Mini Anterior Incision versus Conventional Incision in Thyroid Operations.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the results of mini anterior incision compared to conventional Kocher's incision in total thyroidectomy. STUDY DESIGN: Observational cohort study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Department of General Surgery, Breast, and Endocrine Surgery Clinic, Ankara City Hospital, Turkey, from March 2019 to December 2019. METHODOLOGY: Four hundred and twenty-five patients who underwent total thyroidectomy (TT) were divided into two groups; 132 patients in group 1 (mini anterior incision group) and 293 patients in group 2 (conventional incision group). Patient examination and follow-up findings were obtained from the hospital information system software (HIS). A questionnaire to verify the satisfaction of patients on different parameters was also completed by the researcher. RESULTS: Mini anterior incision significantly reduced incision length, scar thickness, discharge time, time to get back to work (p <0.001, p <0.001, p = 0.027, and p = 0.006, respectively). There was also less pain in the neck or surgical area in group 1 and less explicit or inconspicuous scar (p = 0.001 and p <0.001, respectively). Patients in group 1 found their surgery more aesthetic (p = 0.001). Central lymph node dissection (CLND) was performed in 21.31% of the patients with thyroid cancer in group 1. CONCLUSION: More aesthetic results can be obtained by performing wound lip excision using a mini anterior incision. By using a mini anterior incision, CLND can be performed as effectively as with conventional incision in thyroid operations. KEY WORDS: Minimally invasive thyroid surgery, Mini anterior incision, Thyroidectomy, Cosmetic surgery.

Factors affecting the use of herbal products in patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome and their results: case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel disease that is characterized by abdominal pain, discomfort, and changes in the frequency and form of stool without any organic pathology. In this study, the factors that affect the herbal treatment choices of IBS patients and their results were investigated. METHODS: Included in the study were 248 IBS patients who were over the age of 18. A questionnaire that comprised 25 questions was applied to the participants. Survey questions were asked to the participants regarding their age, place of birth, gender, educational status, demographic details, social standing, socioeconomic status and job, place of residence, and marital status. In addition, The participants were asked about which IBS symptoms they had, from whom they had received the recommendation for use of herbal products, whether the media had an effect on their selection of herbal products, and whether they had benefited from herbal products. RESULTS: It was observed that 41.1% of the patients with IBS who participated in the study used herbal medicine, 9.8% of whom used them regularly. It was found that the IBS patients participating in the study made their decision to use herbal products mostly based on the recommendations that they were given by acquaintances (57%) and the media (34%). When the patients were evaluated according to their gender, IBS was found to be more common in unemployed women who had a low level of education, while it was more common in working men (p = 0.015, P < 0.001, respectively). The IBS patients who were single used more herbal products that those who were married (P = 0.036). While the use of herbal herbs and oils was predominant in patients whose recommendation content comprised the media/internet and acquaintances, the herbal treatment content recommended by healthcare professionals consisted of traditional treatments and mixtures (P = 0.012). It was determined that a higher percentage of those who used herbal treatments lived in city centers when compared to those who did not (P < 0.001). In addition, it was determined that patients with constipation used herbal products more than those without (P < 0.001). Among the IBS patients, those who had diarrhea and those who were receiving medical treatment preferred to use significantly less herbal products (P = 0.007 and P = 0.041, respectively). It was found that the patients who visited the Gastroenterology Outpatient Clinic mostly used herbal therapy, while those who visited a family doctor used herbal therapy the least (P = 0.029 and P < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: The IBS patients revealed whose recommendations they followed when purchasing herbal products, which of the products they preferred, and how useful/beneficial they felt that these products were. In this regard, the addition of training curricula related to herbal treatment for professional healthcare workers will further raise awareness on this topic.

Noncyclical and cyclical mastalgia in Turkish women: Prevalence, risk factors, health-care seeking and quality of life.

Our aim in this study was to determine the prevalence of cyclical and noncyclical mastalgia, its underlying risk factors, and to examine its effect on women's quality of life. This study was conducted on 415 women, among whom the prevalence of mastalgia was found as 20.7%. It was found that experiencing intense stress, daily coffee and chocolate consumption, breast surgery history and the menstruation pattern were risk factors associated with mastalgia. Some domains of quality of life were found to be negatively affected in women who had mastalgia. Awareness among women about the risk factors of mastodynia and lifestyle changes is needed to improve mastalgia management.

Diagnostic value of Platelet/lymphocyte Ratio (PLR) for predicting sentinel axillary lymph node positivity in early-stage breast cancer compared with ultrasonography.

INTRODUCTION: In breast cancer, the most important prognostic factor is axillary lymph node metastasis. However, there is no method which can diagnose axillary lymph node metastasis preoperatively with high sensitivity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and sentinel lymph node metastasis in early-stage breast cancer. METHODS: In total, 202 cases which were operated under early-stage breast cancer diagnosis in Ankara City Hospital General Surgery Department were evaluated in retrospectively. We separated the patients into two categories according to their PLR. PLR groups were evaluated for relationship with sentinel lymph node metastasis. At the last part, sentinel lymph node positive sensitivity was evaluated in PLR and preoperative USG groups. RESULTS: Results showed that patients above PLR cut-off value had 0.43 times more risk of having a positive SLN in comparison with patients who had a PLR lower than cut-off (OR = 0.435, 95%CI:0.221-0.856, P < .016). When the PLR and USG were used in combination, sensitivity goes up to 75.5% and specificity 96%. CONCLUSION: The rate of success in diagnosing metastatic SLN in early-stage breast cancer is higher in PLR when compared with USG and other imaging methods.

