[Laparoscopic "fast-track" sigmoidectomy for diverticulitis disease in Germany. Results of a prospective quality assurance program]

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

The natural course of sigmoid colon diverticulitis during conservative therapy and the assessment of the perioperative morbidity after sigmoid colon resection are differently evaluated by surgeons and gastroenterologists. The "fast-track" rehabilitation accelerates the reconvalescence and reduces the rate of postoperative general complications after colorectal surgery. The results of the laparoscopic "Fast-track" sigmoidectomy should be examined within a quality assurance program to better evaluate the perioperative risks following surgical management of diverticulitis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A prospective data collection within the voluntary quality assurance program "fast-track" Kolon II was performed. All participating clinics agreed on a multimodal, evidence-based standard perioperative treatment in terms of a "fast-track" rehabilitation for elective operations for sigmoid diverticulitis.

RESULTS

Data from 846 patients undergoing laparoscopic "fast-track" sigmoid colon resection in 23 surgical departments in Germany were collected and evaluated. The mean age of the patients was 63 years (range 23 - 91). 203 patients (24 %) had severe co-morbidities (ASA classification III - IV). A conversion to conventional open surgery was necessary in 51 cases (6 %). Complications occurred in 93 patients (11 %). 76 patients suffered a surgical complication (8.9 %) and 32 patients (3.8 %) a general complication. Two patients died postoperatively due to multi-organ failure following anastomotic leaks. The patients took solid food in median on day 1 after surgery (range, 0 - 5) and passed stool on day 2 (range, 0 - 22). Predefined discharge criteria (free of pain on oral medication, normal oral feeding, stool) were met on day 4 (range, 1 - 58) and the patients were discharged on day 7 (range, 3 - 72). The 30-day re-admission rate was 3.9 %.

CONCLUSION

Patients undergoing laparoscopic "fast-track" sigmoidectomy had a low rate of general complications and had a rapid reconvalescence with a short postoperative in-patient treatment as documented in a german quality assurance program.

Multimodal perioperative rehabilitation for colonic surgery in the elderly

BACKGROUND

Traditional perioperative care for colonic surgery in elderly patients is associated with increased morbidity and mortality compared to that of younger patients. Although multimodal perioperative rehabilitation has evolved as a valid concept to improve postoperative outcome, its use has not yet been established for colonic surgery in the elderly.

METHODS

Data from 24 German hospitals performing multimodal perioperative rehabilitation as the standard perioperative care for elderly patients who have undergone elective colonic resection was assessed in a prospective multicenter study between April 2005 and April 2007.

RESULTS

A total of 742 patients aged > or = 70 were examined. Overall compliance with the multimodal care protocol decreased with increasing age. Although laparoscopic colonic surgery was performed in 39.1% of the septuagenarians, the number decreased to 25.1% in the very old patients. The overall complication rate was 22.9% in the septuagenarians (18.1% surgical and 11.6% general complications) and increased in the very old patients to 38.4% (28.0% and 23.6%, respectively) The overall mortality rate was 1.0% and showed no age-specific variations.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the overall morbidity did increase with age, it was still less when compared to that of historical groups with traditional care. Therefore, multimodal perioperative rehabilitation should be recommended for the elderly.

"Fast-track" rehabilitation for elective colonic surgery in Germany--prospective observational data from a multi-centre quality assurance programme

BACKGROUND

The results of "Fast-track" colonic surgery in an unselected population outside of specialised units has been unknown yet.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data from 24 German hospitals performing "Fast-track" rehabilitation as the standard peri-operative care for patients undergoing elective colonic resection were collected in a prospective multi-centre study conducted between April 2005 and September 2006 to evaluate local and general morbidity.

