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Chylothorax is a rare cause of pleural effusion. The most common causes are iatrogenic or medical. We report an unusual and rare cause of bilateral chylothorax.A 73-year-old woman with no past history was admitted to the emergency department for sudden onset of dyspnoea. Chest X-ray and thoracic CT scan revealed large bilateral pleural effusions. Analysis of the fluid revealed a chylothorax. The patient was treated by chest tube drainage and a fat free (medium chain triglyceride) diet. This led to drying up of the effusions and rapid discharge. Complementary imaging examinations with chest-abdomen-pelvis CT, PET CT and pelvic MRI did not reveal any underlying cause. The final diagnosis was bilateral traumatic chylothorax caused by tearing of the thoracic duct during stretching exercises.Following a literature review, similar cases with the same clinical presentation were found. Combined treatment with thoracic drainage and medium chain triglyceride diet was effective in drying up the effusions. Our diagnosis was a diagnosis of exclusion. It is important to exclude a medical cause by thorough investigation.

To report the results of minimally invasive surgery in patients with stage I or II thymoma in the Masaoka classification. The reference technique is partial or complete thymectomy by sternotonomy.A retrospective single-center study of a prospective database including all cases of thymoma operated from April 2009 to February 2015 by minimally invasive techniques: either videosurgery (VATS) or robot-assisted surgery (RATS). The surgical technique, type of resection, length of hospital stay, postoperative complications and recurrences were analysed.Our series consisted of 22 patients (15 women and 7 men). The average age was 53 years. Myasthenia gravis was present in 12 patients. Eight patients were operated on by VATS and 14 patiens by RATS. There were no conversions to sternotomy and no perioperative deaths. The mean operating time was 92min for VATS and 137min for RATS (P0.001). The average hospital stay was 5 days. The mean weight of the specimen for the VATS group was 13.2 and 45.7mg for the RATS group. Twelve patients were classified Masaoka stage I and 10 were stage II. According to the WHO classification there were 7 patients type A, 5 type AB, 4 type B1, 4 type B2 4 and 2 type B3. As proposed by the Group ITMIG-IASLC in 2015 all patients corresponded to group I. The mean follow-up period was 36 months. We noted 3 major perioperative complications according to the Clavien-Dindo classification: one pneumonia, one phrenic nerve paralysis and one recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy. We observed one case of local recurrence at 22 months. Following surgery 4 patients were treated with radiotherapy and 2 patients with chemotherapy.The minimally invasive route is safe, relatively atraumatic and may be incorporated in the therapeutic arsenal for the treatment of Masaoka stage I and II thymoma as an alternative to conventional sternotomy. RATS and VATS are two minimally invasive techniques and the results in the short and medium term are acceptable. The clinical advantages of one over the other are sifficult to establish. RATS could handle larger and more complex lesions in view of the weight and size of the operating instrument.

BackgroundThe best way to manage generalized peritonitis complicating sigmoid diverticulitis is controversial. This randomized clinical trial involved a comparison of primary resection and suture, drainage with proximal colostomy followed by secondary resection.MethodsFrom January 1989 to December 1996, 105 patients of mean(s.d.) age 66(14) (range 32–91) years were randomized to undergo primary or secondary resection. The main endpoint was occurrence of generalized or localized postoperative peritonitis. The Mannheim Peritonitis Index score was calculated for each patient to check for comparability of groups.ResultsPostoperative peritonitis occurred less often after primary than secondary resection whether considering the first procedure only (one of 55 patients versus ten of 48; P < 0·01) or all procedures (one of 55 versus 12 of 48; P < 0·001). Likewise, early reoperation was performed less often following primary resection than secondary resection (two of 55 versus nine of 48 (P < 0·02) and two versus 11 (P < 0·01)), leading to a shorter median first hospital stay for patients having primary resection (15 days) than for those undergoing secondary resection (24 days) (P < 0·05). The mortality rate did not differ significantly with regard to operative policy (primary resection 24 per cent versus secondary resection 19 per cent) or type of peritonitis (faeculent 27 per cent versus purulent 19 per cent). No patient died following a second or third procedure.ConclusionPrimary resection is superior to secondary resection in the treatment of generalized peritonitis complicating sigmoid diverticulitis because of significantly less postoperative peritonitis, fewer reoperations and shorter hospital stay.

