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Objectif : La chirurgie bariatrique est le traitement le plus efficace pour la réduction de poids à long terme chez les patients souffrant d’obésité pathologique. Il existe une abondante littérature et des croyances liant les causes d’échec de perte de poids aux aspects techniques ou hormonaux, mais aussi aux aspects alimentaires, ou au style de vie sédentaire. Méthodes : Nous avons envoyé aux patients un autoquestionnaire simple pour évaluer l’observance des conseils nutritionnels ou d’activité physique donnés par notre équipe au cours de la période préopératoire. Les patients ayant reçu le questionnaire ont bénéficié d’une chirurgie bariatrique de septembre 2013 à août 2016. Les questionnaires ont été recueillis lors d’une réunion annuelle de suivi en septembre 2017. Cent quarante-quatre patients sur 750 ont répondu à ce questionnaire et 133 avaient eu une sleeve gastrectomie par laparoscopie. Résultats : Soixante-quatre pour cent des patients avaient une activité physique qui durait moins de 30 minutes par jour. Parmi les patients, 46 % ont déclaré une faim anormale, 60 % avaient terminé leur repas en moins de 20 minutes, 18,7 % avaient une consommation régulière de chewinggum, 32 % avaient plus de trois collations par semaine, 66 % avaient une consommation excessive de sucre plus de deux fois par semaine et 18 % moins de trois repas par jour. Le genre féminin, une durée de repas inférieure à 20 minutes, et moins de trois repas par jour étaient significativement liés à une perte d’IMC plus faible, 13,4 vs 15,8 kg/m2, p = 0,0049 ; 13,5 vs 14,3 kg/m2, p = 0,0002 ; 12,2 vs 14,3 kg/m2, p = 0,0307 respectivement. Conclusion : Le genre féminin, une alimentation rapide et moins de trois repas par jour sont associés à une perte de poids plus faible chez les patients ayant bénéficié d’une chirurgie bariatrique il y a plus de deux ans.

Highlights • Nutritional status in a pregnant woman is crucial. It determines the fetal outcome. • We added a case of spina bifida after Omega Gastric Bypass. • Biochemical and ultrasound monitoring should be performed regularly in pregnant women with a history of bariatric surgery. • Vitamins, minerals and trace metals deficiencies after bypass bariatric surgery could be prevented by adequate supplementation administered before and during pregnancy., Introduction Bariatric surgery has been increasingly popular during the last years because of its proven efficacy on obesity and related complications. However, nutrient deficiency is common after surgery, in particular after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) or omega gastric bypass (OGB), due to iatrogenic malabsorption. All vitamins and minerals could be involved, including vitamin B9 which plays an important role in the prevention of neural tube defects during pregnancy. We present a case of a spina bifida in the fetus of a pregnant woman following OGB. Case presentation A twenty-six years old young woman underwent OGB five years after weight loss failure post sleeve gastrectomy. Her initial body mass index (BMI) was 42.7 kg/m2. Two years after OGB, she became pregnant. On her gynecologist’s advice, the patient discontinued daily vitamin intake before the end of the first trimester, as obstetrical follow-up had been considered appropriate. Regrettably, second trimester ultrasound showed myelomeningocele and surgical abortion was decided during the 25th week of pregnancy. Discussion Nutritional status in a pregnant woman is crucial, since it determines the fetal outcome. Biochemical and ultrasound monitoring should be performed regularly, especially in pregnant women with a history of bariatric surgery. Conclusion Vitamins, minerals and trace metals deficiencies after bypass bariatric surgery could be prevented by adequate supplementation administered before and during pregnancy.