RESULTS

One thousand and forty-seven patients undergoing elective "fast-track" colonic resection were included. Compliance to essential parts of "fast-track" rehabilitation was high (epidural analgesia 86,6%, early oral feeding and mobilisation on the day of surgery 85.5 and 85.4%). Surgical morbidity was observed in 148 patients (14.1%) and general morbidity in 95 patients (9.1%), while mortality was 0.8%. Predefined discharge criteria were met within 5 (1-83) days after surgery, but because of economical restraints in the German DRG system, patients were discharged only after 8 (3-83) days. Re-admission rate was 3.9%.

CONCLUSION

"Fast-track" rehabilitation for elective colonic resection was safe and feasible in German hospitals of all sizes and yielded a low general morbidity and re-admission rate. Post-operative recovery was enhanced, but discharge from hospital was delayed because of economical reasons.

[Interdisciplinary clinical pathway for colorectal cancer]

Limited financial resources in public health care have led to the introduction of clinical pathways as a means to a better effectivity and efficacy. Colorectal cancer met the requirements for establishing such a pathway in a distinguished way: high patient volume, high costs, interdisciplinary multi-modal treatment concepts in a relevant frequency, and existing evidence based guidelines. This article gives an example of a clinical pathway for colorectal cancer as established in our hospital. The potential of such pathways to save costs as well as their implications on treatment results and patients' satisfaction will have to be critically analyzed in the future before their value can be definitely estimated.

IgM-enriched immunoglobulin (pentaglobin) positively influences the course of post-surgical intra-abdominal infections

BACKGROUND

Polyvalent IgM-enriched intravenous human immunoglobulin (IVIG) preparations are discussed to be beneficial regarding sepsis outcome.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sixty-four patients with abdominal infection were treated with Pentaglobin or Albumin. Serum levels of endotoxin and chemokines were determined.

RESULTS

Incidence of fever was 19/28 in the pentaglobin and 18/26 in the albumin group, the percentage of days with fever was 34 +/- 26 for pentaglobin and 43 +/- 25 for albumin (mean +/-SD). Procalcitonin levels of the pentaglobin treated patients fell under the upper limit of normal on day six whereas levels of albumin patients remained elevated.

CONCLUSION

Pentaglobin has a positive influence on the course of post-surgery intra-abdominal infection.

[Pancreatic tail tumor as an unusual first manifestation of Wegener's disease]

A fifty-year-old, previously healthy woman presented with abdominal pain and weight loss. Diagnostic work-up revealed a mass in the tail of the pancreas with the appearance of a pancreatic carcinoma. Partial pancreatectomy was performed. Postoperatively, the patient's kidney function deteriorated. Pathohistological examination of the resected tissue showed a granulomatous vasculitis but no maligant tumor. Renal biopsy revealed a rapid progressive glomerulonephritis. Positive C-ANCA screening confirmed the diagnosis of Wegener's disease and an immunosuppressive therapy was established. This case demonstrates the difficult management of a potentially benign pancreatic mass, as reliable discrimination from pancreatic adenocarcinoma is not always possible.

Success in treatment of complicated diverticular disease is stage related

The clinical stage of disease is one of the many factors affecting outcome after treatment for complicated diverticular disease. We retrospectively assessed surgical results during the period 1994-1999 in 406 patients with complicated diverticular disease, according to the stage of disease, surgical technique, postoperative complications, and mortality. Single-stage resection and primary anastomosis were performed safely in most patients with stage I or II disease. Severe complications were rare in stage I but increased in incidence with higher stages. Patients with stage III are a high-risk group. This stage often requires a two-stage procedure (primary anastomosis and protective ileostoma or the Hartmann procedure). Despite these measures, many severe complications occurred in stage III.

