Muscular Cuff Research Articles

Modified Soave procedure through the posterior sagittal approach for Hirschsprung's disease

Purpose The objective of this study is to describe the surgical technique and clinical results of a modified Soave procedure through the posterior sagittal approach (PSAP) for Hirschsprung's disease. Methods The patient was placed in a prone jackknife position. The rectum was approached via PSAP keeping the external sphincter intact. The rectum was isolated and then divided approximately 2 cm from the dentate line. The rectum and sigmoid were freed up to the normal segment. The aganglionic and ganglionic segments were confirmed intraoperatively by frozen biopsy. The rectal mucosectomy was started 0.5 to 1 cm proximal to the dentate line, leaving 1 cm of the muscular cuff. The colon was then pulled through the anus. The aganglionic segment and transitional zone were removed. Coloanal anastomosis was fashioned 0.5 to 1 cm proximal to the dentate line. Results Ninety-six patients were operated on from January 2000 to July 2002, using the described technique. Patient ages ranged from 2 to 36 months (median age, 8½ months). The aganglionic segment was located in the rectum in 56 patients and in the sigmoid colon in 40 patients. The average length of bowel resected was 20 cm (range, 10-35 cm). Combined laparotomy was performed in 2 patients and combined laparoscopy surgery in 1 infant. There were no operative or postoperative deaths. Anastomotic leakage occurred in 2 patients. Spontaneous defecation occurred in all patients. Conclusions Posterior sagittal approach provides excellent exposure of the operative field and decreases the major complications seen with the abdominal approach. The modified Soave procedure can easily be performed with PSAP.

Transanal coloanal pull-through with a short muscular cuff for classic hirschsprung’s disease: R.J. Rintala. Eur J Pediatr Surg 13:181–186, (June), 2003

Transanal coloanal pull-through with a short muscular cuff for classic hirschsprung’s disease: R.J. Rintala. Eur J Pediatr Surg 13:181–186, (June), 2003

Surgical Procedure for Video-Assisted Colonic Pull-through with Section of Inferior Mesenteric Artery

Primary laparoscopic endorectal pull-through has been described by Georgeson as the video-assisted version of the Soave procedure for the treatment of aganglionosis. We use that technique with the variant of dividing just the inferior mesenteric vessels to mobilize the left side of the colon. This maneuver preserves the blood supply from the largest vessels (left colic and sigmoid arteries) and allows complete section of the mesosigmoid along an avascular plane. We dissect the pelvic rectum as usual by endorectal mucosectomy from below, starting about 0.5 cm above the pectinate line. The following section of the prolapsed muscular cuff together with the superior hemorrhoidal vessels connects the two dissection planes and allows the completely mobilized colon to be pulled down loosely transanally until the level of normal bowel innervation. The colo-anal anastomosis is always performed by hand. This technique has been used in 17 patients ages 25 days to 12 years. In every case, adequate mobilization was achieved. No intraoperative problem required conversion to open surgery. The procedure allows quick and neat mobilization of the left colon and the best blood supply to the pulled-through bowel.

Transanal coloanal pull-through with a short muscular cuff for classic Hirschsprung's disease.

