Eff ect of ursodeoxycholic acid in postcholecystectomy cholestatic hepatopathy verified by ultrasonography

Summary: Cholestasis syndrome is accompanied by a large number of diverse liver and biliary tract diseases. Many cholestatic changes are fully reversible in the fi rst phase. However, with long-term cholestasis, extensive hepatocyte dysfunction occurs, the disease progresses, and many cholestatic syndromes result in irreversible liver damage and failure. Cholestatic liver diseases represent an important group of liver diseases that are an indication for liver transplantation. Postcholecystectomy syndrome is an imprecisely defi ned term, which includes a set of ongoing or recurrent or new diffi culties of patients after gallbladder surgery. We distinguish between early postcholecystectomy syndrome immediately in the postoperative period, or late postcholecystectomy syndrome, which occurs months or even years later. Ultrasonography is the fi rst imaging examination method for diseases of the liver and hepatobiliary system. It is a non-invasive method, available, relatively cheap, easily repeatable, and it does not represent a burden for the patient. Common bile duct dilatation after cholecystectomy is a common accidental fi nding that is inconclusive in the absence of clinical symptomatology and with normal laboratory fi ndings. Ursodeoxycholic acid forms the basis of cholestasis therapy, the only treatment whose effi cacy in cholestatic liver disease has been demonstrated in randomized and long-term studies. A further positive is that many years of ursodeoxycholic acid administration are not accompanied by more serious side eff ects. This case report supports the concept of a prompt and at the same time deepening benefi cial eff ect of ursodeoxycholic acid treatment in patients with cholestatic hepatopathy verified by ultrasonography indicated for conservative treatment or refusing invasive treatment. Key words: cholestasis – postcholecystectomy syndrome – ultrasonography – ursodeoxycholic acid

Postcholecystectomy syndrome, dynamics of ideas, diagnostics, treatment

This article provides an overview of the data on postcholecystectomy syndrome (PCES). The entire period of study of this frequent complication (up to 40%) can be divided into 2 periods: surgical and therapeutic. Surgical complications of cholecystectomy accounted for 10% and were studied by surgeons. This study led to the correction of surgical treatment, formulated the examination program and reduced and minimized surgical complications. The second part of the complications is made up of functional disorders of the sphincter of Oddi, which today are the leading ones and, apparently, remain so. The article gives an idea of PCES as a dynamic disorder of the sphincter of Oddi, gives the last definition of PCES given by the IV Roman Concensus, suggests an algorithm for diagnosis and treatment. As a clinical illustration, the authors present their own data on the diagnosis and treatment of 60 patients with PCES, which confirmed the point of view proposed by the international gastroenterological community. The authors separated two types of postcholecystectomy syndrome: one with a predominance of sphincter of Oddi (SO) spasm and another with a predominance of sphincter of Oddi hypotension. The drug of choice in the spastic type is the selective antispasmodic gimecromone, in which case a dose is of the essence. In case of a hypotonic type of postcholecystectomy syndrome, motor regulators to increase the SO tone should be used. The therapy should be stepwise with an assessment of the effect and correction of the next step of treatment. This treatment option for patients with postcholecystectomy syndrome we see today as the leading one. The features of treatment associated with the developing syndrome of bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and chronic biliary insufficiency (CBI), which require constant monitoring (diagnosis) and permanent treatment, are considered.

Clinical patterns and causes of post-cholecystectomy syndrome

Post-cholecystectomy syndrome is suspected when the patients complain about the persistent presence of pain in the right upper abdominal quadrant. Other symptoms might appear which are related to the gastrointestinal tract. These symptoms appear after performing cholecystectomy. The manifestations are usually similar to those experienced before the procedure. In this study, the aim to conduct a literature review to increase the knowledge and to explore facts related to the clinical patterns and causes of post-cholecystectomy syndrome. The most commonly reported cause of this syndrome is the prior development of an extra-biliary disorder, which includes many modalities as peptic ulcer, reflux esophagitis, chronic pancreatitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and biliary-related disorders. However, the etiology of postcholecystectomy is hugely variable across the different studies in the literature. Patients that develop postcholecystectomy syndrome usually present with non-specific gastrointestinal symptoms that may or may not be similar to the symptoms that were exhibited before conducting the surgery. Some of the common physiological changes that have been reported with postcholecystectomy syndrome include the disruption of cholecysto-antral reflex, the cholecystosphincter of oddi reflex, and the cholecysto-esophageal related reflexes. In addition, the development of other changes that can significantly affect the normal physiology of the gastrointestinal tract leads to the development of significant symptoms and clinical patterns.

