Álvaro Antônio Bandeira Ferraz

Postdischarge surveillance for nosocomial wound infection: Does judicious monitoring find cases?

From 1988 through 1992, we conducted a prospective study of postdischarge surgical wound infection surveillance in our institution. A total of 6604 patients were seen after discharge in a centralized outpatient clinic, supervised by the infection control commission. Wounds were inspected, stitches were removed, and dressings were changed. This care was followed by referral of patients to the appropriate specialized surgical clinic. Postdischarge patient return rates for the period studied ranged from 68.4% to 91.2%. Wound infection detection in the outpatient clinic ranged from 32.2% (20 patients in 1991) to 50% (44 patients in 1990) for general surgical procedures and 52.9% (18 patients in 1990) to 91.4% (32 patients in 1992) for cesarean sections. Most surgical wound infections (87.6%, 127 patients) were diagnosed between the first and fourteenth postoperative days. We conclude that centralized postdischarge surveillance, as practiced in our institution, has enhanced the retrieval of wound infection data. At present, there is no universally accepted strategy for monitoring postdischarge surgical wound infection; however, we must take a rigorous approach to detect patients at risk for infection in our continuous attempt to improve the quality of surgical and postoperative care.

Liver transplant for the treatment of giant hepatic hemangioma

In 1998, a 25-year-old female teacher soughtmedical advice after a 3-year history of progressiveabdomendistention.Physicalexaminationrevealedamassextendingthroughtheentireabdominalregion.Laboratory studies disclosed normal hepatic andrenal functions, a low platelet count (80,000 percubic millimeter), and prolongation of the pro-thrombin time (14.2 seconds). In January 1997, thepatient was submitted to a right adrenalectomy foradrenal angioma. Imaging tests diagnosed a gianthemangioma surrounding the entire liver (Figs. 1and2).Initially,hepaticembolizationwasproposed,with the aim of improving the coagulation alter-ations and decreasing the size of the mass. Threeembolization sessions were conducted but revealedno change in size or improvement in coagulation.The portal vein was unobstructed (Figs. 1 and 2).In 2000, the patient began to present progressiveabdominal fullness, loss of weight and muscularmass, moderate respiratory restriction, compressionof the lower vena cava, and a low platelet count. Shewas considered to be a candidate for orthotopic livertransplant for three main factors: respiratory distresscaused by compression of the diaphragm, the risk ofbleeding caused by spontaneous rupture or trauma,and the presence of Kasabach-Merritt syndrome dueto consumption coagulopathy.The patient received the transplant in December2001. A resection was conducted of the inferior ret-rohepaticvenacavaandaninterpositionbyinsertionoftheiliacveingraftbetweentheretrohepaticcavaofthe donor and the recipient. The removed liverweighed 7.2 kg (dry weight) and measured 46 40 15 cm. The histopathologic result confirmedthe diagnosis of a cavernous hemangioma (Figs. 3and 4).The patient experienced acute rejection on the19thpostoperativeday,whichwastreatedwithpulsetherapy of corticoids.Subsequently, all coagulation parameters returnedtonormal,andafter30monthsthepatientremainswelland is exercising all normal activities. All laboratorytests are normal.

Wound infection rates in clean surgery: a potentially misleading risk classification.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the incidence of wound infection in inguinal hernioplasties, incisional hernioplasties, splenectomies, and splenectomies performed in patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis, and to examine the relationship of surgical wound infection to antibiotic use, patient age, length of stay in the hospital prior to surgery, and the duration of the operation. DESIGN Retrospective surveillance study. RESULTS One thousand five hundred forty-two clean operations were analyzed. Comparing response (wound infection) and explanatory variables (age, length of hospital stay, duration of surgery, antibiotics, and surgery type), we found that age, use of antibiotics, and type of surgery were statistically significant, while length of hospital stay and duration of surgery were not significant. CONCLUSIONS From these results, we can predict that the probability of wound infection in surgical patients considering these significant variables is lower for patients ages 14 to 30 years and higher for patients ages 31 to 60 years and lower for patients with prophylactic antibiotic use (up to 72 hours of use) and higher for patients with prolonged use (more than 72 hours); and lower for patients undergoing inguinal heria, followed in ascending order by nonschistosomotic patients undergoing splenectomy in schistosomotic patients.

Fístula gastrobrônquica como complicação rara de gastroplastia para obesidade: relato de dois casos

Gastrobronchial fistula is a rare condition as a complication following bariatric surgery. The management of this condition requires the active participation of a pulmonologist, who should be familiar with aspects of the main types of bariatric surgery. Herein, we report the cases of two patients who presented recurrent subphrenic and lung abscess secondary to fistula at the angle of His for an average of 19.5 months. After relaparotomy was unsuccessful, cure was achieved by antibiotic therapy and, more importantly, by stenostomy and endoscopic dilatation, together with the use of clips and fibrin glue in the fistula. These pulmonary complications should not be treated in isolation without a gastrointestinal evaluation since this can result in worsening of the respiratory condition, thus making anesthetic management difficult during endoscopic procedures.

