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Biomedical subjects

Amir Szold

Publications and source records attributed to Amir Szold.

16 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Laparoscopic surgery may be associated with severe pain and high analgesia requirements in the immediate postoperative period.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the immediate (0-4 hours) postoperative pain level in patients after laparoscopy and laparotomy whose analgesic requirement in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) exceeds standard morphine therapy. BACKGROUND DATA: Clinical observation has raised the suspicion that laparoscopic surgery may be associated with more intense immediate postoperative pain than expected. METHODS: This prospective study assessed the 24-hour pain intensity and analgesia requirements in patients who underwent similar abdominal surgery via laparoscopy or laparotomy under standardized general anesthesia and whose pain in the PACU was resistant to 120 microg/kg intravenous morphine. RESULTS: Of 145 sampled PACU patients, 67 were in pain (> or =6 of 10 VAS) within a 30-minute postoperative period. They were then given up to 4 intravenous boluses of 15 microg/kg morphine + 250 microg/kg ketamine. The pain VAS of 36 laparotomy patients was 4.14 +/- 2.14 (SD) and 1.39 +/- 0.55 at 10 and 120 minutes, respectively, after 1.33 +/- 0.59 doses of morphine + ketamine; the pain VAS of 31 laparoscopy patient was 6.06 +/- 1.75 and 2.81 +/- 1.14, respectively (P < 0.0005) following 2.0 +/- 0.53 doses (P = 0.0005). Diclofenac 75 mg intramuscular usage was similar (P = 0.43) between the groups up to 9 hours after surgery but was higher in the laparotomy group by 24 hours (P = 0.01). Pain scores at 24 hours after surgery were lower for the laparoscopy patients (3.01 +/- 0.87) compared with their laparotomy counterparts (4.45 +/- 0.98, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients after abdominal surgery with severe immediate (0-4 hours) postoperative pain, laparoscopic patients are a significant (46%) proportion, and their pain is more intense, requiring more analgesics than painful patients (54%) do after laparotomy. By 24 hours, the former are in less pain than the latter.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Ventilatory and hemodynamic changes during retroperitoneal and transperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomy: a prospective real-time comparison.

PURPOSE: Nephrectomies are currently performed via the transperitoneal or retroperitoneal laparoscopic approach. We compared the ventilatory and hemodynamic effects of these approaches. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After institutional ethics committee approval was obtained patients requiring nephrectomy in a 9-month period were prospectively allocated to the retroperitoneal (24) or transperitoneal (15) approach. All were initially ventilated in the volume controlled mode (10 ml kg tidal volume). Intraoperative fingertip, pulse derived arterial oxygen saturation less than 97%, end tidal CO2 partial pressure greater than 40 mm Hg and peak inspiratory pressure greater than 36 cm H2O necessitated changes in ventilatory parameters, as deemed necessary by the anesthetist. If tidal volume decreased greater than 25% of baseline, pressure controlled ventilation was begun instead. RESULTS: Peak inspiratory and plateau pressures increased for the transperitoneal approach by approximately 30% more than in the retroperitoneal group (p <0.05). Volume controlled ventilation was changed to pressure controlled ventilation in 8 transperitoneal vs zero retroperitoneal cases (p <0.05). Heart rate, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure increased by approximately 13% more in the transperitoneal than in the retroperitoneal group (p <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Nephrectomy via the retroperitoneal laparoscopic approach interferes with ventilatory and hemodynamic functions less than nephrectomy via the transperitoneal approach.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Port complications following laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding for morbid obesity.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) has gained widespread acceptance. However, the technique has problems intrinsic to the material wear and tear around the port and connecting tubing that can lead to failure. Port complications are considered to be minor; however, few studies have analyzed them, and the optimal technique of port implantation and management has not been elucidated. METHODS: All patients who suffered from complications involving the tubing or access-port were included in this study. Their complaints, imaging studies, operative reports and hospitalization files were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: 1,272 of the patients were available for a mean follow-up period of 37 months. During this time, 91 patients (7.1%) experienced port complications that required 103 revisional operations. Of these patients, 62 had system leaks, 19 infectious problems, and 10 miscellaneous problems requiring operative correction. Overall port problems led to band removal in 6 patients, and replacement in 1 patient. CONCLUSION: Access-port complications after the Lap-Band procedure are among the most common and annoying ones, and can render the device susceptible to failure. Careful surgical technique and routine use of radiologic guidance for band adjustments are the keys to avoiding complications.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding prior to renal transplantation.

