From adjustable gastric banding to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass - case report.

INTRODUCTION: Adjustable gastric banding (AGB) used to be a popular bariatric procedure. However, it fails in more than half of those operated on in the long term, becomes ineffective and must be removed. Therefore, the use of AGB has been in decline globally. Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) are the most used bariatric revision surgeries when AGB is removed. CASE REPORT: We present the case of a woman after AGB removal and conversion to SG who developed a stenosis of the sleeve. Therefore, a decision was made to convert to RYGB with a good effect. CONCLUSION: Revisional procedures are more technically challenging than primary procedures and have higher complication rates. The most performed revisional operations include SG and RYGB. Stenosis of the sleeve can occur after SG, with a negative impact on the patient's nutritional status and quality of life. This can be managed by endoscopic dilatation, and where this solution proves ineffective, RYGB can be indicated.

Sleeve gastrectomy - still popular bariatric method.

INTRODUCTION: Obesity is currently the most common multifactorial disease affecting almost all social strata of the population. Conservative therapy of obesity usually succeeds in reducing excess weight by an average of 10-15%. After surgical treatment of severe obesity (bariatric surgery), the average decrease in excess weight is several times greater and, in most cases, has a long-term positive effect on the overall clinical condition of the patients. METHODS: Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) is the most used bariatric method of treating severe obesity today. The principle of SG is a vertical resection of a major portion of the gastric greater curvature. After the resection, the residual stomach has the shape of a sleeve with a remaining volume of about 120-150 ml. The effect of the method is both restrictive and hormonal, because after SG, the plasma level of active ghrelin decreases in the long term, among other things. CONCLUSION: Obesity is considered one of the most serious global health problems today. In 2018 a total of 696,191 bariatric procedures were performed worldwide. Sleeve gastrectomy was originally used in high-risk severely obese patients as the first stage of a duodenal switch (DS) or gastric bypass. Since 2003, this method has been used independently because for most of the patients, SG had a sufficient effect on weight reduction and improvement of comorbidities, and that is why since 2015, SG has become the most frequently used bariatric method.

Ten years of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy at the Military University Hospital in Prague.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to evaluate a group of bariatric patients operated at the Military University Hospital in Prague during the last 10 years (20112020), in whom laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy was performed. METHODS: Retrospective survey of the internal operation database. The search used the following combination of keywords: “sleeve“, “LSG“ and the diagnosis “E6*“. A total of 279 operated patients were enrolled. We evaluated the sex, age at the time of surgery, complications, need for drainage, weight, BMI, presence of type two diabetes mellitus and any effect of the surgery on its improvement, length of hospital stay, follow-up duration and % excess weight loss. RESULTS: A total of 279 patients, including 195 women and 84 men, underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in the period of 10 years. The mean age was 44.46 years. The average operating time was 111 minutes. The mean BMI of the patients before surgery was 42.24 and the weight was 123.4 kg. The mean BMI one year after the surgery corresponded to a decrease of approximately 10 and the mean weight of 93.8 kg. Rather severe acute postoperative complications occurred in 2.87% patients. An improvement or complete cure of type two diabetes mellitus was observed in 57.8% patients. CONCLUSION: Currently, laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is the most common bariatric operation at the Military University Hospital in Prague. This study demonstrates a satisfactory effect of bariatric surgery in terms of long-term significant weight loss and an improvement or even cure of associated diseases such as type two diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension and others.

SADIS Single anastomosis duodeno-ileal bypass with sleeve gastrectomy as a second step after sleeve gastrectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) is the most popular bariatric method at present. In case of unsatisfactory effect of the SG, i.e. in case of insufficient weight loss, improving or threatening diabetes or metabolic syndrome or regain of weight, bariatry offers a second possible step. One of the possible methods is biliopancreatic diversion type SADIS (BPD/SADIS). METHOD: Between the years 2009 and 2017, 327 morbidly obese patients underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy at our surgical department. Between mid-2011 to the end of 2017, 37 (11.3 %) patients after SG with unsatisfactory effect on diabetes or on metabolic syndrome or in case of weight regain in 23.7 (1548) months after the SG underwent the second step - BPD/SADIS. The weight loss, change of the BMI and level of the HbA1c were evaluated during two years after procedure. RESULTS: 31 (83.7 %) patients were evaluated, the others were rejected due to an incomplete follow-up (FU) or a short time elapsed since the procedure. Two years after the SADIS, the average %EBMIL was 47.1 (41.552.7) %, average %EWL was 73.9 (65.183.7) %, average final BMI was 29.4 (24.6-38.2) kg/m2, which means average decrease of the BMI was 9.3 (2.914.1) kg/m2. Average level of the HbA1c was 37.9 (2842) mmol/mol, type 2 diabetes was cured in 20 (64.5 %) cases. CONCLUSION: Biliopancreatic diversion type SADIS offers a satisfactory weight loss effect as well as an improvement of the metabolic syndrome in morbidly obese patients after SG with unsatisfactory result. In comparison with the classic BPD/DS, SADIS is a technically easier method with lesser incidence of complications along with acceptable rate of malnutrition.

