Lymph or Chyle Leak After Neck Dissection in Patients With Thyroid Carcinoma: Results of a Study on 1724 Patients.

BACKGROUND: To discuss the prevention and treatment of lymph or chyle leak following neck dissection in patients with thyroid carcinoma. METHODS: A total of 1724 patients with thyroid carcinoma received neck dissection in the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between November 2009 and October 2014. The incidence and management of leak were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 92 (5.34%) patients developed leak, 28 (1.62%) developed lymph leak, 59 (3.42%) developed chyle leak, and 5 (.29%) developed chylothorax. Medical management to stop postoperative lymph or chyle leak included pressure dressing, reoperation, fasting, or low-fat diet therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Lymph or chyle leak may occur in thyroid carcinoma patients who underwent neck dissection. Clinicians should alert to leak when there were IV + VI region lymph node metastasis and should become aware of chylothorax after pressure dressing. A careful identification and ligation of lymphatic duct may be an effective way to avoid lymph or chyle leak.

Serum thyroglobulin elevation after needle aspiration of the lymph nodes: the predictive value for detecting metastasis in papillary thyroid cancer patients - a pilot study.

Ultrasonography (USG)-guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) is widely used for diagnosis of lymph node (LN) metastasis in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). However, FNA cytology sometimes shows inconclusive results. Recently, the measurement of thyroglobulin (Tg) in FNA washout fluid (aspirate-Tg) has been widely adopted, but there are some difficulties in the preparation of the sample and standardization of the procedure. Here, we examined serum Tg after FNA as a new predictive marker for LN metastasis of PTC. We performed USG-guided FNA cytology and examined aspirate-Tg in PTC patients showing suspicious metastatic LNs during follow-up. We measured baseline serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), Tg, and Tg antibody levels before FNA, and serum Tg level within an hour after FNA. We defined aspirate-Tg level above 0.9 ng/mL as positive, and a 30% increase in serum Tg level after FNA compared to the baseline as elevation of serum Tg. Twenty-two patients were included in our study. Nine patients (40.9%) showed elevation of Tg level after FNA, and the mean value of Tg elevation was 24.8 ±â€Š48.0 ng/mL. Among these 9 patients, 8 were diagnosed with PTC and 1 patient showed cellular atypia on cytopathology. All these patients showed positive aspirate-Tg. Thirteen patients (59.1%) did not show elevation of Tg level after FNA. Among these patients, 2 had PTC, 2 had cellular atypia, and 9 yielded negative results for malignancy on cytopathology. Elevation of serum Tg level after FNA might have a diagnostic role for predicting LN metastasis of PTC.

Regulatory T Cells Mediate Local Immunosuppression in Lymphedema.

Patients who suffer from lymphedema have impaired immunity and, as a result, are at an increased risk for infections. Furthermore, previous studies have shown that lymphadenectomy impairs acquisition of adaptive immune responses and antibody production in response to foreign antigens. Although it is clear that antigen presentation in lymph nodes plays a key role in adaptive immunity, the cellular mechanisms that regulate impaired immune responses in patients with lymphedema or following lymphatic injury remain unknown. We have previously found that axillary lymph node dissection, both clinically and in a mouse model, results in a marked increase in the number of regulatory T cells in the ipsilateral limb. In this study, we focus on the role of regulatory T cells in immunosuppression and show that regulatory T-cell proliferation in tissues distal to site of lymphatic injury contributes to impaired innate and adaptive immune responses. More importantly, using Foxp3-DTR transgenic mice, we show that depletion of regulatory T cells in the setting of lymphatic injury restores these critical immune-mediated responses. These findings provide additional evidence that immune responses following lymphatic injury play a key role in mediating the pathology of lymphedema.

Lymph node infarction: role of underlying malignancy, tumour proliferation fraction and vascular compromise--a study of 35 cases and a comprehensive review of the literature.

