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Biomedical subjects

Miguel Angel Mercado

Publications and source records attributed to Miguel Angel Mercado.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Early versus late repair of bile duct injuries.

Biliary injuries associated with laparoscopic cholecystectomy occur at a constant rate of 0.3% to 0.6%. The spectrum of injures ranges from small leaks of bile to complete section of the main ducts requiring bilioenteric reconstruction. The goal of biliary reconstruction is to obtain a high-quality bilioenteric anastomosis that will not malfunction for a long time. No prospective, controlled, randomized trial (evidence level 1) has been conducted that shows whether an early repair is better than a late one. The timing of the operative procedure should be individualized. A complete examination of the patient should be performed to identify the type of injury and coexistent comorbidities. For septic patients and those with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, the repair should be delayed. Maneuvers to drain the bile ducts can be performed to relieve jaundice and cholangitis in these patients. For these cases, the surgery should be delayed. If a stable patient is found, without comorbidities, the operation can be scheduled earlier. Subhepatic drains should not be left for a long period because of the risk for intestinal fistulization. If needed, they should be changed for transhepatic stents. High-quality bilioenteric anastomoses are performed with fine absorbable sutures for healthy ducts (nonscarred, noninflamed, nonischemic) in a wide opening, with anastomosis of a (tension-free) defunctionalized jejunal limb. Individualization of the patient is the best rule.

Anastomosis, Roux-en-Y↗

Long-term evaluation of biliary reconstruction after partial resection of segments IV and V in iatrogenic injuries.

Roux-en-Y hepatojejunostomy is the procedure of choice for biliary reconstruction after complex iatrogenic injury that is usually associated with vascular injuries and concomitant ischemia of the ducts. To avoid the ischemic component, our group routinely performs a high repair to assure an anastomosis in noninflamed, nonscarred, and nonischemic ducts. If the duct bifurcation is preserved, the Hepp-Couinaud approach for reconstruction is an excellent choice. Partial liver resection of segments IV and V allows adequate exposure of the bile duct at its bifurcation with an anterior approach of the ducts (therefore not jeopardizing the circulation), allowing a high quality anastomosis. Long-term results of bile duct reconstruction using this approach are described. Two hundred eighty-five bile duct reconstructions were done between 1989 and 2004 in a tertiary care university hospital. The first partial-segment IV resection was done in 1994; 94 cases have been reconstructed since then using this approach. All of them had a complex injury (Strasberg E1-E5), and although in many cases the bifurcation was preserved (E1-E3), a high bilioenteric anastomosis was done to facilitate the reconstruction. In 70 cases, the bifurcation was identified, and in the 24 in which the confluence was not preserved, the right and left ducts were found except in one case. In three patients, the right duct was found unsuitable for anastomosis, and a liver resection was done. In the remaining 21, an anastomosis was done using a stent (transhepatic, transanastomotic) through the right duct. According to Lillemoe's criteria, 86 cases had good results (91%). In four of the eight remaining patients, there was the need to operate again due to the presence of an obstruction and/or cholangitis. In the rest, radiological instrumentation was done. Four of these cases have developed secondary biliary cirrhosis, two of which have died while waiting for a liver transplant, four and six years after reconstruction. Partial segments IV and V resection allows adequate exposure of the confluence and the isolated left or right hepatic ducts. Anterior exposure of the ducts allows an anastomosis in well-preserved, nonischemic, nonscarred, or noninflamed ducts. Parenchyma removal also allows the free placement of the jejunal limb, without external compression and tension, obtaining a high quality anastomosis with excellent long-term results.

Adolescent↗

To stent or not to stent bilioenteric anastomosis after iatrogenic injury: a dilemma not answered?

