Jae Uk Chong

Influencing factors on postoperative hospital stay after laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Backgrounds/Aims Laparoscopic cholecystectomy can reduce postoperative pain and recovery time. However, some patients experience prolonged postoperative hospital stay. We aimed to identify factors influencing the postoperative hospital stay after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Methods Patients (n=336) undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy for gallbladder pathology at 8 hospitals were enrolled and divided into 2 groups: 2 or less and more than 2 days postoperative stay. Perioperative factors and patient factors were retrospectively analyzed. Results The patient population median age was 52 years, and consisted of 32 emergency and 304 elective operations. A univariate analysis of perioperative factors revealed significant differences in operation time (p<0.001), perioperative transfusion (p=0.006), emergency operation (p<0.001), acute inflammation (p<0.001), and surgical site infection (p=0.041). A univariate analysis of patient factors revealed significant differences in age (p<0.001), gender (p=0.036), diabetes mellitus (p=0.011), preoperative albumin level (p=0.024), smoking (p=0.010), and American Society of Anesthesiologists score (p=0.003). In a multivariate analysis, operation time (p<0.001), emergency operation (p<0.001), age (p=0.014), and smoking (p=0.022) were identified as independent factors influencing length of postoperative hospital stay. Conclusions Operation time, emergency operation, patient age, and smoking influenced the postoperative hospital stay and should be the focus of efforts to reduce hospital stay after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

The role of prophylactic antibiotics on surgical site infection in elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Backgrounds/Aims Although laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a common and widely accepted technique, the use of prophylactic antibiotics in elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy still remains controversial. The aim of this study is to determine whether prophylactic antibiotics could prevent surgical site infection after elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy and to identify any risk factors for surgical site infection. Methods This study included 471 patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy between January 2009 and May 2012. Period 1 patients (279) received second generation cephalosporin 1 g intravenously after induction of anesthesia, and Period 2 patients (192) were not given prophylactic antibiotics. The characteristics and surgical site infections of the patients were compared and analyzed. Results The overall rate of surgical site infection was 1.69% for the total of 471 patients. The incidence of surgical site infection was similar for the two Periods: 5 of 279 patients (1.79%) in Period 1, 3 of 192 patients (1.56%) in Period 2 (p=0.973). All of the patients with surgical site infections were well treated under conservative treatments without any sequelae. The preoperative albumin level (p=0.023) contributed to surgical site infection. Conclusions Prophylactic antibiotics are not necessary for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy but patients in poor nutritional state with low albumin level should consider prophylactic antibiotics.

Role of common bile duct resection in T2 and T3 gallbladder cancer patients

Backgrounds/Aims Routine bile duct resection as part of the typical oncological resection for patients with advanced gallbladder cancer remains controversial with regard to, ultimately, curative value. The aim of this study was to compare oncological outcomes for patients undergoing surgery for gallbladder cancer with or without bile duct resection. Methods We recruited, for the purpose of this study, all patients who underwent surgical resection for T2 and T3 gallbladder cancer at Severance hospital, Seoul, Korea, during the period January 2000 and December of 2011. The patient data was reviewed retrospectively. Results The patients (n=149) recruited to participate in the study were divided into two groups according to their bile duct resection status: The bile duct resection group (BDR group, n=54); and, the bile duct non-resection group (BDNR group, n=95). Significant difference was found in lymph node retrieval between BDR and BDNR groups (15 vs. 5, respectively with p<0.001). There was no significant difference between the two groups with regard to the five year survival rate (43% in BDR group vs. 57% in BDNR group, p=0.339). Following multivariate analysis, lymph node metastasis, advanced T-stage, and total retrieved lymph nodes <6 were independent prognostic factors for poor survival in patients with T2 and T3 gallbladder cancer. Conclusions The findings revealed by the current study suggest that the role of bile duct resection might be limited to improved staging, and offers no advantage in long-term survival. However, in view of the foregoing and given the minimal increase in morbidity associated with BDR, it should be actively considered as a treatment option for patients who present with findings suspicious for invasion around hepatoduodenal ligament.

Robotic hepatectomy: the Korean experience and perspective

Since the robotic surgical system was first introduced in 2005, the number of robotic surgery has been gradually increasing in Korea. The proportion of general robotic surgery is relatively higher compared to the western countries, but robotic liver resection is one of the most complex procedures among robotic general surgery. In this article, we introduce the development of robotic liver resection in Korea and describe our standardized techniques. The current data on robotic liver resection in our institute and other centers in Korea are also presented.

Suppression of PROX1-mediated TERT expression in hepatitis B viral hepatocellular carcinoma: HBx inhibits PROX1-mediated TERT expression

Somatic mutations in the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter are related to telomerase activation and frequently occur at two hot spots located at −124 and −146 bp relative to the start codon in various cancers. Here, we investigated the occurrence and implications of genetic alterations in the TERT promoter in hepatitis B viral hepatocellular carcinoma (B viral HCC). TERT promoter mutations, especially −124C>T, clearly enhanced transcriptional activity in HCC cell lines. In contrast, TERT mRNA expression was lower in B viral HCC patients with TERT promoter mutations than in those without. We identified prospero homeobox protein 1 (PROX1) as a novel transcriptional activator of TERT; this protein was shown to have particularly strong binding affinity for the mutant TERT promoter. However, stable expression of the hepatitis B virus X (HBx) protein inhibited PROX1‐mediated TERT expression in vitro. Our data suggest that TERT promoter mutations can enhance the promoter activity in HCC cell lines expressing PROX1 but are not the predominant mechanism of TERT upregulation in B viral HCC patients, based on the inhibition of PROX1‐dependent transcriptional activation by HBx.

Oncologic outcomes after radical surgery for periampullary cancer in octogenarians

Backgrounds/Aims Interest in treatments for elderly patients has increased with life expectancy, and various studies have reported on the safety and feasibility of radical surgery in elderly patients with cancer. Here, we investigated oncologic outcomes of periampullary cancer in octogenarians. Methods We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 68 patients over 80 years of age who were diagnosed with periampullary cancer and were eligible for surgery; we analyzed overall survival (OS) and immediate postoperative complications and mortality. Results There were no significant differences in mean age, disease type, oncologic features, comorbidities, or nutritional status between the patients who had surgery and those who did not. Five patients (20.0%) had major postoperative complications, but there was no immediate postoperative mortality. Patients who had surgery (n=25) had better OS (29.3 months; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.6–53.0) than did those who did not (n=43, OS: 7.6 months; 95% CI: 3.2–12.0 months; p<0.001). Similarly, patients with distal common bile duct cancer who underwent surgery had better OS than those who did not (surgery group: n=13, OS: 29.3 months, 95% CI: 8.9–49.7; non-surgery group: n=15, OS: 5.7 months, 95% CI: 4.2–7.2 months; p=0.002). Conclusions Radical surgery for octogenarian patients with periampullary cancer is safe, feasible, and expected to result in better survival outcomes, especially for patients with common bile duct cancer.