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Chemotherapy followed by surgery compared with surgery alone for localized esophageal cancer.

BACKGROUND: We performed a multi-institutional randomized trial comparing preoperative chemotherapy followed by surgery with surgery alone for patients with local and operable esophageal cancer. METHODS: Preoperative chemotherapy for patients randomly assigned to the chemotherapy group included three cycles of cisplatin and fluorouracil. Surgery was performed two to four weeks after the completion of the third cycle; patients also received two additional cycles of chemotherapy after the operation. Patients randomly assigned to the immediate-surgery group underwent the same surgical procedure. The main end point was overall survival. RESULTS: Of the 440 eligible patients with adequate data , 213 were assigned to receive preoperative chemotherapy and 227 to undergo immediate surgery. After a median possible study time of 55.4 months, there were no significant differences between the two groups in median survival: 14.9 months for the patients who received preoperative chemotherapy and 16.1 months for those who underwent immediate surgery (P=0.53). At one year, the survival rate was 59 percent for those who received chemotherapy and 60 percent for those who had surgery alone; at two years, survival was 35 percent and 37 percent, respectively. The toxic effects of chemotherapy were tolerable, and the addition of chemotherapy did not appear to increase the morbidity or mortality associated with surgery. There were no differences in survival between patients with squamous-cell carcinoma and those with adenocarcinoma. Weight loss was a significant predictor of poor outcome (P=0.03). With the addition of chemotherapy, there was no change in the rate of recurrence at locoregional or distant sites. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative chemotherapy with a combination of cisplatin and fluorouracil did not improve overall survival among patients with epidermoid cancer or adenocarcinoma of the esophagus.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Trends in surgery for gastroesophageal reflux disease: the effect of laparoscopic surgery on utilization.

BACKGROUND: In addition to substituting for open surgery, minimally invasive surgery may lower thresholds for intervention and thus increase overall utilization rates. The degree to which laparoscopy may have lowered the threshold for elective anti-reflux surgery is unknown. METHODS: Using the Uniform Hospital Discharge Dataset and ICD-9 procedure and diagnosis codes, we identified all laparoscopic and open anti-reflux procedures performed on adults in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont for each year from 1993 to 1998. We then examined secular trends and regional variation in the use of laparoscopic and open anti-reflux surgery. RESULTS: The population-based rate of anti-reflux surgery more than doubled between 1993 (4.8 per 100,000) and 1998 (11.7 per 100,000). Laparoscopic anti-reflux procedures increased more than 6-fold between 1993 and 1998, from 1.2 to 8.9 procedures per 100,000 adults, with accompanying declines in overall length of stay and mortality. However, the number of open anti-reflux procedures decreased only modestly (22%) over this time period. In the year hospitals performed their first laparoscopic anti-reflux operation, procedure rates nearly tripled, on average, and then increased slowly in subsequent years. In 1997 and 1998, rates of anti-reflux surgery varied nearly 5-fold across hospital referral regions, ranging from 5.4 to 24.5 per 100,000. CONCLUSIONS: With the growth of minimally invasive surgery, rates of anti-reflux surgery have increased substantially, with wide regional variation in intervention rates. Further research is needed to determine the appropriate threshold for surgical treatment in patients with gastroesophageal reflux.

Adolescent↗

Periocular Mohs micrographic surgery: Results of a dual-site day-surgery service.

