Lymph node distribution in patients with remnant gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Remnant gastric cancer (RGC) is defined as a carcinoma that develops in the gastric remnant from 5 years after gastrectomy, regardless of the primary gastric disease. The pattern of lymph node dissemination in these patients is not well understood. The present study aims to understand the lymph node distribution of patients with RGC in a single center. METHODS: In a total of 1380 patients with gastric cancer, between 1998 and 2020, 43 patients operated on for RGC were analyzed. The pattern of lymph node dissemination was evaluated based on the number of dissected lymph node stations, the number of positive lymph node stations, the positivity index at each analyzed station, the number of dissected lymph nodes per patient, and the positivity index per lymph node station. RESULTS: A mean of 13.0 ± 8.1 lymph nodes were dissected. The incidence of lymph node involvement by dissected station was higher at Stations 19, 11p, 3, 4sb and 7 (50, 40, 37.5, 36 and 31.7%, respectively). Among the positive dissected stations, Station 3 with 52.2%, 4sb with 39.1% and 4sa with 34.8% were the most affected. CONCLUSION: There was no predilection for lymph node involvement when comparing the lesser and greater gastric curvature. The dissection of Stations 3, 4sb and 4sa is fundamental in surgical treatment with curative purposes. The totalization of gastrectomy with lymphadenectomy of the perigastric and supra-pancreatic stations should be the surgery of choice.

Acoustic radiation force impulse elastography and liver fibrosis risk scores in severe obesity.

OBJECTIVE: Identifying significant fibrosis is crucial to evaluate the prognosis and therapeutic interventions in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We assessed the performance of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography, APRI, FIB-4, Forns, NFS and BARD scores in determining liver fibrosis in severe obesity. METHODS: A prospective study included 108 patients undergoing bariatric surgery. Liver biopsy specimens were obtained intraoperatively and classified according to the NAFLD Activity Score. Patients were assessed with serological markers and shear wave velocity of the liver was measured with the Siemens S2000 ultrasound system preoperatively. Optimal cut-off values were determined using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROC). RESULTS: In the entire cohort prevalence of NAFLD was 80.6%, steatohepatitis 25.9% and significant fibrosis 19.4%. The best tests for predicting significant fibrosis were FIB-4 and Forns scores (both AUROC 0.78), followed by APRI (AUROC 0.74), NFS (AUROC 0.68), BARD (AUROC 0.64) and ARFI (AUROC 0.62). ARFI elastography was successful in 73% of the patients. Higher body mass index (BMI) correlated with invalid ARFI measurements. In patients with BMI < 42 kg/m2, ARFI showed 92.3% sensitivity and 82,6% specificity for the presence of significant fibrosis, with AUROC 0.86 and cut-off 1.32 m/s. CONCLUSION: FIB-4 and Forns scores were the most accurate for the prediction of significant fibrosis in bariatric patients. Applicability and accuracy of ARFI was limited in individuals with severe obesity. In patients with BMI < 42 kg/m2, ARFI elastography was capable for predicting significant fibrosis with relevant accuracy.

Minimally invasive surgery for gastric cancer in Brazil: current status and perspectives-a report from the Brazilian Laparoscopic Oncologic Gastrectomy Group (BLOGG).

The minimally invasive surgery for gastric cancer in Brazil has begun about two years after the first laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) performed by Kitano in Japan, in 1991. Although the report of first surgeries shows the year of 1993, there was no dissemination of the technique until the years 2010. At that time with the improvement of optical devices, laparoscopic instruments and with the publications coming from Asia, several Brazilian surgeons felt encouraged to go to Korea and Japan to learn the standardization of the LG. After that there was a significant increase in that type of surgery, especially after the IRCAD opened a branch in Brazil. The growing interest for the subject led some services to begin their own experience with the LG and, since the beginning, the results were similar with those found in the open surgery. Nevertheless, there were some differences with the papers published initially in Japan and Korea. In those countries, the surgeries were laparoscopic assisted, meaning that, in the majority of cases, the anastomoses were done through a mini-incision in the end of the procedure. In Brazil since the beginning it was performed completely through laparoscopic approach due to the skills acquired by Brazilian surgeons in bariatric surgeries. Another difference was the stage. While in the east the majority of cases were done in T1 patients, in Brazil, probably due to the lack of early cases, the surgeries were done also in advanced cases. The initial experience of Zilberstein et al. revealed low rates of morbidity without mortality. Comparing laparoscopic and open surgery, the group from Barretos/IRCAD showed shorter surgical time (216×255 minutes), earlier oral or enteral feeding and earlier hospital discharge, with a smaller number of harvested lymph nodes (28 in laparoscopic against 33 in open surgery). There was no significant difference regarding morbidity, mortality and reoperation rate. In the first efforts to publish a multicentric study the Brazilian Gastric Cancer Association (BGCA) collected data from three institutions analyzing 148 patients operated from 2006 to 2016. There were 98 subtotal, 48 total and 2 proximal gastrectomies. The anastomoses were totally laparoscopic in 105, laparoscopic assisted in 21, cervical in 2, and 20 open (after conversion). The reconstruction methods were: 142 Roux-en-Y, two Billroth I, and three other types. The conversion rate was 13.5% (20/148). The D2 dissection was performed in 139 patients. The mean number of harvested lymph nodes was 34.4. If we take only the D2 cases the mean number was 39.5. The morbidity rate was 22.3%. The mortality was 2.7%. The stages were: IA-59, IB-14, IIA-11, IIB-15, IIIA-9, IIIB-19, IIIC-11 and stage IV-three cases. Four patients died from the disease and 10 are alive with disease. The participating services have already begun the robotic gastrectomy with satisfactory results. The intention of this group is to begin now a prospective multicentric study to confirm the data already obtained with the retrospective studies.

