Extracorporeal cytokine adsorption reduces systemic cytokine storm and improves graft function in lung transplantation.

Objectives: Ischemia-reperfusion injury often coincides with a cytokine storm, which can result in primary graft dysfunction following lung transplantation. Our previous research has demonstrated allograft improvement by cytokine adsorption during ex vivo lung perfusion. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of in vivo extracorporeal cytokine adsorption in a large animal model. Materials and Methods: Pig left lung transplantation was performed following 24 hours of cold ischemic storage. Observation period after transplantation was 24 hours. In the treatment group (n = 6), extracorporeal CytoSorb adsorption was started 30 minutes before reperfusion and continued for 6 hours. A control group (n = 3) did not receive adsorber treatment. Results: During adsorption, we consistently noticed a significant decrease in plasma proinflammatory interleukin (IL)-2, trends of less proinflammatory, tumor necrosis factor- α, IL-1α, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor as well as significantly reduced systemic neutrophils. In addition, a significantly lower peak airway pressure was detected during the 6 hours of adsorption. After 24 hours of observation, when evaluating the left lung allograft independently, we observed significantly improved CO2 removal, partial pressure of oxygen/inspired oxygen fraction ratio, and less acidosis in the treatment group. At autopsy, bronchoalveolar lavage results exhibited significantly lower recruitment of cells and less pro-inflammatory IL-1α, IL-1ß, IL-6, and IL-8 in the treatment group. Histologically, the treatment group had a strong trend, indicating less neutrophil invasion into the alveolar space. Conclusions: Based on our findings, cytokine adsorption during and after reperfusion is a viable approach to reducing posttransplant inflammation following lung transplantation. CytoSorb may increase the acceptance of extended criteria donor lungs, which are more susceptible to ischemia-reperfusion injury.

The Milan system for reporting salivary gland cytopathology-A single-center study of 2156 cases.

BACKGROUND: Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) represents an important diagnostic tool for the workup of salivary gland (SG) lesions. The Milan System for Reporting Salivary Gland Cytopathology (MSRSGC) is a six-tiered system for standardizing diagnoses and improvement of communication between pathologists and clinicians, providing risk of malignancy (ROM) rates for every category. The aims of the present study were (i) to validate the use of MSRSGC in a large series of SG FNAC in a tertiary center in Switzerland, (ii) to determine ROM for each category and compare them with data from MSRSGC and similar studies, and (iii) to investigate whether there were relevant differences of non-diagnostic results between fine-needle aspirations (FNA) performed by cytopathologists compared to non-cytopathologists. METHODS: The files of the department of Pathology in the University Hospital Zurich (UHZ) were searched for SG FNAC between 2010 and 2019. The MSRSGC guidelines were applied retrospectively. Furthermore, ROM, risk of neoplasia (RON), sensitivity, and specificity were calculated based on the cases with histopathological follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 2156 SG FNAC including 753 cases with histopathological follow-up were evaluated. Generally, ROM was within the range of values provided by MSRSGC, with some minor deviations. Sensitivity was 94.6%, and specificity was 99.3%. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms the usefulness of MSRSGC. In addition, it provides a detailed insight into the wide spectrum of SG FNAC. Finally, we showed that the rate of non-diagnostic FNA was significantly lower in FNAs performed by cytopathologists compared to non-cytopathologists.

Fine needle aspiration in COVID-19 vaccine-associated lymphadenopathy.

AIMS: With ongoing intensive vaccination programme against COVID-19, numerous cases of adverse reactions occur, some of which represent rare events. Enlargement of the injection site’s draining lymph nodes is increasingly reported, but is not yet widely recognised as being possibly associated with recent vaccination. As patients at risk of a severe course of COVID-19, indicated by their medical history such as a previous diagnosis of malignancy, receive priority vaccination, newly palpable lymph nodes raise concerns of disease progression. In this case series, we report on five patients who presented with enlarged lymph nodes after COVID-19 vaccination. METHODS: Sonography guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) was performed in five patients presenting with PET-positive and/or enlarged lymph nodes after COVID-19 vaccination with either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine. RESULTS: COVID-19 vaccination had been carried out in all cases, with an interval of between 3 and 33 days prior to FNA. Three of five patients had a history of neoplasms. The vaccine was administered into the deltoid muscle, with subsequent enlargement of either the cervical, supra-, infra- or retroclavicular, or axillary lymph nodes, in four out of five cases ipsilaterally. In all cases, cytology and additional analyses showed a reactive lymphadenopathy without any sign of malignancy. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence of newly enlarged lymph nodes after recent COVID-19 vaccination should be considered reactive in the first instance, occurring owing to stimulation of the immune system. A clinical follow-up according to the patient’s risk profile without further diagnostic measures is justified. In the case of preexisting unilateral cancer, vaccination should be given contralaterally whenever possible. Persistently enlarged lymph nodes should be re-evaluated (2 to) 6 weeks after the second dose, with additional diagnostic tests tailored to the clinical context. Fine needle aspiration is a well established, safe, rapid and cost-effective method to investigate an underlying malignancy, especially metastasis. Recording vaccination history, including date of injection, site and vaccine type, as well as communicating this information to treating physicians of different specialties is paramount for properly handling COVID-19 vaccine-associated lymphadenopathy.