Highlights • Literature evidences regarding the evolution of Barrett’s esophagus after sleeve gastrectomy is poor and the relation between sleeve gastrectomy and the development of subsequent esophageal cancer isn’t clear yet. • Preoperative upper endoscopy should be performed in order to detect gastroesophageal reflux disease, Barrett’s esophagus, before undergoing bariatric surgery. Post operative monitoring of the upper gastrointestinal tract after sleeve gastrectomy is essential., Introduction : Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) has become one of the most dramatically increasing bariatric procedures worldwide due to its excellent results and impact on the obesity pandemic. Morbid obesity is known to increase the risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. However, the evolution of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) along with Barrett’s esophagus (BE) after SG is of concern since there is little data available. We present a case of esophageal adenocarcinoma after SG with known intestinal metaplasia on preoperative gastroscopy. Case presentation : We report a case of a 55 years old female patient who presented lower esophageal adenocarcinoma three years after complicated SG with known preoperative BE without dysplasia detected by gastroscopy. Multidisciplinary decision suggested treatment by endoscopic mucosectomy. The endoscopic control at one year did not highlight tumoral recurrence but still BE without dysplasia. Discussion : Literature review regarding the evolution of BE after SG is poor and the relation between SG and the development of subsequent esophageal cancer isn’t clear yet. Conclusion : Preoperative endoscopy should be performed in order to detect GERD, BE, and potential carcinomas of the upper gastrointestinal tract before undergoing bariatric surgery. The long-term monitoring after SG is essential.

Background A large number of patients who undergo laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy present with surgical complications. Stenosis, in particular, occurs in .7%–4% of cases. Objectives To report our experience, results, and long-term follow-up after pneumatic dilation of late functional helix stenosis after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. Setting Multicenter study led by an endoscopic tertiary referral center. Methods Thirty-five patients were dilated initially at 30 mm. Thirteen out of 35 patients underwent a second dilation up to 35 mm. Only 8 patients underwent a third pneumatic dilation up to 40 mm. The stricture was localized in the mid-body of the sleeve in 32 patients overall; 3 had narrowing adjacent to the cardia. Eleven twists formed an acute angle between the 2 segments of the stomach, whereas 24 angles were obtuse. Seven out of 35 patients presented with persistent dilated pouch above the twist. Two patients were lost to follow-up. Overall outcome at an average follow-up of 15.5 months after primary surgery (range 7–49 mo) was as follows: 12 clinical failures and 1 technical failure (40%) and 60% (20 out of 33) clinical success. Conclusion Pneumatic dilation of late functional helix stricture is an effective technique for treatment of dysphagia in the majority of patients treated. Complete helix stricture, defined in function of the angle within twist, as well as the presence of a persistently dilated gastric pouch above the kinking, seems to be correlated with higher failure rates.

Aim To report the results of surgery for obstructive right colon cancer (ORCC) and to identify risk factors associated with worse outcomes that may help surgeons to choose the best surgical option. Methods This is a retrospective national cohort study, including all patients operated on for ORCC from 2000 to 2015. Those treated with colonic stent or symptomatic treatment were excluded. We described outcomes after surgery for ORCC and performed multivariate analyses for mortality, morbidity and survival. Results Among 776 patients analyzed, 716 (92%) had their primary tumor removed, with primary anastomosis in 582 (82%). The remaining 194 underwent anastomosis with loop ileostomy (n = 21), resection with double-end stoma (n = 113), defunctioning stoma without resection (n = 48) and ileocolic by-pass (n = 12). Postoperative mortality, morbidity and anastomotic leak rates were 10%, 51% and 14%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, age >70, ASA score ≥3 and hemodynamic instability were predictors of postoperative mortality whereas ASA score ≥3, hemodynamic instability and intra-operative complications were predictors of severe morbidity. No factors were correlated with anastomotic leak. After a median follow-up of 26 months, 8% of patients were alive with a permanent stoma. Five-year overall, disease-free and cancer-specific survival was 42%, 42% and 62%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, peritonitis, synchronous metastases and absence of adjuvant chemotherapy were predictors of decreased overall survival. Conclusions Emergency surgery for ORCC is associated with high mortality and morbidity. Two third of patients with ORCC can be managed with resection and primary anastomosis. For high-risk patients, a staged surgical management may be discussed.

