Enseñanzas derivadas del estudio comparativo entre biopsia de masa renal y el análisis del espécimen quirúrgico / Lessons learned from the comparative study between renal mass biopsy and the analysis of the surgical specimen

Introducción: El papel de la biopsia de masa renal (MR) está actualmente en discusión. Ante el aumento progresivo en el diagnóstico incidental de MR (que tienen un mayor porcentaje de benignidad y cánceres bien diferenciados) surgen nuevos planteamientos como la observación, especialmente en pacientes añosos o con importante comorbilidad. La biopsia de la MR (BMR) debería proporcionar datos suficientes para tomar esa decisión, pero hasta ahora no ha sido así. Estudiamos nuestra serie prospectiva de BMR tomadas en banco tras la cirugía, comparándola con la anatomía de la pieza extirpada. Material y métodos: Se obtuvieron, prospectivamente y en banco, 4 biopsias con aguja 16 Gauge (G) de las MR operadas en nuestro servicio desde octubre de 2008 a diciembre de 2009. Estas fueron analizadas por 2 uropatólogos y comparadas con el resultado de la pieza.Resultados: Se analizaron 188 biopsias (47 MR): 12,75% «no validas». La capacidad de la biopsia para diagnosticar la malignidad o benignidad fue del 100%, y la coincidencia en el tipo histológico del 95%. El acierto en el grado tumoral fue del 100% si el tumor era de bajo grado y del 62% si era de alto grado. Ninguno de los datos estudiados (necrosis, tamaño…) influyeron de manera estadísticamente significativa en los resultados. Conclusión: La BMR con aguja 16 G permite diferenciar entre malignidad y benignidad en 100% de los casos, con una exactitud diagnóstica en el tipo tumoral muy similar. El grado tumoral sigue siendo la asignatura pendiente de la BMR

Introduction: The role of renal mass (RM) biopsy is currently under discussion. As a result of the progressive increase in the incidental diagnosis of RMs (which have a higher percentage of benignity and well-differentiated cancers), new approaches have emerged such as observation, especially with elderly patients or those with significant comorbidity. RM biopsy (RMB) should provide sufficient information for making this decision, but so far this has not been the case. We examine our prospective series of in-bench RMBs after surgery and compare them with the anatomy of the removed specimen. Material and methods: We obtained (prospectively, in-bench and with a 16-gauge needle) 4 biopsies of RMs operated on in our department from October 2008 to December 2009. These RMs were analyzed by 2 uropathologists and compared with the results of the specimen. Results: We analyzed 188 biopsies (47 RMs); 12.75% were «not valid». The ability of biopsy to diagnose malignancy or benignity was 100%, and the coincidence in the histological type was 95%. The success in determining the tumor grade was 100% when the cancer was low-grade and 62% when high-grade. None of the analyzed data (necrosis, size, etc.) influenced the results in a statistically significant manner. Conclusion: RMB with a 16-G needle enables the differentiation between malignancy and benignity in 100% of cases, with a very similar diagnostic accuracy in the tumor type. Tumor grade is still the pending issue with renal mass biopsy

Lessons learned from the comparative study between renal mass biopsy and the analysis of the surgical specimen.

INTRODUCTION: The role of renal mass (RM) biopsy is currently under discussion. As a result of the progressive increase in the incidental diagnosis of RMs (which have a higher percentage of benignity and well-differentiated cancers), new approaches have emerged such as observation, especially with elderly patients or those with significant comorbidity. RM biopsy (RMB) should provide sufficient information for making this decision, but so far this has not been the case. We examine our prospective series of in-bench RMBs after surgery and compare them with the anatomy of the removed specimen. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We obtained (prospectively, in-bench and with a 16-gauge needle) 4 biopsies of RMs operated on in our department from October 2008 to December 2009. These RMs were analyzed by 2 uropathologists and compared with the results of the specimen. RESULTS: We analyzed 188 biopsies (47 RMs); 12.75% were "not valid". The ability of biopsy to diagnose malignancy or benignity was 100%, and the coincidence in the histological type was 95%. The success in determining the tumor grade was 100% when the cancer was low-grade and 62% when high-grade. None of the analyzed data (necrosis, size, etc.) influenced the results in a statistically significant manner. CONCLUSION: RMB with a 16-G needle enables the differentiation between malignancy and benignity in 100% of cases, with a very similar diagnostic accuracy in the tumor type. Tumor grade is still the pending issue with renal mass biopsy.

