Intestinal Surgery Flashcards
What is one of the most common indications for laparotomies?
foreign body obstructions
- DOGS = non-linear
- CATS = linear
What is the holding layer of the intestines?
tunica submucosa
- engage with all sutures to provide mechanical strength
What kind of suture is preferred for intestinal surgery? What can you do if you’re concerned about leakage? What should be done before abdominal closing?
small, monofilament synthetic absorbable or nonabsorbable swaged on taper needles
cover surgical site with omentum or serosal patch
lavage
What cleanliness level is associated with intestinal surgery? How can this be alleviated?
clean-contaminated or contaminated
- replace contaminated instruments and gloves before closing abdomen
- use prophylactic antibiotics
What prophylactic antibiotics are recommended for the different segments of the intestines?
UPPER AND MIDDLE SMALL INTESTINE - first-generation cephalosporins (cefazolin)
LOWER SMALL INTESTINE AND LARGE INTESTINES - second-generation cephalosporins (cefoxitin)
Why are multifilament sutures not recommended for intestinal surgery? How should tissues be handled?
causes more tissue drag and potentiates infection
handle gently and grasp as little as possible —> risks intestinal occlusion
What clinical signs are associated with intestinal foreign bodies?
- vomiting
- anorexia
- depression
- abdominal discomfort
- diarrhea
What is seen on radiographs with intestinal foreign bodies? How is it confirmed?
multiple loops of gas-filled dilated intestines
compare ratio of small intestine diameter to the height of the cranial endplate of L2
- <1.6 - no obstruction
- > 3 - strongly associated with obstruction
- > 4 - 95% confidence for obstruction
How are intestinal foreign bodies treated?
explore the entire abdomen for intestinal viability
- healthy = enterotomy
- necrotic = R/A
How is intestinal viability evaluated?
- peristalsis on pinch test
- color (purple = necrotic)
- pulsation of vessels and motility
- wall texture or thickness (thin = nonviable)
- fluorescein infusion
- surface oximetry
- bleeding of sero-muscularis when incised
What are the 3 indications for enterotomies?
- removal of intraluminal foreign bodies
- full-thickness biopsy samples
- evaluation of intestinal mucosa to determine viability
What is the general surgical technique of enterotomies?
- milk stool away and atrumatically occlude intestine (with Doyens) proximally and distally to prevent leakage
- make a stab incision into the lumen and extend with scalpel or Metzenbaum scissors ABORAD to the foreign body
(if incision is too small, risk traumatizing the tissue with removal)
Where are intestinal foreign bodies most commonly found?
caudal duodenal flexure
How are enterotomies closed? What is avoided?
simple continuous or interrupted sutures 2-3 mm from the edges and each other to appose the mucosa accurately (AVOID EVERSION)
- double layer —> makes lumen too stenotic
- long tags
- rough handling —> hematomas
How can the diameter of the intestinal lumen be increased in enterotomies?
close transversely by placing the suture at the center of the incision
How can eversion after suturing up an enterotomy be avoided?
thumb forceps can correct position and go under the submucosa to engage it
What is performed after suturing up an enterotomy or eneterectomy? What kind of test is this?
water test - saline injected into lamina to check for leak (leakage = more suture or omental patch)
SUBJECTIVE —> all anastomosis can be made to leak if enough pressure is applied
What are the 4 indications for enterectomies?
- removal of non-viable (necrotic or ischemic) instestine
- removal of irreducible intussusceptions
- removal of traumatized intestines
- removal of solitary neoplasms and fungal lesions
How is pulse oximetry and fluorescein dye used to detect intestinal viability?
normal saturation would be within 1 cm of normal peripheral O2 saturation
detects non-viable bowels
What is the standard technique for enterectomies?
end to end approximating pattern using simple interrupted or continuous suture
How are simple continuous sutures placed for enetercomies? What 3 advantages are there?
only 180 degrees —-> 360 not recommended
- technically easy
- maximizes luminal diameter
- results in rapid mucosal regeneration
What is the general surgical technique of enterectomies?
- mesenteric vessels of the segments of the intestine to be remove are ligated
- 2 clamps are placed on each side of the area of resection
- intestine is transected with a scalpel or scissors
(debride fat, which makes it harder to close)
What clamps are used on enterectomies? How do the borders of the intestines compare?
- atraumatic Doyens on conserved intestine
- crushing clamps on the section to be removed
antimesenteric border is shorted than the mesenteric
How are the intestines cut on enterectomies to preserve the diameter? How is torsion avoided?
cut is angled
one suture on the mesenteric then antimesenteric borders for apposition, then the remaining suture are placed 3 mm from the edge of tissue and each other (keep tags long initially to manipulate intestines without touching)
How is the rent on the mesentery sutured?
with very delicate sutures to avoid stricture in the future
How are anastomoses between sections of intestines with disparity in lumen size done?
- transect the small segment at an acute angle and a large segment at a more obtuse angle
- space sutures in the large segment farther apart
- incise the antimesenteric border of the smaller segment to spatulate (fish-mouth) the smaller segment
What are the 3 types of intestinal anastomosis? How are staples placed?
1 end to end
2. end to side
3. side to side
place 3 stay sutures, then apply the staples —> causes some eversion that can lead to further adhesions
How is the mesentery sutures following an enterectomy?
3-0 or 4-0 absorbable sutures in a simple continuous or interrupted pattern
What is an omental patch? Serosal patch?
the greater omentum is wrapped around a surgical site for support and to stimulate healing
taking the antimesenteric border of a healthy, adjacent intestinal loop and suturing it over a defect for support
What are 2 indications for serosal patching?
- questionable area of suturing after and eneterotomy or anastomosis with tension, damage to serosa, or dehiscence
- superficial trauma to the intestinal wall
How is a serosal patch attached to the intestine? What should be avoided?
sutures engage the submucosa, but DO NOT penetrate the mucosa
twisting, stretching, or kinking of the intestine or mesenteric vessels
What are 4 indications for serosal patching? When will mucosa span the defect?
- when omentum is not available
- closure integrity is questionable
- non-resectable duodenal defects
- enterotomy, colotomy, urinary bladder
within 8 weeks
What kind of anastomosis do staplers provide?
side to side, functional end to end
(GIA and TA staplers)
What is an enteroenteropexy? How is it performed?
intestinal plication developed to prevent recurrence of intussusception
small intestine is placed in gentle loops and seromuscular/submucosal layers are sutured with small simple interrupted sutures