Obesity is frequently associated to many functional gastrointestinal disorders. The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of functional gastrointestinal disorders in obese patients, according to their body mass index and their recruitment source. Five hundred ninety-six obese patients (body mass index (BMI) > 30) filled out a standard questionnaire in order to evaluate the presence of functional gastrointestinal disorders. They were divided into four groups according to the Rome III criteria and their BMI: OF, obese patients from functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGID) enrollment; OO, obese patients from obesity management enrollment; MF, morbid obesity patients from FGID enrollment; and MO, morbid obesity patients from obesity management enrollment. Data analysis was performed using multivariate logistic regression. Out of the 596 obese patients included in the present study, 183 (33 %) were complaining of FGIDs, while 413 (67 %) were consulting for obesity management. Compared to the OF group, the OO patients had a higher prevalence of females (P = 0.008) and a younger age (P

Identifying factors that influence weight loss after bariatric surgery is one way to predict a successful surgical outcome. Knowledge of the effect of gender on weight loss after bariatric surgery has not been well demonstrated in the literature despite being noted in every day practice. The aim of this study was to find the influence of gender on long-term weight loss after bariatric surgery.A retrospective analysis of data retrieved from a prospectively maintained bariatric database was conducted.The study included 640 consecutive patients. Their mean age was 38 ± 10 years, mean preoperative body mass index was 44.9 ± 8.4 kg/m2, and mean preoperative excess weight (EW %) was 108.3 ± 38.4%. The mean of the average excess weight loss (EWL %) was 43.3 ± 42.4%. Three procedures were utilized: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG), and gastric banding (GB). Both VBG and RYGB induced significantly more EWL % than GB (d = 22.1%, p0.001 and d = 16, p = 0.02, respectively). In patients who underwent VBG and GB, males had significantly lower preoperative EW % (Student t = -4.86, p0.001, and Student t = 4.69, p0.001, respectively), and postoperative mean of the average EWL % (Student t = -2.43, p = 0.016, and Student t = -3.33, p = 0.002, respectively) than females. In patients who underwent RYGB, there were no differences in the preoperative EW % (t = -1.03, p = 0.309) or the mean of the average EWL % (t = 0.406, p = 0.688). The simple linear regression model used to explain the variability in EWL %, accounted for by the variability in the preoperative EW %, was significant (F = 180, p0.001). Analysis of the residual errors in predicting the EWL % revealed no significant difference between males and females after VBG and after RYGB (t = 0.117, p = 0.907 and t = 1.052, p = 0.3, respectively), while it was significant after GB (t = -2.999, p = 0.003).From our experience, we suggest that GB not to be offered as a first choice for obese male patients.

Situation La sleeve gastrectomie (SG) par voie laparoscopique a ete consideree comme le premier temps d’une prise en charge chirurgicale bariatrique en deux temps, pour des patients a haut risque operatoire. Plus recemment, la SG a ete envisagee comme une intervention definitive de l’obesite pathologique avec des resultats a court et moyen terme satisfaisants.

Objective. This prospective study evaluated laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy for its safety and efficiency in excess weight loss (%EWL) in super superobese patients (BMI>60 Kg/m2).Results. Thirty patients (33 women and 7 men) were included, with mean age of 35 years (range 18 to 59). Mean preoperative BMI was 66 Kg/m2(range 60 to 85). The study included one patient with complete situs inversus and 4 (14%) with previous restrictive gastric banding. The mean operative time was 120 minutes (range 80 to 220 min) and the mean hospital stay was 7.5 days (4 to 28 days). There was no postoperative mortality or need for a laparotomy conversion. Two subphrenic hematomas, one gastric fistula, and one pulmonary embolism, were the major complications. After 18 months 17 (77%) had sufficient weight loss and six had insufficient results, leading to either re-sleeve gastrectomy (3), or gastric bypass (2). Three years after the initial laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, the mean EWL was 51% (range 21 to 82).Conclusion. The laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is a safe and efficient operating procedure for treating super superobesity. In the case of insufficient weight loss, a second-stage operation like resleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass can be proposed.

