[Incompetent tracheoesophageal fistula following phonatory puncture. Surgical resolution]. / Fístula traqueoesofágica incompetente tras punción fonatoria. Solución quirúrgica.

Large tracheoesophageal fistulas (TEF) following a total laryngectomy are rare. Most often are associated with the creation of a surgical speech fistula or puncture. We describe the surgical technique used in 3 patients with large TEF after a total laryngectomy and the creation of a speech fistula with a voice prosthesis, followed by radiation therapy. Pertinent literature is reviewed.

[Treatment of the NO neck in supraglottic cancer]. / Tratamiento del cuello NO en el cáncer supraglótico.

INTRODUCTION: Occult regional metastases in supraglottic cancer NO are the object of classical controversies. The aim of our study is to provide our experience in order to determine how neck treatment affects on regional recurrence of NO supraglottic cancer. METHODS: A retrospective study of 246 patients with NO supraglottic cancer treated in our service between 1977 to 1999 is presented. RESULTS: 11.4% of patients did not have any cervical treatment, with a 23% of neck recurrence amongst the evolution. 66.7% of patients were treated with a modified radical neck dissection, 24% of these presented occult metastases in the histopathological study. Global regional recurrence was 2.9% in early stages (T1/T2) and 13.1% in advanced stages (T3/T4). In pN+ patients, 85% underwent postoperative radiotherapy, with a regional recurrence of 8.8%. Postoperative clinical control without any other treatment in pN0 patients showed a neck recurrence of 6.1%. We performed a unilateral neck dissection in those patients with clear-lateral tumours. In these cases the clinical control of the contralateral neck gave a 5.5% recurrencies on that side. Patients treated with elective primary radiotherapy suffered a 5.5% of regional recurrence. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSIONS: Neck treatment of the NO supraglottic cancer is recommended. We treat neck in the same way of primary tumour (surgery or radiotherapy) with good control of regional recurrencies, less than 10%. In case of a negative pathological study of the neck careful, watching is the elective attitude. In the positive pathological study of the neck (pN+), radiotherapy is the elective treatment in those with three or more affected nodes or capsular breakdown in any of them.

[Descriptive analysis and surgical outcome of primary hyperparathyroidism]. / Análisis descriptivo y resultados quirúrgicos del hiperparatiroidismo primario.

Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) was a rare but serious disease with massive biochemical, renal and skeletal signs at the time of diagnosis. In the last decades it has become a more common disorder often diagnosed by chance. The disease usually shows minimal symptoms. These clinical changes are due to advances in biochemical screening procedures, which have led to a remarkable increase in the incidence of PHPT. The aim of this study is to describe the clinical profiles, biochemical data, operative findings and postoperative results. Seventy one consecutive patients were prospectively enrolled and underwent surgical examination. Most of them showed symptoms: 6 patients were asymptomatic and 11 had a normocalcemic hyperparathyroidism. After surgery 5 patients showed persistent primary hyperparathyroidism. Parathyroid hormone concentration returned to normal levels in 95.77% of the patients studied. Parathyroidectomy is a safe and effective approach to the treatment of primary hyperparathyroidism.

[Preliminary results of the relevance the sentinel node in head and neck tumors]. / Resultados preliminares de la utilidad del ganglio centinela en tumores de cabeza y cuello.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to assess the value of the sentinel node (SN) in head and neck tumours and to create a lymphatic mapping of these tumors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We prospectively studied 13 patients with head and neck tumours N0. We divided these patients in two groups depending on the location of the primary tumour. We injected colloidal particles of serum albumin labeled with Tc-99 peritumoraly and we located the SN intraoperatively. The SN was then sent for anatomopathological study. RESULTS: In the oropharynx and oral cavity group, with 5 patients, the SN correctly predicted the pathological status of the neck in all of them. In the group of larynx and hypopharynx, with 8 patients, in 6, the SN correctly predicted the pathological status of the neck. In 2 patients, the SN was negative for metastases but there were metastases in the neck dissection. CONCLUSIONS: This technique represents an advance over selective dissection as an accurate method of neck staging, but its value in this field remains unclear.