AIMS: To determine the roles of the presence of malignancy, tumour proliferation fraction, vascular compromise and therapeutic and diagnostic manipulations in lymph node infarction (LNI). METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirty-five cases of LNI were identified over a 20-year period. Of the 35 patients, 31 (89%) had an underlying malignancy: 27 of the 31 (87%) were haematologic malignancies, the rest being metastatic carcinoma (two), melanoma, and seminoma. Of the four patients without evidence of malignancy, two were diagnosed with viral infection, one had LNI adjacent to a thrombosed pancreas graft, and one was lost to follow-up. Ki67 immunostaining in viable tumour demonstrated a range (5-60%) of proliferation fractions. A history of fine needle aspiration alone was present in seven of the 35 patients (20%), a history of chemotherapy alone in 11 (31%), and a history of both in two (5.7%). Factor VIII immunostaining highlighted thrombosed and recanalized vessels next to the infarction. CONCLUSIONS: Infarction of lymph nodes is associated with previous, concurrent or subsequent diagnosis of malignancy in the vast majority of cases. Chemotherapy or previous fine needle aspiration can precipitate infarction in some cases, but infarction may occur without such intervention, possibly because of an underlying subacute or chronic vascular compromise produced by vascular thrombosis.

Correlação entre as medidas antropométricas e o comprometimento linfonodal de pacientes pós-menopausadas com câncer de mama / Correlation between anthropometric measurements an lymph node metastases in postmenopausal women with breast cancer

Introdução: Diversos estudos epidemiológicos observaram que mulheres obesas na pós-menopausa apresentam aumento de risco e mortalidade do câncer de mama. Apesar de não haver consenso, alguns estudos demonstraram maior grau de comprometimento dos linfonodos axilares nessas pacientes, o que pode contribuir para o pior prognóstico da doença nesse grupo. Objetivo: Avaliar a correlação entre as medidas antropométricas e o grau de comprometimento linfonodal axilar em pacientes pós-menopausadas com câncer de mama hormônio-responsivo. Métodos: Estudo prospectivo analítico com 57 mulheres com carcinoma ductal invasivo no estágio II, na pós-menopausa, com receptores hormonais positivos (receptor estrogênico e/ou receptor de progesterona - RE/RP), tratadas nos hospitais São Paulo e Pérola Byington. Logo após o diagnóstico foram realizadas as medidas antropométricas (IMC, CA, CQ e RCQ) das pacientes e, após o tratamento cirúrgico e avaliação histopatológica dos linfonodos axilares, realizou-se o estudo estatístico. Resultados: Observou-se associação significativa entre o número de linfonodos acometidos e o sobrepeso (IMC> 25 kg/m2) (p = 0,0329). Cerca de 64% das pacientes com mais de três linfonodos acometidos apresentaram IMC> 25 kg/m2. Entretanto, não houve diferença estatística entre as medidas antropométricas e a positividade dos linfonodos axilares de forma global. Conclusão: O número de linfonodos axilares comprometidos foi maior em pacientes com índice de massa corpórea entre 25 e 30 kg/m2.

Introduction: Several epidemiological studies have shown an increased risk and mortality in breast cancer of obese postmenopausal women. The higher number of lymph node metastases in these patients could contribute to poor prognosis. Objective: To evaluate the correlation between the anthropometric measurements and lymph node metastases in postmenopausal women with breast cancer expressing hormone receptors (ER/PgR). Methods: Prospective study with 57 women with invasive ductal carcinoma, stage II and estrogen receptor and/or progesterone receptor (ER/PgR) positivity treated in São Paulo and Pérola Byington Hospital. Anthropometric datawere obtained after the diagnoses, and statistical analysis was done after surgery treatment and definitive pathology results of axillary lymph nodes dissection. Results: There was a significant association (p = 0.0329) between the number of axillary lymph node metastases and overweight (BMI > 25 kg/m2). Almost 64% of patients with more than three lymph node metastases had more than 25 kg/m2. However, there were no statistical significance between the correlation of anthropometric measurements and the global number of axillary lymph node metastases. Conclusion: The number of axillary lymph node metastases was higher in patients with body mass index between 25 and 30 kg/m2.

EUS-FNA of enlarged necrotic lymph nodes may cause infectious mediastinitis.

Transesophageal endoscopic ultrasound with fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is a minimally invasive technique to investigate the mediastinum. Although EUS-FNA can be considered in general as a safe technique, complications do occur. We here report an infectious complication of EUS-FNA that occurred after puncture of a large malignant necrotic mediastinal lymph node.

Carbohydrate supplementation before operation retains intestinal barrier function and lowers bacterial translocation in a rat model of major abdominal surgery.

