Selcuk Hazinedaroglu

Comparison of Adhesive Properties of Five Different Prosthetic Materials Used in Hernioplasty

This experimental study was designed to assess and to compare intra-abdominal adhesions following the use of five commercially available prosthetic mesh grafts in the repair if abdominal wall defects. Sixty Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into six groups (n = 10). A 2 × 1 cm defect at abdominal wall was created and defects were closed either primarily or with one of the following prosthetic mesh grafts: monofilament polypropylene, polytetrafluoroethylene, sodium hyaluronate/carboxymethylcellulose-coated polypropylene, polypropylene/polyglactin 910 composite, or resorbable hydrophilic collagen-coated multifiber polyester. The severity of adhesions was graded, tensile strengths of adhesions were measured, and histopathological grades of inflammation and fibrosis were evaluated. Polypropylene mesh resulted in more adhesion formation in comparison to primary repair and other grafts used in this study, except polypropylene/polyglactin 910 composite mesh. In addition, the highest tensile strength of omental adhesions was detected in the polypropylene group (χ2 = 26.249; p =. 0001). Polyester composite mesh caused the least adhesion formation among the groups. Sodium hyaluronate/carboxymethylcellulose-coated polypropylene and polyester composite meshes revealed the highest fibrosis scores (χ2 = 50.776; p =. 0001). The highest inflammatory activity was detected in the polytetrafluoroethylene mesh group (χ2 = 16.564; p =. 005). Thus, sodium hyaluronate/carboxymethylcellulose-coated polypropylene and polytetrafluoroethylene meshes following polyester composite mesh were the minimal adhesion-forming grafts in this study. Disadvantages of the polytetrafluoroethylene mesh were lower fibrotic activity and higher inflammatory reaction to the graft.

What necessitates the conversion to open cholecystectomy? A retrospective analysis of 5164 consecutive laparoscopic operations

OBJECTIVE: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has become the gold standard for the surgical treatment of gallbladder disease, but conversion to open cholecystectomy is still inevitable in certain cases. Knowledge of the rate and impact of the underlying reasons for conversion could help surgeons during preoperative assessment and improve the informed consent of patients. We decided to review the rate and causes of conversion from laparoscopic to open cholecystectomy. METHOD: This study included all laparoscopic cholecystectomies due to gallstone disease undertaken from May 1999 to June 2010. The exclusion criteria were malignancy and/or existence of gallbladder polyps detected pathologically. Patient demographics, indications for cholecystectomy, concomitant diseases, and histories of previous abdominal surgery were collected. The rate of conversion to open cholecystectomy, the underlying reasons for conversion, and postoperative complications were also analyzed. RESULTS: Of 5382 patients for whom LC was attempted, 5164 were included this study. The overall rate of conversion to open cholecystectomy was 3.16% (163 patients). There were 84 male and 79 female patients; the mean age was 52.04 years (range: 26–85). The conversion rates in male and female patients were 5.6% and 2.2%, respectively (p<0.001). The most common reasons for conversion were severe adhesions caused by tissue inflammation (97 patients) and fibrosis of Calots triangle (12 patients). The overall postoperative morbidity rate was found to be 16.3% in patients who were converted to open surgery. CONCLUSION: Male gender was found to be the only statistically significant risk factor for conversion in our series. LC can be safely performed with a conversion rate of less than 5% in all patient groups.

An assessment of the effects of two types of bioresorbable barriers to prevent postoperative intra-abdominal adhesions in rats

PurposeThis study assessed and compared the efficacy of two types of bioresorbable membranes in the prevention of postoperative adhesion under clean contaminated and bacterial peritonitis conditions using a cecal ligation and puncture model in rats.MethodsWistar albino rats (n = 72) were divided into six groups. Bacterial peritonitis was induced using a cecal ligation and puncture model in groups 2, 4, and 6. Groups 1, 3, and 5 served as controls for clean contaminated procedures in the absence of bacterial peritonitis. Groups 1 and 2 were the untreated clean contaminated and bacterial peritonitis groups and served as controls for the effect of the bioresorbable membranes in each condition. In groups 3 and 4, a 1.5 × 3 cm USP glycerol/sodium hyaluronate/carboxymethylcellulose membrane was wrapped around the cecal resection area and a 2 × 4 cm membrane was left under the incision. The oxidized regenerated cellulose membrane was similarly applied in groups 5 and 6. Four weeks later, the adhesions were evaluated. In addition, fibrosis and inflammation were observed histopathologically.ResultsAdhesion development (P = .008), fibrosis (P = .008), and inflammation (P = .0001) differed among the groups. Both materials increased adhesion formation in the bacterial peritonitis condition. Increased fibrotic activity was detected in all material-applied groups under both conditions. In addition, more inflammation was detected in the groups that received the application of a material, especially in the presence of bacterial peritonitis.ConclusionNeither material prevented adhesions in clean contaminated conditions. Moreover, they increased adhesion formation in bacterial peritonitis.

