The effect of tadalafil on anastomotic healing in ischemic small intestine in rats.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of tadalafil on anastomotic healing in an ischemic small intestine. METHODS: Standardized transection and anastomosis in the small intestine were performed in 48 male Sprague-Dawley rats divided into four equal groups (n = 12): group 1, normal anastomosis; group 2, ischemic anastomosis; group 3, normal anastomosis+tadalafil treatment; group 4, ischemic anastomosis+tadalafil treatment. Ischemia was established by ligating 2 cm of mesentery on either side of the anastomosis. Tadalafil was given to the rats once a day at dose of 5 mg/kg. The anastomotic bursting pressures and hydroxyproline concentrations were measured on postoperative day 4. A histopathological evaluation of the anastomoses was also performed. RESULTS: The bursting pressure and hydroxyproline concentration in group 2 were significantly lower than those in the other groups. There was no difference in the hydroxyproline concentration among groups 1, 3, and 4. While there was no difference between groups 3 and 4, the bursting pressures were significantly higher in groups 3 and 4 than in group 1. The histopathological evaluation revealed no significant differences in inflammatory cell infiltration, vascularization, or anastomotic collagen deposition among the groups. CONCLUSION: Tadalafil treatment improved the anastomotic bursting pressure and the hydroxyproline concentration in both normal and ischemic small intestine anastomosis.

Comparison of prolene and progrip meshes in inguinal hernia repair in terms of post-operative pain, limitation of movement and quality of life.

OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to compare the techniques applying prolene mesh and progrip-self fixating mesh in terms of post-operative pain, limitation of movement and quality of life. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was conducted from November 2014 to January 2016 in Department of Surgery, Manisa Celal Bayar University Hospital. The study recruited 50 male patients, aged 18 and over and was carried out as a double blinded procedure. Twenty-five patients were randomly selected to receive hernia repair by progrip self-fixating mesh and 25 patients were treated with hernia repair with suture fixation method by using prolene grafts, and patients' pain follow-up was performed with face-to-face or telephone interviews with VAS (Visual Analogue Scale) and return to daily routine activities were evaluated with SF-36 (Short Form-36) quality of life scale. Recurrent hernias and emergency cases were excluded. RESULTS: The pain scores were lower and a statistically significant difference was achieved in patients in whom progrip self-fixating mesh was used in the early postoperative period. Both methods gave statistically similar results in terms of pain and quality of life. CONCLUSION: In the literature, there are some evidence that the repair applied with progrip self-fixating graft has more positive outcomes compared to the repairs applied with suture fixation. It is concluded that there is a need for longer follow-ups and larger series of cases in order to achieve a definite result.

Effect of oncological treatment on serum adipocytokine levels in patients with stage II-III breast cancer.

Adipose tissue-derived hormones (adipocytokines), such as adiponectin, leptin, resistin and visfatin, and the pancreatic hormone insulin, have been suggested to play a role in carcinogenesis. we therefore hypothesized that the oncological treatment of breast cancer may alter the serum levels of these adipocytokines and insulin. In this study, we aimed to compare the serum levels of adipocytokines and insulin between the pre- and post-treatment period in patients with breast cancer. In this prospective study, 20 consecutive patients with stage II and III breast cancer underwent breast-conserving surgery or total mastectomy and/or axillary dissection. The patients received adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy, if necessary. Blood samples were obtained during the preoperative period and postoperatively after completion of the adjuvant therapy. There was no statistically significant difference between the pre- and post-treatment levels of visfatin, adiponectin and leptin. However, the serum insulin and resistin levels and insulin resistance were found to be statistically significantly increased following treatment (P<0.05). Post-treatment resistin levels were positively correlated with insulin resistance (r=0.45, P<0.05). Therefore, oncological treatment of stage II and III breast cancer did not affect visfatin, adiponectin and leptin levels, but statistically significantly increased resistin levels and insulin resistance. In addition, the post-treatment resistin levels were positively correlated with insulin resistance, suggesting that resistin may be involved in the development of insulin resistance in breast cancer patients following treatment.

Effects of octreotide and propranolol on colonic mucosa in rats with portal hypertensive colopathy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of the study is to clarify the effects of octreotide and propranolol, agents used in the treatment of portal hypertension, on mucosal changes in portal hypertensive colopathy. METHODOLOGY: Portal hypertension was induced in all rats by partial portal vein ligation, and after the operation all rats were caged for a 10-week period. Then, animals were divided into three groups and for two weeks medical treatment were administered to the individual groups as follows: Control group, saline 0.5 mL/day, intraperitoneally. Octreotide group, octreotide 100 micrograms/kg/12 hours, subcutaneously. Propranolol group, propranolol 20 mg/kg/day, intraperitoneally. In order to assess the portal hypertensive colopathy, criteria such as mean diameters of dilated vessels in colonic mucosa, and the existence of mucosal edema, capillary ectasia, hyperemia and hemorrhage, inflammation were used. RESULTS: When parameters were compared for the control versus propranolol groups, mucosal edema and hyperemia and hemorrhage criteria were found to be significant for the propranolol group; control versus octreotide groups, mucosal edema, capillary ectasia, and hyperemia and hemorrhage criteria were found to be significant for the octreotide group; octreotide versus propranolol groups, capillary ectasia and mucosal edema criteria were found to be significant for the octreotide group. CONCLUSIONS: The mucosal changes in portal hypertensive colopathy could be corrected by drugs modifying portal blood flow, octreotide may find a place in the treatment of portal hypertensive colopathy.