PURPOSE. To assess the feasibility of day-surgery Mohs Micrographic Surgery (MMS) at dual sites. METHODS. MMS now has an established position for the management of skin tumour removal. The literature reports excellent results in terms of tissue preservation, complete tumour excision and recurrence rate. MMS involves an initial stage undertaken by dermatologists. The subsequent reconstructive phase can be undertaken either by the dermatologist or by an oculoplastic surgeon in cases of extensive defects. In the latter cases, special expertise is needed in order to achieve satisfactory cosmetic results. Centres offering MMS are few and are usually located in tertiary referral hospitals. In a large city of 12 million inhabitants like London there is only one centre offering MMS on the National Health Scheme. We have set up a dual-site day-surgery service since 1997, whereby a Mohs trained dermatologist in the first unit undertakes the initial ablative stage. The patient is then transferred to the second location, which is approximately three miles away; a trained oculoplastic surgeon then undertakes the reconstruction the same day. Rarely, defects are deemed too large for reconstruction and the patient discharged on the same day; patients are then admitted as inpatients for reconstruction the following day with oculoplastic, plastic, craniofacial and facio-maxillary services at hand. RESULTS. To date we have operated on 59 patients for removal of basal cell carcinomas (BCC). All patients had a biopsy-proven diagnosis of BCC before being referred to the dermatologist. Following liaison with the Dermatology Unit, surgery was scheduled so that the reconstruction could be undertaken in the Oculoplastic Unit at the second hospital on the same day. All patients' defects were reconstructed successfully. With the longest follow-up being 39 months so far, tumour recurrence has been 0%. CONCLUSIONS. A dual-site day-surgery service seems to be a feasible option where a MMS dermatologist is not present onsite. The logistic problem can be easily overcome with a proper liaison between the departments. A dual-site day-surgery MMS service provides a superior service compared with the 2 mm tumour-free margin excision and delayed surgical repair following histological examination advocated by other authors where MMS is not available on site. It is only with MMS that one can ensure complete tumour excision. Day-surgery is the preferred choice, both for patients and for financial considerations. We would therefore support the establishment of dual-site day-surgery MMS services where the reconstruction is undertaken in hospitals located away from the MMS dermatology unit, provided close collaboration exists between the two units to ensure the smooth transfer of patients.

Journal Article↗

Bacteriological outcome after valve surgery for active infective endocarditis: implications for duration of treatment after surgery.

BACKGROUND: There has been no systematic evaluation of outcome after surgery for infective endocarditis with respect to duration of antibiotic treatment. METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review of episodes of valve surgery for active infective endocarditis at Green Lane Hospital (Auckland, New Zealand) for 1963-1999. We recorded the duration of antibiotic treatment before and after valve surgery; the extent of infection at operation; Gram stain, culture, and histopathological testing results for valve samples; and the bacteriological outcome after surgery. The primary outcome measure was relapse, defined as endocarditis due to the same species within 1 year after surgery. RESULTS: For the 358 patients in our study, the median duration of follow-up was 4.8 years. Thirty-two patients (9%) had 36 subsequent episodes of endocarditis. Relapse occurred after 3 (0.8%) of the operations (95% CI, 0.2%-2.0%). Relapse of infection was unrelated to the duration of antibiotic treatment before or after surgery, positive valve culture results, positive Gram stain results, or perivalvular infection. Since 1994, we have reduced the duration of antibiotic treatment by approximately 7 days for those with positive valve culture results and by approximately 14 days for those with negative valve culture results, without any increase in the number of relapses. CONCLUSIONS: Relapse is an uncommon event following surgery for endocarditis. Commonly suggested indications for prolonging postoperative treatment are not associated with higher relapse rates, and their relevance is debatable. We conclude that it is unnecessary to continue treatment for patients with negative valve culture results for an arbitrary 4-6-week period after surgery. Two weeks of treatment appears to be sufficient, and, for those operated on near the end of the standard period of treatment, simply completing the planned course should suffice.

Aged↗

Why does ovarian surgery in PCOS help? Insight into the endocrine implications of ovarian surgery for ovulation induction in polycystic ovary syndrome.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex disorder with heterogeneity of clinical and endocrine features. Ovarian surgery for ovulation induction has been used in the management of clomiphene citrate-resistant anovulatory women with PCOS. Various types of ovarian surgery have been employed (wedge resection, electrocautery, laser vaporization, multiple ovarian biopsies and others) and all procedures result in an altered endocrine profile after surgery. The mechanism behind the reversal of endocrinological dysfunction in PCOS after ovarian surgery remains incompletely understood. This review scans the literature systematically to identify the endocrine changes after ovarian surgery in PCOS, in order to glean some knowledge of the mechanism involved. After ovarian surgery in PCOS, a rapid reduction in serum levels of all ovarian hormones is seen, in combination with increased serum levels of pituitary hormones. Folliculogenesis is then initiated and ovarian hormone production increases, synchronically with a reduction of pituitary hormones. Continuation of follicle growth in subsequent cycles after ovarian surgery occurs in an environment with less androgens and lower LH and FSH levels compared with pretreatment levels. The endocrine changes found after ovarian surgery in PCOS women seem to be governed by the ovaries themselves. Rapid reduced secretion of all ovarian hormones restores feedback to the hypothalamus and pituitary, resulting in appropriate gonadotrophin secretion. Initiation of follicular development seems to be induced by increasing FSH levels following a reduction of the follicle excess and (intra-ovarian) androgen levels. Additionally, anti-Müllerian hormone and gonadotrophin surge attenuating factor probably have a role in the endocrine changes.

