Provision of long-term vascular access for haemodialysis in a patient with exhausted superficial arm veins

Stapled hemorrhoidopexy - Initial experience from a general surgery center

BACKGROUND

Stapled hemorrhoidopexy is gaining popularity as a relatively painless alternative to conventional excisional hemorrhoidectomy. The initial experience from a service hospital is presented along with review of literature.

METHODS

40 cases were managed by stapled hemorrhoidopexy (SH) over a period of two and half years. The primary outcome measures assessed were the analgesic requirement in the post-operative period and the time taken to resume Activities of Daily Living (ADL). Additional outcome measures studied were; presence of bleeding per rectum, prolapse of mass per rectum, incontinence to flatus/stool, post-operative urinary retention, requirement of a repeat procedure, presence of post-operative anal stenosis, and residual external haemorrhoids at 1 week, 1, 3 and 6 months and 1 year after surgery.

RESULTS

40 patients with grade II, III and IV hemorrhoids underwent SH under spinal anesthesia. In the first 24 h 17 patients required a single dose of Injection Diclofenac Sodium while 19 patients required two doses and 4 patients had to be given three doses. 14 patients (35%) achieved Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living score of 6 on the first post-operative day and another 17 (42.5%) on the second post-operative day. By the fourth post-operative day all patients had achieved a score of 6. One patient had a rectal perforation as a complication of the procedure and another required a second procedure for excision of thrombosed external hemorrhoids.

CONCLUSION

Stapled hemorrhoidopexy is associated with less post-operative pain and early resumption of ADL. Although the procedure appears simple to perform, it can be associated with serious complications and still cannot be considered the standard of care for the operative treatment of internal hemorrhoids.

Excision of residual skin tags during stapled anopexy does not increase postoperative pain

OBJECTIVE

We studied whether excision of residual external skin tags causes additional pain in patients undergoing a stapled anopexy for muco-anal prolapse.

METHOD

Seventeen patients in whom skin tags had been excised were compared with 24 patients having no excision. The patients were selected from a prospective database of haemorrhoid surgery if they had submitted a diary with self-reported postoperative pain scores as well as a self-reported symptom questionnaire preoperatively and postoperatively. The tags were excised with preservation of the subdermal fascia.

RESULTS

There were 41 patients who fulfilled the criteria for inclusion. Seventeen (group 1) had tags excised and 24 (group 2) did not. Fifty-nine per cent in group 1 and 67% in group 2 experienced preoperative prolapse needing manual reposition. The mean height of the staple line was 2 cm above the dentate line in both groups. Daily average postoperative pain recorded as the sum of a self-reported VAS rating over 14 days was 26 points in both groups. The peak pain experienced was 42 and 43 points respectively (not significant). Resolution of postoperative pain over 14 days was identical. The preoperative and postoperative symptom score was comparable in both groups.

CONCLUSION

Excision of anal skin tags should be carried out at the time of stapled anopexy.

Perianal local block for stapled anopexy

PURPOSE

This study was designed to demonstrate the usefulness of a method of regional anesthesia for circular stapler anopexy for prolapsing hemorrhoids.

METHODS

Thirty-three patients consented to stapled anopexy under perianal local anesthesia. Eighteen patients with stapled anopexy under general anesthesia were controls. The perianal block was applied with 40 ml of ropivacaine, 4.75 mg/ml, injected immediately peripheral to the external sphincter. A submucosal block with 15 ml of ropivacaine, 2 mg/ml, was added after applying the pursestring suture. Postoperative pain was rated by the patient for 14 days by using a ten-point visual analogue scale. Patients also submitted a preoperative and postoperative (3-6 months) symptom questionnaire to rate anal symptoms.

RESULTS

No operation was converted to general anesthesia. Operation time was similar in both groups. All patients in the local anesthesia group were pain free at discharge. The sums of pain scores during 14 days for daily average pain and peak pain were similar in both groups (average pain 23 (local anesthesia) vs. 35 (general anesthesia); peak pain 39 (local anesthesia) vs. 50 (general anesthesia); P>0.05). The preoperative symptom scores were 7.8 (local anesthesia) vs. 8.9 (general anesthesia) points, and the follow-up scores were 2.2 (local anesthesia) and 2.7 (general anesthesia), a significant improvement (P=0.001) in both groups but not different between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

A perianal local block is easy to apply and has a high degree of acceptance among patients. The operation time, postoperative pain, and success rates of the operation equaled those of stapled anopexy performed under general anesthesia. The advantages are quicker turnover between cases and simpler management of pain-free postoperative patients in day surgery.

