Background:
The essential thrombocythemia (ET) is a myeloid neoplasm characterized by platelet hyperreactivity and thrombosis. The daily low‐dose aspirin (ASA) is a cornerstone in the prevention of ...the thrombotic events. In the ET an accelerated platelet turnover translates in a renewal of the drug target shortening the duration of cyclooxygenase (COX‐1) inhibition and may dictate new dosing strategies particularly in ASA “low‐responders” patients.
Aims:
Therefore, we evaluated platelet count, β‐thromboglobulin (β‐TG) and platelet factor 4 (PF4), as markers of platelet activation, the platelet function activity (PFA), as indicator of ASA platelet sensitivity, the clotting time (CT), clot formation time (CFT) and maximum clot formation/firmness (MCF), as indicators of aspirinated platelet contribution to clot firmness.
Methods
We studied 60 patients (20 men, 40 women; mean age 51 years, range 32‐70) with ET according to WHO criteria. The mean duration of disease was 11 years. All patients were on ASA 100 mg once daily. Of the 60 patients, 45 were on anagrelide hydrochloride (daily dose 1.5 mg) (10 men, 35 women), 15 were on hydroxyurea (daily dose 2 mg) (10 men 5 women). None had inherited or acquired thrombotic risk factors. Sixty subjects served as controls. Platelets were measured by automated analyzer. β‐TG and PF4 were determined by ELISA. ASA platelet sensitivity and CT, CFT and MCF were measured by Platelet Function Analyzer (PFA‐100) and by ROTEM delta, respectively.
Results:
The mean platelet count was 455 ± 200 × 109/L. All patients had normal β‐TG and PF4 (12 ± 5 IU/ml and 4 ± 1 IU/ml), prolonged C/EPI closure time (T, unit: s, n.v. 84‐160 s) (249 ± 40 s), normal CT (CT, unit: s. n.v. 100‐240 s) (110 ± 20 s), normal CFT (CFT, unit: s, n.v. 30‐110 s) (45 ± 5 s) and normal MCF (MCF, unit: mm, n.v. 50‐72 mm) (61 ± 2 mm).
Summary/Conclusion:
These findings suggest that in ET patients the daily low‐dose ASA represents an optimal dosing strategy.
The present study examined the roles of gender, ethnicity, and residence status in an ethnically diverse sample of undergraduate students who completed the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey. Gender, ...ethnicity, and residential status were associated with likelihood of binge drinking among students who reported consuming alcohol (non-Hispanic). White students were more likely to report using alcohol than Black students and Asian students. Ethnicity moderated the effects of both residence status and gender on alcohol consumption. Living with one's parents was associated with a lower likelihood of reported alcohol use among Hispanic students, but not among (non-Hispanic) White students. Hispanic women were more likely to report using alcohol than were Hispanic men, but no gender difference in likelihood of alcohol consumption was found among (non-Hispanic) White students.
We retrospectively studied 181 patients with polycythaemia vera (n=67), essential thrombocythaemia (n=67) or primary myelofibrosis (n=47), who presented a first episode of splanchnic vein thrombosis ...(SVT). Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) and portal vein thrombosis were diagnosed in 31 (17.1%) and 109 (60.3%) patients, respectively; isolated thrombosis of the mesenteric or splenic veins was detected in 18 and 23 cases, respectively. After this index event, the patients were followed for 735 patient years (pt-years) and experienced 31 recurrences corresponding to an incidence rate of 4.2 per 100 pt-years. Factors associated with a significantly higher risk of recurrence were BCS (hazard ratio (HR): 3.03), history of previous thrombosis (HR: 3.62), splenomegaly (HR: 2.66) and leukocytosis (HR: 2.8). Vitamin K-antagonists (VKA) were prescribed in 85% of patients and the recurrence rate was 3.9 per 100 pt-years, whereas in the small fraction (15%) not receiving VKA more recurrences (7.2 per 100 pt-years) were reported. Intracranial and extracranial major bleeding was recorded mainly in patients on VKA and the corresponding rate was 2.0 per 100 pt-years. In conclusion, despite anticoagulation treatment, the recurrence rate after SVT in myeloproliferative neoplasms is high and suggests the exploration of new avenues of secondary prophylaxis with new antithrombotic drugs and JAK-2 inhibitors.
The Authors report their experience with the routine use of surgical drainage in a large series of splenectomies.
Benefits and risks related to surgical drains have been always discussed, with some ...surgeons in favor of them and skeptic others considering not physiological their use. After splenectomy, their use is also largely debated, especially because of susceptibility of operated patients to infections.
Two thousand nine cases have been reviewed. Indications for splenectomy, performed either by open or laparoscopic approach, included idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura in 137 patients (65,4%), splenic lymphoma in 36 (17,2%), hereditary spherocytosis in 15 (7,4%), β-thalassemia in 8 (3,7%), other diseases in 13 (6,1%).
