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Background: Paraconduit hiatal hernia (PCHH) is a known complication of esophagectomy with significant morbidity. PCHH may be more common with the transition to a minimally invasive approach and improved survival. We studied the PCHH occurrence following minimally invasive esophagectomy to determine the incidence, treatment, and associated risk factors., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed records of patients who underwent esophagectomy at an academic tertiary care center between 2013-2020. We divided the cohort into those who did and did not develop PCHH, identifying differences in demographics, perioperative characteristics and outcomes. We present video of our laparoscopic repair with mesh., Results: Of 49 patients who underwent esophagectomy, seven (14%) developed PCHH at a median of 186 d (60-350 d) postoperatively. They were younger (57 versus 64 y, P< 0.01), and in cases of resection for cancer, more likely to develop tumor recurrence (71% versus 23%, P= 0.02). There was a significant difference in 2-y cancer free survival of patients with a PCHH (PCHH 19% versus no hernia 73%, P< 0.01), but no significant difference in 5-y overall survival (PCHH 36% versus no hernia 68%, P= 0.18). Five of seven PCHH were symptomatic and addressed surgically. Four PCHH repairs recurred at a median of 409 d., Conclusions: PCHH is associated with younger age and tumor recurrence, but not mortality. Safe repair of PCHH can be performed laparoscopically with or without mesh. Further studies, including systematic video review, are needed to address modifiable risk factors and identify optimal techniques for durable repair of post-esophagectomy PCHH., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to review the etiology and computed tomography (CT) findings of small-bowel obstruction (SBO) in patients who have undergone bariatric laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LGBP) surgery., Materials and Methods: Prospectively entered data from a surgical database of 835 consecutive patients who underwent antecolic-antegastric LGBP for morbid obesity from June 1999 to April 2005 in a single institution were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 42 cases of bowel obstruction were observed in 41 patients. Surgical proof was available in 38 cases, and 4 cases had characteristic imaging features and/or clinical follow-up. Seventeen CT scans were reviewed to determine cause and level of obstruction, and this was correlated with surgical findings and clinical follow-up., Results: Internal hernia was the most common (13 cases) and also the most frequently missed etiology of SBO on CT scans, with the diagnosis being made prospectively in only 2 of 6 cases, in which CT was done. Adhesions, ventral hernia, postoperative ileus, and jejunojejunal (JJ) anastomotic strictures, in that order, were the other commonly observed etiologies for SBO, with 11, 7, 5, and 4 cases, respectively. Some causes of SBO post-LGBP (JJ anastomotic stricture and postoperative ileus) developed relatively early, whereas others (internal hernia) tended to develop later or had a bimodal distribution (adhesions and ventral hernia). Fifteen (36%) of 42 cases had SBO at or near the level of jejunojejunostomy site; causes included internal hernia (5 cases), adhesions/kinking of small bowel (5 cases), JJ anastomotic stricture (4 cases), and JJ intussusception (1 case)., Conclusion: The time interval between LGBP and development of SBO might provide a useful clinical clue to its etiology. The JJ level is an important location for SBO post-LGBP because of a variety of causes, and special attention must be paid to this site at imaging of post-LGBP patients.

Use of laparoscopy in penetrating trauma has been well established; however, its application in blunt trauma is evolving. The authors hypothesized that laparoscopy is safe and feasible as a diagnostic and therapeutic modality in both the patients with penetrating and blunt trauma. Trauma registry data and medical records of consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopy for abdominal trauma were reviewed. Over a 4-year period, 43 patients (18 blunt trauma / 25 penetrating trauma) underwent a diagnostic laparoscopy. Conversion to laparotomy occurred in 9 (50%) blunt trauma and 9 (36%) penetrating trauma patients. Diagnostic laparoscopy was negative in 33% of blunt trauma and 52% of penetrating trauma patients. Sensitivity/specificity of laparoscopy in patients with blunt and penetrating trauma was 92%/100% and 90%/100%, respectively. Overall, laparotomy was avoided in 25 (58%) patients. Use of laparoscopy in selected patients with blunt and penetrating abdominal trauma is safe, minimizes nontherapeutic laparotomies, and allows for minimal invasive management of selected intra-abdominal injuries.

Background: Weight loss after bariatric surgery varies and depends on many factors, such as time elapsed since surgery, baseline weight, and co-morbidities., Methods: We analyzed weight data from 494 patients who underwent laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) by one surgeon at an academic institution between June 1999 and December 2004. Linear regression was used to identify factors in predicting % excess weight loss (%EWL) at 1 year., Results: Mean patient age at time of surgery was 44 +/- 9.6 (SD), and the majority were female (83.8%). The baseline prevalence of co-morbidities included 24% for diabetes, 42% for hypertension, and 15% for hypercholesterolemia. Baseline BMI was 51.5 +/- 8.5 kg/m(2). Mean length of hospital stay was 3.8 +/- 4.6 days. Mortality rate was 0.6%. Follow-up weight data were available for 90% of patients at 6 months after RYGBP, 90% at 1 year, and 51% at 2 years. Mean %EWL at 1 year was 65 +/- 15.2%. The success rate (> or = 50 %EWL) at 1 year was 85%. Younger age and lower baseline weight predicted greater weight loss. Males lost more weight than females. Diabetes was associated with a lower %EWL. Depression did not significantly predict %EWL., Conclusion: The study demonstrated a 65 %EWL and 85% success rate at 1 year in our bariatric surgery program. Our finding that most pre-surgery co-morbidities and depression did not predict weight loss may have implications for pre-surgery screening.