The aim of our study was to describe the motility in the limb, the duodenum, and the jejunum distal to the limb after Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy in patients who remained asymptomatic postoperatively. Our objective was to obtain reference manometric recordings for interpretion of recordings in symptomatic patients.Manometric recordings were obtained in the Roux-en-Y limb in 13 patients 15.6 +/- 1.1 days postoperatively, using a probe inserted into the limb during surgery and coming out through the abdominal wall. The recording openings were positioned in the limb itself in eight patients, and also in the jejunum immediately distal to the limb in five patients. In four of eight patients, limb manometry was combined with duodenal manometry using a second probe introduced nasally.Phase IIIs were recorded in all 13 patients, either spontaneously or after trimebutine stimulation (100 mg i.v.). Phase IIIs occurred spontaneously in 12 patients. They always migrated throughout the Roux-en-Y limb, and were also most often observed in the distal jejunum; migration stopped in the distal jejunum in three of five patients. Phase IIIs in the limb occurred independently from duodenal phase IIIs. In the limbs, the duration of phase IIIs was longer (p0.02), and the migration slower than in the duodenum (p0.001) and in controls (p0.02). In nine of 13 patients, injection of trimebutine (100 mg i.v.) initiated phase III in the Roux limb or in the distal jejunum within 2 min. During the combined recordings, trimebutine initiated phase III simultaneously in the duodenum and in the limb. The response to meals in the limb was poorer than in controls. Interruption of phase IIIs was shorter, and the area under the postprandial curve was smaller (p0.01) for each postprandial half-h. Postprandial motility was poorer in the limb than in the distal small bowel (p0.01).In asymptomatic patients, interdigestive motility is present in the hepaticojejunostomy Roux-en-Y limb, but it is abnormal because of slow migration of phase IIIs. The second abnormality observed in the limb is a response to meals that is both short and of low amplitude.

To evaluate the clinical results of laparoscopic cystogastrostomy and to determine the potential advantages of this new therapeutic option.This study concerned 12 patients presenting with pancreatic pseudocyst and operated on by laparoscopic cystogastrostomy between 1997 and 2002. There were five men and seven women with a median age of 46 years (range: 30-72). In ten patients, the pseudocyst developed after acute pancreatitis and the median delay between the acute onset and surgery was 7 months (range: 2-24). In two patients, the pseudocyst was associated with chronic pancreatitis. All the patients had a single cyst bulging into the posterior wall of the stomach and the median cyst diameter was 9 cm (range: 5-14).Endoluminal gastric laparoscopy was used in six patients and intraperitoneal transgastric laparoscopy in six patients. Conversion to open surgery was required in one patient because the cyst could not be correctly localised by laparoscopy. The median size of the cystogastrostomy was 3 cm (range: 2-5). In eight patients, necrotic debris were still present within the cyst. The median operative time was 90 min (range: 60-140) and the median postoperative hospital stay was 6 days (range: 4-24). No mortality was recorded and postoperative morbidity was limited to one haematoma of the rectus sheath on a port site. One patient was readmitted on the 20th postoperative day because of cyst infection due to partial closure of the cystogastrostomy and was treated by endoscopic placement of a stent. One patient was lost for follow-up 2 months after surgery. With a median clinical and radiological follow-up of 12 months (range: 6-36), no recurrence of pancreatic pseudocyst was observed.In this series, laparoscopic cystogastrostomy is associated with a low postoperative morbidity and an effective permanent result. Laparoscopy has two main advantages: an excellent control of haemostasis and the creation of a wide communication with debridement of the cyst contents thus minimizing the risk of infection or recurrence of the pseudocyst.