Overview on compression anastomoses: biofragmentable anastomosis ring multicenter prospective trial of 1666 anastomoses

This study represents a European prospective clinical multicenter trial and was undertaken to evaluate the applicability of the biofragmentable anastomosis ring (BAR) as a routine anastomotic tool in teaching hospitals. The trial results analyzed consisted of 1666 BAR anastomoses performed in 1360 patients from March 1989 to May 1996 in the upper (1042 anastomoses) and lower (624 anastomoses) gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Only patients selected for elective procedures and having previously undergone orthograde bowel cleansing were entered into the trial. In the upper GI tract six anastomoses (0.58%) developed clinically relevant and radiologically detectable leaks with indications for reoperation. In the lower GI tract 42 (6.73%) anastomoses showed a radiologically detectable leak with clinical manifestations in 28 cases (4.48%). Reoperation was performed in 18 cases (2.80%). The overall leakage rate with clinical relevance was 2.04%. Three gastrojejunostomy episodes of bleeding were observed (0.18%) at the BAR anastomotic site. During the early postoperative course there was no ileus due to obstruction of a BAR anastomosis. Reintroduction of diet after the operation was not delayed. In two centers a follow-up evaluation reported no BAR-related late anastomotic stenoses. There were no intraoperative deaths, but 54 patients died postoperatively. Peritonitis following anastomotic leakage was responsible for postoperative deaths in four cases; three of them were related to BAR anastomoses. In conclusion, the BAR anastomotic procedure is an established, rapid, simple to learn, highly standardized, safe technique with the advantage of no persistent foreign material in the anastomotic region and therefore no induction of stenosis. At present, the application of anastomoses in various segments of the GI tract, from the stomach to the middle third of the rectum, can be recommended.

Reconstruction of the food passage after total gastrectomy: randomized trial

Controversial results have been reported regarding the importance of the duodenal food passage after total gastrectomy. There are a number of experimental and clinical studies showing an advantage for the jejunal interposition between esophagus and duodenum. Others favor the Roux-en-Y reconstruction, as it is technically less demanding. The purpose of this study was the randomized comparison between two major reconstruction principles after total gastrectomy for gastric cancer (i.e., jejunal interposition with pouch versus Roux-en-Y pouch reconstruction). A group of 120 patients with gastric cancer were randomized and operated on during a 5-year period according to standardized operative protocols, using either a jejunal interposition with pouch (JIP) or the Roux-en-Y reconstruction with pouch (RYP). Endpoints of this study were operation time, intra- and postoperative problems and complications, patients' body weight, functional assessment, and quality of life. Of the 120 patients, 14 had to be withdrawn during the operation because only the Roux-en-Y reconstruction was technically possible. Finally, 53 patients with JIP were compared with 53 patients with RYP for the perioperative course. There were no significant differences between the two procedures (RYP and JIP) regarding complications (24.5% and 26.4%, respectively), mortality (3.8% and 1.9%, respectively), and operation time (4.35 hours and 4.40 hours, respectively). For long-term functional comparison 46 (RYP, n = 26; JIP, n = 20) patients were without recurrence after 3 years of survival. Comparison of body weight, Visick scoring, and the Spitzer Index also did not reveal any significant difference between the two operation methods.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Combined liver-islet transplantation after epigastric exenteration in carcinoma of Vater's ampulla]

A 44 year old female underwent an upper abdominal exenteration because of an adenocarcinoma of the pancreas with liver metastases (T1 N1 M1). Reconstruction was performed by orthotopic liver transplantation and intraportal islet transplantation. Due to initial non function of the first liver graft, a second liver transplantation was performed. Thereafter, the patient received 375,000 islet equivalents of the primary liver donor in addition to 295,400 islet equivalents of another donor. Six months postoperatively, the patient is off insulin except irregular injections of 4-6 units of insulin to protect her from hyperglycemia after lunch. CT scans of the liver do not show any signs of tumor recurrence. Upper abdominal exenteration with consecutive islet transplantation offers a good method of reconstruction after radical surgery in the upper abdomen. The oncological aspects of the procedure have to be further investigated.

[The functionally inactive endocrine pancreas tumor]

Endocrine tumors of the pancreas are extremely rare (1-3%). We present two cases with functional inactive tumors--one benign and one malignant--, which were immunohistologically secreting glucagon without having clinical symptoms. Differential diagnosis, operative strategy and therapy of endocrine tumors of the pancreas are discussed.

