Summary Gynaecomastia, breast enlargement in men, is common in all age groups. It is operated on by plastic surgeons, general surgeons and paediatric surgeons. It is therefore possible that there is ...a difference in the populations treated, the indications for surgery and the management used by the different practitioners. We performed a survey in order to assess the approach to treatment of gynaecomastia by the different disciplines. An electronic survey questionnaire was sent to members of the Dutch societies of surgery, paediatric surgery and plastic surgery. We received 105 responses from plastic surgeons, 95 from general surgeons and 15 from paediatric surgeons, representing respective response rates of 38.7%, 23.8% and 42.8%. Plastic surgeons operated on gynaecomastia most frequently. The diagnostic criteria and workup were similar for all disciplines, although general surgeons used more imaging. There was a difference in the side operated on. General surgeons and paediatric surgeons operated mainly on unilateral cases (74% and 52%), while plastic surgeons operated mainly on bilateral cases (85%). Pharmaceutical treatment with Tamoxifen was reported only by general surgeons (13%). All disciplines used mainly the periareolar incision. Plastic surgeons reported more often the use of other surgical approaches as well as adjunctive liposuction and they did not always submit tissue for pathological examination. Perioperative antibiotics, drains and pressure garments were not always used. All disciplines agreed that the most common complication was bleeding, followed by seroma, infection, insufficient results, inverted nipple and nipple necrosis. This survey highlights some differences in the practice of gynaecomastia surgery. The findings appear to point to the fact that the indications are different, being more aesthetic in the case of plastic surgeons. The results of this survey are important in establishing the standard of care and may be helpful for setting guidelines.
Background Peritoneal fibrinolysis is crucial in the peritoneal healing processes and subsequent adhesion formation. During conventional surgery, the peritoneal fibrinolytic system is rapidly ...disturbed. Short-term laparoscopy does not seem to affect peritoneal fibrinolysis. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of prolonged laparoscopic surgery on peritoneal fibrinolysis. Methods Twelve consecutive patients undergoing laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery for morbid obesity were included in the study. During the procedure, biopsies of the parietal peritoneum were taken at the start of the procedure and each 45 min afterward. Tissue samples were homogenized and tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) antigen, tPA activity, urokinase-type PA antigen, and plasminogen activating inhibitors type 1 antigen were measured using commercial assay techniques. Results Both tPA antigen and its activity progressively decreased during the procedure, reaching significant levels after 90 min of surgery. The levels of uPA antigen and plasminogen activating inhibitors antigen did not significantly change throughout the procedure. Conclusions As for conventional surgery, prolonged laparoscopic surgery causes a decreased fibrinolytic activity in the peritoneum due to decreased tPA levels.
In this multi-institutional prospective study, we evaluated whether we could identify risk factors predictive for non-sentinel lymph node (non-SN) metastases in breast cancer patients with a positive ...sentinel lymph node (SN).
In this multi-institutional study, 541 eligible breast cancer patients were included prospectively.
The occurrence of non-SN metastases was related to the size of the SN metastasis (P = .02), primary tumor size (P = .001), and lymphovascular invasion (P = .07). The adjusted odds ratio was 3.1 for SN micro-metastasis compared with SN isolated tumor cells, 4.0 for SN macro-metastasis versus SN isolated tumor cells, 3.1 for tumor size (>3.0 cm compared with </=3.0 cm), and 2.0 for lymphovascular invasion (yes versus no). There were no positive non-SNs when the primary tumor size was </=1.0 cm (n = 24) 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0%-14.0%. The proportion of positive non-SNs ranged in a prognostic logistic regression model from 9.7% (95% CI 4.0%-23.0%) for patients with SN isolated tumor cells, tumor size of 1.1-3.0 cm, and without vessel invasion, to 72.6% (95% CI 47.0%-89.0%) for patients with SN macro-metastasis, tumor size >3.0 cm, and with vessel invasion.
We identified three predictive factors for non-SN metastases in breast cancer patients with a positive SN: size of the SN metastasis; primary tumor size; and vessel invasion. We were not able to identify a specific group of patients with a positive SN in whom the risk for non-SN metastases was less than 5%.
