Caglià P

Two-as-one Monolateral Dual Kidney Transplantation

OBJECTIVES Dual kidney transplantation (DKT) of marginal kidneys could offer transplant candidates a very satisfactory kidney transplantation in terms of renal function. However, DKT might be considered a major surgical procedure and, in older recipients, has a potentially greater risk of surgical complications compared with single kidney transplantation. Because of these findings, some transplant centers have replaced the classic bilateral placement of 2 kidneys with the monolateral placement of both kidneys. METHODS In a group of 35 DKTs performed during a 5-year period, we applied a new technique of monolateral placement of DKT in 10 recipients. In these 10 patients, the arteries and veins of the 2 kidneys were joined through a running suture, and the joined kidneys were anastomosed into the external iliac vessels in the recipient. RESULTS The delayed graft function rate was 20%. No surgical complications developed in the entire series. One patient experienced late rejection with ureteral stricture. The graft and patient survival rate at a median follow-up of 30 months was 90%. CONCLUSIONS To reduce the surgical risk and morbidity rate, the monolateral placement of both kidneys seems the safest method to perform DKT. The joined monolateral DKT, by reducing the cold ischemia time and the surgical trauma, could represent a step forward in the delicate treatment of these patients.

Incisional hernia in the elderly: Risk factors and clinical considerations

OBJECTIVE Ventral incisional hernia is a common complication of abdominal surgery. The marked improvements in medical technology and healthcare, lead to an increasing number of elderly patients to take advantage of even complex surgical procedures. The objective of this literature review was to analyze the risk factors for ventral incisional hernia in elderly patients and to identify measures that might decrease the incidence of this complication. MATERIALS AND METHODS An analysis of the surgical literature was performed using the search engines EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and PubMed with particular reference to elderly patients using the keywords: abdominal hernia, wound dehiscence, incisional hernia, incidence, trocar site hernia, and hernia prevention. RESULTS In our opinion the risk factors for incisional hernia should be separately considered. First those related to the patients and to the abdominal surgery and, in addition, those related to the surgery of the abdominal wall defects. CONCLUSIONS Reparative surgery of the abdominal wall, to date uniquely characterized by the use of the mesh, should be considered an additional risk factor for the occurrence of incisional hernia. However, the low incarceration risk, the risk of recurrence, the relevant rate of postoperative pain and discomfort and complications associated with mesh repair, as small bowel obstruction, mesh infection, and entero-cutaneous fistula, suggest that the general indication for surgical treatment of incisional hernias, in a symptomatic or oligosymptomatic elderly patients, should be critically reconsidered in order to avoid unnecessary surgery.

Kidney transplantation from donors with hepatitis C infection

The increasing demand for organ donors to supply the increasing number of patients on kidney waiting lists has led to most transplant centers developing protocols that allow safe utilization from donors with special clinical situations which previously were regarded as contraindications. Deceased donors with previous hepatitis C infection may represent a safe resource to expand the donor pool. When allocated to serology-matched recipients, kidney transplantation from donors with hepatitis C may result in an excellent short-term outcome and a significant reduction of time on the waiting list. Special care must be dedicated to the pre-transplant evaluation of potential candidates, particularly with regard to liver functionality and evidence of liver histological damage, such as cirrhosis, that could be a contraindication to transplantation. Pre-transplant antiviral therapy could be useful to reduce the viral load and to improve the long-term results, which may be affected by the progression of liver disease in the recipients. An accurate selection of both donor and recipient is mandatory to achieve a satisfactory long-term outcome.

Dedifferentiated liposarcomas: evaluation of the prognostic and therapeutic factors in the elderly patient

BackgroundLiposarcomas (LPS) are rare tumors accounting approxi-mately for 19% of adult soft-tissue tumors [1]. The mostrecent classification of the WHO divides liposarcomasinto 3 main clinicopatological and genetic subtypes:myxoid/round cells liposarcoma, well differentiated /dedifferentiated liposarcoma and pleomorphic liposar-coma [2]. The importance of a total macroscopicalresection to perform an oncologically correct operationis well known, so that it is often necessary to removeone or more adjoining organs with the purpose of redu-cing the risk of local secondary recurrences [3].Materials and methodsWe present the case of an 88-year-old woman with alarge abdominal swelling. The TC of the abdomenshows the spleen moved upward (Figure. 1). The lefthemiabdomen is filled by an expansive formation almost20 cm wide in diameter, made partly of a solid compo-nent and partly cystic-like. The pancreas is totallyagainst the gallbladder. It does not seem possible toremove the back wall of the spleen from the swelling.(Figure 2).We decide to perform surgery. The neoplasia is incontinuity with the tail of the pancreas, so a distal pan-creasectomy and splenectomy is performed. Definitivehistological examination: dedifferentiated liposarcoma ofhigh degree.ResultsAfter surgical resection ofthe primitive liposarcoma,factors determining the probability of recurrence and

Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy in the elderly

Background Few studies have examined the results of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) in the elderly. We reviewed our experience with the procedure in 194 patients age 65 and older.

The thyroid disease in the elderly: Our experience

INTRODUCTION The number of elderly people in Italy is growing, so it is important to study the presentation of diseases in these subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS We selected 1362 patients who underwent thyroidectomy for different thyroid diseases from January 2008 to December 2014. The patients weredivided into two groups, according to the age. The patients aged 65 years and over were included in the group A, and the patients under the age of 65 years were included in the group B. DISCUSSION Thyroid diseases in the elderly often present with atypical symptoms which are very similar to symptoms of the aging process. In elderly hypothyroidism occurs frequently sub-clinically and hyperthyroidism is often presented with cardiovascular symptoms. In our study we evaluated the differences in incidence of thyroid diseases in the elderly and in the younger groups of patients. CONCLUSION The data analyzed in this study showed that in the elderly we have a reduced secretion and metabolization of thyroid hormones. The symptomatology in the elderly is nonspecific and can create a delay in the correct diagnosis.

Treatment of breast cancer in elderly patients

Objectives The number of elderly patients with breast cancer is increasing. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcome of treatment of elderly women with breast cancer. We have explored the clinical and biologic characteristics of a group of patients aged 65 years and over affected with breast cancer. We have also identified specific subsets of elderly patients with breast cancer who have survival similar to that expected in the general population irrespective of disease status.

First Case Report of Acute Renal Failure After Mesh-Plug Inguinal Hernia Repair in a Kidney Transplant Recipient.

AbstractAcute renal failure due to ureter compression after a mesh-plug inguinal repair in a kidney transplant recipient has not been previously reported to our knowledge. A 62-year-old man, who successfully underwent kidney transplantation from a deceased donor 6 years earlier, was admitted for elective repair of a direct inguinal hernia. The patient underwent an open mesh-plug repair of the inguinal hernia with placement of a plug in the preperitoneal space. We did not observe the transplanted ureter and bladder during dissection of the inguinal canal. Immediately after surgery, the patient became anuric, and a graft sonography demonstrated massive hydronephrosis. The serum creatinine level increased rapidly, and the patient underwent an emergency reoperation 8 hours later. During surgery, we did not identify the ureter but, immediately after plug removal, urine output increased progressively. We completed the hernia repair using the standard technique, without plug interposition, and the postoperative course was uneventful with complete resolution of graft dysfunction 3 days later.Furthermore, we reviewed the clinical features of complications related to inguinal hernia surgery. An increased risk of urological complications was reported recently in patients with a previous prosthetic hernia repair undergoing kidney transplantation, mainly due to the mesh adhesion to surrounding structures, making the extraperitoneal dissection during the transplant surgery very challenging. Moreover, older male kidney transplant recipients undergoing an inguinal hernia repair may be at higher risk of graft dysfunction due to inguinal herniation of a transplanted ureter.Mesh-plug inguinal hernia repair is a safe surgical technique, but this unique case suggests that kidney transplant recipients with inguinal hernia may be at higher risk of serious urological complications. Surgeons must be aware of the graft and ureter position before proceeding with hernia repair. A prompt diagnosis with graft sonography and abdominal computed tomography scan and emergency surgery may avoid the need for nephrostomy and may resolve graft dysfunction more rapidly.

Total parenteral nutrition in major surgery: role in geriatric age

Objectives Many studies demonstrate that malnutrition in geriatric patient suitable for major surgery is an important risk factor for the onset of operating complications and for the increase of mortality range. The aim of this study is to value if an appropriate nutritional support allows a better metabolic recovery of the geriatric patient in order to decrease post-operating morbidity and mortality.