Laparoscopic bariatric surgery training program model: gastric bypass.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopy for bariatric surgery became the surgery of choice for surgeons worldwide. However, it is also more difficult to learn and has a great potential for complications. The specific training is fundamental to maintain the benefits without increasing the complications. This study presents a laparoscopic surgery training method for the treatment of obesity and to analyze its efficiency. METHOD: A training program for 36 surgeons with experience in open bariatric surgery was proposed, and the surgical results of their first laparoscopic surgeries were accompanied as for greater complications, such as death, intestinal obstruction, bleeding and fistula within the first 30 days. RESULTS: Of the 36 surgeons who completed the program, thirteen who performed 403 surgeries were accompanied for 18 months to evaluate morbidity and mortality. There were 4 cases of greater complications (1%). CONCLUSIONS: The proposed program was efficient for this specific group of surgeons, as it permitted the participants to learn the procedure without increasing the initial complications in the learning curve.

Improvement of atherosclerotic markers in non-diabetic patients after bariatric surgery.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to assess the impact of bariatric surgery performed in extremely obese non-diabetic subjects on the following parameters: endothelial function, inflammatory processes (assessed by high-sensitivity C-reactive protein [hs-CRP]), carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT), and glucose and lipid profiles. METHODS: Forty-seven obese individuals with body mass index >40 kg/m(2) underwent bariatric surgery and returned for post-procedure assessment between 6 and 19 months after surgery. Ninety-three percent of patients were female. Their age ranged from 18 to 65 (mean 41) years old at baseline. Baseline was defined as the maximum of 30 days before surgery. Before and after surgery, all patients were subjected to a brachial artery ultrasound examination to evaluate endothelial-dependent dilation, CIMT by ultrasound, and laboratory analyses including glucose, lipid and inflammatory profiles were performed. RESULTS: Subjects lost an average of 33 % of their original weight (p < 0.001). Flow-mediated dilation showed significant improvement after surgery from 7.4 % to 18.9 % (p < 0.001) on average. There was regression of CIMT, with the median being reduced from 0.8 to 0.5 mm (p < 0.001). The median Hs-CRP reduced from 0.83 to 0.18 mg/dl (p < 0.001), while glucose and lipid profiles were also improved after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that severely obese, non-diabetic patients who had pronounced weight loss after bariatric surgery had an overall improvement in brachial flow-mediated dilation, CIMT, high-sensitivity CRP, and glucose and lipid metabolism. The best responses of the brachial flow-mediated dilation after surgery were observed in non-smokers and in younger subjects.

[Comparative analyses between clinical refraction and automatic refraction obtained through a wave front sensor]. / Análise comparativa entre a refração clínica subjetiva e a automatizada obtida por sensor de frentes de onda.

PURPOSE: To evaluate and compare refractive errors obtained through clinical subjective and automatized wavefront refraction analyses in eyes under cycloplegia. METHODS: Prospective study of 147 patients, 279 eyes, undergoing preoperative examination for refractive surgery. Clinical subjective refraction was performed first followed by wavefront refraction. Results on astigmatism obtained from refraction were decomposed in power vectors for statistical analyses. Data were first analyzed in one eye and then in both eyes. RESULTS: The mean difference between clinical subjective refraction and automatized wavefront refraction on cycloplegic eyes was of -0.19 SD combined with -0.06 CD in the 15 degrees axis for data in one eye, and -0.17 SD combined with -0.05 CD in the 3 masculine axis for data in both eyes of the same patient. CONCLUSION: In the present study clinical subjective refraction and automatized wavefront refraction under cycloplegia had similar numerical values.

Upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage due to duodenal stromal tumor.

