Comparison of totally laparoscopic and laparoscopic-assisted approach in gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy for advanced gastric cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy: a retrospective comparative study.

Purpose: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is strongly recommended for advanced gastric cancer due to good local control and a high rate of R0 dissection with this strategy. Minimally invasive techniques such as laparoscopy-assisted or total laparoscopic approaches is becoming more and more acceptable in the treatment for gastric cancer. However, the safety and efficiency of total laparoscopic D2 gastrectomy (TLG) for advanced gastric cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy have not been well evaluated. Methods: A retrospective study in a single center from 2014 to 2016 was conducted. A total of 65 locally advanced gastric cancers were treated by laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy (LAG) or TLG. Parameters which include operation time, blood loss, complications, hospital stay, 3-year overall survival, and 3-year disease-free survival were used for comparison. Results: The time of operation in the TLG group was shorter than in the LAG group (P = 0.013), blood loss was less (P = 0.002) and time to first flatus was shorter (P = 0.039) in the TLG group than that in the LLG group. Intraoperative and postoperative complications were comparable in both groups. No significant difference was found in 3-year overall and disease-free survival. Conclusion: For patients with locally advanced gastric cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, laparoscopic D2 gastrectomy can be considered as a safe and efficient alternative. A further multicenter prospective randomized controlled study is needed to elucidate the applicability of this technique for advanced gastric cancer.

Comparison of gastric-jejunum pouch anastomosis and Billroth-II reconstructions after distal gastrectomy: a propensity score matching analysis.

Purpose: Our study aimed to make a propensity score matching (PSM) analysis on the clinical application of gastric-jejunum pouch anastomosis (GJPA) and Billroth-II anastomosis after distal gastrectomy. Methods: We collected clinical data from 249 patients who received distal gastrectomy from January 2016 to July 2020. According to the reconstruction method used, all patients were divided into the Billroth-II group and the GJPA group. Clinical data and operation complications were analyzed. Results: The clinical characteristics of the 2 groups were comparable after PSM. In the Billroth-II group, the incidence rate of delayed gastric emptying was higher than that in the GJPA group. Fewer patients suffered reflux gastritis in the GJPA group. The RGB (residue, gastritis, and bile) scores related to the severity of bile reflux into the remnant stomach, gastritis, and residue were higher in the Billroth-II group. Postoperative nutritional status and Visick classification demonstrated that postoperative subjective feelings in the GJPA group were improved significantly. Conclusion: The application of GJPA in reconstruction after distal gastrectomy is safe, economical, and reliable. This reconstruction improved the quality of life of patients. It is worth popularizing widely in clinical settings.

Integrated Bioinformatics Analysis for Identifying the Significant Genes as Poor Prognostic Markers in Gastric Adenocarcinoma.

Gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC) is the most common histological type of gastric cancer and imposes a considerable health burden globally. The purpose of this study was to identify significant genes and key pathways participated in the initiation and progression of GAC. Four datasets (GSE13911, GSE19826, GSE54129, and GSE79973) including 171 GAC and 77 normal tissues from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were collected and analyzed. Through integrated bioinformatics analysis, we obtained 69 commonly differentially expressed genes (DEGs) among the four datasets, including 20 upregulated and 49 downregulated genes. The prime module in protein-protein interaction network of DEGs, including ADAMTS2, COL10A1, COL1A1, COL1A2, COL8A1, BGN, and SPP1, was enriched in protein digestion and absorption, ECM-receptor interaction, focal adhesion, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, and amoebiasis. Furthermore, expression and survival analysis found that all seven hub genes were highly expressed in GAC tissues and 6 of them (except for SPP1) were able to predict poor prognosis of GAC. Finally, we verified the 6 high-expressed hub genes in GAC tissues via immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and RNA quantification analysis. Altogether, we identified six significantly upregulated DEGs as poor prognostic markers in GAC based on integrated bioinformatical methods, which could be potential molecular markers and therapeutic targets for GAC patients.

Upregulation of COL8A1 indicates poor prognosis across human cancer types and promotes the proliferation of gastric cancer cells.

Gastric cancer (GC) was one of the most common types of the digestive system. COL8A1 was reported to be associated with cancer progression. The present study showed COL8A1 was overexpressed and correlated to shorter overall survival (OS) time across human cancer types. Specially, our results showed COL8A1 was up-regulated in advanced stage GC compared to low stage GC samples. Higher expression of COL8A1 was significantly correlated to shorter OS time in patients with GC. Bioinformatics analysis revealed COL8A1 was involved in regulating cell proliferation and metastasis. Experimental validations of COL8A1 showed that silencing of COL8A1 could significantly suppressed cell proliferation, migration and invasion in GC. These results provided a potential target for the clinical prognosis and treatment of gastric cancer.