End-stage renal failure is most commonly caused by the obesity-related diseases, diabetes mellitus and essential hypertension, and is best treated with renal transplantation. Obesity may contribute to poor patient and graft survival, and is an exclusion criterion in some renal transplant programs. Diet and exercise programs have not proven to be effective for weight loss before transplantation, and bariatric surgery in any form has not been used in this setting before. We report three morbidly obese patients who underwent laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding to meet the criteria for renal transplantation and subsequently were successfully transplanted.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Bariatric surgery in adolescence.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Surgical treatment for morbid obesity is relatively contraindicated in patients less than 18 years of age. However, on some occasions, there is extreme obesity in this age group that does not respond to nonsurgical treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the surgical management of severe morbid obesity in adolescents. METHODS: During a 4-year period, the authors assessed 11 adolescent patients with severe morbid obesity. All patients underwent extensive preoperative evaluation including thorough psychological evaluation together with their families. Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) was performed in all patients. Patients underwent follow-up for a mean of 23 months. RESULTS: The mean age of the 11 children in this study was 15.7 years (range, 11 to 17 years). Associated conditions included heart failure and pulmonary hypertension in one patient, amenorrhea in 2 patients, and gallstones in 1 patient. Mean preoperative body mass index (BMI) was 46.4 kg/m2 (range, 38 to 56.6). There were no operative complications. Over a mean follow-up period of 23 months (range, 6 to 36 months), the mean BMI dropped from 46.6 to 32.1 kg/m2 with marked improvement in medical conditions and general psychologic well being. No late complications developed in any patient. CONCLUSIONS: Children are routinely excluded from bariatric surgery programs because of the difficulties involved in psychologically and cognitively preparing this population for surgery. However, extreme morbid obesity rarely responds to nonsurgical therapy for any extended period. This select population will benefit from bariatric surgery if an effort is made to properly prepare patients, together with their families, for the postoperative change in lifestyle and body image.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Laparoscopic repair of paraesophageal hernia with selective use of mesh.

The laparoscopic approach to PEH, in use for close to a decade, shows promising results. However, data on the long-term follow-up of patients who undergo this procedure are still lacking, and the use of mesh is debatable. We retrospectively investigated 33 patients who underwent this procedure over a 30-month period. In 10 patients, the repair was performed using a mesh prosthesis. There was one (3%) intraoperative and four (12%) early postoperative complications, with one mortality (3%). The average postoperative stay was 3 days. During a 58-month follow-up period, 18% of the patients developed small, sliding recurrent hernias, with a higher rate in the primary repair group (18% vs. 10%). Surgical outcome was scored good-to-excellent on a questionnaire by 84.5% of the patients. Laparoscopic repair of PEH is feasible and safe. While small recurrences do occur, functional results remain good. The use of mesh should be tailored to the specific patient.

Aged↗
PubMed2003

Laparoscopic revisional surgery for life-threatening stenosis following vertical banded gastroplasty, together with placement of an adjustable gastric band.