New techniques in the treatment of common perianal diseases: stapled hemorrhoidopexy, botulinum toxin, and fibrin sealant

There have been several recent advances in the treatment of common perianal diseases. Stapled hemorrhoidopexy is a procedure of hemorrhoidal fixation, combining the benefits of rubber band ligation into an operative technique. The treatment of anal fissure has typically relied upon internal sphincterotomy; however, it carries a risk of incontinence. The injection of botulinum toxin represents a new form of sphincter relaxation, without division of any sphincter muscle; morbidity is minimal and results are promising. For the treatment of fistula in a fistulotomy remains the gold standard, however, it carries significant risk of incontinence. Use of fibrin sealant to treat fistulae has been met with variable success. It offers sealing of the tract, and then provides scaffolding for native tissue ingrowth.

Prognostic score in gastric cancer: the importance of a conjoint analysis of clinical, pathologic, and therapeutic factors

BACKGROUND

This study was designed to establish a prognostic score for gastric cancer that takes into account factors related to the tumor, the patient, and the treatment.

METHODS

Two hundred thirty patients with gastric adenocarcinoma admitted t o the Department of Abdominal Surgery at Hospital do Câncer A. C. Camargo (São Paulo) and treated by gastrectomy from January 1992 until December 1996 were included in this retrospective cohort. The prognostic score was created according to the variables identified in the multivariate analysis and by using the regression coefficients generated by the Cox regression.

RESULTS

The 5-year overall survival rate was 44.5%. The final multivariate model identified six variables with a significant and independent effect on survival: sex, weight loss, lymphocyte count, tumor-node-metastasis staging, lymphadenectomy, and lymph node ratio. Patients were divided into four groups according to their scores, as follows: group 1, 0 to 3.0; group 2, 3.5 to 5.5; group 3, 6.0 to 8.5; and group 4, 9.0 to 14.0. The 5-year survival rates were 91.5%, 49.3%, 20.3%, and .0% for the score groups 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively (P<.001). The score was superior in the assessment of prognosis when compared with tumor-node-metastasis staging alone.

CONCLUSIONS

It is possible to create a prognostic score that simultaneously includes factors related to the tumor, patient, and treatment, thus generating a more effective system in predicting the prognosis than the morphology-based staging systems.

Stapled hemorrhoidopexy: the argument for usage

Stapled hemorrhoidopexy is a new procedure for the treatment of symptomatic internal hemorrhoids. Experience and prospective trials are helping to define this procedure's role. Published data confirm that stapled hemorrhoidopexy offers similar control of symptoms with the benefits of reduced postoperative pain when compared with excisional techniques. Reduction in pain is the most significant benefit of this operation. Clearly, the cost of the stapling device exceeds the cost of the sutures required to perform an excisional hemorrhoidectomy. Patients should undergo medical therapy and rubber band ligation first; however, patients being considered for excisional hemorrhoidectomy should be offered stapled hemorrhoidectomy as a less painful alternative.

Stapled haemorrhoidopexy: a consensus position paper by an international working party - indications, contra-indications and technique

An international working party with experience in the performance of an alternative haemorrhoid operation through the use of the circular stapler was convened for the purpose of developing a consensus as to the criteria for undertaking this procedure. The agenda consisted of first, naming the operation; second, the indications and contra-indications for its performance; and third, the preferred surgical technique. Among the recommendations for individuals who plan to embark on this surgery are that experience with anorectal surgery and an understanding of anorectal anatomy are requisites; experience with circular stapling devices is essential; and the surgeon must attend a formal course which should include lectures, videos, the application of the instrument in models, and observation of the operation as performed by a surgeon recognized by his or her peers-leading ultimately to undertaking the procedure while being observed by an experienced surgeon. Following satisfactory completion of the above, independent responsibility should be determined by an individual's department of surgery.