Surgery for Thyroid Cancer Invading the Trachea.

Thyroid cancer invading the trachea can be asymptomatic, but when tumour invasion reaches the mucosal surface, it causes bloody sputum and dyspnoea. The treatment plan for thyroid cancer is determined based on the site, depth, and extent of the invasion. Different from tumours arising from the tracheal mucosa, in thyroid cancer, invasion begins outside the airway and progresses toward the lumen, making it difficult to accurately diagnose the extent of the invasion even with bronchoscopy. Therefore, surgeons must determine the range of resection during surgery. Invasion reaching the tracheal mucosa requires full-thickness resection and is performed using tracheal window resection combined with tracheocutaneous fistula or tracheal sleeve resection followed by end-to-end anastomosis. The airway is safely secured with window resection, but closing the tracheal stoma often requires multi-stage reconstruction. Sleeve resection is an oncologically appropriate surgical method that can be completed in one stage, although there is a risk of serious complications associated with anastomotic dehiscence. Since well-differentiated thyroid cancer progresses slowly, some degree of survival can be expected even with incomplete resection. However, when shaving is performed for tumours with deep invasion that reaches the tracheal mucosa, the residual tumour tissue continues to grow steadily and eventually leads to airway stenosis. Since reoperation for tracheal resection is difficult, radical full-thickness resection should be performed in the initial surgery. Although this surgical intervention is far more demanding for both patients and surgeons than shaving, the procedure eventually improves patient's prognosis and quality of life.

[Clinicopathologic Examination of the Resected Cases of Thyroid Benign Tumor Diagnosed Class â ¢ by Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology].

We describe 13 resected cases of thyroid benign tumor diagnosed as Class Ⅲ by Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology(FNA). The cytological report of these 13 were highly nuclear atypia, papillary cell clumps, nuclear inclusion bodies. Preoperative diagnoses were suspicion of malignant tumors(5 cases)and suspicion of benign tumors(8 cases). Results of the intraoperative frozen section diagnosis were suspicion of malignant tumor(5 cases)and suspicion of benign tumor(7 cases). The operative methods were subtotal thyroidectomy in 5 cases, hemithyroidectomy in 3 cases, lobectomy of the thyroid in 5 cases, the lymph nodes sampling was added in 5 cases. The final pathological diagnoses were follicular adenoma(5 cases), adenomatous goiter(8 cases), In the 5 to 10% of the FNA Class Ⅲ, definitive diagnosis cannot be made even with diagnostic imaging. The FNA Class Ⅲ cases should be treated surgically as a malignant tumor. But the operation method should be selected cautiously in having possibilities to be a benign tumor.

Thermal effects of the Thunderbeat™ device on the recurrent laryngeal nerve during thyroid surgery.

PURPOSE: To investigate the safety of the Thunderbeat™ (TB) device in thyroid surgery by clarifying its thermal effects on the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN). METHODS: We performed thyroidectomy using TB on four female pigs under general anesthesia. TB was applied 0, 1, and 2 mm from the RLN. The effects of incisions made in tissues in the vicinity of the RLN were evaluated by intraoperative neuromonitoring and pathological examination. RESULTS: The value of the neural integrity monitor (NIM) was unchanged at 2 and 1 mm, but there was loss of signal at 0 mm. The differences between 2 and 0 mm were not clear from the pathological findings. CONCLUSIONS: When using the TB device during thyroid surgery, it is recommended that it is visually kept from making any contact with the RLN.

[Resected Cases of Thyroid Tumor Diagnosed Class â ¢ by Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology].

We describe 14 resected cases of thyroid tumor diagnosed as Class Ⅲ by fine needle aspiration cytology(FNA). Of these, 13 cases were diagnosed as: malignant tumor(1 case), suspicion of malignant tumor(5 cases), or were hard to distinguish from benign or malignant(7 cases). The operative methods used were total or near total thyroidectomy plus D1 or D2a in 4 cases; hemithyroidectomy plus D1 in 3 cases; subtotal thyroidectomy in 3 cases; and lobectomy of the thyroid in 4 cases. The final pathological diagnoses were papillary adenocarcinoma(6 cases, all were pStage Ⅰ), follicular adenocarcinoma(1 case, pStage Ⅲ), malignant lymphoma(1 case), follicular adenoma(2 cases), and adenomatous goiter(4 cases). The results of preoperative examination and intraoperative frozen section diagnosis did not accord with the final pathological results in 2 cases(follicular adenocarcinoma: 1, adenomatous goiter: 1). FNA Class Ⅲcases should be treated surgically, because 8 of 14 FNA Class Ⅲ cases were malignant thyroid tumor. The operation method should be selected cautiously.