BACKGROUND: Bile duct injury is a complex and serious complication whose frequency has not diminished. A bilidigestive anastomosis (Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy) is usually needed after complex injuries. Placement of an anastomotic stent is a matter of debate and to our knowledge there is no study that compares the results between stenting and not stenting the anastomosis. DESIGN: A retrospective review of medical records of patients operated on for biliary reconstruction after iatrogenic injury. SETTING: Tertiary care academic university hospital. PATIENTS: A comparative study was performed of patients operated on between 1995 and 1999, who were referred to our hospital for acute or elective reconstruction of the biliary tract following iatrogenic injury. All patients underwent Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy. The patients were divided into 2 groups: those who underwent Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy with a transanastomotic stent and those who underwent Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy without a transanastomotic stent. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Operative mortality, anastomotic dysfunction, biliary fistula, reoperations, postoperative complications, postoperative liver function tests. RESULTS: Sixty-three patients with high and complex biliary injuries (Bismuth type III, IV; Strasberg D, E). Thirty-seven cases had reconstruction with the placement of a transanastomotic stent and 26 did not have a stent placed. No operative mortality was observed. The postoperative outcomes of both groups were compared and no differences found. Good results were observed in more than 80% of the patients. Reoperations were more frequent in the nonstented group (15% vs. 5%) and complications were more frequent in the stented group (16% vs. 7%). CONCLUSIONS: Good results are obtained with a Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy after complex injuries. The use of transanastomotic stents has to be selective according to the individual characteristics of each patient and the experience of each surgeon. We recommend their use when unhealthy (ie, ischemic, scarred) and small ducts (<4 mm) are found.

Anastomosis, Roux-en-Y↗

Iatrogenic intestinal injury concomitant to iatrogenic bile duct injury: the second component.

OBJECTIVE: Bile duct injuries have a frequency of 0.1% to 0.3% even in the most experienced centers. Complex biliary lesions usually require a bilioenteric anastomosis, achieving good long-term results in 80% to 90% of the cases. Besides injuries to the abdominal contents during laparoscopy (by trocars or electrocautery), intestinal complications associated with reconstruction attempts can be observed. We analyzed the concomitant intestinal complications in 251 patients with iatrogenic biliary injuries reconstructed over this 12-year period. METHODS: A retrospective review of patients with biliary tract reconstruction after iatrogenic injury in a tertiary academic health-care center was done. All patients with concomitant intestinal injury were included; type of operation and postoperative outcome were analyzed. RESULTS: Among 251 patients, 35 cases had a concomitant intestinal injury. The most common site of fistulization was the duodenum (18 cases, 50%); 9 cases were associated with long-term subhepatic drains (more than three weeks), and the other 9 cases were associated with a dehiscent hepatoduodenostomy. Faulty Roux-en-Y reconstruction was observed in 5 cases. In 5 cases, fistulization of the jejunum and ileum, secondary to drain placement, was documented, as well as 3 cases with colonic injuries. Two patients had a dehisced Roux-en-Y anastomosis. One had a bilioenteric omega type ileal anastomosis, and 1 had a hepatoileal anastomosis without omega reconstruction. Primary repair of the duodenum with resection of the affected intestinal or colonic segment was done at the same time of biliary repair without related morbidity. CONCLUSIONS: Concomitant gastrointestinal injures were found with an incidence of 15% in our series. The most common site of fistulization is the duodenum. In half of the patients, it was secondary to a dehiscent hepatoduodenostomy, whereas in the other, it was caused by long-term subhepatic drains. Besides faulty Roux-en-Y reconstruction, fistulization was related with long-term drains. Primary repair and resection of the affected segment of jejunum, ileum, and colon can be done during the same operative stage of biliary reconstruction, without significant correlated mortality.

Academic Medical Centers↗

Bile duct growing factor: an alternate technique for reconstruction of thin bile ducts after iatrogenic injury.

A variant of bilioenteric anastomosis, laterolateral hepatojejunostomy, is described in which the opened anterior aspect of the common hepatic duct and left hepatic duct is anastomosed to a Roux jejunal limb. This technique is specially designed for thin, injured bile ducts in which a conventional anastomosis is difficult due to the small diameter of the ducts. A wide anastomosis is obtained, leaving the posterior wall as a conduit for bile, ensuring an adequate anastomotic diameter.

Anastomosis, Surgical↗

[Biliary stents for reconstruction in bile duct injuries. The role of bile acids].

