Christoph A. Jacobi

Pneumoperitoneum with carbon dioxide stimulates growth of malignant colonic cells

BACKGROUND Port-site recurrences have often been reported after laparoscopic surgery for malignant disease, and the pathogenesis is unknown. Whether different gases used to establish pneumoperitoneum have an influence on tumor cell growth has not been investigated. METHODS Tumor growth of colon adenocarcinoma DHD/K12/TRb was measured in a rat model after insufflation with either carbon dioxide or helium and in a control group. Tumor growth was evaluated in three experiments: (1) in vitro (n = 60), (2) ex vivo (n = 60), and (3) in vivo (n = 60). After insufflation, cell kinetics were determined in the first two experiments. In the third experiment, tumor growth was measured subcutaneously and intraperitoneally 5 weeks after insufflation. RESULTS Tumor cell growth increased significantly after insufflation with carbon dioxide in vitro (p < 0.03) and ex vivo (p < 0.05) compared with the control group, whereas helium did not stimulate cell growth. In vivo, subcutaneous tumor growth was promoted by carbon dioxide (131 +/- 55 mg) (p < 0.01) compared with helium (35 +/- 34 mg) and the control group (36 +/- 33 mg). Total intraperitoneal tumor weight was 717 +/- 320 mg in carbon dioxide group compared with helium (549 +/- 231 mg) and control group (570 +/- 321 mg). CONCLUSIONS The insufflation of carbon dioxide promotes tumor growth compared with helium and control in a rat model. Further studies should confirm these results before alternative gases should be recommended in laparoscopic surgery for malignant diseases.

Prospective Randomized Study Comparing Laparoscopic and Open Tension-free Inguinal Hernia Repair with Shouldice’s Operation

BACKGROUND Although tension-free techniques of hernia repair using synthetic meshes revealed encouraging results, the best method of inguinal hernia repair is still unclear. METHODS In a prospective randomized phase-II-B study, early postoperative results of laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal repair (n = 80), open plug and patch repair (n = 80), and Shouldices operation (n = 80) were compared. Postoperative pain and patients comfort were defined as main endpoints. RESULTS The laparoscopic approach had significantly longer operation time and was more expensive (61 +/- 12 minutes;

Inhibition of peritoneal tumor cell growth and implantation in laparoscopic surgery in a rat model

1,211) than plug and patch repair (36 +/- 14 minutes;

Surgical therapy of esophageal carcinoma : the influence of surgical approach and esophageal resection on cardiopulmonary function

124) and Shouldices operation (47 +/- 17 minutes;

Robotic-assisted laparoscopic and thoracoscopic surgery with the da Vinci system: a 4-year experience in a single institution.

69). Main postoperative complications were wound hematomas, seromas, and superficial wound infection, without significant difference between the groups. Postoperative pain, analgesia requirements, limitation of daily activities, and return to work did not differ between laparoscopic and open tension-free repair but were significantly lower in both groups compared with Shouldices operation. So far, no recurrence was observed after a mean follow-up of 25 months. CONCLUSION Open plug and patch repair is a promising technique of hernia repair in adults, because it offers the same excellent patient comfort as the laparoscopic repair but is less expensive and can be performed under local anesthesia.

Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation increases anti-inflammatory cytokines and attenuates systemic disease sequelae in experimental pancreatitis

BACKGROUND The pathogenesis of portsite recurrences after laparoscopic surgery is still unknown, and a generally accepted approach to prevent tumor implantation does not exist. METHODS The effect of taurolidine and heparin on growth of colon adenocarcinoma DHD/K12/TRb was measured in vitro and in vivo. After incubation of the cells with heparin or taurolidine or both substances, cell kinetics were determined. In a rat model (n = 60), tumor cells were administered intraperitoneally, and pneumoperitoneum was established over 30 minutes. Rats received tumor cells, tumor cells + heparin, tumor cells + taurolidine, or tumor cells + taurolidine + heparin. RESULTS In vitro, tumor cell growth decreased after incubation with taurolidine and taurolidine/heparin. In vivo, intraperitoneal tumor weight was lower in rats receiving heparin (298 +/- 155 mg) and taurolidine (149 +/- 247 mg) compared with the control group (596 +/- 278 mg) but even less when both substances were combined (21.5 +/- 36 mg). CONCLUSION Heparin inhibits intraperitoneal tumor growth in vivo slightly, while taurolidine causes significant decrease of tumor cell growth in vitro as well as tumor take and intraperitoneal tumor growth in vivo.

Pneumatosis Intestinalis — A Pitfall for Surgeons?

