Natural history of carotid artery stenosis contralateral to endarterectomy: results from two randomized prospective trials

PURPOSE: A few nonrandomized studies have reported the natural history of carotid artery stenosis (CAS) contralateral to carotid endarterectomy (CEA). This study analyzed this condition with data from two randomized prospective trials. METHODS: The contralateral carotid arteries in 534 patients from two randomized trials that compared CEA with primary closure versus patching were followed up clinically and with duplex ultrasound scanning at 1 month and then every 6 months. CAS was classified as less than 50%, 50% to 79%, 80% to 99%, and occlusion. Late contralateral CEA was performed to treat significant CAS. Progression was defined as progress to a higher category of stenosis. Kaplan-Meier life table analysis was used to estimate freedom from progression of CAS. The correlation of risk factors and CAS progression was also analyzed. RESULTS: Of 534 patients, 61 had initial contralateral CEA and 53 had contralateral occlusion. Overall, CAS progressed in 109 of 420 patients (26%) at mean follow-up of 41 months. Progression of CAS was noted in 5 of 162 patients (3%) with baseline normal carotid arteries. CAS progressed in 56 of 157 patients (36%) with less than 50% stenosis versus 45 of 95 patients (47%) with 50% to 79% stenosis (P =.003). Median time to progression was 24 months for less than 50% CAS, and 12 months for 50% to 79% CAS (P =.035). At 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years, freedom from disease progression in patients with baseline CAS <50% was 95%, 78%, 69%, 61%, 48%, respectively, and in patients with 50% to 79% CAS was 75%, 61%, 51%, 43%, and 33%, respectively (P =.003). Freedom from progression in patients with baseline normal carotid arteries at 1 through 5 years was 99%, 98%, 96%, 96%, and 94%, respectively. Late neurologic events referable to the CCA were infrequent (28 of 420 [6.7%] in the entire series; 28 of 258 [10.9%] patients with contralateral CAS), and included 10 strokes (2.4%) and 18 transient ischemic attacks (4.3%). However, late contralateral CEA was performed in 62 patients (62 of 420 [15%] in the entire series; 62 of 258 [24%] patients with contralateral CAS). Survival rates were 96%, 92%, 90%, 87%, and 82%, respectively, at 1 through 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: Progression of CCA stenosis was noted in a significant number of patients with baseline contralateral CAS. Serial clinical studies and duplex ultrasound scanning every 6 to 12 months in patients with 50% to 79% CAS, and every 12 to 24 months in patients with 50% or less CAS is adequate.     

Flow cytometric analysis of DNA ploidy pattern in advanced gastric cancer and its relationship with prognosis

Cell nuclear DNA content was determined by flow cytometric analysis in 270 patients with advanced gastric cancer. Aneuploid DNA content was observed in 150 patients (55.6%). The DNA ploidy pattern was the third significantly prognostic factor behind peritoneal dissemination and liver metastasis in Cox regression multivariate analysis. About the relationship between DNA ploidy pattern and other prognostic factors, peritoneal dissemination and wall invasion ratio of aneuploid were significantly higher than those of diploid (p less than 0.01). Five-year survival rate of diploidy patients was significantly higher than that of aneuploidy patients. In stage I, five-year survival rate of patients with diploid tumor was 83.3% and that of patients with aneuploid tumor was 70.0%. In stage II, that of patients with diploid tumor was 81.3% and that of patients with aneuploid tumor was 66.7%. In stage III, that of patients with diploid tumor was 71.2% and that of patients with aneuploid tumor was 25.1%. In stage IV, that of patients with diploid tumor was 31.6% and that of patients with aneuploid tumor was 2.6%. Furthermore in the curative case, that of patients with diploid tumor was 77.2% and that of patients with aneuploid tumor was 48.2%. Aneuploid case has significantly worse prognosis in curative operation.     

Volvulus of the colon. Incidence and mortality.

Between 1960 and 1980, 137 patients with colonic volvulus (52% cecal, 3% transverse colon, 2% splenic flexure, and 43% sigmoid) were seen at the Mayo Clinic. Among the 59 patients with sigmoid volvulus, four (7%) had colonic infarction. Total mortality with sigmoid volvulus was seven per cent. There were 71 patients with cecal volvulus. Colonoscopic decompression was accomplished in two of these patients; in 15 (21%), gangrenous colon developed and mortality was 33%. Total mortality for cecal volvulus patients was 17%. Mortality for all forms of volvulus in patients with viable colons was 11%. Mortality for all patients with volvulus was 14%.     