UNLABELLED: Biliary stents, placed either surgically, endoscopically or radiologically are a frequent palliative and/or curative option for treatment of obstructive jaundice. Stones or sludge formation above or inside the stent are of major concern in that they cause dysfunction of the stent that needs prompt replacement. To evaluate the efficacy of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) for long-term management of surgically placed biliary stents after iatrogenic injury, a prospective, controlled, randomized trial was conducted. METHOD: Patients with biliary tract reconstruction caused by iatrogenic injury that required a transanastomotic stent were randomized into a control group (N: 29) and into a UDCA (15 mg/kg day)-treated group (N: 30). Patients were followed on an external basis and a cholangiogram was obtained to verify stent patency. Liver function tests were also analyzed. RESULTS: The two groups were compared and no differences were observed. UDCA treated patients had significant elevation of transaminases and alkaline phosphatase. Two patients in the control group and four in the treated group developed lithiasis and/or sludge. CONCLUSION: No advantages were shown with administration of UDCA to maintain the biliary stents patent and to prevent neoformation of lithiasis and/or sludge. We conclude that no benefit is obtained with administration of UDCA to patients with biliary reconstruction and a transanastomotic stent.

Adult↗

[Esophageal closed transection for surgical treatment of portal hypertension. A 10-year experience].

BACKGROUND: Extensive esophagogastric devascularization (Sugiura-Futagawa operation and complete portoazygos disconnection) are excellent alternate choices for low-risk patients (Child-Pugh A-B) in whom a selective shunt is not feasible, obtaining a low postoperative rebleeding rate and a good quality of life. Esophageal transection is an important step in these procedures because submucosal varices are obliterated, achieving complete portoazygos disconnection. Results during one decade with closed variant of esophageal transection are reported. METHOD: Between 1990 and 2000, 78 patients were operated on (69 Child-Pugh A and nine Child Pugh B) in two operative stages with Sugiura-Futagawa operation and complete portoazygos disconnection. Files of these patients were reviewed and recurrence of hemorrhage was evaluated as well as fistulization and dehiscence. RESULTS: Among 78 modified transections, only one case of dehiscence was observed (1.2%) (very early in our experience) with concomitant mortality. Rebleeding was observed in 11% of cases, with two cases of stenosis that required dilatation. During the last 7 years (57 patients), no complication has been observed. CONCLUSIONS: Modified transection has a very low complication rate with long-term results comparable to those of classic transection.

Digestive System Surgical Procedures↗

[Iatrogenic injury of the bile duct. Experience with repair in 180 patients].

OBJECTIVE: Biliary duct lesions have a prevalence of 0.3-0.6% This prevalence is independent of the learning curve: The present paper evaluated survival and quality of life of patients following operative repair. METHODS: In a 12-year period, 180 patients underwent bile duct reconstruction. Of these patients (61 males and 129 females, mean age 39 years), 52% sustained injury during open operation and 42% during laparoscopic procedure. Quality of life was evaluated in the postoperative period. RESULTS: All 180 patients were treated surgically by means of Roux en Y hepaticojejunostomy. Transhepatic stents were used in 142 patients. Eight patients had independent left and right duct anastomosis and in 51 cases, partial resection of segment IV of liver to improve exposure of hilus was carried out. Mortality was 1.7%, due to multiorganic failure. After removal of stent, radiologic manipulation was required in 16% of cases to remove debris and stones or to dilate anastomosis. A total of 83% of patients were completely rehabilitated both clinically and biochemically. CONCLUSIONS: Bile duct injury has a good prognosis in specialized tertiary-care centers. Roux en Y hepatoyeyunostomy is procedure of choice with trans-hepatic stent when needed. Full rehabilitation can be achieved in 80% of patients.

Adult↗

Current role of surgery for the treatment of portal hypertension.

Portal hypertension surgery has evolved widely in the last decades. Since the first surgical shunt was done in 1945 for the treatment of recurrent hemorrhage, many surgical options have been developed including selective shunts, low diameter shunts and extensive devascularization procedures. Many of them have been studied and compared showing their advantages and disadvantages, evolving also their role in the therapeutic armamentarium. Surgery is nowadays a second line treatment option (after b blockers and endoscopic therapy), and it's main indication is for patients whose main and only problem is history of bleeding, with good liver function (Child-Pugh A). For emergency situations it has a very limited role and for primary prophylaxis virtually has also no role. Patients with good liver function, electively operated with portal blood flow preserving procedures are the patients that benefit from surgical treatment. Patients with a bad liver function are better candidates for a liver transplant.

