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L Haskel

Publications and source records attributed to L Haskel.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Brief clinical report: duodenal laceration presenting as massive hematemesis and multiple intraabdominal abscesses after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

SUMMARY: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is considered the gold standard for gallstone disease. Nevertheless, possible severe complications must not be underestimated. Bowel injuries are uncommon, but they are one of the most lethal technical complications of laparoscopic surgery. These injuries were commonly unrecognized at the time of procedures and were diagnosed later when the patients experienced sepsis, peritonitis, intraabdominal abscess, or enterocutaneous fistula. Although duodenal lacerations have been reported with laparoscopic cholecystectomies, they seem to be rare; approximately 30 such cases have been documented previously in the English literature. We report the case of a patient with thermal duodenal injury caused by elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy at an outside center presenting as massive hematemesis and multiple intraabdominal abscesses on the ninth postoperative day. The diagnosis and management of this rare complication of laparoscopic cholecystectomy are described, and the literature is reviewed.

Abdominal Abscess↗

Safety and success of early laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis.

Although elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy is today's gold standard for the treatment of symptomatic cholelithiasis, its safety and effectiveness for acute cholecystitis remain controversial. The authors present a retrospective study comparing laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the acute versus the elective setting. A total of 605 patients were treated surgically for gallstone disease between August 1991 and January 1999. A total of 269 patients (44.5%) underwent surgery for acute cholecystitis as soon as possible after diagnosis, and elective cholecystectomy was performed on 336 patients (55.5%) for symptomatic gallstones. Initial open cholecystectomy was performed on 52 (19.3%) of the acute patients and 16 (4.8%) of the elective patients. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was attempted on 217 of the acute patients (80.7%), with 11 cases (5.1%) converted to open cholecystectomy, and on 320 (95.2%) of the elective patients, with 6 cases (1.9%) converted to open cholecystectomy. The mean (+/-SD) operative time for the acute and elective patients was 105 (+/-38) and 85 (+/-21) minutes, respectively (P < 0.05). There was no perioperative mortality in either laparoscopic group. Surgical complications related to laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the acute and elective groups occurred in six (2.9%) and eight (2.5%) cases, respectively (P = NS). The current study shows that early laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis is safe and efficient. Low conversion rates can be maintained with strict guidelines for appropriate patient selection, adequate experience, and proper laparoscopic technique.

Acute Disease↗

Treatment of fistulas of the biliary tract by endoscopic insertion of endoprostheses.

Five patients with fistulas of the biliary tract are reported; three had fistulas caused by operative injury and two, by accidental blunt abdominal trauma. All patients were treated successfully by endoscopic transpapillary insertion of biliary endoprostheses. The endoprostheses were removed after four to 17 weeks in all patients, and no evidence of biliary leakage was revealed by repeat cholangiograms and other clinical follow-up study. This effective, simple and safe method allows the fistula to heal and is a good alternative to surgical treatment.

Adolescent↗

Treatment of primary and metastatic liver cancer using an implantable chemoinfusion pump.

Twenty evaluable patients with primary or secondary neoplastic liver involvement received FUDR (0.2 to 0.3 mg/kg per day) by continuous infusion to the hepatic artery for 14 days, every 4 weeks, through a surgically implanted Infusaid (USA) pump. In addition to FUDR, MMC (15 mg/m2 every 6 to 8 weeks) was given to 14 patients with colorectal cancer and one patient with breast cancer, and ADR, (40 mg/m2 every 4 to 6 weeks) was given to 5 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. MMC and ADR were given as a bolus injection, through the pump sideport. Radiation therapy to the liver (2,000 rads in fractions of 180 to 200 rads each) was given to eight patients with colorectal carcinoma. In total, the 20 patients received 218 months of treatment and 580 injections. The overall remission rate (complete, partial and minor response) was 55%; one patient with a colorectal carcinoma achieved a CR and seven patients (35%) a PR; three patients (15%) had a MR, and in eight patients (40%) stabilization of disease was observed. Overall median survival was 12 months: 15.5 months for colorectal cancer patients and 7.5 months for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Toxicity consisted mainly of chemical hepatitis, mild to severe peptic disease and sclerosing cholangitis. Hematological toxicity was not observed. These data suggest that chemotherapy through the hepatic artery, while still experimental, may be considered for selected patients with tumor confined to the liver.

Adult↗