[A case of spontaneous chylothorax complicating pregnancy].

The paper gives a clinical case of left-sided chylothorax developing in a young woman in the second half of pregnancy due to thrombosis of the left internal jugular vein, left subclavian vein, and brachiocephalic trunk. Cesarean section was made. Medical treatment thereafter proved to be effective. The possible mechanisms for spontaneous venous thrombosis and chylothorax during pregnancy and the methods of their diagnosis and treatment are discussed.

[Spleen removal in hematological patients with splenomegaly].

By large and giant volume of the spleen the mainstay of the surgery remains the open splenectomy. Splenomegaly stipulates certain difficulties and dangers of the procedure, mainly because the lack of the free space in the abdominal cavity. The maximally wide access, preliminary preparation and ligation of the splenic artery in situ and thorough separation of the spleen and pancreatic tail provide the safety and success of the operation. 374 splenectomies on the reason of the splenomegaly were analyzed. The standardization of the technique allowed the 2.5 times reduction of the postoperative complication rate (from 26.9 to 10.8%); the 1.8 times reduction of the intraoperative complication rate and the 17% reduction of the intraoperative blood loss. The postoperative pancreatitis was registered 4 times rare; the intraabdominal bleeding - 2 times rare and the frequency of the subphrenic abscess was 1.5 times lesser.

[A case of hemolytic-uremic syndrome with development of catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome: diagnosis and clinical tactics].

The paper describes a case of practically simultaneous development of the hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) and the catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (CAPS) complicated by mesenteric vessel thrombosis and small bowel necrosis. Multimodality treatment comprising volume plasmapheresis, fresh frozen plasma transfusion, hemodialysis, anticoagulant and disaggregant therapy could relieve thrombogenic events, such as pulmonary artery thromboembolism and intestinal necrosis.

[Acute abdominal syndrome in blood system diseases].

AIM: To define an optimal diagnostic and therapeutic algorithm when the acute abdominal syndrome occurs in hematological patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The results of 145 emergency surgeries made in 2006-2008 for acute abdominal syndrome were studied in patients with blood system diseases. RESULTS: Clinical manifestations of acute abdominal syndrome emerge in 1-1.4% of all the patients treated at the Hematology Research Center, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. There is a need for surgery in 0.5-0.7% of all the patients admitted. In this group of patients, annual postoperative mortality is 12-16%. CONCLUSION: The routine algorithm for a diagnostic search in hematological patients with acute abdominal syndrome can lead to both hyperdiagnosis and unwarranted surgery, and incorrect choice of expectant policy as well.

[Ten-year outcomes of lymphogranulomatosis treatment according to the protocol MOPP-ABVD+radiotherapy].

AIM: To analyse overall recurrence-free survival of lymphogranulomatosis (LGM) patients given polychemotherapy (PCT) MOPP (mustargen-caryolisin, vincristine, natulan, prednisolone) - ABVD (adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastin, dacarbasin) in combination with radiotherapy (RT) for 10 years. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The trial included 211 LGM patients admitted to Hematological Research Center in 1990-1996 from other hospitals without random selection. The patients were examined by the standard program including biopsy of the affected organ or lymph node, bilateral trephine biopsy. Splenectomy was performed in 17 patients, 83 patients received PCT in other hospitals, 128 untreated patients received MOPP-ABVD therapy (3 courses of MOPP and 3 courses of ABVD). Forty one patients had defects in PCT, 16 of them rejected PCT and RT. The latter was performed 4 weeks after the 6th course, contraceptives were not prescribed to women. At LGM stage II-III RT was performed by the subradical program (no radiation to ilioinguinal lymph nodes) in doses 40-44 Gy on the foci and 32-36 Gy preventively, on massive and residual foci after PCT - 5-10 Gy additionally. RESULTS: Ten-year overall and recurrence-free survival in the untreated group reached 83 and 80%, respectively, for pretreated patients - 46 and 36%, respectively. Causes of death of 26 patients were LGM progression, infection (tuberculosis, as a rule), secondary tumors and acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML). After remission 25 women gave birth to a healthy child and 12 healthy children were born to 9 males. CONCLUSION: MOPP-ABVD plus radiotherapy program according to subradical and radical variants was in the past effective but invalidating rescue therapy. Present-day programs consider the histological variant, stage and prognostic factors allowing an individual therapeutic approach with step-by-step reduction of RT in the treatment of LGM patients. Involvement of the bone marrow in primary patients had no influence on the treatment results. This refers this affection not to a generalized stage IV, but to stage III along with involvement of the lymph nodes and the spleen.

