Surgical considerations in cystic fibrosis: what every general surgeon needs to know

Abstract

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a complex multiorgan disease, which often affects the gastrointestinal tract. With improved CF specific therapies and multidisciplinary management, patients with CF are now living longer with a median life expectancy of around 50 years. This increased life expectancy has resulted in corresponding increase in presentations of the CF patient with comorbid surgical conditions that were never important considerations. Investigations and management of these conditions, such as distal intestinal obstruction syndrome and colorectal cancer warrant good clinical understanding of the unique challenges that CF patients present including chronic immunosuppression, impaired respiratory function and their multi-organ dysfunction. The purpose of this review is to provide general surgeons with a contemporary update on the CF related surgical issues as they are likely to become increasingly involved in the care of these complex patients and form an integral part of the multidisciplinary team.

Cystic Fibrosis Liver Disease: Endovascular, endoscopic and surgical considerations

“…Pre-and postoperative pulmonary management should be optimized to minimize potential respiratory complications. If surgical intervention is required, laparoscopic cholecystectomy is preferred over the open approach [24,25]. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy offers advantages such as smaller incisions, reduced postoperative pain, and faster recovery.…”