BACKGROUND: Vomiting and extreme weight loss may be life-threatening when stenosis develops following vertical banded gastroplasty. Often patients must undergo revisional surgery. Once the stenosis is relieved, the majority of patients will proceed to gain weight at an excessive rate. Placement of an adjustable band during revisional surgery allows us to treat the stenosis while limiting the patients' weight gain and preventing the return of morbid obesity. Performing this operation laparoscopically reduces patient morbidity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 23 patients (16 female, 7 male) were referred because of severe food intolerance following silastic ring or Dacron mesh vertical gastroplasty. The patients were on average 1.75 years after the initial operation (range: 9 months - 6 years). All patients required repeat hospitalizations due to excessive vomiting and dehydration. All patients underwent laparoscopic surgery, with placement of an adjustable band in 21 patients. RESULTS: All operations were performed laparoscopically without need for conversion to laparotomy. There were no intra-operative complications, and all patients were discharged within 24 hours. Patients have been followed for a mean of 7 months (range 3 months to 16 months). All patients became food tolerant without vomiting. 15 patients required inflation of the adjustable band in order to control excessive weight gain. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding at the time of revisional surgery for stenosis appears to be a safe and effective operation that does not add morbidity to surgery, but does prevent the need for further revisional surgeries when patients begin to gain excessive weight after relief of their obstruction.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy: indications, technique, complications and follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Developments in laparoscopic surgery have rendered it an efficient tool for many complex surgical procedures. In the last few years, laparoscopic adrenalectomy has become a more viable option for removal of adrenal pathology, with many surgeons preferring it to the conventional open technique. OBJECTIVES: To describe the indications, technique, complications and follow-up of patients undergoing laparoscopic adrenalectomy in our department. METHODS: The hospital files of 30 patients who underwent the procedure were reviewed. There were 19 females and 11 males with a mean age of 45 years. Indications for surgery differed and included hypersecreting adenoma, pheochromocytoma, suspected malignancy, and incidentaloma. RESULTS: Of the 31 laparoscopic adrenalectomies performed, 11 were right, 18 were left, and 1 was bilateral. The conversion rate to an open procedure was 3%. The mean duration of procedure was 120 minutes. Only one patient required blood transfusion. Complications occurred in 20% of patients, all reversible. There was no mortality. Mean hospitalization duration was 3.4 days and median follow-up 17 months. There were no late complications. All patients operated on for benign diseases are alive. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic adrenalectomy appears to be a useful tool for the treatment of a range of adrenal pathologies.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗
PubMed2002

Aggressive resection of retroperitoneal sarcoma is superior to simple excision: an animal study using a novel model for retroperitoneal sarcoma.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Retroperitoneal sarcomas constitute a difficult management problem. The need for, and extent of, aggressive surgery continues to be debated. The aim of our study was to compare the impact of radical en bloc resection of retroperitoneal sarcoma with complete resection of the tumor alone in a rat model. METHODS: Under laparoscopic guidance, a fibrosarcoma cell line suspension was injected into the left paranephric space of a rat, resulting in the development of a macroscopic retroperitoneal tumor. Ten days after inoculation, 50 rats were randomized into three groups: (1) local resection, (2) radical resection, and (3) follow-up only. Groups 1 and 2 were further randomized for sacrifice 1 month after surgery or were followed up for 2 months. RESULTS: Local recurrence: 46% of group 1, while none in group 2 developed local recurrence during the same follow-up period (P = 0.02). Survival: 33% of group 1 were alive after 2 months, as compared with 54.5% of group 2. (P = 0.04). All rats in the control group died within <25 days. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that aggressive en bloc resection of retroperitoneal sarcomas with adjacent viscera, even when macroscopically uninvolved with disease, has an advantage over complete local resection alone.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

A simple, inexpensive method of specimen removal at laparoscopy.