BACKGROUND: Overnight fasting of rats augments the susceptibility of the small intestine to ischemia-reperfusion damage. Feeding before surgery may improve injuries to distant organs that were induced by ischemia-reperfusion. The present study tested the hypothesis that one of the food constituents, namely carbohydrates, may be responsible for the protective effect of preoperative feeding on postoperative organ dysfunction. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were fed ad libitum for 5 d and had either free access to water or free access to a carbohydrate drink and water. Then they were fasted for 16 h and access remained to either water or a carbohydrate drink and water. Following this, the arteria mesenterica superior was clamped for 60 min followed by 180 min of reperfusion. Subsequently, the intestinal permeability of stripped ileum was determined by measuring the mucosal to serosal flux in Ussing chambers. For assessment of bacterial content, organs were aseptically removed and assessed for bacterial content by culture under anaerobic conditions. RESULTS: Preoperative supplementation with carbohydrates resulted in a better maintenance of intestinal barrier function when compared with water supplemented animals. Moreover, carbohydrate supplementation resulted in a reduction in the ischemiareperfusion-induced increase in bacterial content of the liver, kidney, and mesenteric lymph nodes. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative intake of carbohydrates by rats retains both the intestinal barrier function and prevents translocation of bacteria to distant organs.

Correlación anatomoclínica: de los tumores malignos de mama / Anatomocínical correlation: of the malignant tumors of breat

El cáncer de mama es una de las causas más importantes de mortalidad en la mujer, su incidencia ha aumentado a nivel mundial. Se realiza un estudio descriptivo, retrospectivo, analítico; basado en la revisión de las historias clínicas de pacientes vistas en el Hospital General del Sur “Dr. Pedro Iturbe”, entre julio 2000-julio 2005; con el propósito de conocer la correlación anatomoclínica de los tumores malignos de mama. La muestra estuvo constituida por 59 pacientes. El grupo etario mayormente afectado fue el de 46 a 55 años de edad con un 45,76 por ciento. Predominó el sexo femenino 98 por ciento, el 18,64 por ciento presentaron antecedentes familiares de cáncer, sólo el 5,08 por ciento reportaron antecedentes familiares de cáncer de mama. El consumo de tabaco representó el 54,23 por ciento de los casos. El tipo histológico más frecuente fue carcinoma ductal 89,83 por ciento, seguido de carcinoma lobulillar y Phyllodes maligno ambos con 3,38 por ciento destacándose que el 100 por ciento eran infiltrantes, el 33,89 por ciento con metástasis a ganglio linfático en un 45 por ciento, y a pleura en un porcentaje menor de 40 por ciento. El cáncer de mama es un grave problema de salud pública, tomando en consideración que en el 100 por ciento de los casos estudiados se encontraron en estadio avanzado. Todo ello, evidencia la necesidad de una mayor atención por parte de los clínicos y el desarrollo de programas educativos y de control para lograr diagnóstico temprano.

Te breast cancer is one of the most important causes of death among women; its incidence has increased in worldwide. A descriptive, retrospective, analytical study was carried out; based on the review of the clinical sheets corresponding to patients with that diagnosis seen in Hospital General del Sur “Dr. Pedro Iturbe”, in a period of time ranging from July 2000 up to July 2005. The objective was to know the anatomic clinical correlation of malignant breast tumors. The sample was composed by 59 patients. The higher percentage corresponded to 46 to 55 age group with 45.76 %. The female group was affected in a 98 %. 18.64 % of patients had family backgrounds of some type of cancer; just 5.08 % reported family backgrounds of breast cancer. On the other hand, tobacco use was reported in 54.23 % of the cases. The more frequent histological type was the ductal carcinoma 89.83 %, followed by the lobulillar carcinoma and malignant Phyllodes with 3.38 % respectively. 100 % of them were infiltrating and 33.89 % with metastasis the lymphatic ganglia in 45 % of the cases, in a lower percentage 40 % to pleura. As a result, breast cancer is a serious public health problem, considering that 100 % of the cases were in a late stage. It is needed physicians to pay more attention to this, developing educative programs and controlling in order to make early diagnosis.

CT diagnosis of chyluria after partial nephrectomy.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe the CT diagnosis of chyluria after partial nephrectomy. CONCLUSION: Fat in the bladder can be identified on CT after partial nephrectomy. This finding is caused by chyluria secondary to lymphatic injury and should not be mistaken for other abnormalities. Our study population did not need treatment of chyluria.

