Bilateral elastofibroma dorsi.

Elastofibroma, a rare, noncapsulated, benign entity (pseudotumor), is characterized by the proliferation of fibrous tissue with elastin and scattered islands of adipose tissue that occurs most often in the infrascapular area of elderly women. We report on a 44-year-old man with bilateral infrascapular elastofibromas.

Is duodenal ulcer perforation best treated with vagotomy and pyloroplasty?

From 1967 to 1980, 65 patients underwent vagotomy and pyloroplasty for treatment of an acute perforated duodenal ulcer at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Their age ranged from 15 to 82 years, with a mean age of 49.6 years. All vagotomies were truncal and pyloroplasties were of the Heineke-Mikulicz variety. The condition of each patient was classified as acute or chronic depending on the duration of symptoms before perforation. The postoperative complication rate and perioperative mortality were higher in the group of patients whose symptoms had been present less than 3 months before perforation. Patients who underwent vagotomy and pyloroplasty more than 24 hours after the onset of symptoms had a higher mortality compared with those who were operated on less than 24 hours from the onset of symptoms. We mainly attributed the perioperative death rate of 11 percent to advanced patient age and associated cardiopulmonary disease. There was no significant difference in the rate of postoperative complications in patients over 60 years of age compared with those under 40 years; hence, age alone does not preclude definitive treatment, such as vagotomy and pyloroplasty. The degree of contamination found at operation did not correlate with a poor postoperative course. There was no significant increase in the mortality in the group with gross contamination. Of the patients available for long-term follow-up, 85 percent remained free of symptoms. These results compare favorably with reports for the elective treatment of duodenal ulcer with vagotomy and pyloroplasty. We conclude that vagotomy and pyloroplasty is acceptable, safe, and ideal for patients with acute perforated duodenal ulcers, except when significant cardiopulmonary disease exists or when the duration of perforation is more than 24 hours.

Is the treatment for thyroglossal duct cysts too extensive?

From 1970 to 1985, 64 patients underwent surgical management for thyroglossal duct cysts at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Their ages ranged from 1 to 63 years with a mean of 12.4 years. Ninety-one percent of the patients were available for follow-up. All patients underwent one of three forms of treatment: the classic Sistrunk operation, a modified Sistrunk operation, or excision of the cyst only. Eleven percent had undergone a previous procedure. The majority of patients were found to have a cyst in the midline at the level of the hyoid bone. Eighty-eight percent of the patients underwent excision of the midportion of the hyoid bone. There were no postoperative deaths and the perioperative complication rate was 20 percent, the majority being wound-related. All recurrences took place within 4 months of operation. Factors that appeared to be associated with an increased risk of complications and recurrence included young patient age (less than 10 years), rupture of the cyst at the time of operation, infection, and failure to excise the midportion of the hyoid bone and the suprahyoid tract. One patient was found to have a mixed papillary and follicular carcinoma in the thyroglossal duct. We support the original premise of Sistrunk that "the cure of thyroglossal cyst are unsuccessful unless the epithelium-lined tract, running from the cyst to the foramen cecum is completely removed," including the hyoid bone.

Intravenous vasopressin and gastrointestinal hemorrhage in children.

Intravenous (IV) vasopressin has been used to control human upper gastrointestinal (GI) hemorrhage for over 30 years. Although the use of vasopressin has been studied extensively in adults, no study has evaluated its use in children. Vasopressin was used therapeutically in 15 episodes of esophageal variceal hemorrhage and two episodes of bleeding peptic ulcer. Nine of 17 episodes were controlled with vasopressin alone (53%). Balloon tamponade and variceal sclerosis were required for control in the remainder. Blood requirements averaged 53 mL/kg prior to control of hemorrhage. Metabolic complications occurred in 65% of the episodes. There were two groups of patients identified: those receiving greater or those receiving less than .01 units/kg/min of IV vasopressin. All of the complications identified occurred when greater than .01 U/kg/min of vasopressin were used (P less than .05). Control of bleeding was not improved with higher doses of vasopressin. These data suggest that the use of IV vasopressin at doses greater than .01 U/kg/min to control GI bleeding will increase the incidence of complications without improving control of hemorrhage.

Completely embedded ring in the finger of a growing child.

A case of a completely embedded ring in the finger of a growing child is presented. Because the ring was completely covered with epithelium or eschar, the diagnosis was masked until radiographs were obtained. Although bony erosion was present, neither digital sensation nor circulation was compromised. The patient regained nearly full, active motion after the ring was removed.