[Iatrogenic lesions of the biliary tract]

Iatrogenic bile duct injuries (IBDI) represent a serious surgical complication of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). Often it occurs when the bile duct merges with the cystic duct; and they have been ranked by Strasberg and Bismuth, depending on the degree and level of injury. About third of IBDI recognized during LC, to detect bile leakage. No immediate repair is recommended, especially when the lesion is near the confluence or inflammation is associated. The drain should be established to control leakage of bile and prevent biliary peritonitis, before transferring the patient to a specialist in complex hepatobiliary surgery facility. In patients who are not recognized intraoperatively, the IBDI manifest late postoperative fever, abdominal pain, peritonitis or obstructive jaundice. If there is bile leak, percutaneous cholangiography should be done to define the biliary anatomy, and control leakage through percutaneous biliary stent. The repair is performed six to eight weeks after patient stabilization. If there is biliary obstruction, cholangiography and biliary drainage are indicated to control sepsis before repair. The ultimate aim is to restore the flow of bile into the gastrointestinal tract to prevent the formation of calculi, stenosis, cholangitis and biliary cirrhosis. Hepatojejunostomy with Roux-Y anastomosis termino-lateral without biliary stents long term, is the best choice for the repair of most common bile duct injury.

Iatrogenic rupture of the left main bronchus secondary to repeated surgical lobe torsion during double-lumen tube placement: A case report

RATIONALE

Bronchial rupture is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication during double-lumen endobronchial tube placement. The rupture of the left main bronchus resulting from repeated surgical torsion is uncommon.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 70-year-old man with a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), intermediate emphysema, chronic bronchitis, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and L3-L4 lumbar intervertebral disc herniation. Chest x-ray and computed tomography revealed a solitary pulmonary nodule in the left lower lobe.

DIAGNOSES

Left lower lobe carcinoma.

INTERVENTIONS

To improve surgical access, forceps were used to oppress and torque the left lung.

OUTCOMES

An irregular, circular, horizontal, full-thickness rupture of 1.2 cm was observed at the tip of the bronchial tube in the left main bronchus upon examination of the bronchial stump.The rupture was repaired via primary suturing with 4-0 prolene thread and secondary reinforcement with a pericardial flap through a left thoracotomy, with no further complications.

LESSONS

Caution should be exercised during compression and torsion of the pulmonary lobe when attempting to improve surgical access, especially in patients with COPD. Conversion to thoracotomy is recommended if other measures have been unsuccessful.

Clinical outcomes of medial collateral ligament injury in total knee arthroplasty

Intraoperative injury to the medial collateral ligament (MCL) during total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a rare but severe complication. The main treatment methods are primary repair and revision with a more constrained implant; however, the clinical outcomes of primary reconstruction without a constrained implant have rarely been reported.A retrospective study was performed to evaluate the prevalence of iatrogenic injury to the MCL during primary TKA, and to report the clinical outcomes of MCL reconstruction without the use of a constrained device.A total of 1749 patients (2054 knees) underwent primary TKA between 2007 and 2013 and were retrospectively evaluated. Seventeen patients (0.83%) experienced an MCL injury intraoperatively, and the remaining 1732 patients (2037 knees) were considered as the controls. We attempted to reconstruct the MCL with an unconstrained prosthesis in all patients. The Knee Society Score (KSS) was used to evaluate knee function after an average 51-month follow-up (range, 36-72 months).No patients were lost during the follow-up period. In the MCL injury group, the mean KSS was 84.7 for function and 87.7 for pain, while the scores were 87.9 and 90.6, respectively, in the control group. No patient treated with MCL reconstruction without increased prosthetic constraint experienced knee instability requiring revision.MCL reconstruction without a constrained implant achieved excellent results for MCL injury during TKA.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV, therapeutic study.

Target Sign: Endoscopic Sign of the Colonic Perforation

N/A.

Effect of Maxillary Sinus Membrane Perforation on Implant Survival Rate: A Retrospective Study

PURPOSE

The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate implant survival rates (ISRs) for implants placed in grafted sinuses where a membrane perforation occurred during augmentation using exclusively anorganic bovine bone (ABB) by means of clinical and radiographic examinations. Histologic information of five biopsy specimens taken from large membrane perforations is also presented.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Consecutive patients who underwent sinus augmentation procedures at a private practice Dental Institute between 2004 and 2013 were collected from a computer database. The following profiles were selected for data analysis: computed tomography prior to treatment; perforated membrane information according to size: not perforated, small (≤ 5 mm), medium (> 5 and < 10 mm), or large (≥ 10 mm); sinuses grafted exclusively with ABB and lateral window covered with a collagen membrane (CM); and implant survival after at least 2 years of functional loading placed in augmented sinuses. Implants were considered survivals in the absence of infection, mobility, or pain.

