[Surgical exploration of the sentinel lymph nodes in the papillary thyroid carcinoma]. / Exploration chirurgicale des ganglions sentinelles dans le cancer papillaire de la thyroïde.

OBJECTIVE: To study the technique of sentinel lymph node mapping in the papillary thyroid carcinoma and its evaluation in the search for cervical metastases. METHOD: Exploration of the sentinel lymph nodes of the papillary thyroid carcinoma by injection of methylene blue around the tumour among 25 patients during surgery. The nodes which stained blue and the other nodes removed by functional neck dissection were examined histologically after staining with hematoxylin-eosin-saffron (HES). We have evaluated the predictive value of the technique in mapping the cervical metastases in the sentinel lymph node. RESULTS: Among the 25 patients, 22 patients presented sentinel lymph nodes (blue-stained), that is to say a rate of identification of 88%. At histological examination, 19 of the 22 patients had positive sentinel lymph nodes, of which 13 had also positive nodes not coloured with blue. The histological examination of patients without sentinel lymph node was negative. CONCLUSION: The technique of the sentinel lymph node has a strong positive predictive value in the search for cervical node metastases in the papillary thyroid carcinoma.

[The effects of the plasty of the cavity of auricular concha in the post-mastoidectomy].

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the results of mastoidectomy with the plasty of the cavity of auricular concha and the counterpart of mastoidectomy without it at after for 2-6 years followup. METHOD: A retrospective analysis of 320 cholesteatoma cases, surgically treated at the department of otorhinolaryngology-head and neck surgery, Renji hospital affiliated to Shanghai No. 2 Medical University, over a 9-year period, is reported. RESULT: A satisfactory results from the follow-up implicated that this procedure was important for epithelization of the mastoid cavity and the attaining of dry ear after mastoidectomy. CONCLUSION: The plasty of the cavity of auricular concha has an emphasized role in the post-mastoidectomy and is clinically worthy to be applicated.

Multicenter randomized study on Me-CCNU, 5-FU and ADM vs ACNU, 5-FU and ADM for treatment of advanced gastric cancer.

AIM: To compare the efficacy of a combined chemotherapy regimen of 5-fluouracil (5-FU) and adriamycin (ADM) with nimustine hydrochloride (ACNU; brand name Nidran), a new nitrosourea agent, or with methyl-CCNU for advanced gastric cancer. METHODS: One-hundred-and-three cases of advanced gastric cancer were randomly allocated into Group A (Me-CCNU, 5-FU and ADM combination) and Group B (ACNU, 5-FU and ADM combination). The quality of life (QOL) questionnaire, composed of 11 ordinal categorical items, was used to collect data from these patients. RESULTS: Group A had no case of complete remission (CR) or partial remission (PR), while Group B had no CR but 8 PR (8/46 cases), for a response rate of 0% in Group A and 17.4% in Group B. The median survival time in Group A was 108 d and in Group B was 112 d. Both groups tolerated the treatment well and there were no serious adverse effects. QOL evaluations showed better psychological and physical feelings of tiredness for Group B than for Group A, and scores based on facial scaling showed a more pleasant inclination for the former. CONCLUSION: ACNU combination is superior to the Me-CCNU combination for advanced gastric cancer patients.

[Effects of wuzi yanzong pills on lipid in rats with alcohol-induced liver injury].

Experiments showed that in the rat model of alcohol-induced liver injury, a dosage of the pills (1-2g/kg, ig) could increase the cholesterol level, lower the triglyceride level, and improve the fatty degeneration and necrosis of liver (P < 0.05-0.01). The results suggest that the important mechanism of the pills in protecting and treating alcoholic fatty liver, lies in the regulation of metabolism of the lipid, especially of the triglyceride.