What is the effectiveness of the Tzanakis scoring system modified by the Delta Neutrophil Index in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in pregnant women?

INTRODUCTION: Acute appendicitis is the most common cause of abdominal pain that is unrelated to pregnancy in pregnant women. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of the Alvarado, Ohmann, and Tzanakis scores in the prediction of acute appendicitis in pregnant women and compare the hematological parameters. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Herein, 1542 patients, aged 18-49 years, who were admitted to the emergency department with abdominal pain and underwent appendectomy were evaluated retrospectively. Of these, 140 female patients, including 35 who were pregnant and had been diagnosed with acute appendicitis, were included in the study. The obtained data were used to calculate the Alvarado, Tzanakis, and Ohmann scores. Histopathological evaluation reports were examined, and the diagnosis of acute appendicitis was confirmed. Those with different histopathological diagnoses were recorded as negative appendectomy. RESULTS: In the pregnant and non-pregnant women, the Tzanakis scoring system showed the best predictive performance in terms of the sensitivity and accuracy percentage from the Alvarado and Ohmann scoring systems (84.85%, 85.71% vs. 92.93%, and 92.38%, respectively). When the parameters showing infection were compared, the Delta Neutrophil Index (DNI) was significantly higher in the pregnant appendicitis patients (P = 0.012). When the Tzanakis scoring system was modified with the DNI, the sensitivity, accuracy, and negative predictive values were significantly increased (93.94%, 94.29%, 50% vs. 94.95%, 94.29%, and 50%, respectively). CONCLUSION: The Tzanakis scoring system appeared to be more effective than the other scoring systems in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Modification of the Tzanakis scoring system with the DNI was more successful in predicting appendicitis in pregnant women.

Risks and prediction of postoperative hypoparathyroidism due to thyroid surgery.

We aimed to investigate the prevalence of postoperative hypoparathyroidism (PoH), the relevant factors, and predictors of transient or permanent hypoparathyroidism. The files of 352 patients who underwent bilateral total thyroidectomy alone or with central lymph node dissection and/or lateral neck dissection between June 1, 2019, and November 30, 2019, were retrospectively evaluated. Also, calcium and parathyroid hormone levels measured preoperatively and 4-6 h after surgery, follow-up examination results, and time to resolution of transient PoH were recorded. 16.48% (n = 58) of the surgical patients developed transient PoH and 3.98% (n = 14) developed permanent PoH. Length of hospital stay increased in patients who developed PoH (p < 0.001). Transient PoH developed less in patients who underwent parathyroid autotransplantation, while permanent PoH was not detected (p = 0.001). PoH development was not significantly correlated with nodule size as measured by preoperative thyroid ultrasonography (p = 0.944). Patients who had a serum PTH level ≤ 5.95 pmol/L 4-6 h after surgery had a greater risk of developing permanent PoH (OR 134.84, 95% CI 17.25-1053.82). PoH is more common in female gender and is not significantly correlated with nodule size. Parathyroid autotransplantation can prevent the development of PoH.

Effects of sagging breasts and other risk factors associated with mastalgia: a case-control study.

The aim of this study is to compare patients with and without mastalgia and to analyze the factors affecting mastalgia and its severity. The patient's age, height, weight, educational status, marital status, and occupation were recorded in all subjects. In addition, the women were asked about the presence of any risk factors for mastalgia, such as tea and coffee consumption, smoking, alcohol consumption, and weight gain. The sternal notch to nipple distance (SNND) was measured to determine whether there was breast sagging. Mastalgia was significantly more common in women with BMIs of > 30 kg/m2 (OR: 2.94, CI 1.65-5.24), those who were primary school graduates or illiterate (OR: 2.96, CI 1.6-5.46), and those with SNND values of 22-25 cm (OR: 2.94, CI 1.79-4.82). In these women, drinking more than 6 cups of tea a day (OR: 2.15, CI 1.32-3.5), smoking at least 10 cigarettes a day (OR: 2.94, CI 1.78-4.83), and drinking alcohol at least once a week (OR: 2.1, CI 1.12-3.91) were found to be important factors that increased the risk of mastalgia. As a result, it has been found that severe mastalgia complaints cause by obesity, sagging breasts, never giving birth, unemployment anxiety, regular smoking, alcohol use, and excessive tea consumption.

