Favorable outcome with sentinel lymph node biopsy alone after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in clinically node positive breast cancer at diagnosis: Turkish Multicentric NEOSENTI-TURK MF-18-02-study.

PURPOSE: Factors affecting local outcome were evaluated in patients with clinically node-positive (cN+) breast cancer at diagnosis, who underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) alone after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). METHODS: Between 2004 and 2018, 303 cytopathology-proven cN (+) patients in a multicentric registry, who received NAC and underwent SLNB alone were analysed. All patients had regional nodal irradiation. RESULTS: Median age was 46 (23-70). Of those, 211 patients had ypN0 disease (69.6%), whereas 92 patients had ypN (+) disease including 19 (20.6%) isolated tumor cells (ITC), 33 micrometastases (35.9%) and 40 macrometastases (43.5%). At a median follow-up of 36 months (24-172), one patient (0.3%) with macrometastatic SLN was found to have locoregional recurrence as chest wall and supraclavicular LN metastases at the 60th month. Five-year disease-free survival (DFS) and disease specific survival (DSS) rates were 87% and 95%, respectively. Patients with cT3/4 (HR = 2.41, 95% CI; 1.14-5.07), non-luminal molecular pathology (HR = 2.60, 95% CI, 1.16-5.82), and non-pCR in the breast (HR = 2.11, 95% CI, 0.89-5.01) were found to have an increased HR compared to others in 5-year DFS. However, no difference could be found between ypN0 and ypN ITC and micrometastasis (HR = 1.23, 95% CI, 0.44-3.47), whereas there was a slight increase in HR of patients with ypN macrometastasis versus ypN0 (HR = 1.91, 95% CI, 0.63-5.79). CONCLUSION: ALND could be avoided in meticulously selected cN (+) patients who underwent SLNB after NAC having breast and/or nodal pCR, cT1-2, or low volume residual nodal disease with luminal pathology, as long as axillary radiotherapy is provided.

Gastro-intestinal bezoars: thirty-five years experience.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Because of their rarity and late diagnosis, gastro-intestinal bezoars can be treated after the occurrence of some complications such as acute intestinal obstruction, strangulation, decubitus ulceration and bleeding. In this study, reasons for bezoar formation, measures to be taken and treatment modalities were investigated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The files of the patients who were found to have gastro-intestinal bezoars and who were treated at Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty General Surgery Department and Emergency Unit between the years 1970 and 2005 were analysed. RESULTS: Thirteen (30%) of the 44 patients in the study were women, 31 (70%) were men: the mean age was 55.5 +/- 19.6 (range 22-96) years. Enzymatic dissolution (3 patients) and endoscopic fragmentation (four patients) were unsuccessful. Laparoscopic gastrotomy (n = 2), gastrotomy (n = 16), gastric resection (n = 3), enterotomy (n = 12), segmental intestinal resection (n = 3), gastroduodenotomy (n = 1), and gastrotomy + enterotomy (n = 3) were performed. In two patients, bezoars were fragmented and milked to caecum. There were no major postoperative complications, except abdominal wound infection in 4 patients and one patient who had a recurrent intestinal bezoar five years after the operation. One of the patients died because of heart failure on the 7th postoperative day. Mean hospital stay was 9.5 +/- 3.6 days. CONCLUSION: Even though rarely seen in digestive tract diseases, the probability of BZ formation should always be remembered. After the removal of BZs by conservative methods or surgery, precautions should be taken against recurrence and possible underlying psychiatric disorders should be treated.

Trace element levels in ischemia-reperfusion injury after left colonic anastomosis in rats and effects of papaverine and pentoxiphylline on vascular endothelial growth factor in anastomosis healing.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Due to their high morbidity and mortality, anastomotic leakage and disruption are still serious problems in colonic surgery. Bowel clamps applied during anastomosis in order to prevent abdominal contamination with colonic contents, may cause microcirculation and perfusion problems and subsequent ischemia-reperfusion injury. Papaverine, a myorelaxant and vasodilatator, and pentoxiphylline, a hemorrheologic agent are used for microcirculation disorders and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a stimulator of angiogenesis. With this experimental study, we aimed to measure trace element [copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn)] levels in ischemia-reperfusion injury due to clamps after left colonic anastomosis in rats and show the effects of papaverine and pentoxiphylline on VEGF that stimulates angiogenesis in anastomotic healing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 50 female Wistar albino rats were randomized in 5 groups (n: 10). Laparotomy in group 1, left colonic transsection and anastomosis in group 2, and clamp application 1 cm proximal and distal to the anastomosis (for about 20 minutes long) during left colonic transsection and anastomosis in groups 3, 4 and 5 were performed. Additionally, after the operations, pentoxiphylline (Group 4) and papaverin (Group 5) were injected intraperitoneally. On the 10th postoperative day, plasma trace element and plasma VEGF levels were measured. RESULTS: In this study, VEGF levels in group 1 were significantly low and this was explained as being exposed to hypoxic damage less than the other groups. In group 3, VEGF levels were significantly higher showing that the hypoxic stimulus continued without any treatment and in Group 4, significantly lower than Group 3 related to the inhibition of pentoxiphylline. Lower VEGF levels in Group 1 were thought to be related to lower VEGF induction due to less hypoxic effect. Zinc, an important trace element of the antioxidant system showed significantly higher levels in Group 4 with pentoxiphylline treatment, and this was thought to be related to the antioxidant characteristics of pentoxiphylline. CONCLUSIONS: During surgical procedures, care should be taken not to cause ischemia to the intestinal tissues, and trace elements that are important in ischemia reperfusion injury should be replaced appropriately. Although the antioxidant effect of pentoxiphylline in ischemia reperfusion injury may be benefical in treatment, its inhibition of VEGF is a disadvantage in wound healing.

Laparoscopic incisional lumbar hernia repair.

PURPOSE: Incisional lumbar hernia is an uncommon hernia type. Open surgical procedures have significant postoperative morbidity and patient dissatisfaction, therefore, for the repair of seven incisional lumbar hernias, we attempted using an intraperitoneal laparoscopic technique that was described to have good short-term results and decreased morbidity. METHODS: We applied a laparoscopic technique using polypropylene meshes in five patients and composite meshes in two patients to cover the defect, then placed prolene sutures and hernia staples to secure the mesh intraperitoneally. RESULT: The technique was successful in all patients, and they tolerated the procedure well. All did well after surgery, ambulating and eating a regular diet on postoperative day 1. No postoperative complications developed. At a mean follow-up of 34.1 months (range 17-43 months) none of them had pain, mass, or evidence of recurrence, and furthermore, cosmesis was excellent. CONCLUSIONS: We believe that the laparoscopic approach is feasible, safe, and the least invasive choice for repairing difficult hernias such as incisional lumbar hernias.

Tubulovillous adenoma in the common bile duct causing obstructive jaundice.

Villous adenomas are benign epithelial lesions with a malignant potential which can occur at any site in the gastrointestinal tract, usually in the rectum and colon, less frequently in the small bowel and very rarely in the biliary tract. Villous adenomas of the extrahepatic bile ducts are exceptional and only a few cases have been reported. Common bile duct (CBD) adenomas often present in a fashion similar to their malignant counterparts, and adenocarcinoma arising from a villous adenoma of the ampullary biliary epithelium is also extremely rare. We present here a tubulovillous adenoma, arising in the common bile duct, as a cause of obstructive jaundice, and discuss the characteristics of these lesions.