Petersen hernia after open gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y reconstruction: a report of two cases and literature review

Petersen's hernia after gastric cancer surgery: Unravelling clinical characteristics and optimal management approaches

INTRODUCTION

Petersen's hernia is a rare and serious complication that can occur after radical gastrectomy and digestive tract reconstruction for gastric cancer. This article summarises the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of Petersen's hernia after surgery for gastric cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted on 11 male patients who were diagnosed with Petersen's hernia and underwent surgical treatment at our hospital from January 2020 to December 2022. Their clinical manifestations, perioperative conditions and follow-up after treatment were collected.

RESULTS

The median age was 58.5 years (range: 45-73), and the median time since gastrectomy was 24 months (range: 4-125). Open distal gastrectomy (45.5%) and open total gastrectomy (27.3%) were the most common procedures. Roux-en-Y (81.8%) was the predominant anastomosis method. All patients underwent emergency surgery within a median time of 30 h (range: 4-45). Intestine necrosis occurred in 36.4% of cases, with a perioperative death rate of 27.3%.

CONCLUSION

Petersen's hernia after gastric cancer surgery can quickly lead to necrotising intestinal obstruction and poor prognosis. Enhanced abdominal computed tomography should be performed as soon as possible, and early exploratory laparotomy should be done to avoid intestinal necrosis. Routine closure of the mesenteric defect after gastric cancer resection can prevent the occurrence of Petersen's hernia. This article highlights the need for increased awareness and preventive measures to minimise the occurrence of Petersen's hernia in gastric cancer patients. It emphasises the importance of early detection and appropriate management strategies for improved patient outcomes.

Obesity is a risk factor for internal hernia after laparoscopic or robot-assisted gastrectomy with mesenteric defect closure for gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Internal hernia (IH) is a life-threatening complication after gastrectomy. The increase in the frequency of minimally invasive surgery is considered to be related to the increase in the frequency of IH, and mesenteric defect closure has been recommended to reduce this complication. However, IH can occur even when mesenteric defects are closed, so the risk of IH in the patients with mesenteric closure remains uncertain. We attempted to clarify the risk factors for IH in these patients.

METHODS

From 2013 to 2017, we retrospectively reviewed 310 patients with gastric cancer who underwent laparoscopic or robot-assisted gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y (RY) or double-tract (DT) reconstruction with mesenteric defect closure. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the risk factors.

RESULTS

The incidence of IH was 1.3% (n = 4). A preoperative body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m² (p = 0.044), postoperative chemotherapy (p = 0.034), and body weight loss rate at 6 months ≥ 15% (p = 0.045) were risk factors for IH on a univariate analysis. A multivariate analysis showed that a BMI at the time of surgery of ≥ 25 kg/m² was an independent risk factor for IH (odds ratio = 11.9, p = 0.049).

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative obesity is an independent risk factor for IH after minimally invasive gastrectomy followed by RY or DT reconstruction with mesenteric defect closure. We need to conduct vigilant follow-up for IH, especially in these patients.

Pregnancy after bariatric surgery: a narrative literature review and discussion of impact on pregnancy management and outcome

Bariatric surgery (BS) is regarded to be the most effective treatment of obesity with long lasting beneficial effects including weight loss and improvement of metabolic disorders. A considerable number of women undergoing BS are at childbearing age.Although the surgery mediated weight loss has a positive effect on pregnancy outcome, the procedures might be associated with adverse outcomes as well, for example micronutrient deficiencies, iron or B12 deficiency anemia, dumping syndrome, surgical complications such as internal hernias, and small for gestational age (SGA) offspring, possibly due to maternal undernutrition. Also, there is no international consensus concerning the ideal time to conception after BS. Hence, the present narrative review intents to summarize the available literature concerning the most common challenges which arise before and during pregnancy after BS, such as fertility related considerations, vitamin and nutritional deficiencies and their adequate compensation through supplementation, altered glucose metabolism and its implications for gestational diabetes screening, the symptoms and treatment of dumping syndrome, surgical complications and the impact of BS on pregnancy outcome. The impact of different bariatric procedures on pregnancy and fetal outcome will also be discussed, as well as general considerations concerning the monitoring and management of pregnancies after BS.Whereas BS leads to the mitigation of many obesity-related pregnancy complications, such as gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), pregnancy induced hypertension and fetal macrosomia; those procedures pose new risks which might lead to adverse outcomes for mothers and offspring, for example nutritional deficiencies, anemia, altered maternal glucose metabolism and small for gestational age children.

Preventative laparoscopic repair of Petersen's space following gastric bypass surgery reduces the incidence of Petersen's hernia: a comparative study

INTRODUCTION

Internal hernias (IH) are late complications of bariatric surgery, specifically gastric bypass and manifest with diffuse abdominal pain and/or intestinal obstruction. They have a low incidence, however, are increasingly common in patients undergoing laparoscopic gastric bypass (LGBP). Petersen's internal hernia is one of the most frequent internal hernias following Bariatric surgery.

METHODS

We describe our experience at a third-level surgical center using a prophylactic Petersen's space herniorrhaphy immediately following LGBP as a preventative strategy for post-bariatric internal hernias. In addition, we perform a retrospective descriptive study with 667 patients undergoing LGBP under which we divided into two groups. In the first group, the Petersen's space was not closed, and in the second group, the Petersen´s space closure was performed using non-absorbable polypropylene non-interrupted sutures.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

667 patients were taken to LGBP, and of which 5 presented internal hernias. From the 346 patients who had Petersen´s herniorrhaphy performed, one developed signs of an internal hernia at 22 months follow-up and was subsequently confirmed later with laparoscopy (0.02%). Of the 321 patients not having had Petersen's space closure, 4 developed Petersen's internal hernia at an average of 22-month post-op, incidence of 0.1%. We analyzed and compared our results with those reported in the literature. Petersen's space closure immediately after a LGBP with an alimentary loop in the anterior colic position (prophylactic herniorrhaphy) with non-interrupted non-absorbable suture is a useful, safe, and effective technique to prevent the development of Petersen's IH during the post-operative period following LGBP.

Dual incarcerated internal hernias after laparoscopic total gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y reconstruction for gastric cancer

Internal hernia postgastrectomy is an exceedingly rare complication especially in the laparoscopic cohort of patients. Different types of internal hernias have been described, of which, Petersen's and jejunojejunostomy mesenteric defect hernias are the most commonly encountered followed by oesophageal defect and transverse colon mesocolic defect hernias. As the early presentation is always non-specific, late diagnosis of internal hernia has significant implication on morbidity and mortality. Here, we present a rare case of a patient with previous laparoscopy-assisted total gastrectomy presented with features of impending bowel obstruction and bowel ischaemia secondary to dual incarcerated internal hernias. We also reviewed the literature focusing on clinical features of internal hernia, essential CT findings and preventive measures.