Self-poisoning treated in an ICU: drug pattern, acute mortality and short-term survival

A total of 1558 admissions to an ICU over 5 years because of severe self-poisoning with drugs provides the basis for this study. Three drugs accounted for 60% of the admissions: overdose with barbiturates in 28%, with tricyclic antidepressants in 19% and with propoxyphene in 14%. The annual incidence of poisonings with barbiturates and tricyclic antidepressants was the same during the period, whereas the incidence of propoxyphene intoxication increased by 80%. Intensive supportive care was the main principle of treatment. All patients were artificially ventilated. The mortality rate was 6.1%, salicylate, propoxyphene and strong analgesics having the highest mortalities (11%, 9% and 9%, respectively). A mortality rate of 3% was found following overdose with tricyclic antidepressants. By 36 months after the overdose, 235 patients (18%) had died. The expected number of deaths was 39 (3%). The suicide rate in the follow-up period was 10%, in the majority (75%) of whom death was caused by a new episode of self-poisoning.     

The use of freeze-dried allograft bone for anterior cervical fusions

A consecutive series of 87 patients undergoing Smith-Robinson anterior cervical fusion were analyzed. Either freeze-dried tricortical iliac crest bone or tricortical autograft bone was used. Surgical technique was otherwise identical. Radiography showed delayed union at 3 months in 13% of patients with autograft and in 37% of patients with freeze-dried allograft. At 1 year, radiography showed nonunion in 8% of patients with autograft and in 22% of patients with allograft. One-level procedures had a delayed union rate of 7% for autograft and 21% for allograft. Nonunion in one-level procedures was 5% for both autograft and allograft. For two-level procedures, the nonunion rate was 17% for autograft and 63% for allograft. Graft collapse was more commonly seen with freeze-dried allograft (30%) than with autograft (5%). Relief of neck and arm pain, however, was similar in both groups.     

三种硫磺洗剂治疗Ⅱ度寻常性痤疮疗效观察

目的：观察10%磺胺醋酰钠硫磺洗剂、1%氯霉素硫磺洗剂、5%硫磺洗剂外用治疗Ⅱ度寻常性痤疮的疗效。方法：采取随机对照双盲的方法分组,A组：10%磺胺醋酰钠硫磺洗剂治疗,93例;B组：1%氯霉素硫磺洗剂治疗,89例;C治疗：5%硫磺洗剂治疗,84例。疗程均为8周。结果：A组显效率67.7%,总有效率92.5%;B组显效率47.2%,总有效率79.8%;C组显效率16.7%,总有效率60.7%。A和B组显效率比较具有显著性差异（P〈0.05）,B和C组显效率比较具有显著性差异（P〈0.05）;A和B组的总有效率比较具有显著性差异（P〈0.05）,B和C组的总有效率比较具有显著性差异（P〈0.05）。结论：10%磺胺醋酰钠硫磺洗剂治疗Ⅱ度寻常性痤疮疗效优于1%氯霉素硫磺洗剂,1%氯霉素硫磺洗剂则优于5%硫磺洗剂。     

Three-field lymphadenectomy for carcinoma of the esophagus and gastroesophageal junction in 174 R0 resections: impact on staging, disease-free survival, and outcome: a plea for adaptation of TNM classification in upper-half esophageal carcinoma

OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of esophagectomy with 3-field lymphadenectomy on staging, disease-free survival, and 5-year survival in patients with carcinoma of the esophagus and gastroesophageal junction (GEJ). BACKGROUND: Esophagectomy with 3-field lymphadenectomy is mainly performed in Japan. Data from Western experience with 3-field lymphadenectomy are scarce and dealing with relatively small numbers. As a result, its role in the surgical practice of cancer of the esophagus and GEJ remains controversial. METHODS: Between 1991 and 1999, primary surgery with 3-field lymphadenectomy was performed in 192 patients, of whom a cohort of 174 R0 resections was used for further analysis. RESULTS: Hospital mortality of the whole series was 1.2%. Overall morbidity was 58%. Pulmonary complications occurred in 32.8%, cardiac dysrhythmias in 10.9%, and persistent recurrent nerve problems in 2.6%. pTNM staging was as follows: stage 0, 0.6%; stage I, 9.2%; stage II, 27.6%; stage III, 28.7%; and stage IV, 33.9%. Overall 3- and 5-year survival was 51% and 41.9%, respectively. The 3- and 5-year disease-free survival was 51.4% and 46.3%, respectively. Locoregional lymph node recurrence was 5.2%; no patient developed an isolated cervical lymph node recurrence. Five-year survival for node-negative patients was 80.2% versus 24.5% for node-positive patients. Five-year survival by stage was 100% in stages 0 and I, 59.1% in stage II, 36.8% in stage III, and 13.3% in stage IV. Twenty-three percent of the patients with adenocarcinoma (25.8% distal third and 17.6% GEJ) and 25% of the patients with squamous cell carcinoma (26.2% middle third) had positive cervical nodes resulting in a change of pTNM staging specifically related to the unforeseen cervical lymph node involvement in 12%. Cervical lymph node involvement was unforeseen in 75.6% of patients with cervical nodes at pathologic examinations. Five-year survival for patients with positive cervical nodes was 27.7% for middle third squamous cell carcinoma. For distal third adenocarcinomas, 4-year survival was 35.7% and 5-year survival 11.9%. No GEJ adenocarcinoma with positive cervical nodes survived for 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: Esophagectomy with 3-field lymph node dissection can be performed with low mortality and acceptable morbidity. The prevalence of involved cervical nodes is high, regardless of the type and location of tumor resulting in a change of final staging specifically related to the cervical field in 12% of this series. Overall 5-year and disease-free survival after R0 resection of 41.9% and 46.3%, respectively, may indicate a real survival benefit. A 5-year survival of 27.2% in patients with positive cervical nodes in middle third carcinomas indicates that these nodes should be considered as regional (N1) rather than distant metastasis (M1b) in middle third carcinomas. These patients seem to benefit from a 3-field lymphadenectomy. The role of 3-field lymphadenectomy in distal third adenocarcinoma remains investigational.     

Aggressive treatment of early fistula failure

BACKGROUND: Fistula failure has been classified as early and late. Early failure refers to those cases in which the arteriovenous (AV) fistula never develops to the point that it can be used or fails within the first 3 months of usage. It has been common practice to abandon these early failures; however, aggressive evaluation and treatment of early fistula failures has been shown to result in the salvage of a large percentage. The two most common causes of the failure seen at this time are juxta-anastomotic stenosis (JAS) and the presence of accessory veins. Both of these can be easily diagnosed by physical examination. This study reports the results of early fistula failure managed aggressively in an attempt at salvage. METHODS: These studies were conducted in six freestanding outpatient interventional facilities in different regions of the United States. Interventional nephrologists are employed at all of these facilities except one that is operated by an interventional radiologist. Each patient was first evaluated angiographically to identify the anatomy of their AV fistula and detect abnormalities that might be present. Stenotic lesions were then treated with angioplasty and accessory veins thought to be significant were obliterated. All patients were then followed to determine if the fistula was usable for dialysis. RESULTS: One hundred patients were identified that met the definition of early failure. Venous stenosis was present in 78% of these cases. In 43% of the cases, the lesion was in the JAS location. In 15%, this was the only lesion present. In 24%, it was associated with an accessory vein, in 6% with a proximal stenosis, and in 4% with both. A proximal stenosis lesion was present in the fistula in 36%. In 6%, it was associated with an accessory vein, in 6% with a JAS, and in 4% with both. The definition of arterial anastomosis stenosis was met in 38% of the cases. This was always in association with JAS. In four cases, a stenotic lesion was present in the artery above the anastomosis. An accessory vein was present in 46% of the cases. In 12% of the cases, this was the only lesion present. In 24% of the cases, this anomaly was associated with JAS, in 6% with proximal stenosis, and in 4% with both. Angioplasty was performed to treat venous stenosis in 72% of the cases with a 98% success rate. Angioplasty of the arterial anastomosis was performed in 38 cases with a 100% success rate. Accessory vein obliteration was performed in 46% of the patients with a 100% success rate. The overall complication rate in this series was 4%, of these 3% were minor and 1% were major. It was possible to initiate dialysis using the fistula in 92% of the cases. Actuarial life-table analysis showed that 84% were functional at 3 months, 72% at 6 months, and 68% at 12 months. CONCLUSION: If correctable pathology is detected in patients with early fistula failure, the incidence of correctable lesions is relatively high and an aggressive therapeutic approach can be expected to have a high yield.     