Preneoplastic and neoplastic gallbladder lesions detected after cholecystectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is diagnosed often incidentally after cholecystectomies, with a rate of 0.1-3%. AIM: To review the clinical and morphological aspects of GBC and pre-neoplastic lesions in patients who underwent cholecystectomy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 5026 patients who underwent cholecystectomy between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2017 were included in the study. Histological changes (acute cholecystitis, adenomyomatosis, xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis (XGC), polyps, antral metaplasia, intestinal metaplasia (IM), dysplasia, cancer, and others) in gallbladders (GB) from 5029 patients who underwent cholecystectomy for cholelithiasis were analysed. RESULTS: Gallbladder cancer was more common in women than in men (14/4 = 3.5). A significant relation was found between cholelithiasis and GBC (p = 0.031). Of the patients with GBC, six had stage 1a (T1a + T1b), five had stage 1b (T2N0), two had stage 2 (T3N0), three had stage 2b (T1-3 N1), one had stage 3 (T4 N0), and one had stage 4 (T3N1M1). The IM was more common in females than in males (K/E = 3.3). A significant relationship was found between cholecystitis and IM (p < 0.001). A significant association was observed between IM and adenomyomatosis hyperplasia (p = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, it was observed that adenomyomatous hyperplasia and adenomatous polyp were associated with metaplastic changes in the GB pathologies, including XGC and follicular cholecystitis. It is thought that metaplasia-dysplasia may be associated with GBC. However, further studies on GB carcinogenesis are needed.

Comparison of clinicopathological features and treatments between pre- and postmenopausal female breast cancer patients - a retrospective study.

INTRODUCTION: To find out if there are clinical and biological differences in breast cancer characteristics of premenopausal and postmenopausal women. For this reason, we investigated the differences in terms of the clinicopathological features and treatment methods of premenopausal and postmenopausal breast cancer patients in our study. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this study, the files of 428 patients who were operated due to breast cancer between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2017 in Ankara Atatürk Training and Research Hospital were examined retrospectively. The age, tumour size, tumour grade, oestrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, HER2 score, Ki-67 proliferation index, perineural invasion, and lymphovascular invasion were investigated. RESULTS: In patients with premenopausal breast cancer, the tumour diameter was larger (p = 0.047) and the lymph node metastasis was higher (p < 0.001). Oestrogen receptor (OR) expression (p = 0.002), progesterone receptor (PR) expression (p = 0.014), negative human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expression (p = 0.038), and Ki-67 expression (p = 0.017) were higher in the premenopausal group. In the premenopausal group, breast conserving surgery (p = 0.004), chemotherapy (p = 0.007), radiotherapy (p = 0.008), and endocrine therapy (p = 0.025) were higher than in the postmenopausal group. CONCLUSIONS: Premenopausal and postmenopausal female breast cancer patients have significant differences in tumour size, tumour grade, axillary lymph node metastasis, hormone receptor status, HER2 expression, and treatment modalities.

Helicobacter Pylori Infection Prevalence and Histopathologic Findings in Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a type of bacteria that affects more than half of the world's population and has been associated with gastritis. The relationship between H. pylori and obesity is controversial. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is the most commonly used surgery for morbidly obese patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the rate of H. pylori in patients undergoing LSG. METHODS: Biopsy specimens of 32,743 patients who underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and resection materials from 1257 patients who underwent LSG were examined histopathologically. The relationships between body mass index (BMI), age, gender, H. pylori infection, and intestinal metaplasia (IM) were investigated in patients with gastritis. RESULTS: In patients undergoing EGD, the association of H. pylori infection was found to be increased in males and the elderly (p < 0.001). The presence of gastritis and IM was significantly higher with H. pylori infection (p < 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively). H. pylori infection was significantly higher in patients over the age of 41 years (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the results of H. pylori before and after LSG surgery (p = 0.923). The presence of H. pylori together with gastritis and IM was found to be significant (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: H. pylori infection increases with age. No significant difference was found in the examination for H. pylori before and after LSG surgery. In addition, no relationship was found between H. pylori and excess weight. However, due to the low average age of patients who underwent LSG, further studies are needed in this area.

Assessment of appendix carcinoid tumors: A retrospective study.

AIM: This study aimed to analyze the frequency of carcinoid tumor, the applied treatments to cure it, and the survival periods of the patients thereafter in a city located in the west of Turkey, Balikesir. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The data for this study were gathered by the careful retrospective analysis of 6369 files of patients who underwent an appendectomy operation during the time span of January 2011 and December 2017 in Balikesir Atatürk City Hospital. RESULTS: The results revealed that among the patients who underwent appendectomy, 17 carcinoid tumor cases, 16 of which with combine classic carcinoid and 1 with goblet cell carcinoid, were recorded. It was discovered that about two times more carcinoid tumors were found in females compared to males. It was also revealed that in the 14 (82.4%) of the patients, the diameter of the tumor was <1 cm. Since the diameter of the tumor is <2 cm in classic carcinoid cases, these patients were only observed. Moreover, within the 5-year follow-up period, no recurrence or progress of carcinoid syndrome was detected. Furthermore, this study found out that the 5-year-survival rate of all the carcinoid tumor patients involved in the study was 100%. CONCLUSIONS: It is highly important that the histopathological diagnosis of the patients after appendectomy be carefully followed as the appendicitis carcinoid tumors which are encountered more commonly in women than in men are asymptomatic and can only be incidentally detected.