Background: Exaggerated activation of peritoneal immunity after major abdominal surgery activates peritoneal macrophages (PMs), which may lead to a relative local immunosuppression. Although laparoscopy (L) is known to elicit a smaller attenuation of peritoneal host defenses, compared with open (O) surgery, effects of the hand-assisted (HA) approach have not been investigated to date., Methods: Eighteen pigs underwent a transabdominal nephrectomy via O, HA, or L approach. PMs were harvested at 4, 12, and 24 hours through an intraperitoneal drain and stimulated in vitro with lipopolysaccharide. The production of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) by the purified macrophage cultures was measured with the use of a standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. Statistical comparison was performed by using analysis of variance and Student t test., Results: In vitro lipopolysaccharide-induced IL-6 and TNF-alpha production by PMs increased over the 24-hour period in all 3 groups. Stimulated PMs harvested at 12 and 24 hours postoperatively secreted higher levels of IL-6 in the O group, compared with both the HA group (P = .02, P = .01) and L group (P = .04, P = .001). PMs harvested at 4, 12 and 24 hours postoperatively also produced more TNF-alpha in O group, compared with both the HA group (P = .03, P = .03, and P = .01) and L group (P = .01, P = .05 and P = .03). There was no significant difference between H and L groups in production of either cytokine., Conclusions: Abdominal surgery attenuates peritoneal host defenses regardless of the surgical approach employed. However, for the first time, we demonstrated that the HA approach, similar to laparoscopy, is superior to open surgery in the degree of PM activation. Overall, in addition to clinical benefits of minimal access, HA surgery may confer an immunologic advantage over laparotomy.

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA) is a preferred method for the removal of small adrenal masses. However, the role of LA for surgical treatment of large adrenal masses is less established. We evaluated the outcomes of LA for large (>/=5 cm) adrenal masses. We retrospectively reviewed 24 consecutive patients who underwent LA for large adrenal masses at a tertiary care university hospital. The average age of the 24 patients was 49 years, and each underwent laparoscopic resection of a large adrenal mass. All LAs were performed via a lateral transperitoneal approach. The average (+/- standard deviation) size of the masses was 6.8 +/- 1.5 cm (range, 5-11). Pathologic diagnoses included adrenal cortical adenoma (10 cases), pheochromocytoma ( 7), cyst/pseudocyst ( 3), myolipoma ( 2), and adrenal cortical hyperplasia ( 2). Statistical analysis was performed with a two-sample t test. The average operating time was 178 +/- 55 minutes (range, 120-300), and average blood loss was 87 +/- 69 mL (range, 20-300); the averages were nonsignificantly greater in the right LA group than in the left LA group (203 vs. 166 minutes, P = 0.89; 124 vs. 77 mL, P = 0.14). The average duration of nothing-by-mouth (NPO) status was 0.7 days (range, 0-4), and the average time until return to a regular diet was 1.74 +/- 0.9 days (range, 1-5). The average length of stay was 2.5 +/- 1.9 days (range, 1-10). One patient had a transient episode of pseudomembranous colitis. There were no conversions to open adrenalectomy and no major morbidities or mortalities. LA is safe and effective for surgical treatment of large adrenal masses. Both right and left large adrenal masses can be approached laparoscopically with equal success. The role of minimally invasive approaches to adrenal malignancies necessitates further investigation.

Background: Eradication of Helicobacter pylori prior to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) has been advocated as a measure to reduce the complications of anastomotic ulceration. However, evidence to support a causal relationship between preoperative H. pylori status and postoperative anastomotic ulceration is weak.Methods: Intraoperative gastric biopsies were obtained on consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic RYGB at our institution from December 2007 to June 2010. These samples were analyzed by Warthin-Starry stain for H. Pylori organisms. Retrospective chart review was conducted to determine the preoperative presence of acid dyspepsia and acid suppression therapy and to determine postoperative ulcer symptoms, smoking, NSAID or steroid use, and compliance with ulcer prophylaxis. The incidence of ulcer visualization, perforation, and stricture were obtained from a prospectively collected database. Fisher's exact test was used for analyzing associations between discrete groups. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess associations between anastomotic ulcer complications and potential predictors.Results: Histologic evaluation for H. pylori was available in 708 of the 728 patients who underwent RYGB. Fourteen patients were lost to follow up leaving 694 patients available for review. H. pylori was positive in 66 (9.5 %) patients who did not go on to receive definitive treatment for eradication. Marginal ulcers or related late complications were seen in a total of 113 (16.3 %) patients. In the H. pylori positive group, five patients (7.6 %) developed ulcer complications compared to 108 (17.1 %) in the H. pylori negative group (p = 0.05). Groups were not different in terms of preoperative demographics, postoperative ulcer prophylaxis compliance, steroid, NSAIDs, and cigarette use.Conclusion: The presence of H. pylori infection at the time of RYGB was found to be associated with a significantly lower incidence of anastomotic ulcer complications postoperatively. This study brings into question efforts and expense allocated to identify and eradicate H. pylori prior to RYGB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]