Rheumatic heart disease in the young

Pattern of rheumatic heart disease below the age of 18 in 144 autopsies was studied. Mitral valve was affected in 100% of cases. Involvement of aortic, tricuspid and pulmonary valves was seen in 63.89%, 54.86% and 12.5% respectively. Mitral stenosis was present in 80.23% cases and was of severe degree in 45%. Pure mitral incompetence was noted in 12.79% of cases. Severe degree of subvalvular disease was present in 83%. Isolated aortic incompetence was observed only in 3.17%. Tricuspid lesions were minor in most of the cases with significant stenosis only in 7.50%. Multivalvular disease was noted in 75.69% cases; but double valve and triple valve disease which possibly would have required surgery was present in only 8.33% and 3.5% cases respectively. Pulmonary vasculature was affected in 75% cases with severe changes in 25%. Calcification of valves was uncommon and was present in 6% of mitral valves and 2% of aortic valves.     

Surgical policy for patients with prolonged esophageal burn strictures

Concept of early radical surgical treatment of prolonged esophageal burn strictures (PEBS) is presented. From 1980 to 2000 one-stage esophagoplasty was performed in 503 (62.0%) of 811 patients with PEBS. Bouginage was effective in 17.2% patients. Extirpation of the esophagus with posteriormediastinal plastic repair was performed in 119 patients. Mean age of patients was 48 years, mean anamnesis time--11 years. 13 (10.9%) patients had total PEBS. Combined burn of the stomach was revealed in 25 (21.0%), of the pharynx--in 4 (3.4%) patients. Isoperistaltic gastric tube was used in 102 (85.7%) patients, whole stomach--in 1 (0.8%), left half of the large intestine (antiperistaltic)--in 16 (13.4%) patients. Esophagectomy was performed transiatally in 114 (95.8%), from three approaches (+ right-sided thoracotomy)--in 5 (4.2%) patients. Transplant on the neck was connected with esophagus in 106 (89.1%) patients, with the pharynx--in 13 (10.9%). Combined operations were performed in 14 (11.8%) patients. Intraoperative complications were in 6 (5.0%), postoperative--in 39 (33.0%) patients. Insufficiency of cervical anastomosis was seen in 16 (13.4%), paresis of recurrent nerve--in 4 (3.4%) patients. Hospital lethality was 3.4% (4 patients). Good and satisfactory long-term results of esophagoplasty were achieved in 97 (97.0%) patients. PEBS is the indication for transhiatal extirpation of the esophagus with its one-stage plastic repair with gastric tube (or large intestine) during first 6 months after burn.     

Enhanced late survival following coronary artery bypass graft operation for unstable versus chronic angina

Late survival following coronary artery bypass operation is time-frame dependent, with a major improvement occurring by 1974. In the cohort of patients undergoing operation between 1974 and mid-1982, subsets were present with further enhanced survival. In this study of 3,575 patients, the urgency of clinical presentation is examined as a survival determinant, and the results are seemingly paradoxical. Among the 1,404 patients with chronic angina, survival at 1 month was 98.3%; at 5 years, 88%; and at 8 years, 79%. Among the 1,008 patients with progressive angina, survival at 1 month was 97.8%; at 5 years, 90%; and at 8 years, 80%. Among the 1,163 patients with unstable angina, 1-month survival was 98.3%; 5-year survival, 92%; and 8-year survival, 89%. The best long-term results were obtained in patients with an acute clinical presentation. Ventricular function was an important determinant of late survival for the groups with chronic (p less than 0.001) and progressive (p less than 0.001) angina, but it had no effect in the group with unstable angina (p = 0.803). For the patients with chronic angina and good left ventricular (LV) function, survival was 99.5% at 1 month; 92% at 5 years; and 86% at 8 years. For those with poor LV function, the respective survival was 96%, 84%, and 71%. For the patients with progressive angina and good LV function, 1-month survival was 98.9%; 5-year survival, 94%; and 8-year survival, 83%. For those with poor LV function, the respective figures were 96.3%, 85%, and 76%. For the patients with unstable angina and good LV function, survival at 1 month was 97.8%; at 5 years, 92%; and at 8 years, 89%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Exercise electrocardiography and myocardial perfusion imaging in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease: preliminary report.

