A less invasive surgical concept for the resection of spinal meningiomas

Summary   Background. The surgical strategy for spinal meningiomas usually consists of laminectomy, initial tumour debulking, identification of the interface between tumour and spinal cord, resection of the dura including the matrix of the tumour, and duroplasty. The objective of this study was to investigate whether a less invasive surgical strategy consisting of hemilaminectomy or laminectomy, tumour removal and coagulation of the tumour matrix allows comparable surgical and cinical results to be obtained, especially without an increase of the recurrence rate as reported in the literature. Patients and methods. Between 1990 and 2005, 61 patients (11 men, 50 women) underwent surgery for spinal meningioma. All patients were treated microsurgically by a posterior approach. In 56 of the 61 patients, the above outlined – less invasive – surgical technique with tumour removal and coagulation of the tumour matrix was performed. In 5 patients, dura resection and duroplasty was additionally performed. Electrophysiological monitoring was routinely used since 1996. Recurrence was defined as new onset or worsening of symptoms and radiological confirmation of tumour growth. The pre-and post-operative clinical status was measured by the Frankel grading system. Results. Pre-operatively, 40 patients were in Frankel grade D, 13 patients in grade C, 6 patients in grade E and 1 patient each in grade A and B. Following surgery no patient presented a permanent worsening of clinical symptoms. All patients who initially presented with a Frankel grades A–C (n = 15) recovered to a better grade at the time of follow-up. Patients who presented with Frankel grade D remained in stable condition (n = 27) or recovered to a better neurological status (n = 13). Two patients experienced a temporary worsening of their symptoms, but subsequently improved to a better state than pre-operatively. Two (3.3%) complications (pseudomeningocele, wound infection) requiring surgery, were encountered. The pseudomeningocele developed in a patient who underwent durotomy. During the follow-up period of 2 months to 10 years (mean 31.3 months), 3 patients (5%) required surgery for symptomatic recurrence: 1 patient had 2 recurrences that occured 4 and 7 years after first tumour removal and matrix coagulation, 1 recurrence occurred 1 year after tumour removal that was accompanied by matrix coagulation in a patient with a diffuse anterocranial tumour extension and 1 occured 3 years after tumour removal and durotomy. Two patients showed a small recurrence on MRI during follow-up after 2 and 5 years, respectively, without any symptoms requiring surgery. Conclusions. The high rate of favourable clinical results combined with the low rate of recurrences supports our less invasive surgical concept, which does not aim for resection of the dural matrix of the spinal meningioma. Correspondence: Azize Bostr?m, M.D., Department of Neurosurgery, University of Bonn Medical Center, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany.     

Prediction of extravesical disease by preoperative serum markers in patients with clinically organ confined invasive bladder cancer

PURPOSE: We assessed the value of preoperative levels of CEA, CA-125 or CA 19-9 in patients with clinically organ confined bladder cancer to predict pathological extravesical and/or node positive disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Serum levels of CEA, CA-125 and CA 19-9 were measured prospectively in all patients scheduled for cystectomy for clinically organ confined bladder cancer between September 1999 and May 2004. Biomarker expression was compared between patients with pathologically organ confined disease (pT2 or less, pN0) and patients with extravesical disease (greater than pT2, or pN1 or greater), and between patients with pathologically node negative (any pT, pN0) and node positive disease (any pT, pN1 or greater). RESULTS: Of the 91 patients enrolled, 46 had (51%) pathologically organ confined tumors, 45 (49%) had extravesical disease and 17 (19%) had positive lymph nodes. Preoperative serum levels of all markers were significantly higher in cases of extravesical disease than in organ confined disease. On multivariate analysis CEA with an odds ratio of 8.6 (95% CI 1.51-48.6) and CA-125 with an OR of 29.5 (95% CI 3.6-242.6) proved independent predictors of extravesical disease. CA-125 and CA 19-9 levels were significantly higher in patients with node positive disease than in those with node negative disease. On multivariate analysis CA-125 with an OR of 22.2 (95% CI 3.8-129) and CA 19-9 with an OR of 5.2 (95% CI 1.09-24.76) proved independent predictors of node positive disease. CONCLUSIONS: Increase in serum tumor markers before cystectomy in patients with clinically organ confined muscle invasive bladder cancer is a strong indicator of the presence of extravesical and node positive disease.     

Validity of the frontolateral approach as a minimally invasive corridor for olfactory groove meningiomas

Background  

Several approaches are described for olfactory groove meningiomas (OGMs) varying from a very wide bifrontal craniotomy to minimally invasive endoscopic techniques. The goal of this study was to evaluate the results of the frontolateral approach for olfactory groove meningioma. Pitfalls related to this corridor will be described. The impact of tumor size and encasement of the anterior cerebral artery complex on the degree of tumor removal will be described on the basis of experience with 18 cases.     

Prognostic implications of biologic markers in intracranial meningiomas: 120 cases

The recurrence and progression of treated intracranial meningiomas highlights the problem of the type of follow-up that should be used and whether early complementary treatment is indicated. The aim of this study was to evaluate different biochemical markers involved in cell proliferation and transformation to identify new prognostic factors in intracranial meningiomas. Between 1989 and 2003, 120 intracranial meningiomas were studied biochemically. The levels of estrogen receptors (RE), progesterone receptors (RP), cathepsin B (CB), cathepsin L (CL), stefin A (ATA), stefin B (STB), cystatin C (CYSC), urokinase (u-PA), type 1 plasminogen activator inhibitors (PAI-1), cathepsin D (CD) and thymidine kinase activity (TK) were measured in tumor extracts using biochemical assays.