Hematemesis secundaria a alergia a proteínas de leche de vaca / Hematemesis induced by cow milk allergy

Introducción: La hematemesis es un proceso pocofrecuente en periodo de lactante, con diferentesetiologías como esofagitis por reflujo, ingesta deAINES, etc. La hematemesis por gastritis alérgica aproteínas de la leche de vaca (GAPLV) es una entidadrara cuya frecuencia va en aumento.Material y métodos: Análisis retrospectivo de lascaracterísticas clínicas, hallazgos endoscópicos yevolución de los lactantes diagnosticados deGAPLV que debutaron con hematemesis.Resultados: Se estudian 7 pacientes (4 niñas),edad media 4,2 meses (2-6). 6 se diagnosticaron enel periodo oct/04-nov/05. Todos referían historia devómitos previa al diagnóstico. El tiempo medio entrela introducción de la fórmula de inicio y el episodiode hematemesis fue de 9 semanas (4-15). Al diagnóstico5 pacientes tenían un peso inferior al paciente3. Se realizó endoscopia digestiva en todoslos niños observándose placas eritematosas en lamucosa gástrica en 5, con erosiones y petequias enlos otros 2. El examen histológico de la mucosamostró infiltrado inflamatorio mixto con aumento delnúmero de eosinófilos. El número de eosinófilos fueinferior a 20 por campo de gran aumento. El estudiode anticuerpos específicos frente a proteínas de lechede vaca (PLV) fue negativo en cinco y en dos seidentificó una sensibilización frente a caseína que senegativizó en la evolución. Ningún paciente presentabaeosinofilia periférica. La respuesta clínica a laexclusión de PLV y realimentación con hidrolizadoextenso de proteínas fue excelente, desapareciendola clínica y normalizándose la curva ponderal.Comentarios: En el diagnóstico diferencial de lahematemesis en el lactante debe valorarse la alergiaa proteínas de leche de vaca. La ausencia deespecificidad de las pruebas diagnósticas séricas yde los hallazgos endoscópicos hace que el diagnósticosea fundamentalmente clínico, con desapariciónde los síntomas tras la exclusión de las proteínas dela leche de vaca de la dieta

Background: Hematemesis is an uncommon entityin infant present several etiologies such as refluxesophagitis, gastritis due to NSAIDs,etc. Hematemesisinduced by cow milk allergy is rare, but increasingin the last years.Material and methods: Restrospectively clinicalcharts analysis endoscopic findings, histology andevolution of hematemesis due to cow’s milkallergy.Results: Seven infants were analized (4 girls). Sixof them were between October 2004 and November2005. The other one in 2000. All patients refered vomitingprevious hematemesis. Time after startingcow milk formulas and bloody vomiting was 9 weeks(4-15). At the time of diagnosis, five patients had lowweight (< 3th percentile). Upper gastrointestinal endoscopywas performed in all patiens showing areasof erythema in the gastric mucosa with erosion intwo infants. Histopathologic examination of biopsyspecimen revealed mixed inflammatory infiltrate withnumerous eosinophils. The number was < 20 perhigh-power field. Plasma measurement of cow milkspecific IgE was negative except in two children withsensibilitation to caseína, that disappear in evolution.Eosinophilia in hemogram was not observed.After diagnosis cow milk protein formula was excluded,replacing it with hidrolized formula. The result was total remission of symptoms and nutricional recovery.Comments: When realizing hematemesis differentialdiagnostic to infants, cow milk allergy must beconsidered. Laboratory test and endoscopic imagesare inespecific so the diagnosis relies on clinicalsuspicion and the cessation of symptoms after withdrawalof cow milk formula

