Biomedical subjects

E Bärlehner

Publications and source records attributed to E Bärlehner.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Laparoscopic resection for rectal cancer: outcomes in 194 patients and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: There are few reports on laparoscopic rectum resection demonstrating its feasibility and efficacy in patients with rectal cancer. Most patient series are small, and results must be considered preliminary and medium-term. Our large prospective conducted study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a totally laparoscopic resection for rectum carcinoma with emphasis on perioperative and long-term oncological outcomes. METHODS: Between November 1992 and July 2003, 194 unselected patients were resected laparoscopically for rectal carcinoma. Patients with locally advanced rectum carcinoma (uT3/uT4) and no evidence of distant metastases were candidates for neoadjuvant chemoradiation. Adjuvant treatment was administered to patients with UICC stage II/III disease. All patients were followed up prospectively to evaluate complications and late outcomes. Survival probability analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Study selection was made by Medline search using the following key words: rectal cancer, rectal neoplasms, laparoscopy, and resection. Single case reports and abstracts were excluded. When surgical series were reported more than once, only the most recent reports were considered and listed. RESULTS: The most common procedures were low anterior resection with total mesorectum excision in 65.5% of patients and high anterior resection in 25.3%. Average operative time was 174 min. Average number of lymph nodes removed was 25.4 and length of specimen resected was 27.6 cm. Resection was curative in 145 patients and palliative in 49 cases. UICC tumor stages were as follows: stage I: 25.2%, stage II: 27.3%, stage III: 30.4%, and stage IV: 17%. Intraoperative complications were <1% for lesions of the ureter, urinary bladder, and deferent duct. Conversion to conventional surgery was necessary in two cases (1%). The most common postoperative complication was anastomotic leakage in 13.5% of patients. There was no postoperative mortality. Follow-up evaluation ranged from 1 to 128 months with a mean of 46.1 months. The most common late complication was incisional hernia in 3.6% of patients. Port-site metastases occurred in one patient (0.5%). Tumor recurrence developed in 23 of the 145 curative resected patients (11.7% distant metastases and 4.1% local recurrence). Overall local recurrence rate was 6.7% (4.1% after curative resection and 14.3% after palliative resection). Overall survival rate was 90.6% at 1 year, 74.5% at 3 years, and 66.3% at 5 years. Overall 5-year survival rate was 76.9% after curative resection and 31.8% after palliative resection. Cancer-related survival rate was 94% at 1 year, 82.4% at 3 years, and 78.9% at 5 years. At 5 years it was 87.7% after curative resection and 48.5% after palliative resection. At 5 years, the survival rate was 100% for stage I, 94.4% for stage II, 66.6% for stage III, and 44.6% for stage IV. CONCLUSIONS: Our results and the literature review clearly demonstrate that laparoscopic resection for rectal cancer is not associated with higher morbidity and mortality. Established oncological and surgical principles are respected and long-term outcomes are at least as good as those after open surgery.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Bacterial biofilm within diseased pancreatic and biliary tracts.

BACKGROUND: Bacterial community structures in human pancreatic and biliary tracts were evaluated. METHODS: Gall bladder stones from 153 patients, 20 gall bladder walls, six common duct stones, 52 biliary stents, 21 duodenal biopsies, nine pancreatic duct biopsies, and five bile ducts were investigated using fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) with ribosomal RNA targeted Cy3/Cy5 (carbocyanine) labelled oligonucleotide probes. RESULT: Duodenal, gall bladder, and bile duct walls were free of bacteria. A dense multispecies bacterial biofilm was present within the pancreatic duct of patients with calcific pancreatitis and within biliary stents, irrespective of diagnosis. The concentration, density, and amenability of the biofilm to FISH and DNA staining declined progressively with the grade of stent occlusion. The lowest detectable bacterial concentrations were found by FISH in completely occluded stents and brown/mixed gall stones. Bacteria were not detectable with FISH in cholesterol gall stones. CONCLUSIONS: A wide range of different branches and groups of bacteria participate in the development of biofilms on the surfaces of foreign bodies, such as biliary stents, mixed gall stones, or calcific pancreatic ducts, but not on the surface of pure cholesterol gall stones. Occlusion of stents leads to progressive extinction of the biofilm and mummification of its components. Deposition of cholesterol or other substances within the biofilm matrix may be a novel mechanism of host defence against bacteria present in these biofilms.