Risk factors for early complications after laparoscopic total mesorectal excision for locally advanced rectal cancer: A single center experience.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (TME) for rectal cancer has become a widely used surgical strategy in the treatment of rectal cancer. Laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery aims to provide patients with curative resection as well as minimize postoperative morbidity. This study was designed to analyze the foreseeable risk factors linked to postoperative morbidity in patients undergoing laparoscopic total mesorectal excision. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From February 2008 to May 2010, 306 consecutive patients underwent laparoscopic TME. Postoperative complications including wound infection, pneumonia, urethritis were recorded. Eleven potential risk factors for postoperative complications were analyzed. RESULTS: The overall postoperative complication rate was 22.3%, and the complications included wound infection (5.2%), pneumonia (4.5%), urethritis (3.9%), anastmosis bleed (1.9%), anastmosis leakage (3.2%), and obstruction (3.6%). The risk factors responsible for the complications were conversion (P = 0.002); operation time > 210 min (P = 0.047); age > 70 yr (P = 0.026); tumor size >4 cm (P = 0.005); preoperative chemoradiotherapy (P = 0.017); and a lower tumor location (P = 0.048). Conversion was positively related to wound infection and obstruction. Tumor size >4 cm and preoperative chemoradiotherapy were high-risk factors for urethritis. Operating time >210 min and age >70 year were associated with postoperative pneumonia. Lower tumor and age >70 yr were significant risk factors for anastmosis leakage. CONCLUSIONS: Aged patients, large tumor, lower tumor location and conversion were risk factors in performing laparoscopic TME for locally advanced rectal cancer. Patients with these characteristics should be carefully considered before undergoing laparoscopic total mesorectal excision.

[Efficacy comparison of lymph node dissection patterns of the reverse and the cabbage in hand-assisted laparoscopic D2 radical gastrectomy].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical efficacy of the lymph node dissection patterns of the reverse and the traditional cabbage in hand-assisted laparoscopic D2 radical gastrectomy (HALG). METHODS: From December 2010 to October 2013, 194 patients with HALG in Chengdu Military General Hospital were enrolled in this study. According to the pattern of lymph node dissection, 108 patients were performed with the reverse procedure which took spleen as starting point, from left to right, and 86 patients were performed with the traditional cabbage procedure which took the abdominal cavity as the center, from both sides to middle. A retrospective comparative analysis was made on the intra- and post-operative data between the two groups. RESULTS: All the patients were successfully performed with HALG, and no peri-operative death occurred. There were no significant differences in the incision length [(7.0 ± 0.2) cm vs. (6.9 ± 0.3) cm], the operative time [(170.9 ± 33.8) minute vs. (174.6 ± 22.4) minute], dissected lymph node number (17.6 ± 7.5 vs. 17.1 ± 5.8) and post-operative complications [(6.5%(7/108) vs. 8.1%(7/86)] between the reverse group and cabbage group (all P>0.05). However, less blood loss [(204.6 ± 98.2) ml vs. (259.1 ± 122.6) ml, P<0.01] and shorter postoperative hospital stay [(9.0 ± 1.7) day vs. (10.5 ± 4.0) day, P<0.01] were observed in reverse group as compared to cabbage group. During 1 to 6 months follow-up, no death case was found in reverse group, while 1 case died due to upper gastrointestinal bleeding 48 days after operation in cabbage group. CONCLUSION: Efficacy is similar between the two HALG procedures in lymph node dissection, while reverse procedure has certain advantages, such as less blood loss and faster recovery.

Intra-Abdominal Pressure Reduction After Percutaneous Catheter Drainage Is a Protective Factor for Severe Pancreatitis Patients With Sterile Fluid Collections.