An alternatively activated macrophage marker CD163 in severely obese patients: the influence of very low-calorie diet and bariatric surgery.

CD163 is a marker of macrophages with anti-inflammatory properties and its soluble form (sCD163) is considered a prognostic predictor of several diseases including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We explored sCD163 levels at baseline and after very low-calorie diet (VLCD) or bariatric surgery in 32 patients with obesity (20 undergoing VLCD and 12 bariatric surgery), 32 obese patients with T2DM (22 undergoing VLCD and 10 bariatric surgery), and 19 control subjects. We also assessed the changes of CD163 positive cells of monocyte-macrophage lineage in peripheral blood and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) in subset of patients. Plasma sCD163 levels were increased in obese and T2DM subjects relative to control subjects (467.2+/-40.2 and 513.8+/-37.0 vs. 334.4+/-24.8 ng/ml, p=0.001) and decreased after both interventions. Obesity decreased percentage of CD163+CD14+ monocytes in peripheral blood compared to controls (78.9+/-1.48 vs. 86.2+/-1.31 %, p=0.003) and bariatric surgery decreased CD163+CD14+HLA-DR+ macrophages in SAT (19.4+/-2.32 vs. 11.3+/-0.90 %, p=0.004). Our data suggest that increased basal sCD163 levels are related to obesity and its metabolic complications. On the contrary, sCD163 or CD163 positive cell changes do not precisely reflect metabolic improvements after weight loss.

Plasma concentrations and subcutaneous adipose tissue mRNA expression of clusterin in obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus: the effect of short-term hyperinsulinemia, very-low-calorie diet and bariatric surgery.

Clusterin is a heterodimeric glycoprotein with wide range of functions. To further explore its possible regulatory role in energy homeostasis and in adipose tissue, we measured plasma clusterin and its mRNA expression in subcutaneous adipose tissue (SCAT) of 15 healthy lean women, 15 obese women (OB) and 15 obese women with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who underwent a 2-week very low-calorie diet (VLCD), 10 obese women without T2DM who underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) and 8 patients with T2DM, 8 patients with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and 8 normoglycemic patients who underwent hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp (HEC). VLCD decreased plasma clusterin in OB but not in T2DM patients while LSG and HEC had no effect. Clusterin mRNA expression in SCAT at baseline was increased in OB and T2DM patients compared with controls. Clusterin mRNA expression decreased 6 months after LSG and remained decreased 12 months after LSG. mRNA expression of clusterin was elevated at the end of HEC compared with baseline only in normoglycemic but not in IGT or T2DM patients. In summary, our data suggest a possible local regulatory role for clusterin in the adipose tissue rather than its systemic involvement in the regulation of energy homeostasis.

[10 years of sleeve gastrectomy in the Czech Republic in terms of the surgical procedure]. / 10 let sleeve gastrectomy - tubulizace zaludku v Ceské republice z hlediska operacního výkonu.