Objectif Evaluation des resultats de la sleeve gastrectomie (SG) laparoscopique chez 30 patients supersuperobeses (IMC > 60 kg/m2).

Intragastric balloon (IGB) is one of the available options for the management of morbid obesity. The procedure is generally safe and of moderate efficacy in most of the cases. One of the reported complications of IGB is gastric perforation. The management of this complication is classically surgical. To our knowledge, conservative management for gastric perforation secondary to IGB has not been reported. A 27-year-old female patient presented with sudden abdominal pain in the left upper quadrant, 2 months after having an IGB placed. The provisional diagnosis was gastric perforation. Balloon extraction was performed and a conservative management of the gastric perforation was pursued successfully. We therefore propose that this sort of management might be adopted in carefully selected cases.

Morbidly obese patients have a high prevalence of known and unknown cardiopulmonary diseases. The aim of this study was to assess the value of cardiopulmonary tests routinely performed before bariatric surgery.The population studied included 67 women and 10 men, aged 39 +/- 10 years, with a body mass index of 43 +/- 4 kg/m2. All patients, candidates for laparoscopic gastric banding, underwent after clinical evaluation: resting electrocardiography (ECG), Doppler-echocardiography, exercise stress testing, Epworth Sleepness Scale, and polysomnography, spirometry, blood gases, and chest x-ray.The ECG demonstrated conduction or ST-T wave abnormalities in 48 patients (62%). Prolongation of the QT interval10% was found in 13 patients (17%). Stress tests were negative in 56 patients (73%) and were not interpretable in the remaining 21 patients (27%). Doppler-echocardiography showed hypertrophy of the left ventricular posterior wall in 47 patients (61%) without any consequences on perioperative management. Polysomnography showed an obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) in 31 patients (40%), leading to preoperative continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment in 17 patients (22%). Nevertheless, the Epworth Sleepness Scale was pathological in only 17 patients (22%). Ten patients (13%) presented minor chest x-ray alterations. Spirometry demonstrated an obstructive respiratory syndrome in 13 patients (17%) and a restrictive syndrome in five patients (6%). Hypoxemia80 mmHg was observed in 21 patients (27%) and hypercapnia45 mmHg in six patients (8%), without any consequences on the management of the perioperative period.We recommend the preoperative assessment by clinical evaluation, ECG, and polysomnography. For patients with cardiac or pulmonary histories and/or ECG abnormalities, we recommend echocardiography, spirometry, and blood gases.

Background Intraoperative cholangiography and laparoscopic ultrasonography are both used in the detection of common bile duct stones at laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The aim of this prospective study was to determine whether laparoscopic ultrasonography has an alternative or a complementary role with respect to cholangiography in achieving this end. Methods The biliary trees of 900 patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy were examined routinely by the two methods. The diagnostic power of each investigation and of the two techniques in combination was evaluated. The statistical non-random concordance between the two methods was also determined. Results Laparoscopic ultrasonography was performed in all 900 patients. Cholangiography was performed in 762 (85 per cent). The mean (range) duration was 9·8 (4–21) min for laparoscopic ultrasonography and 17·6 (7–42) min for cholangiography. For the detection of common bile duct stones, with a kappa coefficient of 0·57 (95 per cent confidence interval (c.i.) 0·43 to 0·71), the non-random concordance between the two methods was considered to be fair to good. The sensitivity of laparoscopic ultrasonography was 0·80 (95 per cent c.i. 0·65 to 0·91) and its specificity was 0·99 (95 per cent c.i. 0·98 to 1·00). The respective values for cholangiography were 0·75 (95 per cent c.i. 0·59 to 0·87) and 0·99 (95 per cent c.i. 0·98 to 1·00). The examinations combined had a sensitivity of 0·95 (95 per cent c.i. 0·86 to 0·99) and a specificity of 0·98 (95 per cent c.i. 0·96 to 1·00). Conclusion Laparoscopic ultrasonography and intraoperative cholangiography are complementary, as the combination of both methods maximizes the intraoperative detection of choledocholithiasis.

