Explore the vast range of titles available.

An epiphrenic diverticulum (ED) is a rare pseudodiverticulum commonly located at the lower end of the oesophagus. Surgical treatment is only required in patients with worsening dysphagia or repeated chest infection due to microaspirations, and most patients are now treated with minimally invasive surgery (MIS) using the laparoscopic or thoracoscopic approach. Laparoscopic surgery is considered difficult in the presence of previous perforation of the diverticula owing to the intraperitoneal and mediastinal adhesions and is associated with an increased incidence of complications. We were able to perform a laparoscopic transhiatal resection safely on a patient who had a large ED with a wide neck and dense abdominal and mediastinal adhesions due to previous localized perforation.

The implementation of a surgical safety checklist is said to minimize postoperative surgical complications. However, to our knowledge, no randomized controlled study has been done on the influence of checklists on postoperative outcomes in a developing country. We conducted a prospective randomized controlled study with parallel group study design of the implementation of WHO surgical safety checklist involving 700 consecutive patients undergoing operations in our hospital between February 2012 and April 2013. In 350 patients, the checklist was implemented with modifications—the Rc arm. The control group of 350 patients was termed the Rn arm. The checklist was filled in by a surgery resident, and only the participants in the study were blinded. Postoperative wound-related ( p  = 0.04), abdominal ( p  = 0.01), and bleeding ( p  = 0.03) complications were significantly lower in the Rc compared to the Rn group. The number of overall and higher-grade complications (Clavien-Dindo grades 3 and 4) per patient reduced from 0.97 and 0.33 in the Rn arm to 0.80 and 0.23 in the Rc arm, respectively. A significant reduction in mortality was noted in the Rc arm as compared to the Rn arm ( p  = 0.04). In a subgroup analysis, the number of overall and higher-grade complications per patient with incomplete checklists was higher than that with fully completed checklist group. Implementation of WHO surgical safety checklist results in a reduction in mortality as well as improved postoperative outcomes in a tertiary care hospital in a developing country.

Ectopic gall bladder under the left lobe of liver is a rare congenital anomaly of the position of gall bladder, which is mostly detected during surgery and causes technical difficulty at the time of operation. We operated a 64-year-old male who presented with gall stone disease and pre-operative ultrasound did not report any abnormality in position. On laparoscopy, it was found to be attached on the left side of falciform ligament under segment III. It was a true ectopic gall bladder without situs inversus. Early division of the falciform ligament and a careful and complete dissection of the gall bladder are advocated before clipping the cystic artery and duct to avoid complications. The present case report discusses about this rare anomaly and the available literature on the subject.

Background. Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are a common global health issue that affects underprivileged communities without adequate access to clean drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene. Ascaris lumbricoides is the main species that infects humans. Among varied presentations, intestinal obstruction is common among children. Early detection of intestinal obstruction due to STH is critical to prevent severe complications. Here, we present the case of a 10-year-old child with acute intestinal obstruction due to roundworms. Case Report. A 10-year-old boy presented to the emergency department with recurrent abdominal pain, distention, and vomiting for three months with signs of peritonitis on examination. CT scan of the abdomen revealed roundworms in the distal ileum and a cocoon formed by adhesions of small bowel loops. Intraoperatively, worm balls were found in the proximal jejunum and ileum, causing small bowel obstruction, and a diseased segment of ileum had to be resected. The worms were removed, and an ileostomy was created. The patient was treated with albendazole and intravenous antibiotics such as ceftriaxone and metronidazole. An early closure of ileostomy was performed after 20 days. Histopathology showed roundworm eggs in the appendix and small bowel mucosa. Discussion. Ascaris lumbricoides infestation is a common cause of intestinal obstruction in children, and early detection is critical for avoiding severe complications. Prompt and appropriate treatment with antihelminthics and antibiotics is necessary to achieve a good outcome. In rare cases, surgical intervention may be required to treat intestinal obstruction caused by STH infections. In conclusion, the prevalence of STH infections highlights the need for public health interventions, such as improving access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene, and for early detection and treatment to prevent severe complications such as intestinal obstruction.

Background A Dieulafoy’s lesion in the jejunum is at an uncommon site but may be the cause of massive gastrointestinal bleeding. It is characterized by a large, tortuous submucosal artery that erodes the overlying epithelium and presents diagnostic and therapeutic challenges due to its atypical location and presentation. Case A 30-year-old male presented with sudden onset syncope and the passage of 200–300 ml of red blood-mixed stool. With no major comorbidities, he had hypotension with a blood pressure of 80/50 mmHg, necessitating immediate transfusion of three units of packed red blood cells (PRBCs). Initial endoscopic evaluations, including an UGI endoscopy and colonoscopy, failed to locate the bleeding source. CT angiography identified an active bleed from the first jejunal branch leading to coil embolization. Persistent symptoms prompted capsule endoscopy, revealing angioectasia in the proximal jejunum. Despite haemoclip application and a total of 11 units of blood transfused, his symptoms persisted. He then underwent laparoscopic resection of the jejunal segment containing the polyp, followed by extracorporeal jejuno-jejunal anastomosis. Histopathology confirmed a benign polyp with central ulceration, consistent with a Dieulafoy’s lesion. Conclusions Advanced diagnostic techniques like CT angiography and capsule endoscopy played a pivotal role in localizing the bleeding source. Surgical intervention proved curative when less invasive methods failed. The patient’s postoperative course was uneventful, highlighting the efficacy of a multidisciplinary approach. A high index of suspicion and a multidisciplinary approach are essential for successful outcomes.