Internationally, there is no consensus on the pathology protocol to be used to examine the sentinel lymph node (SN). At present, therefore, various hospitals use different SN pathology protocols of ...which the effect has not been fully elucidated. We hypothesized that differences between hospitals in SN pathology protocols affect subsequent surgical treatment strategies.
Patients from four hospitals (A-D) were prospectively registered when they underwent an SN biopsy. In hospitals A, B, and C, three levels of the SN were examined pathologically, whereas in hospital D, at least seven additional levels were examined. In the absence of apparent metastases with hematoxylin and eosin examination, immunohistochemical examination was performed in all four hospitals.
In total, 541 eligible patients were included. In hospital D, more patients were diagnosed with a positive SN (P < .001) as compared with hospitals A, B, and C, mainly because of increased detection of isolated tumor cells. This led to more completion axillary lymph node dissections in hospital D (66.3% of patients (P < .0001), compared with 29.0% in hospitals A, B, and C combined). Positive non-SNs were detected in 13.9% of patients in hospital D, compared with 9.7% in hospitals A, B, and C (P = .70). That is, in 52.4% of patients in hospital D, a negative completion axillary lymph node dissection was performed, compared with 19.3% of patients in hospitals A, B, and C combined.
Differences in SN pathology protocols between hospitals do have a substantial effect on SN findings and subsequent surgical treatment strategies. Whether ultrastaging and, thus, additional surgery can offer better survival remains to be determined.
Peritoneal fibrinolysis is important in peritoneal wound healing processes and adhesion formation. The peritoneal fibrinolytic response to laparoscopy is merely unknown. In the present study we ...investigate the effect of short-term laparoscopy on the peritoneal fibrinolytic response and the influence of intra-abdominal pressure, light intensity and choice of dissection device on this response.
There were 50 patients scheduled for laparoscopic cholecystectomy randomized in five groups operated with various pressures, light intensities, and dissection devices. Peritoneal biopsies were taken at the beginning and the end of the procedure. Tissue concentrations of tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA), urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA), plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1), and the tPA-activity were measured using ELISA techniques.
There were no differences in tPA antigen, tPA-activity, uPA antigen, or PAI-1 antigen concentrations in biopsies taken at the beginning compared to samples taken at the end of the operation. Different intra-abdominal pressures, light intensities and the choice dissection device did not affect any of the measured parameters.
Short-term laparoscopy does not affect the peritoneal fibrinolytic activity. The used intra-abdominal pressure, light intensity and choice of dissection device do not affect peritoneal activity during short-term laparoscopy.
Background Prognosis of esophageal cancer patients can be significantly improved by neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT). Given the aggressive nature of esophageal tumors, it is conceivable that in a ...significant portion of patients treated with nCRT, dissemination already becomes manifest during the period of nCRT. The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the value and diagnostic accuracy of PET-CT after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy to identify patients with metastases preoperatively in order to prevent non-curative surgery. Methods From January 2011 until February 2013 esophageal cancer patients deemed eligible for a curative approach with nCRT and surgical resection underwent a PET-CT after completion of nCRT. If abnormalities on PET-CT were suspected metastases, histological proof was acquired. A clinical decision model was designed to assess the cost-effectiveness of this diagnostic strategy. Results 156 patients underwent a PET-CT after nCRT. In 31 patients (19.9%) PET-CT showed abnormalities suspicious for dissemination, resulting in 17 cases of proven metastases (10.9%). Of the patients without proven metastases 133 patients were operated. In 6 of these 133 cases distant metastases were detected intraoperatively, corresponding to 4.5% false-negative results. The standard introduction of a post-neoadjuvant therapy PET-CT led to a reduction of overall health care costs per patient compared to a scenario without restaging with PET-CT ($34,088 vs. $36,490). Conclusion In 10.9% of esophageal cancer patients distant metastases were detected by standard PET-CT after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. To avoid non-curative resections we advocate post-neoadjuvant therapy PET-CT as a cost-effective step in the standard work-up of candidates for surgery.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Esophagectomy is accompanied by a high postoperative complication rate. Minimally invasive esophageal surgery appears to be a promising technique that might be associated with a lower pulmonary ...morbidity rate. The objective of this study was to describe the implementation of minimally invasive esophageal surgery in a tertiary referral center and to compare the results of our first series of minimally invasive esophagectomies (MIE) to conventional open esophagectomies.