Situation La gastrectomie longitudinale ou sleeve gastrectomie (SG) est de plus en plus choisie comme traitement chirurgical de l’obesite morbide. Cela en raison de son efficacite et de son taux acceptable de complications. A long terme, la dilatation de la poche gastrique peut entrainer une stagnation de la perte de poids et une reprise ponderale.

The aim was to assess the value of treament of inguinal hernias by a totally extraperitoneal laparoscopic route. Between January 1993 and December 1998, 541 patients (490 men, 51 women) with 757 hernias were operated laparoscopically by a totally extraperitoneal route. Whenever the parietal repair required the insertion of a prosthesis, this was the method chosen. The procedure was perfomed under general anesthesia. One or two polypropylene prostheses of 15 × 12 cm were placed at the deep aspect of the abdominal wall, split but not fixed. The patients were followed up at one, six and twelve months and then annually. The mean operation time decreased with experience, from 66 minutes in 1993 to 47 minutes in 1998 for unilateral hernias and from 104 to 71.5 minutes for bilateral cases. The laparotomy conversion rate was 2%. Mortality was nil. Morbidity was as follows: hemorrhagic scrotal extravasations 10%, serous effusions 3.5%, phebitis 0.3%, pneumopathies 0.3%. The mean period of hospitalization was 2.9 days and the global recurrence rate was 0.6% (4 cases in the first year, 1 case at three years). The totally extraperitoneal laparoscopic route seems to be the method of choice for the treatment of inguinal hernias requiring a prosthesis. It reduces hospital stay and allows earlier return to work and is associated with only minor morbidity and a low recurrence rate.

The principle of parietoscopy is the creation of a subcutaneous plane of cleavage in front of the aponeuroses by insufflation of CO2. The aim is the repair of certain hernias and incisional hernias of the abdominal wall without damaging the overlying skin, mainly for cosmetic reasons, especially in young women. In our series access was suprapubic or umbilical depending on the site of the lesion to be repaired. A 10 mm blunt tip trocar was placed in contact with the aponeurotic plane. After initial separation of the subcutaneous tissue, progressive insufflation of CO2 stripped the cutaneous layer extensively upwards and laterally. Using one or two 5 mm trocars, the aponeurotic layer was progressively freed and the affected zones identified. These were repaired by standard endoparietal sutures or by percutaneous sutures using a Reverdin needle. Fifteen patients (14 women and 1 man) with a mean age of 30 years (range 19 to 35) with diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles (5 cases), incisional hernias (3 cases) or an epigastric or linea alba hernia (7 cases) were treated by parietoscopy. Conversion to a classical approach was necessary in one man with diastasis of the rectus muscles because fibrosis prevented a subcutaneous plane of cleavage. Repair was possible in 14 cases. The mean operative duration was 1h 20 min and that of hospitalisation was 2 days (1–3). There was no mortality or morbidity. The mean follow-up was 18 months (4–40) with excellent cosmetic and functional results. Thus, abdominal parietoscopy allows repair of certain minor parietal lesions with preservation of the overlying skin. Its indications are of a cosmetic nature, in young women with normal skin overlying an abdominal wall defect.

In a prospective randomized trial comparing a totally pre-peritoneal (TPP) laparoscopic approach and the Stoppa procedure (open), 100 patients with inguinal hernias (Nyhus IIIA, IIIB, IV) were followed over a 3-year period. Both groups were epidemiologically comparable. In the laparoscopic group, operating time was significantly longer (p=0.01) but hospital stay (3.2 vs 7.3 days) and delay in return to work (17 vs 35 days) were significantly reduced (p=0.01). Post operative comfort (less pain) was better (p=0.001) after laparoscopy. In this group, morbidity was also reduced (4% vs 20%, p=0.02). The mean follow up was 605 days and 93% of the patients were reviewed at three years. There were three (6%) recurrences after TPP, especially at the beginning of the surgeon's learning curve versus one for the Stoppa procedure (ns). For bilateral hernias, the authors suggest the use of a large prosthesis rather than two small ones to minimise the likelihood of recurrence. In the conditions described the laparoscopic (TPP) approach to inguinal hernia treatment appears to have the same long-term recurrence rate as the open (Stoppa) procedure, but confers a real advantage in the early post operative period.

