Effect of platelet-activating factor antagonists (BN-52021, WEB-2170, and BB-882) on bacterial translocation in acute pancreatitis.

Bacterial translocation is an important source of pancreas infection in acute pancreatitis. The effect of platelet-activating factor (PAF) in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis has been proved in various studies. The aim of this study was to determine whether potent PAF antagonists influence bacterial translocation in acute pancreatitis. Acute pancreatitis was induced in 62 Wistar rats by injection of 2.5% sodium taurocholate into the biliopancreatic duct. The rats treated with PAF factor antagonists received intravenous injection of WEB-2170 (10 mg/kg), lexipafant (5 mg/kg), and BN-52021 (5 mg/kg) 30 minutes before induction of acute pancreatitis. Six hours after induction of acute pancreatitis, bacteriologic cultures and histologic scoring of tissues were performed. There was a statistically significant reduction in bacterial translocation to the mesenteric lymph nodes and liver but not to the pancreas of the rats treated with PAF antagonists. No significant increase in the intestinal bacterial population of any group was found. There were no statistical differences between the pancreatic histologic scores of the groups. PAF antagonists reduced bacterial translocation to distant sites other than the pancreas, preventing the bacterial dissemination that occurs in the early phase of acute pancreatitis and may have beneficial effects on the evolution of this disease.

[Internal biliary fistula: study of 13 cases and review of the literature]. / Fístulas biliares internas: estudo de 13 casos e revisão da literatura.

Between 1986 and 1994 13 patients with spontaneous internal biliary fístula were operated at the Hospital das Clínicas of the University of São Paulo. Ten were patients women and three were men. Their mean age was 55.2 years (range 30 to 87 years). The etiology was cholelithiasis in all cases and the most frequent type of fístula was cholecystoduodenal. There was no mortality. A review of literature of this condition and a discussion about the diagnosis, treatment and etiopathogenesis are presented.

[Cystic neoplasm diagnosed as pancreatic pseudocyst: report of 5 cases and review of the literature]. / Neoplasia cística diagnosticada como pseudocisto de pancrêas: estudo de cinco casos e revisão da literatura.

The majority of cystic lesions of the pancreas are pseudocysts. Nine to thirteen per cent of pancreatic cyst are neoplastic, benign or malignant. Failure to recognize neoplastic nature of a cyst leads to an improper management. The authors present five cases of cystic tumors mistaken for pancreatic pseudocysts, including three mucinous cystadenomas and two mucinous cystadenocarcinomas. Four were drained by cystojejunostomy and one cystogastrostomy. One patient with no metastases at first operation had metastatic spread at reoperation. In the other four cases, subsequent resection was possible and probably curative. Review of the literature and guidelines are given for the purpose of differential diagnosis between theses entities.

[Cystic neoplasm of the pancreas: analysis of 24 cases]. / Neoplasia cística do pâncreas: análise de 24 casos.

Cystic neoplasms are an uncommon group among pancreatic tumors. These lesions are seen more frequently in recent surgical practice, probably because of advances in diagnostic and surgical techniques. We report 24 patients with cystic tumors of the pancreas, including twelve patients with serous cystadenoma, ten with mucinous cystadenoma and two patients with mucinous cystadenocarcinoma. Twenty-two patients were women and two were man. The median age of patients was 53.5 years (range, 21 to 80 years). Mild abdominal pain was the main symptom; in 71% of patients and weight loss in 29% of patients. The lesions were incidental findings 8% of patients. The mean size of the cysts was 7.8 cm (range, 2.3 to 15cm). Eleven cystic neoplasms were located in the head, three in the neck, five in the body, two in the tail of pancreas and three in the body and tail. All patients underwent surgical exploration. There was no perioperative mortality. Total tumor resection provides the best chance of cure and may remove the risk of malignant transformation of the cystadenomas, particularly of the mucinous type.