OBJECTIVES: Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is a fatal disease with natural course of early SAP (ESAP) and late SAP (LSAP) phases. Peripancreatic percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) is effective in management of LSAP. Although our previous study indicates that intra-abdominal PCD ahead of peripancreatic PCD benefits ESAP patients with sterile fluid collections, the mechanism is still uncovered. METHODS: According to therapeutic results, 452 SAP patients who underwent PCD were divided into sterile group (248 cases), secondary infection group (145 cases), and primary infection group (59 cases). RESULTS: The mortality was 4.1%, 10.9%, and 18.6%, respectively. Logistic-regression analysis indicated that multiorgan dysfunction syndrome (odds ratio [OR], 1.717; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.098-2.685; P = 0.018), catheters located intra-abdominally (OR, 0.511; 95% CI, 0.296-0.884; P = 0.016), and intra-abdominal hypertension (OR, 1.534; 95% CI, 1.016-2.316; P = 0.042) were predictors for infection after PCD. Receiver operating characteristics curve delineated that decrease of intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) of more than 6.5 mm Hg after PCD had the ability to predict infection with sensitivity of 84.0% and specificity of 79.5%. CONCLUSIONS: Intra-abdominal PCD for acute sterile fluid collections seems to be an effective option rather than peripancreatic PCD. Patients with a significant decrease of IAP had a lower incidence of infection and better alleviation of organ failure.

Abdominal Paracentesis Drainage Does Not Increase Infection in Severe Acute Pancreatitis: A Prospective Study.

GOALS: To demonstrate the relationship between abdominal paracentesis drainage (APD) and infectious complications in moderately severe acute pancreatitis (MSAP) or severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) patients. BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of APD for SAP was demonstrated in our previous study. However, the relationship between APD and infectious complications has not been fully elucidated. STUDY: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 255 patients with MSAP or SAP. The patients were divided into 2 groups: patients with acute pancreatitis who underwent APD (group 1) and patients with acute pancreatitis who did not undergo APD (group 2). Four types of infectious complications were evaluated: bacteremia, infected necrosis, pneumonia, and sepsis. The pathogens responsible for infectious complications were analyzed. The need for percutaneous catheter drainage and mortality were also compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: A total of 255 patients were included with analogous baseline features. The rate of overall infectious complications in group 1 was 38.1%, which was lower than that in group 2 (52.7%, P=0.019). This difference was mainly based on infected necrosis (12.7% and 23.3% in groups 1 and 2, respectively, P=0.034). The microbial spectrum was similar in the 2 groups. Percutaneous catheter drainage was used less frequent in group 1 (18.3%) than in group 2 (31.8%, P=0.014). The infection-related mortality in groups 1 and 2 was 6.5% and 8.5%, respectively, and there was no significant difference (P=0.457). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that APD did not increase the infectious complications and infection-related mortality compared with the strategy without APD in patients with MSAP or SAP.

Co-transplantation of autologous MSCs delays islet allograft rejection and generates a local immunoprivileged site.

AIMS: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent cells with immunomodulatory properties. We tested the ability of MSCs to delay islet allograft rejection. METHODS: Mesenchymal stem cells were generated in vitro from C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice bone marrow, and their immunomodulatory properties were tested in vitro. We then tested the effect of a local or systemic administration of heterologous and autologous MSCs on graft survival in a fully allogeneic model of islet transplantation (BALB/c islets into C57BL/6 mice). RESULTS: In vitro, autologous, but not heterologous, MSCs abrogated immune cell proliferation in response to alloantigens and skewed the immune response toward a Th2 profile. A single dose of autologous MSCs co-transplanted under the kidney capsule with allogeneic islets delayed islet rejection, reduced graft infiltration, and induced long-term graft function in 30 % of recipients. Based on ex vivo analysis of recipient splenocytes, the use of autologous MSCs did not appear to have any systemic effect on the immune response toward graft alloantigens. The systemic injection of autologous MSCs or the local injection of heterologous MSCs failed to delay islet graft rejection. CONCLUSION: Autologous, but not heterologous, MSCs showed multiple immunoregulatory properties in vitro and delayed allograft rejection in vivo when co-transplanted with islets; however, they failed to prevent rejection when injected systemically. Autologous MSCs thus appear to produce a local immunoprivileged site, which promotes graft survival.