Summary Objective Our purpose was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of sleeve gastrectomy (SG) at 5 years after surgery. Patients and methods From June 2005 to January 2007, 65 obese patients underwent SG. The percentage of excess weight loss (%EWL) and excess BMI loss (% EBL), obesity-related co-morbidities, and post-SG complications were evaluated at 2 years after SG based on our database, and at 5 years after SG based on a questionnaire sent to the patients by one of the authors (IB) between May 2011 and February 2012. Results A complete data set was obtained for 53 of 65 patients (82%), including 45 patients who had SG as the only surgical treatment, and eight patients who had a second bariatric procedure at a later date because of insufficient weight loss (five gastric bypass (GBP), three SG revision). For these 53 patients, the mean %EWL was 54.4% at 2 years and 53.7% at 5 years, and the mean %EBL was 61% at 2 years and 60% at 5 years. Three patients (5.7%) had post-operative complications (two fistulas (3.8%), one hemorrhage (1.9%)). Three trocar-site hernias (5.7%) were observed between 10 months and 34 months post-SG. Sub-group analysis of the 45 patients who underwent SG alone showed a mean %EWL of 57.1% at 2 years and 50.7% at 5 years; the mean %EBL was 64% at 2 years and 56.8% at 5 years. Of these 45 patients, 13 (28.9%) required medication to treat diabetes (DM) before SG and only five (11.1%) at 5 years after SG (61.5% decrease); 18 (40%) had antihypertensive treatment before SG, and eight (17.8%) at 5 years after SG (55.5% decrease); 12 (26.7%) took lipid-lowering medication before SG, and five (11.1%) at 5 years after SG (58.3% decrease); 24 (53.3%) had sleep apnea (SAS) before SG and six (17.8%) at 5 years after SG (75% decrease). However, while only five patients (11.1%) had GERD requiring PPI therapy before SG, 15 patients required PPI therapy (33.3%) at 5 years after SG (200% increase). Conclusion Five years after performance of SG, weight loss was satisfactory, few complications were observed, the reduction of co-morbidities was significant, but there was an increase in the frequency of GERD.

Rationnel La prevalence de l'obesite ne cesse de croitre surtout chez les patients precaires. Notre objectif etait de determiner si la presence d'un gradient de precarite pourrait avoir un impact sur le choix d'une chirurgie bariatrique dans un systeme de soins de sante finance par l'Etat avec une couverture complete des frais medicaux. Patients et Methodes Nous avons inclus de facon prospective 100 patients admis en hopital de jour pour une evaluation preoperatoire avant une chirurgie bariatrique. Comme groupe de reference, nous avons inclus 578 sujets avec un IMC≥35kg/m 2 , dans le meme departement et ayant consulte dans un centre de sante pour leur bilan cardiovasculaire propose par la securite sociale du 01/01 au 31/12/2013. Tous les sujets ont rempli le questionnaire de precarite EPICES (Seuil pour l'absence de precarite Resultats Quatre-vingt quatre candidats a la chirurgie bariatrique avaient des donnees completes : ils etaient plus jeunes avec un âge moyen de 39,2±12,7 annees, ( vs 47,6±13,8, p p =0,030) et une moyenne d'IMC plus elevee 43,3±6,9 ( vs 38,7±3,7kg/m 2 , p vs 51,0±21,9, p vs 82 %, p Conclusions La couverture des besoins materiels, comme les frais medicaux ne suffit pas a la decision d'une chirurgie de l'obesite. D'autres ressources sont certainement necessaires education, soutiens psychologique et social doivent etre systematiquement envisages chez ces patients pour l'acceptation de cette chirurgie.

