Fournier's gangrene in a patient with malignant lymphoma: a case report

We report a case of Fournier's gangrene. An 83-year-old man underwent biopsy of left inguinal tumor as an outpatient. Pathological diagnosis was malignant lymphoma (diffuse large cell type). Three weeks later, he developed reddened scrotal swelling accompanied with high fever (> 39 degrees C). On admission, antibiotic chemotherapy was initiated. Although his general condition was improved, scrotal necrosis had developed. A computed tomography scan demonstrated thickened subcutaneous tissue over the left lumbar region. Excision of necrotic tissue and sequential irrigation using povidone iodine liquid were effective. The patient then underwent chemotherapy for malignant lymphoma at the internal department. Nine months after the operation, the scrotal skin had completely recovered.     

Gunshot injury of the proximal femoral physis

A 12-year-old boy sustained a gunshot injury to the proximal femur. The bullet hole passed through the femoral neck very close to the proximal femoral physis (Ogden type 8 physeal injury) without neurovascular injury. The boy was treated conservatively with antibiotics and bedrest. Nine months later, avascular necrosis of the femoral head (Ratliff type 2) and limb shortening of 2 cm had developed. For this reason, a valgus intertrochanteric osteotomy was performed 1 year after the injury. However, only partial revascularization of a necrotic femoral head segment occurred. For the residual necrotic segment in the weight-bearing area and progressive shortening of the femur 3.5 years after injury, a valgus-extension intertrochanteric osteotomy was performed and remodelling of the necrotic fragment done. The boy is now over 19 years old. He has only minimal pain after sports activity and a slightly limited range of movement. The limb shortening is 1.5 cm.     

BRAIN ABSCESSES: REVIEW OF 30 CASES TREATED WITH SURGERY

Thirty patients with brain abscesses who were treated at the Department of Neurosurgery, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore, during the period July 1989 to July 1993, were reviewed. There were seven females and 23 males with mean follow up duration of 19 months. The predisposing factors identified were otogenic infections in 10 cases (33%), paranasal sinus infection in 2 cases (7%) and congenital heart disease in 6 cases (20%). All cases underwent aspiration or excision of the abscess. Repeat operations were carried out if the abscess reaccumulated. A total of 49 aspirations and 16 excisions were performed. Twenty-five patients (84%) made a good recovery, three patients (10%) were moderately disabled, one patient (3%) was severely disabled and one patient (3%) died. There was no postoperative haemorrhage or wound infections. Two patients (7%) developed hydrocephalus and three (10%) had seizures postoperatively.     

Total Pneumonectomy

In July, 1931, a 12-year-old girl sustained a crushing injury to the thorax. Tension pneumothorax, which suggested a tear in the left main bronchus, developed. Because of chronic pulmonary suppuration over the next several months, the decision was made to extirpate the left lung.Total pneumonectomy was attempted, but during the operation strong traction on the hilum resulted in temporary asystole. The operation was halted and resumed fourteen days later. The lung was freed and suture ligatures tied around the hilum, central to the bronchial obstruction. Two weeks later the necrotic lung sloughed off. A small bronchial fistula closed spontaneously. The patient lived for several years.Haight and Graham completed successful pneumonectomies in 1933, Graham's procedure being accomplished in one stage. In the 49 years since the first pneumonectomy, little has been added to the technique, save the achievement of superior hemostasis.     

Hepatocellular carcinoma complicated by gastrointestinal hemorrhage caused by direct tumor invasion of stomach

