A prospective study of acute admissions in a surgical unit due to diverticular disease.

INTRODUCTION: Considerable controversy exists in the surgical literature on the most appropriate treatment modality for patients with recurrent diverticular disease. We aim to assess the clinical outcome of acute surgical admissions with diverticular disease, and in particular patients with recurrent admissions. METHODS: 100 consecutive emergency admissions with suspected diverticular disease were prospectively recruited from November 1, 2002 to May 31, 2004. RESULTS: The majority of the patients were female (64%) and the median age was 74 (45-97) years. The follow-up period was up to 30 months. Four patients with tumour and polyps as definitive diagnosis were excluded from further analysis. Fifty-four patients had a known history of diverticular disease with a median duration of 4 (range 1-40) years; 44 of them had 1-7 previous emergency admissions (median 2). Acute diverticulitis (42%) and acute rectal bleeding (23%) were the commonest presentations. Patients with complicated diverticulitis requiring an emergency operation had a median C-reactive protein of 281 mg/l compared to 58 mg/l in the conservatively treated patients with acute diverticulitis (Mann-Whitney U test, Z -3.943, p<0.001). Nine of 14 patients operated had at least two previous admissions with complications of diverticular disease. Emergency operative treatment was associated with prolonged hospital stay (21 vs. 5 days; Mann-Whitney U test, Z -4.367, p<0.001), increased morbidity and postoperative mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Symptomatic diverticular disease is associated with recurrent emergency admissions. The majority of patients who required emergency laparotomy had previous recurrent emergency admissions, which was associated with increased morbidity and prolonged hospital stay.

Use of an interactive web-based questionnaire to evaluate a breast cancer website.

OBJECTIVES: Health-related information should be tailored to patients' needs and requirements. Interactive features are required to allow refinement of information and feedback. METHODS: A voluntary questionnaire was set up at to allow feedback from patients and website visitors. RESULTS: A total of 1089 questionnaires were completed between Aug 2000 and Oct 2001. 77% (n = 799) had used the Internet previously to look up health-related information. With regard to the reasons visiting the site, 51% (n = 351) women indicated a recent breast problem while 26% (n = 267) had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. The most popular information types were benign disease (64%), malignant disease (62%) information on the current research field (67%), a discussion group (57%), operation details (53%), online consultations (62%), and the location of local clinics (57%). CONCLUSIONS: An interactive feedback questionnaire is a useful way to ensure that health-related internet sites are tailored to their users' needs.

Thymidine phosphorylase expression and stromal vascularity in ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast.

AIMS: Periductal angiogenesis in ductal carcinoma in situ is associated with an increased risk of subsequently developing a recurrence. This study aimed to (1) identify the relation between periductal and stromal vascularity and recurrence and (2) determine whether thymidine phosphorylase (TP) is associated with angiogenesis or recurrence in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). METHODS: Twenty cases of DCIS that did not subsequently recur, 20 that developed a subsequent in situ recurrence, and 12 that developed a subsequent invasive recurrence were investigated. Periductal and stromal (hotspot) microvessel density were determined quantitatively using antibodies to CD34 and von Willebrandt factor (vWF). TP expression by DCIS was assessed semiquantitatively using the H score method. RESULTS: Stromal and periductal microvessel density assessed by anti-vWF gave similar mean values, and showed a strong positive correlation. When angiogenesis was assessed with anti-CD34 this association was lost. Not only were the mean values for both types of microvessel density higher than those obtained with anti-vWF, but the periductal microvessel density was significantly greater than the stromal microvessel density. TP expression was associated with stromal microvessel density assessed with anti-vWF, but not with anti-CD34. TP expression was not related to recurrence. No significant difference was identified in TP expression or stromal vascularity in DCIS between cases that recurred as DCIS and those that recurred as invasive carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: Recurrent in situ or invasive disease after excision of DCIS does not appear to be related to stromal microvessel density or to TP expression by DCIS cells.

Vascular density and phenotype around ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast.

Up to 50% of recurrences of ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast are associated with invasive carcinoma but no pathological or molecular features have yet been found to predict for the development of invasive disease. For a tumour to invade, it requires the formation of new blood vessels. Previous studies have described a vascular rim around ducts involved by ductal carcinoma in situ, raising the possibility that the characteristics of periductal vascularisation may be important in determining transformation from in situ to invasive disease. Periductal vascular density and phenotype were determined using morphometry and a panel of anti-endothelial antibodies (von Willebrand factor, CD31, CD141 and CD34) and related to the presence of invasive carcinoma and other histological features. Compared to normal lobules, pure ductal carcinoma in situ exhibited a greater density of CD34+ and CD31+ vessels but a decrease in those that were immunopositive for vWF, indicating a difference in phenotype and in density. Ductal carcinoma in situ associated with invasive carcinoma showed a profile of vascular immunostaining similar to that of pure ductal carcinoma in situ but there were significantly greater numbers of CD34+ and CD141+ vessels and fewer staining for vWF. There was a significant negative correlation between vascular density and both the cross-sectional areas of the ducts involved and the extent of the necrosis of the tumour they contained. A correlation between vascular density and nuclear grade was also noted, being highest in the intermediate grade. The greater density of CD34+ and CD141+ vessels around ductal carcinoma in situ associated with invasive carcinoma could reflect a greater predisposition to invade but a direct effect of co-existent invasive carcinoma cannot entirely be ruled out in the present study. The relationship between vascular density, grade, duct size and nuclear grade suggests that periductal angiogenesis increases with tumour growth rate but is unable to keep pace with the most rapidly growing lesions.

Effectiveness of surveillance of infrainguinal grafts.

OBJECTIVE: To audit the surveillance programme of infrainguinal vein graft in a tertiary vascular unit, and find out how effective it was in preventing occlusion of grafts. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Teaching hospital, Scotland. SUBJECTS: 59 consecutive patients who had 61 vein grafts between 1996 and 1998 for critical limb ischaemia. INTERVENTIONS: Grafts scanned at 3-monthly intervals for at least a year, and clinical review. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Survival with an intact limb and patency of the graft. RESULTS: 52 of the 59 patients (90%) were alive at the time of follow up, and 55 of the 61 involved limbs (90%) were intact. Median follow up was 660 days (range 180-1995). 23 stenoses were detected by the surveillance programme. 17 grafts were revised, all of which were patent at follow up, and 8 other grafts occluded requiring 6 major amputations. One-year cumulative primary, primary-assisted, and secondary patency, and limb salvage rates were 63%, 88%, 88%, and 90% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Surveillance of infrainguinal grafts by duplex scanning is effective and has resulted in high rates of limb salvage and secondary patency in patients who presented with critical ischaemia.

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting of coeliac artery stenosis in the treatment of mesenteric angina: a case report and review of therapeutic options.

We report the case of a 72-year-old gentleman with mesenteric angina who was successfully treated with stenting of a coeliac artery stenosis using a Palmaz stent, and review the therapeutic options in the management of mesenteric angina.