Bacteria↗

PubMed2003

Oncological quality and preliminary long-term results in laparoscopic colorectal surgery.

BACKGROUND: Our aim here was interpret data on the perioperative course, oncological quality, and preliminary long-term results of laparoscopic colorectal surgery carried out with a curative intent. METHODS: The data were collected within the framework of a prospective multicenter observational study that has been ongoing since 1 Aug 1995 and includes 46 hospitals. Of a total of 3133 patients, 826 (26.4%) underwent a curative resection for colorectal carcinoma. RESULTS: The average age of the patients was 67.9 years; the sex distribution was almost 1:1. UICC staging of tumors (stages I, II, and III) showed the following figures: 301/36.4%, 265/32.1%, and 260/31.5%. In the majority of cases, an oncologically radical resection with high transection of the supplying vessels was performed. Intraoperative seeding of tumor cells was reported in 1.8% of the patients. In eight cases, the seeding was due to spontaneous rupture of the tumor. A mean of 13.5 lymph nodes in the resected specimen were investigated histopathologically (10.9 lymph nodes in stage I, 15 each in stages II and III). Depending on the individual hospital, we found a remarkable variation in the number of lymph nodes investigated. With a mean follow-up period of 2.1 years, Kaplan-Meier survival function showed acceptable results, both for rectal and colonic carcinoma, in comparison with conventional colorectal surgery. A stage-related consideration of the survival data yielded similar results. CONCLUSION: All in all, the results show that a laparoscopic colorectal procedure can meet oncological radicality criteria, even though certain reservations-in particular, in the case of procedures done with a curative intent-have not been completely eliminated.

Aged↗

PubMed2003

High diagnostic accuracy of adrenal core biopsy: results of the German and Austrian adrenal network multicenter trial in 220 consecutive patients.

Incidentally detected adrenal tumors are a common finding during abdominal ultrasonography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. Although most of these lesions are benign adenomas, adrenocortical carcinomas and metastases constitute 5% to 10% of all tumors. Adrenal biopsy may be helpful, but its diagnostic value is controversial and disputed, and prospective studies have not yet been performed. Therefore, the diagnostic accuracy of adrenal core biopsy was evaluated in a prospective multicenter study involving 8 surgical centers in Germany and Austria. A total of 220 biopsies from surgical specimens of the adrenal gland were punctured in an ex vivo approach and processed for pathohistologic diagnosis using paraffin sections, routine staining, and immunohistochemistry (keratin KL1, vimentin, S100 protein, chromogranin A, synaptophysin, neuron-specific enolase, D11, MiB-1, and p53 protein). The evaluating pathologist was blinded for clinical data from the patients. A total of 89 adrenal adenomas (40.5%), 22 adrenal carcinomas (10.0%), 55 pheochromocytomas (25.0%), 15 metastases (6.8%), 16 adrenal hyperplasias (7.2%), and 23 other tumors (10.5%) were studied. Nine cases were excluded due to incomplete data (n = 2) or insufficient biopsy specimen (n = 7). In the remaining 211 tumors, compared with the final diagnoses of the surgical specimen, bioptic diagnoses were absolutely correct in 76.8% of the cases, nearly correct in 13.2% of the cases, and incorrect in 10% of the cases. Pheochromocytomas were correctly diagnosed in 96% of the cases, cortical adenomas were correctly or nearly correctly reported in 91% of the cases, cortical carcinomas were correctly or nearly correctly reported in 76% of the cases, and metastases were correctly or nearly correctly reported in 77% of the cases. Of the 39 malignant lesions, only 4 were misclassified, 2 as benign and 2 as possibly malignant. This resulted in an overall sensitivity for malignancy of 94.6% and specificity of 95.3%. Our findings suggest that adrenal core biopsy is a useful method for identifying and classifying adrenal tumorous lesions if sufficient biopsy specimens can be obtained. However, in clinical practice it remains to be shown whether the benefits of biopsy outweigh the risks of the procedure.

