Lateral Lymph Nodes in Rectal Cancer: Do we all Think the Same? A Review of Multidisciplinary Obstacles and Treatment Recommendations

Lateral lymph nodes in low, locally advanced, rectal cancer have proven implications for local recurrence rates, which increase drastically in the presence of persistently enlarged lateral lymph nodes. These clinical implications warrant a thorough understanding of lateral nodal disease with awareness and knowledge from all three specialties involved – radiology, radiation oncology, and surgery – to ensure proper treatment. Relevant literature for each specialty, including all current guidelines and perspectives, were examined. Variations in definitions and treatment paradigms were evaluated. There is still no consensus for the standardized treatment of lateral nodal disease. Each discipline works according to their own available evidence, but relevant data are scarce. Current international guidelines and standard recommendations for the diagnostics and treatment of lateral lymph nodes are lacking. This results in differing perspectives and interpretations between the disciplines which can lead to challenging communication in an area where multidisciplinary collaboration is essential. This review addresses this by presenting the current evidence, perspectives and practices of each specialty and makes suggestions for each phase of the diagnostic and treatment process for patients with lateral nodal disease. By doing this, steps are taken toward achieving international consensus, and multidisciplinary collaboration.     

The hidden aspect of carotid lesions in traffic accidents: A little-known phenomenon

Vascular injuries that occur during traffic accidents are a commonly neglected aspect that can add more detail to the framework of a case. In this study, we analysed a case series of 150 traffic accidents, 39 of which were marked by microscopically identifiable vascular lesions. The purpose was to identify the presence of carotid injuries in individuals who died due to traffic accidents and had nonpenetrating trauma of the neck. We focused on the discrepancies regarding the macroscopical aspect and the histology and demonstrated how histological analysis of the carotids in cases of trauma can reveal injuries that are attributable to the trauma itself. We conducted a histological analysis of the lesions to describe their distribution and type and investigate potential correlations. The study offers insight on how to examine road accidents that involve traumatic injury of the carotid arteries. Indeed the main task of the forensic pathologist in the case of death is to establish the existence of a causal relationship between the micro- or macroscopic alterations observed in the autopsy and the traumatic event that led to the death of the subject. Thus, further morphological elements were provided to the forensic practitioners that may reveal injuries attributable to the trauma itself and should be evaluated in cases of trauma in traffic accidents.     

血府逐瘀汤合温胆汤加减联合西药治疗高血压颈动脉硬化的临床观察

目的:观察血府逐瘀汤合温胆汤加减联合西药治疗高血压颈动脉硬化的效果。方法:选取2017年6月至2018年6月聊城市中医院收治的高血压颈动脉硬化患者92例作为研究对象,按照随机数字表法随机分为对照组与观察组,每组46例。对照组患者给予左旋氨氯地平+阿托伐他汀口服,观察组在对照组基础上加用血府逐瘀汤合温胆汤加减口服。观察患者血压、血脂控制情况,测定颈动脉内膜中层厚度(IMT)、斑块面积、血管皮内皮功能、血清蛋白酶分子水平。结果:与对照组比较,观察组治疗后的血压SBP、DBP及血脂TG、TC、LDL-C等指标更低(P<0.05);颈动脉粥样硬化斑块IMT厚度、斑块面积明显缩小(P<0.05),血管内皮功能指标ET-1、AngⅡ、TXB2水平明显降低,NO水平明显升高(P<0.05);血清CatK、MMP-9水平明显降低(P<0.05);观察组不良反应发生率8.70%明显低于对照组不良反应发生率21.74%(P<0.05)。结论:血府逐瘀汤合温胆汤加减联合西药更利于控制高血压颈动脉硬化患者的血压,调节脂质代谢,改善血管内皮功能,降低血清蛋白酶分子的含量,用药安全。     

复荣通脉组方对老年糖尿病患者颈动脉内膜-中层厚度影响

[目的] 分析复荣通脉组方对老年糖尿病患者颈动脉内膜-中层厚度（IMT）影响。[方法] 选择2018年1月—2019年6月至河北中医学院附属沧州中西医结合医院进行2型糖尿病治疗的老年患者100例进行本次研究。使用随机数字法将患者分为观察组和对照组各50例。对照组患者给予常规治疗，观察组在对照组基础上给予中药汤剂复荣通脉组方治疗。比较两组患者治疗前后IMT水平、颈动脉斑块大小和数量变化，颈动脉血流变化情况。[结果] 两组患者治疗前颈总动脉内膜-中层厚度（CCA-IMT）和颈内动脉内膜-中膜厚度（ICA-IMT）无统计学差异（P>0.05），治疗后与治疗前相比均降低（P<0.05），但观察组（1.41±0.13）、（1.31±0.11）mm均低于对照组（1.48±0.14）、（1.37±0.15）mm，且具有统计学差异（P<0.05）。两组患者治疗前颈动脉斑块大小和数量无统计学差异（P>0.05），治疗后与治疗前相比均降低（P<0.05），但观察组（18.41±4.06）mm³、（2.51±1.30）个，均低于对照组（21.03±3.82）mm³、（3.06±1.57）个，且具有统计学差异（P<0.05）。观察组患者治疗后CCA-IMT、ICA-IMT分别减少11、12例，高于对照组4、4例；观察组颈动脉斑块数量治疗后减少67个，高于对照组54个，均具有统计学差异（P<0.05）。两组患者治疗前各项脑血流参数均无统计学差异（P>0.05），治疗后均有所改善，但观察组改善得更为明显，具有统计学差异（P<0.05）。[结论] 复荣通脉组方能够明显降低老年糖尿病患者IMT水平，缩小颈动脉斑块，改善患者脑血流情况，具有较好的临床应用效果。     

Training of deep microsurgical skill: Establishment of a high-volume intracranial carotid bypass model

ObjectiveTo establish a model for a high-volume intracranial carotid bypass operation.MethodsHigh-volume internal carotid-middle cerebral artery bypass was performed on 9 cadaver heads with arteries of porcine forearms as grafts by 6 residents with no previous experience in vascular anastomosis on cadavers. The intima was dissected immediately after the anastomoses were completed to observe the patency of anastomosis.ResultsAfter different duration periods of training using this model, 36 vascular anastomoses on 18 sides were successfully performed by the 6 residents with a self-made difficulty regulation device. As the difficulty level increased, the time needed for anastomosis lengthened and patency rate showed a decreasing trend. As the amount of training increased, the residents were able to decrease the amount of time to complete the operation with increasing patency rates.ConclusionsThe model of high-volume internal carotid-middle cerebral artery bypass with arteries of porcine forearms has the advantages of material similarity, easy access of grafts, better simulation of intraoperative conditions, and adjustable difficulties. Our results suggest that this new procedure has a better simulation-training platform which is closer to the real surgical procedure for surgeons willing to master the technique of a high-volume bypass operation.