RESULTS

The sample in this retrospective study comprised 531 patients; 214 required bilateral sinus augmentation, and 317 required unilateral sinus augmentation (total = 745 sinuses). A total of 1,588 implants were placed. From 745 augmented sinuses, 237 (31.8%; 523 implants) were perforated during the procedure. Among these, 48 perforations were large (20.2%; 107 implants), 67 (28.3%; 150 implants) were medium, and 122 were small (51.5%; 266 implants). Of 523 implants placed in perforated sinuses, 15 were lost (ISR = 97.1%). Comparison of the ISRs for small (97.7%), medium (97.3%), and large (95.3%) perforations with 1,065 implants placed in nonperforated sinuses (ISR = 97.7%) was not statistically significant. The histomorphometric analysis of the five biopsy specimens showed 24.52% ± 6.99% of new bone, 24.32% ± 6.42% of marrow space, and 51.2% ± 3.75% of the remaining ABB.

CONCLUSION

The difference in ISR for implants placed in perforated and nonperforated sinuses was not statistically significant. Within the limits of the histologic data, histomorphometric results with 24.52% ± 6.99% of new bone formation in sinuses with large perforations showed similar bone formation compatible with nonperforated sinuses described in the literature. The authors attributed the high ISR shown in perforated sinuses in this study to the proper management of the perforations.

[Laparoscopic uretero-ureterostomy for iatrogenic lesions of the distal uréter.]

The most frequent ureteral lesions are iatrogenic, mainly due to gynecologic and urologic procedures. The resolution and repair of these lesions, when they require surgery, is often the performance of ureteroneocystostomy. We describe the technique for the repair of distal ureter lesions that preserves both anatomy and function of the urinary tract (1). The operation consists in dissection and extraction of the distal ureteral stump from its intramural tract to get at least 1 cm of free ureter, percutaneous insertion of a ureteral stent, checking the absence of tension between proximal ureter and distal dissected stump, end to end anastomosis and reinsertion of the distal ureter in the previously dissected bladder muscle layer. We present 4 cases of ureteral injury after laparoscopic simple total hysterectomy for uterine myomas with complete section of the distal ureter, that were operated 3-5 days after injury, performing laparoscopic repair surgery. We performed clinical and radiological control with intravenous urography demonstrating ureteral continuity normalization and good renal function. We believe that repair of the urinary tract with anatomical and physiological preservation must be the first option in the laparoscopic treatment of complete distal ureteral injuries, and intramural ureter dissection when needed avoids the performance of ureteroneocystostomy. It is necessary to keep progressing in the technique improvement, and to increase the number of cases and experience.

[Laparoscopic ureteral reimplantation.]

Although the laparoscopic ureteral reimplantation (LUR) has a history of over 20 years, its presence in the literature is relatively sparse, almost always in the form of small case series with low statistical power, which has prevented consistent results. It has proven to be a safe and effective technique, improving the safety profile and perioperative complications compared to open ureteral reimplantation (OUR). The few long-term results suggest a similar success rate between the open and laparoscopic approaches. Although we do not found in the literature a strong evidence of the benefits of anti-reflux reimplantation techniques in adults, most of the published series include these procedures. Ureteral reimplantation is considered the treatment of choice in ureteral injuries below the iliac vessels. This is its main indication now. Intraoperative recognition of the injury and immediate LUR avoid other complications, but most of ureteral injuries are diagnosed in the early postoperative period. Although the classical recommendations advise urinary diversion and delayed treatment, the immediate approach is feasible, and indeed seems to improve results in complications, stay and long-term renal function. In situations of postoperative peritonitis secondary to a ureteral fistula, immediate LUR offers specific advantages, at least theoretically, for the protective effect of pneumoperitoneum in abdominal sepsis.

[Intraoperative pitfalls and complications in defecation disorders and rectal prolapse]

BACKGROUND

No generally accepted gold standard exists for the operative therapy of rectal prolapse in its variety of manifestations. Existing evidence suggests that an individualized choice of procedure provides the best result for each single patient. Knowledge of possible pitfalls and intraoperative management of complications in frequently applied procedures are important prerequisites for reliable treatment of affected patients.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A consecutive series of 233 patients (June 2011-May 2016) with individualized choice of operative procedure in patients with rectal prolapse and rectocele based on an algorithm for a clinical treatment pathway and stapled hemorrhoidopexy were included. Intraoperative pitfalls and complications and their management (iPCM) were prospectively documented and analyzed.