Endocrine System↗

Longitudinal changes in spinal deformity after anterior spinal surgery for tuberculosis of the spine in adults. A comparative analysis between radical and debridement surgery.

Of 112 patients who entered the Medical Research Council's prospective study on the surgical management of spinal tuberculosis, 105 were available for review at a mean follow-up of 15.3 years postoperatively. All these patients were age 18 years or more at the time of surgery. Seventy-one patients had radical surgery; the remaining 34 underwent debridement surgery. The longitudinal changes in spinal deformity were evaluated using kyphus and deformity angles from lateral spinal radiographs obtained at preoperative evaluation, postoperatively at 6 months, 1 year, and 5 years, and at final follow-up. The mean kyphos and deformity angles showed correction after radical surgery at 6 months' evaluation; thereafter there were minimal variations up to final follow-up. Those who underwent debridement surgery showed an increase in these angles at 6 months postoperative evaluation; thereafter there were practically no changes in thoracic and thoracolumbar tuberculosis, whereas in lumbar tuberculosis there was spontaneous correction from 1 year post-surgery onward. The changes in mean kyphos and deformity angles at 6 months postoperative evaluation from their preoperative values were significantly different between the two surgical groups, where radical surgery produced better correction. Thus, the choice of surgery--radical or debridement--is important in determining the fate of spinal deformity in the management of tuberculosis of the spine.

Adult↗

Upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage following cardiac surgery: a comparative study with vascular surgery patients from a single centre.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the frequency and outcome of upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage (UGH) patients who had undergone cardiac surgery with a control group of vascular surgery patients. PATIENTS: Patients who had undergone cardiac or vascular surgery from January 1999 to December 2000 were identified from departmental records. The inclusion criteria used were haematemesis and/or melaena in the post-operative period. RESULTS: Only 20 of the 2274 (0.9%) cardiac operations were complicated by UGH compared to eight of 708 (1.1%) vascular operations. Among those with UGH, 90% of the cardiac and 43% of the vascular patients were taking aspirin, warfarin or both. The mean interval between surgery and the UGH was 9.6 days (range 1-30) for the cardiac and 6 days (range 0-15) for the vascular patients. Duodenal and gastric ulcers were the most common cause of UGH (60%) in the cardiac group. Despite endoscopic intervention, more than one third of ulcer associated haemorrhages required surgical over-sewing, but none of the patients who had surgery died. The overall mortality on the cardiac surgery patients who experienced UGH was 15%, significantly higher than the 2.3% for the whole cardiac surgery group during the study period (P = 0.00075, OR = 8, 95% confidence interval 2.3-28). However, even this mortality is less than that of general inpatients who suffer UGH (33%). CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac and vascular surgical patients have similar low post-operative rate of UGH. Post-operative UGH is associated with increased mortality after primary surgery. Early surgical intervention appears to be life saving in those patients who are too ill to compensate for the haemodynamic disturbance of untreated UGH.

Aged↗

Does wait-list size at registration influence time to surgery? Analysis of a population-based cardiac surgery registry.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the probability of undergoing coronary bypass surgery within a certain time was related to the number of patients on the wait list at registration for the operation in a publicly funded health system. METHODS: A prospective cohort study comparing waiting times among patients registered on wait lists at the hospitals delivering adult cardiac surgery. For each calendar week, the list size, the number of new registrations, and the number of direct admissions immediately after angiography characterized the demand for surgery. RESULTS: The length of delay in undergoing treatment was associated with list size at registration, with shorter times for shorter lists (log-rank test 1,198.3, p<.0001). When the list size at registration required clearance time over 1 week patients had 42 percent lower odds of undergoing surgery compared with lists with clearance time less than 1 week (odds ratio [OR] 0.58 percent, 95 percent, confidence interval [CI] 0.53-0.63), after adjustment for age, sex, comorbidity, period, and hospital. The weekly number of new registrations exceeding weekly service capacity had an independent effect toward longer service delays when the list size at registration required clearance time less than 1 week (OR 0.56 percent, 95 percent CI 0.45-0.71), but not for longer lists. Every time the operation was performed for a patient requiring surgery without registration on wait lists, the odds of surgery for listed patients were reduced by 6 percent (OR 0.94, CI 0.93-0.95). CONCLUSION: For wait-listed patients, time to surgery depends on the list size at registration, the number of new registrations, as well as on the weekly number of patients who move immediately from angiography to coronary bypass surgery without being registered on a wait list. Hospital managers may use these findings to improve resource planning and to reduce uncertainty when providing advice on expected treatment delays.