Exercise electrocardiography and rest/exercise myocardial perfusion imaging with thallium-201 were performed in 43 patients with typical angina or atypical chest pain; the results were correlated with those of coronary arteriography. Exercise electrocardiography sensitivity was 65%, specificity was 78%, predictive value for a positive result was 73% and for a negative result was 93%. The low sensitivity of the exercise electrocardiogram was mainly due to the number (13 of 43, 30%) of inconclusive results (no ST-segment change on the electrocardiogram, but failure to attain the target rate), most of which were in the group with typical angina. The predictive value of exercise electrocardiography for both a positive and negative result was excellent in typical angina. In patients with atypical chest pain, the negative predictive value was high (90%) but the positive predictive value was very low (50%). The sensitivity of myocardial perfusion imaging was 71%, specificity was 59%, positive predictive value was 52% and negative predictive value 89%. The low specificity of this test is related to the number of false-positive results obtained, most of which occurred in the group with atypical pain. When the results of exercise electrocardiography and myocardial perfusion imaging are combined, the sensitivity is increased but specificity is unacceptably low. However, myocardial perfusion imaging in patients with an inconclusive result from exercise electrocardiography (most of them in the group with typical angina) showed a sensitivity of 80%, specificity of 88%, positive predictive value of 80% and negative predictive value of 100%.     

Renal involvement in multiple myeloma: a 10-year study

Renal involvement in 204 cases with multiple myeloma admitted over a 10-year period to this tertiary care center in north India was retrospectively examined. Renal involvement occurred in 55 cases (27%); the vast majority of whom (94.5%) had presented with renal failure and 7.3% had nephrotic syndrome. The diagnosis of multiple myeloma was made after admission in 51 of the 55 (92.7%) cases. Oliguria was seen in 23.6% and two-third patients required dialysis. Factors precipitating renal failure were identified in 53% and included dehydration (33%), hypercalcemia (24%), nephrotoxic drugs (16%), sepsis (9%), recent surgery (5%) and contrast media (2%), Severe anemia, hypercalcemia, Bence Jones proteinuria and skeletal abnormalities were more frequent in those with renal involvement. Patients with renal involvement were more likely to have a high tumor burden. The myeloma was of light chain type in 68% of those with renal involvement whereas IgG myeloma was commonest (57%) in those without evidence of renal disease. Renal histology was studied in 27 cases with myeloma cast nephropathy seen in over 60%. Tubulointerstitial nephritis was seen in 14% cases, 11% had amyloidosis, 7% had acute tubular necrosis and 3.6% each had nodular glomerulosclerosis and plasma cell infiltration. In 8 cases (14.6%), renal biopsy provided the first clue to the diagnosis of myeloma. Renal function improved in 33% cases. Only 22% of patients on dialysis survived over 6 months. Median survival in those with renal involvement was only 4 months. Development of unexplained renal failure in an elderly individual with normal sized kidneys, in association with disproportionate anemia even in the absence of skeletal lesions should alert the physician to the diagnosis of multiple myeloma.     

Immediate results of pancreatoduodenal resection with end-loop pancreatoenteroanastomosis

Immediate results of 151 pancreatoduodenal resections (PDR) were analyzed. This surgery was performed for tumors of gastropancreatoduodenal region in 88.1% patients, for chronic complicated pancreatitis--in 11.9%. Pylorus-saving PDR was performed in 82.8% patients, in combination with stomach resection--in 17.2%. Extended and regional pancreatectomy was performed in 20.3% patients with tumors of periampullar zone, extended lymphadenectomy--in 44.4%. Pancreatoenteroanastomosis was created in 82.8% patients, end-loop Wirsungenteroanastomosis by original author's method--in 52.3% of them, traditional Wirsungenteroanastomosis end-to-side--in 30.5%, complete external drainage of pancreas stump was performed in 13.9%, suturing of pancreas stump--in 2.6%, pancreatogastroanastomosis was created in 1 (0.7%) patient. There was no insufficiency of pancreatoduodenoanastomosis performed with original method, while in traditional Wirsungenteroanastomosis it was seen in 4.4% patients. End-loop anastomosis permitted to reduce number of complications after PDR 1.6--3 times. General lethality was 11.3%, in end-loop anastomosis--3.8% that significantly lower than after other methods of treatment of pancreas stump.     