This study reports major gastrointestinal complications in a group of 416 patients following kidney transplantation. Three hundred and ninety-nine patients received a cadaveric kidney while the other 17 received a living related organ. The immunosuppressive regimen changed somewhat during the course of the study but included azathioprine, prednisolone, antilymphocyte globulin, and cyclosporin. Perforations occurred in the colon (n = 6), small bowel (n = 4), duodenum (n = 2), stomach (n = 1), and esophagus (n = 1). There were five cases of acute pancreatitis, four of upper gastrointestinal and two of lower intestinal hemorrhage, two of acute appendicitis, one of acute cholecystitis, one postoperative mesenteric infarction, and two small bowel obstructions. Fifty percent of the complications occurred while patients were being given high-dose immunosuppression to manage either the early postoperative period or episodes of acute rejection. Ten percent of the complications had an iatrogenic cause. Of the 31 patients affected, 10 (30%) died as a direct result of their gastrointestinal complication. This high mortality appears to be related to the effects of the immunosuppression and the associated response to sepsis. Reduction of these complications can be achieved by improved surgical management, preventive measures, prompt diagnosis, and a reduced immunosuppressive protocol.

Background The application of laparoscopy for malignancy has been halted in many centres because of a growing number of reports of metastases arising in port sites. The smoke created by coagulation during laparoscopic surgery appears to contain particles visible to the naked eye. This study tested the hypothesis that whole cells can be carried as an aerosol in the pneumoperitoneum during laparoscopy. Methods Nine patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery for benign and metastatic disease were studied. Throughout the procedure the gas of the pneumoperitoneum was allowed to escape through a filter. The filters and tubing were washed, and washing solution was centrifuged and stained immunohistochemically to identify the cells. Three of the filters were also examined with an electron microscope. Results Six of the nine samples contained cells. Clumps of whole cells were identified as mesothelial in origin; the electron micrographs showed many other cells stuck to the filter, which appeared to be blood and mesothelial cells but were not analysed further. Conclusion The presence of whole identifiable cells carried in the pneumoperitoneum raises concerns for operating staff and could be a mechanism for tumour implantation. No malignant cells were found, but ethical considerations prevented intentional coagulation of malignant tissue.

The role of laparoscopic resection in the management of colorectal cancer is still unclear. It has been shown that laparoscopic colectomies can be accomplished with acceptable morbidity. Major concerns are port-site recurrences and neoplastic dissemination. The aims of this study were to compare perioperative results and long-term outcomes in a prospective, nonrandomized study of patients treated by laparoscopic versus open colorectal resection for cancer. In particular, the effects of an initial laparoscopic approach on survival and recurrence were examined. One hundred fifty-seven patients with colorectal carcinoma were included in the prospective trial: 74 underwent laparoscopic resection and 83 underwent conventional open surgery. The two groups were comparable in terms of characteristics, demographic data, stage of disease, and use of adjuvant or palliative chemoradiotherapy. All patients were observed at 1.3- and 6-month intervals. The median duration of follow-up was 60 months (range, 10-125 months). The mean operating time was significantly longer in the laparoscopic group. Six conversions (8.1%) were necessary. The passage of flatus and the restarting of oral intake (P = 0.0001) occurred earlier in the laparoscopic surgery group than in the open conventional surgery group. The mean postoperative stay was significantly shorter in the former group (P = 0.005), as was the length of the scar (P = 0.001). There were no deaths in either group. The overall morbidity was significantly lower (13% versus 33.7%; P = 0.001) in patients treated laparoscopically. No significant differences were observed between the groups in the length of specimens, the size of the tumor, or the number of nodes removed. Late complications were more frequent after open resection (12% versus 5.4%; P = 0.01). Two port-site metastases (2.6%) were seen in stage III and IV locally advanced carcinoma. There was no significant difference in recurrent disease between the groups (24.3% versus 25%) during the 60-month follow-up. Stage-for-stage comparisons showed that disease recurrence rates and crude death rates were comparable.