RESULTS

The iPCM could be classified into three different categories: group I: iPCM was immediately noted and intraoperatively treated with no impact on the further clinical course (n = 20), group II: iPCM was successfully treated conservatively within a short time after the procedure (n = 9) and group III: iPCM required surgical revision (n = 5).

CONCLUSION

Individualized treatment of rectal prolapse and rectocele requires a broad spectrum of methods in specialized coloproctology units. A clinical treatment pathway facilitates the optimal choice of procedure. Overall the complication rates during surgical treatment of transanal rectal prolapse are low; however, available operative procedures hold specific risks and knowledge of these risks helps to avoid them. Once complications occur, measures demonstrated in this study lead to normal clinical courses in the majority of cases.

Descemet membranotomy to treat pre-descemet haematoma after deep sclerectomy and anterior segment-OCT related findings: A presentation of two clinical cases

CASE PRESENTATION

An 81 year-old woman and a 63 year-old man developed a pre-Descemet haematoma after deep sclerectomy (DS), the former during the surgery itself and the latter during the early post-operative period. The surgical technique is decribed that led to the evacuation of the haematoma and the preservation of the integrity of trabeculo-Descemet membrane. The anterior-segment OCT findings after surgery are also presented.

CONCLUSIONS

These are the first reported cases of pre-Descemet haematoma after DS that have been successfully repaired by an ab interno Descemet membranotomy. Surgeons should be aware of this rare, but potentially sight-threatening, complication.

Evaluation of a Powered Stapler System with Gripping Surface Technology on Surgical Interventions Required During Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

Background: Transection of gastric tissue during laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) can be challenging. Reinforcing the staple line may decrease the incidence of issues requiring intervention.

Methods: The objective of this study was to compare the number of intraoperative surgical interventions for a surgical stapler and reload system with Gripping Surface Technology (GST) to standard reloads in patients who underwent LSG. Patients who underwent elective LSG were enrolled. The study was conducted in two stages. For Stage 1, procedures were performed using a powered stapler and standard reloads. For Stage 2, a reload system with GST was used. The primary endpoint was surgical interventions for bleeding and/or staple line issues during transection of the greater curvature of the stomach. Propensity score matching was applied to create two groups similar in baseline characteristics and risk factors.

Results: A total of 111 subjects were enrolled across four centers. Propensity-matched procedures were completed with the standard (n = 38) or GST reloads (n = 38). The mean number of interventions in the standard group was 1.9 (1.29) versus 1.1 (1.45) in the GST group. Nonparametric comparisons were statistically significant, indicating a reduction in the distribution of interventions for GST subjects (P = .0036 for matched pair data). Tissue slippage during transection was low for both groups. Intraoperative leak testing was negative in all procedures, and no procedures were converted to open.

Conclusions: Use of the GST stapling system reduces the need for staple line interventions in LSG. Both stapling systems had an acceptable safety profile.

Endoscopic management of bile duct injury after hepatobiliary tract surgery: a comprehensive review

Bile duct injuries (BDIs) are the most serious complications after hepatobiliary surgery and are associated with high morbidity and mortality. The incidence of iatrogenic injuries of bile ducts has increased after the advent of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. BDIs present with biliary leak or biliary obstruction or a combination of both. Successful treatment of these complications requires a multidisciplinary team that includes biliary endoscopists, interventional radiologists and hepatobiliary surgeons. Endoscopic treatment is the main option for biliary leak. Depending on colangiographic appearance of the biliary damage, several endoscopic techniques (naso-biliary drainage, biliary sphincterotomy, placement of prosthesis) are used, allowing to achieve the leak sealing in most cases. In complex biliary fistulas the use of covered self-expandable metal stents is another therapeutic option with high success rates. The most common endoscopic therapy for biliary strictures involves balloon dilation and placement of multiple plastic stents followed by the periodic exchange of the stents. This is usually performed every three months by placing an increasing number of stents each time, until complete resolution of the stricture. Self-expandable metal stents have a larger diameter compared to plastic stents and therefore, higher patency rate. Covered self-expandable stents are an alternative option with the advantage of providing better permeability, preventing occlusion, and reducing the number of the required procedures. The aim of this paper was to review the endoscopic management of patients with bile duct injuries after hepatobiliary surgery.

