General principles of hepatectomy in colorectal liver metastases.

Hepatic resection for colorectal liver metastases remains the only therapeutic option that improves long-term survival and offers potential cure. By conventional resectability criteria, only a limited number of patients with metastatic disease can be subjected to surgical intervention. In the past decade, better understanding of the natural history of the disease, the introduction of new chemotherapy agents and the advances in surgical techniques have led to more patients being eligible for surgery. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy can reduce the size of the metastases, allowing operation on patients who were previously considered inoperable. Major resections can nowadays be safely performed with the development of new less-invasive techniques and with the use of supplementary tools like ablation techniques. Using portal vein embolization to induce hypertrophy of future liver remnant and combining it with two-staged hepatectomy allow more patients with advanced disease to undergo potentially curative surgery. Careful selection of patients and aggressive surgery in experienced centers improve survival rates.

First report of clear cell renal carcinoma metastasizing to the ischiorectal fossa 17 years after radical nephrectomy: an additional reason for lifelong follow-up.

Renal cell carcinoma has a high propensity for metastatic spread. There are several case reports of metastatic renal cell carcinomas associated with rare metastatic sites, in many cases more than ten years after the initial diagnosis. We present a 60-year-old man with perianal pain and a mass in the ischiorectal space, revealed by computed tomography. The patient had a history of clear cell renal carcinoma operated on 17 years ago. A wire localization surgical excision of the ischiorectal fossa mass was performed. The pathological report revealed a metastatic clear cell renal carcinoma. To our knowledge, this is the first case of a clear cell renal carcinoma metastasizing to the ischiorectal fossa reported in the literature. We therefore recommend that any newly discovered mass in any site of a patient with a history of renal cell carcinoma should be carefully explored and biopsied.

Sleeve gastrectomy: have we finally found the holy grail of bariatric surgery? A review of the literature.

OBJECTIVE: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy has become one of the most commonly performed bariatric operations. It is essentially a restrictive bariatric operation; however, a series of hormonal changes occurring postoperatively contribute to decreased appetite and reduced food intake. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a literature review of recent articles published on Pubmed, Medline and Google Scholar databases in English. RESULTS: Although, laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is commonly performed worldwide, there is still a lack of standardization regarding the surgical technique. Standardizing the surgical technique is essential in order to minimize postoperative complications and offer patients the best long-term weight loss. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy appears to be an effective bariatric operation. It is relatively easy to perform, well tolerated by the patients and very effective regarding long-term excessive weight loss and resolution of the comorbidities, with minimum nutritional deficiencies.

Pancreatic carcinoma is characterized by elevated content of hyaluronan and chondroitin sulfate with altered disaccharide composition.

The amount and the types of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) present in human pancreatic carcinoma were examined and compared with those in normal pancreas. Human pancreatic carcinoma contained increased levels (4-fold) of total GAGs. Particularly, this carcinoma is characterized by a 12-fold increase of hyaluronan (HA) and a 22-fold increase in chondroitin sulfate (CS) content. CS in pancreatic carcinoma exhibited an altered disaccharide composition which is associated with marked increase of non-sulfated and 6-sulfated disaccharides. Dermatan sulfate (DS) was also increased (1.5-fold) in carcinoma, whereas heparan sulfate (HS), the major GAG of normal pancreas, becomes the minor GAG in pancreatic carcinoma without significant changes in the content and in molecular size. In all cases, the galactosaminoglycans (GalGAGs, i.e. CS and DS) derived from pancreatic carcinomas were of lower molecular size compared to those from normal pancreas. The results in this study indicate, for the first time, that human pancreatic carcinoma is characterized by highly increased amounts of HA and of a structurally altered CS.

