Upper GI surgery

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is a life-saving procedure for patients with severe portal hypertension and persistent variceal bleeding. Stent fracture is a rare and severe complication; however, its cause and mechanisms remain poorly defined. This case helps understand the factors contributing to its occurrence, complications, and subsequent poor outcomes. A 63-year-old male was presented with ruptured bare stent after a TIPS procedure. The upper edge of the bare stent was ruptured, and its fraction subsequently migrated to the entrance of the right atrium...

Laparoscopic adjustable gastric band (LAGB) surgery is now an uncommon bariatric procedure; however, complications may still be encountered. A 64-year-old man with a history of LAGB placement 13 years prior presented with 2 months of epigastric pain. He endorsed chronic heavy nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use. Computed tomography showed inflammation around the LAGB tubing with near-complete, circumferential erosion of the LAGB into the fundus. Upper endoscopy confirmed erosion of the LAGB along with port tubing into the gastroesophageal junction and fundus...

A 87-year-old female was pointed out wall thickness in the upper part of gastric body for examination of anemia. The mass had a contrast effect, some of it protruded outside the wall, and the surrounding lymph nodes were enlarged. Upper endoscopy showed irregular ulcerative lesion with submucosal volume from posterior wall to the greater curvature in the upper part of gastric body. Biopsy was performed, and GIST of stomach was diagnosed. Surgery was performed for the GIST of the stomach. During open surgery, invasion of pancreatic tail was observed, therefore proximal gastrectomy with D1 lymph node dissection and distal pancreatectomy were performed...

BACKGROUND: The utilization of robot-assisted approaches to surgery has increased significantly over the last two decades. This has introduced novel complexities into the operating room environment, requiring management of new challenges and workflow adaptation. This study aimed to analyze challenges in the surgical setup for complex upper gastrointestinal robot-assisted surgery (UGI-RAS) and identify opportunities for solutions. METHODS: Direct observations of surgical setup processes for UGI-RAS were performed by a trained Human Factors researcher at a non-profit academic medical center in Southern California...

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Since the first report of gastric adenocarcinoma of the fundic-gland type in 2010, the clinicopathological characteristics of gastric neoplasm of the fundic-gland type (GNFG) have become clearer; however, their risk factors remain unclear. This exploratory study aimed to identify the risk factors for GNFG. METHODS: We conducted a single-center, retrospective, matched case-control study using medical information recorded at our health management center from January 2014 to July 2023...

BACKGROUND: Esophagectomy is associated with significant mortality. A better understanding of the causes leading to death may help to reduce mortality. A root cause analysis of mortality after esophagectomy was performed. METHODS: Root cause analysis was retrospectively applied by an independent expert panel of 4 upper gastrointestinal surgeons and 1 anesthesiologist-intensivist to patients included in the French national multicenter prospective cohort FREGAT between August 2014 and September 2019 who underwent an esophagectomy for cancer and died within 90 days of surgery...

IMPORTANCE: Suboptimal surgical performance is hypothesized to be associated with less favorable patient outcomes in minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE). Establishing this association may lead to programs that promote better surgical performance of MIE and improve patient outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To investigate associations between surgical performance and postoperative outcomes after MIE. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: In this nationwide cohort study of 15 Dutch hospitals that perform more than 20 MIEs per year, 7 masked expert MIE surgeons assessed surgical performance using videos and a previously developed and validated competency assessment tool (CAT)...

OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between post-discharge mental healthcare and odds of readmission after emergency general surgery (EGS) hospitalization for patients with serious mental illness (SMI). BACKGROUND DATA: A mental health visit (MHV) after medical hospitalization is associated with decreased readmissions for patients with SMI. The impact of a MHV after surgical hospitalization is unknown. METHODS: Using Medicare claims, we performed a retrospective cohort study of hospitalized EGS patients with SMI aged >65...

Toothpicks are commonly used but rarely ingested. Unlike most foreign bodies, if accidentally swallowed these rarely spontaneously pass. The duodenum has been reported as the most common site of toothpick foreign body lodgement in the upper gastrointestinal tract. We report the case of a 57-year-old presenting with recurrent urosepsis after non recognition of a toothpick impaction in the duodenum with fistulisation into the right renal pelvis. Endoscopic removal of the foreign body was successful in management of the urosepsis...

Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) is a surgical emergency that affects the mucosal lining of the stomach or proximal intestine. Complications of PUD include upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage, perforation, and obstruction. The primary management approach for perforated peptic ulcers is surgery, but conservative management can be conducted in selected cases. A 54-year-old female was referred to the surgical unit with a history of severe upper abdominal pain and repeated vomiting. No other symptoms were reported and there was no significant medical or family history except the history of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs...