[Possibilities for the use of 2nd generation cephalosporins in perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis]

Perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis has proven to prevent infections in a variety of surgical interventions such as colorectal, biliary and vascular surgery. The antimicrobial spectrum of an antibiotic used for perioperative prophylaxis should include Staphylococcus spp., Streptococcus spp. and Escherichia coli which are among the most frequent pathogens isolated from surgical infections. Second generation cephalosporins provide appropriate activity against these microorganisms. In colorectal surgery, combination with an anti-anaerobic agent is mandatory. During the past few years no major resistance development has been observed against second generation cephalosporins which are used at a dosage of 1.5 to 2 g. A single dose may provide sufficient serum levels for approximately three hours. Prolonged surgical procedures need an additional dose. Single dose prophylaxis with a second generation cephalosporin appears to be an appropriate strategy for infection prevention in surgery with regard to efficiency, safety and costs.

The role of T suppressor cells in the maintenance of spontaneously accepted orthotopic rat liver allografts

Orthotopic liver allografts from BN donors to LEW recipients are spontaneously accepted, and the recipients develop donor-specific immunological unresponsiveness. This unresponsiveness may be mediated by suppressor T cells. Immunomagnetically purified splenic T cells from LEW rats bearing BN liver grafts were shown to adoptively transfer suppression of skin, heart, and kidney graft rejection in a donor-specific manner, prolonging the survival of BN but not third-party DA grafts. However, the suppressor T cells were sessile, being resident in the spleen but not present in thoracic duct lymph. The presence of a nonrecirculating suppressor T cell in rats spontaneously accepting liver transplants is strongly suggestive of an important function in the maintenance of donor-specific unresponsiveness, although the contribution of other possible mechanisms of unresponsiveness has not been investigated.

Temporal patterns of immunoblot-reactive antibodies to cytomegalovirus in transplant recipients

A total of 234 sera from 44 allograft recipients were compared with 12 sera from 9 immunocompetent patients with symptomatic cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and with 20 sera of 20 healthy individuals with latent CMV infection. The presence of immunoreactive proteins was not associated with a specific transplant group or with different immunosuppressive regimens but rather with the kinetics of the immune response. Acute phase sera demonstrated early antibodies to proteins p38 and p48, followed by high or still rising antibodies to high molecular weight proteins, particularly p150, and their later decline to persistent lower levels. Convalescent phase sera were identified serologically by the transient appearance of IgG antibodies directed to 22-26 kDa polypeptides. Immunoreactive p44 was present in 85% of all patients with mild disease and in 40% of all patients with severe CMV disease. When tested in parallel, the immunoblot analysis was shown to be a more sensitive indicator of early CMV antibodies in allograft recipients than the ELISA technique.

Rejection prophylaxis with interleukin-2 receptor antibody BT 563: mechanisms of action on human cells

We investigated the in vitro immunosuppressive effect of BT 563, a monoclonal antibody, against the alpha-chain of the human interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor (p 55), which has been used to prevent transplant rejection in several clinical trials. We also measured the proliferative T cell alloresponse and pCTL frequencies of BT563-treated kidney transplant patients. In mixed lymphocyte cultures BT 563 caused a reduction of T cell proliferation to about 50%. This could not be reversed by the addition of exogenous IL-2. A more effective reduction (80%) was seen in the generation of cytotoxic T cells from CML cultures and at the clonal level. The specific T cell response after preincubation with antigen and BT 563 was not reduced so that BT 563 did not induce tolerance. The in vitro findings indicated that BT 563 had a significant but incomplete immunosuppressive effect. This correlated with the clinical course and ex vivo analysis of PBL from BT 563-treated patients after kidney transplantation.