Condrosarcoma laríngeo: controversias diagnosticoterapéuticas / Chondrosarcomas of the larynx: diagnostic and therapeutic controversies

Los condrosarcomas laríngeos son neoplasias poco frecuentes que suponen solamente un pequeño porcentaje de todos los tumores primarios de la laringe y que ha sido estimado en menos de un 2%. Con frecuencia, la clínica que presentan es anodina pese a su progresivo crecimiento hasta que la funcionalidad de la laringe se ve severamente comprometida. Esta neoplasia se caracteriza por una agresividad local variable y frecuentes metástasis, que comúnmente se localizan en pulmones y hueso, dependiendo del tipo histológico. Presentamos un caso de un condrosarcoma laríngeo agresivo con enfermedad metastásica exclusivamente cerebral como causa de muerte, hecho extremadamente infrecuente en estos tumores. Aportamos, además, una revisión de la literatura, analizando especialmente las controversias sobre el manejo de esta entidad

Chondrosarcomas of the larynx are rare neoplasms that account only for a very small percentage of all the primary laryngeal neoplasms that has been estimated in less than 2%. They often show initially with indolent symptoms despite their progressive growth until great compromise ofthe laryngeal function is produced. This neoplasm is characterised by a variable local aggressive behaviour and frequent of distant metastasis, that are commonly located in lungs and bone, deppending on the hystologic grade. A case of an aggressive laryngeal chondrosarcoma with exclusive brain metastasic disease as cause of death, a very uncommon event in these neoplasms, is reported. We also provide a review ofthe literature focusing on the controversies about the management of tlIis condition

[Chondrosarcomas of the larynx: diagnostic and therapeutic controversies]. / Condrosarcoma laríngeo: controversias diagnosticoterapéuticas.

Chondrosarcomas of the larynx are rare neoplasms that account only for a very small percentage of all the primary laryngeal neoplasms that has been estimated in less than 2%. They often show initially with indolent symptoms despite their progressive growth until great compromise of the laryngeal function is produced. This neoplasm is characterised by a variable local aggressive behaviour and frequent of distant metastasis, that are commonly located in lungs and bone, deppending on the hystologic grade. A case of an aggressive laryngeal chondrosarcoma with exclusive brain metastasic disease as cause of death, a very uncommon event in these neoplasms, is reported. We also provide a review of the literature focusing on the controversies about the management of this condition.

Chest wall hamartoma. Report of two cases with secondary aneurysmal bone cysts.

Chest wall hamartoma is a rare non-neoplastic benign lesion occurring in the neonatal period with particular clinical, radiological and pathological features. Histologically, it is composed of a mixture of bone trabeculae with spindle-cell stroma, chondroblast-like cells, and mature and immature hyaline cartilage. Aneurysmal bone cyst is a benign lesion that may arise secondary to several bone processes, such as giant cell tumor, chondrosarcoma, non-ossifying fibroma or osteosarcoma. We present two new cases of chest wall hamartoma with secondary aneurysmatic bone cyst formation studied with histological and immunocytochemical methods.

Pérdida del injerto en trasplante hepático. Estudio anatomoclínico de 131 injertos fracasados en la primera década (1986-1996) del programa del hospital 12 de octubre / Graft loss in liver transplantation: pathological and clinical study of 131 graft failures during the first decade (1986-1996) of the liver transplant program at Hospital 12 de Octubre