A totally transanal operation for classic Hirschsprung's disease has become increasingly popular during the last few years. The procedure leaves no scars, is associated with less postoperative pain and discomfort and shortens hospital stay. The most commonly used technique for transanal pull-through is long endorectal dissection leaving a long muscular cuff, which is usually split posteriorly. We present our preliminary results following transanal endorectal operations with a short unsplit muscular cuff. Twenty-six patients underwent short-cuff transanal endorectal operation for Hirschsprung's disease between years 2000 and 2002. Patients' hospital records were analysed retrospectively. The collected data included age at operation, associated conditions, hospital stay and time to full enteral feeding, occurrence of pre- and postoperative enterocolitis and preoperative stoma, operative complications, need for postoperative anal dilatations, postoperative perianal skin problems and preliminary data on bowel function. The median age at operation was 1 month (range 0 - 60 months), 13 patients were operated on in the neonatal period. Four patients had Down's syndrome, 1 had cartilage-hair hypoplasia and one Ondine's syndrome. Five patients had preoperative enterocolitis. Four patients had undergone levelling stoma formation for unremitting constipation or enterocolitis. The proximal ganglionic stoma was concomitantly pulled-through and anastomosed to the anus in all 4 patients with a stoma. One patient with aganglionosis extending to the proximal sigmoid required additional laparoscopic colonic mobilisation. Complications related to surgery did not occur in the present series. Median postoperative hospital stay was 3 days (range 2 - 21 days) and median time to full enteral feeding was 3 days (range 1 - 14). Six patients required anal dilatations, two of those for a period of 3 weeks. The median follow-up time was 6 months (range 1 - 22 months). Fourteen patients had perianal skin rash, which usually resolved within 6 weeks. Postoperative enterocolitis requiring hospitalisation occurred in 1 patient, another patient had mild symptoms suggesting enterocolitis; these responded to oral antibiotic treatment. Early postoperative bowel function was characterised by frequent bowel movements in most patients. This usually resolved within a few months; of the 15 patients with a follow-up of longer than 6 months only 2 have more than 3 bowel movements per day. At the last follow-up frank soiling occurred in 1 patient with Down's syndrome, one patient requires oral laxatives for constipation. Transanal endorectal pull-through with a short cuff is a safe operation with a low incidence of operative and postoperative complications. Hospital stay and time to full enteral feeds is significantly shorter than after conventional procedures; this is associated with lower hospital costs. Long-term functional outcome is unclear but short-term function is very similar to that after procedures where transanal mucosectomy is combined with open rectosigmoid dissection.

Soave procedure for infants with Hirschsprung's disease.

Traditionally the surgical treatment of Hirschsprung's disease (H.D.) includes preliminary colostomy in normally innervated bowel followed by one of several pull through procedures. The transanal single stage Soave procedure eliminated the need for preliminary colostomy and intraabdominal dissection. It is a recent concept in the management of this disease, and this is the first experience to be reported from India. Four children aged 3 weeks to one year underwent transanal pull through procedure over a two month period. A rectal mucosectomy was performed starting 0.5 cm. proximal to the dentate line and extending proximally to the level of intraperitoneal rectum. The muscular sleeve was divided circumferentially to allow the full thickness mobilization of the proximal colon. Ganglion cells were confirmed by frozen section and bowel was transected. The rectal muscular cuff was divided longitudinally and the anastomosis was completed. Operative time including the frozen section averaged 160 minutes and average length of the bowel resected was 22 cm. There were no postoperative complications and all patients were discharged on seventh postoperative day. Median follow-up was 5 months (4-6 months) and stool output ranged from 2-4 per day. The authors conclude that a single stage transanal Soave's pull through for Hirschsprung's Disease can be performed successfully in infants. When compared to conventional pull through procedure, it has the potential advantage of lower cost, less risk of damage to pelvic structures, absence of any abdominal incision, a lower incidence of intraperitoneal bleeding and adhesion formation. The preliminary functional results suggest that the patients gain early bowel function post operatively without soiling or constipation.

Primary transanal rectosigmoidectomy for Hirschsprung's disease: Preliminary results in the initial 33 cases

Purpose: The authors describe their newly developed technique—primary transanal rectosigmoidectomy for Hirschsprung's disease (HD) and its preliminary results in neonates and infants. Methods: Thirty-four consecutive patients (26 boys) with biopsy-proven rectosigmoid HD, aged 18 days to 4 years, underwent this new procedure. Rectal mucosectomy started 1 to 1.5 cm posteriorly and 2 to 3 cm anteriorly proximal to the dentate line. The rectal muscular sleeve below the peritoneal reflection was resected to the level of the striated muscle complex, leaving a shorter muscular cuff, into which a partial internal sphincterotomy was made posteriorly. An oblique anastomosis was constructed between the pull-through ganglionic colon and the anus canal. Results: The mean time for the operation was 160 minutes, and the average length of bowel resected was 29.5 cm (range, 12.5 to 41 cm). Two children (6.06%, 2 of 33) had 2 to 5 episodes of postoperative enterocolitis (EC). One was cured by rectal irrigation and dilation, and the another by Lynn's myectomy. Eighty-four percent of patients had 1 to 6 bowel movements per day during a 6- to 18-month follow-up period. Conclusions: Primary transanal rectosigmoidectomy for HD is logical and associated with excellent early results. A long-term follow-up is required to determine bowel functions. J Pediatr Surg 36:1816-1819. Copyright © 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company.

