The role of lymphoscintigraphy in rectal laparoscopic surgery: can the sentinel node concept be applied to rectal carcinoma?

BACKGROUND: Lymphadenectomy for rectal cancer, whether by open surgery or laparoscopy, is still a controversial subject. If we consider that approximately 20% of patients have nodal obturator metastases, then we must concede that extended lymphadenectomy is useless in the other 80% of patients. We set out to determine whether lymphoscintigraphy could show the lymphatic drainage from the cancer toward the obturator lymph nodes and thus help us to select the patients who would benefit by their removal. We also analyzed the possibility of applying the concept of the sentinel node to the treatment of rectal cancer. METHODS: Among 42 people who underwent laparoscopy for rectal cancer 11 patients with TNM stages T2-T3N0M0 were studied by CT & MRI, rectal ultrasonography, and lymphoscintigraphy with a colloidal injection of human albumin labeled with 99mTc at the base of the neoplasm. Afterward, the 11 patients underwent a lymphadenectomy that extended to the obturator nodes. RESULTS: In two patients, lymphoscintigraphy showed lymphatic drainage toward the obturator nodes. In one case, there were metastases. Lymphoscintigraphy did not show lymphatic drainage toward the obturator nodes in any of the other patients, and there were no metastases among them. It was not possible to identify a sentinel node. CONCLUSION: Lymphoscintigraphy can be used to select patients with rectal cancer who will be helped by a lymphadenectomy extended to the obturator nodes. However, the concept of the sentinel node cannot be applied to rectal cancer.

[Original reconstruction technique after duodenopancreatectomy]. / Tecnica originale di ricostruzione dopo duodenocefalopancreasectomia.

The authors present an original reconstruction technique after pancreaticoduodenectomy, with anastomosis between the pancreatic stump and the posterior wall of the stomach, using two Roux-en-Y loops to separate the hepaticojejunostomy from the pancreaticogastrostomy and gastrojejunostomy in order to reduce postoperative complications and mortality. Eighteen consecutive patients underwent the procedure. There was no mortality and no pancreaticogastrostomy leaks occurred. Two (11.1%) gastric bleeds occurred in the first two cases. Twelve cases (66.6%) presented alimentary emesis on postoperative day 5 or 6 after food intake. Three patients (16.6%) had postoperative diarrhea. There were no complications calling for reoperation. The mean hospital stay was 14.4 days. No significant late complications were observed. The procedure is easy and safe with no mortality and with one of the lowest complication rates in the literature.

[Role of surgery in the treatment of simple nodular goiter]. / Il ruolo della chirurgia nel trattamento del gozzo nodulare semplice.

On the basis of the pathophysiological data and their experience, the Authors believe that the medical treatment of non-toxic nodular goiter has many limitations. Furthermore, thyroid nodules may progress uncontrollably till to cancer. Surgery is safe in skilled hands, but in many cases it is necessary to remove the gland extensively. Thus, the best treatment is both medical and surgical, because prevention and cure are associated that way.