[Survival in colorectal adenocarcinoma in Cantabria. A population-based study (1989)]. / Supervivencia del adenocarcinoma colorrectal en Cantabria. Estudio de base poblacionol (1989).

PURPOSE: To analyse a population-based study of postoperative mortality and five-year survival in patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma and to compare the results to those of a previous survival study of 1970-1978 period. METHODS: Using the Register of Colorectal Cancer of Cantabria, with a population of 531.654 inhabitants according to the 1989 census, we studied 187 patients with primary colorectal adenocarcinoma. Patients with recurrence after previous excision and who were not residents of Cantabria were excluded. Postoperative mortality included 30-days postoperative period. Survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test was used to compare curves of probability. RESULTS: Postoperative mortality was 7.7%. Overall five-year survival was 42.4%. Specific-cancer survival was 46%. Type of surgical procedure (curative or palliative) and TNM classification showed significant differences (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In Cantabria the five-years survival rate in patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma is similar to published data from other population-based studies but the survival rate did not change over the last decade.

[Extrahepatic biliary lesions in abdominal traumatism]. / Lesiones biliares extrahepáticas en el traumatismo abdominal.

The extrahepatic biliary tree traumatisms are rare and hard to diagnose; 15 of 864 patients with surgery treatment for abdominal trauma for over 19 years (1974-1992) were studied retrospectively. Twelve blunt abdominal traumas (9 traffic accident and 3 falls down) and 3 open traumas (stabbing in two and gunshot wounds in one case). Eleven had gallbladder injury, two gallbladder and biliary duct and two exclusively biliary duct. Only one case was an isolated lesion, in the rest of cases, intra or extra abdominal lesions, occasionally both, were seen. The diagnostic method, associated lesions, morbi-mortality are reviewed. Surgical treatment was cholecystectomy for gallbladder injury and direct suture with T-tube (Kehr) for biliary duct injury.

[Colorectal cancer in elderly patients: postoperative mortality and survival]. / Cancer colorrectal en pacientes de edad avanzada: mortalidad postoperatoria y supervivencia.

Twenty percent of colorectal cancers develop in elderly patients. Since the size of the geriatric population increases this percentage will get higher. The data collected from the Cantabria Colorectal Cancer Population Registry (1989-90) were divided into two groups: patients aged > or = 80 years at diagnosis and patients aged < 80. The postoperative mortality rates were 11% vs. 7%. Emergency surgery on patients over 80 years was associated with a significantly higher incidence of perioperative deaths (26%). Three-year survival rates for the two groups (20%) were not significantly different. These data suggest that elderly patients suffering from colorectal cancer can be treated by standard methods.

Assessment of post-splenectomy residual splenic function. Splenic autotransplants.

Splenectomy increases the risk of fulminant sepsis. The present study assesses residual splenic function in patients splenectomized due to traumatic rupture of the spleen; and six cases with splenic autotransplants. Splenic tissue was observed in only 48% of the splenectomized patients and 100% of the autotransplant cases. The two most reliable analytical parameters to assess the presence of functional splenic tissue, were the absence of Howell-Jolly bodies and normal IgM blood levels. In cases where total splenectomy is indicated, it has proved useful to perform autotransplantation of splenic tissue at omentum major level.