Comparison of Neoadjuvant Systemic Chemotherapy Protocols for the Curative-Intent Management of Peritoneal Metastases from Colorectal Cancer, Regarding Morphological Response, Pathological Response, and Long-Term Outcomes: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Selected patients with colorectal cancer peritoneal metastases (CRPM) could be offered a curative-intent strategy based on complete cytoreductive surgery (CRS), potentially combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) and perioperative systemic chemotherapy. The impact of different neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy (NACT) regimens remains unclear due to a lack of comparative data. METHODS: Consecutive CRPM patients from a monocentric database who were treated with complete CRS after single-line NACT were included in this study. Chemotherapy regimens were tailored as a doublet drug (FOLFOX/FOLFIRI) with/without targeted therapy (anti-epidermal growth factor receptor/bevacizumab) and triplet-drug combination (FOLFIRINOX). Morphological response (MR) was assessed using the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors criteria, and pathological response (PR) was assessed using the Peritoneal Regression Grading Score (PRGS). Long-term oncologic outcomes were compared. RESULTS: The cohort comprised 388 patients, including 127, 202, and 59 patients in the doublet, doublet + targeted, and triplet groups, respectively. MR rates were higher in the triplet (68.0%) and doublet + targeted groups (64.2%) when compared with the doublet group (42.4%, p = 0.003). Complete and major PRs were observed in 13.6% and 32.0% of patients, respectively. Higher MR rates were observed after doublet + targeted or triplet regimens, while no difference was observed for PR rates. In multivariate analysis, FOLFIRINOX was independently associated with better overall survival (hazard ratio 0.49, 95% confidence interval 0.25-0.96; p = 0.037). FOLFIRINOX also resulted in a higher rate of severe postoperative complications. CONCLUSIONS: In this retrospective study, a FOLFIRINOX regimen as NACT seemed to result in better long-term outcomes for CRPM patients after complete CRS/HIPEC, although with higher morbidity. Prospective studies are needed, including groups without NACT and those with FOLFIRINOX + bevacizumab.

Intestinal Air in the Mediastinum.

CASE PRESENTATION: A 74-year-old man, in excellent physical condition and doing regular intense cycling, was evaluated for transient episodes of thoracic discomfort over a period of several months. His medical history only included a right inguinal hernia, surgically treated, and an abdominal aortic aneurysm measured at 46 mm and treated medically. Physical examination did not reveal much information. The patient did not report gastroesophageal reflux, dysphagia, or history of digestive occlusion. The patient had normal weight and had no trauma history. He had no nicotine or alcohol-dependent behaviors. Vital signs were within normal values. Laboratory test results were normal. Functional status was normal, without anomalies of pulmonary function tests or arterial blood gases. The ECG did not reveal any anomaly.

Hypoparathyroidism: Consequences, economic impact, and perspectives. A case series and systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative hypoparathyroidism (PH) is the most common complication after total thyroidectomy. Incidence varies from 2% to 83%, depending on the definition. OBJECTIVE: We performed a systematic review of the literature to determine the medico-economic effects of PH and update understanding of long-term consequences, morbidity, and quality of life related to hypoparathyroidism. METHODS: We considered relevant articles published between 2000 and 2020 concerning long-term consequences of PH and quality of life. All studies concerning the medico-economic assessment of PH were included. We compared data from 2018 to results in the literature. RESULTS: A proportion of 64/403 (16.8%) patients presented with transient PH during 2018, and 7/403 (1.7%) had permanent PH. Seven patients needed supplementation with alfacalcidol at 6-month follow-up. Factors predicting the need for alfacalcidol were age <45, thyroidectomy for goiter, and lymph node dissection. Additional therapy costs related to PH were €9781.10, and additional hospital costs were €230,400. We qualitatively synthesized 41 studies. Most were retrospective studies and only a few reported costs. No series assessed direct or indirect costs of postoperative PH. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, no previous studies reported the medico-economic impact of PH. Decreasing PH associated with fluorescence usage should be considered, particularly concerning cost-effectiveness.

Correction to: Does Surgery Without Lugol's Solution Pretreatment for Graves' Disease Increase Surgical Morbidity?

In the original article, Mathieu Bonal's last name was spelled incorrectly. It is correct as reflected here. The original article has also been updated.

Does Surgery Without Lugol's Solution Pretreatment for Graves' Disease Increase Surgical Morbidity?

BACKGROUND: Total thyroidectomy can be performed for Graves' disease after a euthyroid state is achieved using inhibitors of thyroid hormone synthesis (thioamides). However, hypervascularization of the thyroid gland is associated with increased hemorrhage risk, in addition to complicating identification of the recurrent laryngeal nerve and parathyroid gland. Saturated iodine solution (Lugol's solution) has been recommended to reduce thyroid gland hypervascularization and intraoperative blood loss, although this approach is not used at our center based on our experience that it induces thyroid firmness and potentially hypoparathyroidism. METHODS: This retrospective single-center study evaluated patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for Graves' disease between November 2010 and November 2015. The rates of various complications at our center were compared to those from the literature (e.g., cervical hematoma, hypocalcemia, and recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy). RESULTS: Three hundred and eighty consecutive patients underwent total thyroidectomy without preoperative Lugol's solution (311 women [81.84%] and 69 men [18.16%], mean age 43.41 years). No postoperative deaths were reported, although 30 patients (7.89%) experienced recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy and 9 patients experienced permanent injuries (2.37%). Hypoparathyroidism was experienced by 87 patients (25.53%) and 14 patients experienced permanent hypoparathyroidism (3.68%). Four patients required reoperation for cervical hematoma (1.05%; 2 deep and 2 superficial hematomas). CONCLUSION: Despite the recommendation of iodine pretreatment, few of our non-pretreated patients experienced permanent nerve injury (2.37%) or permanent hypoparathyroidism (3.68%). These results are comparable to the outcomes from the literature. Randomized controlled trials are needed to determine whether iodine pretreatment is necessary before surgery for Graves' disease.

