Search

Drug of abuse (DOA) screening in urine is often performed in the clinical emergency setting. However, there is considerable evidence that questions the usefulness of this screening in the acute management of patients with suspected intoxications. The used method is an immunoassay, in which cross reactivity with false positive results may occur. A positive result does not always indicate current toxicity, a negative result does not exclude drug use or a current intoxication. Therefore, DOA screening has limited value in the acute clinical management of patients with intoxications.

Objective: Evaluation of the early management and treatment of patients with an acute haemorrhage in a hepatocellular adenoma., Design: Descriptive., Setting: Academic Medical Centre (AMC), Amsterdam, the Netherlands., Method: In the period 1989-1996, eight women with an acute haemorrhage in a hepatocellular adenoma were treated in the AMC. Four had an intrahepatic bleeding which initially was treated conservatively. The other four patients arrived with a haemoperitoneum for which laparotomy was immediately performed: in three, the haemorrhage was stopped by gauze tamponade and in one, the tumour was removed by bisegmental resection. In all seven initially not subjected to resection, the tumour was removed later by partial hepatectomy., Results: The condition stabilized in all patients after initial conservative treatment or after laparotomy and gauze tamponade. The tamponade gauzes were removed after 48 hours. The definite treatment, after 2-4 months, consisted of right-sided hemihepatectomy (four patients), left-sided hemihepatectomy and (bi)segmental resection (three). Three patients showed postoperative complications: infected haematoma, bile leakage and a non-infected subphrenic haematoma. In half the patients, the pathological diagnosis was not certain owing to the effects of the recent bleeding. In one patient, a highly differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma could not be excluded., Conclusion: Patients with a haemorrhage in a hepatocellular adenoma without signs of rupture should be treated conservatively. An effective and safe first treatment of an unstable patient with haemoperitoneum is laparotomy and staunching of the bleeding by gauze tamponade. This management is feasible in every general hospital, following which the patient may be referred to a specialized centre for further diagnosis and treatment. It is advisable to remove the tumour surgically after about three months.

Objective: To analyse hospital mortality, complications and survival of patients after subtotal pancreaticoduodenectomy in the Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 1983-1996., Design: Partly retrospective (1983-August 1987), partly prospective (September 1987-1996)., Method: Patient characteristics, indication for surgery, postoperative complications, mortality and survival of patients who underwent subtotal pancreaticoduodenectomy were recorded in a computer database. Patients were subdivided into three groups (1983-September 1992; October 1992-1994; 1995-September 1996) to analyse the influence of change in surgical technique and the increase of experience., Results: From 1983-to September 1996, 312 consecutive patients underwent a subtotal pancreaticoduodenectomy. Hospital mortality decreased from 4.9% to 1.4% in the last period (1995-1996). The complication rate decreased from 60% to 41%. The hospital stay decreased from median 24 days to 16 days. The actualized 5-year survival analysed for patients operated from 1983-to September 1992 was 31%. Patients with ampullary tumours had a 5-year survival of 50%. The 5-year survival of patients with bile duct and pancreatic carcinoma was 24% and 15% respectively., Conclusions: Subtotal pancreaticoduodenectomy can be performed safely with a low mortality (< 2%) in specialised centres. The morbidity is still substantial (40%). The survival is mainly dependent on type of tumour and patient selection and is approximately 50% for patients with ampullary tumours. The pylorus preserving procedure has become the standard operation.

Objective: To analyse the effect of hospital experience on mortality after subtotal pancreaticoduodenectomy in the Netherlands., Design: Retrospective evaluation., Method: Information on hospital mortality and pancreatic resection in 1994 and 1995 in the Netherlands was obtained from the National Medical Register. Subanalysis was carried out of surgical mortality by age and hospital experience., Results: Approximately 50% of the pancreaticoduodenectomies in the Netherlands were performed in hospitals with limited experience (< 5 procedures per year). Hospital mortality was higher in small-volume hospitals than in hospitals with experience (> 25 procedures per year): in 1994 17.2 and 0% and in 1995 14.6 and 2.9%, respectively (p < 0.05). Mortality was higher in patients older than 70 years compared with patients younger than 55 (p < 0.05)., Conclusion: There was a correlation between mortality after pancreaticoduodenectomy and hospital experience. Therefore these procedures should be performed in centres with experience.

Objective: To determine the feasibility and desirability of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in day care., Design: Prospective, pilot study., Setting: Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands., Method: Fifteen patients (ASA I/II according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists) with symptomatic gallstones underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy with the intention to discharge them the same day. Data were collected about: pain (visual analogue scale); pain medication before and after discharge; (rc)admissions; consultations of general practitioner or day care centre; complications; satisfaction of the patients about this treatment modality., Results: Fourteen patients could be discharged after 6.2 hour (standard deviation 1.2) of observation. The pain scores and medication use were low. Readmissions did not take place and there were no consultations of general practitioners or the day care centre. These patients had no complications. Thirteen of them preferred day care over admission in hospital. One patient was admitted because of colicky pains and a common bile duct stone was diagnosed, which was removed endoscopically., Conclusion: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in day care appears feasible in patients with symptomatic gallstones and no functional incapacities if day care facilities are present.