Prospective Randomized Comparison of Linear Endostaplers During Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

Purpose

The development of Laparoscopic Linear Endostaplers (LLES) is crucial in minimally invasive approaches in bariatric surgery, but there have been very few published studies comparing 6-row LLES in Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy (LSG). The objective of this study was to compare two 6-row LLES in LSG.

Methods

A total of 60 patients were prospectively randomized to undergo LSG with either Medtronic Endo GIA? Tri-Staple technology (MTS) or AEON ? Endostapler(Lexington Medical) LLES. The measured parameters included patient demographics, comorbidity indices, LLES and specimen characteristics, postoperative symptoms, hospital stay, and total adverse events (AEs). Intraoperative bleeding was evaluated using five laparoscopic and corresponding endoscopic images of staple line before clip application, compared with a 1–5 Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), assessed by an independent bariatric surgeon who was blinded to the LLES used. Images of all cases were reviewed on the same day to increase test–retest reliability.

Results

Both groups were similar in patient demographics. Compared to MTS, AEON LLES group had significantly lower bleeding VAS scores in 4/5 laparoscopic images (pre-pyloric: 1.7?±?0.7 vs. 2.36?±?0.76, p?=?0.0007, mid-sleeve: 1.46?±?0.62 vs. 1.86?±?0.68, p?=?0.019, proximal sleeve: 1.6?±?0.77 vs. 2.0?±?0.83, p?=?0.038, gastro-esophageal junction: 1.43?±?0.67 vs. 1.86?±?0.77, p?=?0.014) and 3/5 endoscopic images (pre-pyloric: 1.56?±?0.56 vs. 2.36?±?0.76, p?=?0.006, incisura: 1.66?±?0.54 vs. 2.0?±?0.52, p?=?0.021, mid-sleeve: 1.63?±?0.49 vs. 2.0?±?0.45, p?=?0.005). There was no statistical difference in other parameters.

Conclusion

Both devices were equally safe and effective in terms of LLES and specimen characteristics, patient symptoms, hospital stay, and AEs. Bleeding VAS scores were significantly lower, favoring the AEON LLES.

Graphical abstract

     

Obsessive-compulsive disorder in callers to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America.

BACKGROUND: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic, impairing and often comorbid disorder. METHODS: 1000 subjects who called the Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA) were surveyed and divided in three groups: (a) callers with OCD (OCD) and two overlapping control groups: (b) callers with no axis I disorder (NAC) and (c) with no-OCD (NOC) using a 97-item questionnaire. RESULTS: The rate of OCD was 14.5% (N = 145). Relative to the NOC group, OCD subjects were more likely to be female, White, younger and not married. Relative to the NAC group, subjects with OCD were more likely to be White, not married and younger. OCD was accompanied by significant comorbidity and was associated with an increased number of visits to health professionals than NAC subjects. There was no significant difference regarding unemployment rates among the three groups. However, OCD callers were more likely than both control groups to have missed work or have decreased productivity due to their mental condition. OCD subjects took an average of 1 psychotropic medication in the past year and were statistically more likely than the control groups to experience sleepiness and nervousness as side effects. CONCLUSIONS: OCD was fairly prevalent among ADAA callers and presented high levels of comorbidity, impairment, health care utilization and sensitivity to psychotropic side effects.     

The neutrophil oxidative burst in diarrhoea – associated haemolytic uraemic syndrome

. Neutrophil-mediated tissue damage has been implicated in the pathogenesis of diarrhoea-associated haemolytic uraemic syndrome (D+ HUS). This study evaluates priming and activation of the neutrophil oxidative burst in D+ HUS using chemiluminescent techniques. Peripheral blood neutrophils from 11 children with acute D+ HUS were examined. No difference was found in the oxidative burst of neutrophils from patients and controls. Serum elastase levels were measured in 8 patients and found to be significantly elevated. Although elastase results suggest neutrophil activation, chemiluminescence studies do not confirm this in the peripheral blood neutrophil. This does not support a significant role for circulating agents in priming and activating the peripheral blood neutrophil. Received August 17, 1995; received in revised form and accepted November 27, 1995     

Quality in Clinical Practice

This paper reports the proceedings of the discussion panel assigned to look at clinical aspects of quality in emergency medicine. One of the seven stated objectives of the Academic Emergency Medicine consensus conference on quality in emergency medicine was to educate emergency physicians regarding quality measures and quality improvement as essential aspects of the practice of emergency medicine. Another topic of interest was a discussion of the value of information technology in facilitating quality care in the clinical practice of emergency medicine. It is important to note that this is not intended to be a comprehensive review of this extensive topic, but instead is designed to report the discussion that occurred at this session of the consensus conference.     