A multicentric study was performed to evaluate the clinical results after laparoscopic treatment of pancreatic pseudocysts (PP).We collected the data of 17 patients presenting with PP and operated on by laparoscopy between 1996 and 2001. There were nine men and eight women with a median age of 42 years (range 30-72). In 15 patients the PP developed after acute pancreatitis and the median delay between the acute onset and surgery was 7 months (range: 2-24). In two patients the PP was associated with chronic pancreatitis. All the patients had a single PP with a median diameter of 9 cm (range: 5-20).According to the location of the PP, a cystogastrostomy was performed in 10 patients and a cystojejunostomy in seven patients. The median operative time was 100 min (range: 80-300). Laparoscopic PP surgery was completed successfully in 16 patients and the median size of the cystoenterostomy was 3 cm (range: 2-5). Necrotic debris was present within the PP in 11 patients. The median postoperative hospital stay was 6 days (range: 4-24). No mortality and no immediate morbidity were recorded. However, two patients were readmitted within the first 3 postoperative weeks because of secondary PP infection. The first patient had an early closure of cystogastrostomy and was treated by endoscopic placement of a stent. The second represented with a right retrocolic abscess after cystojejunostomy and was treated by percutaneous drainage. One patient was lost for follow-up 2 months after surgery. The others had regular clinical and radiological controls. With a median follow-up of 12 months (range: 6-36), no recurrence of PP was observed.The laparoscopic treatment of PP was associated with a low postoperative complication rate and an effective permanent result. That approach avoided some difficulties, particularly bleeding that is classically linked with endoscopic internal drainage.

Low grade pulmonary sarcomas are very rare tumours. We report the case of a low grade sarcoma of the lung occurring two years prior to the finding of a uterine primary.Complete surgical excision of a low grade pulmonary sarcoma was performed. The initial search for dissemination was negative. Two years later a follow-up scan discovered a uterine mass as well as a para-aortic shadow that proved to be the primary tumour (low grade uterine sarcoma) and a metastasis.This is the second case of a pulmonary metastasis discovered before a primary low grade uterine sarcoma. The first was found during the investigation of a pulmonary sarcoma. The main differential diagnosis to consider is metastatic leiomyosarcoma. In both cases their finding justifies the search for a uterine primary by immunohistochemical examination for oestrogen and progesterone receptors as well as pelvic ultrasound or even magnetic resonance imaging.

To assess the quality of life (QoL) of patients operated for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).This prospective study included 82 consecutive patients submitted to antireflux surgery between October 1998 and January 1999. A new questionnaire was used to assess their QoL: the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GIQLI) that includes 36 items concerning 5 dimensions: symptoms, vitality, emotions, social relations and medical treatment. The series consisted of 44 men and 38 women with a mean age of 47 years (range: 18-78). QoL was assessed before and 6 months after surgery; the follow-up rate was 94% (77/82). The pre- and postoperative GIQLI scores of the study group and the GIQLY score of a control group of 110 healthy patients were compared.Before surgery, the GIQLI score (90 +/- 23) was greatly impaired compared to the score (123 +/- 13) observed in the control group (p0.001). After surgery, the GIQLI score (110 +/- 23) increased significantly (p0.001), but remained statistically lower than the score of the control group (p0.001). The postoperative score recorded in the symptoms dimension was lower than the control group score: 55 +/- 11 versus 66 +/- 6 (p0.001), while no significant difference was observed in the other 4 dimensions. Univariate statistical analysis revealed that the postoperative GIQLI score (y) was correlated with the preoperative GIQLI score (x) according to the formula: y = 0.43 x + 71 (p0.001) and the sex of the patients, as the postoperative GIQLI score was higher in male patients (115 +/- 19) than in female patients (103 +/- 23) (p0.02).The QoL of the patients was greatly improved after antireflux surgery, but remained lower than that of a control group of healthy subjects. Better patient selection should improve the results. In our series, male patients or patients with a high preoperative GIQLI score were the best candidates for antireflux surgery.

