Narrow-band imaging with magnifying endoscopy for the screening of esophageal cancer in patients with primary head and neck cancers.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIM: Although narrow-band imaging (NBI) in endoscopy can improve detection of early-stage esophageal malignancies in patients with head and neck cancers, false-positive results may be obtained in areas with nonspecific inflammatory changes. This study evaluated the feasibility of primary screening with NBI and magnification for the presence of esophageal malignancies in these cancer patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty-nine patients with documented head and neck cancers were enrolled from April 2008 to January 2009. All patients underwent a meticulous endoscopic examination of the esophagus using a conventional white-light system followed by re-examination using the NBI system and final confirmation with NBI plus magnification. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients (30.4 %) were confirmed to have esophageal neoplasia. Among these 21, 16 (76.2 %) had synchronous lesions, 9 (42.9 %) were asymptomatic, and 10 (47.6 %) had early-stage neoplasia. The incidence of multiple esophageal neoplasia was 57.1 %. NBI was more effective than conventional endoscopy in detecting neoplastic lesions (35 lesions in 21 patients vs. 22 lesions in 18 patients) and was particularly effective in patients with dysplasia (13 lesions in 9 patients vs. 3 lesions in 3 patients). The sensitivity and accuracy of detection were 62.9 % and 64.4 % for conventional endoscopy, 100 % and 86.7 % for NBI alone, and 100 % and 95.6 % for NBI with high magnification, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with current approaches, NBI followed by high magnification significantly increases the accuracy of detection of esophageal neoplasia in patients with head and neck cancers. The result warrants conducting prospective randomized controlled study to confirm its efficacy.

Prospective study of health-related quality of life after Roux-en-Y bypass surgery for morbid obesity.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass for morbid obesity on health-related quality of life (QOL) during the first year of follow-up. METHODS: The World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief (WHOQOL-BREF) was administered 1 month before operation, and at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery. Body mass index, co-morbidities and operation-related complications were measured at these times. A mixed-effect model was constructed to analyse repeated measurements and determine the relationships between body mass index, WHOQOL-BREF scores and other variables. RESULTS: A total of 102 patients were enrolled. The mixed-effect model showed that the physical, psychological and social domains improved after bariatric surgery, with simultaneous reduction in weight and improvement in co-morbidities. There was a dip in scores in physical and psychological domains 3-6 months after surgery, significantly related to complications. All patients gradually improved between 6 and 12 months after surgery, reaching levels similar to those of healthy subjects. CONCLUSION: Health-related QOL improved dramatically after bariatric surgery, dipped slightly between 3 and 6 months, and improved again up to the end of the first year.

Arterial embolisation in intractable primary post-partum haemorrhage: case series.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of arterial embolisation in the management of intractable primary post-partum haemorrhage. DESIGN. Retrospective case series. SETTING: Regional hospital, Hong Kong. PATIENTS: Nine patients aged 28 to 39 years who were treated for severe primary post-partum haemorrhage between October 2000 and January 2003. INTERVENTION: Emergency transcatheter arterial embolisation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical outcome and complications. RESULTS: All nine arterial embolisations successfully arrested the haemorrhage. The main cause of primary post-partum haemorrhage was uterine atony. No serious complication arose, although one patient experienced slight numbness of the right leg. Normal menstruation resumed in all patients, except for the one who had had a hysterectomy as initial treatment. One patient became pregnant 1 year after embolisation. Patients were followed up for 10 months. CONCLUSION: In our experience, arterial embolisation is safe and efficacious, and is the treatment of choice for patients with intractable primary post-partum haemorrhage.

Abdominal pregnancy presenting as a missed abortion at 16 weeks' gestation.

We report on an abdominal pregnancy that presented as a missed abortion at 16 weeks' gestation and review the literature on the management of abdominal pregnancy. The clinical presentation of abdominal pregnancy varies, and the diagnosis depends on a high index of suspicion. Ultrasonography is useful for early diagnosis of the condition. The management depends on the gestation at presentation; for advanced abdominal pregnancy, surgical intervention is recommended. The treatment of the placenta is a matter of controversy. In general, expectant management is suggested. When the placenta is left behind, the use of prophylactic methrotrexate is not advocated. An awareness of abdominal pregnancy is very important for reducing associated morbidity and mortality.