Adenoma↗

PubMed2002

Laparoscopic treatment of rectal prolapse: experience gained in a prospective multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: We report the findings of a prospective multicenter observational study carried out by the Study Group for Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery on patients undergoing laparoscopic or laparoscopic-assisted surgery for rectal prolapse. The study investigated the safety of various laparoscopic techniques in terms of perioperative and postoperative general and technique-specific complications and compared the results with those reported for open surgery in this area. METHODS: Of the 150 patients undergoing laparoscopic or laparoscopic-assisted colorectal surgery for rectal prolapse 124 received rectopexy combined with resection and 26 rectopexy alone. In 85 patients a mesh was employed during rectopexy. The conversion rate was 5.3%. RESULTS: Perioperative complications (21 surgical and 35 general perioperative) were recorded in 37 patients (24.7%). The reoperation rate was 5.3% (bleeding 2, anastomotic leak 2, ileus 4). No procedure-specific perioperative complications were observed. In particular, reduced surgical trauma led to fewer severe postoperative complications such as cardiopulmonary problems (3.3%). CONCLUSIONS: The techniques of conventional prolapse surgery can readily be translated to the laparoscopic modality, since oncological criteria do not have to be considered. The usually elderly patients in this group benefit to a particular degree from the known advantages associated with reduced surgical trauma. Perioperative morbidity is determined largely by the surgeon's experience. We therefore believe that rectal prolapse is a suitable indication for the minimally invasive modality in the hands of trained surgeons.

Aged↗

PubMed2002

Laparoscopic sigmoid resection for cancer: curative resection and preliminary medium-term results.

PURPOSE: Despite reservations about compliance with oncologic radical criteria, laparoscopic resection of the sigmoid colon is increasingly being used with curative intent in oncologic surgery of the colorectum. The aim of the present study was to obtain further information on the perioperative course, the oncologic radicalness of the procedure, and medium-term outcome. METHODS: The data presented here were obtained from a prospective, multicenter study conducted in Germany and Austria. These data were acquired from an analysis of subgroups derived from a total of 3,133 recruited patients. RESULTS: A total of 292 patients from 36 hospitals underwent laparoscopic resection of the sigmoid colon with curative intent. The definitive histopathologic work-up of surgical specimens revealed the following International Union Against Cancer tumor stages: 122 Stage I, 86 Stage II, and 84 Stage III. The mean operating time was 172 minutes, and the mean intraoperative blood loss was 241 ml. The conversion rate to open surgery was 5.5 percent, the majority of such conversions being made necessary by vascular lesions. Sixty-five of the patients reported at least one postoperative problem or complication (22.3 percent); the mortality rate was 2.7 percent. With a mean of 13.4 recovered lymph nodes and a mean aboral safety margin of 72 mm, the formal criteria for the assessment of oncologic radicalness were met. Intraoperative cell dissemination occurred in two patients. The long-term results, which, at a mean follow-up of 2.1 years and a follow-up rate of 73.3 percent, must be considered preliminary, show a calculated stage-related survival rate of 88.8, 90.9, and 64.1 percent, respectively, for the International Union Against Cancer Stages I, II, and III. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic sigmoid resection can be performed technically reliably-also with curative intent-with acceptable complication and mortality rates and, to date, with survival rates that are at least comparable with those achieved with open surgical procedures.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Laparoscopic resection of the left pancreas: technique and indication.

Laparoscopic pancreatic resections are rare procedures. A particular position is held by the left resection. In animal trials and 37 operations performed to date, this laparoscopic procedure has been positively assessed. The diseases operated upon were nearly exclusively benign. From November 1998 to July 2001, we performed 5 laparoscopic distal pancreatic resections at our hospital. The indications were: 2 adenocarcinomas; 1 neuroendocrine carcinoma; 1 high malignant T-cell lymphoma, and 1 cystadenoma. Additional procedures in 3 patients were: gastrectomy and resection of the left liver in the case with T-cell lymphoma; resection of a distant metastasis in the liver in the case with advanced pancreatic carcinoma, and a partial adrenalectomy in the case with cystadenoma. We did not note any intra- or postoperative complications in our patients. First of all, benefit is to be found in the early postoperative course. All oncosurgical criteria could be fulfilled.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed2002

[Laparoscopic therapy of sigmoid and colonic diverticulitis].

