Optimization of the model of abdominal aortic aneurysm--experiment in an animal model.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have been performed in order to model abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in an experimental animal, most commonly in small laboratory animals. In our study, we tried to find the best AAA model in a pig by using various mechanical and enzymatic mechanisms. METHODS: Twenty-two pigs were operated on. We combined 3 mechanisms of creating an AAA, using an intraluminal infusion of porcine pancreatic elastase into the abdominal aortic segment, application of plastic cuff below the renal arteries causing turbulent blood flow, and inserting a patch into the longitudinal aortotomy. RESULTS: We found different results in different groups according to the mechanisms used. In group A, with a combination of the intraluminal elastase infusion and application of a stenosing cuff, AAA developed in all 7 animals (100%). In this group, we also found the largest histological changes in the abdominal aorta samples. CONCLUSION: The use of intraluminal pancreatic elastase infusion, together with increased turbulent flow caused by the stenosing cuff, seems to be the best model of AAA in pigs. This model is suitable for further research in the etiopathology of AAA. In fact, it is the first successful approach to a large-caliber native aneurysm model.

Primary cutaneous histiocyte and neutrophil-rich CD30+ and CD56+ anaplastic large-cell lymphoma with prominent angioinvasion and nerve involvement in the forehead and scalp of an immunocompetent woman.

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous lymphomas co-expressing CD56 and CD30 are very rare. They share a clinicopathological overlap with natural killer- (NK)/T-cell lymphomas and anaplastic large-cell lymphomas (ALCLs), two entities with widely disparate clinical behavior. METHODS: We present a case of an immunocompetent 57-year-old Caucasian woman with a rapidly growing, angiodestructive and neuroinvasive primary cutaneous ALCL (PCALCL). The neoplastic population of large anaplastic CD30+ and CD56+ T cells was masked by a massive admixture of histiocytes and neutrophils. The partially ulcerated and pus-secreting tumor involved the forehead and scalp and was assessed as clinical stage IAE. RESULTS: After chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone), the patient achieved a complete remission. Additionally, high-dose chemotherapy with autologous peripheral blood stem-cell transplantation was administered as a consolidation of complete remission, in which she has remained for 6 years. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first CD30+ and CD56+ primary skin lymphoma to be reported on the head. The presented case carries a remarkable combination of clinicopathological features of PCALCL and NK-/T-cell lymphoma.