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Biomedical subjects

G V Stiegmann

Publications and source records attributed to G V Stiegmann.

50 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Acid and gastrin levels following pyloric-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Acid and gastrin production after pyloric-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy was evaluated in six patients. Five patients had low-normal basal and stimulated acid output; the sixth patient was achlorhydric. Fasting gastrin levels were less than 90 to 105 pg/mL (normal range) in five patients, three of whom had stimulated gastrin levels that remained below this range. Two patients had stimulated gastrin levels of 510 pg/mL and 205 pg/mL, respectively, within 15 minutes of eating; however, both levels returned to normal by 120 minutes' time. The sixth patient had mildly elevated fasting (105 pg/mL) and stimulated gastrin levels (160 to 200 pg/mL) throughout the test period. The results suggest that pyloric-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy does not lead to either gastric hyperacidity or persistent hypergastrinemia.

Achlorhydria↗

Controlled open drainage of severe intra-abdominal sepsis.

Controlled open drainage of the abdomen (gauze in plastic intestinal bag/surgical glove packing of abscesses; wound closure only to the degree needed to prevent evisceration) was compared with closed drainage (soft rubber or sump drains; complete fascial closure) in 31 patients with severe intra-abdominal sepsis. Three (23%) of 13 patients died after open drainage vs eight (44%) of 18 after closed drainage. The difference was attributable to a lower incidence of recurrent abscesses in the former group (one recurrence) than in the latter (six recurrences). Thus, controlled open drainage may improve survival in this highly lethal condition.

Abdomen↗

A prospective study of preoperative chemotherapy and split-course irradiation for locally advanced or recurrent oral/pharyngeal squamous carcinoma.

Two courses of preoperative chemotherapy (methotrexate, bleomycin, cisplatin) were combined with split-course irradiation (2,000 rad/10 preop., 4,000 rad/20 postop.) and prospectively compared with standard therapy (surgery and/or irradiation alone) for locally advanced or recurrent oral/pharyngeal squamous cancer. The chemoradiotherapy arm (Ch-XRT) had 31 patients; the standard therapy arm 28 randomized (RC) and 20 concomitantly-treated (CC) patients. Treatment-related mortality was 17% for Ch-XRT; 10% for RC + CC. Number of patients NED at completion of treatment was 74% for Ch-XRT; 83% for RC + CC (NS). Median survival, however, was 17 months for Ch-XRT, 9 months for CC, and 12 months for RC. In addition, survival at 40 + months was 45% for Ch-XRT versus 21-22% for RC and CC (p less than 0.05). Thus, Ch-XRT seems to have promise in advanced oral/pharyngeal cancer, but needs revision to decrease toxicity.

Aged↗

Acute bleeding varices: a five-year prospective evaluation of tamponade and sclerotherapy.

In a five-year study of massive upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage, 143 patients had esophageal varices diagnosed on emergency endoscopic examination. Seventy-one patients had active bleeding from varices and required Sengstaken tube tamponade during at least one hospital admission. The remaining patients included 33 with variceal bleeding which had stopped and 39 who were bleeding from another source. Sixty-six of the former group of 71 patients were referred for emergency injection sclerotherapy. These 66 patients were followed prospectively to August 1980, and had 137 episodes of endoscopically proven variceal bleeding requiring Sengstaken tube control followed by injection sclerotherapy during 93 separate hospital admissions. Definitive control of hemorrhage was achieved in 95% the patients admitted to the hospital (single injection 70%; two or three injections 22%). The death rate per hospital admission was 28%. No patient died of continued variceal bleeding, and exsanguinating variceal hemorrhage no longer poses a major problem at our hospital. The combined use of initial Sengstaken tube tamponade followed by injection sclerotherapy has simplified emergency treatment in the group of patients who continue to bleed actively from esophageal varices, despite initial conservative treatment.

Acute Disease↗

Long-term management of variceal bleeding: the place of varix injection and ligation.

Injection sclerotherapy remains the most widely used long-term management for patients after an esophageal variceal bleed. Sclerotherapy treatments should be repeated weekly until the varices are eradicated. Follow-up endoscopy every 6 to 12 months is required for life. Whenever varices recur, further weekly injection treatments are administered until re-eradication is achieved. Failure of sclerotherapy must be diagnosed early and an alternative salvage procedure performed. We currently recommend the distal splenorenal shunt. Although the complications of sclerotherapy are not great, they are cumulative with time. Unlike most surgical procedures for portal hypertension, the technique of performing sclerotherapy is not standardized, making the comparison of controlled trials difficult. The current status of controlled trials comparing sclerotherapy with other treatments is evaluated. We conclude that repeated injection sclerotherapy is at present the initial treatment of choice for patients after an esophageal variceal bleed. The technique of the new procedure of esophageal variceal ligation is described. As with sclerotherapy, weekly treatment sessions are recommended until the esophageal varices are eradicated, followed by long-term endoscopic surveillance and repeat ligation treatment when varices recur. The four controlled trials that have compared variceal ligation with sclerotherapy favor ligation. Ligation eradicated esophageal varices with fewer treatment sessions and a lower complication rate. One trial demonstrated improved survival. Complications due to the overtube are being increasingly reported but were not a problem in the controlled trials. Although esophageal variceal ligation or ligation plus sclerotherapy may ultimately prove to be superior to sclerotherapy alone, more data are required before a final conclusion can be reached.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗

Immediate cystic duct occlusion using an endoluminal absorbable polyglycolic acid screw.