Aged↗

Cataract in leprosy patients: cataract surgical coverage, barriers to acceptance of surgery, and outcome of surgery in a population based survey in Korea.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Cataract is the leading cause of blindness in leprosy patients. There is no population based information on the cataract surgical coverage, barriers to use of surgical services, and outcome of surgery in these patients. We sought to determine these measures of cataract programme effectiveness in a cured leprosy population in South Korea. METHODS: The population consisted of residents of six leprosy resettlement villages in central South Korea. All residents were invited to participate in a study of eye disease and interviewed regarding use of surgical services and reasons for not using these services. RESULTS: The cataract surgical coverage in this population was 55.4% when <6/18 was used as the cut off and increased to 78.3% when the cut off was <6/60. Barriers reported by patients included being told by the doctor that the cataract was not mature and a perception by the patient that there was no need for surgery. Among patients who had aphakic surgery, 71% were still blind in the operative eye while among patients who had pseudophakic surgery, 14% were still blind (presenting vision). Blindness in pseudophakic patients could be reduced to 3% with spectacle correction. CONCLUSION: Cataract prevalence in leprosy patients will increase as life expectancy continues to increase. Leprosy control programmes will need to develop activities aimed at reducing the burden of cataract. Recommendations include establishing collaborative agreements with ophthalmological services to provide high quality IOL surgery to these patients, training of health staff to identify and refer patients in need of surgery, monitoring the uptake of cataract surgery among patients needing services, and monitoring the outcome of surgery to improve refractive outcome.

Aged↗

Outcomes of endoscopic surgery compared with open surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome among employed patients: randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: To compare endoscopic and open carpal tunnel release surgery among employed patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. DESIGN AND SETTING: Randomised controlled trial at a single orthopaedic department. PARTICIPANTS: 128 employed patients aged 25-60 years with clinically diagnosed and electrophysiologically confirmed idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was severity of postoperative pain in the scar or proximal palm and the degree to which pain or tenderness limits activities, each rated on a 4 point scale, transformed into a combined score of 0 (none) to 100 (severe pain or tenderness causing severe activity limitation). The secondary outcomes were length of postoperative work absence, severity of symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome and functional status scores, SF-12 quality of life score, and hand sensation and strength (blinded examiner); follow-up at three and six weeks and three and 12 months. RESULTS: 63 patients were allocated to endoscopic surgery and 65 patients to open surgery, with no withdrawals or dropouts. Pain in the scar or proximal palm was less prevalent or severe after endoscopic surgery than after open surgery but the differences were generally small. At three months, pain in the scar or palm was reported by 33 patients (52%) in the endoscopic group and 53 patients (82%) in the open group (number needed to treat 3.4, 95% confidence interval 2.3 to 7.7) and the mean score difference for severity of pain in scar or palm and limitation of activity was 13.3 (5.3 to 21.3). No differences between the groups were found in the other outcomes. The median length of work absence after surgery was 28 days in both groups. Quality of life measures improved substantially. CONCLUSIONS: In carpal tunnel syndrome, endoscopic surgery was associated with less postoperative pain than open surgery, but the small size of the benefit and similarity in other outcomes make its cost effectiveness uncertain.

Adult↗

Equipoise and the ethics of the Canadian Lung Volume Reduction Surgery Trial study: should there be a randomized, controlled trial to evaluate lung volume reduction surgery?

