WHICH PROBLEMATICS IN THA AFTER ACETABULAR FRACTURES: EXPERIENCE OF 38 CASES.

Background: Within a timeframe of 8 years (2008-2016), 38 patients have undergone total hip replacement surgery for coxarthrosis or aseptic necrosis secondary to acetabulum fractures. Materials and Methods: The study included 27 males and 11 females between 42 and 70 years of age, all of whom came from other institutions. The follow-up period ranged between a minimum of 4.6 and a maximum of 9.7 years. Results: At the final follow-up, all patients were evaluated using the Merle D'Aubigne and Pastel model. Optimal results were found in all the cases. Three patients benefited from surgical revisitation with implant exchange following infection and one/two state reimplatation at seven, fourtheen et twenty-seven months respectively. Two patients benefited from cotyle revision due to chronic instability of the implant. Conclusions: The scope of the study was to present all the possible surgical difficulties that can come up with prosthetic implants. More particularly, hip implants after acetabulum fractures qualifies as a "difficult primary implant".

Long-term eribulin treatment in patients with a single kidney and retroperitoneal liposarcoma.

Retroperitoneal sarcomas are extremely rare malignant tumors. The most common type of sarcomas arising in the retroperitoneum are liposarcomas, occurring mostly in the sixth and seventh decades of life. The only potentially curative approach to liposarcomas is the complete surgical resection of the tumor with negative microscopic margins. However, retroperitoneal liposarcomas exhibit a propensity for local recurrence and distant metastasis despite the negative surgical margins, thus requiring additional therapy. Eribulin demonstrated a benefit in terms of overall survival in patients with advanced or metastatic liposarcoma. We report two cases of patients, both submitted to concomitant right nephrectomy, who experienced a long-lasting control of recurrent retroperitoneal liposarcoma before being submitted to eribulin-based therapeutic regimens (23 and 24 treatment cycles completed, respectively).

Long-term treatment with eribulin in heavily pretreated women with metastatic breast cancer: a case series.

During the last decades, much effort has been made to develop and test treatments for advanced/metastatic breast cancer (MBC) able to prolong survival and improve patients' quality of life. In this regard, eribulin represents one of the most recent and interesting discoveries. This tubulin-targeting chemotherapy demonstrated a survival benefit in MBC women who progressed after at least two prior lines of chemotherapy for the treatment of metastatic disease (prior therapies should have included an anthracycline and a taxane, in either adjuvant or metastatic setting). Here, we described five cases of heavily pretreated MBC patients who experienced long-lasting control of disease with eribulin.

Air-filled vs water-filled intragastric balloon: a prospective randomized study.

BACKGROUND: The positioning of an intragastric saline-filled balloon has been developed as temporary and reversible therapeutic option for treatment of morbid obesity. Recently, an air-filled balloon was also developed. The aim of this study is to prospectively compare these two devices in terms of weight loss parameters, safety, and tolerance. METHODS: Sixty patients were randomized into two groups: group A (Bioenterics Intragastric Balloon-BIB; n = 30; 20 F/10 M, mean age 36.7 ± 10.9; mean BMI 46.5 ± 5.9) and group B (Endobag-Heliosphere; n = 30; 20 F/10 M, mean age 37.8 ± 10.6; mean BMI 46.1 ± 5.6). All patients of both groups were sedated with midazolam (5 mg) + Propofol (2 mg/kg i.v.). The Heliosphere Bag was air-filled with 950 ml while BIB® was inflated with 500 ml of saline and 10 ml of methylene blue. Percentage of excess weight loss (%EWL) and body mass index (BMI) were evaluated. Student t test, Fisher exact test, and χ(2) test were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Similar weight loss parameters were observed in patients treated with liquid or air-filled balloon at time of removal: mean BMI was 40.8 ± 6.2 and 41.9 ± 6.5(p = ns), and mean %EWL was 20 ± 12 and 18 ± 14 (p = ns) in groups A and B, respectively. Significant longer extraction time, with high patient discomfort, was observed in group B due to difficult passage through the cardia and the lower pharynx. CONCLUSIONS: Air-filled balloon can be another valid therapeutic option in the temporary treatment of obesity, but at this time, the quality of the device must be improved to ameliorate the patient compliance at removal and avoid the spontaneous deflations.

Induction therapy and stem cell mobilization in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.

Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is considered the standard therapy for younger patients with newly diagnosed symptomatic multiple myeloma (MM). The introduction into clinical practice of novel agents, such as the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib and the immunomodulatory derivatives (IMiDs) thalidomide and lenalidomide, has significantly contributed to major advances in MM therapy and prognosis. These novel agents are incorporated into induction regimens to enhance the depth of response before ASCT and further improve post-ASCT outcomes. Between January 2000 and November 2011, 65 patients with MM were transplanted in the Department of Biomedical Science and Clinical Oncology at the University of Bari. According to Durie-Salmon, 60 patients had stage III of disease and 5 stage II. Only 7 patients were in stage B (renal failure). Induction regimens that were administered in two or more cycles were VAD (vincristine, adriamycin, and dexamethasone), Thal-Dex (thalidomide, dexamethasone), Len-Dex (lenalidomide, dexamethasone), Vel-Dex (bortezomib, dexamethasone), VTD (bortezomib, thalidomide, and dexamethasone), and PAD (bortezomib, pegylated liposomal doxorubicin, and dexamethasone). In mobilization procedure, the patients received cyclophosphamide and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). The number of cells collected through two or more leukapheresess, response after induction, and toxicity were evaluated to define the more adequate up-front induction regimen in transplantation-eligible MM patients.

High-dose thiotepa, etoposide and carboplatin as conditioning regimen for autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with high-risk Hodgkin's lymphoma.

BACKGROUND: Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) generally provides good results in Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL). We studied a high-dose chemotherapy regimen based on thiotepa, etoposide and carboplatin (TECA). METHODS: Fifty-eight patients with advanced HL were treated with thiotepa, etoposide and carboplatin for transplant induction. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 79·3% (39 CR: 67·2%; and 7 PR: 12·1%); 12 patients (20·1%) were non-responders. The 5-year overall survival rate was 77·6%; five initially responder patients relapsed within the first 5 years of follow-up and underwent salvage therapy. CONCLUSION: The TECA conditioning regimen for ASCT in HL results in a good anti-HL effect, positive response to treatment and high 5-year overall survival rate. It was also well tolerated and did not induce excessive toxicity, suggesting that TECA may be a very useful conditioning regimen for HL.

High-dose thiotepa, etoposide and carboplatin as conditioning regimen for autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with high-risk non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

High-dose chemotherapy conditioning regimens followed by autologous stem cell transplantation generally provide good results in non-Hodgkin lymphoma. We have evaluated the effects of a high-dose regimen comprising thiotepa, etoposide and carboplatin. After debulking and mobilization with high-dose cyclophosphamide or other schedules, forty-five patients at various disease stages were conditioned with thiotepa, etoposide and carboplatin prior to autologous stem cell transplantation. The overall response rate was 77.8% (30 CR, 66.7%; 5 PR, 11.1%). Ten patients (22.2%) did not respond. Two patients (4.4%) died from transplant-related complications. The mean 5-year overall survival was 71.1%: 12 patients relapsed within the first 5 years of follow-up. The overall response rate and 5-year overall survival were better for patients with an International Prognostic Index (IPI) 1 at diagnosis than for those with IPI 2 and IPI 3 (P<0.005 for all). The thiotepa, etoposide and carboplatin conditioning regimen for autologous stem cell transplantation in non-Hodgkin lymphoma has a good anti-lymphoma effect and provides encouraging results in terms of response to treatment and 5-year overall survival. Its good tolerance and acceptable toxicity suggest that it may a very useful in the management of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

90Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan as consolidation therapy after autologous stem cell transplantation in aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

UNLABELLED: Targeted radioimmunotherapy with (90)Y-labeled ibritumomab tiuxetan is a novel therapeutic approach for CD20-positive relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). METHODS: Seven consecutive patients with CD20-positive aggressive NHL who did not fully respond to prior myeloablative chemotherapy were enrolled. A 14.8 MBq (0.4 mCi)/kg dose of (90)Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan was administered to all patients, and approximately 100 d afterward (18)F-FDG PET/CT was performed to assess response. RESULTS: PET/CT showed a complete response in 5 of 7 patients. Of the 2 nonresponsive patients, 1 showed persistent disease and the other progression. Toxicity included thrombocytopenia in all 7 patients and grade IV neutropenic fever in 1 patient. CONCLUSION: Despite the small series studied, we suggest that radioimmunotherapy is safe for consolidation in patients treated with high-dose chemotherapy for aggressive NHL and may provide clinical benefit in extensively pretreated patients.