Abdominal paracentesis drainage ahead of percutaneous catheter drainage benefits patients attacked by acute pancreatitis with fluid collections: a retrospective clinical cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: The efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided abdominal paracentesis drainage ahead of percutaneous catheter drainage as the new second step of a step-up approach are evaluated. DESIGN: The observed parameters were compared between groups including mortality, infection, organ failure, inflammatory factor levels, indexes of further interventions, and drainage-related complications. PATIENTS: This retrospective study included 102 consecutive patients with acute pancreatitis from June 2009 to June 2011. INTERVENTIONS: In this step-up approach, all patients subsequently received medical management, percutaneous catheter drainage (with or without previous abdominal paracentesis drainage), and necrosectomy if necessary according to indications. The patients were divided into two groups: 53 cases underwent abdominal paracentesis drainage followed by percutaneous catheter drainage (abdominal paracentesis drainage + percutaneous catheter drainage group) and 49 cases were managed only with percutaneous catheter drainage (percutaneous catheter drainage-alone group). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The demographic data and severity scores of the two groups were comparable. The mortality rate was lower in the abdominal paracentesis drainage + percutaneous catheter drainage group (0%) than the percutaneous catheter drainage-alone group (8.2%) (p = 0.050). Compared with the percutaneous catheter drainage-alone group, the laboratory variables of the abdominal paracentesis drainage + percutaneous catheter drainage group decreased more rapidly, the mean number of failed organs was lower, and the interval from the onset of disease to further interventions was much longer. However, there was no significant difference in the prevalence and duration of infections between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Application of abdominal paracentesis drainage ahead of percutaneous catheter drainage is safe and beneficial to patients by reducing inflammatory factors, postponing further interventions, and delaying or avoiding multiple organ failure.

Notch inhibition promotes fetal liver stem/progenitor cells differentiation into hepatocytes via the inhibition of HNF-1ß.

In a previous study, the Notch pathway inhibited with N-[N-(3,5-difluorophenacetyl)-L-alanyl]-S-phenylglycine t-butyl ester (also called DAPT) was shown to promote the differentiation of fetal liver stem/progenitor cells (FLSPCs) into hepatocytes and to impair cholangiocyte differentiation. The precise mechanism for this, however, was not elucidated. Two mechanisms are possible: Notch inhibition might directly up-regulate hepatocyte differentiation via HGF (hepatocyte growth factor) and HNF (hepatocyte nuclear factor)-4α or might impair cholangiocyte differentiation thereby indirectly rendering hepatocyte differentiation as the dominant state. In this study, HGF and HNF expression was detected after the Notch pathway was inhibited. Although our initial investigation indicated that the inhibition of Notch induced hepatocyte differentiation with an efficiency similar to the induction via HGF, the results of this study demonstrate that Notch inhibition does not induce significant up-regulation of HGF or HNF-4α in FLSPCs. This suggests that Notch inhibition induces hepatocyte differentiation without the influence of HGF or HNF-4α. Moreover, significant down-regulation of HNF-1ß was observed, presumably dependent on an impairment of cholangiocyte differentiation. To confirm this presumption, HNF-1ß was blocked in FLSPCs and was followed by hepatocyte differentiation. The expression of markers of mature cholangiocyte was impaired and hepatocyte markers were elevated significantly. The data thus demonstrate that the inhibition of cholangiocyte differentiation spontaneously induces hepatocyte differentiation and further suggest that hepatocyte differentiation from FLSPCs occurs at the expense of the impairment of cholangiocyte differentiation, probably being enhanced partially via HNF-1ß down-regulation or Notch inhibition.

Ultrasound-guided double-tract percutaneous cholecystostomy combined with a choledochoscope for performing cholecystolithotomies in high-risk surgical patients.

BACKGROUND: Cholecystolithiasis is the most common disease treated by general surgery, with an incidence of about 0.15-0.22%. The most common therapies are open cholecystectomy (OC) or laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). However, with a greater understanding of the function of the cholecyst, more and more patients and surgeons are aware that preserving the functional cholecyst is important for young patients, as well as patients who would not tolerate anesthesia associated with either OC or LC. Based on these considerations, we have introduced a notable, minimally invasive treatment for cholecystolithotomy. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of patients with cholecystolithiasis who were unable to tolerate surgery or who insisted on preserving the functional cholecyst. Our particular approach can be simply described as ultrasound-guided percutaneous cholecystostomy combined with a choledochoscope for performing a cholecystolithotomy under local anesthesia. RESULTS: Ten patients with cholecystolithiasis were treated via this approach. All except one patient had their gallbladder stones totally removed under local anesthesia, without the aggressive procedures associated with OC or LC. The maximum number of gallbladder stones removed was 16, and the maximum diameter was 13 mm without lithotripsy. After the minimally invasive surgery, the cholecyst contractile functions of all patients were normal, confirmed via ultrasound after a high-fat diet. Complications such as bile duct injury, biliary fistula, and bleeding occurred significantly less often than with OC and LC. The recurrence rates for each of 2 post-operative years were about 11.11% (1/9, excluding a failure case) with uncertainty surrounding recurrence or residue, and 22.22% (2/9, including one non-recurrence patient with follow-up time of 22 months), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound-guided percutaneous cholecystostomy combined with choledochoscope is a safe, efficient, and minimally invasive cholecystolithotomy method. We recommend this technique for the management of small stones (less than 15 mm) in high-risk surgical patients.