Assessment of the Aldosteronona resolution score as a predictive resolution score of hypertension after adrenalectomy for aldosteronoma in French patients.

PURPOSE: Aldosteronoma Resolution Score (ARS) is a predictive score for cure of hypertension after adrenalectomy for hyperaldosteronism and has been validated in American patients. The aim of the study was to validate this score in a French population. METHOD: Data concerning patients operated from 2002 to 2015 in 7 French University Hospitals were retrospectively collected. Diagnosis of Aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) was confirmed with clinical and biochemical hyperaldosteronism and adrenal nodule on CT scan. Adrenal venous sampling was performed when CT failed to identify laterality. ARS is based on four variables: female sex, BMI ≤25 kg/m2, duration of hypertension ≤6 years, number of antihypertensive medications ≤2. One point is attributed for the first three and 2 points for the last. Patients were considered as cured if they had no hypertension and no antihypertensive medications at least 6 months after surgery. Patients with bilateral adrenal hyperplasia were excluded. RESULTS: This multicenter study included 310 patients with APA. ARS and follow-up were obtained in 257 patients. 46.6% of patients were cured and potassium serum level was normalized in 97.7%. In multivariate analysis, odds ratio for female sex, BMI ≤25 kg/m2, duration of hypertension ≤6 years, and number of antihypertensive medications ≤2 were 1.60 (p = 0.09), 1.77 (p = 0.04), 1.28 (p = 0.4), 3.41 (p < 0.001), respectively. Cure rate were, respectively, 22.2, 41.4 and 74% for patients with a score ARS 0-1, 2-3, 4-5. The area under the curve (AUC) of ARS was 0.715. CONCLUSION: ARS is not a predictive score efficient enough in a French population maybe due to different metabolic data and genetic conditions.

Should the Surgical Management of Buschke-Lowenstein Tumors Be Aggressive? About 10 Cases.

AIMS: Buschke-Lowenstein tumor (BLT) of the anal margin is a histologically benign tumor whose degeneration can lead to a deadly local evolution because of difficult and late diagnosis. The objective of this study was to report our experience and propose a therapeutic strategy for these rare tumors. METHODS: From 1996 to 2014, 10 men with a median age of 45 years (25-64) were treated for a BLT of the anal margin with a first local excision possibly followed by rectal amputation. RESULTS: Local perianal excision was curative in 6 cases without recurrence. The median follow-up time was 94.5 months (5-175). In 4 patients, local excision was followed by an early recurrence, justifying a complementary abdominoperineal excision (APE) of the rectum. Two patients who benefited from complementary resection are currently free from recurrence. Even if the postoperative course was uneventful, 2 died from recurrence and disease progression within 5 and 11 postoperative months each. CONCLUSION: Macroscopic surgical evaluation of local tumoral invasion and extensive radical resection appears to be associated with long-term survival without recurrence. When recurrence occurs, APE of the rectum seems to be the only curative alternative. Based on low level of evidence, surgical excision is currently the only standard treatment for these lesions.

Use of Systemic Vasodilators for the Management of Doppler Ultrasound Arterial Abnormalities After Orthotopic Liver Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Doppler ultrasound (DUS) arterial abnormalities (DAA) after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) often represent a sign of hepatic artery (HA) complication (HAC). The standard management of DAA involves computed tomographic angiography (CTA) followed by invasive vascular intervention (IVI) or observation. We evaluated the contribution of systemic vasodilators (SVD) to the management of DAA after OLT. METHODS: Between 2005 and 2015, 91 of 514 OLT recipients developed DAA (defined by HA resistive index [HARI] <0.5) and received oral SVDs. Doppler ultrasound was performed 2 days later, and patients were assigned to 3 groups accordingly: the normalization group (HARI >0.5), improvement group (HARI increase of >0.1 but value <0.5), or nonresponse group. We analyzed the contribution of this strategy to predict clinically significant HAC, defined as thrombosis or HAC requiring IVI. RESULTS: A clinically significant HAC (4 thromboses, 35 HACs requiring IVI) was found in 2.9% (n = 1/34), 32.1% (n = 9/28), and 100% (n = 29/29) of patients in the normalization, improvement, and nonresponse groups, respectively (P < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, absence of HARI normalization after SVD and time to DAA longer than 30 days were associated with clinically significant HAC. Specificity and accuracy of DUS after SVD increased from 88.1% to 95.1% and from 88.9% to 95.1% (P < 0.001), without altering its sensitivity (97.7% vs 95.5%, P = 1.000). CONCLUSIONS: The use of SVD improves the diagnostic performance of DUS for clinically significant HAC after OLT. It allows identifying patients at low risk for HAC, for whom CTA could be avoided, and helps choosing between observation and IVI in patients with inconclusive CTA.