Surgical approach to parotid pleomorphic adenoma: a 15-year retrospective cohort study.

Our aim was to investigate the clinical outcomes (recurrences, duration of follow-up, and effectiveness) after extracapsular dissection and superficial parotidectomy for pleomorphic adenoma of the parotid gland. We retrospectively studied 261 patients whose adenomas were treated at the Maxillofacial Unit of Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro between January 2003 and December 2015 and had been followed up for at least three years after either extracapsular dissection or superficial parotidectomy. The difference in recurrences and complications between the two techniques were measured by univariate analysis (Fisher's exact test). The level of significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. Of the 261 patients 125 were male (48%) and 136 female (52%), mean (range) age 47 (14-78) years. A total of 210 of the 261 patients had an extracapsular dissection (80%, 101 male and 109 female), and 51 had a superficial parotidectomy (24 male and 27 female). Postoperative complications were recorded in 48 of the 261 patients; complication rate was 10% in the extracapsular dissection group, and a third after superficial parotidectomy. There were more complications in the parotidectomy group (p=0.042). For pleomorphic adenomas located in the superficial portion of the parotid gland, extracapsular dissection is a viable alternative to traditional superficial parotidectomy in the hands of experienced parotid surgeons with regard to clinical outcomes, and it may be superior with regard to cost.

18FDG uptake in sinonasal inverted papilloma detected by positron emission tomography/computed tomography.

Inverted papilloma (IP) is a benign but locally aggressive sinonasal tumour. Aggressive surgical treatment has thus been traditionally recommended because of the risk of transformation in squamous carcinoma. CT and MRI are used to evaluate bone destruction and soft-tissue extension before surgery but may be ineffective to differentiate an inverted papilloma from squamous cell carcinoma. In recent years, F-18 Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography ((18)FDG-PET) is widely used as diffuse imaging procedure for diagnosis and followup of malignancy affecting the head and neck district. To evaluate the utility of (18)FDG-PET/CT in the diagnosis of patients with suspicious lesions for IP, twelve patients with suspicious sinonasal inverted papilloma were selected for this study. (18)FDG-PET/CT imaging was performed, and standard uptake value (SUV) was calculated for each patient. SUV(max) was considered as the maximum value measured in the visualized lesions. Seven of the twelve cases exhibited uptake of (18)FFDG with an SUV(max) ranging from 1 to 8.1. Histopathologic diagnosis after surgery confirmed the diagnosis of IP in five cases; all these cases had an SUV(max) > 3. The five cases, which exhibited absence of (18)FDG uptake, had a histological diagnosis of absence of IP.

Jaw osteonecrosis in patients treated with bisphosphonates: an ultrastructural study.

Osteonecrosis of the jaw is a severe bone disorder traditionally associated with periodontal disease, local malignancy, chemotherapy, glucocorticoid therapy, or trauma. Recently a growing number of publications reported the occurrence of osteonecrosis of the jaw in patients undergoing treatment with bisphosphonates. The mechanism by which bisphosphonates might contribute to the development of osteonecrosis of the jaw is far from being fully elucidated. Suppression of bone turnover, infection, tissue hypoxia and cellular toxicity were proposed as possible mechanisms by which bisphosphonates may exert adverse effects on bone metabolism. Here, we studied 25 consecutive patients treated with bisphosphonates for osteoporosis or tumoral pathologies. We provide good evidence of hyperactive osteoclastic bone resorption and suggest a direct cytotoxic effect of bisphosphonates on bone tissue through induction of osteocyte cell death. We also demonstrate that bisphosphonates only have limited adverse effects on bone vascular network.

[Hurthle cell neoplasm: our experience]. / Neoplasia a cellule di Hurthle: nostra esperienza.

Hurthle cell neoplasm is a rare form of thyroid tumors, comprising from 1.5% to 10% of all tumors. Hurthle cell nodules are clinically indistinguishable from other nodular thyroid diseases. The histologic features of Hurthle cell neoplasm don't allow us to exactly distinguish benign nodules from malignant ones. Accurate histologic valutation is possible and necessary for a correct diagnosis and therapy of Hurthle cell tumors. The adenomas usually exhibit a follicular pattern; the carcinomas include a subset of Hurthle cell tumors with different biological behavior, including malignant follicular variants and papillary ones. The authors are in favour of total thyroidectomy for carcinomas and lobectomy plus isthectomy for adenomas; in case of carcinomas, the lymphadenectomy reduces the incidence of local relapse and is necessary in case of lymphnode involvement. Adjuvant radiation therapy is successful in preventing recurrences, in symptomatic metastates as palliative therapy and control recurrence of advanced resected tumors.

[Giant adrenal myelolipoma: a case report and review of the literature]. / Mielolipoma gigante del surrene: case report e review della letteratura.

Adrenal myelolipoma is a rare nonfunctioning tumor consisting histologically of an admixture of adipose tissue and extramedullary hemopoietic elements within the adrenal glands. Most of these lesions are 5 small and asymptomatic, but there are also giant ones, associated with endocrine disorders. These tumors are mostly detected incidentally by imaging. The increasing number of incidentally discovered adrenal myelolipomas arise the question of appropriate treatment modalities. The authors report a case of giant myelolipoma associated with lithiasic cholecystitis and discuss different imaging and terapeutic aspects.

[Chromoendoscopy in the diagnosis of precancerous lesions of the esophagus. Our experience]. / La cromoendoscopia nella diagnostica delle lesioni precancerose dell'esofago. Nostra esperienza.

The elements of an unfavourable prognosis for oesophageal cancer are frequent metastasis, high incidence of local recurrence and mainly the difficulty of an early diagnosis. Alcohol, tobacco and precancerous lesions are the most important risk factors of these tumours. According to literature, the authors suggest the method of chromoendoscopy, with vital staining by lugol or blue toluidine for endoscopic; guidance to biopsy in the aimed screening of patients, whose habits--alcohol, smoking--should cause, in time, the rising of lesions with neoplastic potentiality. Endoscopy with bioptic test is the best diagnostic investigation. In fact sensibility and specificity of these investigations increase using this method with vital staining.

[Recurrent biliary calculi]. / La calcolosi biliare plurirecidiva.

The Authors report two cases of recurrent bile duct stones and discuss about the diagnosis and treatment of this infrequent disease. Although diagnostic and management procedures are similar to those commonly used in all types of biliary stones, therapeutical options may be different in relation to the different clinical pictures. The Authors strongly suggest that bilioenteric anastomosis and endoscopic sphincterotomy are the best procedures to assure a correct and definitive treatment of recurrent biliary stones. However, the adoption of different diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, rather than univocal schemes, is recommended.

[Carcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction. General principles of surgical therapy]. / Il carcinoma del giunto gastro-esofageo. Principi generali di terapia chirurgica.

On the basis of histo-pathological examinations of postoperative samples following gastrectomy for adenocarcinomas of the esophageal gastric junction, the usefulness of the abdominal approach for this kind of surgical treatment is questioned. Assessment is expressed with other authors about the need for an anatomo-surgical classification of the cardial region, and the need to standardise the different surgical approaches in relation to exeresis location and extent as well as for reconstructive procedures is stressed.