WAYS TO IMPROVE DIAGNOSIS OF PATIENTS WITH POSTCHOLECYSTECTOMY SYNDROME

Postcholecystectomy syndrome is a symptom complex that occurs or worsens after cholecystectomy and is a functional and / or organic disorder. It often complicates the post−surgery course of gallstone disease. The presence of symptoms of the disease indicates a deterioration in the quality of life of patients, but the diagnostic examination is not always possible to detect morphological or functional changes. Thus, at present the syndrome is an urgent problem of gastroenterology and biliary surgery. Diagnostic issues with a differentiated approach to the functional or organic nature of postcholecystectomy syndrome are important for the choice of further treatment tactics. In order to improve the diagnostic algorithm taking into account the changes in the area of the major duodenal papilla, a study was conducted in 137 patients. To determine the functional disorders of the sphincter of Oddi there was used the method of ultrasound investigation of hepatobiliary area and Vater's papilla with choleretic loading on Boyden as well as the Grigoriev's methods in the absence of organic obstruction of the terminal choledochus at previous stages of examination. Morphological changes in the major duodenal papilla area were evaluated using the technique of parietal ph−impedancemetry, which was performed on the background of benign mechanical jaundice in the patients after cholecystectomy during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography prior to endoscopic papillosphincterotomy. The obtained results help to perform a differentiated approach to the patients who underwent cholecystectomy, taking into account morphofunctional changes in the area of the major duodenal papilla and allow the implementation of the selected methods to the research algorithm of patients with postcholecystectomy syndrome. Key words: postcholecystectomy syndrome, functional and organic changes of major duodenal papilla, patency of the terminal choledochus, treatment tactics.

Postcholecystectomy syndrome: a case report

<p class="abstract">The term postcholecystectomy syndrome (PCS) refers to varied signs and symptoms attributed to patients on cholecystectomy for the surgical management of symptomatic gallstone disease. This complication occurs as a result of a pathological condition of the gallbladder or attribution of several symptoms. PCS affects about 10-15% of the patients. The management and treatment of PCS associated symptoms are depending on the specific diagnosis and may include pharmacological or surgical management. In the present case, a 74-year-old man undergone for laparoscopic cholecystectomy admitted with complaints of loose stools for several times with other complications (anaemia, leucocytosis, neutrophilia, and also reported known case of trigeminal neuralgia). The present case report added insight information on PCS and its therapeutic management.</p><p class="abstract"> </p>

MORPHOLOGY AND MORPHOMETRIC INDICATORS OF THE MUCOUS MEMBRANE OF VARIOUS PARTS OF THE INTESTINE OF PATIENTS WITH POSTCHOLECYSTECTOMY SYNDROME

The actuality of the problem is associated with an increase in the number of patients with cholelithiasis of working age and a significant increase in cholecystectomies not only in Russia, but throughout the world. It is known that more than 2,5 million are performed annually. Moreover, 5-40% of operated patients develop postcholecystectomy syndrome, which is manifested by recurrent abdominal pain and cholegenic diarrhea. The aim of the study is to assess morphofunctional changes in the mucous membrane of various parts of the intestine in patients with postcholecystectomy syndrome. Histological, histochemical, morphometric and bacterioscopic, parasitological methods were used to study 42 biopsy specimens of the mucous membrane of various parts of the intestines of patients who underwent cholecystectomy. The control group consisted of 18 biopsies of practically healthy individuals. To objectify the study, a morphometric study of the mucous membrane of the duodenum according to 34 parameters, of the cecum and sigmoid colon according to 22 parameters was carried out. In the mucous membrane of the duodenum, chronic duodenitis of varying degrees of activity of the pathological process and atrophy of the intestinal villi were revealed, the intestinal glands were shortened, the intestinal villi are less wide. The epithelial layer of intestinal villi and intestinal glands was abundantly infiltrated with neutrophilic granulocytes. The density of the inflammatory cellular infiltrate in the stroma of the intestinal villi and intestinal glands increased. On the surface of the epithelial layer of the intestinal villi and between the intestinal glands, campylobacters were often found, less often - cryptosporidia. In the mucous membrane of the cecum and sigmoid colon, chronic colitis of varying degrees of activity of the pathological process and atrophy of the intestinal glands were revealed. The thickness of the mucous membrane and the depth of the intestinal glands were lower than normal. Thus, in patients with postcholecystectomy syndrome, pronounced morphometric and histological changes were revealed in the mucous membrane of various parts of the intestine, while the depth and degree of its damage were more significant in its proximal parts.