A prospective randomized study comparing hysteroscopy and curettage (H & C) under local anaesthesia (LA) and general anaesthesia (GA) in Chinese population.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the difference in patient's acceptance of local anaesthesia (LA) and general anaesthesia (GA) hysteroscopy and curettage in Chinese population. DESIGN: A prospective randomized study. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In the period September 1994 to August 1995, all Chinese women with abnormal uterine bleeding or suspected uterine anomaly who warranted hysteroscopy and uterine curettage were invited to participate in this study with informed consent. They were randomly allocated to the control (i.e. GA) and study (i.e. LA) group. RESULTS: Overall 90% of the controls and 91% of the study group were satisfied with the procedure. The hysteroscopic diagnostic accuracy was 83%. Significantly higher percentage of patients in the study group opted for the same form of admission arrangement if given the choice. CONCLUSION: Hysteroscopy and curettage under LA and GA are equally acceptable in the Chinese population in Hong Kong. The patient satisfaction rate is high in both groups. Hysteroscopic diagnosis is highly accurate in malignant condition (100% sensitivity and 83% specificity).

Emergency obstetric hysterectomies for postpartum haemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: To review emergency obstetric hysterectomy in our unit, including the indications for and morbidity associated with the procedure. DESIGN: A retrospective cases analysis. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Records of obstetric patients who had undergone emergency hysterectomies in between 15 October 1993 and 31 December 1997 were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: There were 15,474 deliveries and 7 emergency obstetric hysterectomies. All cases had total abdominal hysterectomy. The indications for hysterectomy were uterine atony and placental disorders. There were one case of urinary bladder injury and 2 cases of disseminated intravascular coagulopathy. There was no maternal mortality. CONCLUSION: Emergency obstetric hysterectomy remains a potentially life-saving procedure in unavoidable catastrophe. The 7 patients with life threatening postpartum haemorrhage underwent hysterectomy after failure of conservative measures. The morbidity is low and there was no mortality in this series.

Efficacy of transabdominal ultrasound examination in the diagnosis of early pregnancy complications in an emergency department.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the value of ultrasound in an emergency department in the diagnosis of early pregnancy complications, the efficacy of a study protocol in identifying ectopic pregnancies, and the agreement on ultrasound findings among emergency department staff and gynaecologists. METHODS: All women presenting with early pregnancy complications had a transabdominal ultrasound scan performed by the attending doctor and checked by a senior doctor. The ultrasound findings were classified as normal intrauterine pregnancy (IUP), probable abnormal pregnancy, definite ectopic pregnancy, no definite IUP, and other. Women with clinical and ultrasound findings compatible with threatened abortion were referred to a gynaecologist, or were admitted if findings suggested abnormal or ectopic pregnancy, or if a definite IUP could not be confirmed on ultrasound scan. For patients who were admitted or referred, a transvaginal ultrasound scan was performed by the attending gynaecologist. The findings of the gynaecologist were used as the gold standard. RESULTS: 151 cases were enrolled during a four month study period. Ultrasound findings in the emergency department included definite IUP in 95 (63%), probable abnormal IUP in 20 (13%), no definite IUP in 23 (21%), and other findings in four (3%). For evaluating the presence or absence of IUP, sensitivity of the initial scan was 82% (95% confidence interval 76% to 88%) and specificity 92% (88% to 96%). Agreement between junior and senior emergency department doctors on their ultrasound findings was 81% (75% to 87%) and between emergency department senior staff and gynecologists 85% (79% to 91%). The diagnoses made in the emergency department were thought to be compatible with the final assessments by gynaecologist in 72% (65% to 79%). Using either no definite IUP or other findings as a positive screening test for ectopic pregnancy, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 80% (74% to 86%), 78% (71% to 85%), 12% (7% to 17%), and 99% (97% to 100%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Transabdominal ultrasound performed in the emergency department is useful in screening for early pregnancy complications. Ectopic pregnancy should be suspected when no IUP is found on preliminary scanning.