Fístula traqueoesofágica incompetente tras punción fonatoria. Solución quirúrgica / Incompetent tracheoesophageal fistula following phonatory puncture surgical resolution

Las fístulas traqueoesofágicas (FTE) son una complicación rara de la cirugía laríngea, los casos de presentación se deben generalmente a la creación de una fístula fonatoria. Presentamos la técnica quirúrgica empleada para el cierre de una FTE en 3 pacientes a los que se les había realizado años atrás una laringuectomía total con punción traqueoesofágica y colocación de prótesis fonatoria, seguida de radioterapia. Revisamos la literatura al respecto (AU)

Large tracheoesophageal fistulas (TEF) following a total laryngectomy are rare. Most often are associated with the creation of a surgical speech fistula or puncture. We describe the surgical technique used in 3 patients with large TEF after a total laryngectomy and the creation of a speech fistula with a voice prosthesis, followed by radiation therapy. Pertinent literature is reviewed (AU)

Tratamiento del cuello NO en el cáncer supraglótico / Treatment of the NO neck in supraglottic cancer

Introducción: Las metástasis regionales ocultas en el cáncer supraglótico N0 son motivo de clásicas controversias. El objeto de nuestro estudio es aportar nuestra experiencia para determinar en qué medida influye el tratamiento cervical en la recidiva regional de los cánceres supraglóticos N0. Material y métodos: Presentamos un estudio retrospectivo de 246 pacientes con cáncer supraglótico y cuello clínicamente negativo, tratados en nuestro servicio entre los años 1977 y 1999. Resultados: El 11,4 por ciento del los pacientes no fue tratado a nivel cervical, presentando un 23 por ciento de metástasis o recidivas cervicales en la evolución. El 66,7 por ciento de los pacientes fueron tratados con cirugía ganglionar (vaciamiento cervical funcional), apareciendo metástasis ocultas en el 24 por ciento de los casos. La recidiva regional global fue de 2,9 por ciento en estadios iniciales (T1/T2) y 13,1 por ciento en estadios avanzados (T3/T4). En los pacientes pN+ se realizó tratamiento con radioterapia postoperatoria en el 85 por ciento de los casos, con un índice de recidiva del 8,8 por ciento. La observación en los pN0 arrojó un índice de recidiva regional del 6,1 por ciento. En los cuellos contralaterales, en aquellos casos en que la cirugía fue unilateral (tumor claramente lateralizado), el seguimiento clínico presentó un índice de recidivas del 5,5 por ciento. Los pacientes tratados con radioterapia aislada presentaron un índice de recidiva del 5,5 por ciento. Discusión/Conclusiones: El tratamiento cervical de los cánceres supraglóticos N0 está indicado. Realizamos el mismo tratamiento cervical (cirugía o radioterapia) que al tumor primario, obteniendo buenas tasas de control de recidivas, inferiores al 10 por ciento. En caso de vaciamiento patológicamente negativo realizamos seguimiento clínico. Si la anatomía patológica es positiva (pN+) realizamos radioterapia postoperatoria cuando hay más de dos ganglios afectos o rotura capsular en alguna de ellos (AU)

INTRODUCTION: Occult regional metastases in supraglottic cancer NO are the object of classical controversies. The aim of our study is to provide our experience in order to determine how neck treatment affects on regional recurrence of NO supraglottic cancer. METHODS: A retrospective study of 246 patients with NO supraglottic cancer treated in our service between 1977 to 1999 is presented. RESULTS: 11.4% of patients did not have any cervical treatment, with a 23% of neck recurrence amongst the evolution. 66.7% of patients were treated with a modified radical neck dissection, 24% of these presented occult metastases in the histopathological study. Global regional recurrence was 2.9% in early stages (T1/T2) and 13.1% in advanced stages (T3/T4). In pN+ patients, 85% underwent postoperative radiotherapy, with a regional recurrence of 8.8%. Postoperative clinical control without any other treatment in pN0 patients showed a neck recurrence of 6.1%. We performed a unilateral neck dissection in those patients with clear-lateral tumours. In these cases the clinical control of the contralateral neck gave a 5.5% recurrencies on that side. Patients treated with elective primary radiotherapy suffered a 5.5% of regional recurrence. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSIONS: Neck treatment of the NO supraglottic cancer is recommended. We treat neck in the same way of primary tumour (surgery or radiotherapy) with good control of regional recurrencies, less than 10%. In case of a negative pathological study of the neck careful, watching is the elective attitude. In the positive pathological study of the neck (pN+), radiotherapy is the elective treatment in those with three or more affected nodes or capsular breakdown in any of them (AU)