Upper-extremity thrombosis appears to be more frequent today, comprising about 2% of all deep venous limb thrombosis. Its severity depends on the type of possible complications, i.e., pulmonary embolism and post-thrombotic sequelae. In this retrospective series, we investigated both the predisposing factors and the evolution of upper-extremity deep venous thrombosis.Forty-nine consecutive patients (24 men and 25 women, mean age 50.2 years) with upper extremity deep venous thrombosis documented by color Doppler ultrasonography (n = 47) or phlebography (n = 2) were included in the study.Clinical manifestations were mainly pain (81.6%) and edema (93.9%). Mean time between the onset of clinical signs and diagnosis was 7.2 days. Thrombosis involved humeral (26.5%), axillary (46.9%), subclavian (73.5%) and jugular (24.5%) veins. Causative factors were malignancies (32.7%), venous catheters (22.4%), deep venous thrombosis related to effort or thoracic outlet syndrome (22.5%) and thrombophilic states (8.2%). During the 6-month follow-up, six patients developed symptomatic pulmonary embolism (12.2%); one recurrence (2.2%) and 19 post-thrombotic sequelae such as residual edema (36.7%) were also observed. Initial therapy included heparin administration, principally subcutaneous low molecular weight heparins (n = 36/49).This series highlights the fact that upper-extremity deep venous thrombosis is mainly secondary to either malignancies or catheterization. Moreover, it confirms that color Doppler ultrasonography may be useful in the diagnosis of the disease and also underlines the high frequency of severe complications, i.e., pulmonary embolism and post-thrombotic sequelae. Finally, this study also demonstrates that low molecular weight heparins should be considered as the initial treatment of choice.

A 74-year-old woman was hospitalised for pleuro-pneumonia of the right base. The chest x-ray showed the presence of a right paratracheal opacity which persisted during the course of the infectious episode. A computed tomographic scan of the thorax showed a voluminous anterior mediastinal mass which compressed the trachea without invading it. Surgical excision enabled the ablation of a tumour which was haemorrhagic and the histological examination established a diagnosis of cystic parathyroid adenoma. At anytime did the patient present either clinical symptoms or biochemical signs suggesting primary hyperparathyroidism.

Endoscopic surgery has been used as a new procedure to simplify different surgical processes. The goal of this study was to evaluate the benefits of endoscopic retroperitoneal surgery for lumbar sympathectomies. Between February 93 and November 95 we performed 35 lumbar sympathectomies using this technique. All patients were arteritic. The results were as follows: for 25% of the patients, conversion classical open technique was required; 6% complications (septic); 3% of the patients died. In comparing the various techniques of sympathectomy and sympatholysis, it would appear that the endoscopic technique produces fewer complications. However we believe that a learning period is necessary before this technique can be fully mastered.

Spontaneous pneumothorax in HIV infected patients are mostly due to a sub-pleural necrotizing pneumonitis most often related to Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. From our experience of nine patients and a review of the literature, we describe the clinical characteristics and therapeutic management and confirm the frequent failure of simple chest tube drainage and the high morbidity and mortality rate despite treatment. An aggressive stepped-care management of thoracoscopic talc poudrage as initial therapy should be evaluated.

Eleven thrombo aspirations were performed in ten patients with lower limb acute ischemia. Three were performed under local and 8 under general anesthesia. They were associated with 4 thrombectomies, 6 transluminal angioplasty procedures, 1 limb infusion, 1 treatment of a false aneurysm, 1 aponeurotomy, 1 angioscopy. Clinical and radiological success was achieved in 9 patients whereas there was one immediate failure requiring a popliteal distal bypass. Late partial rethrombosis requiring medical treatment occurred in one patient. Thrombo aspiration is a safe effective technique which can be combined with other endoluminal procedures in patients with acute lower limb ischemia.

Inflammatory aneurysms of the abdominal aorta raise particular problems, as they are often detected as a result of their complications. In the light of one case presenting with anuria, the authors discuss the various treatment options and the value of preoperative corticosteroids.

We report a case of cystic adventicial disease of the popliteal artery in a 67 years old man. The realisation of the intra arterial pressure measurements, and the peroperative echography permit to diagnose important associated lesions of the intimal part of the arterial wall.