Cyclosporin-A-induced lipid peroxidation in human liver microsomes and its influence on cytochrome P-450

The present in vitro study using human liver tissue was performed to investigate the effect of cyclosporin A on lipid peroxidation and cytochrome P-450 concentration in isolated liver microsomes. Incubations were either carried out with cyclosporin A concentrations of 10, 30, 100 and 300 micrograms ml-1 for 1 h or for different time periods (15, 30, 60 and 90 min) with cyclosporin A 300 micrograms ml-1. Lipid peroxidation was monitored measuring the amount of malondialdehyde. In additional experiments the effect of reduced and oxidized glutathione (1 mM) on cyclosporin-A-induced lipid peroxidation in human liver microsomes was studied. Cyclosporin A caused a significant dose and time-dependent increase of the lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde. At the highest cyclosporin A concentration (300 micrograms ml-1) malondialdehyde production increased 5-fold in comparison to corresponding control values. Incubations for different time periods resulted in a 5-fold net increase of malondialdehyde formation after 90 min. In the presence of reduced glutathione, cyclosporin-A-induced lipid peroxidation was significantly inhibited. Furthermore, cyclosporin-A-induced microsomal lipid peroxidation was accompanied by a significant dose-dependent decline of the microsomal cytochrome P-450 content. At a cyclosporin A concentration of 300 micrograms ml-1, cytochrome P-450 content was decreased to 49% in comparison to control values. In the presence of reduced glutathione, cyclosporin A decreased the cytochrome P-450 concentration only to 79% (P less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Influences of Ginkgo biloba on cyclosporin A induced lipid peroxidation in human liver microsomes in comparison to vitamin E, glutathione and N-acetylcysteine

The in vitro effect of cyclosporin A (CsA) on lipid peroxidation in human liver microsomes was investigated, and efforts were made to prevent the resulting toxic effect of CsA. Microsomes were prepared from human liver resection material and incubated with CsA (0, 10, 30, 100, 300, 1000 micrograms/mL) for one hour (pH 7.4, 37 degrees, 95% O2, 5% CO2). Subsequently the resulting concentrations of malondialdehyde equivalents (MDA) were determined, a breakdown product of lipid peroxidation. Furthermore the duration of incubation was varied (0, 15, 30, 60, 90 min) using a CsA concentration of 300 micrograms/mL. CsA was shown to stimulate MDA-formation to up to 10-fold of the control value in both a time and concentration dependent manner. The dosage dependent experiment stated above was repeated, adding alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E, 1 mM), reduced glutathione (GSH, 1 mM), N-acetylcysteine (0.1, 0.3, 1, 3 mM), and Ginkgo biloba extract (Gbe, 15, 50, 150 micrograms/mL), respectively, to the medium of incubation. Vitamin E, a potent radical scavenger, proved to inhibit lipid peroxidation almost totally. Both GSH and N-acetylcysteine were also able to prevent lipid peroxidation, suggesting that the antioxidant effect of GSH might be caused by its thiol group and does not depend on the integrity of the whole molecule. Gbe inhibited CsA induced lipid peroxidation in a concentration dependent manner. This effect of Gbe was diminished yet not totally abolished when FeCl3 was added to the medium of incubation, whereas N-acetylcysteine even slightly enhanced CsA stimulated lipid peroxidation in the presence of iron. These results suggest that Gbe might be able to prevent radical mediated damage to human membranes caused by CsA.

[Diagnostic imaging and treatment of an invasive thymoma together with myasthenia gravis]

A 40-year old woman with an invasive thymoma and myasthenia gravis is described in this article. Chest-x-ray, CT and MRI of the mediastinum could not offer definite results on tumour malignancy. Radical surgical removal was the consequence. This revealed a tumour infiltration of the pleura and pericardium; hence an adjuvant irradiation must have been performed. Mestinon--treatment was afterwards gradually reduced.