A 65-year-old man with multiple hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) underwent intra-hepato-arterial chemotherapy (IHAC) through an implantable port over a period of 10 months after transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) had been performed three times. TAE was performed twice more, and radiotherapy (total dose, 30 Gy; given over a 3-week period) was given for progressive disease in the lateral segment of the liver. Three months after the radiotherapy had finished, the patient suddenly developed melena. Diagnostic imaging revealed gastrointestinal (GI) hemorrhage from HCC invading the stomach, and total gastrectomy and lateral segmentectomy of the liver were performed because the bleeding could not be controlled. The resected specimen disclosed a centrally necrotic tumor that had invaded the lesser gastric curvature and perforated into the lumen. Pathology examination revealed that the HCC had expansively invaded the gastric mucosa, resulting in exposure in the lumen. The possible mechanisms of direct GI invasion by HCC are briefly discussed, with a review of the literature. GI bleeding secondary to involvement by HCC is rare. The enteric radiation injury seems to have been largely resposible for the GI bleeding in this patient. Received for publication on Aug. 12, 1998; accepted on Nov. 24, 1998     

Perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis in a patient with Graves' disease treated with methimazole

A 15- year-old Caucasian girl presented with a 1-week history of necrotic ulcers on her bilateral lower extremities, associated with fever and malaise. She had had similar ulcerations on and off over the past 3 years. She had a medical history of Graves' disease, diagnosed in 1999, for which she was taking methimazole (MMI). On physical examination, there were multiple necrotic ulcers with elevated, inflamed borders and an overlying eschar on the bilateral distal extremities (Figure 1). There was one hemorrhagic, flaccid bulla on the lateral aspect of the ankle. Her complete blood count, comprehensive metabolic panel, prothrombin time, and international normalized ratio were within normal limits. Histopathology revealed a neutrophilic vasculitis involving small as well as medium-sized blood vessels. The overlying epidermis and upper dermis showed necrosis (Figure 2). Antinuclear antibody (ANA) was positive at 1:160. Perinuclear (p-) antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) was positive at 1:320. Cytoplasmic ANCA was negative. The patient did not meet any clinical criteria for a diagnosis of lupus erythematosus. Direct immunofluorescence revealed IgM, complement C3, and fibrin in small- and medium-caliber blood vessels in the dermis, consistent with a leukocytoclastic vasculitis of small- and medium-caliber blood vessels (Figure 3). MMI was stopped and the patient was given prednisone, tapered over 5 days. Her thyroid function remained stable, and she did not develop new necrotic ulcers. One month later, the patient developed urticarial lesions on her lower extremities. Histopathology revealed a lymphocytic vascular reaction. No eosinophils or neutrophils were seen. These newer urticarial lesions resolved. The patient underwent debridement of the thick, necrotic ulcerative eschars. To date, her lesions have resolved (Figure 4). An ANA drawn 5 months after withdrawal of MMI was negative, and p-ANCA was 1:67.     

Studies of acute pancreatitis with retroperitoneal necrosis: “The suet syndrome”. Improvements in patient survival

Over a career, 76 patients with massive retroperitoneal necrosis associated with acute pancreatitis were initially treated conservatively. Seventy-one subsequently required operative debridement, between 18 days and 13 months after onset of the disease, including 3 who were explored within the first 2 weeks. In the absence of secondary infection, clinical evidence of toxemia was variable, sometimes relatively limited and occasionally minimal, even in association with large amounts of necrotic tissue. In almost all patients the necrotic tissue consisted chiefly of adipose tissue in the retroperitoneum, including the intramesenteric spaces. In 2 patients, the parapancreatic and retroperitoneal mass appeared to consist predominantly of old, partially liquefied blood clots. Liquefaction of necrotic tissue occasionally proceeded extremely slowly over a period of months. In no patient, up to a maximal lapse of 13 months, was liquefaction complete at the time of exploration. Of the 76 consecutive patients with massive retroperitoneal necrosis, managed by delayed and often frequent debridement, 2 patients (2.6%) died. An occasional patient had significant necrosis of the pancreas, per se; approximately 90% did not. Necrotic retroperitoneal adipose tissue or associated hematoma may prove quite toxic, but was sometimes well tolerated over a prolonged period. The advent of secondary infection leads rapidly to toxemia and, possibly, to an increased rate of liquefaction.     