Paraganglioma de glomus carotídeo derecho / Paraganglioma of glomus carotid right

Los Paragangliomas son tumores de cabeza y cuello poco frecuentes, histológicamente benignos, vascularizados, de crecimiento lento pudiendo ser cromafines o no. Se originan en los paraganglios extra adrenales de la cabeza neural, se presentan con mayor frecuencia en abdomen, su porcentaje de metástasis es bajo. Es más frecuente en el caso femenino, tiene una sobrevida libre de enfermedad de hasta 15 años. El diagnóstico se establece por clínica, tomografía, resonancia magnética y medicina nuclear, antiguamente se utilizaba la arteriografía carotídea. El tratamiento ideal es cirugía, sólo los casos avanzados, recidivantes o enfermedad metastásica deben recibir radioterapia. En este trabajo se describe la evolución clínico patológica de un caso de paraganglioma en cuerpo carotídeo derecho, el cual se maligniza sin cambios histológicos de importancia en corto período de evolución. Se plantea el tratamiento con Metaiodobenzilguanidina I-131 ya utilizada en otras lesiones similares con buena respuesta e influencia positiva en la sobrevida.

Massive lymphatic fluid leakage during laparoscopic lymphnode biopsy for abdominal malignancy.

This report concerns massive lymphatic fluid leakage during laparoscopic abdominal lymphnode biopsy for mesenteric tumor of non-Hodgkin's disease. Laparoscopic lymphnode biopsy was performed on a 58-year-old man who presented with a huge abdominal mass. The initial diagnosis was based on abdominal computed tomography, which revealed a large mass. This was followed by laparoscopic abdominal lymphnode biopsy for a definitive diagnosis. During the operation, massive lymphatic leakage up to about 300 mL occurred, but was stopped completely by electric coagulation. Histological examination indicated the mass to be a B-cell type non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Hospitalization was uneventful, and the patient was discharged 7 days postoperatively to the Department of Internal Medicine for chemotherapy. This new endoscopic approach offers a useful alternative to the traditional transabdominal excision of intra-abdominal lymphnodes, although attention must be paid to possible complications including massive intraoperative lymphatic leakage.

Mapeo linfático intraoperatorio e identificación del ganglio centinela: en el carcinoma de cuello uterino: reporte preliminar / Intraoperative lymphatic mapping and sentinel ganglion identification: in the carcinoma cervix uteri: report preliminary

Evaluar la exactitud diagnóstica, factibilidad y validez de la detección de ganglio centinela utilizado linfoscintigrafía preoperatoria y mapeo linfático intraoperatorio en pacientes con carcinoma de cuello uterino en estadios precoces sometidas a histerectomía abdominal radical con lifadenectomía pélvica. Dos pacientes con diagnóstico de carcinoma epidermoide de cuello uterino estadio IB1 según la GIGO, fueron sometidas a detección del ganglio centinela durante la realización radical tipo Meigs con lifadenectomía pélvica. El día antes de la cirugía se inyectó isótopo radioactivo (4,4 mCi de Tc99), en suspensión de sulfato coloidal) en cuatro cuadrantes del cervix y se realiza linfoscintigrafía estática. La inyección del azul patente se realizó posterior a la inducción anestésica. durante la cirugía se procedio a la identificación del ganglio centinela mediante visión directa y detección con gamma cámara. La tasa de detección del ganglio centinela fue de 50 por ciento. en el primer caso, se detectaron 4 ganglios centinelas negativos, localizados en la fosa obturatriz derecha. No se evidenció metástasis a ganglios pélvicos en ningún caso. La combinación de isotopo radioactivo y colorante vital permite la detección del ganglio centinela en pacientes con carcinoma de cuello uterino, siendo necesario evaluar una serie mayor de casos con el fin de validar el procedimiento

Experimental toxicity of verbesina encelioides in sheep and isolation of galegine.

Verbesina encelioides is a widely distributed weed in Argentina. Although it has been suspected as poisonous, there seem to be no previous reports of its toxicity in this country. Its biological activity was evaluated through an experiment in sheep. Four 5-y-old sheep, averaging 33 kg in body weight, were given a single dose of 1.0, 3.2, 5.0 or 6.3 g of dried plant material (17.9% dry matter)/kg body weight orally in a water suspension. Forty-eight hours later, the animals given 5.0 g or 6.3 g showed dullness and lack of appetite. The higher dosed sheep became recumbent a few hours later and died 60 h after dosing without showing further signs. The other animals showed no signs. Necropsy of the dead sheep showed severe lesions in different organs: liver, kidneys, lungs, lymph nodes and digestive tract. Hydrothorax was also observed. The animal receiving 5.0 g/kg was sacrificed after 72 h to determine the degree of recovery or lesions. Microscopically, severe glomerulonephrosis and congestion in the liver, with cellular degeneration and fatty changes were observed. Additionally, hemorrhagic lymph nodes, and hemorrhagic and edematous lungs were noted. No gross nor microscopic lesions were found in the sheep receiving 5.0 g/kg. Mice injected ip with the chromatographic extract died in less than 15 min. Galegine was identified in the plant material. The minimum toxic dose of 5-6 g/kg indicates a high toxicity when compared to other poisonous plants of the southeastern area of Buenos Aires province, Argentina.