INTRODUCTION: Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) as a single bariatric/metabolic procedure has been performed since 2003 in the world, and since 2006 in the Czech Republic. We report 10 years experience with SG in the Czech Republic from 2006 to 2015. METHOD: Prospectively collected data from 14 surgical departments was evaluated retrospectively using descriptive statistics for every year from 2006 to 2015 and subsequently evaluated and compared for the entire period. The number of the patients, mean age, mean weight and BMI at the time of surgery, the number of patients with T2DM after SG, mean follow-up, mean %BMIL (% Body Mass Index Loss), distance of the starting point of the resection line from the pylorus, the size of the calibration bougie, the rate of complications, and the number and type of conversion procedures were evaluated. RESULTS: 4134 sleeve gastrectomies were done in the Czech Republic from 2006 to 2015 with the mean follow-up of 32.9 months (range 2145 months) from the procedure. The mean weight at the time of surgery fluctuated between 114.2 kg and 128.9 kg; mean BMI fluctuated between 42.3 and 46.7. Mean %BMIL was 63.2% for the entire evaluated period. The distance of the starting point of the resection line from the pylorus changed from the mean 6.1 cm (range 67 cm) to mean 4.2 cm (range 36 cm) and the size of the calibration bougie changed from the mean 39.2 F (range 3642 F) to mean 37.1 F (range 3542 F). As regards early postoperative complications, bleeding from the resection line occurred in 1.4% and a leak from the staple line occurred in 1.1%. The gastroesophageal reflux disease and hiatal hernia occurred in 17.3% as the most frequent late complications. Conversion to another bariatric procedure was approached in 3.8% in the event of an unsatisfactory effect of the SG. CONCLUSION: Bariatric or metabolic surgery, respectively, is a safe and effective surgical method for the treatment of severe obesity and T2DM in morbidly obese patients. Currently, SG is the most widely used bariatric/metabolic procedure in the Czech Republic as well as in most other countries and the long-time results are similar in comparison with other authors.Key words: bariatric surgery - sleeve gastrectomy - resection line - complications.

[Surgery of the hiatal hernia and gastroesophageal reflux dinase, Nissen or Toupet?]. / Chirurgie hiátové kýly a refluxní choroby jícnu, Nissen, nebo Toupet?

INTRODUCTION: In 2016 60 years will have elapsed from the first publication by Nissen about his surgical method of 360° fundoplication around distal esophagus and its final effect. Nissens fundoplication is currently the most common surgical method for the gastroesophageal reflux (GER) and hiatal hernia (HH) probably. Incidence of HH ranges between 25-50% in the western population. Current prevalence of GER ranges between 4-10% in Europe and 5-7% in North America, but some studies report even 10-20%. METHODS: From 2010 to 2015, 157 laparoscopic procedures for HH or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) were done at the Department of Surgery, the Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Central Military Hospital in Prague. Most of the patients were operated because of symptomatic HH with/without GERD. Only very few patients were operated only for GERD without HH. The group of the patients included 73 men and 84 women with the mean age 53.9 years in the range 20-88 years. 11 patients of the group were operated because of the upside-down stomach syndrome. 109 (69.4%) patients underwent Nissens 360° fundoplication (NFP) and 48 (30.6%) patients underwent Toupets 270° fundoplication (TFP). The patients were followed after 3 month, 6 month, 12 month and then once a year after the surgery. Symptoms such as heartburn, dysphagia, belching, bloating or recurrence of HH or GERD were collected prospectively and analyzed retrospectively. Methods of descriptive statistics and explorative unidirectional analysis were used. RESULTS: From 2010 to 2015, 157 laparoscopic procedures were done for HH or GERD. No death occurred in the group of the patients in connection with the surgery. Similar rates of considerable improvement or resolution of the symptoms such as the reflux, heartburn, and epigastric pain were observed after three months from the surgery among patients after NFP or TFP. Postoperative dysphagia resolved in 4-7 weeks in the group after NFP, and in 3-5 weeks in the group after TFP. Disease recurrence was observed in 36 (22.9%) patients in 2 to 5 years after the surgery. Recurrence of only the gastroesophageal reflux without HH was observed in 22 patients (14 after NFP; 8 after TFP), shown by endoscopy or x-ray assessment, with a satisfactory response to PPI medication. Laparoscopic rehiatoplasty and refundoplication according to Nissen were performed in 14 patients with HH recurrence with/without the reflux (8 after NFP; 6 after TFP). CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic antireflux surgery of GERD and HH is safe and is associated with very low perioperative morbidity and minimal morbidity. Both NFP and TFP have a similar effect on restoration of the mechanical gastroesophageal barrier against gastric reflux, with significant effect on resolution of GERD and HH symptoms and with a marked improvement of the patients quality of life. As regards morbid obese patients, weight reduction is needed before the surgery. Hiatoplasty done at the same time with the bariatric procedure is recommended in morbid obese patients with HH indicated for the bariatric-metabolic surgery.