Porcine versus pericardial bioprostheses: a comparison of late results in 1,593 patients

From 1976 to 1988, 1,593 patients underwent valve replacement with a porcine (878 patients) or a pericardial bioprosthesis (715 patients). There were 701 aortic, 678 mitral, and 214 multiple-valve replacements. Follow-up was obtained for 1,559 patients (98%). Early mortality was 9% (79 patients) in the porcine valve group and 5% (37 patients) among patients with a pericardial valve (p less than 0.01). Late survival after replacement with porcine valves was 80% +/- 1% and 62% +/- 3% at 5 and 10 years, respectively. With pericardial valves, 5-year survival was 79% +/- 2%. Among valve-related complications, rates of freedom from thromboembolism, endocarditis, and hemorrhage after 6 years were similar for both valve groups. Freedom from reoperation at 6 years was also similar after aortic (96% versus 91%) or multiple-valve replacement (95% versus 88%). However, for mitral valve replacement, freedom from reoperation was significantly better with porcine valves than with pericardial valves at 6 years (92% versus 68%; p less than 0.001). This difference was mainly due to the Ionescu-Shiley valve, which accounted for 83% of primary tissue failures among pericardial bioprostheses implanted in the mitral position (10/12 patients). After 6 years, freedom from primary tissue failure of mitral valves was 92% +/- 2% with porcine and 70% +/- 11% with pericardial bioprostheses (p less than 0.0001). The degree of clinical improvement among survivors was similar with both valve types. Thus, in the aortic position, pericardial valves compare with porcine valves up to 6 years, whereas in the mitral position, the durability of the former is significantly less, mainly because of the suboptimal performance of the Ionescu-Shiley pericardial bioprosthesis.     

Proximal and distal rectal cancers differ in curative resectability and local recurrence

AIM: To evaluate patients with proximal rectal cancer (PRC) (> 6 cm up to 12 cm) and distal rectal cancer (DRC) (0 to 6 cm from the anal verge). METHODS: Two hundred and eighteen patients (120 male, 98 female, median age 58 years, range 19-88 years) comprised 100 with PRC and 118 with DRC. The proportion of T1, T2 vs T3, T4 stage cancers was similar in both groups (PRC: T1+T2 = 29%; T3+T4 = 71% and DRC: T1+T2 = -31%; T3+T4 = 69%). All patients had cancer confined to the rectum -those with synchronous distant metastasis were excluded. Surgical resection was with curative intent with or without pre-operative chemoradiation (c-RT). Follow-up was for a median of 35 mo (range: 12 to 126 mo). End points were: 30 d mortality, complications of operation, microscopic tumour-free margins, resection with a tumour-free circumferential margin (CRM) of 1 to 2 mm and > 2 mm, local recurrence, survival and the permanent stoma rate. RESULTS: Overall 30-d mortality was 6% (12): PRC 7 % and DRC 4%. Postoperative complications occurred in 14% with PRC compared with 21.5% with DRC, urinary retention was the complication most frequently reported (PRC 2% vs DRC 9%, P = 0.04). Twelve percent with PRC compared with 37% with DRC were subjected to preoperative c-RT (P = 0.03). A tumour-free CRM of 1 to 2 mm and > 2 mm was reported in 93% and 82% with PRC and 88% and 75% with DRC respectively (PRC vs DRC, P > 0.05). However, local recurrence was 5% for PRC vs 11% for DRC (P < 0.001). Three and five years survival was 65.6% and 60.2% for PRC vs 67% and 64.3% for DRC respectively. No patient with PRC and 23 (20%) with DRC received an abdomino-perineal resection. CONCLUSION: PRC and DRC differ in the rate of abdomino-perineal resection, post-operative urinary retention and local recurrence. Survival in both groups was similar.     

