Gastrointestinal Anastomosis (GIA) Stapler as a safe and efficacious damage control tool for High-Grade Liver Injury in Hemodynamically Unstable Patient- A Case Report

Background: Liver injury occurs in approximately 5% of all trauma admissions. The large size of the liver and its location makes it more susceptible to injuries. Nowadays, the majority of isolated liver injuries are successfully managed with non-operative methods, however, operative management is still the mainstay of treatment for hemodynamically unstable patients. There are many traditional ways of controlling hemorrhage from the liver and here we report a case in which a GIA 75 stapler was successfully used to manage Grade IV liver injury in a hemodynamically unstable patient.Case presentation: 45 years old policeman presented in the emergency, within 20 minutes after sustaining a gunshot injury to his abdomen. At presentation, he was hemodynamically unstable with a heart rate of 100 beats/min and blood pressures of 70/35 mm Hg. On examination, he had a single entry wound in the epigastrium with no exit wound and had generalized peritonitis. He was paraplegic and had a sensory level. He was rushed to the operating room (OR) for exploratory laparotomy which revealed a shattered left lobe of the liver. Gastrointestinal anastomosis 75 stapler device was used for non-anatomical left segmentectomy (segments I and II). Active bleeding from tributaries of left hepatic vein and small branches opening into retrohepatic inferior vena cava (IVC) was identified and the vessels were suture ligated. Perihepatic packing was done and the patient shifted to the surgical intensive care unit(SICU). His improved hemodynamically and was re-explored within 24 hours. No active bleeding was seen after the packs were removed and the abdomen was closed. The next day he was moved out of SICU and the rehabilitation program was initiated for his spine injury. He was discharged on the 10th day of admission.Discussion: Grade IV liver injuries are often very complex and challenging to manage in a hemodynamically unstable patient. The role of GIA staplers for hepatic resection is quite common and safe in elective settings but their similar use in the context of trauma is less described. The concept of damage control surgery rests on quick control of life-threatening bleeding and a GIA stapler can be effectively used for rapid non-anatomical resection of the liver in trauma. This can prevent the depletion of physiological reserves and the life-threatening death triad. Conclusion: GIA stapler device is an effective, safe, and rapidly deployable tool for managing high grade live injury in a hemodynamically unstable patient. It controls bleeding without any concomitant chances of bile leak and also resection of the shattered liver gives good access for inspecting the rest of the bleeding sites.

Concomitant Staple Aneurysmorrhaphy and Flow-Calibrated Arteriovenous Fistula Banding Over a Coronary Dilator to Treat Hand Steal Syndrome

Background: True venous aneurysm formation can occur in patients with arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) for hemodialysis but association with steal syndrome is uncommon. Methods: To describe a case of a patient on chronic hemodialysis through a right brachiocephalic fistula, who presents with associated steal syndrome and true arteriovenous access aneurysm. Results: A 34-year-old female with true AVF aneurysm presented with hand steal syndrome confirmed by noninvasive studies. The patient underwent a successful vein aneurysmorrhaphy with a commercially available stapler device and duplex ultrasound flow-calibrated banding. At 1-year follow-up, she remains pain free and the fistula remains functional with no recurrence of venous aneurysmal degeneration. Conclusion: The use of a commercially available surgical stapler devices along with flow-calibrated banding guided by duplex ultrasound over a coronary dilator during the same operation is an elegant, efficacious, and a durable alternative for patients with hand steal syndrome and concomitant AVF aneurysms.

Short-term outcomes after anterior stapling rectotomy using a single stapler device for rectocele

Background Stapled transanal rectal segmental resection (STARR) is a technique for treatment of obstructive defecation syndrome (ODS) when associated with rectocele and/or intussusceptions. Objectives To evaluate a simplified method using a single stapler device for isolated anterior rectal wall correction of structural abnormalities (single-STARR technique). Materials and methods Patients who were diagnosed with ODS underwent the single-STARR procedure. Their baseline symptoms were measured by using a modified obstructed defecation syndrome (MODS) questionnaire score. Evacuation proctography was performed to exclude functional anorectal disorders. Colonoscopy was selectively performed and for all patients older than 50 years. Single-STARR procedure was performed in cases where there was no evidence of an inflammatory, metabolic, neoplastic process, or functional disorders. The summed global score of ODS ranged from 0 (normal) to 24 (severe). Outcomes were determined by evaluating the postoperative improvement using a MODS score. Results A total of 9 patients (mean (SD) age 53 (13.6) years) with ODS were eligible for the study. Both rectocele and intussusceptions were diagnosed from preoperative defecography in 7 of the patients. Single-STARR was successfully performed without intraoperative complications in all patients with a mean operative time of 52 (12.7) min. The mean severity of symptoms decreased significantly at the 3rd and 6th (P < 0.01) month after surgery. However, one-third of patients experienced persistence of symptoms or symptom score deterioration on the 12th month after surgery. Conclusion The single-STARR procedure provided short-term symptom relief with no serious postoperative complication in a small series of 9 cases.

Endoscopic Resection of a Giant Left Atrial Appendage

A 23-year-old woman with a history of arterial hypertension presented to our institution complaining of dyspnea and chest pain. Her workup including echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed an aneurysm of the left atrial appendage. No thrombus was identified in the aneurysm or left atrial appendage, and the patient was in sinus rhythm. She was started on prophylactic anticoagulation, and surgical resection of the aneurysm was recommended as a definitive treatment of this lesion. The surgery was performed using a minimally invasive left-sided thoracoscopy approach. The entire left atrial appendage including the aneurysm was removed at its base using an articulating endoscopic stapler device. On postoperative echocardiography, no residual left atrial appendage tissue was evident. The patient could be taken off oral anticoagulation and left the hospital in good condition.