Unbalanced distribution of materials: the art of giving rise to hepatocytes from liver stem/progenitor cells.

Liver stem/progenitor cells (LSPCs) are able to duplicate themselves and differentiate into each type of cells in the liver, including mature hepatocytes and cholangiocytes. Understanding how to accurately control the hepatic differentiation of LSPCs is a challenge in many fields from preclinical to clinical treatments. This review summarizes the recent advances made to control the hepatic differentiation of LSPCs over the last few decades. The hepatic differentiation of LSPCs is a gradual process consisting of three main steps: initiation, progression and accomplishment. The unbalanced distribution of the affecting materials in each step results in the hepatic maturation of LSPCs. As the innovative and creative works for generating hepatocytes with full functions from LSPCs are gradually accumulated, LSPC therapies will soon be a new choice for treating liver diseases.

Stages based molecular mechanisms for generating cholangiocytes from liver stem/progenitor cells.

Except for the most organized mature hepatocytes, liver stem/progenitor cells (LSPCs) can differentiate into many other types of cells in the liver including cholangiocytes. In addition, LSPCs are demonstrated to be able to give birth to other kinds of extra-hepatic cell types such as insulin-producing cells. Even more, under some bad conditions, these LSPCs could generate liver cancer stem like cells (LCSCs) through malignant transformation. In this review, we mainly concentrate on the molecular mechanisms for controlling cell fates of LSPCs, especially differentiation of cholangiocytes, insulin-producing cells and LCSCs. First of all, to certificate the cell fates of LSPCs, the following three features need to be taken into account to perform accurate phenotyping: (1) morphological properties; (2) specific markers; and (3) functional assessment including in vivo transplantation. Secondly, to promote LSPCs differentiation, systematical attention should be paid to inductive materials (such as growth factors and chemical stimulators), progressive materials including intracellular and extracellular signaling pathways, and implementary materials (such as liver enriched transcriptive factors). Accordingly, some recommendations were proposed to standardize, optimize, and enrich the effective production of cholangiocyte-like cells out of LSPCs. At the end, the potential regulating mechanisms for generation of cholangiocytes by LSPCs were carefully analyzed. The differentiation of LSPCs is a gradually progressing process, which consists of three main steps: initiation, progression and accomplishment. It's the unbalanced distribution of affecting materials in each step decides the cell fates of LSPCs.

Urinary function following laparoscopic lymphadenectomy for male rectal cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Urinary function can be protected following open lateral node dissection (LND) with pelvic autonomic nerve preservation (PANP) for advanced rectal cancer. However data regarding urinary function after laparoscopic LND with PANP have not been reported. The goal of this study was to determine the effects of laparoscopic LND with PANP on urinary function in male patients with rectal cancer. METHODS: Urine flowmetry was performed using an Urodyn flowmeter. Patients were also asked to complete the standardized International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) questionnaire before surgery and 6 months after. In total, this study consisted of 60 males with advanced rectal cancer. RESULTS: No significant differences were seen in maximal urinary flow rate, voided volume or residual volume before and after surgery. The total IPSS score increased significantly after surgery and at least 41 patients (68.3%) reported there was no change in one of the seven IPSS questions. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic LND with PANP was relatively safe in preserving urinary function.

[Analysis of lymph node dissection patterns in D2 radical gastrectomy by hand-assisted laparoscopic technique].

