The effect of cilostazol on the platelet-derived growth factor-beta/beta isoform reduction on venous hyperplasia in an experimental balloon-induced injury model.

BACKGROUND: Intimal hyperplasia is the response to endothelial injury. Platelet-derived growth factor is released early and favors the formation of intimal hyperplasia. Although multiple treatments, from open surgery to endovascular techniques, have been used they remain controversial. There is currently interest in developing pharmacological strategies to address this pathology. Local vascular inflammation induced by vessel barotrauma generates intimal hyperplasia due to mechanical stress over the venous endothelium. Cilostazol is a selective phosphodiesterase type 3 (PDE3) selective inhibitor with a regulatory effect over intimal hyperplasia. The objective was to investigate cilostazol's role in inhibiting smooth muscle cell proliferation due to changes in the expression and release of PDGF-BB isoform and the effect on developing IH using an experimental model of vascular barotrauma (balloon-induced injury model). METHODS: We included 12 New Zealand rabbits. The balloon-induced injury model (BIIM) and experimental group cilostazol (20 mg/kg/day) included 6 rabbits each. Contralateral veins from 6 rabbits used in BIIM model has been taken as control group. We measured and compared the expression of PDGF-BB and the development of IH. A pathologist board chooses a PDGFRα antibody to localized its expression by immunohistochemistry analysis. Subsequently, using an automated immunohistochemical staining machine, the PDGFR expression was evaluated using a Zeiss Primo Star 4 light microscope. RESULTS: The measurement obtained in the intimal layer was: 126.12 µm2 in the CG, 232 µm2 in the BIIM group, and 178 µm2 in the EG. A statistically significant difference was observed. Baseline serum concentrations of PDGF-BB in the BIIM group were 0.22 pg/mL. At 12 h 0.42 pg/mL, and 0.17 pg/mL at seven days. In the experimental group, the basal levels were 0.33 pg/mL. With the use of cilostazol, a lower peak was obtained at 12 h (0.08 pg/mL). This difference was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Cilostazol induced a significant reduction of IH caused by barotrauma in the venous endothelium, which correlates with decrease in the PDGF-BB in serum. This could be attributed to the pharmacologic effect on PDGFR expression.

Differential production of insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins in liver fibrosis progression.

Noninvasive methods for liver disease diagnoses offer great advantages over biopsy, but they cannot be utilized in all cases. Therefore, specific indicators for chronic liver disease management are necessary. The aim was to assess the production of insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins (IGFBPs) 1-7 and their correlation with the different stages of fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C (CHC). A prospective, cross-sectional, multicenter study was conducted. CHC patients were categorized by FibroTest® and/or FibroScan®. Serum concentrations of IGFBPs 1-7 were determined through multiple suspension arrangement array technology. Significant differences were validated by the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests. Logistic regression models were performed to assess the association between the IGFBPs and fibrosis stages. The association was determined utilizing odds ratios (ORs), and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to distinguish the IGFBPs in relation to the diagnosis of fibrosis. IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-7 concentrations were higher in CHC than in the healthy individuals, whereas IGFBP-3, IGFBP-5, and IGFBP-6 were downregulated in the patients. An apparent increase of all the IGFBPs was found at fibrosis stage F4, but with different regulations. IGFBP-2, -4, -6, and -7 had the best OR, showing the relation to fibrosis progression. The ROC curves showed that IGFBP-7 was the only protein that distinguished F1 from F3 and F2 from F3. IGFBPs participate in liver fibrosis progression and could be employed as circulating novel protein panels for diagnosis and as possible therapeutic targets in liver fibrosis progression.

Synchronous Resection of Colon Adenocarcinoma and Bisegmentectomy of Liver Metastases.

Colorectal cancer is one of the main neoplasms worldwide; at the time of diagnosis about 25% of cases already have an advanced stage with the presence of metastases. A 58-year-old female presented with nausea, vomiting, and black stools and diffuse abdominal pain associated with 7% weight loss. She was referred to our hospital with signs of digestive tract bleeding and anemic syndrome. Panendoscopy revealed body and fundus gastropathy and presence of Helicobacter pylori, and colonoscopy showed a neoplastic lesion at the ascending colon level. A synchronous resection was performed in a single surgical time of colorectal cancer and liver metastases with a duration of 4 h and bleeding of 900 mL. The oral feeding started 24 h after surgery, presenting gas channeling at 24 h and evacuations at 48 h. The total intrahospital stay was 5 days. Synchronous resection of hepatic metastases in colorectal cancer is still rarely performed, despite the fact that in recent years the number of cases has increased because of better surgical techniques. Synchronous resection of colorectal cancer and liver metastases can be performed safely, without increasing transoperative mortality when performed in specialized centers with a multidisciplinary team; however, it is essential to emphasize the importance of negative surgical margins (R0) of the primary tumor and later to be complemented with adjuvant treatment with chemotherapy.

Histological Analysis of Intra-Abdominal Adhesions Treated with Sodium Hyaluronate and Carboxymethylcellulose Gel.