Anesthesia management for the super obese: is sevoflurane superior to propofol as a sole anesthetic agent? A double-blind randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: General anesthesia in obese patients is both challenging and demanding. With the rates of obesity in the general population increasing, more patients undergo bariatric surgery. The aim of this study was to compare the performance, effectiveness and recovery from anesthesia of sevoflurane and propofol in combination with remifentanil, with and without bispectral index (BIS) monitoring in super obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this prospective, double-blind, randomized, controlled study a total of 100 super obese patients (body mass index, BMI > 50 kg/m2) undergoing bariatric surgery were randomly allocated in four groups: a sevoflurane group (n = 25), a sevoflurane with BIS monitoring group (n = 25), a propofol group (n=25) and a propofol with BIS monitoring group (n=25). Hemodynamic parameters, depth of anesthesia, recovery from anesthesia and postoperative pain were recorded. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 37.7 ± 9.2 years and the median BMI was 57.86 ± 9.33. There were no statistically significant differences between the four groups with respect to patient characteristics, comorbidities and duration of surgery. The intraoperatively mean arterial pressure was significantly higher in both propofol groups. No significant difference was observed between the four groups in respect to heart rate changes during anesthesia. Although the time to eye-opening and extubation was significantly shorter in both propofol groups, recovery from anesthesia, assessed with the Aldrete, Chung and White recovery scores, was significantly faster in sevoflurane groups. No significant difference was observed in postoperative pain between the four groups. CONCLUSIONS: Although both propofol and sevoflurane provide adequate general anesthesia, sevoflurane may be preferable in super obese patients because of superior hemodynamic stability and faster recovery from anesthesia.

Liver resection for metastatic non-colorectal non-neuroendocrine hepatic neoplasms.

AIMS: Major liver surgery can be performed safely and hepatic resection for metastatic disease is increasingly carried out. However, the role of liver resection for hepatic metastases from non-colorectal, non-neuroendocrine (NCNN) cancers is unknown. Our aim was to evaluate our experience from hepatectomies for NCNN metastases. A retrospective study of 170 patients with liver resection performed the last 8 years was performed in two liver units in affiliated university hospitals. METHODS: Eighteen patients underwent liver resection for NCNN tumours. Origins included kidney (n=6), breast (n=4), gastric tumours (n=4), intestinal leiomyosarcoma (n=2) and malignant melanoma and in one patient a metastatic papillary of unknown origin was found. Eleven patients underwent a hepatic lobectomy and seven had local resections. Ten hepatectomies were performed at the same time with the primary tumour resection (synchronous resections) with five of those in an en bloc fashion with the primary tumour. RESULTS: There were no post-operative deaths and the peri-operative morbidity was minimal. During a median follow-up time of 3.2 years, 14 patients are alive with one of them having developed pulmonary metastases. CONCLUSION: In carefully selected patients with NCNN liver metastasis, liver resection can prolong survival as well and improve quality of life.

Distribution and changes of glycosaminoglycans in neoplasias of rectum.

The content, composition and physicochemical characteristics of glycosaminoglycans in human rectum and rectum carcinoma were investigated by chemical analyses, enzymic treatments, chromatographic and electrophoretic techniques. The overall glycosaminoglycan content was increased about 2 fold in neoplastic tissues compared to nonneoplastic tissues. The absolute amounts of chondroitin sulfate, hyaluronic acid and dermatan sulfate significantly increased but the amounts of heparan sulfate decreased in neoplastic tissues compared with nonneoplastic tissues. In addition an increased fraction of keratan sulfate and undersulfated chondroitin was identified in neoplastic tissues. HPLC analysis of chondroitinase AC and ABC digests showed a marked increase in delta di-6S and delta di-OS disaccharides in tumor chondroitin sulfate, revealing significant alterations on the sulfation pattern. The results indicate that specific glycosaminoglycan alterations occur in human rectum carcinoma and suggest that proteoglycan metabolism is also altered in this carcinoma.

Conversion of unresectable hepatoma to resectable. Report of a case and review of the literature.

One of the most important reasons that hepatocellular carcinoma displays a poor prognosis, is the low resectability rate at the time of the diagnosis. In this study, we report a case of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma converted to resectable after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization. In addition a review of the literature is attempted.

