Primary esophageal melanoma: report of a case.

INTRODUCTION: Primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus is a rare tumor representing only 0.1-0.2% of esophageal malignancies. The goal of the study was to report on the management of a new case diagnosed and treated in our site. CASE REPORT: A 67-year-old patient presented with dysphagia to solids with no other remarkable history or associated skin lesions. He underwent gastroscopy, which revealed a polypoid mass suggestive of neoplasm in the distal third of the esophagus. Biopsy indicated melanoma with positive immunohistochemical markers S100 and HMB45, and negative cytokeratins and CEA. Computerized tomography (CT) and positron-emission tomography (PET) scans showed no local infiltration or distant metastases. An Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy procedure was performed with regional lymphadenectomy. Postoperative stay lasted for three weeks, and no remarkable postsurgical complications arose. The pathological study of the specimen confirmed the diagnosis of primary esophageal melanoma. DISCUSSION: Primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus has an unfortunate prognosis as it is an aggressive tumor usually diagnosed at an advanced stage, with local invasion and metastatic disease. Currently, surgery is the treatment of choice, with the remaining adjuvant therapies obtaining limited results.

Nutritional alterations after very low-calorie diet before bariatric surgery.

INTRODUCTION: There has been an alarming worldwide increase of obese people in recent years. Currently, there is no consensus on whether patients that are scheduled to undergo bariatric surgery should lose weight before the intervention. The objective of this research is to analyse the influence of pre-surgery loss of weight in the nutritional parameters of patients. METHODS: Fifty patients that were scheduled to undergo bariatric surgery followed a very low caloric diet during 4 weeks prior to the surgery. The nutritional parameters were analysed at 3 specific moments: before starting the diet, at the moment of surgery (when the diet was concluded) and one month after the surgery. RESULTS: Average values for hemoglobin, albumina and lymphocytes were kept within the range of normal values at all moments, even though the decrease of those parameters was statistically significant throughout the study (P<.05). By following the very low caloric diet, less than 9.5% of the sample suffered anaemia. CONCLUSIONS: Loss of weight prior to surgery does not have a significant influence in the nutritional parameters of the patient. These results would support the indication of losing weight for patients that are considered candidates for bariatric surgery.

[25 years of laparoscopic surgery in Spain]. / 25 años de cirugía laparoscópica en España.

INTRODUCTION: The introduction of laparoscopic surgery (LS) can be considered the most important advancement in our specialty in the past 25 years. Despite its advantages, implementation and consolidation has not been homogenous, especially for advanced techniques. The aim of this study was to analyse the level of development and use of laparoscopic surgery in Spain at the present time and its evolution in recent years. MATERIAL AND METHODS: During the second half of 2012 a survey was developed to evaluate different aspects of the implementation and development of LS in our country. The survey was performed using an electronic questionnaire. RESULTS: The global response rate was 16% and 103 heads of Department answered the survey. A total of 92% worked in the public system. A total of 99% perform basic laparoscopic surgery and 85,2% advanced LS. Most of the responders (79%) consider that the instruments they have available for LS are adequate and 71% consider that LS is in the right stage of development in their environment. CONCLUSIONS: Basic laparoscopic surgery has developed in our country to be considered the standard performed by most surgeons, and forms part of the basic surgical training of residents. With regards to advanced LS, although it is frequently used, there are still remaining areas of deficit, and therefore, opportunities for improvement.

[Diagnostic yield of pancreatic percutaneous puncture depending on the size of the lesion]. / Rentabilidad diagnóstica de la punción percutánea pancreática en función del tamaño de la lesión.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the present study was to study the diagnostic efficacy of the percutaneous puncture of pancreatic tissue. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on patients with suspicion of pancreatic neoplasm, and with a percutaneous biopsy of pancreatic tissue, from 2000 to 2011. For the statistical comparative analysis, the sample was stratified by tumour size: ≤ 3cm and > 3cm. RESULTS: A total of 90 biopsies were performed. Pancreatic neoplasm diagnosis was made in 47 cases (52%), with 16 false negatives (18%), no false positives, and chronic pancreatitis in 24 cases (27%). The efficacy of the test results were: an overall sensitivity of 75% (95% CI: 62%-85%), a specificity of 100% (95% CI: 87%-100%), a positive predictive value of 100% (95% CI: 92%-100%), and a negative predictive value of 63% (95% CI: 46%-77%). For tumour sizes ≤ 3cm the sensitivity was 70% (95% CI: 45%-88%), with a specificity of 100% (95% CI 66%-100%), a positive predictive value of 100% (95% CI: 76%-100%, and a negative predictive value 60% (95% CI: 32%-83%). For tumours greater than 3cm, the sensitivity was 88% (95% CI: 70%-98%), the specificity was 100% (95% CI: 75%-100%), with a positive predictive value of 100% (95% CI: 85%-100%) and a negative predictive value of 81% (95% CI: 54%-96%). CONCLUSIONS: Pancreatic percutaneous biopsy efficacy was strongly determined by lesion size. For tumour sizes less than 3cm, the sensitivity and negative predictive value are unacceptably low, as negative results would not reliable.