The authors report about one case of type I aortic dissection disclosed as bilateral lower limb ischemia. The rarity of this way of expression of dissections may result in a delay in diagnosis that can be highly pejorative in such diseases where mortality is high without surgical treatment. The timing and tactics of the surgery to be implemented between the cure of dissection and the removal of ischemia is discussed. Lastly the choice of the mode of arterial cannulation in a patient who had had an axillo-bifemoral bypass ten days earlier also makes this case interesting.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) emerges as an effective alternative to classical cholecystectomy, but its safety, benefits and indications still need to be clarified. From September 1989 to March 1991, 178 LC were performed by 8 surgeons in 2 hospitals, on 142 women and 36 men with a mean age of 48.2 years. The gall bladder wall was thin in 160 cases and thick in 18 cases (with 6 cases acute cholecystitis). We observed no deaths, 147 simple procedures with a hospital stay and drug requirement lower than with the usual cholecystectomy via laparotomy. But in 21 cases, the procedure needed a laparotomy, and in 10 cases complications occurred, requiring laparotomy in 6 cases. Our results suggest: a) LC is an improvement in the treatment of uncomplicated gallstones; b) a trained surgeon and extreme caution are required in complicated cholelithiasis; c) classical cholecystectomy is still useful in many circumstances.

Endoscopic adrenaline-hypertonic injection was attempted in 40 patients admitted for oesophagogastroduodenal ulcer haemorrhage unresponsive to conventional medical treatment and presenting with severe underlying disease or advanced age (less than 80 years). The results were compared with our own historical controls (43 patients) treated by conventional therapy, meeting the same inclusion criteria. Permanent haemostasis was achieved in 32 patients in the injection group and 30 in the control group (NS) but emergency surgery was less frequent in the injection group (2 vs 25, p less than 0.001). Blood transfusion requirements were less in the injection group (8.5 +/- 6.2 vs 10.2 +/- 5.4, p less than 0.05) but length of hospital stay was not really different (15.7 days +/- 9.3 vs 20.9 +/- 14.4). Unfortunately, mortality was not reduced in the injection group (14/40 vs 17/43). Two lethal complications attributable to injection treatment occurred. This treatment could represent an alternative to conventional haemostatic treatment in high surgical risk patients with severe clinical bleeding, avoiding emergency surgery. In spite of the fact that we selected high-risk patients, endoscopic treatment was not able to lower the mortality (about 37%). Due to severe unpredictable side effects and potential risks of long-term massive rebleeding, this treatment should be performed electively in patients with severe clinical bleeding, as first line treatment when surgical risk factors exist or immediately before surgery in low risk patients.

The results of infradiaphragmatic Collis' gastroplasty for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux associated with acquired short brachyesophagus (Barrett's esophagus) were prospectively studied in 49 patients (50 operations). Clinical and endoscopic findings, and 3-hour postprandial pH measurement including Kaye's score were evaluated at short (3 to 8 months), medium (1 to 4 years), and long-term (more than 4 years) for all patients. Postoperative morbidity was 16 percent; there were 3 deaths (6 percent). Short term results, evaluated in 45 patients, were considered satisfactory in 30, poor (pyrosis and esophagitis) in 2, and incomplete (pyrosis without esophagitis in 2, dysphagia in 5, mild esophagitis in 6) in 13. Long term results (32 patients) were satisfactory in 24, poor in 5, and incomplete in 3 (pyrosis without esophagitis in one, gastric outlet disorder in 2). Long term pH measurements were obtained in 21 patients: 3 out of 6 patients with high scores had clinical or endoscopic signs of esophagitis. Analysis of late results showed that: a) satisfactory short term outcome was maintained in all but 2 patients (deterioration was observed in one patient 4 years later because of aggressive treatment for terminal bronchopulmonary carcinoma; the other was observed 5 years later after steroid therapy for aspergilloma with severe asthma); b) pH scores were variable in 11 patients. This variability and discordance of pH measurements was most likely due to the presence of acid secretion above the new esogastric junction, which was observed in half of the cases. We conclude that Collis' gastroplasty provided good results in Barrett's esophagus and might be compared to duodenal diversion in ulterior studies in this setting.