MIE was implemented after several procedures had been proctored by a surgeon with extensive experience with MIE. Preoperative characteristics and the postoperative course of patients who underwent a transthoracic esophagectomy were prospectively registered. Morbidity and overall hospital stay were compared between minimally invasive and open resections performed in the same period.
A total of 90 consecutive esophageal cancer patients underwent a transthoracic resection, 41 patients by means of a minimally invasive approach. Preoperative characteristics were comparable for both groups. The duration of surgery was longer in the MIE group (6.0 vs. 5.2 hours, P<0.001) and median blood loss was lower 100 vs. 500 mL (P<0.001). There was only a trend towards a shorter hospital stay in the MIE group (11 vs. 13 days, P=0.072), pulmonary complications occurred in 20% of patients in the MIE group vs. 31% in the open group (P=0.229). The overall complication rate was 51% in the MIE group vs. 63% in the open group, P=0.249.
Implementation of MIE in our center was successful and it appears to be a safe technique for patients with potentially curable esophageal carcinoma.
Preoperative biliary drainage is often performed in patients with obstructive jaundice caused by cancer of the pancreatic head, but the benefit of the procedure is unclear. This randomized trial ...compared 4 to 6 weeks of preoperative biliary drainage, followed by surgery, with immediate surgery alone for cancer of the pancreatic head. The drainage procedure increased morbidity and did not decrease the rate of surgical complications.
This randomized trial compared 4 to 6 weeks of preoperative biliary drainage, followed by surgery, with immediate surgery alone for cancer of the pancreatic head. The drainage procedure increased morbidity and did not decrease the rate of surgical complications.
Obstructive jaundice is the most common symptom in patients with periampullary cancer (located near the ampulla of Vater) or cancer of the pancreatic head. For patients with a resectable tumor who have no radiologic evidence of metastasis, surgical resection is the only option for cure.
1
–
3
Since surgery in patients with jaundice is thought to increase the risk of postoperative complications, preoperative biliary drainage was introduced to improve the postoperative outcome.
4
In several experimental studies and retrospective case series, preoperative biliary drainage reduced morbidity and mortality after surgery.
4
–
7
However, two meta-analyses of randomized trials and a systematic review of . . .
This study was set up to identify patient-related factors favoring the application of either surgery or endoprostheses in the palliation of obstructive jaundice in subsets of patients with cancer of ...the head of the pancreas or periampullary region.
In the palliation of obstructive jaundice, surgical biliodigestive anastomosis has traditionally been performed. Surgical biliary bypass is associated with high mortality (15% to 30%) and morbidity rates (20% to 60%) but little recurrent obstructive jaundice (0% to 15%). Biliary drainage with endoscopically placed endoprostheses has a lower complication rate, but recurrent obstructive jaundice is seen in up to 20% to 50% of patients.
Patients with advanced cancer of the head of the pancreas or periampullary region treated at the University Hospital Dijkzigt, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, between 1980 and 1990 were reviewed. In 148 patients, data were compared concerning the morbidity and hospital stay after the palliation of obstructive jaundice with endoscopic endoprostheses or surgical biliary bypasses. These patients were stratified for long (> 6 months) and short (< 6 months) survival times.
In short-term survivors, the higher late morbidity rates after endoprostheses were offset by higher early morbidity rates and longer hospital stays after the surgical bypass. In long-term survivors, there was no difference in the hospital stay between the two groups, but the late morbidity rate was significantly higher in the endoprosthesis group.
These data suggest that endoscopic endoprosthesis is the optimal palliation for patients surviving less than 6 months and surgical biliary bypass for those surviving more than 6 months. This policy necessitates the development of prognostic criteria, which were obtained by Cox proportional-hazards survival analysis. Advanced age, male sex, liver metastases, and large diameters of tumors were unfavorable prognostic factors. With these factors, the risk of short- or long-term survival can be predicted. It is hoped that the application of these data may allow a rational approach toward optimal palliative treatment of this form of malignant obstructive jaundice.
PDF