[Preoperative weight loss in bariatric surgery candidate patients. evidence-based recommendations]. / Pérdida de peso preoperatoria en pacientes candidatos a cirugía bariátrica. Recomendaciones basadas en la evidencia.

INTRODUCTION: Bariatric surgery is becoming increasingly more common in the treatment of morbid obesity in our hospitals. One of the measures being used to optimise the results of this surgery seems to be the standardising the preoperative weight loss. As there are no universal recommendations for carrying out this weight loss, a review of this topic is presented. OBJECTIVES: To analyse whether sufficient scientific evidence exists to recommend preoperative weight loss in candidate patients for bariatric surgery. What would be the best options to carry out this weight loss is also analysed, as well as making some recommendations based on the scientific evidence. RESULTS: There is great heterogeneity in the designs of the different studies, with different guidelines for weight loss and various surgical techniques. However, preoperative weight loss leads to a decrease in the size of the liver and intra-abdominal fat, which improves the surgical field and intra-operative view, which in turn helps during the surgical act, both in open as well as laparoscopic surgery. There is no consensus on the effect of preoperative weight loss has in predicting the medium or long term results after bariatric surgery. CONCLUSION: The current scientific evidence makes preoperative weight loss recommendable in candidate patients for bariatric surgery. However, there is no consensus on what is the best procedure to achieve this preoperative weight loss.

[Single incision laparoscopic surgery: analysis of the national register]. / Cirugía laparoscópica a través de incisión única. análisis del registro nacional.

INTRODUCTION: Laparoscopic surgery through a single incision is an innovative concept which is a challenge for surgeons to implement and develop. The interest aroused by these techniques in Spain led to the Endoscopy Section of the Spanish Association of Surgeons (AEC) to start a National Register for Single-Incision Surgery (RNCIU). The aim of this study was to collect the primary clinical data, techniques, and the possible complications of these techniques in Spain. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data were gathered using a form available on the AEC website. The forms included in this study correspond to those received between June 2010 and June 2011. RESULTS: A total of 35 centers had taken part during the study period, with 1,198 forms being collected. The surgeries performed included 62.2% cholecystectomies, 22% appendectomies, and 7.8% colectomies. Procedures on solid organs (3.4%), bariatric surgery (2.7%), and various hernia repairs (1.9%), were also registered. The overall incidence of complications was 0.8%. The mortality rate in the series was 0.1%. CONCLUSIONS: Single incision laparoscopic surgery is a novel concept that is not beyond our scientific community. The results of the Register demonstrate the feasibility of numerous effective and safe procedures. Finally, the RNCIU is an important data source to be able to study sub-groups of diseases in detail, with the aim of advancing the knowledge of these techniques and generating scientific evidence.

Percutaneous drainage treatment of traumatic pancreatic rupture with pancreatic transection.

Management of traumatic pancreatic pseudocyst associated with pancreatic duct laceration is controversial. Surgical therapy has been clasically considered the treatment of choice for those pseudocysts. However, several authors have published good results with percutaneous drainage. Percutaneous drainage can be performed easily, with minimal complication and may facilitate the resolution of a pseudocyst. We present a case of a 16-year-old boy who sustained blunt abdominal trauma in a vehicle accident. A large pancreatic pseudocyst developed, with complete disruption of the main pancreatic duct. Percutaneous drainage under ultrasound guidance was performed and was associated with the administration of octreotide (to inhibit exocrine pancreatic secretion). The drainage flow decreased gradually until ceasing, and the pseudocyst disappeared.

