The treatment of radial scars in the modern era--surgical excision is not required.

The clinical significance of isolated radial scars (RS) diagnosed on core needle biopsy (CNB) remains unclear. By determining the pathologic concordance rate, we sought to define the indications for surgical excision for RS diagnosed on CNB. Between January 1994 and December 2007, 38 RS were diagnosed by CNB. Twenty-eight underwent surgical excision with 27 (96%) patients having further benign diagnoses. One patient, who was found to have invasive cancer on CNB, was also found to have malignancy on open biopsy. Fourteen lesions were diagnosed by 8-gauge, 13 lesions by 11-gauge, and one lesion by 14-gauge biopsy needles. Seven studies met inclusion criteria for analysis; 341 lesions with follow-on surgical biopsy were identified. Sixteen (5%) radial'scars were found to harbor malignancy and all were percutaneously biopsied with 14-gauge needles. With the inclusion of the current study, none of the isolated radial scars diagnosed by the larger 11- or 8-gauge biopsy needles resulted in upgraded lesions on follow-on surgical biopsy. Based on the current review, histologic radial scars are infrequently associated with occult malignancy and do not mandate surgical excision. Indications for excision include the mammographic diagnosis of RS and specimens associated with atypia that would otherwise require open biopsy.

Bioprosthetic repair of complex duodenal injury in a porcine model.

BACKGROUND: Complex duodenal injury remains a challenging problem for the trauma surgeon. Although primary repair of small injuries is often possible, extensive damage requires complex enteric reconstruction and drainage procedures. We sought to determine the efficacy of a bioprosthetic repair for large duodenal wounds in a porcine model. METHODS: A 60% circumferential wall defect in the second portion of the duodenum was created in eight female Yorkshire swine (38 kg +/- 5 kg). After 30 minutes of peritoneal soilage, a bioprosthetic repair using 1.5 mm porcine acellular dermal matrix was performed. Animals were recovered and resumed a normal diet on day 3. Repeat abdominal exploration and anastomotic bursting pressure strength was performed at 1-, 2-, 3-, and 6-week intervals. Pathologic analysis of all specimens was performed. RESULTS: All animals tolerated a normal diet postoperatively, with progressive weight gain and normal bowel function. On re-exploration, no animal had evidence of duodenal stenosis, proximal dilation, or abscess formation. Pathologic analysis demonstrated progressive in-growth of native bowel tissue, with almost complete incorporation at 6 weeks. Mean bursting pressure (202 mm Hg +/- 60 mm Hg) occurred at native bowel, not patch repair site, in three of eight animals. CONCLUSION: Bioprosthetic repair of enteric wall defects, even in proximity to upper intestinal secretions, allows successful recovery of bowel function and injury repair without extensive anatomic reconstruction. This technique may provide a more conservative approach to the treatment of complex duodenal injuries after trauma.

Respiratory Cytology--Current Trends Including Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Biopsy and Electromagnetic Navigational Bronchoscopy: Analysis of Data From a 2013 Supplemental Survey of Participants in the College of American Pathologists Interlaboratory Comparison Program in Nongynecologic Cytology.

CONTEXT: Nongynecologic cytology (NGC) practices are expanding in relationship to historical gynecologic cytology screening programs. Bronchopulmonary cytology is experiencing an evolution regarding new procedural types. The College of American Pathologists (CAP) tracks practice patterns in NGC by developing questionnaires, surveying participants, and analyzing respondent data. OBJECTIVE: To analyze responses to a 2013 CAP supplemental survey from the Interlaboratoy Comparison Program on bronchopulmonary NGC. DESIGN: The "NGC 2013 Supplemental Questionnaire: Demographics in Performance and Reporting of Respiratory Cytology" was mailed to 2074 laboratories. RESULTS: The survey response rate was 42% (880 of 2074) with 90% of respondents (788 of 880) indicating that their laboratories evaluated cytology bronchopulmonary specimens. More than 95% of respondents indicated interpreting bronchial washings (765 of 787) and bronchial brushings (757 of 787). A minority of laboratories (43%, 340 of 787) dealt with endobronchial ultrasound-guided samples, and an even smaller fraction of laboratories (14%, 110 of 787) saw cases from electromagnetic navigational bronchoscopy. Intraprocedural adequacy assessments by pathologists (and less often by cytotechnologists or pathologists-in-training) were routinely performed in percutaneous transthoracic aspiration cases (74%, 413 of 560) with less involvement for other case types. Most laboratories reported that newly diagnosed primary pulmonary adenocarcinomas were triaged for molecular testing of epidermal growth factor receptor and anaplastic lymphoma kinase. CONCLUSIONS: The parameters examined in this 2013 survey provide a snapshot of current pulmonary cytopathology practice and may be used as benchmarks in the future.

Sclerosing hemangioma of the lung.

We present a brief review of sclerosing hemangioma, an uncommon but histologically distinctive neoplasm of the lung. Based on immunohistochemical and molecular findings, sclerosing hemangioma is thought to be derived from incompletely differentiated respiratory epithelium. Sclerosing hemangiomas typically present as asymptomatic, peripheral, solitary, well-circumscribed lesions in women with a mean age at diagnosis in the fifth decade. Rare cases are reported to have regional lymph node metastases; however, metastases do not appear to affect long-term survival. Histologically, sclerosing hemangioma is characterized by a distinct constellation of findings including 2 epithelial cell types, surface cells and round cells, which form 4 architectural patterns, papillary, sclerotic, solid, and hemorrhagic. Sclerosing hemangioma of the lung is generally considered to be a benign lesion, and surgical excision is curative without the need for additional treatment.

Check Sample Abstracts.

The following abstracts are compiled from Check Sample exercises published in 2008. These peer-reviewed case studies assist laboratory professionals with continuing medical education and are developed in the areas of clinical chemistry, cytopathology, forensic pathology, hematology, microbiology, surgical pathology, and transfusion medicine. Abstracts for all exercises published in the program will appear annually in AJCP.