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Research on rare events, such as the occurrence of port-site metastases, can be speeded up by pooling patients from different hospitals. Multidisciplinary approaches, involving surgeons, pathologists and molecular biologists, allow more detailed experimental results to be obtained. Research costs are kept low by using existing infrastructures over a short period of time.

Reoperations after cardiac valve replacement are unavoidable: their frequency depends on surgical technique, type of valve used, and the anatomical situation. Erlangen, almost 300 such procedures were required among 3500 valve replacements, while 19 out of 700 bioprostheses had to be exchanged. Statistically relevant complications occurring with variable frequency are paravalvular leakage, thrombosis and degeneration of the bioprostheses which have to be corrected for hemodynamic reasons. Other indications are thromboembolism and endocarditis. Rare complications are: rupture of the posterior wall of the ventricle or aortic root with subsequent development of aneurysm, entrapment of the occluder due to long sutures, pannus, muscle chordae, strut fracture (Björk) or wear of the occluder (Wada, Starr, Edwards, Beall). Some complications as dehiscence, entrapment, rupture and aneurysm of the posterior wall of the ventricle and aortic root can largely be avoided by good surgical techniques. Reoperative mortality rate is slightly higher due to greater possibilities of injury and bleeding. Emergency procedures in grade IV NYHA have the highest rate (50%), elective procedures for leakage, calcified or regurgitant bioprostheses the lowest. The most frequent indication for re-operation is perivalvular leakage. Dehiscence requires surgery to deal with hemolysis or for hemodynamic reasons. Dehiscence is more common in aortic than in mitral position; the latter can be closed by felt-padded stitches in 80%. This technique is the most reliable in preventing leakage, although thrombosis is more likely. Causes of dehiscence are endocarditis, suture-line tearing, calcium in the annulus. The incidence of valve thrombosis is related to valve type, usually associated with inadequate or abruptly terminated anticoagulation therapy (rebound). Disc valve are at particular risk.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The safety of laparoscopic liver resections compared to open procedure was to be evaluated in an animal study. Besides it had to be examined, whether onco-surgical principles could be kept sufficiently. Therefore 8 one-year-old pigs underwent laparoscopic liver resections; in 2 pigs left-lateral segmental resections were performed, in 5 left-sided hemi-hepatectomies and in one right-sided hemihepatectomy. It became obvious that a control of the vessels around the v. cava inf., of the left branch of the portal vein and of the suprahepatic veins was not possible with sufficient safety. Extraction of the preparations was a further problem. According to these results laparoscopic hemihepatectomy cannot be recommended for clinical routine. Further indications for a laparoscopic operation like deroofing of liver cysts, wedge-resections or treatment of superficial liver injuries are to be accepted.

To find out whether transplantation of the duodenum and pancreas results in osteopathy in immunotolerant recipient rats.Prospective study.University hospital, Germany.30 male Lewis rats weighing about 315 g.Laparotomy alone (n = 10, control), or transplantation by one of three techniques: ectopic extraportal (EE, n = 5), ectopic intraportal (EI, n = 7), or orthotopic intraportal (OI, n = 8).Body weight; changes in mineral and bone metabolism, bone density and ash, and the breaking force of bone.Rats were followed for 133 plus or minus 3 days. Compared with the control group the rats that had undergone transplantation had delayed gain in body weight and the final weight was reduced. Urinary glucose and basal serum glucose and insulin concentrations were unaffected, but that of pancreatic polypeptide was low. In the transplanted groups intestinal absorption of calcium and phosphorus and serum concentrations of calcium and parathyroid hormone were within reference ranges. Serum magnesium (EI and OI) and phosphorus (EI) concentrations, and the urinary calcium (FE) and phosphorus (EI) concentrations, and the urinary hydroxyproline:serum osteocalcin ratio (FE, and EI) were significantly higher than in controls (p0.01).Transplantation failed to disturb glucometabolic functions and intestinal mineral absorption but was associated with an osteopathy which showed itself in high bone resorption and reduced bone phosphorus and magnesium concentrations. The osteopathy developed irrespective of the technique of reconstruction of the digestive tract and so may be caused by division of intestinal nerves or their incomplete regeneration.