PURPOSE: To evaluate macro and microscopically the adhesions developed after using the anti-adherence compound sodium hyaluronate and carboxymethylcellulose (SH-CBMC) gel and to determine the volume of the adhesions using a stereological estimation. METHODS: The study was experimental, random, comparative, and prospective. The subjects of the study were male Wistar rats divided in three groups (n = 10). Group I (control) included rats with no peritoneal injury. Group II rats had a 2 cm diameter injury created bilaterally in the parietal peritoneum at 3 cm from the abdominal midline with electrocautery coated with physiological solution. Group III rats were given the same injuries and coated with SH-CBMC gel. All groups were followed up postoperatively for 30 days, after which a laparotomy was performed to macroscopically determine the presence and type of adhesions. Experimental models were euthanized with anesthetic overdose and biopsies were taken for histopathological examination and stereological estimate of the volume of adhesions. RESULTS: Macroscopic adhesions were 20% less prevalent in Group III compared to Group II, which presented 40% more multiple and firm adhesions, unlike in Group III, in which they were unique and lax. There was a statistically significant decrease in the presence and number of adhesions in rats treated with SH-CBMC gel. Inflammatory infiltrate was significantly lower in rats treated with SH-CBMC gel, but there were no differences in connective tissue, fibrosis, and angiogenesis among groups. There was no statistical difference in the overall volume of adhesions among the treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: SH-CBMC gel reduces macroscopic presence and number of adhesions and the severity of the inflammatory infiltrate.

[The importance of master's degree and doctorate degree in general surgery]. / Importancia de la maestría y el doctorado en cirugía general.

BACKGROUND: The Doctor of Philosophy is the highest academic degree that can be obtained in universities. Graduate Education Program in Medicine in Mexico is divided into 2 major categories: Medical Specialty and Master studies/Doctor of Philosophy. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the importance of master's degrees and Doctor of Philosophy in general surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A literature search in PubMed and Medline among others, from 1970 to 2015 with subsequent analysis of the literature reviews found. DISCUSSION: The physicians who conducted doctoral studies stand out as leaders in research, teaching and academic activities. Dual training with a doctorate medical specialty is a significant predictor for active participation in research projects within the best educational institutions. RESULTS: It is important to study a PhD in the education of doctors specialising in surgery, who show more training in teaching, research and development of academic activities. Currently, although there is a little proportion of students who do not finish the doctoral program, the ones who do are expected to play an important role in the future of medical scientific staff. It has been shown that most doctors with Doctor of Philosophy have wide range of career options. CONCLUSION: The importance of doctoral studies in the formation of general surgery is due to various reasons; the main one being comprehensively training physician scientists who can develop in clinical, teaching and research.

Factors associated with postoperative complications and mortality in perforated peptic ulcer.

BACKGROUND: Elective surgery for uncomplicated peptic ulcer has shown a significant decrease; however, complications such as perforation and obstruction persist and require urgent surgical management. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with early postoperative complications and mortality of patients admitted to the emergency department with perforated peptic ulcer. METHODS: We performed a clinical, retrospective, cross-sectional and descriptive study of patients who were treated at the General Hospital of Mexico with a diagnosis of perforated peptic ulcer from January 2006 to December 2008. Thirty patients were included in the study. We studied several clinical findings upon admission to the emergency department and intraoperative patient findings in order to determine the association of those with early postoperative complications and mortality. RESULTS: We studied 30 patients with an average age of 57.07 years (± 14.2 years). The male:female ratio was 2:1. We found that the risk of developing postoperative complications was 66.7% and is significantly influenced by time of onset of abdominal pain prior to admission, bloating, septic shock and blood type O positive. Mortality was 16.7% and was correlated with the presence of septic shock on admission. The surgical procedure performed was primary closure with Graham patch in 86.6%. Average hospital stay was 12.8 days. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of early postoperative complications is associated with time of onset of abdominal pain before admission, abdominal distension, blood type O positive and the presence of septic shock on admission.

Biochemical analysis and lipid peroxidation in liver ischemic preconditioning.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic surgery requires, under diverse circumstances, periods of ischemia and reperfusion (I-R) such as those present in liver resection, hepatic injury, and liver transplantation. The objective of the present work was to conduct an experimental study to evaluate the effect of hepatic preconditioning (HPC) on modulation of the I-R injury. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were distributed into the following three study groups: group 1, simulated or sham; group 2, submitted to a 30-min period of total warm ischemia and a reperfusion phase, and group 3, in which we carried out 10-min preconditioning of warm ischemia and 10 min of reperfusion prior to the total ischemia period for a total of 60 min and the reperfusion phase. We obtained liver biopsies for thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) (MDA, thiobarbituric acid adducts) and for blood sample determinations in serum of liver-cell enzymes such as alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase during a 24-h time course. RESULTS: We observed a decrease in the variables studied in group 3 (HPC) as well as of serum liver enzymes and TBARS levels such as indirect oxidative stress indicators upon comparison with group 2 animals submitted to total hepatic I-R. CONCLUSIONS: HPC is an efficient surgical strategy for decreasing the elevation of hepatic enzymes and indirect lipoperoxidation indicators in an I-R model. Controlled clinical studies should be performed to determine its functional properties and clinical applicability.