Perioperative outcomes of laparoscopic and open distal pancreatectomy: our institution's 5-year experience.

Background: Application of minimally invasive techniques in the surgical management of distal pancreatic lesions is increasing. Despite this, numbers of laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy remain low and limited to treatment of benign and premalignant lesions.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of 31 patients who underwent distal pancreatectomy from 2005 to 2010.

Laparoscopic exploration can salvage failed endoscopic bile duct stone extraction.

Introduction: Conventionally, patients who failed endoscopic removal of common bile duct stones (CBDS) by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreaticography (ERCP) would be treated with open cholecystectomy and common bile duct exploration. Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE) is an established option for treating CBDS. The aim of this paper was to look at the feasibility of LCBDE as a salvage procedure after failed endoscopic stone extraction (ESE).

Surgery for perforated small bowel malignancy: a single institution's experience over 4 years.

Introduction: Surgery for perforated small bowel malignancy is associated with dismal morbidity and mortality rates. The aim of the paper was to highlight our institution's surgical experience in the management of patients with malignant small bowel perforation.

Methods: A retrospective review of all patients who underwent operative intervention for malignant small bowel perforation from 2004 to 2007 was performed.

Emergency surgery for jejunal diverticulosis: our experience and review of literature.

Background: Jejunal diverticulosis is a rare entity and is often asymptomatic. However, some of its complications may require acute surgical intervention. This study was performed to evaluate the presentation and outcome of patients who underwent urgent surgery for complicated jejunal diverticulosis.

Is transurethral catheterisation the ideal method of bladder drainage? A survey of patient satisfaction with indwelling transurethral urinary catheters.

Objective: Bladder catheterisation is a routine part of major abdominal surgery. Transurethral catheterisation is the most common method of bladder drainage but is also notorious for its discomfort and increased risk of urinary tract infection. The present study aimed to establish patient satisfaction with transurethral catheterisation and to assess the incidence of clinically significant urinary tract infections after transurethral catheterisation through survey.

Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration: our first 50 cases.

Introduction: Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (CBDE) is becoming more popular in the management of choledocholithiasis due to improved laparoscopic expertise and advancement in endoscopic technology and equipment. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and short-term outcome of laparoscopic CBDE in a single institution over a 3-year period.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective review of the records of all patients who underwent laparoscopic CBDE in Tan Tock Seng Hospital between January 2006 and September 2008 was conducted.

Outcome of a strategy to reduce surgical site infection in a tertiary-care hospital.

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is a preventable complication. Achieving a zero SSI rate for all clean operations should be the goal of all surgeons.

Aim: We aimed to reduce our SSI rate by 50% for patients undergoing elective gastrointestinal and hernia operations.

New hope for an old cure: a pilot animal study on selective venesection in attenuating the systemic effects of ischaemic-reperfusion injury.

Introduction: Reperfusion of acutely ischaemic tissue may, paradoxically, lead to systemic complications. This phenomenon is believed to be initiated by humoral factors that have accumulated in the ischaemic tissue. The ancient art of venesection may reduce the load of these mediators at the point of reperfusion.

Emergency colorectal resections in Asian octogenarians: factors impacting surgical outcome.

Purpose: The population in developing countries is aging and the number of octogenarians is expected to increase in the future at an alarmingly fast rate. This paper evaluates the surgical outcomes of emergency colorectal resections among Asian octogenarians.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of all octogenarians and older, who had an emergency colorectal resection performed between February 1996 to December 2001.

Pancreatic tuberculosis mimicking pancreatic carcinoma: series of three cases.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a worldwide pandemic, and is seeing a resurgence because of the AIDS epidemic. Pancreatic involvement is rare in the world, and when it is isolated around the pancreas, it is often mistaken for pancreatic carcinoma. We report three cases of pancreatic TB that masqueraded as malignancy in a 50-year-old female, a 34-year-old male and a 39-year-old male with a previous history of abdominal TB.

Novel approach to laparoscopic resection of tumours of the distal pancreas.

Background: Laparoscopic resection for small lesions of the pancreas has recently gained popularity. We report our initial experience with a new approach to laparoscopic spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy so that the maximum amount of normal pancreas can be preserved while ensuring adequate resection margins and preservation of the spleen and splenic vessels.

Methods: Three patients underwent laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy with spleen and splenic vessel preservation over a 2-month period.

An audit of ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a Singapore institution: are we ready for day-case laparoscopic cholecystectomy?

Background: Day-Case laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is practiced in many countries. However, this has yet to be widely accepted in Singapore. This study aims to determine the potential success rate of day-case LC in our institution.

Perioperative and follow-up results after central pancreatic head resection (Berne technique) in a consecutive series of patients with chronic pancreatitis.

Background: Many patients require surgery for chronic pancreatitis (CP). By combining the essences of the Beger and the Frey procedures, a hybrid procedure was developed: central pancreatic-head resection (CPHR) (Berne technique).

Methods: A prospective evaluation of 100 consecutive patients who underwent CPHR for CP between January 2002 and December 2006 was performed.

Complications of pancreatic surgery.

Pancreatic resection is the only treatment option that can lead to a meaningful prolonged survival in pancreatic cancer and, in some instances, perhaps a potential chance for cure. With the advent of organ and function preserving procedures, its use in the treatment of chronic pancreatitis and other less common benign diseases of the pancreas is increasing. Furthermore, over the past two decades, with technical advances and centralization of care, pancreatic surgery has evolved into a safe procedure with mortality rates of <5%.

KAI1 inhibits anchorage-dependent and -independent pancreatic cancer cell growth.

Decreased expression of the tumor suppressor gene, KAI1, is associated with metastasis formation in pancreatic cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether KAI1 influences pancreatic cancer cell growth and colony formation. A full-length KAI1 cDNA expression vector was stably transfected into Panc-1 and MiaPaCa-2 pancreatic cancer cell lines.