[A method for individualising the risk of a negative lymph node classification error in cancer of the colon]. / Un método para individualizar el riesgo de una errónea clasificación ganglionar negativa en el cáncer de colon.

INTRODUCTION: In cancer of the colon, the number of lymph nodes that should be analysed before a patient is classified as free of lymph node involvement has been widely discussed. A mathematical model is proposed which is based on the Bayes Theorem for calculating the probability of error (PE) similar to that normally used to evaluate a diagnostic test, but adapted to a quantitative variable, the lymph node count. METHODS: The clinical histories of 480 patients routinely operated on in attempt to cure cancer of the colon were reviewed. Cases with any kind of metastasis were excluded. The proposed formula based on the Bayes Theorem was applied with the aim of calculating the PEs for the complete series and for different patient sub-groups (T2, T3, and T4 tumours). RESULTS: For the probabilities of error of classifying a patient as N negative, which varied between 5% and 1% (near or practically 0), the minimum number of negative lymph nodes required for analysis fluctuated between 7 and 17, respectively, for the complete series. This minimum figure was also variable for the different sub-groups (T2, T3, and T4 tumours) studied. These numbers mainly depended on the case characteristics of a specific study group as regards the prevalence of the N+ cases that they dealt with, and of its historically demonstrated ability to collect and identify positive lymph nodes in those patients that had them. CONCLUSION: From a mathematical point of view, the minimum number of lymph nodes that have to be analysed in cancer of the colon in order to classify a patient as N negative is not a constant. This depends on the error that is prepared to be assumed for that diagnosis, possibly depending on certain tumour traits, and also may be adapted to the cases of each study group.

Disease-free survival and prognostic significance of metastatic lymph node ratio in T1-T2 N positive breast cancer patients. A population registry-based study in a European country.

BACKGROUND: The ratio of positive lymph nodes between the total number of harvested lymph nodes (metastatic lymph node ratio, MLNR) has been proposed as an alternative to the total number of lymph nodes alone in predicting outcomes for patients with breast cancer. Because there can be differences between European and non-European populations, the authors present the first study analyzing MLNR influence over disease-free survival (DFS) by using a population-based cancer registry in a European country. METHODS: Data from 441 patients with T1-2 N1-3 breast cancer included in the Castellon Cancer Registry (Comunidad Valenciana, Spain) were used. Cumulative DFS was determined using the Kaplan-Meier method, with univariate comparisons between groups through the log-rank test. The Cox proportional hazards model was used for multivariate analysis. RESULTS: At univariate analysis, factors influencing the 10-year DFS rate were tumor size, conservative or nonconservative surgery, histologic grade, histologic type, radiotherapy, tamoxifen, estrogen and progesterone receptor status, p53 status, total number of positive lymph nodes, and MLNR. At multivariate analysis, tumor size, MLNR, and progesterone receptor status were revealed to be independent prognostic factors; the metastatic lymph node ratio was the most notably independent factor (hazard ratio 1.02, 5.21, and 0.61, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: MLNR is a stronger prognostic factor for recurrence than the total number of positive lymph nodes in T1-T2 N1-3 breast cancer.

Pseudoaneurysm of the right hepatic artery following cholangiocarcinoma resection. A case report and review of the literature.

Pseudoaneurysms of the hepatic artery are infrequent, but potentially fatal. Apart from the performance of percutaneous techniques, such lesions are fundamentally produced as a result of surgery. The causal surgical techniques may sometimes be quite complex, though in other cases they are very common (e.g. laparoscopic cholecystectomy). Knowledge of such aneurysms is therefore of great interest for general surgeons, with a view to prompt diagnosis and adequate management of potential digestive and/or peritoneal bleeding--this being the typical form of presentation of hepatic artery aneurysms. We present the case of a 70-year-old woman with a pseudoaneurysm of the right hepatic artery that manifested as massive upper digestive bleeding and abdominal pain 13 days after en bloc resection of the gallbladder and choledochus with regional lymphadenectomy due to cholangiocarcinoma. Management comprised emergency surgery with ligation of the right branch of the hepatic artery and reconstruction of the biliary anastomosis according to the Hasegawa technique.