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal stromal tumor represents a rare neoplasm that originates in the muscular wall of the hollow viscera. AIM: To report gastrointestinal stromal tumor as a source of upper gastrointestinal bleeding, which required urgent surgical control. PATIENT/METHOD: A man with 61 years old was admitted to the emergency service sustaining hematemesis and melena. Endoscopy showed active bleeding from a tumor in the second portion of the duodenum, which was controlled by heater probe cauterization. Surgery was performed through a median laparotomy. A local resection of a 4 cm tumor in the second portion of the duodenum was carried out, together with a primary end-to-end anastomosis and a duodenal diverticulization. No complications happened during the post-operative period. Morphologic examination showed gastrointestinal stromal tumor with no atypical mitosis and a preserved capsule. CONCLUSION: Albeit not being common, gastrointestinal stromal tumors can represent a source of substantial gastrointestinal hemorrhage.

Consumo de sustancias psicoactivas: estudio comparativo entre anestesiólogos e internistas en Uruguay / Psychoactive drugs consumption: comparative study among anesthesiologists and internists in Uruguay

Introducción: En repetidos estudios internacionales los anestesiólogos se presentan como población de riesgo para el abuso del consumo y la adicción a drogas psicoactivas. Nuestro objetivo fue realizar un estudio piloto sobre el posible problema en Uruguay comparando anestesiólogos e internistas. Material y método: Se realizó una encuesta anónima y simultánea que exploraba el consumo de tabaco, alcohol, tranquilizantes, anfetaminas, opiaceos y cocaína. Resultados: 26 por ciento (n=29) de los anestesiólogos respondió afirmativamente al menos una de las preguntas dirigidas a explorar el abuso de alcohol, con una diferencia estadísticamente significativa con los médicos internistas (8 por ciento n=11). La posibilidad, de uso problemático del alcohol estuvo presente en 13 por ciento de los médicos anestesiólogos y en 7 por ciento de los internistas. Los otros consumos mostraron tendencia a ser mayores entre los anestesiólogos. Conclusiones: Nuestra investigación sugiere que existen en Uruguay mayores problemas de alcoholismo y consumo indebido de otras sustancias psicoactivas entre anestesiólogos comparados con internistas. Este estudio debe ser el inicio de una aproximación orgánica e interdisciplinaria al problema.

Estudio de los factores de riesgo para cáncer de mama y cuello uterino en mujeres usuarias de tres policlínicas barriales de Montevideo. 1997 / Risk factors for breast and uterine cervix cancer in women users of health centers of Montevideo. 1997

El cáncer de mama y de cuello uterino se ubican entre los primeros lugares como causa de muerte por tumores en la población del sexo femenino en nuestro país. El conocimiento de la distribución de los factores de riesgo para ambas enfermedades y la incorporación de intervenciones preventivas en la práctica del equipo de salud, son elemento clave para la disminución de los índices de morbimortalidad. El presente estudio, de tipo descriptivo, se desarrolló en 1997 en tres policlínicas barriales del Cerro de Montevideo en el marco de la coordinación entre el Programa APEX de la Universidad de la República y la Intendencia Municipal de Montevideo. Estuvo a cargo de médicos integrantes de un equipo multidisciplinario con tareas docentes-asistenciales e inserción estable en la zona; participaron estudiantes avanzados de medicina. Los objetivos fueron conocer la distribución de los factores de riesgo, realizar estudios de detección de cáncer de mama y cuello uterino, y conocer los antecedentes de estudios de tamizaje y detección precoz de carcinoma cervicouterino en las usuarias de las policlínicas. Se aplicó una encuesta a 152 usuarias que concurrieron por primera vez a la consulta de ginecología. Las encuestadas fueron entrenadas en el autoexamen de mama y se les realizó el examen mamario y la toma de Papanicolaou, lo cual forma parte de la actividad asistencial habitual en las policlínicas. La frecuencia de factores de riesgo para cáncer de mama fue menor a la reportada por el Programa Nacional de Cáncer de Mama (PRONACAM) a nivel nacional. Los factores más frecuentes fueron menarca precoz (12,5 por ciento) y antecedentes familiares (5,2 por ciento). El 69 por ciento de las encuestadas presentó al menos un factor de riesgo para cáncer de cuello. Los más frecuentes fueron: compañeros sexuales múltiples (46,1 por ciento), tabaquismo (28,9 por ciento) e inicio precoz en las relaciones sexuales (21,1 por ciento). El 40 por ciento de las mujeres nunca se había realizado un Papanicolaou. Entre las que tenían Papanicolaou anterior, la indicación fue realizada por ginecólogo en 92 por ciento de los casos, y por médico general solamente en 3,3 por ciento de las mujeres. Se discuten estos resultados comparándolos con datos de nuestro medio y de otros países y analizando su importancia para los diferentes niveles de prevención