The evidence of innovative surgical procedures is based on study results, general acceptance, and individual experiences. In Germany, 47% of all hospitals agreed to laparoscopic colonic surgery. In our own clientele, we noted a morbidity of 6.8% and a lethality of 0%. Up to now, studies of laparoscopic surgery for sigmoid diverticulitis showing a high level of evidence are still missing. Case-control studies and case studies describe some advantages of this procedure.

Case-Control Studies↗

PubMed2001

Laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection and anterior resection with curative intent for carcinoma of the rectum.

BACKGROUND: Within a 5-year period, 380 rectal carcinoma patients undergoing laparoscopic abdominoperineal excision or laparoscopic anterior resection were recruited to a multicenter study by 23 institutions in Germany and Austria. This study was initiated by the Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery Study Group. RESULTS: One hundred forty-nine patients (39.2%) underwent abdominoperineal resection (APR), and 231 patients (60.8%) were treated by anterior resection (AR). The mean operating time was 208 min, and the conversion rate was 6.1%. Intraoperative complications, mostly vascular or bowel injuries, were observed in 22 patients (5.8%). Overall, a total of 257 postoperative complications and problems occurred in 143 patients, resulting in a morbidity rate of 37.6%. In the AR group, the anastomotic leakage rate increased as the distance of the tumor from the anal verge decreased. The perioperative mortality rate was low (6/1.6%). Most of the patients received a high transsection of the inferior mesenteric artery with radical lymph node dissection (342/90.0%); the mean number of recovered lymph nodes was 13.0, with considerable variation among the individual institutions. Intraoperative tumor cell spillage was reported in 12 patients (3.2%). Sufficient follow-up findings are available for 288 (77%) patients. To date, 19 patients have sustained a local recurrence (6.6%), and 30 (10.4%) have developed distant metastases. Within the (admittedly limited) mean follow-up of 24.8 months, the overall survival rate is 86.6%, the disease-free survival (freedom from both local recurrence and distant metastases) rate is 62.4% for APR, with the corresponding rates for AR being 71.7 and 54.8%, respectively, as established by the Kaplan-Meier function. These data show no alarmingly high recurrence rates at this time. CONCLUSION: In principle, laparoscopic anterior resection with curative intent generates considerably more reservations than laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection, which is technically much easier to perform.

Abdomen↗

PubMed2001

Importance of conversion for results obtained with laparoscopic colorectal surgery.

PURPOSE: The need for a conversion is a problem inherent in laparoscopic surgery. The present study points up the significance of conversion for the results obtained with laparoscopic colorectal surgery and identifies the risk factors that establish the need for conversion. METHOD: The study took the form of a multicentric, prospective, observational study within the Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery Study Group. A total of 33 institutions in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland participated. The study period was 3.5 years. Cases were documented with the aid of a standardized questionnaire. RESULTS: Within the framework of the Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery Study Group, a total of 1,658 patients were recruited to a multicenter study over a period of three and one-half years (from August 1, 1995 to February 1, 1999). The observed conversion rate was 5.2 percent (n = 86). The patients requiring a conversion were significantly heavier (body mass index, 26.5 vs. 24.9) than those undergoing pure laparoscopy. Resections of the rectum were associated with a higher risk for conversion (20.9 vs. 13 percent). Intraoperative complications occurred significantly more frequently in the conversion group (27.9 vs. 3.8 percent). The duration of the operation was significantly increased after conversion in a considerable proportion of the procedures performed. Postoperative morbidity (47.7 vs. 26.1 percent), mortality (3.5 vs. 1.5 percent), recovery time, and postoperative hospital stay were all negatively influenced by conversion, in part significantly. Institutions with experience of more than 100 laparoscopic colorectal procedures proved to have a significantly lower conversion rate than those with experience of fewer than 100 such interventions (4.3 vs. 6.9 percent). CONCLUSION: Although, of itself, conversion is not considered to be a complication of laparoscopic surgery, it is true that the postoperative course after conversion is associated with appreciably poorer results in terms of morbidity, mortality, convalescence, blood transfusion requirement, and postoperative hospital stay. The importance of experience in laparoscopic surgery can be demonstrated on the basis of the conversion rates. Careful patient selection oriented to the experience of the surgeon is required if we are to keep the conversion, morbidity, and mortality rates of laparoscopic colorectal procedures as low as possible.