[Usefulness of computed tomography in determining risk of recurrence after a first episode of primary spontaneous pneumothorax: therapeutic implications]. / Utilidad de la tomografía computarizada para determinar el riesgo de recidiva tras un primer episodio de neumotórax espontáneo primario. Implicaciones terapéuticas.

OBJECTIVE: The main cause of primary spontaneous pneumothorax is the rupture of subpleural blebs or bullae. The presence of bullae may also lead to an increased risk of recurrence. The best way to detect them is by means of computed tomography (CT). Our objective in the present study was to determine whether bullae detected by CT represent an increased risk of recurrence after a first episode of primary spontaneous pneumothorax. We also evaluated therapeutic implications. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We carried out a prospective study that included 55 patients (41 men and 14 women) with primary spontaneous pneumothorax. For all patients, the therapeutic recommendations of the Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR) were followed. After resolution of the episode, a chest CT was performed and the presence, location, number, and size of bullae were evaluated. Subsequently, the number of recurrences in each group was evaluated. RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 30.7 months (95% confidence interval, 24-37 months). Twenty-six patients presented bullae, and 6 of these experienced recurrence. Of the 29 patients without bullae, 7 experienced recurrence. No association was found between the presence or absence of bullae and recurrence (P=.92). Bullae in the right lung led to more frequent recurrence of pneumothorax (P=.03). The number and size of the bullae had no significant influence on recurrence (P=.51). CONCLUSIONS: The present study could not demonstrate that the presence, size, or number of bullae on CT scans has any influence on recurrence rate. We cannot recommend surgery after a first episode of primary spontaneous pneumothorax based on the presence of bullae on the CT scan.

[Single preoperative dose of metronidazole plus gentamicin for antimicrobial prophylaxis in colorectal surgery]. / Dosis única preoperatoria de metronidazol más gentamicina para profilaxis antibiótica en cirugía colorrectal.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To prove that a single-preoperative dose (SD) of metronidazole plus gentamicin guarantees the same clinical effectiveness than the same dose administered in a multiple-perioperative schedule (MD), with a reduction of the direct costs. PATIENTS AND METHOD: A retrospective cohort study with patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery between 1995 and 2003 was designed. Patients in the cohort of cases received a SD of metronidazole 1500 mg plus gentamicin 240 mg between 1999 and 2003. Patients included in the cohort of controls received the same dose of antibiotics in a MD schedule between 1995 and 1997. Clinical effectiveness was evaluated as length of stay, mortality and rate of surgical-related infections. Economic analysis was performed using direct costs of therapy exclusively. RESULTS: 414 patients were included in the cohort of MD and 978 were included in the cohort of SD. Total length of stay (standard deviation) was 15.1 (16.2 days), with a significant reduction in the SD cohort versus the MD cohort: 14.0 (15.4) days versus 17.5 (17.8) days (p < 0.001). No differences in mortality (overall rate 3.2%) or surgical infection rate (overall rate 8.6%) between cohorts were found. SD schedule produces a 35% cost-reduction per procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Attending the clinical effectiveness, no differences between SD and MD cohorts were found. Therefore, according to logistics advantages and costs reduction, the SD of antibiotic is considered the most efficient option.

[Differential diagnosis and management of intramuscular myxomas: A review of our experience]. / Diagnóstico diferencial y manejo de mixomas intramusculares: revisión de nuestra experiencia.

BACKGROUND: Intramuscular myxoma is a rare benign soft tissue tumour of mesenchymal origin, which appears as a painless mass of slow growth. Early diagnosis is important in order to differentiate it from other entities, especially soft tissue sarcoma. CLINICAL CASES: Two cases, both women with a mean age of 52.5 years (range 40-65) are presented. The first was seen due to growth of a gluteal mass, and the second by coccydynia. Computed tomography and nuclear magnetic resonance were the diagnostic tests of choice. In one case, where there was a single but large lesion, radical extirpation of the gluteal muscle was chosen. In the other case, in which the lesions were multiple, individualised excision of cysts was performed. Postoperative functional limitation was low in both types of surgery, with good oncological results being obtained. CONCLUSION: Intramuscular myxomas are benign lesions. There are no cases of malignancy or recurrence due to incomplete resection. It has to be determined whether they are single or multiple, since in the latter case, they could be due to syndromes such as Mazabraud syndrome, which is associated with bone fibrous dysplasia, or Albright syndrome that is also associated with pigmented skin spots.