Search

The presence of gastric metaplasia in the distal esophagus is better known as Barrett's Esophagus (BE). It is an acquired condition caused by gastro-esophageal reflux disease and is associated with a high risk of adenocarcinoma development in the distal esophagus and cardia. The definition of BE has changed over the years as only the specialized metaplasia, with the characteristic "goblet cells", has been shown to carry a risk of cancer development. BE is currently defined as the presence of intestinal metaplasia in the distal esophagus. The prevalence of intestinal metaplasia of the distal esophagus in patients undergoing endoscopy with multiple biopsies for dyspeptic symptoms, varies from 9-21% at the level of the cardia and from 1.2-8% at 3 cm above the esophago-gastric junction, with a decreasing caudo-cranial frequency. Among the BE population (intestinal metaplasia 3 or more cm long) there is a prevalence of male sex and white race, with an average age between the 5(th) and 7(th) decade. The risk of BE mucosa advancing to esophageal adenocarcinoma is not well established: incidence rates from 1/52 years-patient to 1/441 years-patient and a calculated risk from 30 to 125 times higher than in the normal population were reported. These discrepancies are probably related to: 1) temporal differences of the studies, 2) retrospective versus prospective type of the studies, 3) length of follow-up, 4) number of individuals surveilled, 5) regional variations. A literature analysis confirmed that the differences are mostly related to the number of patients studied (the larger the population the lower the incidence), are generally inversely proportional to the follow-up length (the shorter the follow-up the higher the incidence) and depend on the type of the studies (the incidence is higher in the retrospective studies than in the prospective one's). Surveillance program: esophageal adenocarcinoma is a lethal tumor with a 20% 5-year survival rate. The guidelines of The American College of Gastroenterology advice a two-year surveillance rate for BE patients without dysplasia. The difficulty with BE surveillance programs-- even if worthwhile on a single patient basis-- is that they are very expensive and at the present none of the endoscopic surveillance prospective studies has shown a positive impact in the survival rate. From our knowledge it doesn't seem wise to abandon a precautionary surveillance strategy, but further studies are needed to better understand the risk population: at the moment our advice is to monitor male patients in good general conditions with a BE segment longer than 3 cm.

The use of prosthetic mesh in inguinal hernia repairs is becoming increasingly popular. In recent years different laparoscopic procedures for prosthetic repair of inguinal hernias have been developed. The authors describe their initial experience with a totally extra-peritoneal prosthetic approach in laparoscopic repair of bilateral inguinal hernias. From November 1993 to May 1994, ten consecutive patients with bilateral primary inguinal hernias underwent laparoscopic repair under general anesthesia. A totally extra-peritoneal approach has been performed beginning through a 2 centimeter vertical midline sub-umbilical incision. Two additional trocars have been inserted on the midline: a 10/12 mm one halfway between the umbilicus and the pubis and 5 mm one 2 cm above the pubis. Average operative time was 141 minutes. Two cases were converted to traditional open Stoppa procedure because of holes made in the peritoneum during blunt dissection of the hernia sac. In the remaining 8 cases a polypropylene mesh of about 8 cm in height and 13 cm in length have been placed on each hernia site. No major complications have been observed and recovery was quick in all cases. In conclusion we think that laparoscopic hernia repair through a totally extra-peritoneal approach is technically feasible for general surgeons trained in laparoscopic surgery. Nevertheless the operation in costly and the patient's benefit in terms of rapid recovery, complications and recurrences has not yet been demonstrated in controlled prospective trials.

The clinical course and the treatment of two patients with chronic idiopathic pseudo-obstruction are reported. Venting enterostomy to reduce the frequency of the occlusive symptoms and home parenteral nutrition to correct malnutrition have been employed, after the failure of aggressive medical treatment with prokinetic drugs. These measures improved symptoms of obstructions and allowed the reestablishment of oral alimentation. Therefore, according to medical literature, we suggest that patients with chronic idiopathic pseudo-obstruction can be safety managed for prolonged period with this treatment.

Standard manometry is still today the method of choice for investigating motor disorders of the esophagus. Fundamental elements in executing the test are suitable equipment, an execution technique following well established protocols and the adoption of univocal criteria for interpreting the results. In fact it is essential to use low compliance pneumo-hydraulic pumps and to perform the test in distinct steps to separately evaluate the features of the sphincter and the peristaltic activity of the esophageal body. Newly introduced technology (computerized analysis) authorizes an objective analysis of the tracing and the measurement of novel parameters, making it necessary however to re-evaluate the parameters of normalcy in the asymptomatic population. The manometric features of the lower esophageal sphincter, which define its competence (mean pressure at the point of respiratory inversion, abdominal length, total length), are probably better expressed by the mean pressure of the entire LES, by the area under the curve and by the Vector Volume. As far as motility of the esophageal body is concerned, computerized manometry provides for a more precise definition of the maximum amplitude of the esophageal contractions and an objective measure of their duration.

Functional tests of the esophagus have become increasingly popular over the last 10 years. Here we present a cost/benefit analysis model to evaluate the real contribution to diagnosis with reference to the cost of these tests. All of the patients referred to the digestive physiopathology laboratory at the Institute of Surgical Semiotics, from 1988 to 1990, were evaluated for gastroesophageal reflux disease (152 cases), dysphagia (27 cases) and chest pain (12 cases). The cost of each modified diagnosis was L. 508,250 in the first case, L. 315,772 in the second case and L. 262,446 in the third case. Additionally, concerning gastroesophageal reflux disease, the cost of medical therapy based on endoscopic diagnosis alone was compared to that of medical therapy guided by these functional tests. Hence it was demonstrated that it is economically advantageous to study functionally all of the symptomatic patients, except the cases of esophagitis, and patients with atypical symptoms or with mild symptoms and endoscopic esophagitis of the first degree. It is not worthwhile investigating patients with second, third or fourth degree esophagitis, regardless of the symptoms, and patients with typical severe symptoms and first degree esophagitis. These functional tests are economically practical in all cases in which morphologic alterations are either absent or minimal.

Personal experience in the treatment of patients with oesophageal cancer that cannot be radically operated is presented. The high incidence (50%) of this situation required the use of measures to improve survival conditions. Results speak in favour of prosthetic intubation of the oesophagus, preferably by the endoscopic route and in a carefully selected number of patients, in the course of major operations like palliative oesophago-gastroplasty.

The importance of exfoliative cytology in the diagnosis of cancer of the oesophagus is stressed. The examination uses a straightforward, economical technique and, in association with traditional investigations, offers diagnostic positivity of close to 100%. The interest in exfoliative oesophageal cytology does not derive solely from its confirmation of clinically certain oesophageal cancer, but from the fact that it offers early diagnosis outside of dysphagic symptomatology. Its field of use is thus extended and it proves to be a complementary but indubitably useful technique for diseases of the oesophago-gastric tract, particularly in those presenting high cancerization risk. Its use is therefore recommended for the screening of oesophageal cancer.