Donald T. Baril

Predictors of mortality after colectomy for fulminant Clostridium difficile colitis

OBJECTIVESnTo present, to our knowledge, the largest experience with colectomy for fulminant Clostridium difficile colitis and to propose factors significant in predicting mortality.nnnDESIGNnRetrospective medical record review.nnnSETTINGnUniversity teaching hospital.nnnPATIENTSnSeventy-three patients undergoing colectomy between 1994 and 2005 for C difficile-associated pseudomembranous colitis.nnnMAIN OUTCOME MEASURESnPreoperative predictors of in-hospital mortality.nnnRESULTSnSeventy-three of 5718 cases (1.3%) of C difficile colitis required colectomy. Mean age was 68 years. In-hospital mortality was 34% (n = 25). Eighty-six percent (n = 63) of patients received a subtotal colectomy. Patients presented with diarrhea (84%; n = 61), abdominal pain (75%; n = 55), and ileus (16%; n = 12). Mean duration of symptoms was 7 days followed by 4 days of medical treatment prior to colectomy. On univariate analysis, an admitting diagnosis other than C difficile (P = .049), vasopressor requirement (P = .001), intubation (P = .001), and mental status changes (P < .001) were significant predictors of mortality. Arterial lactate level (4.9 vs 2.4 mmol/L; P = .007) was significantly higher and length of medical management (6.4 vs 3.0 days; P = .006) was significantly longer in the mortality group. Platelet counts (169 x 10(3)/microL vs 261 x 10(3)/microL [to convert to x 10(9)/L, multiply by 1]; P = .04) were significantly lower in the mortality group. On multivariate analysis, vasopressor requirement (P = .04; odds ratio, 5.0), mental status changes (P = .002; odds ratio, 12.6), and treatment length (P = .002; odds ratio, 1.4) remained significant predictors of mortality.nnnCONCLUSIONSnColectomy for C difficile colitis carries a substantial mortality regardless of patient age and white blood cell count. Preoperative vasopressor requirement, mental status changes, and length of medical treatment significantly predict mortality.

Experience with endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair in nonagenarians.

Purpose: To report a single-institution experience with endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair (EVAR) in nonagenarians. Methods: A retrospective review was performed of all patients >90 years old undergoing EVAR over an 8-year period at a major academic medical center. The patient population was investigated for the presence of various comorbidities, initial aneurysm size, successful aneurysm exclusion, perioperative complications, disposition, endoleaks, secondary interventions, and overall survival. Results: EVAR was performed in 18 male nonagenarians (mean age 92.4 years, range 90–95). Mean aneurysm diameter was 7.3 cm (range 5.5–9.8). The cohort had an average of 3.2 comorbid conditions. Sixteen patients were treated electively, while 2 patients underwent emergent repair for contained rupture and bleeding aortoenteric fistula, respectively. Immediate technical success was 100%. Perioperative local/vascular complications occurred in 4 (22%) patients. Perioperative systemic complications occurred in 3 (17%) patients. There were 2 (11%) perioperative (<30 days) deaths. Three (17%) patients required secondary interventions. Mean survival in patients who expired during the follow-up period beyond the first 30 days was 34 months (range 8–78). Mean survival in 8 patients who are still alive is 17.4 months (range 9–39). Conclusion: Endovascular AAA repair in nonagenarians is associated with a high rate of technical success and relatively low morbidity rate. Survival times following successful hospital discharge are significant. Suitable patients over 90 years of age may benefit from an endovascular AAA repair.