Ileocolic intussusception due to ileal lymphoma (Case report).

Intussusception occurs rarely in adults. It presents with a variety of acute, intermittent, and chronic symptoms, thus making its preoperative diagnosis difficult. In adults, intussusceptions are mostly caused by organic lesions and the majority of these lesions are benign tumours. Computed tomography scanning and endoscopy have proved to be the most useful diagnostic methods. Confirmation of diagnosis and treatment of adult intussusception is surgical, with surgical resection of the intussusception without reduction being the preferred treatment in adults, as almost half of both colonic and enteric intussusceptions are associated with malignancy. We report the case of a patient with ileocolic intussusception due to an ileal lymphoma.

Effect of portal vein occlusion on the pancreas: an experimental model.

BACKGROUND: The effects of portal vein occlusion on the pancreas are not clearly understood. Therefore, we studied histomorphological changes induced in the rat pancreas by various periods of portal vein occlusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty female Wistar albino rats were randomly allocated into four groups of 15 each. In Group I (control), rats underwent sham laparotomy to expose the portal vein proximal to its bifurcation. In Groups II-IV, rats underwent laparotomy followed by portal vein occlusion by clamping for 15, 30, and 60 minutes respectively. The pancreas was removed immediately after sham laparotomy in Group I and immediately after clamp release in Groups II-IV. Pancreatic tissue specimens were subjected to histochemical analysis for cell typing and diagnosis, immunohistochemical analysis for identification of the inflammatory markers tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and inducible NOS (iNOS), and TUNEL analysis was carried out for identification of apoptotic cells. RESULTS: Histochemistry revealed signs of inflammation in pancreatic tissue from rats subjected to portal vein occlusion. Immunohistochemistry revealed that the expression of proinflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha and IL-1beta and the oxidative damage indicator iNOS in rat pancreatic tissue increased progressively with the duration of portal vein occlusion. TUNEL assay revealed no signs of apoptosis in any of the groups. CONCLUSION: We conclude that portal vein occlusion triggers an inflammatory response in the pancreas that worsens the longer the occlusion lasts.

A case of large mucinous adenocarcinoma arising in a long-standing fistula-in-ano.

BACKGROUND: Chronic anal fistulas are not rare conditions, however, the development of a carcinoma in a long-standing fistula-in-ano is rare. METHODS: The case of a 77-year-old male with a large perianal mucinous adenocarcinoma arising in a long-standing fistula-in-ano is presented. RESULTS: Perianal biopsy revealed mucinous adenocarcinoma. Abdominal CT, double contrast barium examination and flexible sigmoidoscopy revealed no other tumoral lesion in the colon and rectum. CONCLUSION: The patient underwent abdominoperineal resection including wide tumor excision on the gluteal region. The final reconstruction was performed by bilateral gracilis musculocutaneous flaps. Due to clinical and histopathological evidence it was thought that a curative resection had been performed. To date he is clinically disease free.

p53 and Ki-67 expression as prognostic factors in cystosarcoma phyllodes.

We have reviewed the histopathological, clinical outcome and immunohistochemical status in 21 women with cystosarcoma phyllodes (CSP) tumors of the breast. We assessed 12 tumors as histopathologically benign and 9 tumors as malignant. The median patient ages in benign and malignant CSP tumors were 39.6 and 45.4 years of age, respectively. The stromal cellularity, stromal cellular atypism, high mitotic activity, atypic mitoses, stromal overgrowth, infiltrative tumor contour, and heterologous stromal elements were significant features of the malignant CSP tumors. Benign CSP tumors were predominantly of fibroadenomatous architecture with cellular stroma (mild or moderate) and some distortion and elongation of glandular elements. Five malignant CSP tumors were stained positively with p53, and 6 malignant CSP tumors were stained immunohistochemically with Ki-67. All benign CSP tumors were negatively stained for p53 and Ki-67. The patients with benign CSP tumors were treated with local excision ( n=11) and with subcutaneous mastectomy ( n=1). Malignant CSP tumors were treated with wide local excision ( n=1), partial mastectomy ( n=1), simple mastectomy ( n=2), and modified radical mastectomy ( n=5). Two patients with a high mitotic rate and high values of p53 and Ki-67 received additional radiotherapy and chemotherapy. One case had liver metastasis. This tumor had high mitotic figures, stromal overgrowth, severe stromal cellularity, and 20% Ki-67 and mild p53 positivity. We suggest that p53 and Ki-67 can play an important role in predicting prognosis and yielding additional therapy besides conventional prognostic factors in the treatment of the CSP patients.