Análisis descriptivo y resultados quirúrgicos del hiperparatiroidismo primario / Descriptive analysis and surgical outcome of primary hyperparathyroidism

El hiperparatiroidismo primario (HPP) ha pasado de ser una enfermedad rara caracterizada por presentar una sintomatología florida renal y esquelética, a ser una enfermedad más común con mínima sintomatología. El empleo difundido de los autoanalizadores ha conducido a un aumento en su incidencia y a que el diagnóstico se realice precozmente. El objetivo de este estudio es analizar la forma de presentación y alteraciones bioquímicas, así como los hallazgos quirúrgicos y resultados postoperatorios de un grupo de pacientes diagnosticados de HPP e intervenidos quirúrgicamente. De los 71 pacientes estudiados, la mayoría presentaban sintomatología en el momento del diagnóstico, 6 eran asintomáticos y 11 normocalcémicos. En 5 pacientes fue necesaria una reintervención por HPP persistente. El 95,77 per cent de los pacientes normalizaron los niveles de hormona paratiroidea tras la cirugía. La paratiroidectomía es una técnica segura y efectiva que debe ser indicada precozmente, incluso en los casos asintomáticos (AU)

Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) was a rare but serious disease with massive biochemical, renal and skeletal signs at the time of diagnosis. In the last decades it has become a more common disorder often diagnosed by chance. The disease usually shows minimal symptoms. These clinical changes are due to advances in biochemical screening procedures, which have led to a remarkable increase in the incidence of PHPT. The aim of this study is to describe the clinical profiles, biochemical data, operative findings and postoperative results. Seventy one consecutive patients were prospectively enrolled and underwent surgical examination. Most of them showed symptoms: 6 patients were asymptomatic and 11 had a normocalcemic hyperparathyroidism. After surgery 5 patients showed persistent primary hyperparathyroidism. Parathyroid hormone concentration returned to normal levels in 95.77% of the patients studied. Parathyroidectomy is a safe and effective approach to the treatment of primary hyperparathyroidism (AU)

Resultados preliminares de la utilidad del ganglio centinela en tumores de cabeza y cuello / Preliminary results of the relevance the sentinel node in head and neck tumours

Objetivos: El objetivo del presente estudio es comprobar el valor del ganglio centinela (GC) en tumores de cabeza y cuello y elaborar un mapa linfográfico de dichos tumores. Material y métodos: Estudiamos prospectivamente 13 pacientes con carcinomas de cabeza y cuello N0, divididos en dos grupos según la localización tumoral. Inyectamos peritumoralmente Tc-99 marcado con albúmina coloidal e identificamos el GC intraoperatoriamente. Éste es enviado para estudio anatomopatológico separadamente del vaciamiento cervical. Resultados: En el grupo de cavidad oral y orofaringe, con 5 pacientes, el GC predijo correctamente el estadio cervical en todos ellos. En el grupo de laringe e hipofaringe, con 8 pacientes, en 6 casos el GC predijo correctamente el estadio cervical. En 2 casos el GC resultó negativo para tumor, encontrándose metástasis en el resto del vaciamiento. Conclusiones: Esta técnica representa una ventaja sobre los vaciamientos cervicales como método de estadiaje cervical, pero su valor en este campo todavía permanece incierto (AU)

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to assess the value of the sentinel node (SN) in head and neck tumours and to create a lymphatic mapping of these tumors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We prospectively studied 13 patients with head and neck tumours N0. We divided these patients in two groups depending on the location of the primary tumour. We injected colloidal particles of serum albumin labeled with Tc-99 peritumoraly and we located the SN intraoperatively. The SN was then sent for anatomopathological study. RESULTS: In the oropharynx and oral cavity group, with 5 patients, the SN correctly predicted the pathological status of the neck in all of them. In the group of larynx and hypopharynx, with 8 patients, in 6, the SN correctly predicted the pathological status of the neck. In 2 patients, the SN was negative for metastases but there were metastases in the neck dissection. CONCLUSIONS: This technique represents an advance over selective dissection as an accurate method of neck staging, but its value in this field remains unclear (AU)