Acupuncture for the Postcholecystectomy Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background. Postcholecystectomy syndrome (PCS) has become a common postoperative syndrome that requires systematic and comprehensive therapy to achieve adequate clinical control. Acupuncture and related therapies have shown clinical effects for PCS in many studies. However, systematic reviews/meta-analyses (SRs/MAs) for them are lacking. Objective. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of PCS using randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methods. Potentially eligible studies were searched in the following electronic databases up to 1 February 2020: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science (WoS), Chinese databases (Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), WanFang Database (WF), and China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP)), and other sources (WHO ICTRP, ChiCTR, Clinical Trials, and Grey Literature Database). The RevMan 5.3 was employed for analyses. The Cochrane Collaboration’ risk of bias tool was used to assess the risk of bias (ROB). The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was used to assess the quality of the evidence. Results. A total of 14 RCTs with 1593 participants were included in this SR. MA showed that acupuncture in combination with conventional medicine (CM) did not show statistical differences in reduction in pain. However, acupuncture in combination with CM significantly reduced the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) (RR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.55–0.92) and improved gastrointestinal function recovery compared to the CM group. Acupuncture combined with traditional Chinese medicine and CM, and acupuncture as monotherapy may improve gastrointestinal function recovery with acceptable adverse events. Conclusion. Acupuncture may be an effective and safe treatment for PCS. However, this study lacks conclusive evidence due to poor quality evidence, limited data, and clinical heterogeneity of acupuncture methods in the included studies.

Iatrogenia as a cause of postcholecystectomy syndrome

Objective. To analyze the most frequent diagnostic, tactical and technical errors of young doctors, leading to postcholecystectomy syndrome. Materials and methods. The analysis was based on the clinical material of 87 patients from the Surgical Department of Regional Clinical Hospital №1 and City Clinical Hospital №2 of Izhevsk regarding reconstructive and restorative surgeries on the biliary tract for the last 40 years (19782018). Results. The reasons, causing iatrogenic injuries of the bile ducts during cholecystectomy, are diagnostic, tactical, technical. Diagnostic errors are more often associated with inadequate diagnosis of cholelithiasis and cholecystitis (underestimation of history, complaints, clinical picture of the disease and its complications; failure or impossibility of FGDS; insufficient topical diagnosis while ultrasound investigation of the biliary tract and abdominal organs). Tactical errors in surgeries on the gallbladder include: overly expectant tactics, incorrect choice of surgical approach and method of anesthesia, lack of experience of the surgeon, inadequate revision of the biliary tract during surgery, refusal from surgical cholangiography and external drainage of the choledoch in case of doubtful patency of the bile duct. Technical reasons are specific features of the anatomy of the extrahepatic biliary tract, factors complicating the surgery, violation of surgical technique when performing an operation on the bile duct. Conclusions. Correct and timely diagnosis of bile diseases as well as qualified technique of surgical intervention will minimize the development of post-cholecystectomy syndrome and other iatrogenic complications.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in a young patient with obesity, hyperandrogenism, postcholecystectomy syndrome and reactive pancreatitis. A clinical case

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a problem that is getting increasingly important and is often considered in the literature as a sign of liver damage in the metabolic syndrome. Currently, there is a tendency to rapid growth and rejuvenation of patients with this pathology. Metabolic syndrome, which is a polyetiological disease and is characterized by metabolic disorders and the launch of various pathological cascade reactions, can cause cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus and their complications. Problem of comorbidity leads to deterioration in the quality of life of the patient and in severe cases can cause death. The article describes a clinical case of newly diagnosed NAFLD in a young patient with obesity in comorbidity with hyperandrogenism, postcholecystectomy syndrome, and reactive pancreatitis. The article presents a system analysis, bibliosemantics and case analysis of a particular patient with NAFLD. The search for sources was carried out using the scientific and statistical database of medical information. The absence of pathognomonic signs and complaints of this disease draws the attention of scientists and clinicians to conduct a comprehensive study of this problem, as well as improving the detection system of NAFLD in the early stages. This will help to avoid the development of the disease and various complications associated with the metabolic syndrome, as well as save and improve the patient’s life. Fighting against the “diseases of the 21st century” should begin long before the manifestation of obvious signs of the disease. This clinical case emphasizes the relevance of this problem in medical practice. Active identification and prevention of the initial manifestations of this disease in young people will help reduce the risk of developing comorbid diseases. Patients with NAFLD and obesity have an increased risk of various complications, therefore, they need more medical attention and frequent monitoring of liver indices and functional status.