Endoscopic in situ occlusion of the cystic duct and ablation of the gallbladder could constitute a useful alternative to cholecystectomy in certain patients. The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of endoluminal occlusion of the cystic duct using a biodegradable polyglycolic acid screw and simultaneous gallbladder mucosal ablation with a Sotradecol-ethanol mixture. Eight pigs had operative cholecystotomy. A polyglycolic acid screw was twisted into the cystic duct after the proximal cystic duct mucosa was thermally ablated using electrocautery. Cholecystography confirmed occlusion of the cystic duct. Synchronous ablation of the gallbladder mucosa was then done by instilling absolute alcohol and 2% Sotradecol. The gallbladder was drained. Animals were sacrificed on days 14, 28, and 42. All animals survived operation and showed no untoward effects. Postmortem gross inspection showed gallbladders were shrunken and surrounded with adhesions from adjacent tissue. Cholangiography and cholecystography confirmed occlusion of the cystic duct in 6 of 8 pigs (75%). Histopathologic examination showed extensive areas of mucosal necrosis mixed with small areas of epithelial regeneration. Immediate occlusion of the cystic duct is possible using an endoluminal polyglycolic acid screw.

Animals↗

Laparoscopy-guided intracorporeal ultrasound accurately delineates hepatobiliary anatomy.

UNLABELLED: The purpose of this study was to develop a technique and assess the ability of a laparoscopic ultrasound probe to delineate biliary antomy and to determine the presence or absence of duct stones. METHODS: Five pigs had ultrasonography of biliary structures and liver at laparoscopy followed by cholangiograms and anatomical dissection. Five patients had ultrasonography of the biliary tract at laparoscopic cholecystectomy. RESULTS: All animals had adequate visualization of important hepatobiliary structure, and an optimal method of accessing these structures at laparoscopy was established. Patients had ultrasonography which used methods developed in the animal trial. All had adequate visualization of the entire common bile duct confirmed by cholangiography. Limitations in demonstrating the relationship of the cystic duct to the common duct were technical and can be corrected. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic ultrasonography has significant potential for delineation of biliary anatomy and determination of presence or absence of duct calculi. Clinical implementation could minimize the risk of iatrogenic duct injury and the need for operative cholangiography.

Animals↗

Laparoscopic surgery in the rat. Description of a new technique.

We report a method of laparoscopic surgery in the rat. Our technique is illustrated by gastric fundoplication requiring two-handed dissection, suturing, and knot tying. This model for laparoscopic surgery is relatively inexpensive, can be extended to other operations, and makes use of an extensively studied animal. These factors may facilitate investigation of the physiologic effects of minimal access surgery.

Animals↗

Neuroendocrine stress response after minimally invasive surgery in pigs.

Minimally invasive operations such as laparoscopic cholecystectomy appear to result in more rapid recovery of normal function, less physiological disturbance, and presumably less stress to the organism than open operation counterparts. The purpose of this study was to determine the stress response associated with minimally invasive surgery compared to conventional laparotomy. Three groups of pigs underwent general endotracheal anesthesia. The first group had laparoscopic cholecystectomy, the second open cholecystectomy, and the last group (controls) had only general anesthesia. The neuroendocrine serum stress markers adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol, insulin, and glucagon were measured prior to anesthesia and for the first 3 postoperative days. Analysis of the data showed significant elevations of both ACTH and cortisol for laparoscopic operations as well as for open operation (cortisol only) in the immediate postoperative period. No differences were found for the other serum stress markers. We conclude that minimally invasive surgery in this porcine model confers no advantage, as measured by four neuroendocrine stress hormones, over conventional surgery. Further study is required to determine the clinical implication of these findings.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗

Endoscopic variceal ligation: an alternative to sclerotherapy.

Endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) consists of mechanical ligation and thrombosis of varices using elastic "O" rings. This study assessed the efficacy and safety of EVL as definitive therapy for bleeding esophageal varices. During a 16-month period, 68 consecutive patients with bleeding varices had EVL. Fourteen patients died from 3 to 125 (median = 12.5) days after initial EVL. Fifteen (88%) of those actively bleeding at index treatment had bleeding controlled during index hospitalization. Survivors of index hospitalization had a 37% incidence of recurrent bleeding. Thirty-five patients had varices eradicated or reduced to small size with a median of five EVL treatments. No significant treatment-related nonbleeding complications resulted from 265 EVL sessions. EVL appears to control active variceal bleeding and eradicates varices with repeat treatments. EVL results in few nonbleeding complications, and may be employed as a safe alternative to sclerotherapy.

Adolescent↗

Endoscopic versus operative gastrostomy: final results of a prospective randomized trial.

This study compared operative gastrostomy (OG) (by surgeons) with endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) (by physicians) in a prospective randomized fashion to determine whether one technique was superior. PEG (Sachs-Vine) and OG (Stamm) were done using local anesthesia. Patients were assessed for complications, mortality, tube function, and cost. Groups were equally matched for indications and underlying disease. Fifty-seven had OG and 64 had attempted PEG. Complications occurred in 26% of OG patients and 9% died. Complications occurred in 25% of PEG patients and 12% died. Tube feeding was initiated in both groups within a mean of 29 (24 to 72) hours of the gastrostomy placement. OG cost $1675 and PEG $979 to perform. Twenty-one PEG patients required endoscopic tube change which raised their total cost to $1574. We conclude there is no difference between OG (using local anesthesia) and PEG with regard to morbidity, mortality, or tube function. The endoscopic technique does appear to have economic advantage.

Adolescent↗