After completing operative laparoscopy, it is often necessary to enlarge a 5-mm port to 10 or 12 mm for tissue removal. This may increase the risk of vessel injury and herniation, and has obvious cosmetic drawbacks. A simple, cost-effective technique for tissue removal does not require enlarging the 5-mm port. A long, firm thread is sutured to a sterile plastic bag. When tissue removal is required, the optic telescope is removed and the bag is blindly introduced through the available optical 11- or 12-mm cannula. The telescope is reintroduced, keeping the end of the thread outside the cannula sleeve. The specimen is placed in the bag and the bag is removed by pulling the suture through the optical cannula after removing the telescope. This technique was performed successfully in over 300 patients, with no difficulty or complication either during or after surgery. The device is inexpensive and takes 2 minutes to assemble.

Equipment Design↗
PubMed2002

Methylene blue in preventing hemodynamic and metabolic derangement following superior mesenteric artery clamping/unclamping: an intratracheal vs. intraperitoneal dose-response study.

Intestinal ischemia-reperfusion affects hemodynamics. We studied intratracheal vs. intraperitoneal methylene blue (MB) attenuation of hemodynamic and metabolic deterioration following superior mesenteric artery (SMA) clamping/unclamping. Murine SMAs (5/group) were clamped for 1 h. MB (2, 6, 20, or 60 mg/kg [MB-2, MB-6, MB-20, and MB-60]) was administered intraperitoneally or intratracheally 10 min before unclamping. Observation continued for another 3 h. Circulating xanthine oxidase and base deficit levels doubled among ischemia non-treated and ischemia MB-2- and MB-60-treated groups, blood pressure decreased by 50%, and heart rate increased by 35%, compared to controls (non-clamped/unclamped and non-MB-treated rats, P < 0.01). These three ischemia groups needed 3-fold the amount of fluid to maintain systolic pressure > or =60 mmHg than controls (P < 0.01). Only the MB-6 and MB-20 intraperitoneal and intratracheal regimens similarly afforded hemodynamic stability in ischemic animals; base deficit and resuscitation volumes normalized as well. No drug regimen affected heart rate. We concluded that intraperitoneal and intratracheal MB at specific doses prevented systemic derangement following SMA clamping/unclamping.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Apolipoprotein-E genotype and the risk of developing cholelithiasis following bariatric surgery: a clue to prevention of routine prophylactic cholecystectomy.

BACKGROUND: Obesity and especially rapid weight loss following bariatric surgery are known risk factors for cholelithiasis. Since the risk may be high, prophylactic cholecystectomy has been advocated. Apolipoprotein (Apo) E, an important carrier protein in cholesterol metabolism and trafficking, is believed to play a role in gallstone pathogenesis. In particular, the Apo E4 allele has been suggested to be associated with cholesterol cholelithiasis. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of postoperative cholelithiasis in our patient population and to determine a possible correlation with the Apo-E genotype. METHODS: 134 morbidly obese patients undergoing gastric restrictive surgery [laparoscopic assisted gastric banding (LAGB) or silastic ring vertical gastroplasty (SRVG)] had abdominal ultrasound before and 6 to 12 months after operation, to determine the presence of gallstones. None of the patients enrolled in the study had gallstones before surgery. They did not have a prophylactic cholecystectomy or receive bile salt treatment. Apo-E genotypes were determined by Polymerase Chain Reaction restriction enzyme analysis. RESULTS: 10 patients (7.5%) developed postoperative cholelithiasis. The incidence of cholelithiasis in each ApoE genotype was: E2/E3--1/20 (5%), E3/E3--3/91 (3%), E3/E4--6/21 (29%), and E4/E4--0/2. ApoE allele frequencies in the study population were identical to those of a healthy control population. The mean BMI dropped from 43.6 to 29.4 kg/m2. CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of postoperative gallstones was low in our population. However, in subjects with the Apo-E3/E4 genotype, the incidence is of practical significance. These data suggest that Apo-E genotyping may be useful in selecting patients for gallstone prevention (surgical or medical) when undergoing bariatric surgery. Further testing in larger patient populations may be able to give more definite guidelines in the future.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Obesity and cancer.