[Efficacy of different chemotherapy programs, indications for surgery and radiotherapy in primary mediastinal B-cell lymphosarcoma].

AIM: To evaluate efficacy of treatment of primary mediastinal B-cell lymphosarcoma (PMBLS). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fifty nine patients with PMBLD were divided into three groups. Group 1 (n = 15) received 8 courses of CHOP, prevention of neuroleukemia and radiotherapy (RT). Group 2 (n = 8)--4 courses of ProMACE-CytaBOM or 1 course of MACOP-B, prevention of neuroleukemia and RT. Group 3 (n = 36)--2 courses of CHOP and 2-3 courses of ESHAP or 3 courses of DexaBEAM, surgical removal of residual mediastinal tumor (RMT), RT. RESULTS: The number of complete remissions in group 1 and 2 was the same (26 and 25%, respectively). Overall 5-year and event-free survivals in groups 1 and 2 were 52 +/- 5 and 13 +/- 5; 62 +/- 5 and 38 +/- 8%, respectively. In group 3 a complete remission was observed in 89% patients (p = 0.01), overall 5-year and event-free survival reached 88 +/- 8 and 85 +/- 7%, respectively. Removal of RMT in time of tumor size stabilization and partial remission (in 12 of 15 cases) led to a complete remission but in progression of the disease (in 3 cases) appeared ineffective. RT resulted in complete remission in 39 of 53 cases, stabilization of tumor growth was in 3 cases, progression--in 10, recurrence--in 1. RT was ineffective in all 4 cases of partial remission. RT use in stabilization of tumor size induced complete remission only in 1 of 7 cases. CONCLUSION: CHOP program is ineffective in PMBLS. Program ProMACE-CytaBOM or MACOP-B is insignificantly more effective than CHOP. Combined therapy is most effective. Surgery is justified in partial remission and tumor growth arrest. RT is indicated in complete remission to achieve its consolidation.

[Gamma-scintigraphy with Ga-67 citrate in differential diagnosis of residual tumors in lymphogranulomatosis and lymphosarcoma].

AIM: To study informative and diagnostic efficacy of quantitative evaluation of the results of gamma-scintigraphy in patients with lymphogranulomatosis and lymphosarcoma with prevalent mediastinal and pulmonary lesions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 100 patients with verified lymphogranulematosis were studied: 67 with lymphosarcoma and 33 with mediastinal involvement. The mediastinal tumor monitoring was made before therapy, in complete clinicohematological remission, in progression using a complex of radio-, clinicohematological, histomorphological and radionuclide methods. RESULTS: A comparative analysis of the findings of radiation, radionuclide and histomorphological examinations of the removed residual mediastinal tumor in 10 patients showed that scintigraphic evidence was similar to that of histological findings in most of the examinees. CONCLUSION: A high diagnostic efficacy of a complex of radiation and radionuclide methods with Ga-67 citrate based on estimation of accumulation intensity providing comprehensive information about mediastinal tumor is demonstrated. A comparative analysis was made of the results of radiation, radionuclide and histomorphological examinations of the removed residual lesion of the mediastinum in 10 patients. In most cases, scintigraphic findings coincided with the results of histological studies of biopsies of mediastinal residual lesion.

[Possibilities of early diagnosis of tumors].

AIM: To study diagnostic significance of blood serum cancer antigens levels in patients who subsequently develop pulmonary cancer (PC) and gastrointestinal cancer (GIC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: ELISA was used to study expression of tumor antigens (CEA, NSE, CA19-9, CA242, AFP) in the blood serum of 27 PC and 31 GIC patients; 22 patients with lymphatic tumors and 32 patients with pulmonary and gastrointestinal inflammation served control. After removal of the tumor the same antigens including cytokeratines (CK) and differentiated leukocytic markers were studied immunocytochemically in the tumor cells with relevant monoclonal antibodies. RESULTS: Sera of patients with verified afterwards cancer contained elevated concentrations of the antigens: NSE and CEA in PC, CA19-9, CA242 in GIC. The expression of these antigens including CK was found also in tumor cells of these patients. Atypical cells of lymphatic tumors had hemopoietic markers in the absence of CK. In inflammation and in lymphatic tumors, tumor antigens levels remained normal. CONCLUSION: The test for tumor antigens levels in the serum may be used for early (preoperative) diagnosis of cancer, especially in tumors with difficult access or if they are asymptomatic.