"Active" or "passive" drains were placed in 80% and 20% of cases, respectively. Drains were removed 2-3 days after surgery in 90,2%, within 10 days in 4,3%, within 2 months in 0,4% of cases. In 2 cases a post-operative bleeding, detected through the drainage, required re-operation. One patient developed a subphrenic abscess, successfully treated by a percutaneous drainage. One case of pancreatic fistula was observed.
In Authors' experience, the use of drains after splenectomy does not affect the risk of subsequent infectious complications, independently on the type of the drainage system used. Early removal of drains in this series might have played an important role in the very low incidence of abdominal infections reported. The use of surgical drains after splenectomy might play an important role to early detect post-operative bleeding, as it happened in 2 cases of this series.
Hereditary spherocytosis is an inherited hemolytic anemia caused by a deficiency in erythrocyte membrane proteins. Removal of the spleen may reduce the intra-splenic hemolytic process of the disease ...and, therefore, may correct the anemia. Furthermore, it seems to decrease the levels of serum bilirubin, thus reducing the formation of gallbladder stones. Indications and timing of splenectomy, however, are still debated. Twelve patients with severe hereditary spherocytosis operated on with laparoscopic splenectomy were retrospectively reviewed. Median age at diagnosis was 13.8 years (range 8–25 years). Male to female ratio was 5/7. Indications for laparoscopic removal of the spleen included anemia unresponsive to iron supplementation in eight patients (66.6 %) with increase need for red cells transfusions, and jaundice with symptoms related to cholelitiasis in four patients (33.3 %). Laparoscopic splenectomy was associated in four cases to laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Mean operative time was 50 min (range 40–75 min) with no conversion to open surgery. Mean hospital stay ranged from 3 to 7 days. In a 16-month follow-up, no complications were recorded and a persistent correction of anemia was observed. With the advent of laparoscopic surgery, splenectomy has been performed by this mini-invasive approach in referral centers. Laparoscopic splenectomy is an effective technique, when performed in patients with hereditary spherocytosis. Low complication rate and persistent correction of the hematologic disorders can be expected after the laparoscopic splenectomy, provided that a proper technique is performed and an experienced surgical team is available.
The incidence of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism following laparoscopic surgery is unknown and studies on alterations of hemostasis after laparoscopy are inconclusive.
In this study we ...prospectively evaluated changes in prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), fibrinogen (Fg), antithrombin III (ATIII), prothrombin fragment F 1 + 2, beta-thromboglobulin (betaTG) and D-dimer (D-D), preoperatively and 24 h after laparoscopic surgery in 16 patients.
Comparing pre- and postoperative values, no statistical differences were observed in aPTT, F1 + 2, and ATIII measurements. Postoperative PT values increased slightly (p approximately 0.05) after surgery. Conversely, Fg, betaTG, and D-D values were statistically higher in the 24-h evaluation (p = 0.008, 0.01, and 0.045, respectively).
These data suggest that laparoscopic surgery induces activation of coagulation and fibrinolytic pathways and, additionaly, betaTG elevation, which has never been reported and might account for postoperative platelet activation and a greater risk of thrombogenicity. Therefore, routine thromboembolic prophylaxis in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery is recommended.
Myeloid sarcoma is a tumor composed of myeloblasts occurring at an extramedullary site. It may develop in patients with acute myeloid leukemia, myeloproliferative or myelodysplastic syndrome, ...sometimes preceding onset of the systemic disease. Frequent sites of myeloid sarcoma are bones or various soft tissues. Gastrointestinal involvement is very rare. We report a unique case of myeloid sarcoma presenting as a painful anal fissure, in a patient with a history of acute myeloid leukemia. The diagnosis was achieved by a surgical excisional biopsy and immunoistochemical staining.
Since its introduction in 1992 laparoscopic splenectomy (LS) has become the technique of choice for surgical removal of the spleen in several centres. The procedure, however, is associated with risks ...and complications, either during surgery or in the postoperative phase. Although the incidence of intraoperative complications is unknown, intraoperative risks in patients undergoing laparoscopic splenectomy are not uncommon. In this article, we reviewed the literature on risks and complications during LS, and we point out, based on our personal series and on the experiences reported by other Authors, how to prevent, whenever possible, these complications.
Pediatric surgery is now in the forefront of minimal access procedures. Although pediatric surgeons have been skeptic about laparoscopic splenectomy, recently minimally invasive approach for spleen ...removal has been revaluated also in young patients. Purpose of this study was to report Authors' personal experience in patients under eighteen who underwent laparoscopic splenectomy. Results of the procedure were evaluated.
A retrospective review was undertaken in 18 splenectomised patients under the age of eighteen. Indications were hereditary spherocytosis in 10 patients, β-thalassemia in 4, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura in 3 and a splenic cyst in 1 child.
No intra-operative complications occurred. No conversion to open surgery was reported. During the follow-up one case of portal vein thrombosis, treated by medical therapy, was encountered and no other postoperative complications were observed.
Laparoscopic approach has to be preferable for all those children undergoing spleen surgery. In experienced hands, it is of beneficial effects with a very reasonable rate of complications.
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