[Resection of Adrenal Metastasis after Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy for a Patient with Stage IV B Hepatocellular Carcinoma].

In the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma, atypical, off guideline multidisciplinary approaches are sometimes effective. A 70-year-old man was diagnosed with multiple hepatocellular carcinomas, multiple bone metastases, and a right adrenal metastasis. Sunitinib was started and the primary hepatic lesions and bone metastases disappeared. However, his adrenal metastasis worsened. Sorafenib, radiotherapy, and some investigational agents were administered, but the adrenal metastasis did not respond. There were no other new lesions except the adrenal lesion 4 years after the initial treatment, so we decided to perform a resection. In the left half lateral decubitus position, the adrenal mass was removed with right thoracolaparotomy. After the surgery, his tumor markers quickly returned to normal. Seven years after the initial treatment(2 years and 4 months after the last surgery), he is alive without any recurrence. Multidisciplinary treatment with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery may result in long term survival even for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with multiple extra-hepatic lesions.

[Thyroid carcinoma diagnosed by pathology during surgery].

We describe the pathological diagnosis of 4 resected cases of thyroid carcinoma made during surgery in comparison to that for 6 benign thyroid tumors. Preoperative computed tomography scanning and ultrasonography revealed 1 case of simple nodules, 3 cases of multiple nodules, 3 cases of solid cystic nodules, and 3 cases of calcification. Cytological examination of fine needle aspirates revealed 1 case to be Class II and 3 cases to be Class III. The diagnosis, which was made during the operation procedure on the basis of the frozen section and final operative methods, was papillary adenocarcinoma in 2 cases (total thyroidectomy + D1 and subtotal thyroidectomy+D1) and suspected papillary adenocarcinoma in 2 cases (hemithyroidectomy+ D1 and lobectomy of the thyroid+D1). The final pathological diagnosis of the 4 cases was papillary adenocarcinoma (pStage I: 3 cases, pStage II: 1 case). In the 6 cases of benign thyroid tumor, preoperative examinations revealed variegated tumor findings, and cytological examination of fine needle aspirates revealed 1 case to be ClassII and 5 cases to be ClassIII. Pathological diagnosis of the frozen sections of the 6 benign samples indicated 1 case of suspected malignancy and 5 cases of benign tumor. In all 10 cases, the pathological diagnosis based on frozen sections (with a sensitivity of 4/4 and specificity of 5/6) was more accurate than that established with preoperative imaging and cytological examination, and is therefore effective for the decision-making process when selecting the operative method.

Abdominal cerebrospinal fluid pseudocyst occurring 21 years after ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) placement is an established procedure for the treatment of hydrocephalus of diverse etiologies in children and adults. Abdominal cerebrospinal fluid pseudocyst, which is potentially life threatening, is a rare complication and usually occurs during childhood. However, with increasing longevity following successful treatment, it can also occur in adults. CASE PRESENTATION: Here we describe a 22-year-old man who was admitted to our hospital because of diffuse abdominal distention. A VPS was placed 21 years earlier to treat hydrocephalus secondary to spina bifida. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed a homogeneous low-density fluid collection adjacent to the VPS catheter tip, causing stomach obstruction. Thus a peritoneal pseudocyst around VPS was suspected and emergency laparotomy was performed. The large mass was localized in the left upper abdomen between the stomach and mesentery of the transverse colon, exactly at the omental bursa. The cystic mass was opened and 1500 ml of clear fluid was drained; the distal end of the VPS was repositioned outside the mass. Thus, an abdominal cerebrospinal fluid pseudocyst as a complication of VPS was diagnosed. CONCLUSION: Gastroenterological surgeons should be aware of this possible complication, and this complication should be considered during differential diagnosis of an acute abdomen complaint.