Is transdermal nitroglycerin application effective in preventing and healing flap ischaemia after modified radical mastectomy?

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the efficacy of local nitroglycerin application in preventing and treating flap complications after modified radical mastectomy in a large patient cohort. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1993 and 2008, 6426 patients undergoing surgery for stage II breast cancer were enrolled in this prospective study. Patients were randomised into treatment and control groups. In the treatment group a nitroglycerin preparation (Nitroderm) was applied to the flap area. Major complications, recovery periods, menopausal status, additional diseases (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, atherosclerotic heart disease) and adverse effects related to nitroglycerin use were recorded. RESULTS: The recovery rate without major complications was statistically significantly higher in the nitroglycerin-treated group than in the controls (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that topical nitroglycerin reduces flap complications after breast surgery.

Risk factors for perioperative anxiety in laparoscopic surgery.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Our aim is to investigate the anxiety status of the patient before elective cholecystectomy and to analyze the relation between the level of anxiety for a given operation type (laparoscopic and open cholecystectomy) and the corresponding demographic and social data. METHODS: A total of 333 patients undergoing cholecystectomy due to cholelithiasis were included in the study; 218 patients (66.1%) received laparoscopic cholecystectomy and 115 patients (33.9%) were treated with open cholecystectomy. The Beck Anxiety Inventory was given to all patients to be completed. We evaluated levels of anxiety in 3 groups as follows: 0 to 15, low to mild anxiety; 16 to 25, moderate anxiety; 26 to 63, severe anxiety. The following patient information remained confidential and was recorded: age and sex, associated disease, civil status, educational status, having open/laparoscopic cholecystectomy, previous knowledge of the operation, job status, economic status, health insurance, and having a child in need of care. RESULTS: The following criteria were determined: the most determinant factors in differentiating between the score groups were having a low level of education, being of the female sex, being single, and having laparoscopic operation; the factors of being a homemaker and over the age of 25 years were determined to have significant effects. CONCLUSIONS: When analyzing the results that may appear during the intraoperative and postoperative period, understanding preoperative anxiety, analyzing the risk factors in depth, and taking the necessary precautions are all considerations that need to be the primary objectives of operators who are involved with laparoscopic, endoscopic, and robotic surgery.

Effects of melatonin and dexpanthenol on antioxidant parameters when combined with estrogen treatment in ovariectomized rats.

The purpose of the study was to assess whether it is possible to reduce the oxidative damage using antioxidant agents combined with hormone replacement therapy after menopause. In this prospective experimental study, 50 mature female Wistar albino rats weighing 270-310 g were used. Rats were divided into the following six groups: (1) Ovx group (n = 7): the animals underwent bilateral ovariectomy. No drug was administered following bilateral ovariectomy. (2) Ovx + E 2 group (n = 7): bilateral ovariectomy + 17ß-estradiol (100 µg/kg/day); (3) Ovx + E 2 + MT5 group (n = 7): bilateral ovariectomy + 17ß-estradiol (100 µg/kg/day) + melatonin (5 mg/kg/day); (4) Ovx + E 2 + MT20 group (n = 7): bilateral ovariectomy + 17ß-estradiol (100 µg/kg/day) + melatonin (20 mg/kg/day); (5) Ovx + E 2 + Dxp250 group (n = 7): bilateral ovariectomy + 17ß-estradiol (100 µg/kg/day) + dexpanthenol (250 mg/kg/day); (6) Ovx + E 2 + Dxp500 group (n = 7): bilateral ovariectomy + 17ß-estradiol (100 µg/kg/day) + dexpanthenol (500 mg/kg/day), and the activity of these antioxidative enzymes and oxidative stress products were measured. Enzymatic activity levels of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px), and glutathione reductase and levels of free radicals (malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide) were both analyzed. We observed an increase in the level of GSH activity, but no significant differences in levels of CAT, SOD, and GSH-Px enzymatic activity and in levels of free radical MDA following 17ß-estradiol or additional antioxidant treatment (melatonin or dexpanthenol). Despite the present study indicating that the addition of melatonin and dexpanthenol into the hormone replacement therapy regimen may contribute to the antioxidant effect of estrogen, the existence of limited data in this field indicates that further studies are warranted.

The importance of inferior-superior thyroid veins sampling in the diagnosis of thyroid carcinomas.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to determine whether levels of thyroglobulin measured in blood from the inferior-superior thyroid veins and the peripheral antecubital vein could predict the presence of thyroid carcinoma in patients undergoing surgery for thyroid diseases. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty-one patients were prospectively enrolled in the study. Levels of thyroglobulin were analysed. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) of these markers were investigated. RESULTS: Twenty-six out of 61 patients (42.6%) with malignancy were diagnosed. The levels of thyroglobulin in the inferior-superior thyroid veins were higher than those in the peripheral antecubital vein (p = 0.001). The levels of thyroglobulin in the blood taken from the antecubital vein and the inferior-superior thyroid veins did not differ between benign and malignant thyroid disorders. For thyroglobulin, sensitivity was 33.3%, specificity 60.6%, PPV 27.8%, and NPV 66.7% respectively. CONCLUSION: Thyroglobulin levels in the antecubital vein compared to the inferior-superior thyroid veins were not significant either in benign or malignant disorders.

Risk factors for postoperative ileus.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to examine extended postoperative ileus and its risk factors in patients who have undergone abdominal surgery, and discuss the techniques of prevention and management thereof the light of related risk factors connected with our study. METHODS: This prospective study involved 103 patients who had undergone abdominal surgery. The effects of age, gender, diagnosis, surgical operation conducted, excessive small intestine manipulation, opioid analgesic usage time, and systemic inflammation on the time required for the restoration of intestinal motility were investigated. The parameters were investigated prospectively. RESULTS: Regarding the factors that affected the restoration of gastrointestinal motility, resection operation type, longer operation period, longer opioid analgesics use period, longer nasogastric catheter use period, and the presence of systemic inflammation were shown to retard bowel motility for 3 days or more. CONCLUSION: Our study confirmed that unnecessary analgesics use in patients with pain tolerance with non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs, excessive small bowel manipulation, prolonged nasogastric catheter use have a direct negative effect on gastrointestinal motility. Considering that an exact treatment for postoperative ileus has not yet been established, and in light of the risk factors mentioned above, we regard that prevention of postoperative ileus is the most effective way of coping with intestinal dysmotility.