Age Distribution↗

PubMed2001

Experience as a factor influencing the indications for laparoscopic colorectal surgery and the results.

BACKGROUND: The influence of experience on the results of treatment with laparoscopic surgery is indisputable. The establishment of indications and contraindications is relative, and varies depending on the experience of the surgeon. Learning curves have been described for a number of laparoscopic interventions, in particular laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The current prospective multicenter study investigates, among other things, the interrelation between experience and the results of treatment using laparoscopic colorectal surgery. The study makes no pronouncements on the long-term results achieved in patients with colorectal carcinoma who underwent an operation with curative intent, although relevant data were indeed collected. RESULTS: Between August 1, 1995 and February 1, 1999, a total of 1,658 patients were recruited to the prospective multicenter study initiated by the Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery Study Group. To investigate the influence of surgical experience, two groups were formed. Group A comprised all the institutions and surgeons with experience of more than 100 laparoscopic colorectal operations. Group B contained institutions and surgeons with experience of fewer than 100 such interventions. The results of this study clearly show that in Group A, significantly more procedures involving the rectum were performed (26.7% vs 9.5%), and significantly more carcinomas were surgically managed (37.3% vs 17.3%). Despite this significantly higher level of technically difficult procedures in the patient population of group A, which was comparable in terms of age, gender, height, and weight with the patient in group B, the postoperative mortality and morbidity was, with the exception of urinary tract infections, identical between the two groups. Conversion to open surgery was significantly less frequent in group A (4.3% vs 6.9%), and, finally, the duration of the procedures performed by the more experienced surgeons of group A was appreciably shorter than in institutions with a smaller frequency of such operations. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic colorectal surgery is very demanding, and can be performed with low morbidity and mortality rates only by a surgeon with above-average experience with this type of surgery and a large caseload of laparoscopic colorectal procedures. The learning curve for such procedures is appreciably longer than for other laparoscopic operations. With increasing experience, technically more demanding operations, including radical oncologic rectal laparoscopic procedures, can be performed with appreciably reduced operating times and conversion rates, but with no increase in morbidity or mortality.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

[Laparoscopic surgery of rectal carcinoma. Radical oncology and late results].

The rectal cancer is one of the big challenges for laparoscopic surgery. From August 1993 to October 1999, at our hospital 108 rectal cancers including all UICC stages were laparoscopically operated on, 83 cases of them with curative intention. 77% of the carcinomas were situated in the middle or lower rectal third. A rectal amputation was performed in 13% of the cases, a continuity resection in 87%. All valid histopathological quality criteria were fulfilled: en bloc resection, total mesorectal excision, distal tumor free resection edge, and truncal dissection of the lower mesenteric artery. 25 lymph nodes per specimen were histopathologically described on average. All preparations of curative operations were assessed as R0 resections. In a median follow up of 30 months we saw locoregional recurrences in 1.2% and a recurrence-free survival in 90%. In a subpopulation with 4 years follow up, the rate of local recurrences was 2%, and the recurrence-free survival 85.7%. The value of multimodal therapy concepts in total mesorectal excision cannot be assessed at present yet. Laparoscopic rectal surgery is a very effective treatment option for rectal cancer, but it should be practiced only in specialized centres.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

[Laparoscopic left pancreas resection in tumors. Initial clinical experiences].

Laparoscopic pancreatic resections are rare procedures with left resections considered as a special subject. In animal trials and in 26 operations performed so far, this laparoscopic procedure was assessed positively. The operations were carried out mainly for benign diseases. From November 1998 to July 2000, five laparoscopic left pancreatic resections were performed in our hospital for the following diseases: adenocarcinoma (2), neuroendocrine carcinoma, highly malignant T-cell lymphoma, and cyst adenoma. In 3 patients the pancreatic resection was completed by other procedures: the case of T-cell lymphoma by gastrectomy and left side hemihepatectomy, the case of advanced pancreatic carcinoma by resection of a liver metastasis, and the case of cyst adenoma by a partial adrenalectomy. There was no patient suffering from intra- or postoperative complications. The benefit is mainly noticed in the early postoperative period. All required oncosurgical criterias were fulfilled.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed2001

[Technique of rectum resection and excision with special reference to TME].

