Circulating cytokines in patients undergoing normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass.

To determine the cytokine release during normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass, we have measured plasmatic levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukins-1 beta, 6, and 8 in 10 patients during the first 24 hours after the start of bypass. Arterial blood samples were collected at intervals before, during, and after bypass. Interleukin-1 beta was not detectable in the plasma, and traces of tumor necrosis factor-alpha were detected in only three patients at times independent of the cardiopulmonary bypass procedure. Circulating endotoxin remained undetectable. Plasma interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 rose significantly from 2 until 24 hours after the start of bypass (p < 0.05) and peaked respectively at 4 and 2 hours after the beginning of bypass (interleukin-6, 268.1 +/- 131.43 pg/ml; interleukin-8, 370 +/- 420 pg/ml; mean peak +/- standard deviation). Peak values of interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 were correlated neither with the duration of aortic crossclamping or the bypass procedure nor with the hemodynamic parameters recorded at the same times. This study shows that normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass does not induce systemic release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1 beta. A local production of these cytokines cannot be excluded, because interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 are produced by stimulated macrophages and monocytes in response to tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1 beta. Our results, at normothermia, show a similar pattern of interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 release when compared with release during hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass. Interleukin-8, an important chemotactic neutrophil factor, might play a role in reperfusion injuries observed in lungs and heart after cardiopulmonary bypass.

Cryosurgery as a means to improve surgical treatment of patients with multiple unresectable liver metastases.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to evaluate the results of cryosurgery in patients with multiple (five or more), heavily pretreated, unresectable liver metastases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nineteen patients with multiple unresectable liver metastases were entered into a prospective nonrandomized trial. The liver tumours were treated during surgery under ultrasound guidance. All the patients were followed-up to assess complications, treatment response and sites of recurrence. RESULTS: 140 metastases were identified in 19 patients (mean, 7; range, 5-25) and 13 patients had a synchronous liver resection. Cryosurgery was used to treat 90 metastases (mean diameter, 30 mm; range, 10-135). There were no treatment-related deaths and the overall rate of complications was 21%. During a mean follow-up of 28 months (range, 5-60), tumours recurred at the site of cryosurgery in two patients (10%), in the remaining liver in nine patients (47%) and elsewhere in five patients (26%). Three patients had no evidence of disease 48, 50 and 60 months after liver cryosurgery, respectively. CONCLUSION: Cryosurgery may be effective in the treatment of patients with multiple unresectable liver metastases and should be investigated in multimodality treatment programmes.

Safety of percutaneous internal jugular catheterization in cancer patients: prospective observational study.

PURPOSE: To determine predictors for failure and early complications of percutaneous internal jugular catheterization (IJC) in cancer patients. METHODS: Six hundred and thirty consecutive cancer patients who required central venous catheterization were included in a prospective observational study. The rates of failure (defined as the intervention of a second physician and/or failure at initial insertion site) and of early complications were prospectively ascertained. Logistic regression analysis estimated odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for independent predictors for failure and early complications of percutaneous IJC. RESULTS: The failure rate was 6.7%, and the early complication rate was 6.7%. In multivariate analysis, left-side initial catheterization (p<0.01), prior catheterization at the same site (p=0.001) and physician inexperience (p<0.0001) were independently associated with failure. Placement requiring more than one needle pass (p<0.01 for two and p<0.0001 for three and more) and absence of fluoroscopy (p<0.0001) were independently associated with early complications. CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous IJC is a valid option in the central venous catheterization of cancer patients due to its reliability and safety. Skilled physicians must manage difficult placements. If placement requires more than one needle pass or is made without fluoroscopy, patients must be carefully followed for potential complications.