Bile leakage following T-tube removal in orthotopic liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Biliary tract complications constitute a common cause of post-operative morbidity after orthotopic liver transplantation. Bile leakage following T-tube removal, even if uncommon, can also seriously influence post-operative recovery. This report outlines the diagnostic and therapeutic policy used to treat this complication in a large liver transplantation center. METHODOLOGY: Fourteen consecutive cases of bile leakage after T-tube removal are presented. Abdominal pain was the most common symptom and acute abdomen developed in one third of the patients. Ultrasonography was the most common imaging technique used. RESULTS: Five patients were treated conservatively with or without percutaneous drainage of the biloma and 9 patients underwent an exploratory laparotomy. Ligation of the T-tube tract was the most common technique used. All patients had an uneventful clinical course. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical signs are the most important factor in the diagnosis of this complication, and should be treated surgically if the patient does not improve within 24-48 hours under conservative management. Inadequate fibrous T-tube tract formation due to immunosuppression or the underlying disease could be an explanation for the development of this complication.

Simple (non-parasitic) liver cysts: clinical presentation and outcome.

Non-parasitic hepatic cysts are frequent and usually asymptomatic. Investigation must differentiate from parasitic or neoplastic cysts. Ultrasonography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and serology do not always ensure a definitive diagnosis, where as other diagnostic methods offer little assistance. Symptoms, complications or uncertain diagnosis make treatment necessary. Various techniques have been used in management of non-parasitic hepatic cysts. Both surgical and recent minimally invasive methods such as laparoscopy and percutaneous aspiration with sclerotherapy are discussed and evaluated. Treatment of choice or indications for each method remains a controversial subject that requires further study.

Major vascular lesions associated with orthopaedic injuries.

Seventeen patients, aged 11-67 years (mean, 32.6), with major vascular injuries associated with traumatic orthopaedic injuries, were treated operatively in the authors' institution over a 4-year period. The most common mechanism of trauma was a high-energy injury (70.8%), and the rate of open injuries was 88.2%; 64.9% of the injuries were located in the lower extremities. The treatment protocol consisted of aggressive resuscitation; Doppler imaging and, when necessary, angiography; stable bone fixation with subsequent vascular repair; and extended wound debridement. The vascular repair for arterial lacerations consisted of (a) end-to-end anastomosis (47.2%); (b) interpositional homologous vein graft (23.6%); (c) vascular decompression through fracture distraction in one patient (5.9%); (d) xenograft interposition (in one patient; 5.9%); (e) venous repair (in three patients; 17.7%); and (f) embolectomy (in all patients). Three vascular reoperations (17.7%) were necessary because of rupture of the anastomosis. The authors' preferred bone stabilization method was external fixation, which was used in 47.2% of cases. Amputation was performed in three cases (17.7%) as a salvage operation. Although six patients (35.4%) were admitted with delayed shock (mean duration, 73.6 +/- 27.8 min), this led to a lethal outcome due to shock lung in only one patient. Another patient developed massive lung embolism 3 months postoperatively and died. The authors believe that this well-organized approach, based on a specific treatment protocol, for patients with severe orthopaedic trauma and concomitant vascular injury, not only improves outcome but gives good to excellent functional results in the majority of patients.

Unusual electrocardiographic changes in intrathoracic conditions.

Electrocardiographic, roentgenographic and clinical findings from 5 patients with intrathoracic conditions were studied. Three patients suffering from left spontaneous pneumothorax and one from eventration of the left diaphragm were found to have an unusual phasic voltage alternation in their electrocardiograms. These changes were appearing during the course of the disease and disappearing with the correction of the condition. Respiratory variation of intrathoracic anatomy or amplitude and swinging of the heart seems a possible explanation.

Infected echinococcal cyst. A common cause of pyogenic hepatic abscess.

Twenty-one cases of hepatic abscesses treated during a period of four years (from 1981 to 1985) at the University of Patras, Greece, are presented. This material includes 10 cases with abscesses caused by suppurated echinococcal cysts, corresponding to 21% of the total number of 47 cases of echinococcal cysts of the liver treated at our department during the same period. A preoperative diagnosis of the suppurated echinococcal cysts by conventional laboratory methods was not reliable. Because of the high frequency of echinococcal disease in our region and the risk of contamination of the peritoneal cavity from echinococcal parasites if the cyst is punctured, the new therapeutic techniques of treating hepatic abscesses by percutaneous drainage have not been applied. The exclusive method of treatment used was surgical drainage which had a satisfactory outcome and a mortality rate as low as 9%.