The ileo neorectal anastomosis: an experimental study on development of the surgical technique and theoretical background.

The keystones of surgical treatment of ulcerative colitis and familial adenomatous polyposis are resection of the diseased colon with either an ileostomy or restoration of oro-anal continuity with an ileo-anal pouch. The ileo pouch anal anastomosis however, has a 15-35% pouch-related complication rate, 10% failure rate and is accompanied by an unpredictable functional outcome. In order to reduce these unfavourable rates and to improve functional results an alternative surgical technique, the ileo neorectal anastomosis (INRA), was developed experimentally. In an experimental study 12 Yorkshire-Dutch landpigs had a subtotal colectomy and rectal mucosectomy. Subsequently a vascularized ileal mucosa sling was created and transposed on to the denuded rectal muscular cuff in eight. In another four animals a non-vascularized mucosa sling was transposed. The covering ileostomy was closed after 3 weeks. Repeated endoscopies, histological examinations of mucosal biopsies and rectal compliance measurements were carried out to evaluate the functional result of the neorectum. The surgical procedure of the INRA was technically successful in this animal study. Repeated endoscopy and histology showed complete ileal mucosa ingrowth in the neorectum without severe fibrosis in the group of animals with a vascularized sling. At follow up after 1 year no colonic metaplasia had occurred. Measurements of the neorectal reservoirs in the group of animals with a vascularized INRA procedure showed a median 'maximum tolerated volume' of 338 ml (range 300-410 ml). The INRA is technically feasible and reproducible. The histologically proven survival of the vascularized ileal mucosa and development of a compliant neorectal reservoir make the INRA an interesting alternative restorative procedure. Avoidance of the pouch-related complications of the ileo pouch anal anastomosis by this procedure might herald a new era of restorative surgery.

Transanal one-stage soave procedure for infants with Hirschsprung's disease

Purpose : Many centers perform a one-stage pull-through procedure for Hirschsprung's disease (HD) diagnosed in infancy. The authors have developed a one-stage pullthrough procedure using a transanal approach that eliminates the need for intraabdominal dissection. Methods : Nine children aged 3 weeks to 18 months with biopsy-proven HD underwent a transanal pull-through procedure over a 13-month period. A rectal mucosectomy was performed starting 0.5 cm proximal to the dentate line, and extending proximally to the level of the intraperitoneal rectum. In the first eight children, intraperitoneal position was confirmed with a laparoscope placed through a 3- to 5-mm port in the base of the umbilicus. The muscular sleeve was divided circumferentially to allow full-thickness mobilization of the rectosigmoid junction. Manual transanal traction permitted direct visualization and division of mesenteric vessels with transanal mobilization above the transition zone. Ganglion cells were confirmed by frozen section, and the bowel was transected. The rectal muscular cuff was divided longitudinally, and the anastomosis was completed. The laparoscope confirmed orientation and adequate hemostasis. In a ninth patient, the identical procedure was performed, but with the laparoscope used only for confirmation at the end of the procedure. Results : Operative time, including frozen sections, averaged 194 minutes (range, 169 to 250 minutes), and the average length of bowel resected was 12 cm (range, 7.5 to 22 cm). Four of the nine patients were discharged on postoperative day (POD) 1, four on POD 2, and one patient with Down's syndrome was discharged on POD 6. Median follow-up was 6 months (range, 3 to 14 months). One death occurred 2.5 months postoperatively secondary to sudden infant death syndrome. Complications included postoperative apnea spells (n = 1), mild enterocolitis (n = 2), constipation (n = 1), anastomotic stricture (n = 1), and muscular cuff narrowing (n = 1); each responded to nonoperative management. Stool output has ranged from four to eight per day. Conclusion : A one-stage pull-through for HD can be performed successfully using a transanal approach without intraperitoneal dissection. This procedure is associated with excellent clinical results and permits early postoperative feeding, early hospital discharge, and no visible scars.