Choledochal cysts: results of primary surgery and need for reoperation in young patients

The UCLA Medical Center experience in the surgical treatment of 23 young patients with choledochal cysts over a 28 year period has been reviewed. All patients had saccular or fusiform extrahepatic cysts, and one patient also had a diverticular cyst. Eleven patients had no intrahepatic dilatation, whereas 9 had cylindrical and 3 cystic intrahepatic dilatation. There were 39 operations for biliary drainage performed: 17 Roux-Y choledochojejunostomies, 7 choledochoduodenostomies, 7 excisions, and 8 miscellaneous procedures. The morbidity for initial operations was 17 percent and for reoperations, 31 percent. Biliary calculi were found after 2 of 23 primary operations (9 percent) and 6 of 16 reoperations (37.5 percent). All developed while enteric drainage was present and were primary bile duct stones. No reoperation was necessary after cyst excision. An intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma developed in one patient treated with enteric drainage. Three of 10 patients who did not undergo cholecystectomy at their initial operation later required laparotomy for cholecystectomy alone. We recommend cholecystectomy and cyst excision when technically feasible for primary operative treatment of choledochal cysts.     

Infections of soft tissues by bacterial synergism

The treatment of synergistic bacterial soft tissue infections includes usually surgical debridements and radical excisions of necrotic tissues, antibiotic therapy and volumic resuscitation. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy did not prove efficient in these plurimicrobial infections. Their severity is due to virulence synergy of aerobic and anaerobic micro organisms in the involved areas. Sixty patients were admitted in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (december 1980-march 1989) for severe synergistic soft tissue infections. From 1980 to the end of 1983 the initial surgical treatment was extensive with wide excisions. The antibiotic therapy was selected primarily against anaerobes and gram negative rods. Since 1984 antibiotic therapy was changed to take into account all the micro-organisms found in the initial cultures, especially encountered streptococci species (43 times/60 patients). Initial surgery, after fluid resuscitation and antibiotic therapy, included debridements, colostomy in case of perineal lesion and excisions limited to the really necrotic areas. Under antibiotic therapy according to the bacteriological results, surgical management was performed daily during the first week, later when required. In these series, 14 patients died (23.3%). The mortality during the first period (1980-1983) was high: 7/2 (31.8%) and decreased to 7/38 (18.4%) in the second period (1984-1989). Cellulitis is potentially a highly lethal infection. Early recognition as well as adequate medical and surgical management may be lifesaving.     

Wound excision to fascia in burn patients.

All charts of burn patients admitted to the US Army Institute of Surgical Research over a four-year period were reviewed to determine the efficacy of excision of the burn wound to fascia as a therapeutic modality. Of 1,013 burn patients, 72 underwent this procedure. The patients who had excisions had a mean total burn size of 52% of body surface area (BSA) and a mean third-degree burn of 33%. We correlated survival with burn size, associated injuries, day of excision, wound coverage, and sepsis. Survival in the group who had excisions (57%) did not differ substantially from that of the other patients (38%) when broken down by burn size. Careful selection of patients for this procedure and criteria for selection are stressed.     

Showing no increase of C-reactive protein and developing non-bacterial median chest wound dehiscence after coronary artery bypass grafting

A 72-year-old male underwent coronary artery bypass grafting for 3 vessels disease. After the operation, the peak C-reactive protein (CRP) level was 0.85 mg/dl and CRP levels stayed very low. Forty days after the operation the patient developed a progressive median chest wound dehiscence but the bacterial cultures were negative. In spite of conventional therapies such as debridement of necrotic tissue or irrigation, the wound granulation was underdeveloped. After 6 months an epidermis had developed to cover the wound.     