In Vivo Measurement of Brain Tumor Elasticity Using Intraoperative Shear Wave Elastography

Purpose: Objective Shear wave elastography (SWE) enabled living tissue assessment of stiffness. This is routinely used for breast, thyroid and liver diseases, but there is currently no data for the brain. We aim to characterize elasticity of normal brain parenchyma and brain tumors using SWE. Materials and Methods: Patients with scheduled brain tumor removal were included in this study. In addition to standard ultrasonography, intraoperative SWE using an ultrafast ultrasonic device was used to measure the elasticity of each tumor and its surrounding normal brain. Data were collected by an investigator blinded to the diagnosis. Descriptive statistics, box plot analysis as well as intraoperator and interoperator reproducibility analysis were also performed. Results: 63 patients were included and classified into four main types of tumor: meningiomas, low-grade gliomas, high-grade gliomas and metastasis. Young's Modulus measured by SWE has given new insight to differentiate brain tumors: 33.1 ± 5.9 kPa, 23.7 ± 4.9 kPa, 11.4 ± 3.6 kPa and 16.7 ± 2.5 kPa, respectively, for the four subgroups. Normal brain tissue has been characterized by a reproducible mean stiffness of 7.3 ± 2.1 kPa. Moreover, low-grade glioma stiffness is different from high-grade glioma stiffness (p = 0.01) and normal brain stiffness is very different from low-grade gliomas stiffness (p < 0.01). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that there are significant differences in elasticity among the most common types of brain tumors. With intraoperative SWE, neurosurgeons may have innovative information to predict diagnosis and guide their resection.

Aberrant hepatic arteries running through pancreatic parenchyma encountered during pancreatoduodenectomy: Two rare case reports and strategies for surgical treatment

BACKGROUND

Aberrant hepatic arteries (HAs) encountered during pancreatoduodenectomy are difficult to manage.

MEHTODS

Two cases with rare types of aberrant HA running through the pancreatic parenchyma were reviewed.

RESULTS

The first case, a 68-year-old man, was admitted with obstructive jaundice. A tumor of the pancreatic head and aberrant HAs were suspected on computed tomography (CT) scan. At laparotomy, a new variation was identified; namely, 2 aberrant arteries-a right replaced HA and middle HA (RMHA) that both originated from the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and ran via intrapancreatic paths posterior and anterior to the pancreatic head, respectively. Branches of the RMHA to the pancreas were ligated and severed and the trunk preserved. The RMHA was mistakenly identified as an aberrant left HA (RLHA), whereas the RLHA was overlooked and not dissected intraoperatively. CT angiography performed 11 days postoperatively identified that the RLHA originated from the left gastric artery (LGA).The second case had a variation of Michels IX. A 58-year-old woman presented with obstructive jaundice and a distal cholangiocarcinoma was suspected on the basis of enhanced CT scan. At laparotomy, the common hepatic artery (CHA) was found to originate entirely from the SMA and run posterior to the pancreatic head via an intrapancreatic path. The segment of CHA in the pancreatic parenchyma was removed and reconstructed with the LGA.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative identification of aberrant HAs helps in planning appropriate operative procedures and minimizing unnecessary complications. Both preservation and reconstruction of these arteries are technically safe and feasible; however, preservation is preferable.

Coronary Fistula and Myocardial Ischemia: What is the Relationship?

Coronary artery fistula is a rare anomaly; large fistulae may result in myocardial ischemia from coronary steal. We present the case of a 73-year-old male who presented with exertional angina; imaging demonstrated severe coronary artery disease and a large coronary artery fistula. Ligation of the fistula resulted in severe right ventricular failure and cardiogenic shock. After reestablishing flow to the fistula, the patient recovered. We speculate that the ischemia-induced angiogenesis from the congenitally present fistula made what may have otherwise been an innocent fistula into an important nutritive supply, which remained important despite distal revascularization. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the critical nutritive value of a coronary fistula.

Entrapment of Rotational Atherectomy Burrs in Freshly Implanted Stents: First Illustration of the Rolled-Up Phenomenon

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to illustrate one of the mechanisms of rotational atherectomy burr entrapment in a coronary stent where the burr was rolled up in the stent's struts.

METHODS

We report a case where the treatment of a mid right coronary artery (RCA) lesion using a rotational atherectomy device was attempted. During the procedure, the burr suddenly got stuck in a freshly implanted stent in the distal RCA. Despite several attempts and maneuvers, we were unable to pull back the burr.

