Gregory C. Oliver

Practice parameters for the treatment of sigmoid diverticulitis - Supporting documentation

It should be recognized that these guidelines should not be deemed inclusive of all proper methods of care or exclusive of methods of care reasonably directed to obtaining the same results. The ultimate judgment regarding the propriety of any specific procedure must be made by the physician in light of all of the circumstances presented by the individual patient.

Delorme's procedure for complete rectal prolapse in severely debilitated patients

PURPOSE: This study was designed to assess the results of a minimally invasive surgical procedure for the correction of complete rectal prolapse in a poor surgical risk group. METHODS: Over a ten-year period, 40 patients underwent 41 Delorme operations when advanced age and/or poor overall health mitigated against an abdominal approach. Mean age was 82 (range, 30–100) years. Eighty-eight percent were females. Surgery was performed in the prone jackknife position utilizing intravenous sedation and local anesthesia. RESULTS: Follow-up ranges from 1 year to 2 years (mean, 47 months). There have been 9 recurrences in 8 patients (22 percent). Mean time to recurrence was 13 months (range, 1 month to 6 years). One death occurred in an 81-year-old patient within 24 hours of surgery from cardiopulmonary arrest. Minor complications occurred in 25 percent of patients. CONCLUSION: Satisfactory prolapse repair was safely performed in 78 percent of this high-risk group. Pitfalls in performing this procedure relate primarily to associated perineal and colonic conditions. Most prominent among these conditions are weak or absent anal sphincter tone, perineal descent, and previous sphincter injury. Extensive diverticular disease may prohibit effective and complete proximal mucosectomy. An inadequate mucosectomy sets the stage for early recurrence of prolapse.

Is preoperative computerized tomography useful in assessing patients with colorectal carcinoma

PURPOSE: Controversy exists over the appropriate preoperative evaluation of colorectal cancer patients. Most surgeons agree that basic laboratory studies are indicated. Computerized tomography of the abdomen and pelvis has been used in our practice to augment the preoperative evaluation of these patients. METHODS: One hundred fifty-eight consecutive patients with primary colorectal carcinoma underwent computerized tomography (CT) of the abdomen as part of their preoperative evaluation. Their medical records were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: In 88 patients, 120 findings present on CT were otherwise unknown. Of these, 35 percent were clinically significant in that they allowed the surgeon to alter the proposed operative procedure or added additional technical information for consideration preoperatively. Findings include liver metastasis (26), atrophic kidney (3), and abdominal wall or contiguous organ invasion (11). In addition, two other solid organ carcinomas were detected. In the remaining 70 patients, CT contributed no additional pertinent information about the patient prior to this initial operative procedure. CONCLUSIONS: CT aids in the preoperative evaluation of individuals with colorectal carcinoma. It provides important clinical information that is useful to the surgeon planning the procedure. Additionally, CT permits the patient and his family to be aware of their overall status and to subsequent treatment options. Computerized tomography eliminates the need for preoperative intravenous pyelogram, improves the preoperative staging for metastatic disease, and provides a baseline for comparison during the postoperative follow-up period should recurrence be suspected or adjuvant therapy be planned.

Electrogalvanic stimulation in the treatment of levator syndrome.

The records of 102 patients with levator syndromes were reviewed. All had failed trials of conservative management prior to treatments with electrogalvanic stimulation. The symptoms of 12 patients were subsequently found not to be due to levator syndrome. Of 90 patients with correct diagnoses, 77 percent were relieved or improved after courses of electrogalvanic stimulation, a valuable adjunct to the management of this frustrating condition.

Preoperative localization of intermittently bleeding small intestinal tumors using Tc-99m labeled red blood cell scanning. Report of two cases

Frequent tagged red blood cell scans offer an important diagnostic adjunct to help define a site of intermittent bleeding. Success is based upon scanning at two-to-four-hour intervals. Two patients are presented who experienced intermittent episodes of melena and hematochezia over prolonged periods of time. In each case an extensive diagnostic work-up had been performed on multiple occasions and failed to demonstrate the source. Utilizing a Technetium-99 macroaggregated albumin (Tc-99m) tagged red blood cell scan, an intermittently bleeding lesion within the small bowel was identified in each instance. In order to detect an intermittently bleeding lesion within the small bowel, more frequent scanning intervals are recommended. Due to rapid clearing of tagged red blood cells into the colon from the small-bowel bleeding point, the source may be obscured by longer, routine scanning intervals.

Anterior perineal sinus

Each year we treat several patients with an anterior perineal sinus tract. They do not conform to commonly encountered perineal problems such as pilonidal disease, epidermal cysts, hidradenitis, fistulous abscess, or inflammatory bowel disease. In an effort to improve understanding of the problem and its clinical significance, we reviewed our practice records for the period from 1968 through 1988. Fifty-six patients underwent surgery for an anterior perineal sinus tract. In 31 patients, the clinical and pathologic condition defied classical diagnostic categorization. We have termed these lesions “anterior perineal sinuses.” Their clinical characteristics, treatment, and pathologic assessment form the body of this report. Male predominance (87 percent) and midlife presentation (average age, 44 years) characterized this group. Local symptoms were present from several weeks to several years prior to treatment. Local anesthesia (74 percent) and limited surgery (100 percent) resulted in complete healing in all patients (average, 7 weeks). A 15 percent recurrence rate was noted. The pathologic evaluation demonstrated acute and chronic dermal and subcutaneous inflammation. The etiology of this process remains uncertain. Its predominance along the median raphe suggests a congenital midline inclusion disorder.

The totally implantable infusion pump in treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer.

Final evaluation of the Infusaid Pump system (Infusaid Corporation, Sharon, MA) for administration of regional chemotherapy must await completion of trials prospectively comparing survival of matched patients treated in this manner and patients treated by traditional systemic chemotherapy. A review of the current medical literature confirms our personal experience that response rates within the liver are high. Survival reports appear encouraging but this may represent an artifact in patient selection. An algorithm is presented to offer surgeons a reasonable and conservative means for selection of those colorectal cancer patients with metastatic involvement of the liver who are most likely to benefit from this system of drug delivery.

New method for low transection of the rectum

A method for low transection of the rectum within a narrow pelvis is described using the new GIA 90 autosuture instrument.