Introducción. Existen diversas complicaciones que pueden conducir a la pérdida del injerto hepático (por retrasplante o fallecimiento). Los objetivos del presente trabajo son conocer las complicaciones morfológicas que se desarrollan en estos injertos fracasados y determinar cuáles son las causas de fracaso más relevantes en esta terapéutica. Pacientes y métodos. En el Hospital 12 de Octubre (Madrid) se realizaron 494 trasplantes hepáticos entre 1986 y 1996. Su indicación más frecuente fue la cirrosis (criptogénica, alcohólica y por hepatitis C). En 61 pacientes se indicó retrasplante. En 22 se realizó un segundo retrasplante y en dos un tercer retrasplante. En 56 pacientes fallecidos (40 por ciento de los fallecimientos del programa) se realizó autopsia. Un total de 131 injertos fracasados (75 obtenidos en el retrasplante y 56 tras autopsia) fueron estudiados morfológicamente de forma protocolizada. Las causas de fracaso fueron establecidas tras la oportuna correlación anatomoclínica. Resultados. En 109 injertos las lesiones hepáticas explicaban su fracaso. El rechazo crónico (31 por ciento), las alteraciones circulatorias (31 por ciento) y el fallo primario (16 por ciento) fueron las causas hepáticas de fracaso más frecuentes. Las alteraciones circulatorias fueron infartos, necrosis isquémicas parenquimatosas zonales y/o colangitis isquémicas, no siempre asociadas a lesiones vasculares del injerto. En los injertos con fallo primario se observaron lesiones isquémicas parenquimatosas con algunas características similares a las de los injertos con alteraciones circulatorias. La causa más común de muerte fue la sepsis (46 por ciento), frecuentemente asociada a alteraciones circulatorias. La causa más frecuente de retrasplante fue el rechazo crónico (40 por ciento; 75 = 100 por ciento), seguido de las alteraciones circulatorias (27 por ciento) y del fallo primario (21 por ciento). Sin embargo, la incidencia de rechazo crónico decreció de manera muy notable en el segundo lustro de la década estudiada, cediendo su puesto a las alteraciones circulatorias como primera causa de fracaso. Conclusiones. Tras el descenso del rechazo crónico del injerto como causa de su fracaso, se requiere mejorar el control de los factores favorecedores de cualquier forma de isquemia en el injerto para continuar reduciendo el número de injertos fracasados (AU)

Hilar biliary cysts in hepatic transplantation. Report of three symptomatic cases and occurrence in resected liver grafts.

Hilar cysts are infrequent post-transplant biliary tract complications. Thirteen cases were discovered among 493 consecutive liver transplants (2.6%). Three (0.60%) were symptomatic (obstructive jaundice) while the other ten were found by systematically searching in the hilum in a series of 129 consecutive, resected grafts at retransplantation or autopsy (n = 54). Two types of cysts were detected: in eight grafts (1.6%), these were blind unilocular cavities with viscid mucous content, located adjacent to the biliary tract anastomoses. These had been inadvertently created as a result of the sequestered remnant cystic duct after cholecystectomies and biliary tract reconstructions, where a double-barreled common duct and long cystic duct had been present in the donor liver. These mucoceles ranged from 0.5 to 5.5 cm in diameter (median 1.7 cm). The three symptomatic cases were diagnosed by imaging techniques 3.5 years after transplantation; however, this type of cyst was found as early as the 2nd month post-transplantation when detected in lost liver grafts. Five livers (1%), lost between 5 months and 2.8 years post-transplantation, showed cystically dilated peribiliary glands, sometimes with multilocular, and occasionally multiple, cavities ranging from 0.5 to 2 cm in diameter (median 0.8 cm). This type of cyst was asymptomatic and located adjacent to the left, right, or common hepatic ducts. Threads were found near four cysts, suggesting that surgical injury may have been responsible for obstructing the neck of the glands. With the increasing number of long-term survivors of liver transplantation, unless preventive surgical methods are implemented, the number of symptomatic cysts of these origins can be expected to grow. Transplantation teams should, therefore, be aware of these potential causes of biliary tract complications.

A clinopathologic review of 8 liver graft primary nonfunctions.

