Is there truly an oncologic indication for interval appendectomy?

BACKGROUND: The rate of recurrent appendicitis is low following nonoperative management of complicated appendicitis. However, recent data suggest an increased rate of neoplasms in these cases. METHODS: The study was a retrospective review of patients with acute appendicitis at 2 university-affiliated community hospitals over a 12-year period. The primary outcome measure was the incidence of appendiceal neoplasm following interval appendectomy. RESULTS: Six thousand thirty-eight patients presented with acute appendicitis. Appendectomy was performed in 5,851 (97%) patients at the index admission. Of the 188 patients treated with initial nonoperative management, 89 (47%) underwent interval appendectomy. Appendiceal neoplasms were identified in 11 of the 89 (12%) patients. These included mucinous neoplasms (n = 6), carcinoid tumors (n = 4), and adenocarcinoma (n = 1). The rate of neoplasm in patients over age 40 was 16%. CONCLUSIONS: There is a significant rate of neoplasms identified in patient over age 40 undergoing interval appendectomy. This should be considered following nonoperative management of complicated appendicitis.

Measuring the impact of the American College of Surgeons Oncology Group Z0011 trial on breast cancer surgery in a community health system.

BACKGROUND: The American College of Surgeons Oncology Group Z0011 trial has been lauded as practice changing. We sought to identify its impact on breast cancer surgery in the community hospital setting. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed from 8 community hospitals identifying patients with invasive breast cancer meeting the Z0011 criteria. The primary outcome measures were the rate of completion axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) and performance of intraoperative sentinel lymph node (SLN) analysis over time. RESULTS: A total of 1,125 lumpectomies with SLN biopsies were performed with 180 subjects meeting inclusion criteria. Performance of ALND (P < .0001) and intraoperative SLN analysis (P < .0001) declined during each time period. Patients more likely to undergo ALND included those with extracapsular extension (odds ratio [OR] 12.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.5 to 67.1) and those who underwent reoperative surgery (OR 10.8, 95% CI 2.6 to 44.4) or intraoperative SLN analysis (OR 5.1, 95% CI 1.2 to 21.9). CONCLUSION: American College of Surgeons Oncology Group Z0011 trial has been rapidly practice changing in the community hospital setting.

Unilateral double plantaris muscle: a rare anatomical variation / Músculo plantar doble unilateral: una rara variación anatómica

The occurrence of a unilateral second plantaris muscle was discovered during the anatomical dissection of a 47 year old female with Huntington Chorea Disease. The cadaver was found to possess bilateral plantaris muscles and a distinct anomalous muscle morphologically resembling a second plantaris on the medial right leg. The inner and outer bellies of the anomalous plantaris arose proximally from the medial condyle of the femur and formed a short tendon that fused distally with the tendon of the lateral plantaris muscle.

Un segundo músculo plantar unilateral fue descubierto durante una disección anatómica de rutina, en una mujer de 47 años de edad con Enfermedad de Huntington Chorea. En la cara medial de la piena derecha, el cadáver presentaba, bilateralmente, el músculo plantar y un músculo anómalo, morfológicamente distinto, que se asemejaba a un segundo músculo plantar. Los vientres medial y lateral del músculo plantar anómalo se originaban del cóndilo medial del fémur y formaban un tendón corto que se fusionaba con el tendón del músculo plantar lateral.