[Urgent surgical treatment of gastric volvulus related to upside-down stomach syndrome]. / Urgentní chirurgické resení volvulu zaludku pri "upside-down stomach syndrome".

Upside-down stomach syndrome is a rare type of a large paraoesophageal hiatal hernia, which requires an immediate surgical treatment in case of incarceration. The authors present a case report of a 53-year-old male patient with gastric volvulus related to the upside-down stomach syndrome. Surgical treatment was complicated by an injury to distal oesophagus, which was successfully treated using a self-expandable metallic stent among other methods. Despite the complicated postoperative course with a necessity of reoperation, insertion of an oesophageal stent, thoracotomy for a mediastinal abscess and secondary healing of the laparotomy, the patient was discharged in a good condition with healed oesophageal perforation and laparotomy after 52 days.

Serum concentrations and subcutaneous adipose tissue mRNA expression of omentin in morbid obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus: the effect of very-low-calorie diet, physical activity and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.

Omentin is a novel adipokine with insulin-sensitizing effects expressed predominantly in visceral fat. We investigated serum omentin levels and its mRNA expression in subcutaneous adipose tissue (SCAT) of 11 women with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), 37 obese non-diabetic women (OB) and 26 healthy lean women (C) before and after various weight loss interventions: 2-week very-low-calorie diet (VLCD), 3-month regular exercise and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). At baseline, both T2DM and OB groups had decreased serum omentin concentrations compared with C group while omentin mRNA expression in SCAT did not significantly differ among the groups. Neither VLCD nor exercise significantly affected serum omentin concentrations and its mRNA expression in SCAT of OB or T2DM group. LSG significantly increased serum omentin levels in OB group. In contrast, omentin mRNA expression in SCAT was significantly reduced after LSG. Baseline fasting serum omentin levels in a combined group of the studied subjects (C, OB, T2DM) negatively correlated with BMI, CRP, insulin, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides and leptin and were positively related to HDL-cholesterol. Reduced circulating omentin levels could play a role in the etiopathogenesis of obesity and T2DM. The increase in circulating omentin levels and the decrease in omentin mRNA expression in SCAT of obese women after LSG might contribute to surgery-induced metabolic improvements and sustained reduction of body weight.

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy ameliorates mRNA expression of inflammation-related genes in subcutaneous adipose tissue but not in peripheral monocytes of obese patients.

Low-grade inflammation links obesity, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular diseases. We investigated the effects of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) on expression profile of genes involved in inflammatory pathways in subcutaneous adipose tissue (SCAT) and peripheral monocytes (PM). At baseline, obese group had significantly increased mRNA expression of proinflammatory chemokines (CCL-3, -17, -22), chemokine receptor CCR1 and cytokines (IL-10, IL-18) in SCAT and chemokine and other proinflammatory receptors (CCR-1, -2, -3, TLR-2, -4) in PM relative to control group. LSG decreased body weight, improved metabolic profile and reduced mRNA expression of up-regulated chemokine receptors, chemokines and cytokines in SCAT. In contrast, expression profiles in PM were largely unaffected by LSG. We conclude that LSG improved proinflammatory profile in subcutaneous fat but not in peripheral monocytes. The sustained proinflammatory and chemotactic profile in PM even 2 years after LSG may contribute to partial persistence of metabolic complications in obese patients after metabolic surgery.

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy differentially affects serum concentrations of FGF-19 and FGF-21 in morbidly obese subjects.

