Arteriovenous malformation of the thyroid gland as a very rare cause of mechanical neck syndrome: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Vascular malformations of the thyroid gland represent a very rare, often accidentally diagnosed, disease that in the case of eufunctional goitre may be the cause of mechanical neck syndrome. The authors present here the complex differential-diagnosis and treatment approach and stress the importance of histopathology for determining the final diagnosis. CASE PRESENTATION: Using various imaging methods (ultrasound, multidetector computed tomography of the neck), the cause of breathing difficulties in a 64-year-old old man from the Czech Republic with normal thyroid gland function was found to be an arteriovenous malformation of the left lobe of his thyroid gland, 80 × 70 × 55 mm in size, reaching retrosternally between the major arteries branching from his aortic arch and displacing his trachea 10mm to the right. In preparation for surgery, he underwent a radio-interventional procedure with embolisation of the arteries supplying the left lobe. This was followed by a lobectomy on the left via a partial sternotomy. The definitive histology result confirmed that the arteriovenous malformation was the benign cause of the mechanical neck syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: The case report presented here extends the differential diagnostic options in cases of mechanical neck syndrome. It describes a very rare disease of the thyroid gland, which prior to surgery may arouse suspicion of malignancy. It stresses the importance of close team cooperation between the endocrinologist, interventional radiologist and surgeon within the framework of preoperative diagnosis as well as preparation for surgery. Determination of the definitive histopathological diagnosis requires a pathologist experienced in such issues.

A complex oncosurgical approach to increasing the resectability of colorectal cancer metastases - a case report.

AIM: In this case report, the authors aim to demonstrate the success of recent methods in the radical treatment of a patient with primary inoperable liver and subsequent colorectal cancer pulmonary metastases. METHODS: A 75 year old patient with inoperable bulky metastasis in the right hepatic lobe and insufficient future remnant liver volume was indicated for a stage procedure in the liver parenchyma. Embolization of the right branch of the portal vein was first performed with subsequent administration of stem cells into the contralateral liver lobe. Following compensatory growth of the left liver lobe, right-sided hepatectomy was performed with subsequent adjuvant oncological treatment. Six months after the surgery, a metastasis developed in the right pulmonary lobe which was solved by metastasectomy. RESULTS: The patient, one year after the diagnosis of inoperable liver metastasis, is completely healthy and free of signs of disease recurrence. CONCLUSION: A comprehensive oncosurgical approach using up-to-date diagnostic and treatment options may offer patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, radical treatment with the hope of long-term quality survival.

Prognostic value of the number and volume of liver tumours on portal vein embolization outcomes.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Portal vein embolization (PVE) extends the resecability of liver tumours.The issue of PVE is an insufficient growth of the liver parenchyma or a tumour progression in some patients. We evaluated the effect of the volume and the number of liver tumours on the effect of PVE. METHODOLOGY: PVE was performed in 40 patients with liver tumours due to an insufficient future remnant liver volume. The number and the volume of the tumours were evaluated and compared with the final PVE effect. RESULTS: In patients without any increase of the liver volume after PVE (n=3) the number and the volume of the tumours before PVE were 2.7±2.1 and 2205.1±2432.7mm3, respectively. In patients with sufficient growth of the liver (n=22) it was 3.8±2.2 (NS) and 1164.9±1392.1mm3 (NS), respectively. In patients with tumour progression (n=11) it was 5.6±2.2 and 6971.4±5189.5mm3, respectively (p<0.04 and p<0.005, respectively). Four patients were treated by radiofrequency ablation only due to worsening of their health state. Patients with >4 foci (OR 4.7) and a tumour volume >400mm3 (OR=13.0) had a higher probability of cancer progression or insufficient growth of the liver tissue. Patients with <6 foci and a tumour volume <3100mm3 had an 87.5% probability of a successful liver hypertrophy after PVE. CONCLUSIONS: The tumour number and volume were crucial for progression of a malignant disease and growth of the liver parenchyma after PVE.

Transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE) using irinotecan-loaded beads for the treatment of unresectable metastases to the liver in patients with colorectal cancer: an interim report.

BACKGROUND: Following failure of standard systemic chemotherapy, the role of hepatic transarterial therapy for colorectal hepatic metastasis continues to evolve as the experience with this technique matures. The aim of this study to gain a better understanding of the value of drug eluting bead therapy when administered to patients with unresectable colorectal hepatic metastasis. METHODS: This was an open-label, multi-center, single arm study, of unresectable colorectal hepatic metastasis patients who had failed standard therapy from 10/2006-10/2008. Patients received repeat embolizations with Irinotecan loaded beads(max 100 mg per embolization) per treating physician's discretion. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients underwent 99 treatments using Irinotecan drug eluting beads. The median number of total treatments per patient was 2(range of 1-5). Median length of hospital stay was 23 hours(range 23 hours - 10 days). There were 30(30%) sessions associated with adverse reactions during or after the treatment. The median disease free and overall survival from the time of first treatment was 247 days and 343 days. Six patients(10%) were downstaged from their original disease status. Of these, four were treated with surgery and two with RFA.Neither number of liver lesions, size of liver lesions or extent of liver replacement(25%) were predictors of overall survival. Only the presence of extrahepatic disease(p = 0,001), extent of prior chemotherapy (failed 1st and 2nd line vs > 2 line failure)(p = 0,007) were predictors of overall survival in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Chemoembolization using Irinotecan loaded beads was safe and effective in the treatment of patients as demonstrated by a minimal complication rate and acceptable tumor response.