Ultrasound diagnosis of intragastric balloon complications in obese patients.

PURPOSE: Our study describes ultrasonography (US) aspects of complications related to the use of the Bioenterics intragastric balloon (BIB) system for the treatment of moderate obesity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Over the last three years 151 BIBs were endoscopically placed and inflated with 500-600 ml of saline plus 10 ml of methylene blue in 131 patients (mean age 38.4 years, range 18-72; 46 males, 85 females, mean body mass index 43.8 kg/m(2)). In all cases abdominal US was carried out before and 1-2 days after endoscopy and thereafter at scheduled follow-up visits and/or whenever the patient complained of heartburn, vomiting, a sensation of ''absence of the BIB'' with or without staining of urine and/or faeces. RESULTS: The BIB appeared as a round anechoic structure, with a thick hyperechoic wall and a hyperechoic band-like valve inside. In 8 cases staining of urine and/or faeces prompted immediate endoscopic removal. In 10 patients US findings of BIB-related complications were: 1) decreased volume with a visible valve (5 cases; in two of these staining of urine was reported); 2) multiple hyperechoic streaks regularly spaced due to a completely collapsed BIB, not modified by decubitus changes (3 cases; one patient reported staining of urine); 3) migration through the bowel (2 cases): in one patient the BIB was passed after 4 days, whereas in the other case bowel obstruction required laparoscopic surgery. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, US provides a quick and accurate method for the assessment of BIB-related complications in obese patients.

Ultrasound as the imaging method of choice for monitoring the intragastric balloon in obese patients: normal findings, pitfalls and diagnosis of complications.

BACKGROUND: The authors studied ultrasound (U/S) monitoring of the BioEnterics intragastric balloon (BIB) for treatment of moderate obesity by describing normal U/S aspects, diagnostic pitfalls and assessment of complications. METHODS: Over the last 3 years, 151 BIB systems have been endoscopically placed and filled with 500-700 ml of saline plus 10 ml of methylene blue in 131 patients (mean age 38.4 years, range 18-72); males/females 46/85; mean BMI 43.8 kg/m(2)). In all patients abdominal U/S was carried out before and 12 days after endoscopy and thereafter at scheduled follow-up examinations, and/or whenever the subject complained of epigastric burning/ache, vomiting, and lack of sensation of a BIB with or without staining of urine and/or feces. RESULTS: The BIB appeared as a round anechoic structure, with a thick hyperechoic wall and a hyperechoic band-like valve inside. Complications occurred in 18 patients: in 8, staining of urine and/or feces prompted immediate endoscopic removal. In 10 patients, U/S findings were: 1) decreased volume, loss of the spherical shape with the valve still visible (5 cases); 2) multiple hyperechoic streaks regularly spaced due to a completely collapsed BIB, not modified by decubitus changes (3 cases); 3) migration through the intestine (2 cases): in one patient the BIB was passed in the stools after 4 days, whereas in the other case large bowel obstruction required laparoscopic surgery. CONCLUSION: U/S affords a quick, safe and accurate method for assessing both BIB status after endoscopic deployment and the most frequently-occurring complications (partial/complete deflation, migration through the pylorus with intestinal obstruction) in obese patients.

Gastric perforation in an obese patient with an intragastric balloon, following previous fundoplication.

BACKGROUND: The Bioenterics Intragastric Balloon (BIB) has been a safe and effective method used in treatment of moderate obesity. Gastric perforation is a rare complication, and its possible sequelae are dangerous. METHODS: A 52-year-old women (BMI 37 kg/m(2)), with hiatal hernia, moderate hypertension and dyspnea, 1 year ago underwent laparoscopic fundoplication. She now underwent positioning of a BIB filled with 500 cc of saline. After 8 days, 6 kg weight loss occurred and her clinical condition was satisfactory. On day 11, severe abdominal pain and vomiting occurred, which spontaneously regressed in the following 6-8 hours. Ultrasound confirmed the correct position of the BIB, and showed widespread abdominal meteorism. On day 18, acute abdomen with paralytic ileus occurred. On admission, CT scan documented hydropneumoperitonitis. At operation, a large perforation of the lesser curvature was found, with undigested food in the abdomen. She underwent peritoneal lavage, removal of the BIB, and suture of the gastric laceration. RESULTS: She was discharged in good condition after 11 days. CONCLUSION: According to our experience, fundoplication represents an absolute contraindication to positioning of a BIB.