The physical improvement is so great following lung volume reduction surgery that there is growing opinion that a randomized, controlled trial is unnecessary. A randomized, controlled trial, it is argued, would deprive those patients randomly assigned to the nonsurgical treatment arm the 'benefit' of lung volume reduction surgery. Entering a trial in which one arm leads to a surgical intervention and the other to best medical management also poses a variety of ethical difficulties. If one is to be offered surgery, there must be perceived benefit because the physician has an obligation to offer the best possible treatment for his or her patient. If a patient agrees to have surgery, the expectation is that surgery would help. Thus, a patient randomly assigned to the medical arm of a trial may easily believe that he or she is being deprived of surgery that may help them. This paper illustrates this dilemma using the Canadian Lung Volume Reduction Surgery Trial. The authors discuss the concept of 'equipoise' in three dimensions, adding community equipoise to theoretical equipoise and clinical equipoise earlier described by Freedman. The paper concludes that the Canadian Lung Volume Reduction Surgery Trial needs to continue because of the clinical equipoise that drives it.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

Current use and timing of spinal surgery for management of acute spinal surgery for management of acute spinal cord injury in North America: results of a retrospective multicenter study.

OBJECT: A multicenter retrospective study was performed in 36 North American centers to examine the use and timing of surgery in patients who have sustained acute spinal cord injury (SCI). The study was performed to obtain information required for the planning of a randomized controlled trial in which early and late decompressive surgery are compared. METHODS: The records of all patients aged 16 to 75 years with acute SCI admitted to 36 centers within 24 hours of injury over a 9-month period in 1994 and 1995 were examined to obtain data on admission variables, methods of diagnosis, use of traction, and surgical variables including type and timing of surgery. A total of 585 patients with acute SCI or cauda equina injury were admitted to participating centers, although approximately half were ultimately excluded because they did not meet inclusion criteria. Common causes for exclusion were late admission, age, gunshot wound, and absence of signs of compression on imaging studies. Thus, only approximately 50% of patients with acute SCI would be eligible for inclusion in a study of acute decompressive surgery. Although all patients underwent computerized tomography (CT) scanning, only 54% underwent magnetic resonance imaging, and CT myelography was performed in only 6%. Complete neurological injuries (American Spinal Injury Association Grade A) were present in 57.8%. Traction was applied in only 47% of patients who sustained cervical injury, in whom decompressive traction was successful in only 42% of cases. Neurological deterioration occurred in 8.1% of cases after traction. Surgery was performed in 65.4% of patients. The timing of surgery varied widely: less than 24 hours postinjury in 23.5%, between 25 and 48 hours postinjury in 15.8%, between 48 and 96 hours in 19%, and more than 5 days postinjury in 41.7% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that although surgery is commonly performed in patients with acute SCI, one third of cases are managed nonoperatively, and there is very little agreement on the optimum timing of surgical treatment. The results of this study confirm the need for a randomized controlled trial to assess the optimum timing of decompressive surgery in SCI.

Acute Disease↗

[Experience of 143 cases of laparoscopic surgery in urology--clinical outcome in comparison to open surgery].

(BACKGROUND). The clinical outcome of laparoscopic surgery performed in 143 patients, including laparoscopic adrenalecotmy, nephrectomy, pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) and varicocele ligation is reported. (METHODS). In patients who underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy (32 cases), laparoscopic nephrectomy (7) or PLND (44), the following parameters were evaluated and compared to those obtained in patients undergoing the same surgeries but by conventional open procedure; operation time, hospital stay, pain killer doses and the time necessitated for ambulation. (RESULTS). The operation was successful in 95.8% (137/143). Open laparotomy was necessitated in 4 patients to control bleeding (two in adrenalectomy and two for PLND) and in one nephrectomy case due to massive adhesion with the descending colon. The major complication occurred in 4.2% of the cases, but without mortality. The laparoscopic adrenalectomy, nephrectomy and PLND had an average operating time of 260, 304 and 139 minutes, respectively, while the open surgery for each procedure required 251, 212 and 128 minutes, respectively (p = 0. 24 approximately 0.82). Likewise, the total dose of pain killer was 0.8, 1.8 and 0.9 for the former, whereas it was 3.2, 6.0 and 3.9 for the latter, respectively (p < 0.01). The average hospital stay for laparoscopic surgery was 4.9, 6.4 and 4.7 days in the same order, whereas open adrenalectomy or nephrectomy required about 14 days (p < 0.001). Convalescence was completed within significantly shorter term in patients with laparoscopic surgery. Potential complications of laparoscopic surgery included not only those unique to pneumoperitoneum (8.1%), but also those which may be encountered during any endoscopic operation such as compartment syndrome in the lower extremities. The physiologic changes accompanying increased intra-abdominal pressure affected renal function, characterized by a significant decrease in urinary output (p < 0.02), which, however, resumed to normal range within several hours after the operation without causing permanent renal dysfunction. (CONCLUSION). These results suggest that the laparoscopic surgery in certain area in urology has less morbidity and equal accuracy compared with conventional open surgery.

