Rate of delivery of hyperbaric oxygen treatments does not affect response in soft tissue radionecrosis.

BACKGROUND: Soft tissue radiation necrosis (STRN) is effectively treated with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO,), believed to result from stimulation ofangiogenesis in radiation-injured tissue. Thirty to forty HBO2 treatments are usually recommended for STRN. For various reasons, different hyperbaric facilities offer these treatments once or twice daily and from 5-7 days weekly. It is not known whether the clinical response differs as a result of the rate of administration of HBO2 treatments. METHODS: Details of hyperbaric treatment courses of patients treated for radiation enteritis/proctitis (n = 65) and cystitis (n = 94) at a single institution were reviewed. Outcomes were compared with the total number of HBO2 treatments administered and also rate of treatment administration. RESULTS: Responses were similar for both forms of STRN whether the patient averaged fewer or greater than 5 treatments per week, or even < or = 3 versus > or = 7 treatments weekly. Outcome did differ, however, dependant on the total number of treatments administered. Response was better in patients receiving 30 or more total treatments, as compared with fewer. CONCLUSIONS: Soft tissue radionecrosis of the gastrointestinal tract or bladder is (1) effectively treated with hyperbaric oxygen, (2) has a higher response rate if at least 30 treatments are administered, and (3) is equally responsive to rates of hyperbaric treatment ranging from 3 or fewer to 7 or more treatments per week.

Adenocarcinoma of the testicular adnexa presenting with metastatic disease.

Primary epididymal adenocarcinoma is a rare malignancy with fewer than 30 documented cases. We report a case of a 57-year-old patient with a paratesticular mass in the presence of retroperitoneal metastatic disease. Histology confirmed the presence of primary paratesticular adenocarcinoma. In this report we review the index case, the pertinent literature and discuss adjuvant therapy.

Comparison of complications after radical and partial nephrectomy: results from the National Veterans Administration Surgical Quality Improvement Program.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether radical nephrectomy causes less morbidity, less mortality and is associated with a shorter hospital stay than is partial nephrectomy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 1885 nephrectomies (1373 radical and 512 partial) conducted between 1991 and 1998 in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Surgical Quality Improvement Program were evaluated. Using multivariate analyses, outcomes were risk-adjusted based on 45 preoperative variables to compare mortality and morbidity rates. RESULTS: The unadjusted 30-day mortality was 2.0% for radical and 1.6% for partial nephrectomy (P = 0.58). Risk-adjusting the two groups did not result in a statistically significant difference in mortality. The 30-day overall morbidity rate was 15% for radical and 16.2% for partial nephrectomy (P = 0.52); risk-adjusted morbidity rates were not statistically different. There were no statistically significant differences in the rates of postoperative progressive renal failure, acute renal failure, urinary tract infection, prolonged ileus, transfusion requirement, deep wound infection, or extended length of stay. CONCLUSIONS: Partial nephrectomy carried out in the VA program has low morbidity and mortality rates, comparable with the complication rates after radical nephrectomy.

Fournier's gangrene in a modern surgical setting: improved survival with aggressive management.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the outcome of 23 consecutive patients with Fournier's gangrene. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients' charts were reviewed retrospectively from all those treated for Fournier's gangrene between July 1994 and July 1997 at the UCLA affiliated hospitals. RESULTS: Twenty-three patients were identified (mean age 51.7 years, range 13-71). The aetiologies included perirectal abscess (43%), urethral stricture (30%), scrotal abscess (21%) and unknown (4%). Predisposing factors included diabetes mellitus (43%), steroids or chemotherapy (21%), alcohol abuse (43%), malignancy (26%) and radiation therapy (9%). All 23 patients initially received wide debridement and placement of a percutaneous suprapubic tube. At the time of the first surgery, total scrotectomy was required in all, colostomy in 17% and penectomy in 4%. An additional 35% required eventual colostomy and an additional 9% required a penectomy. Patients underwent repeat debridement a mean of 2.5 times; the overall survival was 96%. CONCLUSION: Survival can be improved in patients with Fournier's gangrene by combining aggressive surgical and medical management. The keys to successful outcome included a high index of suspicion, prompt fluid resuscitation, rapid initiation of broad-spectrum antibiotics, a multidisciplinary approach, early surgical intervention with radical debridement, haemodynamic support in an intensive care setting, and frequent repeat operative debridement.

Recognition of prostate-specific antigenic peptide determinants by human CD4 and CD8 T cells.

It is now becoming accepted that one is not tolerant to all the determinants of self proteins: the T cell repertoire directed to some sequences in self proteins is intact and can be activated. When a self protein is exclusively expressed by tumour cells, the T cell repertoire directed to the particular self antigen can potentially be activated to attack the tumour: this would amount to induction of a beneficial autoimmune response. Prostate cancer offers a unique opportunity for activation of a tumour-specific immune response owing to the exclusive synthesis of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSM) by prostatic tissue and prostate tumour cells. In this study we examine the CD4 and CD8 T cell repertoires specific for peptides of PSA and PSM in normal human male individuals, using short-term, peptide antigen-driven CD4 and CD8 T cell lines. We show that short-term, CD4 T cell lines derived from six HLA-DR4 individuals showed strong proliferative responses to six of 10 tested peptides of PSA, selected as to contain a DR4 binding motif. Short-term, CD8 T cell lines from three HLA-A1 individuals showed specific cytolytic activity for autologous targets loaded with five of five tested peptides of PSA and PSM, selected to possess an HLA-A1 binding motif. One of the peptides chosen is termed a 'dual-motif' peptide, as it encodes determinants for both CD4 and CD8 T cells. These results, indicating the existence of CD4 and CD8 T cells against determinants of the self proteins, PSA and PSM, in healthy male individuals reveal the potential of the T cell repertoire from the typical prostate cancer patient to eradicate prostate tumours upon being appropriately activated.

Securing the loop--historic review of the methods used for creating a loop colostomy.

Loop transverse colostomy is a procedure that has been traditionally employed on a temporary basis for a number of indications, but, with improvement of intestinal suturing and stapling techniques, the applicability of this modality has become quite limited. This paper addresses the issue of securing the loop and traces the history of the development of this method to decompress the bowel, to divert the fecal stream, and to defunctionalize the distal colon.