Microscopic resection margins adversely influence survival rates after surgery for colorectal liver metastases: An open ambidirectional Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Liver resection is the most effective treatment for patients with colorectal liver metastases (CRLMs). Patients with tumour at the resection margin (R1) are reported to have worse survival compared to those with an uninvolved resection margin (R0). Recent data has questioned this finding. This study investigates whether R1 resections adversely influence survival when compared to R0 resections. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients undergoing surgery for CRLM, identified from a prospectively maintained database, from January 2007 to January 2017, were included. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were performed. p < 0.05 was significant. RESULTS: 282 patients were included. Median age 72 (32-90) years. 236 patients (83.7%) had chemotherapy and surgery, whilst 46 (16.3%) had surgery alone. 149 patients (52.8%) were alive at the end of the study period. R1 resection on univariate survival analysis was associated with better survival (HR 2.12, 95%CI 1.60-4.61, p = 0.0002). Multivariate analysis controlling for age and gender, identified presence of extrahepatic disease (HR 2.03, 95%CI 1.17-3.52, p < 0.001), R0 resection (HR 0.33, 95%CI 0.19-0.59, p = 0.003), primary tumour stage (HR 1.57, 95%CI 1.04-2.40, p = 0.034) and primary tumour differentiation (HR 2.56, 95%CI 1.01-6.46, p = 0.047), as prognostic factors for poorer survival. Five-year and 10-year survival were 54.3% and 41.7% respectively in patients with an R0 resection and, 25.8% and 17.2% in those with an R1 resection. CONCLUSION: The presence of extrahepatic disease, an R1 resection margin, advanced T-stage and poorer tumour differentiation were associated with worse survival in CRLM surgery and R0 resection is recommended.

Stepwise Approach for Parathyroid Localisation in Primary Hyperparathyroidism.

INTRODUCTION: Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is a relatively common condition in surgical practice. Availability of localisation studies has shifted the treatment from bilateral neck exploration to selective parathyroidectomy. Several imaging modalities, each with varying sensitivities, are available to detect abnormal parathyroid glands. Ultrasound is almost universally accepted as the first line radiological investigation however its sensitivity is particularly heterogeneous and operator-dependent. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We studied 250 consecutive patients with PHPT who underwent parathyroidectomy in our hospital over a period of 33 months. Pre-operative neck ultrasound, 99mTc-sestamibi and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT CT) were performed in 249, 237 and 198 patients respectively. Unilateral and bilateral neck exploration was performed in 190 and 60 patients, respectively. Sensitivity, positive predictive value (PPV) and accuracy were calculated comparing the results with surgical and pathology findings. RESULTS: Mean pre and postoperative PTH and adjusted calcium were, 11 ± 10.6 pmol/L, 1.9 ± 3.6, 2.81 ± 0.2 and 2.45 ± 0.2 mmol/L. There were 71 (29.95%) discordant results between US, compared to sestamibi and SPECT CT. An average of 1.9 parathyroid glands were removed with a mean weight of 0.92 g. Overall success rate based on postoperative PTH levels was 94.8%. Overall sensitivity, PPV and accuracy for US were 80.80%, 92.35%, and 75.73% respectively; for sestamibi were 71.82%, 94.61%, 69.00% and for SPECT CT were; 70.21%, 97.78%, 69.11% respectively. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound performed by an experienced specialist sonographer is highly sensitive in localising abnormal parathyroid glands. It can be used as a main and sole investigation in the majority of patients. Sestamibi, SPECT CT and other investigations should be performed in a step-wise manner and reserved for patients with negative US, failed primary procedure and recurrences.