Biochemical Markers of Upper Esophageal Sphincter Compliance in Patients with Zenker's Diverticulum

The aim of this study was to investigate the biochemical basis of biomechanical and morphological alterations of upper esophageal sphincter, which have been reported in patients with Zenker's diverticulum. 4-l-Hydroxyproline (4-Hyp) (collagen), isodesmosine (Ides), and desmosine (Des) (elastin) contents were measured in samples of cricopharyngeal muscle (CPM) and muscularis propria of the esophagus below the CPM. The specimens were collected from seven patients operated for Zenker's diverticulum and eight cadavers, without esophageal and connective tissue disease. 4-Hyp was assayed colorimetrically, Ides and Des by high-performance liquid chromatography. Mean (±SEM) values were compared by Mann–WhitneyUtest. In patients, collagen content was significantly increased, both in CPM and in the muscularis propria of the esophagus below the CPM (P< 0.05). In CPM, Ides to Des and collagen to elastin ratios were significantly higher in patients than in controls (P< 0.05). Both the CPM and the upper muscular cuff of the esophagus appear to be involved in the pathogenesis of Zenker's diverticulum. This finding supports the extension of the myotomy to the muscularis propria of the esophagus below the CPM. The alterated Ides to Des ratio suggests a primary disease of CPM as a cause of Zenker's diverticulum.

Operative Colorectal Surgery

Block and Moossa have produced a 600-page well-illustrated book on operative colorectal surgery for the general surgeon. The book begins with an excellent chapter on the history of colorectal surgery, which is particularly well written by Harold Ellis, MD, and gives the reader much insight regarding the beginning of the field. Strengths of this volume are the excellent and clear line drawings and the timely editorial comment. I was a little disappointed not to see any references to magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasonography, or other imaging techniques in the chapter on anatomy. These modalities have certainly aided us in our diagnosis and management of colorectal disorders. So often today we are called on to interpret anatomical derangements with these new modalities. Surgical techniques in inflammatory bowel disease were still evolving in 1994.I was surprised to see that the authors of this particular chapter still advocated a long muscular cuff with a

Experimental Orthotopic Transplantation of Vascularized Skeletal Allografts

Vascularized skeletal tissue allografts would greatly expand the domain of reconstructive surgery. Few studies to date have examined the functional aspects of these allografts or their long-term fate. An orthotopic transplant model of rat distal femur and surrounding muscular cuff was developed to assess graft function in fracture healing and weight bearing. Isografts (RT1l to RT1l, n = 40), weak-barrier allografts (RT1l to RT1lv, n = 40), and strong-barrier allografts (RT1l to RT1n, n = 40) were transplanted. As the histocompatibility barrier increased between the donor and recipient animals, the graft viability and performance deteriorated according to radiographic, histologic, and immunologic analyses. Administration of cyclosporine led to survival of strong-barrier allografts similar to that of isografts. A long-term study of these allografts (RT1l to RT1n) was then performed on various immunosuppressive regimens. After an initial 10-week course of cyclosporine to achieve bony union and remodeling, subsequent cessation (n = 20) or intermittent "pulsing" (n = 20) of the immunosuppressant was insufficient in maintaining graft survival. However, graft viability and function were preserved through 1 year on continuous daily cyclosporine (n = 32). There was no evidence of host renal or hepatic toxicity by serum chemistry or histologic sections. Thus long-term survival of functional skeletal allografts was achieved in this orthotopic model without significant host toxicity from immunosuppression.

The anatomic basis of a free vascularized bone graft based on the canine distal ulna.

The anatomy of the canine distal ulna was evaluated to determine its potential as a free vascularized bone graft. Twelve cadavers were studied by gross dissection and nonselective and selective angiography. The caudal interosseous artery consistently served as a source artery to the distal ulnar periosteal vasculature in all dogs. The diameters of the caudal interosseous artery and venae comitantes were large enough to permit microvascular anastomoses. Nonselective perfusions of the brachial artery demonstrated large barium-filled vessels within soft tissues surrounding the ulna with anastomotic connections between medullary and periosteal vasculature. Grafts selectively perfused through the caudal interosseous artery (periosteal circulation only) had barium-filled vessels within the muscular cuff, periosteum, cortical bone, and medullary canal of the ulna. A surgical approach to remove the distal ulna along with an intact musculoperiosteal cuff and its associated vasculature is described.

