Bariatric Surgery in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Case-Control Study from the GETAID.

Background: The prevalence of obesity and the number of bariatric surgeries in both the general population and in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have increased significantly in recent years. Due to small sample sizes and the lack of adequate controls, no definite conclusions can be drawn from the available studies on the safety and efficacy of bariatric surgery (BS) in patients with IBD. Our aim was to assess safety, weight loss, and deficiencies in patients with IBD and obesity who underwent BS and compare findings to a control group.

Impact of the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2/Covid-19 pandemic on digestive surgical activities: a Belgian National Survey.

Background: Belgium was one of the first European countries affected by the first wave of the Covid-19 epidemic after Italy and France and has the highest rate of Covid-19-related deaths. Very few studies have evaluated the impact of the pandemic on surgical activity on a large scale. The primary objective of this national survey was to evaluate the impact of the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic on surgical activities (elective non-oncological and oncological) in Belgian hospitals.

Glutaraldehyde-fixed parietal peritoneum graft conduit to replace completely the portal vein during pancreaticoduodenectomy: A case report.

Introduction: Combined total portal vein (PV) and superior mesenteric artery (SMA) resection during pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is a challenging task that is no longer considered as a contra-indication to achieve R0 in borderline resectable (BR) and locally advanced (LA) pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

Presentation Of Case: We report a 66-year-old female with BR-PDAC of the head of the pancreas in whom PV and SMA were replaced with a glutaraldehyde-fixed autologous peritoneo-fascial graft (APG) and a splenomesenteric arterial bypass, respectively, during the PD.

Discussion: When PV venorraphy or end-to-end anastomosis is not feasible, APG conduit, immediately available without extra-incision, does not need postoperative anticoagulation and is associated with a low risk of infection and thrombosis.

Laparoscopic Magenstrasse and Mill Gastroplasty (M&M): Midterm Results.

Background: The Magenstrasse and Mill gastroplasty (M&M) is a gastric restrictive procedure without band or stomach resection. Short-term evaluation of the laparoscopic procedure showed low morbidity and satisfactory results on weight loss. Evidence of the validity of the technique in the longer term is scarce.

Belgian multicenter experience with intestinal transplantation.

Intestinal transplantation (ITx) has evolved from an experimental procedure toward a clinical reality but remains a challenging procedure. The aim of this survey was to analyze the multicenter Belgian ITx experience. From 1999 to 2014, 24 ITx in 23 patients were performed in Belgium, divided over five centers.

Laparoscopic Magenstrasse and Mill gastroplasty. First results of a prospective study.

Background: The Magenstrasse and Mill (M&M) procedure is a vertical gastroplasty creating a tubular pouch extending from the cardia to the antrum. This "incomplete sleeve" avoids gastric resection or band placement. In this paper, we report our experience of the laparoscopic approach of the technique in a selected obese population excluding prominent grazer and/or sweet eaters.

Obesity phenotype is related to NLRP3 inflammasome activity and immunological profile of visceral adipose tissue.

Aims/hypothesis: Obesity is a heterogeneous condition comprising both individuals who remain metabolically healthy (MHO) and those who develop metabolic disorders (metabolically unhealthy, MUO). Adipose tissue is also heterogeneous in that its visceral component is more frequently associated with metabolic dysfunction than its subcutaneous component. The development of metabolic disorders is partly mediated by the NLR family pyrin domain containing-3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, which increases the secretion of inflammatory cytokines via activation of caspase-1.

Donation after cardio-circulatory death liver transplantation.

The renewed interest in donation after cardio-circulatory death (DCD) started in the 1990s following the limited success of the transplant community to expand the donation after brain-death (DBD) organ supply and following the request of potential DCD families. Since then, DCD organ procurement and transplantation activities have rapidly expanded, particularly for non-vital organs, like kidneys. In liver transplantation (LT), DCD donors are a valuable organ source that helps to decrease the mortality rate on the waiting lists and to increase the availability of organs for transplantation despite a higher risk of early graft dysfunction, more frequent vascular and ischemia-type biliary lesions, higher rates of re-listing and re-transplantation and lower graft survival, which are obviously due to the inevitable warm ischemia occurring during the declaration of death and organ retrieval process.

