not be sufficient to prevent a large inoculum of viable tumor cells in an abdominal wound from establishing a metastasis. Furthermore, as suggested earlier, the systemic effects on tumor growth may be different from the local (i.e., intra-abdominal or abdominal wound) effects. Finally, the true incidence of port tumors remains unknown. It has not been definitively established that the laparoscopic wound tumor incidence is significantly higher than the open rate, although this is the assumption of most surgeons. Several relatively large recently published laparoscopic series have reported port tumor incidences of 0 to 1.2%, which is in the same "ballpark" as the 0.6 1.0% abdominal wound tumor incidences mentioned in several open colectomy series. Clearly, much more research in this area is needed to understand port tumors better and to reconcile the port tumor results with the systemic tumor growth benefits that may be associated with minimally invasive methods.     

Abdominal laparoscopic approach for thoracic epiphrenic diverticulum

The true incidence of epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum is unknown. Traditionally, diverticulectomy via a left thoracic approach has represented the gold standard. Trans-hiatal esophageal dissection under laparoscopy is feasible, but has not, to our knowledge, been applied before in the treatment of epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum.     

Splenectomy in childhood. The laparoscopic approach

Although the fact that, in general, the US population is living longer is said to be the public health success story of the 20th century, the boom in the population aged 65 years and older is having and will continue to have major implications for all age groups as well as for the nation's health, social, and economic institutions. The concept of productive aging can provide guidance in addressing these implications. The assumptions of productive aging reflect today's reality that older people are repositories of wisdom and experience and important assets for society; relatively healthy, with the potential for maintaining that condition until late in life; capable of making economic and social contributions that benefit themselves, their families, and their communities; and in need of purposeful and meaningful roles and activities in life. A productive aging activity model emphasizes involvement in paid work, volunteerism, education, fitness and exercise, leisure and travel, advocacy and political action, and consumerism. This article discusses the concept of productive aging, a related activity model, and qualitative focus group research undertaken in conjunction with the 1995 White House Conference on Aging.