Dilatação endoscópica de anastomose gastrojejunal após bypass gástrico

INTRODUCTION Roux-en-Y gastric bypass may result in stenosis of the gastrojejunal anastomosis. There is currently no well-defined management protocol for this complication. AIM Through systematic review, to analyze the results of endoscopic dilation in patients with stenosis, including complication and success rates. METHODS The PubMed database was searched for relevant studies published each year from 1988 to 2010, and 23 studies were identified for analysis. Only papers describing the treatment of anastomotic stricture after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass were included, and case reports featuring less than three patients were excluded. RESULTS The mean age of the trial populations was 42.3 years and mean preoperative body mass index was 48.8 kg/m². A total of 1,298 procedures were undertaken in 760 patients (81% female), performing 1.7 dilations per patient. Through-the-scope balloons were used in 16 studies (69.5%) and Savary-Gilliard bougies in four. Only 2% of patients required surgical revision after dilation; the reported complication rate was 2.5% (n=19). Annual success rate was greater than 98% each year from 1992 to 2010, except for a 73% success rate in 2004. Seven studies reported complications, being perforation the most common, reported in 14 patients (1.82%) and requiring immediate operation in two patients. Other complications were also reported: one esophageal hematoma, one Mallory-Weiss tear, one case of severe nausea and vomiting, and two cases of severe abdominal pain. CONCLUSION Endoscopic treatment of stenosis is safe and effective; however, further high-quality randomized controlled trials should be conducted to confirm these findings.

Cirurgia metabólica, reganho de peso e recidiva do diabete

INTRODUCTION The poor success of clinical treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM2) increased interest in metabolic surgery, which has been considered a promising alternative for the control of obese or non-obese diabetics. However, there is still no long-term follow-up to evaluate the duration of diabetes remission, and if weight regain would be associated to recurrence. AIM 1) To describe the results of diabetic patients with a BMI < 30 and < 35 kg/m² submitted to the following types of metabolic surgery: ileal interposition and sleeve gastrectomy, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), adjustable gastric banding, duodeno-jejunal exclusion and duodeno-jejunal bypass; 2) to evaluate the possible relapse of diabetes after occurrence of weight regain on long-term after bariatric surgery. METHOD An expositive and historical literature review about metabolic surgery in diabetic patients with BMI < 30 and < 35 kg/m² was conducted, and systematic review of the association between disease relapse and weight regain after bariatric surgery. RESULTS After analysis of 188 published papers on Medline until 2010, three papers were selected, which included 269 patients who underwent RYGB. Pre-operatory BMI was between 37 and 60 kg/m² and follow-up of three to 16 years. CONCLUSIONS 1) Two studies showed association between weight regain and recurrence of type 2 diabetes, while the third did not show this association when comparing groups with and without weight regain; 2) metabolic surgery has shown adequate control of T2DM2 in class I obese subjects; however, the non-obese group still need a long-term evaluation, considering the risk of diabetes recurrence when after weight regain.

Effects of Propranolol on Human Postoperative Ileus

Background: The sympathetic nervous hyperactivity present in response to surgical stress has been implicated as an important component of the postoperative paralytic ileus. A randomized and prospective study was conducted, evaluating the effects of the preoperative beta-adrenergic blockade with propranolol in schistosomotic patients during the period of postoperative ileus. Methods: The study compared schistosomotic patients submitted, or not, to beta-adrenergic blockade. Basal cardiac frequency was determined and propranolol was used in a dose of 40 mg twice a day. The dose was adjusted weekly until a minimum decrease of 20% in cardiac frequency was achieved. Three coupled bipolar electrodes were placed in the left colon in both groups, and registration of myoelectric activity of the left colon was made twice a day during the period of postoperative ileus using a system of data collection (DATA Q Series 200). The electric signals were previously amplified, filtered and separated into Electric Control Activity (ECA) and Electric Response Activity (ERA). Results: The dose of propranolol varied from 80 to 160 mg/day. The proportional decrease in basal heart frequency varied from 20 to 33%, with an average of 25.4 ± 3.9% in the propranolol group, maintaining a mean of 24.3 ± 3.6% decrease in the postoperative period. Differences on clinical recovery of the postoperative ileus were not found. Significant differences on electromyographic patterns were not observed between the groups, except for the presence of a greater number of short-duration contractions in the second postoperative day in the beta-blocked group. Conclusion: The authors suggest that the preoperative beta-adrenergic blockade with propranolol does not determine myoelectric activity changes that could contribute to an earlier resolution of postoperative ileus.