[Needle biopsy in diagnosing primary mediastinal tumors]. / Puntsionnaia biopsiia v diagnostike pervichnoi mediastal'noi opukholi.

AIM: To assess the potential of biopsies with the thick cutting needle of anterior mediastinum tumor. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Biopsy with the use of the thick cutting needle (Baxter Healthcare Corporation, length 150 mm, thickness 2.5 mm, length of the cutting channel 20 mm) of a primary mediastinal tumor was made in 12 patients. RESULTS: The findings were the following: 8 cases of primary mediastinal B-cell lymphosarcoma, 1 case of T-cell lymphosarcoma with involvement of the mediastinum, 2 cases of thymic carcinoma, 1 case of pituitary tumor. Mediastinal puncture was controlled by ultrasound which secured accurate position of the needle and safe conduction of the puncture. CONCLUSION: Puncture biopsy with the thick cutting needle of anterior mediastinum tumor provides short duration of the diagnostic process and correction of the treatment policy.

[Diagnosis of pulmonary lesions in acute respiratory insufficiency in patients with depressed hemopoiesis]. / Porazheniia lëgkikh pri ostroi dykhatel'noi nedostatochnosti u bol'nykh s depressiiami krovetvoreniia.

AIM: To analyse causes of acute respiratory failure (ARF) and methods of diagnosis of pulmonary lesions in patients with depressed hemopoiesis (DH). MATERIAL AND METHODS: 50 patients with DH and ARF were examined according to the protocol including x-ray, computed tomography, fibrobronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage, cytological, bacteriological, virusological studies of the lavage fluid, biopsy of the lung. The algorithm of the protocol is provided. RESULTS: Sensitivity of the lavage fluid in diagnosis of fungal, bacterial, pneumocystic and cytomegaloviral infections was 84, 78, 93 and 93%, respectively. The cytologic examination of the lavage fluid may detect lung infiltration with blood tumors. In complicated diagnostic cases lung biopsy verified pulmonary lesion but its conduction aggravated the patients' condition. ARF patients with DH, bacterial flora, fungi, cytomegalovirus and pneumocystic infection, pulmonary tumor involvement, pulmonary lesions in ATRA-syndrome, non-infectious lesions of the lungs after bone marrow transplantation were found in 38, 18, 40, 18, 8 and 4% of cases, respectively. CONCLUSION: DH patients with ARF should be examined by the protocol including both non-invasive and invasive diagnostic methods. Accurate diagnosis of ARF causes is the basic reserve in the treatment of such patients.

[The 1st results of the combined therapy of recurrent and refractory forms of lymphogranulomatosis (polychemotherapy, radiation therapy and the removal of the residual mediastinal formation)]. / Pervye rezul'taty kombinirovannoi terapii retsidivnykh i refrakternykh form limfogranulematoza (polikhimioterapiia, luchevaia terapiia, udalenie ostatochnogo mediastinal'nogo obrazovaniia).

AIM: To achieve a maximal complete remission rate in patients with recurrent and refractory Hodgkin's disease. To find out a group of patients in whom surgical removal of the residual mediastinal mass would be most effective. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 46 patients with Hodgkin's disease received Dexa-BEAM chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy. Surgical removal of the residual mediastinal mass was made in 12 patients. RESULTS: Second-line Dexa-BEAM therapy produced a 50% complete remission rate. Overall survival was 45.5%, the disease-free survival--43.5%. Removed mediastinal masses were indicative of Hodgkin's disease in 7 cases and fibrosis in 4 cases. CONCLUSION: Dexa-BEAM is an effective program in the treatment of recurrent and refractory Hodgkin's disease. Surgical removal of the residual mediastinal mass with radiotherapy and high-dose chemotherapy improves prognosis in very unfavorable, primary progressive form of Hodgkin's disease.