This article reviews several aspects of the association between obesity and cancer. Current perspectives of cancers of the breast, endometrium, colon and prostate are described. Obesity is a growing problem in contemporary societies, due to the rapid adoption of a modernized lifestyle that results in increased carbohydrate and fat-rich dietary intake, reduced physical activity and extended life expectancy. More than half of adult Americans are overweight or obese, and so is the population of many other countries. There are several definitions for the state of obesity. The body mass index (BMI), which measures overall adiposity, is universally available, the easiest to determine, and therefore the most commonly studied. Anthropometric measurements of subcutaneous fat distribution, such as measurement of girth, circumference of the arms, hips and thighs, or of skinfolds in various body regions are also often used. They allow to categorize the distribution of subcutaneous fat into android and gynoid types (den Tonkelaar, Seidell et al., 1994; Huang, Willett et al., 1999). The android, or abdominal, fat is determined from the waist to hip ratio, and is of particular relevance to cancer. Increased body weight and fat are associated with high health risks, and therefore body fat distribution and BMI are major predictors of obesity associated risks (Calle, Thun et al., 1999; "Overweight, obesity, and health risk," Yanovski, 2000). These include diabetes mellitus type 2, coronary heart disease, sleep apnea and pulmonary dysfunction, stroke, diseases of the gallbladder, liver and the musculoskeleton, reproductive dysfunction, venous insufficiency, deep vein thrombosis, poor wound healing, and more (Pi Sunyer, 1993; "Overweight, obesity, and health risk", Yanovski, 2000). All these are associated with increased mortality, especially in individuals with other risk factors (Calle, Thun et al., 1999). Cancer is also associated with obesity (Garfinkel, 1985), and the present paper attempts to summarize current perspectives of this association, especially in cancers of the breast, endometrium, colon and prostate.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Laparoscopic splenectomy for immune thrombocytopenic purpura in patients with severe refractory thrombocytopenia.

Laparoscopic splenectomy (LS) for immune thrombocytopenic purpura has a success rate of 70-90%. This invasive procedure is sometimes required for patients with refractory thrombocytopenia. However, no data on their outcome are available. If the hematologic response is inadequate, its value vis-à-vis the risk associated with major surgery is open to question. Twelve of 110 patients who underwent LS in our institution had a platelet count lower than 20 x 10(9)/l (mean 6.6 x 10(9)/l). Nine patients (75%) had a good-to-excellent hematologic response. The complication rate was 33%. LS in patients with very low platelet counts is feasible and yields a response rate similar to the average of patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura. However, it bears a higher perioperative morbidity compared with LS in patients with higher counts.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The influence of surgically-induced weight loss on the knee joint.

BACKGROUND: The causal relationship between obesity and osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is generally accepted. Weight loss has been shown to reduce the development of OA and improve the radiological parameters of existing disease. However, inducing weight reduction is difficult, and thus the number of patients studied has been small. We wished to determine the effects of surgically-induced weight loss on objective, radiological evidence of OA in the knee joint. METHODS: 64 consecutive patients that were referred to the Bariatric Surgical Unit were enrolled in the study. The only exclusion criterion was the prior diagnosis of OA. Knee pain alone did not exclude patients from the study. The study was performed in a prospective manner as a before-after trial. Radiographic data was evaluated by an independent radiologist not involved in the patient care or follow-up. Upright film of the knee was taken prior to surgery and 3 months following surgery. Minimal medial joint space width (JSW) was measured by a digital image computer. In addition, patients were clinically assessed using the American Knee Society Score (AKSS) at these times. RESULTS: 59 of 64 patients were available for followup. BMI decreased from 43.4 to 36.9 (P<0.01). The medial joint space increased from 4.6 mm to 5.25 mm (P<0.001). The AKSS improved from 78.5 points (perfect function = 100 points) to 90.69 points (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Surgically-induced weight loss is an effective, rapid and dependable means of reversing the radiological signs of early changes associated with OA.

Adult↗