Esophageal and Gastric Varices↗

Surgical treatment of non-cirrhotic presinusoidal portal hypertension.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Non-cirrhotic portal hypertension has a better prognosis than other forms of portal hypertension because of a well-preserved liver function in most cases. These patients are good candidates to receive surgical treatment, which is the therapeutic choice available with the lowest rebleeding rate. Because of abnormalities in the splanchnic vessels due to the nature of the diseases, many of them cannot be shunted. An extensive esophagogastric devascularization, the complete portoazygos disconnection, was evaluated. METHODOLOGY: A retrospective review of files of 31 patients, among 491 operations between 1991 an 2001 was carried out in a tertiary care Academic University Hospital. Patients comprised those with non-cirrhotic bleeding portal hypertension treated by means of complete portoazygos disconnection. Extensive two-stage (thoracic and abdominal) esophagogastric devascularization with modified transection of the esophagus was performed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: recurrence of hemorrhage, encephalopathy and survival. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients were treated. In 17 cases (54%) a hypercoagulable state was demonstrated. No operative mortality was observed (0-30 days) with a total of 62 operations (two stages per patient). No case of encephalopathy was observed and in 3 cases (9%) rebleeding was recorded. The survival curve showed a 5-year survival of 97% and a 10-year survival of 93%. CONCLUSIONS: Complete portoazygos disconnection is an excellent surgical alternative for patients with non-cirrhotic portal hypertension, with a low morbidity and mortality as well as a low rebleeding rate and good long-term survival.

Adult↗

Bile duct reconstruction after iatrogenic injury in the elderly.

UNLABELLED: Bile duct injuries occur with a frequency of 1 to 5 per 1000 cases as a result of an increase in the number of procedures performed. Elderly patients have more severe lithiasis- related diseases than the younger population. This fact increases the likelihood of conversion from laparoscopic to open surgery, and the probability of injury. We report the results of bile duct reconstruction after injury in these patients. SETTING: A tertiary care academic university hospital. METHODS: The files of patients over 65 years of age who had biliary tract reconstruction after iatrogenic injury were retrospectively reviewed. Post operative results, quality of life and failures from the repair were analyzed. RESULTS: 20 patients over the age of 65 were referred for biliary tract reconstructive surgery over a ten year period. Mean age was 71 (65 - 83). Nineteen cases were referred from other hospitals. Fourteen cases (60%) had comorbidities (type 2 diabetes mellitus, systemic hypertension). All patients were treated by means of Roux en Y hepatojejunostomy. No operative morbility was recorded and only one major complication (abdominal collection) was found. Two long term mortalities unrelated to surgery were found. Treatment success (as defined by the Johns Hopkins criteria) was obtained in 17 cases (85%) and only one patient (5%) required reoperation two years after the initial attempt. CONCLUSIONS: Elderly patients that survive biliary injury and are reconstructed have long-term results comparable to the younger population; Roux en Y hepatojejunostomy offers the best surgical choice.

Aged↗

[Portal hypertension. Evidence-based guide].

Treatment of portal hypertension has evolved widely during the last decades. Advances in physiopathology have allowed better application of therapeutic options and also have permitted to know the natural history of varices and variceal bleeding, predicting which patients have a higher risk of bleeding. It also permits probability of designing patient treatment. According to liver function and subadjacent liver disease, it is possible to offer different alternatives within the three possible scenarios (primary prophylaxis, acute bleeding episode, and secondary prophylaxis). For primary prophylaxis, pharmacotherapy offers the best choice. Endoscopic banding is also growing in these scenarios and probably will be accepted in the near future. For the acute bleeding episode, endoscopic therapy (sclerosis and/or bands) and/or pharmacologic therapy (octreotide, terlipresin) represent best choice, considering TIPS as a rescue option. Surgery is not used routinely in this scenario in most centers. For secondary prophylaxis, pharmaco- and endoscopic therapy are first-line treatments, while TIPS and surgery as second-line treatments. TIPS is mainly used in patients on a waiting list for liver transplantation. Surgery offers good results for low-risk patients, with good liver function and with portal blood-flow preserving procedures (selective shunts, extensive devascularizations). Liver transplantation is recommended for patients with poor liver function because together with portal hypertension, it treats subadjacent liver disease.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗

[From Langenbuch to Strasberg: the spectrum of bile duct injuries].

