Management of primary and renal hyperparathyroidism: guidelines from the German Association of Endocrine Surgeons (CAEK).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The purpose of this review is to provide updated recommendations for the surgical management of primary (pHPT) and renal (rHPT) hyperparathyroidism, formulating a new guideline of the German Association of Endocrine Surgeons (CAEK). METHODS: Evidence-based recommendations for the diagnosis and therapy of pHPT and rHPT were assessed by a multidisciplinary panel using PubMed for a comprehensive literature search together with a structured consensus dialogue (S2k guideline of the Association of the German Scientific Medical Societies, AWMF). RESULTS: During the last 20 years, a variety of new preoperative localization procedures, such as sestamibi-SPECT, 4D-CT, and various PET/CT procedures, were established for pHPT. High-resolution imaging, together with intraoperative parathyroid hormone (IOPTH) measurement, enabled focused or minimally invasive surgery to become the most favored surgical technique. Patients with pHPT and nonlocalizing imaging have a higher risk of multiglandular disease. Surgical therapy provides very high cure rates, with a clear relation to the surgeon's experience in parathyroid procedures. Reoperative parathyroidectomy, children with pHPT or familial forms, and parathyroid carcinoma are addressed and require special surgical expertise. A multidisciplinary team of experienced nephrologists, transplant, and endocrine surgeons should assess the diagnosis and treatment of renal HPT. CONCLUSION: Surgery is the only curative treatment for pHPT and should be considered for all patients with pHPT. For rHPT, a more selective approach is required, and parathyroidectomy is indicated only when conservative treatment options fail. In parathyroid carcinoma, the adequacy of local resection influences local disease control.

Laparoscopic treatment of a rare right diaphragmatic rupture with small bowel herniation after blunt thoracic trauma.

Blunt traumatic diaphragmatic rupture (BTDR) is a life-threatening condition with an incidence from 0,8%-1,6% in blunt trauma, mostly located on the left side. The main prognostic factors are severe side injuries and the delay of diagnosis. We present a rare case of a 68-year-old female, with an isolated right diaphragm rupture. The diagnosis was done with a delay of 4 days by thoracic radiographs, which showed a herniation of small bowel into the right thoracic cavity. A reposition of the small bowel and a closure of the diaphragmatic defect by running suture were carried out laparoscopicly. Although large prospective studies concerning the outcome of laparoscopic approach to right BTDR are still missing, we could show, that laparoscopy can be performed safely in right traumatic diaphragm rupture.

Presymptomatic thyroidectomy in multiple endocrine neoplasia 2a.

AIMS: To evaluate the value of prophylactic total thyroidectomy in multiple endocrine neoplasia 2a (MEN 2a), based on results of genetic testing, in a presymptomatic early stage of the disease. METHODS: Fourteen presymptomatic patients genetically diagnosed and surgically treated at our centre. We analysed age, gender, location of the RET mutation, calcitonin tests, surgery, histologic findings, TNM classification, and postoperative follow-up. RESULTS: The 14 patients belonged to two families with MTC (MEN 2a). Median age was 16 years. The RET mutation was located in codon 618 and 634. Basal calcitonin (CT) levels were normal in all patients. Twelve had pathologic peak CT measurements. Total thyroidectomy was performed in all and associated central neck dissection in 12 patients. Pathohistologic assessment showed C-cell hyperplasia in all specimens and 11 MTCs; the median size of the tumours was 0.2 cm; two patient had lymph-node metastases. According to TNM, three had stage 0, nine had stage I, one had stage II, and one had stage III disease. Postsurgery basal and peak CT values were normal in all but one patients, indicating a biochemical curative rate of 95%. Calcitonin determination did not distinguish between MTC and C-cell hyperplasia. CONCLUSION: Prophylactic thyroidectomy based on genetic testing allows identification and treatment of patients at an early stage of the disease. Pathologic peak CT values are markers for the presence of microscopic MTC and should be considered in selecting operative procedures for these patients.

Ischemic preconditioning attenuates portal venous plasma concentrations of purines following warm liver ischemia in man.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Degradation of adenine nucleotides to adenosine has been suggested to play a critical role in ischemic preconditioning (IPC). Thus, we questioned in patients undergoing partial hepatectomy whether (i) IPC will increase plasma purine catabolites and whether (ii) formation of purines in response to vascular clamping (Pringle maneuver) can be attenuated by prior IPC. METHODS: 75 patients were randomly assigned to three groups: group I underwent hepatectomy without vascular clamping; group II was subjected to the Pringle maneuver during resection, and group III was preconditioned (10 min ischemia and 10 min reperfusion) prior to the Pringle maneuver for resection. Central, portal venous and arterial plasma concentrations of adenosine, inosine, hypoxanthine and xanthine were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: Duration of the Pringle maneuver did not differ between patients with or without IPC. Surgery without vascular clamping had only a minor effect on plasma purine concentrations. After IPC, plasma concentrations of purines transiently increased. After the Pringle maneuver alone, purine plasma concentrations were most increased. This strong rise in plasma purines caused by the Pringle maneuver, however, was significantly attenuated by IPC. When portal venous minus arterial concentration difference was calculated for inosine or hypoxanthine, the respective differences became positive in patients subjected to the Pringle maneuver and were completely prevented by preconditioning. CONCLUSION: These data demonstrate that (i) IPC increases formation of adenosine, and that (ii) the unwanted degradation of adenine nucleotides to purines caused by the Pringle maneuver can be attenuated by IPC. Because IPC also induces a decrease of portal venous minus arterial purine plasma concentration differences, IPC might possibly decrease disturbances in the energy metabolism in the intestine as well.

[Dissection techniques in liver surgery]. / Dissektionstechniken in der Leberchirurgie.

The first liver resection was performed in 1888. Since then a wide variety of dissection techniques have been introduced. The blunt dissection was replaced by novel methods, i.e. the CUSA technique and the Jet Cutter for major liver resections. These methods represent selective dissection techniques; whereas non-selective methods include the scalpel, scissors, linear stapling cutter, high-frequency coagulation, and the laser technique. The aim of this review article is the comparison of the different resection techniques in liver surgery, focussing on blood loss and resection time.