Rectal cancer poses an immense challenge within the field of laparoscopic surgery. Sufficient enlargement on a monitor and improved instruments enable an optimal preparation and the total mesorectal excision. The standardized technique is the key to success. By December 2000, 138 rectal carcinomas were operated upon in laparoscopic technique at our hospital. The operating steps are adapted to the criteria of the "open" surgery. A rectal extirpation was performed in 13%, a continuity resection in 87%. The rate of local recurrence was 3.8% after a follow-up of 40 months, the survival rate in curatively operated patients was 90%.

Anastomosis, Surgical↗

PubMed2000

Laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection: early postoperative results of a prospective study involving 116 patients. The Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery Study Group.

PURPOSE: Although laparoscopic colorectal surgery is attracting ever more attention, its use for curative treatment of colorectal carcinoma in particular continues to be controversial. The present study was an attempt to analyze the results of the perioperative course, oncologic quality, and preliminary long-term results. METHOD: The data considered here were collected within the framework of a prospective, observational study initiated on August 1, 1995, and involving a total of 18 institutions in Germany and Austria. At the end of three years, the results are now being presented selectively, i.e., focusing only on abdominoperineal resection. RESULTS: A total of 116 patients underwent laparoscopic abdominoperineal resections, 98 (84.5 percent) of which were performed with curative intent. The mean operating time was 226 (confidence interval, 140-365) minutes. Seven patients (6 percent) experienced an intraoperative complication, which in more than one-half of the cases was a vascular injury involving the presacral venous plexus; the conversion rate was 3.4 percent. Postoperatively, 40 patients developed 97 complications--including those of a very minor nature--giving an overall morbidity rate of 34.4 percent. Reoperation in six patients (5.2 percent) had to be performed for an afterbleed in one-half of the cases and ileus in the other one-half. Postoperative mortality was a low 1.7 percent. In most of the curative resections, an oncologically radical operation with high transection of the inferior mesenteric artery and a complete dissection of the pelvis down to the floor was performed. The median number of lymph nodes investigated was 11.5, and there was wide fluctuation in the numbers among the individual institutions. Tumor cell dissemination occurred intraoperatively in five patients. In the meantime, 79 patients (81 percent) underwent at least one follow-up examination, the mean follow-up period being 491 days. Seven patients developed a local recurrence, and a further six patients developed distant metastases. For recurrence-free survival rate, the Kaplan-Meier estimation calculated a probability of 71 percent. CONCLUSION: Not all of the reservations about laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection, in particular with regard to resection with curative intent, have yet been eliminated. The present study does, however, show that a laparoscopic approach can in principle meet oncologic requirements of radicality and, with regard to the postoperative course, is associated with considerable benefits to the patient.

Abdomen↗

PubMed1999

Laparoscopic resection of sigmoid diverticulitis. Results of a multicenter study. Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery Study Group.