OBJECTIVE: Fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-19 and FGF-21 are novel metabolic regulators that improve insulin resistance and obesity in rodents. The aim of the study was to assess the effects of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) on serum concentrations of FGF-19 and FGF-21 along with circulating bile acids and other relevant hormonal and biochemical parameters. DESIGN AND METHODS: Seventeen females with obesity undergoing LSG and 15 lean healthy females were included into the study. Anthropometric and biochemical parameters, serum concentrations of FGF-19 and -21, insulin, adiponectin, leptin, C-reactive protein, resistin, amylin (total), ghrelin (active), glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1, active), glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP, total), peptide YY (PYY, total), pancreatic polypeptide (PP), and bile acids, and mRNA expression of selected adipokines and inflammatory markers in bioptic samples of subcutaneous fat were assessed at baseline and 6, 12, and 24 months after LSG. RESULTS: LSG markedly decreased body weight, BMI, waist circumference, and insulin levels and improved systemic inflammation and lipid levels. FGF-19 concentrations increased and FGF-21 concentrations decreased after LSG along with increased adiponectin and decreased leptin, amylin, and ghrelin levels. GLP-1, GIP, PP, and circulating bile acids were not affected by LSG. PYY decreased significantly 24 months after surgery only. mRNA expression analysis in subcutaneous fat showed markedly reduced proinflammatory state. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that increased FGF-19 and decreased ghrelin concentrations could have partially contributed to the improvement of systemic inflammation and some metabolic parameters after LSG, while changes of FGF-21 are rather secondary because of weight loss.

[Contemporary overview of the bariatric-metabolic surgery]. / Pohled na soucasnou bariatricko-metabolickou chirurgii.

INTRODUCTION: The increasing prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) worldwide may nowadays be regarded as a "twin" metabolic pandemic, causing the number of patients with the metabolic syndrome (MS) to rise rapidly. MS is a combination of several interrelated medical disorders such as obesity, T2DM, hypertension, dyslipidaemia etc. These conditions very frequently result in atherosclerosis, ischaemic heart disease, liver steatosis or even steatofibrosis. MS usually causes a significant worsening of the quality of life, often also leading to shortened life span. Bariatric, also referred to as metabolic (B-M), surgery currently represents a very powerful method for the treatment of morbid obesity and the metabolic syndrome. METHODS: Contemporary bariatric-metabolic surgery uses either restrictive or malabsorptive methods, or a combination thereof. The purely restrictive procedures may include for instance adjustable gastric banding (AGB), and more recently also vertical gastric greater curvature plication. According to some authors, the purely restrictive methods include sleeve gastrectomy (SG); this procedure, besides restriction and a faster emptying of the residual stomach, has been proven to involve a hormonal effect (decreased plasma ghrelin level). Methods such as biliopancreatic diversion by Scopinaro (BPD/S) or its duodenal switch modification (BPD/DS), are regarded as purely malabsorptive. The Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP), the most commonly used type of bypass surgery, represents a combination (restrictive-malabsorptive) method. RESULTS: According to Buchwald's meta-analysis, the total average weight loss after a B-M surgery was 38.5 kg, or 55.9% EBWL (Excess Body Weight Loss), regardless of the method and timing of the operation. Up to 2 years after the procedure, the average weight loss was 36.6 kg, or 53.8% EBWL, and more than 2 years after the procedure, the average weight loss was 41.2 kg, or 59% EBWL. T2DM was improved or resolved after the operation in 86.6% of cases. The best results of T2DM treatment were achieved after BPD/DS (95.1%). T2DM resolved after GBP in 80.3%, after SG in 75.8% and after AGB in 56.7% of obese diabetics. CONCLUSION: Treatment options for the metabolic syndrome include bariatric-metabolic surgery, preferably using the mini-invasive laparoscopic method. These procedures are indicated primarily in morbidly obese patients with BMI > 40 kg/m2 after conservative therapy failure, or patients with severe obesity (BMI > 35 kg/m2) associated with serious circulatory, metabolic or mobility complications. Moreover, surgical treatment of T2DM has been proven to be possible in the last decade.

[Czech bariatry in 2010]. / Ceská bariatrie v roce 2010.

