Charles Sabbagh

Results of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: A prospective study in 135 patients with morbid obesity

BACKGROUND Sleeve gastrectomy is a new restrictive bariatric procedure increasingly indicated in the treatment of morbid obesity. The authors report their experience of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), evaluate the efficacy of this procedure on weight loss, and analyze the short-term outcome. METHODS The data of 135 consecutive patients undergoing LSG between July 2004 and October 2007 were analyzed prospectively. LSG was indicated only for weight reduction with a body mass index (BMI) > 40 or > 35 kg/m(2) associated with severe comorbidity. Study endpoints included mean BMI, comorbidity, operative data, conversion to laparotomy, intraoperative complications, major and minor complication rates, excess weight loss, follow-up, and duration of hospital stay. Possible risk factors for postoperative gastric fistula (PGF) were investigated. RESULTS This series comprised 113 females and 22 males with a mean age of 40 years (range, 18-65). Mean weight was 132 kg (range, 94-186), and mean preoperative BMI was 48.8 kg/m(2) (range, 37-72). The mean operating time was 103 minutes (range, 30-550). No patients required conversion to laparotomy, and 96% of patients did not require drainage. The nasogastric tube was removed on postoperative day 1. The postoperative course was uneventful in 94.9% of cases, and the median duration of hospital stay was 3.8 days. The median follow-up was 12.7 months. The mean postoperative BMI decreased to 39.8 kg/m(2) at 6 months (P < .001). Average excess body weight loss was 38.6% and 49.4% at 6 months and 1 year, respectively. There was no mortality, and the major complication rate, corresponding to gastric fistula (PGF) in every case, was 5.1% (n = 7). Management of PGF required reoperation, radiologic and endoscopic procedures, and fibrin glue; the median hospital stay was 47 days. BMI > 60 kg/m(2) appears to be a risk factor for PGF. CONCLUSION LSG is a reproducible and seems to be an effective treatment to achieve significant weight loss after 12 months follow-up. LSG can be used as a standalone operation to obtain weight reduction. Management of PGF remains a major issue.

Is stenting as "a bridge to surgery" an oncologically safe strategy for the management of acute, left-sided, malignant, colonic obstruction? A comparative study with a propensity score analysis.

Objective and Background:Self-expanding metallic stent (SEMS) insertion has been suggested as a promising alternative to emergency surgery for left-sided malignant colonic obstruction (LMCO). However, the literature on the long-term impact of SEMS as “a bridge to surgery” is limited and contradictory. Methods:From January 1998 to June 2011, we retrospectively identified patients operated on for LMCO with curative intent. The primary outcome criterion was overall survival. Short-term secondary endpoints included the technical success rate and overall success rate and long-term secondary endpoints included 5-year overall survival, 5-year cancer-specific mortality, 5-year disease-free survival, the recurrence rate, and mean time to recurrence. Patients treated with SEMS were analyzed on an intention-to-treat basis. Overall survival was analyzed after using a propensity score to correct for selection bias. Results:There were 48 patients in the SEMS group and 39 in the surgery-only group. In the overall population, overall survival (P = 0.001) and 5-year overall survival (P = 0.0003) were significantly lower in the SEMS group than in the surgery-only group, and 5-year cancer-specific mortality was significantly higher in the SEMS group (48% vs 21%, respectively (P = 0.02)). Five-year disease-free survival, the recurrence rate, and the mean time to recurrence were better in the surgery-only group (not significant). For patients with no metastases or perforations at hospital admission, overall survival (P = 0.003) and 5-year overall survival (30% vs 67%, respectively, P = 0.001) were significantly lower in the SEMS group than in the surgery-only group. Conclusions:Our study results suggest worse overall survival of patients with LMCO with SEMS insertion compared with immediate surgery.

