Tag Archives: Postoperative Complications

Posthepatectomy liver failure: A definition and grading by the International Study Group of Liver Surgery (ISGLS)

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“Liver resection is used increasingly for the management of a variety of benign and malignant conditions. These data have paralleled substantial advances in perioperative management and operative techniques that have improved the safety of, and extended the indications for, liver resection over the past 2 decades. Extended liver resections, liver resections in diseased liver or liver parenchyma affected by chemotherapy, and repeat
or staged liver resections are being used to achieve curative resection and extend long-term survival. The resulting small functional remnant liver volumes and compromised liver function in these patients increase the risk for the development of posthepatectomy liver failure (PHLF). Despite the introduction of functional and imaging measures to assess preoperatively the size and function of the future liver remnant, as well as the use of
portal vein embolization as a preventive intervention, PHLF remains a major concern and has been shown to be a predominant cause of hepatectomy-related mortality.”

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Implications of leukocytosis following distal pancreatectomy splenectomy (DPS) and association with postoperative complications

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“Distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy (DPS) is performed to remove pathology of the body and/or tail of the pancreas. The spleen and the left side of the pancreas share blood supply, and often tumor involvement, thus splenectomy is often performed along with distal
pancreatectomy. DPS is an operation that carries a greater than 30% risk of postoperative complications, including infection, postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF), intraabdominal abscesses, and pneumonia, among others. In addition to these immediate postoperative
complications, splenectomy itself is known to confer long‐term susceptibility to infection, sepsis, thrombosis, and other sequelae. Our goal was to identify factors that could prompt early investigation and treatment of both infectious and major complications.”

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Efficacy of stapler versus hand-sewn closure after distal pancreatectomy (DISPACT)

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“Resections of the pancreas reaching to the left of the superior mesenteric vein are defined as distal pancreatectomy. Most distal pancreatectomies are done electively (84%) as a result of chronic pancreatitis (24%), other benign diseases (22%), malignant diseases (18%), neuroendocrine tumours (14%), and pancreatic pseudocysts (6%). The remaining 16% are emergency cases after abdominal trauma or miscellaneous pathological
diagnoses. A systematic review supports the evidence that postoperative pancreatic fistula formation represents a major source of postoperative morbidity (13–64%) and is associated with several further complications, such as intra-abdominal abscess, wound infection, sepsis, malabsorption, and haemorrhage.
A meta-analysis of the most favoured and reported techniques (stapler trans-section and closure vs scalpel trans-section and hand-sewn closure of the pancreatic remnant) did
not define the optimum surgical technique of pancreatic stump closure. Therefore, the multicentre randomised DISPACT trial was designed to assess the effect of stapler
versus hand-sewn closure on formation of postoperative pancreatic fistula after distal pancreatectomy.”

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2016 update of the International Study Group (ISGPS) definition and grading of postoperative pancreatic fistula

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“Eleven years after its definition, postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) still remains one of the most harmful complications after pancreatic resection. Despite all the advances and technical modifications developed during this past decade to prevent POPF, the incidence of this dreaded complication still ranges between 3–45 % of pancreatic operations at high-
volume centers. Updating the ISGPF classification is both relevant and clinically important,
because POPF remains the single main determinant of serious postoperative morbidity and mortality related to pancreatic resection and plays a major role in terms of operation-related mortality, morbidity, hospital stay, and economic impact.”

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Does preoperative enteral or parenteral nutrition reduce postoperative complications in Crohn’s disease patients?

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“Surgery is frequently needed in Crohn’s Disease (CD) patients who have malnutrition. Patients with CD are at a risk of malnutrition secondary to decreased oral intake, malabsorption, and inflammation. The prevalence of malnutrition in IBD patients is profound: 60–80% of IBD patients are anemic, 39–81% are iron deficient, 20–60% are vitamin B12
deficient, 36–54% are folate deficient, and 25–80% have hypoalbuminemia. This high prevalence of malnutrition presents a challenge in the surgical management of CD patients because poor preoperative nutritional status has been linked to increase postoperative complications.
Therefore, nutritional optimization using enteral nutrition (EN) and total parenteral nutrition (TPN) have been used for many years to improve the nutritional status of CD patients in hopes of decreasing postoperative complications.”

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Venous Thromboembolism Prevention in Emergency General Surgery

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“Venous thromboembolism (VTE) represents the most preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) suggests appropriate VTE prophylaxis as a top patient safety practice. The burden of operative and nonoperative emergency general surgery (EGS) is increasing and represents 7% of all hospital admissions in the United States. The reported rate of VTE among patients undergoing EGS is approximately 2.5%. Numerous observational studies, quality improvement studies, randomized clinical trials, reviews, and practice management guidelines are available to guide acute care surgeons in VTE prevention for patients with trauma. However, little guidance is available for the emergency general surgeon. Patients undergoing EGS represent a challenge regarding VTE prevention. Despite the substantial number of annual EGS admissions, little is known about the risk of VTE or the use of mechanical and/or pharmacologic prophylaxis in EGS patients. Furthermore, although guidelines for VTE prophylaxis are available, they are difficult to interpret in the context of admission to an EGS service for an acute condition, particularly when admissions to such services include as many as 70% of patients who do not require operative intervention.”

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Definition and grading of postoperative pancreatic fistula

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“Based on the literature since 2005 investigating the validity and clinical use of the original
International Study Group of Pancreatic Fistula classification, a clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula is now redefined as a drain output of any measurable volume of fluid with an amylase level >3 times the upper limit of institutional normal serum amylase activity, associated with a clinically relevant development/condition related directly to the postoperative pancreatic fistula. Consequently, the former “grade A postoperative pancreatic fistula” is now redefined and called a “biochemical leak,” because it has no clinical importance and is no longer referred to a true pancreatic fistula. Postoperative pancreatic fistula grades B and C are confirmed but defined more strictly. In particular, grade B requires a change in the postoperative management; drains are either left in place >3 weeks or repositioned through endoscopic or percutaneous procedures. Grade C postoperative pancreatic fistula refers to those postoperative pancreatic fistula that require eoperation or lead to single or multiple organ failure and/or mortality attributable to the pancreatic fistula.”

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