Adolescent↗

A prospective multicenter study on laparoscopic treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease in Italy: type of surgery, conversions, complications, and early results. Study Group for the Laparoscopic Treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease of the Italian Society of Endoscopic Surgery (SICE).

BACKGROUND: A national survey was undertaken by the Italian Society for Laparoscopic Surgery to investigate the prevalence, indications, conversion rate, mortality, morbidity, and early results of laparoscopic antireflux surgery. METHODS: Beginning on January 1, 1996, all of the centers taking part in this study were asked to complete a questionnaire on each patient. The questionnaire was divided into four parts and covered such areas as indications for surgery and preoperative workup, type of operation performed and certain aspects of the surgical technique, conversions and their causes, intraoperative and postoperative complications (within 4 weeks), and details of the postoperative course. The last part of the questionnaire focused on the follow-up period and was designed to gather data on recurrence of preoperative symptoms, postoperative symptoms (dysphagia, gas bloat), and postoperative test findings. RESULTS: As of June 30, 1998, 21 centers were taking part in the study and 621 patients were enrolled, with a median of 27 patients per center (less than one patient/month). The most popular technique was the Nissen-Rossetti (52%), followed by the Nissen (33%) and Toupet procedures (13%). Other techniques, such as the Dor and Lortat-Jacob, were used in the remainder of cases. Patients who received a Toupet procedure had a higher incidence of defective peristalsis (p<0.05). The conversion rate to open surgery was 2.9%. The most common causes of conversion were inability to reduce the hiatus hernia or distal esophagus in the abdomen and adhesions from previous surgery. Perforation of the stomach and esophagus occurred in <1% of patients. Mortality was nil. Postoperative complications were observed in 7.3% of cases. The most common complication was acute dysphagia (19 patients), which required reoperation in 10 patients. No differences in the incidence of acute dysphagia were found for the different surgical techniques employed. Follow-up data were obtained for 319 patients (53%): 91.5% of the patients remained GERD symptom-free; severe esophagitis (grade 2-3) healed in 95% of the patients; lower esophageal sphincter (LES) manometric characteristics (pressure, abdominal length, and overall length) improved significantly after surgery (p<0.005); and acid exposure of the distal esophagus decreased. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic antireflux surgery has no mortality and a low morbidity. Symptoms and esophagitis are resolved in >90% of patients. Despite these favorable results, however, this type of surgery is not yet as widely employed in Italy as in other countries.

Adolescent↗

[Retinal detachment surgery after refractive surgery].

PURPOSE: To analyze the characteristics of retinal detachments (RD) in myopic patients who underwent different kinds of refractive surgery (RS). Modifications in patient eyes deriving from RS and how it hindered surgery for treating RD, was also studied. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 14 (6 female/8 male) patients with RD after having been treated with RS (laser assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK), photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), radial keratotomy (RK) and phakic anterior chamber lenses). RD was treated by scleral surgery and in two cases by vitrectomy after first RD surgery. RESULTS: 12 RD cases showed slight modification over previous refraction. In 2 cases vitrectomy was necessary since proliferative vitreoretinopathy was evidenced. The appearance of RD cases did not increase after PRK, RK or LASIK. RS did not hinder RD surgery. RD appearance in patients with anterior chamber lenses was higher, with severe difficulty in peripheral exploration and in performing RD surgery. CONCLUSION: After PRK, RK and LASIK, RD surgery does not show more difficulty, while after anterior chamber intraocular lenses implantation there is an increased difficulty for RD surgery.

Adult↗

The risk of a new retinal break or detachment following cataract surgery in eyes that had undergone repair of phakic break or detachment: a hypothesis of a causal relationship to cataract surgery.