先天性胆总管囊肿再次手术的原因分析及治疗

目的 探讨先天性胆总管囊肿再次手术的原因及治疗方法.方法 对41例先天性胆总管囊肿再次手术患者的临床资料进行总结分析.结果 按先天性胆总管囊肿Todani分型,41例中Ⅰ型32例,Ⅱ型1例,Ⅳ型3例,Ⅴ型5例(其中1例呈弥漫性左右肝分布).既往有1次胆道手术史者30例,2次者8例,3次者3例.41例中合并有胆管结石40例,胆道感染33例,肝门部胆管狭窄7例,原胆肠吻合口狭窄6例,囊肿癌变5例.本次行切除肝外胆管囊肿、肝管空肠Boux-en-Y吻合术者32例,其中2例囊肿癌变者同时行肝十二指肠韧带骨骼化和区域淋巴结清扫术;行肝叶切除联合胆总管囊肿切除、肝管空肠Roux-en-Y吻合术者8例;行胆肠吻合口狭窄切开成形、胆肠内引流重建术1例.41例术后均获随访,随访时间3个月至10年,平均53.7±32.1个月,随访期内发生胆道感染4例,无吻合口狭窄或结石复发等并发症发生.结论 胆总管囊肿术式选择不当及诊断失误导致的多种并发症是导致再手术的主要原因,肝内外胆管囊肿切除、肝管空肠Roux-en-Y吻合术可取得较为满意的疗效.     

Clinicopathologic study of healing excimer laser radial excisions

Four radial linear excisions were created by an argon fluoride (193 nm) excimer laser in the edematous cornea of a blind eye of a diabetic human patient. Partial thickness corneal trephinations were performed at 3, 7, and 18 months after surgery for histopathologic examination. At 3 months, a wide gap in Bowman's layer permitted extension of an epithelial plug to a depth of 0.35 mm; at 7 and 18 months, the depth of the epithelial plug was decreased to 0.29 mm and 0.01 mm, respectively. With wound healing, excision width decreased and the two cut ends of Bowman's layer were almost reapposed by 18 months, suggesting wound contraction. Linear excisions with the excimer laser appear to be wider than incisions made with a diamond blade, but the pattern of wound maturation appears to be similar.     

A histological study of the necrotic area after transtrochanteric anterior rotational osteotomy for osteonecrosis of the femoral head

We studied nine patients who had had a transtrochanteric anterior rotational osteotomy, as developed by Sugioka, for osteonecrosis of the femoral head. At a mean of 2.5 years after the initial operation we carried out a histological study of the previously necrotic femoral head which had not shown collapse of the new primary weight-bearing site. In seven joints, there was proliferation of fibrous tissue in the dead trabeculae with vascular ingrowth. New bone covering dead trabeculae created the characteristic appearance of 'creeping substitution'. However, these changes were limited and did not extend over the entire necrotic area. Dead bone remained in all the cases. In the other two heads we did not observe proliferation of fibrous tissue or vascular ingrowth, only dead trabeculae and dead bone marrow.     

Radial scars diagnosed on breast core biopsy: Frequency of atypia and carcinoma on excision and implications for management

AimsThe risk of finding carcinoma in excisions following a core needle biopsy diagnosis of radial scar is not well defined and clinical management is variable.The aim of this study is to determine the frequency of high-risk lesions, ductal carcinoma in situ, and invasive carcinoma in excisions following a core biopsy diagnosis of radial scar.Methods and resultsDedicated breast pathologists and radiologists correlated the histologic and radiologic findings and categorized radial scars as the target lesion or an incidental finding. High-risk lesions were defined as atypical hyperplasia or classical lobular carcinoma in situ.Of the 79 radial scars identified over a 14-year period, 22 were associated with atypia or carcinoma in the core biopsy. Thirty-seven (37) of the 57 benign radial scars underwent excision with benign findings in 30 (81%), high-risk lesions in six (16%), and flat epithelial atypia in one (3%). There were no upgrades to carcinoma. One patient with a benign radial scar developed a 3-mm focus of intermediate-grade estrogen receptor-positive ductal carcinoma in situ in the same quadrant of the ipsilateral breast 72 months after excision. One patient with an incidental un-excised benign radial scar was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ at a separate site of suspicious calcifications.ConclusionsIn this series, none of the benign radial scars was upgraded to carcinoma. Radial scar was the targeted lesion in all cases with high-risk lesions on excision. Surgical excision may not be mandatory for patients with benign incidental radial scars on core biopsy.     