[In vivo 31-phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy of liver diseases]

31P-MR spectroscopy was performed in 12 patients with focal and diffuse liver disease and in ten normal controls, using surface coils. Results so far show a significantly increased concentration of PME/beta-ATP and of PDE/beta-ATP in patients with liver metastases and in one patient with hepatic involvement by malignant lymphoma. The spectra of liver cirrhosis and fatty livers showed no characteristic changes.

Monitoring of renal allografts by duplex ultrasound

Deterioration of renal transplant function due to rejection is accompanied by changes in renal blood flow that can be measured by duplex ultrasound (DU). In the present study, 60 transplanted patients were followed up. A total of 233 duplex examinations, 68 percutaneous biopsies, 44 renal scintigraphies, and 6 transplant nephrectomies were performed on these patients. Diagnoses were made on the basis of clinical and histological data. Renal perfusion was calculated by means of DU. In addition, the arterial Doppler signals were quantified using a pulsatility index (PI). Mean perfusion of normal renal allografts was 0.47 l/min. A decrease in blood flow could be found in acute vascular and chronic rejection but not in acute cellular rejection. A lack of renal perfusion due to acute vascular rejection was observed in four patients. Mean PI, used as a parameter of DU, rose significantly in all forms of rejection, which could be diagnosed with a sensitivity of 93% and a specificity of 86%. Cyclosporin overdosage did not alter the Doppler flow shape.

[First successful clinical small intestine transplantation. Tactics and surgical technic]

A case of successful clinical small bowel transplantation is demonstrated. A segment of 60 cm of jejunum and ileum has been harvested from the sister of the recipient and has been brought in heterotopic position in the first operative step. It was anastomosed to the recipient's GI-tract 6 weeks later. This procedure has the advantage that the graft can recover from ischemic damage in heterotopic position and that an immunological steady state can be achieved. This case of successful clinical small bowel transplantation offers a new causal therapy for patients with short gut syndrome.

Vein replacement with fresh vital veins: a comparison of transplantation in RT-1-different rat strain combinations

Transplantation of the intrathoracic inferior vena cava into the abdominal inferior vena cava of the recipient was performed in inbred rat strains of the following combinations: Syngeneic F344 leads to F344, RT-1-identical allogeneic LEW leads to F344, and RT-1-different allogeneic CAP leads to F344. In the RT-1-different combination subgroups with presensitization (blood, skin) were formed. The transplanted veins were evaluated at different times, macro- and microscopically. To test humoral immunology reactivity, we used a modified hemagglutination test, to analyse cell-mediated reactivity, subsequent skin grafts. The following results were obtained: 1) Aside from sporadic mononuclear cells caused by the operation technique, syngeneic vein grafts do not show any macroscopically visible and microscopically detectable changes. 2) Weakly allogeneic vein grafts do not lead to microscopically detectable changes in the graft. Strongly allogeneic vein grafts cause temporary mononuclear cell infiltration, which subsides within 21 days, without influencing the morphologic structure of the vessel wall. 3) In the RT-1-identical allogeneic strain combination, only accelerated skin graft rejection time indicates systemic sensitization, in the strongly allogeneic system, the increase of hemagglutinating antibodies also does this. 4) In both the RT-1-identical allogeneic strain combination and the RT-1-different allogeneic one, a proven sensitization does not lead to a permanent morphologic alteration. 5) Only presensitization with strong antigens (skin) leads to a macroscopically visible, as well as microscopically detectable, rejection reaction.

Comparison of the immunologic reactions of arterial transplants in the arterial system and of venous transplants in the venous system using inbred strains of rats

(1) Arterial transplants used as arterial replacements induce sensitization of the recipient in the weakly as well as in the strongly allogeneic systems (afferent limb). (2) Venous transplants used as venous replacements induce sensitization of the recipient (afferent limb). (3) Arterial transplants show increasingly severe rejection reactions paralleling the degree of immunogenetic difference (efferent limb). (4) Veins transplanted as venous replacements are tolerated even in the strongly allogeneic systems (efferent limb).