PURPOSE: To determine the risk of new retinal tear or detachment following cataract surgery in eyes that had undergone successful repair of phakic retinal tear or detachment. METHODS: A computerized search of records of patients evaluated at the Barnes Retina Institute from 1990 to 2000 for a diagnosis of phakic retinal tear or detachment was accomplished. The records of successfully treated patients were analyzed by type of tear or detachment, method of treatment, and development of sequential new tears or detachment. Eyes that subsequently underwent cataract surgery were classified by presence and location of intraocular lens as well as operative complications, including capsular rupture, vitreous loss, or retained lens fragments. The frequency of developing new tears or detachment was calculated. RESULTS: The 2,175 eyes identified were subdivided according to those that had undergone repair of retinal break (n = 1,415), subclinical retinal detachment (n = 396), or retinal detachment (n = 364). Of 371 eyes that underwent subsequent cataract surgery, 17 (4.6%) developed a new tear or detachment postoperatively. Factors indicative of higher postoperative risks included myopia, tear or detachment in the fellow eye, sequential onset of new breaks prior to cataract surgery, and complications of cataract surgery. CONCLUSION: In patients who had undergone prior repair of retinal breaks or detachment, cataract surgery was associated with a 4.6% incidence of new breaks or detachment. Cataract surgery appears to be an independent risk factor for retinal tears or detachments. Dilated retinal examination following cataract surgery is advisable in patients who have previously undergone repair of a phakic retinal tear or detachment.

Cataract Extraction↗

[Actigraphic assessment of the effects of hypnotics on the night before surgery in relation with the severity of surgery].

BACKGROUND: Hypnotics have been used to provide adequate sleep on the night before surgery, but these effects have rarely been investigated. We investigated whether the preoperative hypnotic effects are related with the severity of surgery with quantitative evaluation using actigraph. METHODS: Sleep time on the night before surgery was evaluated after the administration of brotizolam 0.25 mg in 40 patients awaiting surgery; 20 patients for cardiovascular surgeries (Group I) and 20 patients for general surgeries (Group II). Sleep and awake state were identified by wrist activity measured with a motion-logger actigraph. Sleep time was assessed in total period from 22:00 to 6:00 and its 4 subdivided 2-hour periods (22:00-24:00, 24:00-2:00, 2:00-4:00, 4:00-6:00). RESULTS: The total sleep time in Group II (448 +/- 22 min) was significantly longer than that in Group I (409 +/- 44 min). Group I showed a significant reduction in sleep time in the period of 4:00-6:00 compared with other periods, whereas Group II did not show any difference among 4 periods. Group I showed significant shorter sleep time in the period of 4:00-6:00 compared with Group II. CONCLUSIONS: An actigraphic assessment of sleep time has demonstrated the possible influence of the severity of surgery on the sleep time on the night before surgery.

Aged↗

[Laparoscopic surgery in day surgery].

Since ten years laparoscopic techniques have been employed as alternatives of many established open procedures in gynecologic, abdominal and finally urologic surgery. Laparoscopic techniques show significant advantages compared to open surgery, such as less hospitalization, reduced need of analgesic drugs, quick return to daily activities and far a better cosmetic results. Laparoscopic surgery has been advocated for urologic, uro-gynecologic and andrologic diseases. Since 1983 one-day surgery was proposed for only a few gynecologic and abdominal procedures and only recently for laparoscopic renal biopsy and abdominal testis evaluation. In these preliminary experiences the conditions for a correct management of laparoscopic one-day surgery have been clearly pointed out: 1. correct surgical indication; 2. through knowledge of surgical technique; 3. duration of the procedure less than 90 minutes; 4. correct anesthesia. Technique of anesthesia must be adapted to the surgical procedure required, its duration and the physical features of the patient. General anesthesia is usually preferred for either longer and more complex procedures or when a higher abdominal insufflation pressure is needed. Spinal or local anesthesia are preferred for simpler procedures or when only one trocar is required. At date only few urologic procedures seem to be suitable to one-day laparoscopic surgery. 1) Varicocele: although laparoscopic varicocelectomy in one-day surgery has never been reported previously, it can be performed in a short time, only 3 trocars are needed and insufflation pressure can be maintained within 15 mm Hg. 2) Renal biopsy and marsupialization of renal cysts. These are usually managed percutaneously but in some particular indications procedures under direct vision should be preferable. Both are short-lasting and only superficial general anesthesia is required; as surgical access is retroperitoneal only two trocars are sufficient; at date only renal biopsies have previously been reported. 3) Diagnostic procedures on abdominal testis. The procedure is brief only superficial general anesthesia is needed and only one trocar is required. Conclusions. One-day laparoscopic surgery will require in the future a more and more strict cooperation between urologists and anesthetists in order to tailor the correct anesthesiological and laparoscopic technique to the procedure required and the features of the patient.

Ambulatory Surgical Procedures↗