BACKGROUND: In the large bowel, resection of the sigmoid colon is the most commonly performed laparoscopic intervention because large bowel lesions often are located in this part of the bowel and the procedure technically is the most favorable one. A number of publications involving case series or the results of highly experienced individual surgeons already have confirmed the feasibility of laparoscopic resection in cases of diverticulitis. The aim of the present prospective multicentric investigation was to check the results obtained by a large number of surgeons performing laparoscopic resection of the sigmoid colon for diverticulitis in various stages of severity. RESULTS: Between January 8, 1995 and January 1, 1998, the Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery Study Group recruited 1,118 patients to the prospective multicenter study. Diverticulitis of the sigmoid colon, which accounted for 304 cases, was the most common indication for laparoscopic intervention. In most of these patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery (81.9%), the diverticulitis manifested as acute phlegmonous peridiverticulitis, recurrent attacks of inflammation, or stenosis. Complicated forms of diverticulitis in Hinchey stages I to IV and late complications of chronic diverticular disease with fistula formation and bleeding accounted for only 18.1% of the cases. For the overall group, the conversion rate was 7.2%. Patients with less severe diverticulitis (i.e., those presenting with peridiverticulitis, stenosis, or recurrent attacks of inflammation) had a conversion rate of 4.8% and the rate for complicated cases was 18.2%. Regarding laparoscopically completed interventions, 3 of 282 patients died (1.1%). In the group of patients with peridiverticulitis, stenosis, or recurrent attacks of inflammation the overall complication rate was 14.8%. The group with perforated diverticulitis in Hinchey stages I to IV or those with fistula and bleeding, the corresponding rate was 28.9%, and after conversion it was 31.8%. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic colorectal interventions in sigmoid diverticulitis are, for the most part, carried out as elective procedures for peridiverticulitis, stenosis, or recurrent attacks of inflammation. The conversion, complication, and mortality rates associated with these interventions are acceptable. Laparoscopic procedures in Hinchey stages I to IV sigmoid diverticulitis and in the presence of fistula and bleeding are more likely to be associated with complications, and should be carried out only by highly experienced laparoscopic surgeons.

Diverticulitis, Colonic↗

PubMed1999

Laparoscopic colorectal anastomosis: risk of postoperative leakage. Results of a multicenter study. Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery Study Group (LCSSG).

BACKGROUND: We report on a prospective observational multicenter study of more than 1,000 consecutive patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal procedures. The aim of the current study was to investigate the safety of laparoscopic colorectal surgery as reflected by the anastomotic insufficiency rates in the various sections of the bowel, and to compare these rates with those of open colorectal surgery. METHODS: The study was begun on August 1, 1995. Twenty-four centers in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland participated in this prospective multicenter study. All patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal surgery were included in the study. No selection criteria were applied, which means that every operation begun as a laparoscopic procedure was included. Data on patient demographics, surgical indications, surgical course, and patient outcome were recorded prospectively in a computer database. All data were rendered anonymous. RESULTS: Between August 1995 and February 1998, the 24 participating centers treated 1,143 patients (male/female ratio, 1:1.36; mean age, 60.7 years). In all, 626 operations were performed for benign indications and 517 for cancer. Most procedures involved the sigmoid colon and rectum (80.9%). An anastomosis was performed in 83% of the operations. Most of the anastomoses were laparoscopically assisted using the stapling technique. We observed an overall leakage rate of 4.25% (colon 2.9%; rectum 12.7%), and surgical reintervention was required in 1% of the cases. The rate of conversion to open surgery was 5.6%. Intraoperative complications occurred in 5.9%, and reoperation was necessary in 4.1% of the cases. The overall morbidity rate was 22.3%, and the 30-day mortality rate was 1.57%. CONCLUSIONS: The feasibility and safety of the laparoscopic colorectal approach is demonstrated clearly. The current study shows that the laparoscopic or laparoscopically assisted approach to colorectal surgery is not associated with a higher risk of anastomotic leaks. Morbidity and mortality rates with this method approximate those seen with conventional colorectal surgery.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

[Initial experience with laparoscopic gastrectomy in benign and malignant tumors].

From May 1993 to May 1998 at our hospital 12 classic gastric resections were operated on by laparoscopic procedure. A 2/3 distal Billroth resection was performed in 5 patients, for gastric ulcer (2) and for GIST (3). Other 7 patients were curatively operated on for a malignant disease. Any case was resected by oncosurgical gastrectomy including a D2-lymphadenectomy. The histological diagnoses were an adenocarcinoma in 6 cases, and one highly malignant maltoma. The mean operating time was 230 min in Billroth I resections and 295 min in total gastrectomies. As a complication, we saw postoperatively a duodenal leakage in one case, we could successfully manage also laparoscopically on the day after the operation. All the courses were extremely uncomplicated, connected with rapid mobility, early gut motility, little pain, and a comfortable cosmetic result. The resection result in any case of malignoma was R0, the mean lymphonode amount was 34. Tumour cell dissemination and trokar site metastases we could'nt note either. Oncosurgically, there are no disadvantages in comparison to the open approach.

Adenocarcinoma↗