Complete Resection of a Large Mediastinal Calcifying Fibrous Tumor.

Calcifying fibrous tumor (CFT) is a benign tumor entity which can present in a variety of different sites. Till date, eight cases with a mediastinal manifestation have been published in literature. Surgical removal is the treatment of choice for this often incidentally detected tumor. Surgery of thoracic CFT may be challenging due to its localization within the mediastinum. A 10-year old boy with a right-sided thoracic pectus carinatum-like deformity was referred for further evaluation, incidentally, revealing a mediastinal mass in computed tomography (CT). Laboratory results were all within normal range. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a large tumor in the upper anterior mediastinum suggesting expansive but not infiltrative character. The tumor was displacing surrounding structures like the heart and the diaphragm. Lower venous stasis with dilation of the inferior cava vein could be demonstrated. The tumor was considered to be of benign dignity and surgical removal was indicated. Complete tumor resection could be achieved through a sternotomy approach, along with thymectomy. A partial resection of both the pericardium and diaphragm was required due to adhesion with soft tissue at those sites. The specimen's size was 320 mm × 145 mm × 100 mm, histologically confirmed as CFT. The patient showed no residual tumor at 3- and 9-month follow-up. This case is a report on a large mediastinal CFT which underwent successful complete surgical removal. Following tumor resection, prognosis is considered to be good; however, key issue is complete resection to avoid local tumor recurrence.

Mantle cell lymphoma-rare differential diagnosis of a tumor in the vermiform appendix.

Although the most common localization of extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphoma is the gastrointestinal system, the infiltration of the vermiform appendix is a very rare condition. We report a case of mantle cell lymphoma affecting the appendix as an incidental finding due to gynecological surgery. A 57-year-old woman presented with increasing pain in the right lower abdomen since months. During gynecological evaluation an inhomogenous mass in the right ovarian place was noticed and misinterpreted as ovarian tumor. Laparoscopic ovarectomy was planned. The intraoperative situs showed surprisingly a massive enlarged appendix and completely normal ovaries. Since the lesion was suspicious for appendiceal cancer, a right hemicolectomy was performed. Histopathology revealed a non-Hodgkin lymphoma with immunohistochemical proof of blastoid B-cells, a mantle cell lymphoma. Polychemotherapy was administered.

Negative correlation between therapeutic success in radioiodine therapy and TcTUs: are TcTUs-adapted dose concepts the only possible answer?

Calculation of iodine-131 activities for radioiodine treatment (RIT) in patients with disseminated thyroid autonomy may be difficult because of uncertainties in the determination of the autonomous volume (vol(aut)). The algorithm established by Emrich is used for calculation of the vol(aut) based on the TcTUs (technetium thyroid uptake under TSH suppression) (vol(aut)= 5xTcTUs+0.6). Clinical experience using this approach has shown that there is a negative correlation between increasing TcTUs and the results of RIT. Our aim was to identify the reasons for this observation as well as to assess the relation between TcTUs and sonographic vol(aut). Furthermore, we intended to find an alternative algorithm for the TcTUs-based calculation of the vol(aut). Data from 100 patients with unifocal autonomy who met strict inclusion criteria were used to evaluate the correlation between TcTUs and sonographic vol(aut). Using Marinelli's algorithm, we calculated the therapeutic activities for a standardised patient at a target dose of 300 Gy. The vol(aut) was determined based on the TcTUs using the four published algorithms [Emrich 1993 (vol(aut)= 5xTcTUs+0.6), Kreisig 1992 (vol(aut)=10xTcTUs-9.3), Joseph 1977 (vol(aut)=8.33xTcTUs-6.67) and 1994 (vol(aut)=2.88xTcTUs+0.09)]. We then compared the results of the calculation of therapeutic activities obtained using Emrich's algorithm (with known success rates) with those obtained by the other algorithms in order to determine which algorithm would lead to better results in RIT. Only a weak correlation was found between the TcTUs and the sonographic vol(aut) ( r(2)=0.39). The calculated therapeutic activities of (131)I were similar for all algorithms at a TcTUs of around 2% but Joseph's (1977) and Kreisig's (1992) algorithms resulted in clearly higher activities than Emrich's algorithm at a TcTUs above 2%. The need for target doses to increase with TcTUs in RIT may be overcome by the use of adequate algorithms for determination of the vol(aut). The algorithm published by Joseph and co-workers in 1977 probably offers the most reliable approach to the TcTUs-based calculation of vol(aut) in RIT. In contrast to the other algorithms, it is based on autoradiographic planimetric data. Thus, it takes into account the polyclonal origin of thyroid nodules as well as the presence of regressive or cystic changes. The well-established algorithm of Emrich underestimates the true vol(aut), which explains the decreasing success of RIT with increasing TcTUs.