Bile duct injuries are the main serious complication of laparoscopy cholecystectomy. The frequency of this type of injuries rangers, between 1 to 3 in 1,000 cases and although this rate remains stables, their frequency has increased because of the increasing expansion of the indication of cholecystectomy. Each lesion is the individual in it's features as well as the scenario in which the surgeon faces it. Several classifications have been developed, but that developed by Strasberg most used nowadays. Intraoperative cholangiography has shown evidence in meta analytic studies that diminishes the frequency of lesions but does not abolish them. Conversion from laparoscope's to the open approach with ample and convincent dissection is probably the best maneuver to reduce the frequency of lesions, when any anatomical or technical doubt appears. No patient should be operated in critical condition. In this situation, biliary reconstruction has a secondary role and only drainage of the ducts (percutaneous or surgical) is indicated. Roux en Y hepatoyeyunostomy is the procedure of choice for almost all cases, leaving other types of procedures for selected cases. Transhepatic transanastomotical stents should be used according to the individual status of the patient when small, scared or inflamed ducts are found. High quality anastomosis is obtained when proper ducts are found. Sometimes high dissection of the ducts is needed in order to obtain adequate ducts. Nine of each ten cases are completely rehabilitated, obtaining a good quality of life.

Anastomosis, Surgical↗

Complete resection of choledochal cyst with Roux-en-Y derivation vs. cyst-enterostomy as standard treatment of cystic disease of the biliary tract in the adult patient.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Cystic disease of the biliary tract (CDBT) is characterized by varying degrees of dilatation of the biliary system with high morbidity and mortality in which the surgical management is the corner stone of treatment. The cyst-enterostomies (CE) temporarily solve the obstruction to the biliary flow but have a high long-term morbidity. Complete resection of affected bile ducts with Roux-en-Y derivation (CRR-en-Y) is a good procedure with low mortality and complications. The purpose of the study was to analyze the outcome of CRR-en-Y versus CE in the treatment of CDBS in adult patients from 1970 to 2002. METHODOLOGY: Patients who underwent surgical treatment were divided for their analysis into two groups: Group I: CRR-en-Y and Group II: CE. Following features were compared: demography, clinical picture, postoperative morbimortality, outcome and survival. RESULTS: Thirty-four adult patients were analyzed. There were 82% (28) females and 18% (6) males. The age average was 33.58 years (13-84). Seventy percent (30) were "choledochal cyst". Eighty percent (27) were surgically handled: 52% (14) with CRR-en-Y (Group I) versus 58% (13) with CE (Group II). Both groups were comparable. Without operative mortality and low postoperative morbidity in both, CE had more long-term complications: In this group 70% (9) were readmitted: and 7 underwent reoperation. Mean follow-up was 35 months (6-132) versus 152 months (12-408) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: CRR-en-Y is the standard treatment of CDBS in the adult patient.

Adolescent↗

Prognostic implications of preserved bile duct confluence after iatrogenic injury.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Biliary reconstruction is performed according to the level of the injury. A comparative study between patients in whom the biliary junction was preserved and another group where the biliary junction was not preserved was done. METHODOLOGY: A retrospective review of the biliary reconstructions performed at our institution after iatrogenic lesions between 1990-2002 was done. Postoperative outcome, functional status of the anastomosis, recurrent cholangitis, need for radiological instrumentation and/or reoperation were analyzed. RESULTS: We reviewed 204 cases, 130 cases had a preserved biliary junction while in 74 the injury included the junction. All patients were treated with a Roux-en-Y hepatojejunostomy. In the first group, 4% required reoperation, 4% underwent radiological percutaneous instrumentation, 8% had anastomotic dysfunction and 4% cholangitis. In the second group, 24% needed reoperation and 80% radiological instrumentation. Anastomotic dysfunction was observed in 64% and cholangitis in 55%. It is important to note that 52 of the 74 cases in the second group had a history of more than two reconstruction attempts. CONCLUSIONS: When the biliary junction is preserved after a iatrogenic injury we found a significantly better outcome. The results of biliary reconstruction in this type of patient are better long-term compared to those where the junction was not preserved, evidenced by a lower reoperation and radiological instrumentation rate.

Adolescent↗