INTRODUCTION: It is only during the past two decades, when obesity has become to be considered a pandemic disorder. However, in 1953 Varco performed jejunoileal bypass as the world's first bariatric surgical procedure. 30 years later, Pesková performed the first bariatric surgery--a gastroplasty--in Czechoslovakia. From 1984 she started to perform fixed gastric bandages, through laparotomic app- roach at that time. The first laparoscopic fixed bandage in Czechoslovakia was performed in 1993. Over the years, the number of surgical procedures to treat morbid obesity, as well as the number of bariatric surgeons, continued to increase. In 2004, Czech Bariatric Section of the Czech Surgical Society and the Czech Society of Obesitology of the Czech Medical Association of J. E. Purkyne, were established. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 170 bariatric surgeries were performed in the Czech Republic in 1999. The majority of procedures included fixed gastric bandage, rarely, adjustable bandage was performed. At that time, bariatric procedures were performed at five sites only. However, over the past 10 years, bariatric surgery has largely developed in the Czech Republic. The exact number of bariatric procedures completed per year was unknown, therefore, 21 surgical clinics, at which bariatric procedures are performed, were contacted from January to June 2010. Heads of the clinics were asked to provide basic data on surgical treatment of obesity. The aim of the study was to analyze the situation in bariatric surgery in the Czech Republic at the end of 2009. A total of 18 clinics (85.8%) joined the study and provided their own statistical data. 14 of them perform over 20 bariatric procedures a year. RESULTS: The analysis data showed that, in 2009, a total of 1558 bariatric procedures were completed at 18 surgical clinics and approximately 1600 procedures were performed in the whole Czech Republic. However, out of the total, over 230 patients were foreigners. In 99% of bariatric procedures in morbid obese subjects, laparoscopic approach was used. CONCLUSION: Over the ten year period, the number of clinics performing over 20 bariatric procedures a year increased from five to 14 clinics and the number of bariatric procedures increased from 170 to 1600 procedures a year. It is 900% increase, compared to the year 1999! Nevertheless, compared to other countries, e.g. Austria, the number of bariatric procedures does not correspond with prevalence rates of obesity in the Czech Republic.

The influence of obesity and different fat depots on adipose tissue gene expression and protein levels of cell adhesion molecules.

Increased circulating adhesion molecules in patients with obesity play an important role in the development of endothelial dysfunction/atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to assess the contribution of various fat depots to the production of adhesion molecules in obesity. 12 women with first and second degree of obesity, 13 women with third degree of obesity and 14 lean age-matched women were included into study. Circulating levels of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and E-selectin were measured by Luminex kits. mRNA expression of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, E-selectin, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and CD68 in subcutaneous (SAT) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) was measured by RT-PCR; ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 protein levels by Luminex kits, normalized to protein content. Obesity increased ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 mRNA expression and protein levels and CD68 mRNA expression in VAT. Expression of E-selectin and MCP-1 did not significantly differ between groups. Expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 positively correlated with expression of CD68 in both adipose depots. In VAT, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression and protein levels positively correlated with BMI. Obesity was associated with increased adhesion molecules mRNA expression and protein levels in VAT, but not in SAT. Increased adhesion molecules production in visceral fat may provide a novel direct link between visceral adiposity and increased risk of cardiovascular complications.

[Pheochromocytoma: diagnosis and treatment]. / Feochromocytom: diagnostika a lécba.

Pheochromocytoma (pheo) is adrenal or less frequently extraadrenal tumour of chromafine tissue. Pheos are rare, but cardiovascular and metabolic abnormalities are common. Unrecognised pheo may lead to fatal hypertensive crisis during anesthesia or other stresses. Proper diagnosis of pheo is thus of utmost importance. 24-h blood pressure (BP) monitoring may contribute to the diagnosis of pheo due to increased BP variability and absence of night BP decline. Pheo contains large amount of enzyme catechol-O-methyl transpherase (COMT) with subsequent excessive production of COMT metabolites like metanephrines. Measurement of plasma free metanephrines or urinary fraccionated metanephrines has usually higher sensivitivity and specificity compared with plasma or urinary catecholamines. Morphological diagnosis of adrenal/extraadrenal pheo is based on CT/MR visualisation and 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidin (MIBG) or PET 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose scan. Genetic analysis should be performed in all confirmed pheo cases, especially in younger subjects below 50 years of age in order to detect mutations of following genes: von Hippel-Lindau (VHL), RET- protooncogen, genes encoding B, C and D subunit of mitochondrial sukcinat dehydrogenaze (SDHB, SDHC, SDHD) and neurofibromatosis type I gene. Pharmacological treatment is based on alpha blockers with subsequent (after 24-48 hours) administration of beta-blockers/especially in patients with tendency to tachycardia/. Following this therapy normalisation of BP is common and laparoscopic excision of pheo tumour can be realised. Malignant pheos are difficult to treat due to early occurrence of metastasis and lack of response to chemotherapy or iradiation in most cases.