Carcinoma of the colon in Finland. A nation-wide clinical study of cases from 1975

All 455 colon carcinomas diagnosed in Finland in 1975 (19 at autopsy) were reviewed. The age-adjusted incidence was 8.0/100,000 population, equal in both sexes. Histologic verification was obtained in 88.4% of the cases. The stages at diagnosis were A 11%, B 44%, C 17% and D 28%. Of the tumours diagnosed during life, 8% were not operated on. Resectability was 75% in the cases with surgery and resectability for cure 59%. Operative mortality was 10.7% overall and 6.3% in elective surgery. Emergency surgery was performed on 27% of the total series and carried 22% mortality rate. The crude 5-year survival rate was 31% in the total series. The relative rate was 41% overall and 75% after resection for cure. All survival rates were significantly higher in women than in men. Following resection with curative intent, relative 5-year survival was 91% in stage A and 68% in stage B and C tumours. Survival was level with rates in population studies elsewhere, and greatly improved as compared with earlier Finnish Cancer Registry studies.     

Results of surgical treatment of lung cancer in patients over 70 years old

Results of surgical treatment of 345 patients (210 men--61%; 135 women--39%) over 70 years with non-small-cell lung cancer were analyzed. Central lung cancer was diagnosed in 141 (40.9%), peripheral--in 204 (59.1%) patients. Squamous cell cancer was seen in 233 (67.3%), glandular--in 67 (19.4%), dimorphic--in 22 (6.5%), large-cell--in 23 (6.8%) patients. Stage I of the disease was diagnosed in 121 (35.1%); stage II--in 49 (14.1%); stage III--in 175 (50.8%) patients. Rate of postoperative complications in the study group was 27.8%, lethality--6.4%. The highest lethality was after combined pneumonectomy. The most frequent postoperative complications were pneumonia (7.5%), arrhythmia (10.1%), pulmonary-heart insufficiency (4.9%). Five-year survival after radical surgery in patients over 70 years with lung cancer was 49%, in patients with stage I of the disease this parameter was the highest--71.4%.     

The role of preoperative radionuclide ejection fraction in direct abdominal aortic aneurysm repair

Preoperative radionuclide ventriculography was performed in 60 patients to assess whether such testing could define those at increased risk after direct abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair. None of the patients had prophylactic coronary artery reconstruction to reduce the risk of AAA repair despite angina in 27% and previous myocardial infarction (MI) in 42%. The mean ejection fraction (EF) was 52% +/- 15% (range 14% to 78%). Low EF (normal greater than 50%) was present in 40%, whereas ventricular wall motion abnormalities were present in 39% of patients. The overall perioperative (30-day) mortality rate was 5%. MI occurred in 7% within 30 postoperative days; none was fatal. Life-table analysis revealed that overall survival after AAA repair was significantly lower in patients with an EF of 50% or less (p less than 0.025, Mantel-Cox) during a follow-up of 20.1 +/- 11.9 months. Overall survival differences were even more striking for those with an EF of 35% or less (p = 0.003, Mantel-Cox). There was a marked difference in the cumulative mortality rate during follow-up, being 50% in those patients with an EF of 35% or less (n = 10) compared with 14% in those with an EF greater than 35% (n = 50, p = 0.036, Fisher exact test). There was no statistical difference in the incidence of perioperative MI or perioperative death for those with an EF of 35% or less vs EF greater than 35%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Surgical treatment of burns in elderly patients

This study evaluates our experience with surgical treatment of burns in the elderly. Forty-two patients more than 59 years old were treated from 1982 to 1986. The mean age was 73, and the mean TBSA burned was 29%. The patients were divided into three groups. Group I had 22 patients with less than 20% TBSA burn (mean of 11%, with a mean of 6% full-thickness burns). Their survival rate was 91%. Group II had 11 patients with 21-40% TBSA burns (mean of 32%, with a mean of 17% full-thickness burns). Their survival rate was 82%. Group III had nine patients with burns greater than 40% TBSA (mean, 71%). None of these patients survived. Twenty of 29 (68%) survivors required a total of 36 operations. The mean area grafted per procedure was 8%. Each procedure required a mean of 2U packed red blood cells, and a mean of 2 1/4 hours. The complication rate was 33%, with partial graft loss (14%) being the most frequent. The average hospital stay was 27 days in Group I and 45 days in Group II. Only 25% of the patients required nursing home assistance at discharge.