Notes: Four patients with lichen nitidus who presented with palmoplantar or nail lesions arc reported. In three cases palmoplantar hyperkeratosis was marked; these cases also had nail-plate lesions, but in all four, lesions of lichen nitidus at other sites were absent, sparse or asymptomatic.

Notes: Abstract Background: Cystic duct (CD) leaks following laparoscopic cholecystectomy may be diagnosed and managed with ERCP. Treatment options include endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES) and/or endobiliary stenting (Stent). This study was undertaken to determine if ES or Stent is more effective in lowering bile duct pressures by disrupting the pressure gradient created by the sphincter of Oddi and therefore more beneficial in the management of CD. Methods: Mongrel dogs underwent midline laparotomy and antegrade cannulation of the common bile duct (CBD) with an umbilical artery catheter. Baseline CBD pressures were measured following duodenotomy; 5 Fr and 7 Fr stents measuring 2.5 cm, 4.5 cm, and 7 cm were inserted retrograde into the CBD. CBD pressure was measured after each stent insertion. A 1-cm sphincterotomy was the performed using a double channel papillotome. Results: Insertion of both 5 Fr and 7 Fr stents significantly lowered CBD pressure as compared to sphincterotomy alone, p 〈 0.05. There was no significant difference in the reduction in CBD pressure following the insertion of either the 5 Fr or 7 Fr stents of varying lengths. Sphincterotomy alone did not significantly decrease CBD pressure as compared to baseline pressure. The insertion of a stent following sphincterotomy also caused a significant decrease in CBD pressure as compared to sphincterotomy alone, p= 0.034. Conclusion: Stent placement or ES with Stent placement significantly reduced CBD pressure as compared to ES alone. Stent diameter and length were not significant variables in this study. These results support the use of Stent or ES with Stent rather than ES alone in the management of CD leaks.

Notes: Abstract Background: Diagnostic laparoscopy for the evaluation of injuries in patients with penetrating abdominal trauma has been shown to decrease the morbidity and mortality associated with mandatory laparotomy. The overall impact on patient care and hospital costs has not been thoroughly investigated. The goal of this study was to determine the economic impact of laparoscopy as a diagnostic tool in the management of patients following penetrating trauma to the abdomen or flank. Methods: Retrospective chart review of all hemodynamically stable patients with penetrating trauma to the abdomen or flank, but without other injuries requiring emergent intervention, admitted to a level I trauma center between January 1, 1992, and September 30, 1994. Those patients who underwent either laparoscopy (DL) or laparotomy (NL) or both (CONV) and who had no intraabdominal organ injuries requiring surgical therapeutic intervention were included in the study. Age, operative time, operative findings, length of hospitalization, Injury Severity Score (ISS), variable costs, and total costs were recorded for each patient. Results: Fourteen patients underwent negative/nontherapeutic laparoscopy (DL), 19 patients underwent negative/nontherapeutic laparotomy (NL), and four patients underwent both laparoscopy and laparotomy, a conversion procedure (CONV). There was no significant difference in age, operative times, or ISS between the DL and NL groups. Mean ISS of CONV patients was significantly greater than that of DL patients, 5.75 ± 1.97 vs 2.43 ± 0.63 (p 〈 0.05). Mean operative time for CONV patients was also significantly greater than both DL and NL patients, 106.5 ± 17.00 min vs 66.1 ± 6.55 and 47.3 ± 7.50 min, respectively (p 〈 0.05). The mean length of stay was significantly shorter in the DL group as compared to the NL or CONV groups, 1.43 ± 0.20 vs 4.26 ± 0.31 and 5.0 ± 0.82 (p 〈 0.0001). The variable costs for the DL group were significantly lower than those incurred by patients in the NL and CONV groups, $2,917 ± 175 vs $3,384 ± 102 and $3,774 ± 286, (p 〈 0.05). Variable costs were not significantly different between the NL and CONV groups. Total costs were also significantly lower in the DL group when compared to NL and CONV, $5,427 ± 394 vs $7,026 ± 251 and $7,855 ± 750 (p 〈 0.005), but again, they were not statistically different between the NL and CONV groups. The overall total costs for laparoscopy, including the costs incurred by conversion patients, was significantly less than the total costs for laparotomy patients, $5,664 ± 394 vs $7,028.47 ± 250 (p 〈 0.005). This resulted in an overall savings of $1,059.44 per laparoscopy performed. The overall negative/nontherapeutic laparotomy rate during this study was 19.1%, which was significantly lower than the negative or nontherapeutic exploration rate during the time period prior to the use of laparoscopy (p 〈 0.01, z = 2.550). Conclusion: Variable and total costs and length of stay were significantly lower in our population of patients who underwent DL as compared to NL. The rate of negative or nontherapeutic laparotomy was also significantly reduced when compared to the rate identified during the era prior to the use of laparoscopy. Laparoscopy resulted in an overall savings of $1,059 per laparoscopy performed when compared to laparotomy.

Notes: Abstract Background: Biliary fistulae may occur following surgical injury, abdominal trauma, or inadequate closure of a cystic duct stump. These leaks are most often managed by drainage of the associate biloma and either endoscopic sphincterotomy or placement of a biliary endoprosthesis to decrease the pressure gradient between the bile duct and the duodenum created by the muscular contraction of the ampullary sphincter. In a previous study, we demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in ductal pressures following stent placement as compared to sphincterotomy. The goal of this present study was to determine if reduction in ductal pressures correlates clinically with the resolution of biliary leaks in an animal model. Methods: Fourteen mongrel dogs underwent laparotomy, cholecystectomy without closure of the cystic stump, and a lateral duodenotomy to identify the major papilla. The dogs were then randomized into three groups. Group I (n = 5) was a control group undergoing closure of the duodenotomy only. Group II (n = 4) underwent sphincterotomy. Group III (n = 5) underwent placement of a 7 Fr × 5 cm biliary endoprosthesis prior to duodenotomy closure. A drain was placed adjacent to the cystic duct stump in all groups. Drain output was recorded daily. The biliary leak was considered resolved when the output was 〈10 cc/day. Regardless of suspected fistula closure, the drains were not removed until 2 weeks postprocedure. Necropsy was performed to identify undrained intraperitoneal bile. Statistical analysis was performed using Student's paired t test. Results: All dogs had bile leaks identified on postoperative day 1. The number of days required for resolution of bile leak in group I (mean ± SEM) was 7.60 ± 0.87 days, as compared to 6.75 ± 0.80 days for group II and 2.60 ± 0.24 days for group III. There was no significant difference in the duration of bile leak between groups I and II (p= 0.445). Group III, however, had a significant reduction in the duration of biliary fistulae as compared to both groups I and II (p 〈 0.005). At autopsy, persistent bilomas were identified in 80% of group I, 25% of group II, and 0% of group III. None of the dogs showed evidence of dehisence of the duodenotomy closure site as a source of bile leak. Conclusions: Biliary stenting significantly reduces the time to resolution of cystic duct leaks as compared to sphincterotomy in a canine model. The results obtained in this study support the use of biliary endoprostheses in the management of biliary leaks and fistulae.