Self-expandable metal stents for obstructing colonic and extracolonic cancer: European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) Clinical Guideline

This Guideline is an official statement of the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE). This Guideline was also reviewed and endorsed by the Governing Board of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE). The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system was adopted to define the strength of recommendations and the quality of evidence. ESGE guidelines represent a consensus of best practice based on the available evidence at the time of preparation. They may not apply in all situations and should be interpreted in the light of specific clinical situations and resource availability. Further controlled clinical studies may be needed to clarify aspects of these statements, and revision may be necessary as new data appear. Clinical consideration may justify a course of action at variance to these recommendations. ESGE guidelines are intended to be an educational device to provide information that may assist endoscopists in providing care to patients. They are not rules and should not be construed as establishing a legal standard of care or as encouraging, advocating, requiring, or discouraging any particular treatment

Case Report—Complex Management of a Postoperative Bronchogastric Fistula After Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is a new restrictive bariatric procedure increasingly indicated in the treatment of morbid obesity. Postoperative complications are mainly represented by gastric fistula with an occurrence rate of 0% to 5.1% in the literature. This complication is difficult to manage and requires multiple radiological, endoscopic, and surgical procedures. We report herein the case of a 23-year-old woman who underwent LSG for morbid obesity. This patient was reoperated for peritonitis due to a gastric fistula located on the top of the staple line. Five months later, she complained of a cough with fever and expectoration. A methylene blue test and a computed tomography scan diagnosed a postoperative bronchogastric fistula. After failure of aggressive conservative management, radical surgery was performed with total gastrectomy, reconstruction of the diaphragm using the extended latissimus dorsi flap, and a pulmonary lobectomy. This case report highlights the possible issue of the complex management of gastric fistula after LSG.

BAD, a proapoptotic member of the BCL2 family, is a potential therapeutic target in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Proteins of the BCL2 family are key regulators of apoptosis. Their expression levels are frequently altered in cancers, enabling tumor cells to survive. To gain insight into the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), we performed a comprehensive survey of the expression of the members of the BCL2 family in samples obtained from surgically resected HCCs. Here, we report the occurrence of a new molecular anomaly, consisting of a strong reduction in the expression of the proapoptotic protein BAD in HCC compared with surrounding nontumoral tissue. We investigate the function of BAD in a panel of HCC cell lines. Using gene overexpression and RNA interference, we show that BAD is involved in the cytotoxic effects of sorafenib, a multikinase blocker, which is currently the sole therapeutic drug effective for the treatment of HCC. Finally, we report that ABT-737, a compound that interacts with proteins of the BCL2 family and exhibits a BAD-like reactivity, sensitizes HCC cells toward sorafenib-induced apoptosis. Collectively, our findings indicate that BAD is a key regulator of apoptosis in HCC and an important determinant of HCC cell response to sorafenib. Mol Cancer Res; 8(8); 1116–25. ©2010 AACR.

Biliary drainage, photodynamic therapy and chemotherapy for unresectable cholangiocarcinoma with jaundice

Background and Aim:  The combination of photodynamic therapy and biliary stenting seems to be beneficial in the palliative treatment of unresectable cholangiocarcinoma. We aimed to assess the accuracy of photodynamic therapy in a single centre.

The current abdominoperineal resection: oncological problems and surgical modifications for low rectal cancer.

Abdominoperineal resection is the one of the oldest surgical procedures for rectal cancer. Outcome after abdominoperineal resection for rectal carcinoma is not as good as anterior resection as the risk of local recurrence is higher and survival is poorer. During abdominoperineal resection, the rate of rectal perforation is high and the circumferential margin is often involved. Recently the concept of cylindrical abdominoperineal resection has been reintroduced. It allows a large excision and the initial results are encouraging. The purpose of this article was to analyse the oncological results of abdominoperineal resection and to develop the potential technical modifications of the procedure.