RESULTS

The patient was transferred for emergency surgery. The length of the RCA from its proximal third to the crux, including the stuck burr and the freshly implanted stent, had to be extracted.

CONCLUSIONS

Physicians performing rotational atherectomy should be aware of this complication and know the principal endovascular maneuvers to extract the stuck burr. Operators should also be aware of roll-up burr entrapment, like this case, where most maneuvers to retrieve the burr will fail and should be managed, to our point of view, with surgery.

Exploring Senior Residents' Intraoperative Error Management Strategies: A Potential Measure of Performance Improvement

OBJECTIVE

The study aim was to determine whether residents' error management strategies changed across 2 simulated laparoscopic ventral hernia (LVH) repair procedures after receiving feedback on their initial performance. We hypothesize that error detection and recovery strategies would improve during the second procedure without hands-on practice.

DESIGN

Retrospective review of participant procedural performances of simulated laparoscopic ventral herniorrhaphy. A total of 3 investigators reviewed procedure videos to identify surgical errors. Errors were deconstructed. Error management events were noted, including error identification and recovery.

SETTING

Residents performed the simulated LVH procedures during a course on advanced laparoscopy. Participants had 30 minutes to complete a LVH procedure. After verbal and simulator feedback, residents returned 24 hours later to perform a different, more difficult simulated LVH repair.

PARTICIPANTS

Senior (N = 7; postgraduate year 4-5) residents in attendance at the course participated in this study.

RESULTS

In the first LVH procedure, residents committed 121 errors (M = 17.14, standard deviation = 4.38). Although the number of errors increased to 146 (M = 20.86, standard deviation = 6.15) during the second procedure, residents progressed further in the second procedure. There was no significant difference in the number of errors committed for both procedures, but errors shifted to the late stage of the second procedure. Residents changed the error types that they attempted to recover (χ²₅=24.96, p<0.001). For the second procedure, recovery attempts increased for action and procedure errors, but decreased for strategy errors. Residents also recovered the most errors in the late stage of the second procedure (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Residents' error management strategies changed between procedures following verbal feedback on their initial performance and feedback from the simulator. Errors and recovery attempts shifted to later steps during the second procedure. This may reflect residents' error management success in the earlier stages, which allowed further progression in the second simulation. Incorporating error recognition and management opportunities into surgical training could help track residents' learning curve and provide detailed, structured feedback on technical and decision-making skills.

Bile duct injury repair —— earlier is not better

Bile duct injury is a common complication of cholecystectomy. The timing of bile duct injury repair remains controversial. A recent review conducted in France reported 39% complications and 64% failure after immediate repair in 194 patients compared with 14% complications and 8%failure after late repair in 133 patients. A national review of 139 consecutive early repairs conducted at five hepatopancreaticobiliary centers in Denmark reported 4% mortality, 36% morbidity, and 42 restrictures (30%) at a median follow-up of 102 months, and only 64 patients (46%) demonstrated uneventful short-term and long-term outcomes. Most patients with bile duct injury present with bile leak and sepsis; thus, early repair is not recommended. Percutaneous drainage of bile and endoscopic stenting are the mainstays of treatment of bile leak because they convert acute bile duct injury into a controlled external biliary fistula. The ensuing benign biliary stricture should be repaired by a biliary surgeon after a delay of 4–6 weeks once the external biliary fistula has closed.

Treatment Options of Iatrogenic Pelvic Vein Injuries: Conventional Operative Versus Endovascular Approach

Iatrogenic injury to the iliac vein or inferior vena cava (IVC), which may occur during abdominal operations or posterior orthopedic procedures, can have devastating consequences. Operative management is challenging and may be associated with significant morbidity. The authors report herein 3 cases of iatrogenic pelvic vein injuries that were managed with different treatment approaches. Both traditional open surgical therapy and endovascular techniques are described.

