What is the classification of choledochal cysts?

Choledochal Cyst. In: Doherty GM. eds. Quick Answers Surgery. McGraw-Hill; Accessed April 02, 2021. 

  • Type I cysts (fusiform dilation of common bile duct [CBD]) account for 85-90%
  • Type II (true diverticula of CBD) 1-2% of cases
  • Type III (choledochocele—dilation of distal/intramural portion of CBD) < 2% of cases
  • Type IV (multiple cysts involving intrahepatic and extrahepatic ducts) as high as 15% of cases in some series
  • Type V (cystic malformation of intrahepatic ducts) rare
  • 3-5% incidence of carcinoma
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Solid pseudopapillary neoplasms (SPN) of the pancreas

Gandhi D, et al. Solid pseudopapillary Tumor of the Pancreas: Radiological and surgical review. Clin Imaging. 2020 Nov;67:101-107.

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Highlights:

  • Solid Pseudopapillary Neoplasms of the pancreas are rare pancreatic tumors with low grade malignant potential, typically affecting young females.
  • Small SPNs (< 3cm in diameter) usually appear as completely solid tumors with sharp margins and gradually enhancing, well encapsulated masses in the pancreas and may demonstrate varying amounts of hemorrhage.
  • Large lesions have mixed solid – cystic components showing early weak enhancement with gradual increase in enhancement in the hepatic venous phase.
  • Atypical features including extracapsular, as well as parenchymal invasion, simulation of islet cell tumors, calcifications, ductal obstruction, and metastasis are suspicious for malignant degradation.
  • The tumor is considered unresectable in the event that it invades or encases the aorta, encases >180 degree of the SMA regardless of tumor location in the pancreas, abuts the celiac artery (when the tumor is located in the pancreatic head) or encases >180 degree of the celiac artery (when the tumor is located in the body/tail of the pancreas).
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Totally Extra Peritoneal (e-TEP) Approach for Ventral Hernias

Bui NH, Jørgensen LN, Jensen KK. Laparoscopic intraperitoneal versus enhanced-view totally extraperitoneal retromuscular mesh repair for ventral hernia: a retrospective cohort study. Surg Endosc. 2021 Mar 15.

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Results: A total of 72 patients were included in the study, 43 and 29 of whom underwent IPOM and eTEP-RM repair, respectively. Patient demographics showed no differences in terms of gender, age, smoking and comorbidity. The median age was 57 years and body mass index 30.5 kg/m2. The rate of patients with incisional hernia was higher in the IPOM group (39.5% vs. 20.7%, p = 0.154). There was no difference in horizontal and vertical hernia size defect. The duration of surgery was significantly shorter for IPOM (mean 82.4 vs. 103.4 min, p = 0.010), whereas the length of stay was significantly longer after IPOM (median 1 days vs. 0 days (p < 0.001). The rate of patients requiring postoperative transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block or epidural analgesia was significantly higher after IPOM (33% vs. 0%, p = 0.002). A subgroup analysis on patients undergoing primary ventral hernia showed similar results.

Conclusion: The study found laparoscopic eTEP-RM safe and effective compared to traditional laparoscopic IPOM. The patients undergoing eTEP-RM had significantly reduced need for additional analgesic treatment and length of stay.

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Article of interest: Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of Aaorta Use in Nontrauma Emergency General Surgery: A Multi-institutional Experience.

Hatchimonji JS, Chipman AM, McGreevy DT, et al. Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of Aaorta Use in Nontrauma Emergency General Surgery: A Multi-institutional Experience. J Surg Res. 2020 Dec;256:149-155.

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Background: The aim of this study was to determine the current utilization patterns of resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of aorta (REBOA) for hemorrhage control in nontrauma patients.

Methods: Data on REBOA use in nontrauma emergency general surgery patients from six centers, 2014-2019, was pooled for analysis. We performed descriptive analyses using Fisher’s exact, Student’s t, chi-squared, or Mann-Whitney U tests as appropriate.

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Article of interest: Bleeding complications after pancreatic surgery: interventional radiology management

Biondetti P, Fumarola EM, Ierardi AM, Carrafiello G. Bleeding complications after pancreatic surgery: interventional radiology management. Gland Surg. 2019 Apr;8(2):150-163. doi: 10.21037/gs.2019.01.06.

Surgical intervention in the pancreas region is complex and carries the risk of complications, also of vascular nature. Bleeding after pancreatic surgery is rare but characterized by high mortality. This review reports epidemiology, classification, diagnosis and treatment strategies of hemorrhage occurring after pancreatic surgery, focusing on the techniques, roles and outcomes of interventional radiology (IR) in this setting. We then describe the roles and techniques of IR in the treatment of other less common types of vascular complications after pancreatic surgery, such as portal vein (PV) stenosis, portal hypertension and bleeding of varices.

Article of interest: Spinal cord protection practices used during endovascular repair of complex aortic aneurysms by the U.S. Aortic Research Consortium.

Aucoin VJ, Eagleton MJ, Farber MA, et al. Spinal cord protection practices used during endovascular repair of complex aortic aneurysms by the U.S. Aortic Research Consortium. J Vasc Surg. 2021 Jan;73(1):323-330. doi: 10.1016/j.jvs.2020.07.107.

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Results: The most common practices routinely included blood pressure elevation (7 of 8; 87.5%), with most having a mean arterial pressure goal of not less than 90 mm Hg in the perioperative period (5 of 7; 71%), a hemoglobin goal intra- and postoperatively of not less than 10 mg/dL (6 of 8; 75%), and the use of prophylactic spinal drains in high-risk patients (6 of 8; 75%). Significant variation was found among the group for the timing of the resumption of antihypertensive medications, duration of hemoglobin goals after the procedure, and management of spinal drains. Many methods described in reported studies were not routinely used by most of the group, including a perioperative steroid bolus (1 of 8; 12.5%), mannitol (2 of 8; 25%), and naloxone infusion (1 of 8; 12.5%). Rescue maneuvers included placement of a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drain if not already present (8 of 8; 100%), decreasing the target CSF drain pop-off pressure (6 of 8; 75%), increasing the CSF drainage volume (5 of 8; 62.5%), increasing the mean arterial pressure goal (8 of 8; 100%), increasing the hemoglobin goal (8 of 8; 100%), and imaging the spine using computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging (7 of 8; 87.5).

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Janeway Gastrostomy

Gastrostomy. Ellison E, & Zollinger R.M., Jr.(Eds.), (2016). Zollinger’s Atlas of Surgical Operations, 10e. McGraw-Hill. Emory login required.

“As a temporary gastrostomy, the Witzel or the Stamm procedure is used frequently and is easily performed. A permanent type of gastrostomy, such as the Janeway and its variations, is best adapted to patients in whom it is essential to have an opening into the stomach for a prolonged period of time. Under these circumstances, the gastric mucosa must be anchored to the skin to ensure long-term patency of the opening. Furthermore, the construction of a mucosa-lined tube with valve-like control at the gastric end tends to prevent the regurgitation of the irritating gastric contents. This allows periodic intubation and frees the patient from the irritation of a constant indwelling tube.”

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