Fournier’s gangrene: Is it scrotal gangrene?

IntroductionFournier’s gangrene was originally described as scrotal gangrene in young males. Today, it is generally accepted as synergistic necrotizing fasciitis of perineal, genital, or perianal regions, and the epidemiologic data have changed. However, there are still limited data about females due to the lack of female patients, even in large case series.MethodsA retrospective review of the medical records of all patients who received surgery for emergency conditions over the past 22 years was performed to identify patients with Fournier’s gangrene. Data from these patients were then reviewed to determine the age, gender, etiology, causative bacteria, predisposing factors, treatment modalities, length of hospital stay, and morbidity and mortality rates associated with Fournier’s gangrene. Data were evaluated using multivariate analyses.ResultsSixty-five patients (20 female) were identified with the diagnosis of Fournier’s gangrene. The mean age was 50.8 years. The most common etiology was hemorrhoidectomy in male and perianal abscess in female patients. The most commonly isolated microorganism in both male and female patients was Escherichia coli. Twenty-nine patients had diabetes mellitus, which was the most common predisposing factor. Mean hospitalization time was 24.4 days and the overall mortality was 27.70%.ConclusionFournier’s gangrene is still an important disease with high mortality rates in spite of the developments in intensive care units and new-generation antibiotics. It seems that there are no major differences between male and female patients in the characteristics of the condition.

Prevention of Surgical Site Infection After Open Prosthetic Inguinal Hernia Repair: Efficacy of Parenteral Versus Oral Prophylaxis with Amoxicillin-Clavulanic Acid in a Randomized Clinical Trial

The aim of this prospective study was to compare the efficacy of oral versus parenteral prophylactic amoxicillin–clavulanic acid for preventing surgical site infection after open prosthetic mesh repair of inguinal hernia. A total of 480 inguinal-hernia patients were randomly assigned to two groups. Group I (n = 240) received 1.313 g oral amoxicillin–clavulanic acid 2 hours before operation, and group II (n = 240) received 1.2 g of the same drug combination intravenously approximately 30 minutes before surgery. Patients were examined four times during 1 year of follow-up (at 7–10 days, 4–6 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months postoperation), and data related to surgical site infections were collected. Seventy-two patients were excluded due to confounding factors during and after the operation. There were no statistically significant differences between group I (final n = 208) and group II (final n = 200) with respect to age, sex distribution, body mass index, American Anesthesiology Association grade, frequencies of different hernia types, duration of surgery, and the experience levels of the principal surgeon in the operations. One of the 208 (0.5%) patients in group I and 3 of the 200 (1.5%) patients in group II developed superficial surgical site infections (p > 0.05). None of the infections required mesh removal. There were no deep surgical site infections in either group, and there was one case of hernia recurrence in each group. For patients undergoing open prosthetic repair of inguinal hernia, oral amoxicillin–clavulanic acid is safe, significantly less costly, and equally effective in preventing surgical site infection as the same dose given parenterally.

Comparison of the plasma and hernia sac tissue copper levels in direct and indirect inguinal hernia patients

Although the inguinal hernia is among the most commonly encountered and well-described health problems all over the world, the etiology is still controversial. The aim of this study was to compare the plasma and hernia sac tissue copper levels in direct and indirect inguinal hernia patients. Plasma and hernia sac tissue copper levels obtained from patients operated under spinal anesthesia with primary direct (group 1, n=55,45 male, mean age=45.68 yr) and indirect (group II, n=55,40 male, mean age=38.57 yr) hernias were detected by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Significantly lower plasma and hernia sac tissue copper levels were detected in group I in comparison to group II (p<0.001). Both plasma and hernia sac tissue copper levels were significantly lower in males when we compare the patients according to their sex characteristics, including both direct and indirect hernia groups (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). Age was not a significant factor. The plasma and hernia sac tissue copper levels were significantly lower in direct hernia patients in comparison to indirect hernia patients. Copper is a cofactor of lysyl oxidase, an important enzyme in collagen tissue metabolism, so there might be a defect in the collagen synthesis of direct hernia patients because of the decreased activity of the lysyl oxidase. Further investigations are necessary to clarify this concept.

