1.000 colecistectomías laparoscópicas: indicaciones y resultados

[Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in patients aged 80 and over]

INTRODUCTION

The increasing aging of the population also increases the prevalence of symptomatic gallbladder diseases. It is important to analyse their surgical treatment in the elderly.

METHODS

All the laparoscopic cholecystectomies performed in our surgery department on patients aged 80 years-old or over from 1992 to 2007 were included in this study.

RESULTS

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed on 133 patients 80 years-old and over, with 63% of them women, and an average age of 83.23 years. Biliary colic (29%) and acute pancreatitis (44%) were the main reasons for surgery. Associated diseases were found in 73% of them. Only 7.5% needed urgent surgery, even although 71% were admitted urgently. There were 13.5% conversions to open surgery, 17% morbidity and 2.3% mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be recommended in symptomatic gallbladder disease in the elderly.

[National project for the clinical management of healthcare processes. The surgical treatment of cholelithiasis. Development of a clinical pathway]

INTRODUCTION

Because surgical treatment of gallstones is highly prevalent, this topic is particularly suitable for a national study aimed at determining the most important indicators and developing a clinical pathway.

OBJECTIVES

To analyze the results obtained during the hospital phase of the process. To define the key indicators of the process. To design a clinical pathway for laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A multicenter, prospective, cross-sectional, descriptive study was performed of patients who consecutively underwent surgery for gallstones in 2002. The sample size calculated with data provided by the National Institute of Statistics was 304 patients, which was increased by 45% to compensate for possible losses. Inclusion criteria consisted of elective cholecystectomy for gallstones, without preoperative findings suggestive of common duct stones. A database was designed (Microsoft Access 2000) with 76 variables analyzed in each patient.

RESULTS

Completed questionnaires were obtained from 37 hospitals with 426 patients. The mean age was 55.69 years, with a predominance of women (68.3%). The most frequent symptom was biliary colic (23%). A total of 20.3% of the patient had prior episodes of cholecystitis and 18% had a history of mild pancreatitis. Diagnosis was given by ultrasonography in 93.2% of the patients. Informed consent was provided by 93.2%. The intervention was performed on an inpatient basis in 96.1% and in the ambulatory setting in the remainder. Antibiotic and antithrombotic prophylaxis was administered in 78.9% and 75.1% of the patients respectively. The laparoscopic approach was used in 84.6%, with a conversion rate of 4.9%. Intraoperative cholangiography was performed in 17.8% of the patients and common duct stones were found in 7 patients. The most frequent complication was surgical wound infection (1.1%). Possible accidental lesion of the biliary tract occurred in 0.7% of the patients and was described as biliary fistula. There were four reinterventions: biliary fistula (1), hemoperitoneum (2) and cause unknown (1). The mean surgical time was 73.17 minutes, with a median of 60 minutes. Postoperative length of stay was 4.75 days in open surgery and 2.67 days in laparoscopic surgery. Ninety-nine percent of the patients were satisfied or highly satisfied with the healthcare received.

CONCLUSIONS

Analysis of the process and review of the literature identified a series of areas requiring improvement, which were gathered in the clinical pathway developed. These areas consisted of increasing the number of patients with correctly indicated antibiotic and antithrombotic prophylaxis, increasing the percentage of patients providing informed consent and undergoing adequate preoperative tests, limiting intraoperative cholangiography to selected patients, and reducing the number of patients with an overall stay of 3 days.

[Effect of pneumoperitoneum on venous hemodynamics during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Influence of patients' age and time of surgery]

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Abdominal hyperpressure developed during laparoscopic cholecystectomy by the effect of pneumoperitoneum represents an obstacle to the venous return that may facilitate thromboembolic complications. The aim of this study was to establish the effect of pneumoperitoneum in venous hemodynamics during laparoscopy.

PATIENTS AND METHOD

Prospective study of 31 consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Venous occlusion plethysmography was performed preoperatively, after anaesthetic induction, after insufflation, before pneumoperitoneum release and at the end of surgery. Changes of plethysmography were compared with preoperative values and according to age, obesity, presence of varicose veins and pneumoperitoneum time. Bilateral lower limb venous Duplex scanning was performed at days 1, 7 and 30 to detect deep venous thrombosis (DVT).

RESULTS

Average age was 56 years, 66.6% females, 40% obese, 16% with varicose veins and the pneumoperitoneum time was < 45 min in 22.5% patients. Capacitance decreased progressively during surgery and was significantly reduced with pneumoperitoneum. The maximum venous outflow in the first second was reduced significantly at the end of pneumoperitoneum. These reductions were more evident in older patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Pneumoperitoneum produces plethysmographic changes on venous hemodynamics with a diminished venous return in lower limbs. Older patients have higher risk of thromboembolic complications, while obesity can also increase this risk. However, no DVT was demonstrated in this study.