[Forensic medical implications of lymph node and lymphatic injuries]. / Implications médico-légales des traumatismes ganglionnaires et lymphatiques.

Three cases of injuries to lymph nodes are reported; the main sequela was lymphedema. One case occurred after node curettage and two after varicose vein surgery.

Increased expression of interferon-gamma in hyperplastic lymph nodes from HIV-infected patients.

Polyclonal B cell activation is characteristic of HIV infection and occurs in the presence of severe CD4+ lymphocyte depletion. In contrast, CD4+ lymphocytes are the dominant T cell in the reactive lymphoid tissues of patients not infected with HIV. In this study, lymph node biopsies from eight HIV-infected patients with persistent generalized lymphadenopathy syndrome (PGL) were assessed for IL-1 beta, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and tumour necrosis factor-beta (TNF-beta) gene expression using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The cytokine gene expression of two cases of reactive adenopathy in patients not infected with HIV was assessed for comparison. IFN-gamma was expressed much more strongly in the PGL samples than in control reactive lymphoid tissues, whereas the other cytokines were expressed to a similar extent in both types of tissues. IFN-gamma may have an important role in maintaining the adenopathy of HIV-infected patients. Expression of cytokines such as IL-2, IL-4 and IL-10 in HIV nodes may be adequate to allow the recruitment of naive B cells to the reactive process.

Microsurgical inguinal varicocelectomy with delivery of the testis: an artery and lymphatic sparing technique.

Conventional techniques of varicocele repair are associated with substantial risks of hydrocele formation, ligation of the testicular artery, and varicocele recurrence. We describe a microsurgical technique of varicocelectomy that significantly lowers the incidence of these complications. The testicle is delivered through a 2 to 3 cm. inguinal incision, and all external spermatic and gubernacular veins are ligated. The testis is returned to the scrotum and the spermatic cord is dissected under the operating microscope. The testicular artery and lymphatics are identified and preserved. All internal spermatic veins are doubly ligated with small hemoclips or 4-zero silk and divided. The vas deferens and its vessels are preserved. Initially, we performed 33 conventional inguinal varicocelectomies in 24 men without delivery of the testis or use of a microscope. Postoperatively, 3 unilateral hydroceles (9%) and 3 unilateral recurrences (9%) were detected. For the next 12 cases 2.5x loupes were used resulting in no hydroceles but another recurrence (8%). We then performed 640 varicocelectomies in 429 men using the microsurgical technique with delivery of the testis. Among 382 men available for followup examination from 6 months to 7 years postoperatively no hydroceles and no cases of testicular atrophy were found. A total of 4 unilateral recurrent varicoceles (0.6%) was identified. The differences between the techniques in the incidence of hydrocele formation and varicocele recurrence are highly significant (p < 0.001). No wound infections occurred in any men. Four scrotal hematomas (0.6%), 1 of which required surgical drainage, occurred in the group with microsurgical ligation and delivery of the testis compared to none with the conventional technique. Preoperative and postoperative semen analyses (mean 3.57 analyses per patient) were obtained on 271 men. The changes in sperm count x 10(6) cc (36.9 to 46.8, p < 0.001), per cent motility (39.6 to 45.7%, p < 0.001) and per cent normal forms (48.4 to 52.10%, p < 0.001) were highly significant. The pregnancy rate was 152 of 357 couples (43%) followed for a minimum of 6 months postoperatively. Delivery of the testis through a small inguinal incision provides direct visual access to all possible avenues of testicular venous drainage. The operating microscope allows identification of the testicular artery, lymphatics and small venous channels. This minimally invasive, outpatient technique results in a significant decrease in the incidence of hydrocele formation, testicular artery injury and varicocele recurrence.