Acute cerebral edema as part of the syndrome of hepatic encephalopathy in an individual with chronic liver disease: a case report.

An unusual case of acute cerebral edema as part of the syndrome of portal systemic encephalopathy in an individual with established chronic liver disease is reported. Several episodes of edema occurred with clinically important increases in the blood ammonia level.

Parameters influencing blood erythropoietin levels of renal transplant recipients during the early post-transplantation period.

AIM: Renal transplantation is accompanied by restoration of renal function and endogenous erythropoietin production. The purpose of this study was to investigate the time-related changes of endogenous erythropoietin secretion in the early renal post-transplant period and the influence of various parameters to this process. METHODS: Fifty-eight patients were enrolled in the study and followed up for 3 months after successful renal transplantation. Erythropoietin levels were measured at regular intervals and correlated with renal function, cold ischemia time and immunosuppressive regimen used. RESULTS: Two peaks of serum erythropoietin levels were observed: an early peak that occurred within two days after transplantation and a late one, between weeks 2 and 4, which resulted in increased blood hemoglobin levels. Factors that were found to correlate with erythropoietin levels were delayed graft function, cyclosporine use and prolonged cold ischemia time. Serum creatinine did not correlate to erythropoietin levels although the reduction of serum creatinine preceded the rise of erythropoietin levels. Normal hemoglobin values were restored about three months after successful renal transplantation. CONCLUSION: Serum erythropoietin levels increase during the early post-transplantation period resulting in correction of anemia three months after a successful renal transplantation. Restoration of allograft function is a prerequisite for erythropoietin secretion, while cold ischemia time and immunosuppressive regimen affect graft function.

Outcome of transplantation in renal allograft recipients from cadaveric donors with standard and expanded criteria: a single-center experience.

INTRODUCTION: The increasing number of patients requiring kidney transplantation and the lack of available organs has led to the utilization of kidneys from expanded criteria donors (ECD). AIM: The comparison of the clinical outcome of renal transplantation, performed in a single center, between allograft recipients from standard (SCD) and expanded criteria donors (ECD). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data from 215 cadaveric renal transplantations performed during a 16 year period at the University Hospital of Patras were retrospectively studied. Donors' and recipients' characteristics (gender, age, history of hypertension and diabetes mellitus, cold ischemia time, post-transplant and long term graft function) were analyzed. RESULTS: Grafts from donors with expanded criteria (ECD, n = 53) were allocated to older recipients whereas grafts from donors with standard criteria (SCD, n = 162) were allocated to younger recipients. The mean cold ischemia time was 1,146 min and was similar between the two groups of patients. Patients' survival rates were similar between allograft recipients from SCD and ECD up to the 5(th) post-transplant year of follow-up. Graft survival was significantly better in allograft recipients from SCD during a 5-year follow-up period. A significantly lower eGFR was noted in allograft recipients from ECD in comparison to those from SCD throughout the observation period. Cold ischemia time was positively correlated to the development of DGF, while patients with DGF had significantly worse graft function throughout the observation period. CONCLUSION: Patient survival from ECD is comparable to that from SCD but graft survival is significantly lower. However, since renal function of recipients from ECD is adequate for long term period, grafts from ECD should be used in older patients.

Recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis contralateral to hemithyroidectomy. Case report.

Two cases with transient paralysis of the recurrent laryngeal nerve contralateral to hemithyroidectomy are presented. The literature is summarized and possible causes of this rare complication are discussed.

Mesenteric fibromatosis.

Mesenteric fibromatosis is commonly associated with Gardner's syndrome and familial polyposis. These lesions may have an insidious onset via compression of the small or large intestines, or may be noted for the first time during abdominal exploration for some other cause. Differential diagnosis may be difficult. We report a case of mesenteric fibromatosis with two recurrences, and two cases with no evidence of tumour recurrence.