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Upper gastrointestinal tract (UGT) leaks are associated with severe morbidity and mortality. Endoluminal vacuum (EVAC) therapy is a promising approach for repairing effectively these defects. Our study describes the results obtained from a series of cases treated with EVAC for the management of esophageal anastomotic (EA) leak following esophagectomy for cancer, gastroenteric (GE) anastomoses leak after bariatric surgery and esophageal perforation (EP). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed ten patients who had an EA and GE anastomoses leaks and EP treated with EVAC...

INTRODUCTION: Surgical training programmes in the United Kingdom and Ireland (UK&I) are in a state of flux. This study aims to report the contemporary opinions of trainee and consultant surgeons on the current upper gastrointestinal (UGI) training model in the UK&I. METHODS: A questionnaire was developed and distributed via national UGI societies. Questions pertained to demographics, current training evaluation, perceived requirements and availability. RESULTS: A total of 241 responses were received with representation from all UK&I postgraduate training regions...

KEY CLINICAL MESSAGE: Duodenal GISTs are rare and challenging tumors. Acute life-threatening upper GI bleeding is a possible presentation of duodenal GISTs. Surgery is the standard treatment for localized duodenal GISTs. Imatinib is an effective adjuvant therapy for duodenal GISTs. ABSTRACT: GIST is the most common mesenchymal neoplasm of the gastrointestinal tract, accounting for 1%-2% of gastrointestinal tumors. They originate from the interstitial cells of Cajal and are rare in patients younger than 30 years...

INTRODUCTION: Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) is a rare cause of chronic or acute gastrointestinal bleeding. This condition accounts for ∼4% of upper gastrointestinal bleeding cases. This disease is often associated with systemic diseases, such as liver cirrhosis, chronic kidney failure, autoimmune conditions, diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, and cardiovascular diseases. However, its etiopathogenesis remains controversial. MATERIALS AND METHOD: We retrospectively reviewed the cases of GAVE treated at our digestive surgery unit...

BACKGROUND: Pseudoachalasia is a rare disease that behaves similarly to achalasia (AC), making it sometimes difficult to differentiate. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of 49-year-old male with adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction misdiagnosed as achalasia. No obvious abnormalities were found in his initial examinations including upper digestive endoscopy, upper gastrointestinal imaging and chest computed tomography (CT). During the subsequent introduced-peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), it was found that the mucosal layer and the muscular layer had severe adhesion, which did not receive much attention, delayed the clear diagnosis and effect treatment, and ultimately led to a poor prognosis for the patient...

This study aimed to assess the status of abdominal wall adhesions resulting from prior surgeries and their impact on the outcomes of robotic surgery. We retrospectively reviewed clinical information, surgical outcomes, and the status of abdominal wall adhesions in patients who underwent gynecologic robotic surgery at Yamanashi Central Hospital, between April 2018 and March 2023. Abdominal wall adhesions were classified into seven locations and their presence was assessed at each site. Among the 768 cases examined, 196 showed the presence of abdominal wall adhesions...

INTRODUCTION: New Zealand has a population of only 5.5 million meaning that for many surgical procedures the country qualifies as a "low-volume center." However, the health system is well developed and required to provide complex surgical procedures that benchmark internationally against comparable countries. This investigation was undertaken to review regional variation and volumes of complex resection and palliative upper gastrointestinal (UGI) surgical procedures within New Zealand...

BACKGROUND: As the opportunities for proximal gastrectomy (PG) for early gastric cancer in the upper third stomach have been increasing, the safety and feasibility of PG have been a great concern in recent years. This study aimed to compare the short-term and long-term outcomes between patients who underwent esophagogastrostomy (EG) and those who underwent double-tract reconstruction (DTR) after PG. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 34 patients who underwent EG and 39 who underwent DTR at our hospital between 2011 and 2022...

We describe the case of a 66-year-old man with an anastomotic fistula after rectal surgery, which was treated colonoscopically using polyglycolic acid sheets and fibrin glue. Polyglycolic acid sheets and fibrin glue have been used in thoracic surgery and otolaryngology to reinforce sutures and prevent air leakage. There have been recent reports of their use in endoscopic surgery for the closure of intraoperative perforations after endoscopic submucosal dissection and for fistula closure after upper gastrointestinal tract surgery...

Pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder, with increasing incidence and prevalence worldwide. There have been recent advances in imaging and endoscopic technology for disease diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring. Intestinal ultrasound, including transabdominal, transperineal, and endoscopic, has been emerging for the assessment of transmural bowel inflammation and disease complications ( e.g., fistula, abscess). Aside from surgery, IBD-related intestinal strictures now have endoscopic treatment options including through-the-scope balloon dilatation, injection, and needle knife stricturotomy and new evaluation tools such as endoscopic functional lumen imaging probe...