Serum concentrations and tissue expression of a novel endocrine regulator fibroblast growth factor-21 in patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity.

OBJECTIVE: Fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF21) is a novel endocrine and paracrine regulator of metabolic homeostasis. The aim of our study was to measure its serum concentrations in patients with obesity, obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and healthy subjects (C), and to assess the changes of its circulating levels and mRNA expression after dietary and pharmacological interventions. DESIGN: We measured biochemical parameters, serum FGF21, adiponectin, leptin and insulin levels by commercial ELISA and RIA kits, and mRNA expression in the liver, subcutaneous and visceral fat by RT PCR in 26 obese patients, 11 T2DM patients and 32 control subjects. The interventions were acute hyperinsulinaemia during isoglycaemic-hyperinsulinaemic clamp, very low calorie diet (VLCD) and 3 months treatment with PPAR-alpha agonist fenofibrate. RESULTS: Baseline serum FGF21 levels were significantly higher in both obese and T2DM patients relative to healthy controls. FGF21 levels in obesity did not significantly differ from T2DM group. Both 3 weeks of VLCD and 3 months of fenofibrate treatment significantly increased FGF21 levels. FGF21 mRNA expression in visceral fat was twofold higher in obesity relative to C group, while it did not differ in subcutaneous fat. VLCD significantly increased FGF21 mRNA expression in subcutaneous fat of obesity. 3-h hyperinsulinaemia during the clamp increased FGF21 levels in T2DM but not in C group. CONCLUSION: An increase in FGF21 levels after VLCD and fenofibrate treatment may contribute to positive metabolic effect of these interventions and suggests the possibility of direct positive metabolic effects of FGF21 in humans.

[120 laparoscopic adrenalectomies with a harmonic scalpel]. / 120 laparoskopických adrenalektomií s harmonickým skalpelem.

BACKGROUND: Presently the laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA) becomes most popular since 1992 when it was performed for the first time by laparoscopic method by Gagner. Typical indication for LA is the aldosteron-secreting adenoma, Cushing's syndrome, feochromocytoma or scarcity tumors such as adrenal cyst or myelolipomas. AIM: The evaluation of the laparoscopic adrenalectomy as safe method for adrenals tumout's extirpation to the sizes 10 cm. METHODS: LA is provided with transperitoneal lateral approach most frequently then in back side position. Retroperitoneal approach is used less commonly. RESULTS: Since 2006, firstly at the 1st Surgical department of 1st Medical School of Charles University and General Faculty Hospital and lastly at the Surgical department 2nd Medical School of Charles University and Central Military Hospital, has been performed on the whole 120 LA in 114 patients. The bilateral LA was performed in 6 patients. The conversion from the laparoscopic to open adrenalectomy was necessary by reason of the king size of the tumor (13/14 cm) in two cases. The lateral position and transperitoneal approach was used in all cases. The harmonie scalpel was used with advantage. Average length of the operation was 82 minutes (40-154 min), respective 180 minutes (130-270 min) in the case of the bilateral LA. The median size of the adrenal tumor was 4.9 cm (1.5-12.5 cm) with average weight 44 g (18-421 g). All of the patients after LA were monitored for 24 hours in the Intensive care units. The average time of the hospitalization was 3.7 days (2-6 days). CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic adrenalectomy presently becomes as the "gold standard" for the treatment of adrenal tumors to the size 10 cm namely and in the event of malignancy. The harmonie scalpel is useful and sparing advice for the LA.

The endocrine profile of subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue of obese patients.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the expression profile of genes potentially related to metabolic complications of obesity in the whole adipose tissue and isolated adipocytes from subcutaneous (SAT) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) from 12 non-diabetic obese women and 12 lean women. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used for expression analysis of 41 genes of interest and two housekeeping genes. We found increased expression of specific proinflammatory and adipogenic genes and reduced expression of specific lipogenic and insulin signaling pathway genes in obese relative to lean women with no preferable localization in SAT or VAT depot. The gene expression significantly differed between adipocytes and adipose tissue but both contributed to the proinflammatory profile in obesity. We conclude that both SAT and VAT exhibit alterations in the expression of specific genes possibly contributing to proinflammatory and insulin resistance state and consequently to metabolic complications of obesity.