Recurrent orf in an immunocompromised host

A 30-year-old farmer with Nezelof's syndrome developed a giant orf on his hand. Recurrence followed surgical excision. Three excisions and split skin grafts were required before its eradication. He re-presented 8 years later with a further orf on the finger of his opposite hand. This lesion had not grown to the exuberant proportion of the previous lesion, but it defied repeated excisions, and various medical therapies including idoxuridine, interferon and transfer factor. Excision with hypochlorite dressings perioperatively and delayed split skin grafting led to eventual eradication.     

Oncological outcome after immediate breast reconstruction for invasive breast cancer: a long-term study

Immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) was implemented in 1990. Patients operated on for invasive breast cancer were assessed for oncological outcome after a minimum of 5-year follow-up. The study had a form of a retrospective analysis of 203 consecutive patients. The indications for IBR were always discussed in multidisciplinary case conferences. The pectoralis major fascia was left in place. The implant technique dominated. The break down by tumor stage was T1 tumors in 122 cases, T2 in 72, and T3 tumors in nine. Preoperative chemotherapy was given to 21 patients for tumors > 4 cm. Thirteen patients, or 6.5%, developed a local recurrence and seven are still alive with their reconstructed breast after excisions, chemo- and radiation therapy. Most (11) of the 13 recurrences occurred within 24 months after IBR. The recurrence rate remained low with this surgery plus reconstruction approach and IBR is therefore considered a safe procedure when implemented by a multidisciplinary team. Most recurrences appear within 2 years after reconstruction.     

PAROTID AND SUBMANDIBULAR SIALADENITIS TREATED BY SALIVARY GLAND EXCISION

Background : The purpose of the present study was to compare and contrast the clinicopathological features and treatment outcome of chronic sialadenitis involving the parotid and submandibular glands, among patients who were treated by excision of the affected gland. Methods : In a series of 88 patients treated over an 8-year period, 47 had parotid sialadenitis and 41 had submandibular sialadenitis. In the parotid group, 63% of patients were symptomatic for longer than 6 months compared with 27% in the submandibular group. Calculi were implicated in the disease process in 24% of patients with parotid sialadenitis, compared with 73% of patients with submandibular disease. Results : Patients with parotid sialadenitis had superficial (n= 14) or near-total parotidectomy (n= 35), while those with submandibular sialadenitis underwent total gland excision. Complications occurred twice as frequently in the parotidectomy group. The rate of temporary facial nerve weakness was 29% after parotidectomy while marginal mandibular nerve dysfunction occurred after 12% of submandibular excisions. Both procedures were highly effective in permanently relieving the symptoms of sialadenitis. Conclusions : Parotid sialadenitis is infrequently associated with stones and tends to run a longer course before surgical intervention is necessary. Submandibular sialadenitis usually presents earlier, is secondary to calculi and requires early intervention.     

Epithelioid sarcoma of the hand

Twenty-eight patients were treated for a primary epithelioid sarcoma of the hand. Twenty-seven patients (96%) had excisions before evaluation, including 11 (39%) with multiple prior excisions with varying diagnoses before epithelioid sarcoma, and all had surgical treatment after referral. The patients' surgical management included three patients with amputation at the forearm, three patients with wide excision, and 21 patients with a partial amputation of the hand. The followup period averaged 120 months (range, 24-276 months). Eighteen patients have no evidence of disease at last followup. Treatment failures included one local recurrence, four regional metastases, and five distant metastases. Five patients died secondary to disease. Two patients are alive with disease, and three are alive with no evidence of disease after additional treatment. After aggressive surgical management with negative margins, 71% of the patients were alive without evidence of disease at the last followup, with a 5- and 10-year survivorship of 85%. Our goal is to review: (1) the effectiveness of preoperative imaging, (2) the role of adjuvant therapy, (3) survival after alternative resections, and (4) function after resection.