Clinical characteristics and risk factors of periprosthetic femoral fractures associated with hip arthroplasty: A retrospective study

Periprosthetic femoral fracture (PFF) is a complicated complication of both primary and revision hip arthroplasty with an increasing incidence. The present study aimed to summarize the clinical characteristics and identify the risk factors for PFF which would be potentially helpful in the prevention and treatment of PFF.We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 89 cases of PFF, and a case-control study was designed to identify the potential risk for intraoperative and postoperative PFF in both primary and revision hip arthroplasty.The overall incidence of PFF was 2.08% (intraoperative: 1.77%, postoperative: 0.30%, revision: 13.60%, and primary: 0.97%). The most commonly used treatment strategy was fixation with cerclage wire or band for intraoperative PFF, whereas long stem revision with plate or cortical allograft strut fixation was the main treatment strategy for postoperative PFF. The risk factors for intraoperative PFF in primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) included the diagnosis of development dysplasia of the hip (DDH) (odds ratio [OR] = 5.01, 95%CI, 1.218-20.563, P=0.03) and CBR ≥ 0.49 (OR = 3.34, 95%CI, 1.138-9.784, P = 0.03). The increased age was associated with increased incidence of postoperative PFF in primary THA (OR = 1.09, 95%CI, 1.001-1.194, P = 0.04). As for the intraoperative PFF in revision THA, we found that receiving multiple operations before revision (OR = 2.45, 95%CI, 1.06-5.66, P = 0.04), revisions due to prosthetic joint infection (OR = 6.72, 95%CI, 1.007-44.832, P = 0.04), the presence of cementless implant before revision (OR = 13.54, 95%CI, 3.103-59.08, P = 0.001), and femoral deformity (OR = 8.03, 95%CI, 1.656-38.966, P = 0.01) were all risk factors.Screening for high-risk patients, preoperative templating, and detailed discharge instructions may be the potential strategies to reduce the incidence of PFF. The treatment of PFFs should take into account Vancouver classification system, patient's characteristics as well as the experience of the operating surgeon.

Pseudotumor Caused by Titanium Particles From a Total Hip Prosthesis

A 77-year-old woman underwent metal-on-polyethylene total hip arthroplasty for osteoarthritis of the right hip at another institution. During surgery, the greater trochanter was broken and internal fixation was performed with a trochanteric cable grip reattachment. Although postoperative recovery was uneventful, approximately 6 years later, the patient had severe right hip pain with apparent swelling, and she was referred to the authors' institution. Plain radiographs showed evidence of severe osteolysis in the proximal femur and cable breakage; however, preoperative aspiration culture findings were negative for bacterial growth. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a well-circumscribed mass, presumed to be a pseudotumor. Serum cobalt and chromium levels were within normal limits, and the serum titanium level was high. During surgery, the mass was excised and removal of the cable system revealed a sharp deficit in the bare femoral stem. Gross surgical findings showed no obvious evidence of infection and no corrosion at the head-neck junction; therefore, all components were retained besides the cable system, which resulted in clinical recovery. All of the cultures from specimens were negative for bacterial growth, and histologic findings were compatible with a pseudotumor, such as histiocytes containing metal particles, abundant plasma cells, and CD8-positive cells. Quantitative analysis by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry showed that the main source of metal debris in the pseudotumor was the femoral stem, which was made of titanium alloy, not the broken cable, which was made of cobalt-chromium alloy. The findings suggest that titanium particles can form symptomatic solid pseudotumors.

A Multi-institutional, Prospective, Phase II Feasibility Study of Laparoscopy-Assisted Distal Gastrectomy with D2 Lymph Node Dissection for Locally Advanced Gastric Cancer (JLSSG0901)

BACKGROUND

The efficacy and safety outcomes of laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) with D2 lymph node dissection for locally advanced gastric cancer remain unclear. Therefore, we conducted a randomized, controlled phase II trial to confirm the feasibility of LADG in terms of technical safety, and short-term surgical outcomes were investigated.

METHODS

Eligibility criteria included pre-operatively diagnosed advanced gastric cancer that could be treated by distal gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection; MP, SS, and SE without involvement of other organs; and N0-2 and M0. Patients aged 20-80 years were pre-operatively randomized.

RESULTS

In total, 180 patients were registered and randomized to the open (89 patients) and laparoscopic arms (91 patients). Among 91 patients in the laparoscopic arm, 86 underwent laparoscopic gastrectomy according to the study protocol. Regarding the primary endpoint of the phase II trial, the proportion of patients with either anastomotic leakage or pancreatic fistula was 4.7 % (4/86). The grade 3 or higher morbidity rate, including systemic and local complications, was 5.8 %. Conversion to open surgery was required for 1 patient (1.2 %), without any intra-operative complication. The post-operative mortality rate was 0, and no patient required readmission for surgical complications within 6 months after initial discharge.

CONCLUSIONS

The technical safety of LADG with D2 lymph node dissection for locally advanced gastric cancer was demonstrated. A phase III trial to confirm the non-inferiority of this procedure to open gastrectomy in terms of long-term outcomes is ongoing. Registered Number: UMIN 000003420 ( www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/).