The contemporary role of antioxidant therapy in attenuating liver ischemia-reperfusion injury: a review.

Oxidative stress is an important factor in many pathological conditions such as inflammation, cancer, ageing and organ response to ischemia-reperfusion. Humans have developed a complex antioxidant system to eliminate or attenuate oxidative stress. Liver ischemia-reperfusion injury occurs in a number of clinical settings, including liver surgery, transplantation, and hemorrhagic shock with subsequent fluid resuscitation, leading to significant morbidity and mortality. It is characterized by significant oxidative stress but accompanied with depletion of endogenous antioxidants. This review has 2 aims: firstly, to highlight the clinical significance of liver ischemia-reperfusion injury, the underlying mechanisms and the main pathways by which the antioxidants function, and secondly, to describe the new developments that are ongoing in antioxidant therapy and to present the experimental and clinical evidence about the role of antioxidants in modulating hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury.     

Trigeminal amyloidoma: case report and review of the literature.

The authors present a case of amyloid infiltration involving the trigeminal nerve that mimicked a malignant cavernous sinus tumor with perineural tumor infiltration. A 64-year-old man presented with trigeminal nerve numbness. Imaging revealed a plaque-like enhancing lesion along the right lateral cavernous sinus extending anteriorly into Meckel's cave and involving the proximal V2 and V3 branches of the trigeminal nerve. The patient underwent an extradural frontotemporal craniotomy with middle fossa exposure of the cavernous sinus to diagnose and treat the presumed malignant cavernous sinus tumor. A reddish mass involving the lateral dural wall of the cavernous sinus was resected. The gasserian ganglion, V2, and V3, the latter of which was biopsied, were enlarged. Permanent histopathological studies showed microscopic eosinophilic, amorphous material, which stained positive for Congo red, and an absence of neoplastic cells. The final diagnosis was amyloidoma. Thus, amyloidomas can involve the trigeminal nerve or ganglia and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a cavernous sinus lesion mimicking a tumor. Patients may have symptomatic improvement of trigeminal neuropathy with resection of the amyloidoma outside the nerve capsule that is compressing the nerve, while resection of the lesion from within the capsule may result in permanent trigeminal nerve dysfunction.     

The development of a research human milk bank.

Although there are well-established clinical human milk banks in the United States, there are no milk banks specifically intended to foster research on human milk. The authors' goal was to establish a milk bank with a core data set to support exploratory and hypothesis-driven studies on human milk. Donations to the Cincinnati Children's Research Human Milk Bank are accepted within the context of ongoing, hypothesis-driven research or on an ad hoc basis. Donors must give informed consent, and scientists wishing to use the samples must have Institutional review board approval for their use. Development of more research human milk banks can potentially provide resources for multidisciplinary collaboration and advance the study of human milk and lactation.     

Melatonin Receptors on Ovine Pars Tuberalis: Characterization and Autoradiographicai Localization

The functional significance of the pars tuberalis (PT) of the mammalian adenohypophysis has remained an enigma (1, 2). One view of its function is that it acts as an auxiliary gland to support the endocrine role of the pars distalis (PD) (2), as it has been shown to contain immunocytochemically identifiable thyrotrophs and gonadotrophs (1). Many of the cells of the PT are, however, ultrastructurally unique suggesting an independent function for this tissue. Our recent demonstration that the PT of the rat is a major binding site for the ligand iodomelatonin lends further support to this idea (3). We have utilized the highly specific ligand [¹²⁵l]melatonin, and have demonstrated that it binds exclusively, with very high affinity, to the PT but not the PD of the adult sheep adenohypophysis. These findings support the conclusion that the PT has a distinct role in relation to melatonin action and seasonal reproduction.