The Management of 38 Anastomotic Leaks After 1,684 Intestinal Resections

PurposeThis study was designed to evaluate the management of anastomotic leaks and assess the impact of outpatient leak presentation on clinical outcome.MethodsThirty-eight patients with clinical anastomotic leaks from 1,684 adult patients undergoing large and small intestinal anastomosis in a tertiary referral center between January 1, 2003 and September 1, 2005 were studied. All pediatric patients and adult patients with esophageal and gastric leaks were excluded. Charts were reviewed for information on anastomotic leak management, discharge status before leak presentation, length of stay, readmissions, and mortality.ResultsThe overall leak rate was 2.3 percent. Eighty-seven percent of patients (n = 33) were managed operatively. Forty-two percent of patients (n = 16) were discharged after initial operation and presented as outpatients with anastomotic leak. The discharge and inpatient groups were comparable in respect to total length of stay (26.9 vs. 33.4xa0days) and number of readmissions (2 vs. 1.5). The overall mortality of 5 percent (n = 2) originated from the discharge group. A greater percentage of discharge patients required intensive care unit stays for more than two weeks (25 vs. 14 percent) and very long hospital admissions lasting more than two months (31 vs. 9 percent). A smaller percentage of the discharge group patients had their ostomies reversed (31 vs. 50 percent).ConclusionsThe primary management of clinical anastomotic leak remains intestinal diversion. Although length of stay was shorter in the discharge group, the number of patients who experienced significant intensive care unit stays and very long hospital stays was greater. Within the discharge group, mortality was higher and fewer patients had their ostomies reversed.

Endovascular repair of a traumatic arteriovenous fistula 34 years after the injury: report of a case.

Penetrating extremity injuries can result in the development of arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs), whereby normal blood flow through the capillary bed is bypassed. Late complications of untreated AVFs include proximal arterial dilatation, venous congestion, congestive heart failure, and distal ischemia. We report the case of a 57-year-old man who was referred to us for treatment of a traumatic AVF with multiple sequelae, 34 years after he sustained a shrapnel injury to his right lower leg. We performed successful endovascular repair of this AVF with the patient under spinal anesthesia. Computed tomographic angiography (CTA) done 1 month and 6 months later confirmed AVF exclusion. Patients may present with sequelae of traumatic AVFs many years after their initial injury. Endovascular repair of AVFs offers several advantages over conventional repair and can be performed successfully even in the presence of complex anatomic abnormalities.

Laparoscopic Cortical-Sparing Adrenalectomy for Bilateral Pheochromocytoma

A 32-year-old female with asthma was hospitalized for pneumonia in 2/06. She underwent a CT scan of the chest which revealed an incidental finding of bilateral adrenal masses. On further questioning, she admitted to palpitations and flushing. She was normotensive. Biochemical workup was significant for elevated urinary norepinephrine and normetanephrines, and plasma catecholamine level. MIBG scan showed positive uptake in the left adrenal gland consistent with pheochromocytoma. T2 weighted MRI showed bilateral adrenal masses, left greater than right. After adequate alpha blockade with phenoxybenzamine, the patient underwent a laparoscopic left adrenalectomy. Pathology revealed a 3.5 cm pheochromocytoma. The patient then underwent a right cortical-sparing adrenalectomy to avoid complete adrenal insufficiency and Addisonian crisis. The choice of operation was made realizing the potential for increased bleeding, which was further complicated by the patient’s Jehovah’s Witness beliefs, which prohibit transfusion of any blood products. At surgery, a small, well-circumscribed mass of the inferior right adrenal gland was found, and excised in its entirety. A postoperative ACTH-stimulation test showed appropriate cortisol response. Pathology revealed a 1.5 cm pheochromocytoma, and the patient recovered uneventfully. Cortical-sparing adrenalectomy has been reported with success rates of 65–100% in avoiding exogenous steroid dependence.1,2 Bilateral pheochromocytoma remains the most common indication. Risks for both recurrence and malignancy require lifelong follow-up in these patients.

Surgery insight: advances in endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Despite improvements in diagnostic and therapeutic methods and an increased awareness of their clinical significance, abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) continue to be a major source of morbidity and mortality. Endovascular repair of AAAs, initially described in 1990, offers a less-invasive alternative to conventional open repair. The technology and devices used for endovascular repair of AAAs have progressed rapidly and the approach has proven to be safe and effective in short to midterm investigations. Furthermore, several large trials have demonstrated that elective endovascular repair is associated with lower perioperative morbidity and mortality than open repair. The long-term benefits of endovascular repair relative to open repair, however, continue to be studied. In addition to elective repair, the use of endovascular repair for ruptured AAAs has been increasing, and has been shown to be associated with reduced perioperative morbidity and mortality. Advances in endovascular repair of AAAs, including the development of branched and fenestrated grafts and the use of implantable devices to measure aneurysm-sac pressures following stent-graft deployment, have further broadened the application of the technique and have enhanced postoperative monitoring. Despite these advances, endovascular repair of AAAs remains a relatively novel technique, and further long-term data need to be collected.