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the experience of lymph node dissection patterns in hand-assisted laparoscopic radical gastrectomy. METHODS: One hundred and eleven patients with gastric carcinoma between December 2010 and September 2012 were operated by hand-assisted laparoscopic system designed by us. Clinical data were analyzed retrospectively. The lymph nodes were dissected from left to right together with total tumor resection(reverse lymph nodes scavenge pattern), then digestive tract was reconstructed. RESULTS: Total gastrectomy, distal gastrectomy and proximal gastrectomy were performed in 57, 46 and 8 cases respectively. Combined cholecystectomy and lateral segment of left liver lobe were needed in 4 and 2 patients respectively, and 1 case underwent combined splenectomy and pancreatic body and tail resection. TNM staging of patients in I(, II(, III(A, III(B, and IIII( were 16, 8, 35, 14, and 38, respectively. Histological type was poorly differentiated in 78 cases, moderate differentiation in 26 cases and good differentiation in 7 cases. The incision length was(6.8±0.3) cm, blood loss was(238.4±113.6) ml, operative time was (171.9±23.3) min, number of removed lymph node was 17.2±5.7, hospital stay was (10.1±3.7) d, postoperative complication rate was 9.0%. One case died during perioperative time. CONCLUSIONS: Hand-assisted laparoscopic D2 radical gastrectomy(reverse lymph nodes scavenge pattern) can avoid the multiple conversion of open-laparoscopic operation model, and is beneficial to the standardization for surgical procedure.

[Hand-assisted laparoscopic radical gastrectomy: comparison between laparoscopic and open approach].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the short-term outcomes after hand-assisted laparoscopic radical gastrectomy. METHODS: Between June 2010 and May 2011, a series of 15 patients underwent hand-assisted laparoscopic gastrectomy(HG), 16 patients underwent laparoscopic gastrectomy(LP), and 11 patients underwent open gastrectomy(OP). Short-term outcomes included operative time, blood loss, lymph nodes harvested, and the length of incision were collected after operation. RESULTS: The operative time was 150-200 min in HG, 180-220 min in LP, and 150-200 min in OP respectively. The time of laparoscopic procedure was 18-58 and 70-100 min respectively. The average incision length was 6.8 cm in HG, 5.6 cm in LP, and 13.5 cm in OP. The average number of lymph nodes harvested was 17.6, 15.1 and 16.4 respectively. The average estimated blood loss was 228 ml, 278 ml, and 427 ml respectively. The mean length of hospital stay was 9.9, 10.8, and 12.4 d. No anastomotic leakage, bleeding, or gastric paralysis were found. One wound infection case was found in OP. CONCLUSIONS: Hand-assisted laparoscopic gastrectomy is in concordance with the standardized treatment protocol for gastric cancer. Lymph node dissection is easier by HG, therefore HG can be an alternative for the radical resection of gastric cancer.

Laparoscopic radical correction combined with extensive lymphadenectomy and pelvic autonomic nerve preservation for mid-to-low rectal cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this study were to confirm the definite metastasis and micrometastasis rate of upward and lateral lymph nodes of mid-to-low rectal cancer at stage II and stage III, and to evaluate the feasibility and safety of laparoscopic radical correction combined with extensive lymphadenectomy and pelvic autonomic nerve preservation (PANP). METHODS: The study was performed in 68 patients who were diagnosed with mid-to-low rectal cancer at stage II or stage III and received laparoscopic radical correction combined with extensive lymphadenectomy and PANP from June 2006 to June 2008 in the General Surgery Department of Southwest Hospital. All lymph nodes resected in the surgeries were examined by hematoxylin and eosin (H & E) stain and immunohistochemistry with an antibody against cytokeratin 20 (CK20) to confirm the conditions of metastasis and micrometastasis. We compared the postoperative complications with those of traditional surgeries. RESULTS: In 1571 lymph nodes, 16 lymph nodes were found to have definite metastasis in 6 patients (8.8%) and in 41 lymph nodes we found micrometastasis in 12 patients (17.6%). The total metastasis rate of upward and lateral lymph nodes was 19.1%. Compared with traditional surgeries, the new surgery had less blood loss and short convalescence and postoperative complications were not increased. CONCLUSION: The total metastasis rate of upward and lateral lymph nodes is 19.1%. The laparoscopic radical correction combined with extensive lymphadenectomy and PANP is feasible and safe.

Tris(morpholinium) hexa-µ(3)-hydroxido-hexa-µ(2)-oxido-dodeca-oxidohexa-molybdenum(VI)chromate(III) tetra-hydrate.

In the title organic-inorganic hybrid compound, (C(4)H(10)NO)(3)[H(6)CrMo(6)O(24)]·4H(2)O, the Anderson-type [H(6)CrMo(6)O(24)](3-) polyoxoanion is centrosymmetric, with the Cr(III) ion lying on an inversion center. One of the two crystallographiclly independent morpholinium cations is half-occupied. Inter-molecular N-H⋯O and O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the cations, polyoxoanions and uncoordinated water mol-ecules.