OBJECTIVE The effects of the different surgical approaches (transhiatal esophagectomy and right-sided transthoracic esophagectomy) on perioperative cardiopulmonary function in the surgical treatment of esophageal carcinoma are discussed controversially and have not yet been evaluated. METHODS In a prospective randomized study including 32 patients, we investigated the effects of the surgical approach (blunt dissection (n = 16) versus transthoracic en-bloc resection (EB) (n = 16)) in the treatment of esophagus carcinoma on perioperative cardiopulmonary function. The following parameters were measured in all patients: cardiac index (CI), mean arterial pressure (MAP), central venous pressure (CVP), mean pulmonary artery pressure (MPAP), pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP), intrapulmonary shunt (QS/QT), arterio-alveolar (aaDO2), arterio-venous oxygen pressure difference (avDO2), and blood gas analyses. Time of measurement were: after induction of anesthesia, beginning and end of esophagus resection, end of surgery, 1 h postoperatively, and then every 12 h until the third postoperative day. RESULTS Compared to blunt dissection, en-bloc esophagectomy was found to be associated with a transient deterioration of pulmonary function during one-lung ventilation in the left-lateral position, which could already be compensated for during the intervention. No other significant differences in cardiopulmonary effects were seen between the two surgical techniques. The incidence of postoperative complications was identical in both groups. CONCLUSIONS The results of our study show that en-bloc resection is only associated with an increased intraoperative pulmonary strain that is completely compensated during the operation and that there is no difference in cardiopulmonary functions between the two techniques in the postoperative course.

Prevention of disease progression in a patient with a gastric cancer-re-recurrence. Outcome after intravenous treatment with the novel antineoplastic agent taurolidine. Report of a case

Purpose We set up a pilot study to evaluate the efficacy of telerobotic surgery using the da Vinci system for several procedures for which traditional laparoscopy (or thoracoscopy) is a standard approach in a single institution. Methods We performed fundoplications (hiatal hernia repair and antireflux surgery, n=112), upside-down stomach (14), cholecystectomy (16), gastric banding (3), colectomy (5), esophagectomy (4), sub/total gastrectomy (2), gastrojejunostomy (2), along with thymectomy (100), thoracic symatectomy (11), lobectomy (5), mediastinal parathyroidectomy (5), and left pancreatic resection (1). Results The median set up time for all procedures was reduced from 25.0 to 10.4 minutes. Conversion to traditional laparoscopy or thoracoscopy occurred in 12 cases and in open surgery in 11 cases. There was no morbidity related to the telerobotic system. Conclusions Robotically assisted laparoscopic and thoracoscopic surgery is feasible and safe for a variety of procedures in general, visceral, and thoracic surgery.

Tumor size and lymph-node status in pancreatic carcinoma — is there a correlation to the preoperative immune function?

BACKGROUND The cytokines involved in the systemic inflammatory response in acute pancreatitis (AP) comprise lipid mediators (eg, prostanoids, thromboxanes, leukotrienes) generated from arachidonic acid (AA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). The AA-derived mediators are generated from omega-6-fatty acid (FA) and have strong proinflammatory effects and the EPA-derived mediators generated from omega-3-fatty acid are less active or even exhibit anti-inflammatory effects. Basic parenteral nutrition delivers omega-6-FA and omega-3-FA at a ratio of approximately 7:1. AIM To investigate whether altering the FA composition by fish oil supplementation (omega-3-FA) affects cytokine production and the parameters reflecting systemic disease severity in experimental AP. METHODS Severe AP was induced in 30 rats by standardized intraductal infusion of bile salt and IV cerulein. Six hours after AP induction, rats were randomized to TPN using commercial solutions with identical amounts of glucose, amino acids, and fat but different FA compositions: group 1 received a soybean-based fat solution without additional fish oil and group 2 was supplemented with 0.2 g/kg per day fish oil. TPN was continued for 2 days. Serum concentrations of IL-6 and IL-10 were measured before and after AP induction and at 24 and 48 hours after starting TPN. Routine cardiorespiratory and renal parameters were monitored to assess the systemic response at the organ level. RESULTS Animals treated with fish oil had significantly higher IL-10 values (at 24 hours, 63 +/- 7 versus 46 +/- 3 pg/mL), produced more urine (28 +/- 0.9 versus 21 +/- 1.6 mL), and had significantly fewer episodes of respiratory dysfunction (defined as a pO2 < 80 mm Hg or pCO2 > 50 mm Hg for >15 minutes; 29% versus 67%) during the observation period. CONCLUSIONS Altering eicosanoid mediator precursor availability by infusion of (omega-3 fatty acid increases anti-inflammatory cytokines in this model of AP. This together with improved renal and respiratory function suggests that the systemic response to pancreatic injury is attenuated.

Local and systemic chemotherapy with taurolidine and taurolidine/heparin in colon cancer-bearing rats undergoing laparotomy

Pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) is characterized by multiple gas cysts in the wall of the gastrointestinal tract. Primary PI is extremely rare. In most of the cases PI is due to an underlying disease (traumatic and mechanical, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, infectious and pulmonary diseases, drug induced, immunosuppression, transplantation, or neoplasm). A 69-year-old woman was treated with mixed connective tissue disease and PI twice operatively and once conservatively in our department. Review of the english literature showed 13 more cases of PI with underlying mixed connective tissue disease. Most published cases of pneumatosis intestinalis with radiological finding of pneumoperitoneum were treated conservatively and should have not been considered as a reason for surgery. Therefore, the treatment of PI can present as a major dilemma for the surgeon.