Results of kidney transplantation from controlled donors after cardio-circulatory death: a single center experience.

The aim of this study was to determine results of kidney transplantation (KT) from controlled donation after cardio-circulatory death (DCD). Primary end-points were graft and patient survival, and post-transplant complications. The influence of delayed graft function (DGF) on graft survival and DGF risk factors were analyzed as secondary end-points.

Hepatitis C of genotype 2: the role of medical invasive exams.

Background And Aim: Hepatitis C virus genotype 2 is the third in order of frequency in Belgium. The aim of this study was to better define the genotype 2 carriers' epidemiology characteristics.

Methods: In a database comprising 1726 viremic hepatitis C virus patient from the south part of Belgium, the files of 98 genotype 2 carriers were reviewed.

Liver transplantation from donation after cardiac death donors: initial Belgian experience 2003-2007.

The Belgian experience with donation after cardiac death (DCD) liver transplantation (LT) was retrospectively reviewed, particularly evaluating patient and graft survivals, and biliary complications. From 2003 to 2007, 58 DCD-LT were performed in Belgium. Mean procurement total warm ischemia time was 25 +/- 2 min (mean +/- SEM).

Prolonged anhepatic state after early liver graft removal.

Two-stage liver transplantation, i.e. salvage emergent total hepatectomy with prolonged anhepatic state, and subsequent liver transplantation, has been described as a life-saving procedure in selected cases.

Pressure-controlled ventilation does not improve gas exchange in morbidly obese patients undergoing abdominal surgery.

Background: Morbid obesity results in marked respiratory pathophysiologic changes that may lead to impaired intraoperative gas exchange. The decelerating inspiratory flow and constant inspiratory airway pressure resulting from pressure-controlled ventilation (PCV) may be more adapted to these changes and improve gas exchanges compared with volume-controlled ventilation (VCV).

Methods: Forty morbidly obese patients scheduled for gastric bypass were included in this study.

Pancreas graft drainage in recipient duodenum: preliminary experience.

Pancreas graft survival has continuously improved over the years to become a main treatment option of uncontrolled complicated diabetes. Rejection remains the major challenge as it often goes unnoticed until severe damage of the graft manifests itself by elevated blood sugar. Pancreas enzymes monitoring in the blood and in the urine is a sensitive marker of rejection but lack of specificity.

Cadaveric liver transplantation for non-acetaminophen fulminant hepatic failure: a 20-year experience.

Aim: To investigate the long-term results of liver transplantation (LT) for non-acetaminophen fulminant hepatic failure (FHF).

Methods: Over a 20-year period, 29 FHF patients underwent cadaveric whole LT. Most frequent causes of FHF were hepatitis B virus and drug-related (not acetaminophen) liver failure.

Risk of upper gastrointestinal cancer after bariatric operations.

The authors discuss the potential influence of obesity surgery on the risk of cancer, focusing on the upper GI tract directly affected by operations. There is currently no substantiation for an increased risk of cancer after bariatric surgery, because there are only about 25 reports of subsequent cancer of the esophagus and the stomach. However, this review emphasizes the need to detect potential precancerous conditions before surgery.

Brain edema and intracranial hypertension in fulminant hepatic failure: pathophysiology and management.

Intracranial hypertension is a major cause of morbidity and mortality of patients suffering from fulminant hepatic failure. The etiology of this intracranial hypertension is not fully determined, and is probably multifactorial, combining a cytotoxic brain edema due to the astrocytic accumulation of glutamine, and an increase in cerebral blood volume and cerebral blood flow, in part due to inflammation, to glutamine and to toxic products of the diseased liver. Validated methods to control intracranial hypertension in fulminant hepatic failure patients mainly include mannitol, hypertonic saline, indomethacin, thiopental, and hyperventilation.

Carcinoid tumor of the appendix: a consecutive series from 1237 appendectomies.

Aim: To report the experience of the CHU Sart Tilman, University of Liege, Belgium, in the management of appendiceal carinoid tumor.

Methods: A retrospective review of 1237 appendectomies performed in one single centre from January 2000 to May 2004, was undertaken. Analysis of demographic data, clinical presentation, histopathology, operative reports and outcome was presented.