Non-hepatic gastrointestinal surgery in patients with cirrhosis

Gastrointestinal surgery is feasible in patients with Child A cirrhosis, but is associated with higher morbidity and mortality. Hernia repair, biliary and colonic surgery are the most frequently performed interventions in this context. Esophageal and pancreatic surgery are more controversial and less frequently performed. For patients with decompensated liver function (Child B or C patients), the indications for surgery should be discussed by a multi-specialty team including the hepatologist, anesthesiologist, surgeon; liver function should be optimized if possible. During emergency surgery, histologic diagnosis of cirrhosis should be confirmed by liver biopsy because the histologic diagnosis has therapeutic and prognostic implications. The management of patients with Child A cirrhosis without portal hypertension is little different from the management of patients without cirrhosis. However, the management of patients with Child B or C cirrhosis or with portal hypertension is more complex and requires an accurate assessment of the balance of benefit vs. risk for surgical intervention on a case-by-case basis.

Place of colorectal stents in therapeutic management of malignant large bowel obstructions

G. Colonic stent and anti-angiogenic treatment Take home messages: ▶ Whatever the situation a medical-surgical discussion must take place before any treatment decision. ▶ The placement of a stent is not recommended in the absence of clinical and radiological signs of obstruction, even when the endoscope cannot pass through the tumour. ▶ If indicated, colonic stenting should be considered within 12 to 24 hours after admission. ▶ Stent is contraindicated in cases of perforation, clinical and/or radiological signs of colonic suffering, for cancer of the low and middle rectum, and when colonic obstruction is associated with small bowel incarceration. ▶ Stent must be placed endoscopically and under radiological control. ▶ Stent placement must be performed by a trained operator in a suitable medicosurgical unit. ▶ The use of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and other oral preparations is contraindicated. ▶ Pre-expansion and passage through the tumour stenosis by a large-caliber endoscope must be avoided. ▶ In curative intent (non metastatic tumour or resectable metastases), stenting cannot be recommended as first-line intervention. It remains a therapeutic option in expert centres, pending validation by a randomized study. In the context of curative intent, the surgical treatment of occlusion is preferred. ▶ In the context of palliative intent (unresectable metastases, unresectable patient), stenting can be recommended as a first-line intervention. In this situation surgery is another treatment option. ▶ In patients with a colonic stent, using anti-angiogenic therapy may cause more frequent local complications (relative contraindication), and the placement of a stent in a patient treated with anti-angiogenic treatment is not recommended. ▶ The short-term efficacy data of stents are generally good. There are few data about long-term outcomes or about patients receiving chemotherapy with or without targeted therapy. A. Introduction !

To Drain or Not to Drain Infraperitoneal Anastomosis After Rectal Excision for Cancer: The GRECCAR 5 Randomized Trial.

Objective: To assess the effect of pelvic drainage after rectal surgery for cancer. Background: Pelvic sepsis is one of the major complications after rectal excision for rectal cancer. Although many studies have confirmed infectiveness of drainage after colectomy, there is still a controversy after rectal surgery. Methods: This multicenter randomized trial with 2 parallel arms (drain vs no drain) was performed between 2011 and 2014. Primary endpoint was postoperative pelvic sepsis within 30 postoperative days, including anastomotic leakage, pelvic abscess, and peritonitis. Secondary endpoints were overall morbidity and mortality, rate of reoperation, length of hospital stay, and rate of stoma closure at 6 months. Results: A total of 494 patients were randomized, 25 did not meet the criteria and 469 were analyzed: 236 with drain and 233 without. The anastomotic height was 3.5 ± 1.9 cm from the anal verge. The rate of pelvic sepsis was 17.1% (80/469) and was similar between drain and no drain: 16.1% versus 18.0% (P = 0.58). There was no difference of surgical morbidity (18.7% vs 25.3%; P = 0.83), rate of reoperation (16.6% vs 21.0%; P = 0.22), length of hospital stay (12.2 vs 12.2; P = 0.99) and rate of stoma closure (80.1% vs 77.3%; P = 0.53) between groups. Absence of colonic pouch was the only independent factor of pelvic sepsis (odds ratio = 1.757; 95% confidence interval 1.078–2.864; P = 0.024). Conclusions: This randomized trial suggests that the use of a pelvic drain after rectal excision for rectal cancer did not confer any benefit to the patient.