Organized chronic subdural hematoma requiring craniotomy--five case reports.

Two child and three elderly patients underwent craniotomy for organized and/or partially calcified chronic subdural hematomas (CSHs). The characteristic feature of magnetic resonance imaging was a heterogeneous web-like structure in the hematoma cavity. Both children had undergone one side subduroperitoneal shunt for bilateral CSHs when infants. As a result, the opposite hematoma cavities persisted and developed into calcified CSHs after a couple of years. All three elderly patients with senile brain atrophy showed various systemic complications such as cerebral infarction, diabetes mellitus, leg ulceration, cirrhosis, and bleeding tendency. Craniotomy for removal of the hematoma and calcification achieved good results in all patients. Subdural space created by shunt, craniotomy, or brain atrophy and persisting for a certain period, and additional various brain damage such as microcirculatory disorder, meningitis, encephalitis, or premature delivery may be important in generating calcified or organized CSH.

[Adjuvant intra-arterial chemotherapy with gastrin receptor antagonist after hepatic resection in colorectal cancer metastasis].

The aim of this study was to determine whether chemo-endocrine therapy after the resection of liver metastasis from colorectal cancer would prevent recurrence in the remnant liver and prolong survival. Eleven colorectal cancer patients underwent hepatic resection for liver metastasis. Subsequently, they were administered Proglumide gastrin antagonist 1,200 mg/day + 5'-DFUR 800 mg/day for 2 years. In seven of them, MMC 6-10 mg and ADM 20 mg were infused intra-arterially every two weeks alternately for one year. In four of them, 5-FU 250 mg/day was infused for seven days continuously intra-arterially every two weeks for one year. Recurrence in the remnant liver occurred in four of 11 patients. All of these patients underwent repeated hepatectomy. The mean disease-free survival in the remnant liver was 37 months and the five-year survival rate was 91%. These results indicate that intra-arterial chemotherapy with gastrin receptor antagonist might be effective for adjuvant therapy in patients with resectable liver metastasis from colorectal cancer.

[Adjuvant chemo-endocrine chemotherapy with gastrin antagonist after resection of liver metastasis in colorectal cancer].

This study was designed to determine whether or not chemo-endocrine therapy after the resection of liver metastasis from colorectal cancer would prevent re-recurrence in the liver. Postoperatively, seven patients received proglumide gastrin antagonist (1,200 mg/day) +5'-DFUR (800 mg/day) orally for 2 years. MMC 6-10 mg and ADR 20 mg were infused every two weeks alternately for 1 year via catheter in the common hepatic artery. After median follow-up of 39 months, re-recurrence rate in the remnant liver after hepatic resection was 14% (1/7) for patients with chemo-endocrine therapy and 52% (24/46) for the controls. These results suggest the possibility that chemo-endocrine therapy is effective to prevent re-recurrence of liver metastasis in patients with colorectal cancer.