Posterior sagittal rectal myectomy for persistent rectal achalasia after the Soave procedure for Hirschsprung's disease

For the management of persistent rectal achalasia after the Soave endorectal pull-through procedure, we have used posterior sagittal myectomy of the remaining aganglionic rectal muscular cuff, and have had satisfactory outcomes in five patients. Via a posterior sagittal skin incision, the posterior aspect of the rectal muscular cuff is reached. With the striated muscular comlex retracted downward, the level of the dentate line is identified on the posterior wall of the rectum with the aid of the surgeon's finger inserted inside the anorectum. Two parallel longitudinal incisions are made on the rectal muscular cuff to create a muscular strip which is elevated and excised; the distal end of the myectomy strip is at the level of the dentate line and includes a part of the internal anal sphincter muscle. During the last 4 years, we performed this procedure in 5 patients with remarkable relief of constipation, distension, and enterocolitis. The advantages of this procedure include: (1) less technical difficulty than the transanal approach, (2) avoiding colostomy, and (3) promising results.

Transanal endorectal coloanal anastomosis for Hirschsprung's disease

In adults, transanal endorectal colo- or ileoanal anastomosis has recently been advocated for low rectal malignancies and restorative proctocolectomy in ulcerative colitis and familial polyposis. Since 1987, we have used this approach in 20 patients for operative correction of Hirschsprung's disease. In 13 patients the definitive operation was performed before the age of 6 months. A rectosigmoidectomy to the undilated colon was performed transabdominally. The rectum was dissected caudally to the upper border of the levator muscles. Mucosal proctectomy was performed transanally beginning 3–5 mm above the pectinate line. The submucosal dissection extended proximally for a distance of 5 cm. The rectum was excised transanally so that a 2–3-cm muscular cuff remained. The ganglionic colon was pulled through and sutured to the mucosal edge. There have been no operative complications. The postoperative follow-up period ranges from 9 months to 4 years. The preliminary functional results suggest that the patients gain early normal, age-appropriate bowel function postoperatively, without soiling or residual constipation.

Inverted U-pouch construction for restoration of function in patients with failed straight ileoanal pull-throughs

Patients who have undergone straight ileoanal pull-through operations without a reservoir in adult life frequently have unsatisfactory results. Operative correction of this problem has been difficult. We propose a new operation that preserves the ileoanal anastomosis, constructs a reservoir, and has resulted in good restoration of bowel function in three patients. The operative procedure consists of division of the ileum 30 cm above the dentate line. The distal ileum is then folded over itself so that the point of division reaches into the pelvis, between the rectal muscular cuff and pulled-through ileum, to a point just proximal to the dentate line. The two limbs of ileum are connected using a stapler, completing the reservoir construction. The proximal divided ileum is anastomosed, end-to-side, to the pouch. A protective ileostomy that can be closed in three months is constructed.

Clinical and physiological study of anal sphincter and Ileal J pouch before preileostomy closure and 6 and 12 months after closure of loop ileostomy

Spontaneous evolution of pouch and anal function, and absorption features has been assessed in 15 patients who underwent proctocolectomy with J ileal pouch anastomosis without conservation of a rectal muscular cuff. All the patients were studied before preileostomy closure and six and 12 months after the closure of the protection loop ileostomy. Stool frequency was identical at six and 12 months (mean +/- SEM: 5.0 +/- 0.4 and 5.3 +/- 0.5/day, respectively). Sixty-six percent of patients at six months and 40% of patients at 12 months need to defecate at least one time during night. Stool weight as well as steatorrhea decreased significantly six months after the closure of loop ileostomy (P less than 0.05). Mean resting anal pressure remained unchanged six and 12 months after closure of the loop ileostomy (41 +/- 6 and 45 +/- 5 cm H2O, respectively). Maximum squeeze anal pressures increased significantly at six (P less than 0.05) and 12 months (P less than 0.05). The rectoanal inhibitory reflex was always absent at the same period. The maximum pouch capacity increased significantly during the first six months (P less than 0.01) from 142 +/- 17 to 279 +/- 27 ml. The maximum infused volume during a saline continence test was not significantly different at six and 12 months; the percentage of evacuation of the reservoir and the volume at which the first ileal contraction appeared in the reservoir increased significantly (P less than 0.05) at six and 12 months. In conclusion, in patients with ileoanal anastomosis and pouch reservoir, the closure of the loop ileostomy is associated with spontaneous modifications of the anal and pouch parameters.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Vascularized Bone Allografts