Background: The operative mortality after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) has declined but morbidity still remains considerable. Post pancreaticoduodenectomy hemorrhage (PPH) occurs in 3-13% of patients following PD. We studied the incidence and outcomes of patients with PPH after PD to determine the associated risk factors and effect on hospital stay. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed from a prospectively collected data of patients developing PPH following PD between January 2007 and May 2018. ISGPS definition and grading system were used. By using univariate and multivariate analyses, independent predictors of PPH were identified. Results: Of the 340 patients undergoing PD, PPH occurred in 39 patients (11.5%), of whom 5 (12.8%) had Grade A, 22 (56.4%) had Grade B and 12 (30.8%) had Grade C PPH. Six (15.4%) of the 39 patients with PPH died against an overall mortality in the study population of 16 out of 340 patients (4.7%), reflecting higher mortality (P = 0.019) in patients with PPH . The independent risk factors for PPH were a high pre-operative bilirubin (mean 4.7 vs. 7.4 mg/dl, P = 0.01) and INR (mean 1.2 vs. 1.72, P = 0.024), whereas it was closely followed by but, but not significantly associated with pre-operative biliary stent placement (P = 0.09). Pancreatico-jejunostomy (PJ) leak was seen in 20.7% in non-hemorrhage group vs. 41% in hemorrhage group (P = 0.008) and was an independent risk factor for PPH. Conclusion: PPH occurred in 11.5% of patients and resulted in a mortality four times greater than those without a PPH. It occurred more frequently in patents with a high pre-operative serum bilirubin, INR, biliary stenting or those with a PJ leak.

Advances in imaging, pathology and therapy have resulted in major improvements in the management of cholangiocarcinomas; the mortality has come down and with it there has been an improved 5-year survival. Surgical resection remains the treatment of choice and reports from high volume centres have shown an increase in resectability rates, R0 resection, a decrease in mortality and an improvement in 5-year survival; however, the operative morbidity remains high, pointing towards the complexity of the management of these difficult lesions. Complete excision is also often limited by the locally advanced nature of the disease at the time of diagnosis and a proportion of patients who were earlier deemed resectable on imaging are found to have unresectable disease at the time of operation. Neoadjuvant therapy has had only a limited impact on survival. Liver transplantation is also an option in a few patients following strict criteria for selection. Since the large majority of patients are only diagnosed at the late stages of the disease palliation (endoscopic or surgical) is an important part of treatment. Portal vein embolisation and pre-operative biliary drainage have had a major impact on outcomes. Major liver resection with caudate lobe removal remains the standard operation and procedures like routine vascular resection and liver transplant should only be carried out in experienced centres. Improvements in both neo as well as adjuvant therapy may lead to a standardized protocol in the future, as well as an improvement in survival.

[...]I soon discovered that unlike the patients with portal hypertension I had seen in Boston who mainly had alcoholic cirrhosis, a condition in which their liver function was usually severely compromised, in Delhi they mainly had non-cirrhotic diseases, i.e. NCPF and extrahepatic portal venous obstruction (EHO)- conditions which were accompanied by massive bleeding but with well-preserved liver function. A NEW DIMENSION In 1985, when the new GI Surgery Unit was launched in AIIMS we decided that, although we had probably found the solution for patients with non-cirrhotic portal hypertension, there still remained a substantial number of them with cirrhosis who had poor liver function who were doomed to die from liver failure. [...]what lessons have I learned over this 42-year journey in portal hypertension surgery? LESSONS LEARNT The first and most important lesson is that we have to devise Indian solutions to Indian problems. Are silicone rubber T-tubes better than latex rubber tubes in the common bile duct? A rhesus monkey model.

Background The functional outcome and quality of life after sphincter-saving operations for ulcerative colitis have not been previously assessed in Indian patients whose dietary habits and socio-cultural practices differ considerably from those in western countries. Patients and methods Between 1996 and 2002, we performed 46 J-pouch ileoanal anastomoses (IPAA), for patients with ulcerative colitis. Thirty-eight of these patients had had their ileostomy closure more than 4 years previously of whom 31 could be assessed by interviews and a telephonic questionnaire. Their quality of life was objectively assessed using the Cleveland Global Quality of Life (CGQL) index, a validated index for IPAA, the score being 1 in normal people. There were 20 males and 11 females with a mean age of 38 years. In the same period, six of the nine patients who did not opt to have an IPAA (permanent stoma) were assessed. These included four males and two females, mean age 45 years (36-52). Results One patient died in the postoperative period and another died 3 months after surgery from multiple small bowel perforations. Other complications included intestinal obstruction in seven, pouchitis in four and incisional hernia in two. One pouch had to be converted to a permanent ileostomy following development of a fistula because of Crohn's disease. The mean daily postoperative stool frequency was seven (range 2-20). Eighty-one percent had perfect daytime continence and 81% used dietary restrictions. Eighty-four percent rated their pouch function to be excellent or good. All patients preferred IPAA to an ileostomy citing mainly social and cultural reasons and were willing to choose it again. The mean preoperative CGQL score (0.27) increased significantly after colectomy (0.50) and after closure of ileostomy (0.77; p < 0.001). The mean CGQL in the “permanent stoma” group did not improve significantly after surgery (0.62 vs. 0.50) and four of these expressed a wish to have an IPAA. Conclusions Restorative proctocolectomy provides a good functional outcome and improves the quality of life in Indians with ulcerative colitis and may be the most appropriate procedure for such patients in developing countries.