Complete removal of metastatic disease and maintenance of an adequate liver remnant remains the only treatment option with curative intent concerning colorectal liver metastases. Surgery impacts on the long-term prognosis and complications adversely affect oncological results. The actual morbidity involving this scenario is debatable and estimated to be ranging from 15% to 50%. Postoperative complications eventually lead to an increase in both mortality rates and tumor recurrence. Biliary fistula and liver failure are the leading complications following liver resection to metastatic colorectal cancer. Prophylactic drainage does not prevent fistulas or hemorrhage. Drainage along with endoscopic intervention and/or surgery may be necessary for grade B and C fistulas. Liver failure is a potentially lethal complication with few therapeutic options. Patient selection and preoperative care are crucial for its prevention.
The nonoperative management of traumatic spleen injuries is the modality of choice in patients with blunt abdominal trauma and hemodynamic stability. However, there are still questions about the treatment indication in some groups of patients, as well as its follow-up.
Update knowledge about the spleen injury.
Was performed review of the literature on the nonoperative management of blunt injuries of the spleen in databases: Cochrane Library, Medline and SciELO. Were evaluated articles in English and Portuguese, between 1955 and 2014, using the headings "splenic injury, nonoperative management and blunt abdominal trauma".
Were selected 35 articles. Most of them were recommendation grade B and C.
The spleen traumatic injuries are frequent and its nonoperative management is a worldwide trend. The available literature does not explain all aspects on treatment. The authors developed a systematization of care based on the best available scientific evidence to better treat this condition.
Laparoscopic liver resection is performed worldwide. Hemorrhage is a major complication and bleeding control during hepatotomy is an important concern. Pringle maneuver remains the standard inflow occlusion technique.
Describe an extracorporeal, efficient, fast, cheap and reproducible way to execute the Pringle maneuver in laparoscopic surgery, using a chest tube.
From January 2014 to March 2020, our team performed 398 hepatectomies, 63 by laparoscopy. We systematically encircle the hepatoduodenal ligament and prepare a tourniquet to perform Pringle maneuver. In laparoscopy, we use a 24 Fr chest tube, which is inserted in the abdominal cavity through a small incision. We thread the cotton tape through the tube, pulling it out through the external end, outside the abdomen. To perform the tourniquet, we just need to push the tube as we hold the tape, clamping both with one forceps.
The 24 Fr chest tube is firm and works perfectly to occlude blood inflow as the cotton band is tightened. It has an internal diameter of 5,5 mm, sufficient for a laparoscopic grasper pass through it to catch the cotton band, and an external diameter of 8 mm, which allows to be inserted in the abdomen through a tiny incision. The cost of this tube and the cotton band is less than US$ 1. No complications related to the method were identified in our patients.
The extracorporeal Pringle maneuver presented here is a safe, cheap and reproducible method, that can be used for bleeding control in laparoscopic liver surgery.
It is currently understood that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) directly enters target cells by binding to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. Accordingly, tissues with high expression levels of ACE2 are more susceptible to infection, including pulmonary alveolar epithelial cells, small intestine enterocytes, cholangiocytes, and vascular endothelial cells. Considering the atypical manifestations of COVID-19 and the challenges of early diagnosis, this review addresses the possible gastrointestinal complications of the disease.
The phrase “Gastrointestinal complication of COVID” was searched in the PubMed, Medline, and SciELO databases. Due to the heterogeneity of the studies included in the present review, a narrative synthesis of the available qualitative data was performed.
The literature search retrieved 28 articles, primarily case reports and case series, for the qualitative analysis of gastrointestinal complications of COVID-19, in addition to two retrospective cohort and one case-control. The studies focused on hemorrhagic, thrombotic, ischemic, and perforation complications, in addition to acute pancreatitis and pneumatosis intestinalis.
There is a straight relationship between high expression levels of ACE2 in the gastrointestinal tract and its greater susceptibility to direct infection by SARS-CoV-2. So, it is important to consider the gastrointestinal infection manifestations for early diagnosis and treatment trying to avoid more serious complications and death.
The physiological stress of critically ill patients can trigger several complications, including digestive bleeding due to stress ulcers (DBSU). The use of acid secretion suppressants to reduce their incidence has become widely used, but with the current understanding of the risks of these drugs, their use, as prophylaxis in critically ill patients, is limited to the patients with established risk factors.
To determine the appropriateness of the use of prophylaxis for stress ulcer bleeding in acutely ill patients admitted to intensive care units and to analyze the association of risk factors with adherence to the prophylaxis guideline.
Retrospective, analytical study carried out in three general adult intensive care units. Electronic medical records were analyzed for epidemiological data, risk factors for DBSU, use of stress ulcer prophylaxis, occurrence of any digestive bleeding and confirmed DBSU. The daily analysis of risk factors and prophylaxis use were in accordance with criteria based on the Guidelines of the Portuguese Society of Intensive Care for stress ulcer prophylaxis.
One hundred and five patients were included. Of the patient days with the opportunity to prescribe prophylaxis, compliance was observed in 95.1%. Of the prescription days, 82.35% were considered to be of appropriate use. Overt digestive bleeding occurred in 3.81% of those included. The occurrence of confirmed DBSU was identified at 0.95%. Multivariate analysis by logistic regression did not identify risk factors independently associated with adherence to the guideline, but identified risk factors with a negative association, which were spinal cord injury (OR 0.02 p <0.01) and shock (OR 0.36 p=0.024).
The present study showed a high rate of adherence to stress ulcer prophylaxis, but with inappropriate use still significant. In the indication of prophylaxis, attention should be paid to patients with spinal cord injury and in shock.
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