The immunologic consequences of transplantation of vascularized bone allografts have not been previously characterized. In this study, knee allografts, both vascularized and nonvascularized, were transplanted from Lewis rats to Brown Norway rats across a strong histocompatibility barrier. A total of 66 transplants and 8 control animals were evaluated. The vascularized knee grafts consisted of 1 cm of proximal tibia and distal femur with a minimal muscular cuff isolated on the femoral vessels, and these were transplanted to a heterotopic, subcutaneous position on the abdominal wall of the recipient rat. Nonvascularized allografts (identical but without anastomoses) were transplanted for comparison. The cell-mediated response was measured by lymphocytotoxicity assay, and the humoral response was measured by cytotoxic antibody assay, both employing 51Cr-labeled target cells. The timing and intensity of the immune response differed according to the type of graft. The vascularized bone allografts generated significant cell-mediated and humoral responses as early as 5 days posttransplant. A significant humoral response in nonvascularized bone allografts was not apparent until day 14, while cell-mediated response in these grafts was variable. These findings were correlated with the histologic appearance of the grafted tissue. Cyclosporine, which was administered to one group of vascularized bone allografts, resulted in the suppression of both types of immune responses. The histologic appearance of this group resembled that of isografts transplanted as controls. The clinical application of vascularized bone allografts may offer significant advantages over nonvascularized allografts in the reconstruction of massive bone defects. Complications such as nonunion, fracture, and collapse of articular segments seen in nonvascularized allograft transplantation may be avoided by preservation of the blood supply to the graft. Characterization of the immune response to vascularized bone allografts may subsequently allow the manipulation of the host and/or graft tissue and promote graft incorporation.

What Happens to the Rectal Muscular Cuff? An Experimental Study in Dogs

The anatomy and histology of the rectal muscular cuff was studied in 15 dogs with an ileal pouch-anal anastomosis. Eight channel, three-dimensional anal manometry showed normal maximal squeeze pressure (128 +/- 20 mm Hg) compared to a control group (135 +/- 4 mm Hg). The rectal muscular cuff showed complete absence of the cuff in three cases. In 12 dogs, the rectal cuff was retracted to a length of less than 1 cm, the muscle fibers were degenerated and fibrotic. The results in the canine model and the clinical results of patients with an ileal pouch-anal anastomosis with a cuff demonstrated that a rectal muscular cuff is not essential to maintain continence after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis.

Manometric and Histologic Assessment following Proctocolectomy and Straight Enteroanal Anastomosis in Canines

Serial manometric studies were performed in mongrel dogs before and after total colectomy, mucosal proctectomy and interposed jejunoanal anastomosis without pouch. Fecal continence and body weight gain were clinically satisfactory by 28 weeks after surgery. Even at 28 weeks after the mucosal proctectomy, the mean maximal resting anal sphincter pressure was significantly lower than the preoperative level (p less than 0.001). Neorectal compliance also decreased. The rectoanal inhibitory reflexes were not observed 2 weeks after the mucosal proctectomy but atypical to typical patterns gradually appeared up to 28 weeks following the mucosal proctectomy. Histologic examination showed no injury of anal sphincter muscles. Mild inflammation was found in the neorectal mucosal layer in all animals. Meissner's plexus in rectal muscular cuff was almost completely disrupted. These data suggested that there is certain limitation in restoration of anoneorectal function after mucosal protectomy and enteroanal anastomosis, though with gentle and careful operations.

New approach to surgical treatment of ulcerative colitis and polyposis coli without pelvic pouch

A new method for the surgical treatment of ulcerative colitis and polyposis coli is described. Instead of preparing a pelvic pouch, the natural rectal pouch stripped of the diseased mucosa was used experimentally in dogs. The undisturbed muscular cuff of the rectum (12 cm from the anal verge) was covered by healthy vascularized mucosa of small bowel in such a manner that the dog could use its rectum as usual before surgery. The results are encouraging. The rectal reservoir is spared, with its sensitivity, continence and motor activity covered by healthy mucosa. The dogs thrived.