From 1975 to 1987, 68 patients were operated with repeated subinguinal bypass (SIB) following early or late thrombosis os an initial bypass graft; 10 were operated with a third SIB, 4 with a fourth SIB. The indication for the second SIB was acute ischemia in 15 cases and chronic ischemia in 53. The graft material used was venous in 21 cases, prosthetic in 29 cases and mixed in 53. The distal anastomosis was performed on the upper popliteal artery in 12 cases, the lower popliteal artery in 34 cases or an artery in leg in 22 cases. The actuarial permeability rate of 84 repeated SIBs, whatever the material, was 21.7% at 1 year (50.2% for venous grafts and 13.6% for prosthetic grafts). The limb preservation rate was 47.9% at 5 years. Operative mortality was about 1%. The analysis of the results suggests that the repeated SIB should be performed only: for limb salvage, if the downstream arterial bed is in good condition, with usable venous material. The risk of having to perform a thigh amputation rather than a leg amputation when attempting repeated SIB is of 13.9% only.

23 patients with obstruction of one or both main iliac arteries underwent one or more transluminal angioplasties by catheterization via the obstructed vessel. 26 iliac arteries were thus reopened. The length of obstructions varied from 1 to 10 cm. The majority of the obstructions were of recent onset whilst in 6 cases the presumed date was more than 6 months previously. In all cases potency was obtained with normal follow-up angiograms in 20 cases, and a residual though not hemodynamically significant stenosis in 6 cases. All patients were followed up by Doppler and in the majority of cases by venous digital angiography, with a follow-up at the present time of 6 months to 2 years. 2 patients underwent surgery because of reobstruction occurring 2 and 13 months after dilatation. Cumulative patency is 79% in 2 years, similar to results obtained by surgery. These results show that iliac angioplasty, a simple procedure, may avoid or delay surgery, and that it should be widely used in this precise anatomical indication.

The mechanism of thrombosis early after subinguinal bypass and outcome after revision surgery have been rarely analyzed. Results are reported of revision surgery for early thrombosis in 50 cases (10% of subinguinal bypass operations during the same period). Initial indication in the 40 men and 9 women (mean age 66.9 +/- 1.74 (SEM) years), was severe chronic or acute ischemia in 82%. The 50 thrombosed bypasses included 40 femoropopliteal, 8 femorotibial and 2 short bypasses. The bypass was by saphenous in situ (21 times), an inversed saphenous (9 times), a mixed bypass (12 times) and a prosthesis (8 times). The distal arterial bed was evaluated as good in 50% of cases. Analysis of cause of thrombosis, of the operative procedure and of the time before surgery enabled a technical cause to be determined in 31 of the 50 cases. Corrective surgery produced 16 permeable bypasses and 34 definitive thromboses complicated by 21 amputations and a 10% mortality. Improved results were related to a venous bypass (p less than 0.05), to a time before operation of less than 24 hours (p less than 0.02) and to a good distal bed. The 1 year actuarial permeability for the 50 bypass operations was 35%. Mixed bypass procedures and technical problems during surgery appear to be the principal predisposing factors of early thrombosis. In this series, the preoperative distal pressure index and intraoperative flowmetric recordings were not reliable predictive elements.

Infra-inguinal endarterectomy and by-pass (PSI) are the oldest and more frequently done restorative arterial operations. Here are described the evolution of patients, limbs and PSI and the factors that could interfere with them from the facts gathered since 30 years in literature. Prognosis is serious.

We report a case of neuroma of the main bile duct arising twenty years after cholecystectomy. The patient, a 82-year-old woman, was admitted for jaundice. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography showed a regular stenosis of the main bile duct. Histologic examination demonstrated neuroma. Based on the analysis of this and 15 other previously published cases, the following features of bile duct neuroma were outlined: a) variable interval between cholecystectomy and the onset of jaundice (6 months to 35 years); b) the generally complicated postoperative course, c) the various localizations on the biliary tree (cystic, main bile duct, intrahepatic bile duct) and, d) the circumstances of onset.

Rectal strictures are rare complications of prostatic cancer and are considered to be a sign of poor prognosis. The authors report 9 cases. In 5 cases, the cancer was already diagnosed and had been treated by endocrine therapy. All patients died during the months following onset of the intestinal symptoms despite diversion colostomy (4 cases) and high dose oestrogen therapy. Rectal strictures therefore have the same poor prognosis as escape from endocrine therapy. In 3 cases, the stricture was the presenting sign of the cancer in one case, the cancer was already known and treated by radiotherapy; in this case, survival depends on the hormone sensitivity of the cancer and one patient survived for 7 years with subsequent closure of the colostomy.