Controle de infecção em cirurgia geral: resultado de um estudo prospectivo de 23 anos e 42.274 cirurgias

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was evaluate a methodology during 23 years in a public hospital used infection for control of surgeries. METHODS: A total of 42,274 surgeries in the General Surgery Division of the Clinics Hospital of the Pernambuco Federal University (January of 1977 until December 1999) were evaluated. The data were acquired through a active search system by the infection control nurse and an epidemiological search during the postoperative period, in the outpatient clinic that centralized all surgical patients after discharge. The infection control committee concentrated its action in the prevention emphasizing precise diagnosis of infections cases; corporal cleaning, control of associated infection, minimal preoperative period, care with the shaving; rigorous asepsia and antisepsia; adequate surgical technique; notification of the infection control results and the infection/surgeon/anesthetist rates; and a rigorous antimicrobial control. RESULTS: Wound infection rate dropped from 15-20% to the actual rate of 7.7%. Urinary infection was reduced from 18.2% to 0.4%, and the respiratory infection from 22.9% to 2.7%. The mortality related to infection was reduced from 2.8% to 0.9% and the rate of wound infection in clean surgeries from 12.8% to 3.4%. In the outpatient surgeries (27,580) the wound infection was 0.4% and the global mortality was 0.007%. CONCLUSION: The authors demonstrated that infection control is not made by expensive investments and equipaments, or computadorized ambient. Infection control is made, in our view, by political decision, manpower and motivation to control the infection control problem.

THE INFLUENCE OF PERIPORTAL (PIPESTEM) FIBROSIS ON LONG TERM RESULTS OF SURGICAL TREATMENT FOR SCHISTOSOMOTIC PORTAL HYPERTENSION

AIM To evaluate the degree of influence that periportal fibrosis has on clinical development and the long term results of surgical treatment on patients with hepatic-splenic schistosomiasis with previous gastrointestinal hemorrhages. METHODS During the period of 1992-1998, 111 patients underwent surgical treatment for the treatment of hepatic-splenic schistosomiasis with previous gastrointestinal hemorrhages. The degree of fibrosis was classified as: degree I - the portal spaces show a rich increase of young connective cells, a slight collagen production and a varying presence of inflammatory infiltrate. The periportal blade unchangeable (29/111); degree II - there is an expansion of the connective tissue with the emission of radial collagen septa, producing a star shaped aspect (38/111); degree III - the connective septa form bridges with other portal spaces or with the vein, with evident angiomatoid neo-formation (44/111). CONCLUSION The patients with periportal fibrosis degree I present recurrent hemorrhages statistically less than patients with periportal fibrosis degrees II and III, and that the intensity of the periportal fibrosis is not the only pathophysiological factor of the esophageal varices, gastric varices, prevalence of post-operative portal vein thrombosis and hematological and biochemical alterations of the patients with pure mansoni schistosomiasis.

Treatment of ring slippage after gastric bypass: long-term results after endoscopic dilation with an achalasia balloon (with videos).

BACKGROUND Silastic rings are used in gastric bypass procedures for the treatment of obesity, but ring slippage may lead to gastric pouch outlet stenosis (GPOS). Conventional management has been ring removal through abdominal surgery. OBJECTIVE To describe a novel, safe, minimally invasive, endoscopic technique for the treatment of GPOS caused by ring slippage after gastric bypass. DESIGN Case series. SETTING Federal University of Pernambuco and São Paulo University. PATIENTS This study involved 39 consecutive patients who were screened for inclusion. INTERVENTION Endoscopic dilation with an achalasia balloon. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS Technical success and safety of the procedure. RESULTS Among the 39 patients, 35 underwent endoscopic dilation at the ring slippage site for the relief of GPOS. The 4 patients who did not undergo endoscopic dilation underwent surgical removal of the ring, based on the exclusion criteria. The endoscopic approach was successful in 1 to 4 sessions in 100% of cases with radioscopic control (n = 12). The duration of the procedures ranged from 5 to 30 minutes, and the average internment was 14.4 hours. Dilation promoted either rupture (65.7%) or stretching (34.3%) of the thread within the ring, thereby increasing the luminal diameter of the GPOS. Complications included self-limited upper digestive tract hemorrhage (n = 1) and asymptomatic ring erosion (n = 4). There were no recurrences of obstructive symptoms during the follow-up period (mean of 33.3 months). LIMITATIONS This was not a randomized, comparison study, and the number of patients was relatively small. CONCLUSION The technique described promotes the relief of GPOS with low overall morbidity and avoids abdominal reoperation for ring removal.