In a group of 276 consecutive liver transplants 8 primary graft nonfunctions were identified (2.9%). Recipients showed a progressive elevation of transferases (mean maximum value ALT: 5000 +/- 1892 U/l) and bilirubin (mean maximum value: 20 +/- 11.8 mg/dl) and a decrease in the percent prothrombin time (mean minimum value 26 +/- 13 min.) in the post-implantation survival time of the 8 grafts (range 1-5 days). No statistically significant differences were observed between mean cold and warm-ischemia times for these 8 donor organs and those of a control group of 92 consecutive grafts. All organs except one were ABO isogroup and all except another one displayed negative lymphocytotoxic crossmatch. Predominantly small-droplet hepatocytic vacuolization with no nuclear displacement was observed in plastic-embedded semithin sections of all post-primary nonfunction liver tissues (severe in 4 grafts, centri-mediozonal in 2, and centrolobular in 2). In 3 cases where fresh liver tissue was available the lipidic nature of the vacuoles was confirmed with electron microscopy and with frozen sections stained with Sudan III. Other microscopic lesions were also observed: spotty monocellular coagulative necroses, variable extension of zonal coagulative necroses and hemorrhages, cholestasis and minor mixed inflammatory infiltrate. Comparative microscopic study of these tissues with the protocol biopsy specimens obtained 2-4 hours after reperfusion demonstrated previous liver cell-vacuolization in only 3 cases. In conclusion, an acute progressive microvascular steatosis developed in this primary nonfunction series. No specific etiopathogenic factors were identified.

Gastrointestinal autonomic nerve tumours and their separation from other gastrointestinal stromal tumours: an ultrastructural and immunohistochemical study of seven cases.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) represent a heterogeneous group whose classification frequently requires ultrastructural and immunohistochemical studies. In a retrospective study of the ultrastructural findings of 24 gastrointestinal stromal tumours, whose light microscopic study has yielded ambiguous results and in which accurate diagnosis had required ultrastructural support, seven were found to have the characteristics of gastrointestinal autonomic nerve (GAN) tumours. In all of them the diagnosis was based on the presence of dendritic processes with dense neuroendocrine granules. Immunohistochemically, the seven tumours were negative for smooth-muscle markers. All stained positively for vimentin. NSE, chromogranin, and synaptophysin were positive in most of them, while S-100 protein was positive only in two cases. We present the ultrastructural and immunohistochemical features of seven GANT against the background of the GISTs of our series. We conclude that GAN tumours cannot be diagnosed by light microscopy alone but this tumour group displays characteristic electron microscopic and immunohistochemical features and appears to represent a distinct type of GIST.

Primary mucinous cystadenocarcinoma of the retroperitoneum. Report of a case and literature review.

Primary retroperitoneal mucinous cystadenocarcinoma (PRMC) is a rare tumour, similar to its ovarian counterpart but without any evidence of ovarian, pancreatic or another extra-retroperitoneal origin. Histogenesis of this neoplasm remains uncertain. Mucinous or coelomic metaplasia of retroperitoneal mesothelium has been recently proposed as its origin. In a 43-year-old woman with a 15-cm cystic lesion in the right retroperitoneum mucinous cystadenocarcinoma was diagnosed, and no primary tumour was identified. Two peritoneal endometriotic foci were found on further surgery. We suggest a common histogenesis for PRMC and these endometriotic foci.

Amputation neuroma of the hepatic hilum after orthotopic liver transplantation.

Amputation neuromas following biliary surgery have been previously reported. There are no descriptions, however, of amputation neuroma following liver transplantation. Serial hilum sections taken from 93 hepatectomy specimens obtained during the clinical course of 262 consecutive orthotopic liver transplantations revealed 26 amputation neuromas (27.9% of the specimens examined). The finding was confirmed by immunohistochemistry with numerous S-100 protein positive cells intermingled with neurofilaments interrupting the perineurial layer of cells testing positive for epithelial membrane antigen. Neuromas were found in liver specimens obtained between 89 and 775 days post-transplant (mean time, 211 days). The incidence of neuroma was higher in specimens resected more than 3 months post-transplant. There was only one symptomatic patient, who died from extrahepatic cholestasis demonstrated at autopsy to be caused by a hilar neuroma obstructing the main bile duct.