The Effect of Hyaluronan-Based Agents on Adhesion Formation in an Intraabdominal Sepsis Model

Because of the technical difficulty during subsequent surgical intervention, adhesion remains the mostimportant predictor of outcome in the staged procedures following emergent colorectal surgery. Theaim of this study was to assess the long-term effects of hyaluronan (HA)-based adhesion barriers3 months following the infectious insult to the peritoneal cavity. Wistar albino rats were divided intothree sham and four infectious groups, each consisting of 20 rats. Sham groups consisted of a controlgroup (I), which had undergone manipulation of the cecum in the first operation and saline irrigationfollowing the cecal resection in the second operation; an HA-based bioresorbable membrane (BM)group (II), in which 20 × 20- and 35 × 25-mm pieces of HA-based bioresorbable membrane wereplaced over the cecectomy area and under the midline incision, respectively, with other conditions thesame as for the control (I) group; and an HA-based solution (S) group (III), where HA solution wasused as an irrigation solution, with other conditions the same as for the control group (I). Infectiousgroups consisted of a septic group (IV), which had undergone cecal ligation and puncture in thefirst operation and saline irrigation following the cecal resection in the second operation; a sepsis C HA-BM group (V), in which two sheets of membrane were applied, with other conditions the sameas for the septic group (IV); a sepsis C HA-S group (VI), in which HA solution was used as anirrigation solution, with conditions otherwise the same as for the septic group (IV); and a sepsis C HA-BM C HA-S group (VII), where HA solution was used as an irrigation solution and two sheets ofmembrane were applied, with other conditions the same as for the septic group (IV). At the end of the3-month period, mortality, septic complications, and intraabdominal adhesions (adhesion scores andadhesion tensile strength measurements) were recorded. Significantly denser adhesions were foundin the septic group (IV) when compared to the others ( P < 0:001). HA-S significantly reduced notonly the incidence of adhesion but also the adhesion tensile strength in infectious groups ( P < 0:001compared to the sepsis group). However, HA-BM significantly reduced adhesion tensile strengthonly. Irrigation of the peritoneal cavity with HA-S may prove to be useful to shorten the reversaltime period and decrease morbidity following staged procedures for intraabdominal sepsis.

Surgical Treatment of Symptomatic Cavernous Hemangiomas of the Liver

Abstract Background: Elective surgery for liver hemangiomas is still controversial. Material and Methods: Twenty-one patients, all symptomatic, underwent surgery for liver hemangiomas between August 1986 and June 2001. The primary indications for surgery were abdominal pain in 12 patients, pain and enlargement in 4, bleeding after needle biopsy in 1 and diagnostic uncertainty and suspicion of malignancy in 4. Results: Enucleation was the choice of operation in 18 patients. Hospital mortality and morbidity were 0% and 9.52 % respectively. Mean follow-up period was 58.55 months (2-180). Mean hospitalization time was 15.6 days (8-75) and mean transfusion requirement was 2.1 units (0-18) of erythrocyte suspension. The median largest dimension of the major lesions was 12.71 cm (2-30). Conclusion: Elective surgery is indicated in a small subset of patients with hemangiomas because of abdominal pain, enlargement, diagnostic uncertainty and bleeding after needle biopsy. The results of surgery without any mortality and minimal morbidity are safe and effective. Enucleation is the preferred operation and can be performed rapidly and safely.

Pure Laparoscopic Versus Open Live Donor Nephrectomy: Evaluation of Health Survey and Graft Functions

BACKGROUND Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) has become the gold standard in many kidney transplantation centers seeking to increase the number of potential live donors. This study was designed to compare the health surveys and graft functions between LDN and open donor nephrectomy (ODN). METHODS We retrospectively analyzed all patients who underwent donor nephrectomy between December 2005 and September 2009 who had at least 1 year of follow-up. We reviewed demographic data, operative time, warm ischemia period, graft function, and quality of life. RESULTS Among the 132 cases, 98 were pure LDN and 34 were ODN. Demographic data were similar in both groups. Operative times were significantly longer in the ODN group but warm ischemia times significantly longer in the LDN group. However, graft functions were similar in both groups. There was 1 graft loss due to arterial thrombosis of the transplanted kidney among the LDN group. Short-Form 36 health survey scores were similar except for the role-physical subscale. CONCLUSION Although we failed to observe a significant difference between ODN and LDN as far as the quality of life and graft functions were concerned, the previously documented advantages of laparoscopy with similar operative results suggest? LDN to be the gold standard for this procedure in our institution.

Symplastic leiomyoma in the suprarenal inferior vena cava.

Leiomyomas are benign tumors of the soft tissue and may develop in any location where smooth muscle is present. Leiomyoma in the inferior vena cava is a rarely seen pathology, and symplastic leiomyoma is also a rare histological variant of leiomyoma. In this case, we present a rare histological variant of symplastic leiomyoma in the inferior vena cava (IVC). This is the first radiologically reported case of a symplastic leiomyoma of the IVC.