Results

Out of 120 meningiomas, 73 were grade I, 39 grade II and eight grade III according to the WHO classification. Of these patients, 17 showed recurrence. The mean follow-up was 47 months. Monofactorial analysis showed that expression of progesterone receptors (RP) had an inverse correlation with recurrence (p = 0.0025 %) and that thymidine kinase activity (TK), cathepsin L (CL), the WHO grade and the degree of tumor resection correlated with recurrence (p < 0.05). Principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis confirmed these results. The results of this study confirm the importance of biological parameters (PR, CL, TK) as prognostic factors for the risk of recurrence in intracranial meningiomas.     

Preoperative identification of meningiomas that are highly likely to recur

OBJECT: Although generally they are well-circumscribed benign tumors, meningiomas recur even after complete removal. The aims of this study are to identify preoperatively groups of patients who have a high risk of meningioma recurrence by reviewing their clinicoradiological features and to plan appropriate treatments. METHODS: One hundred one patients who underwent macroscopically complete removal of meningiomas were observed postoperatively for at least 5 years or until tumor recurrence. Preoperative radiological findings and clinical characteristics were assessed. Fifteen meningiomas recurred during the follow-up period, which extended to a maximum duration of 18 years. On univariate analysis, tumor size and shape, relation to the major sinuses, calcification, bone changes, and characteristics of the tumor-brain interface were significant predictive factors for recurrence. Patient age and gender were not deemed significant. Multivariate analysis revealed that only the shape of the tumor was significant; both "mushrooming" and lobulated meningiomas were more likely to recur than round ones. Recurrences most frequently occurred at the edge of the dural resection after a Simpson Grade I removal, whereas local recurrences were predominant after a Simpson Grade II or III removal. CONCLUSIONS: Meningiomas with mushrooming or lobulated shapes should be treated more aggressively with a wider dural excision. This is not usually necessary for round tumors, although it may be beneficial in younger patients.     

Outcomes of breast-conservation therapy for invasive lobular carcinoma are equivalent to those for invasive ductal carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Breast-conservation therapy (BCT), including wide local excision and postoperative irradiation, is considered standard treatment for early-stage invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). The use of BCT in patients with invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) has been questioned because of concerns regarding ipsilateral breast recurrence and risk of bilateral breast cancer. We evaluated our institutional experience with BCT and compared treatment outcomes for ILC with those for IDC. METHODS: A review of our BCT database revealed 84 patients with ILC and 1,126 with IDC with stage I or II disease treated with BCT and radiation between 1976 and 1999. We evaluated local-regional recurrence, disease-specific survival, and contralateral breast cancer rates in both groups. RESULTS: The 5- and 10-year local-regional recurrence rates for the ILC group were 1% and 7%, respectively, and 4% and 9%, respectively, for the IDC group (P = .70). There were no significant differences in the 5- and 10-year disease-specific survival rates between the groups. Contralateral breast cancer occurred in 11.3% of patients with IDC and 11.9% of patients with ILC. CONCLUSIONS: BCT achieves similar local-regional control and survival outcomes in selected patients with ILC or IDC. Breast-conservation therapy is an appropriate treatment strategy for patients with early-stage invasive lobular carcinoma.     

Current status of molecular markers for prognostication and outcome in invasive bladder cancer

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Currently, prognostication of patients with invasive BC is hampered owing to the inadequacy of standard clinicopathological risk factors to predict accurately individual treatment outcomes. This review provides a comprehensive albeit brief overview on current studies elucidating the potential role of different molecular markers to close this gap of evidence. It focusses on biostatistical considerations in the interpretation of study results which are essential to provide meaningful clinical conclusions for an individual patient.

OBJECTIVE

• ? To improve prognostication and the management of patients with invasive bladder cancer (BC).

METHODS

• ? Standard clinicopathological risk factors are not reliably enough to accurately predict outcomes in patients after radical treatment and guide clinicians for recommending selectively the use of adjuvant therapies.
• ? With detailed insights into the molecular pathology of BC, biomarkers have come to the fore of researchers as a potential tool to close this gap of evidence.
• ? However, their definitive role in the diagnostic and therapeutic management of patients with invasive BC has not clearly been addressed so far.

RESULTS

• ? Invasive BC are an extremely heterogenenous group of malignancies which are characterized by multiple genetic alterations involved in the carcinogenesis and development of metastatic spread. Thus, it is questionable whether any single marker will provide superior prognostication compared with a combination of markers.
• ? Current studies evaluating the predictive value of a multitude of markers have used high‐throughput technologies and investigated the gain in predictive accuracy within new nomograms which encompass well‐established clinicopathological and novel putative molecular parameters. p53 overexpression was found to be associated with increased risk of recurrence in urothelial and non‐urothelial cancer. In pT1 disease, the combination of p53, p21 and p16 as well as epigenetic alterations of myopodin expression has been shown to provide improved prognostication, and this might help to advocate more selectively the use of early radical treatment.
• ? After the bladder‐sparing approach, p53 and p21 overexpression indicate decreased probability of long‐term bladder preservation. Additionally, altered retinoblastoma expression is associated with improved survival after adjuvant chemotherapy.
• ? To provide meaningful conclusions for individual prognosis and the need of adjuvant treatment, biostatistical pitfalls in the analysis and interpretation of results have to be taken into account.

CONCLUSIONS

• ? Different molecular markers have the potential to improve prognostication of patients with invasive BC and provide improved evidence for targeted therapy in the neoadjuvant, adjuvant and metastatic setting.
• ? However, in order to advocate their routine clinical use on a sound scientific basis prospective data are still necessary.

     

Effects of cardiac surgery on some clinically used inflammation markers and procalcitonin

One hundred and ten patients were investigated prospectively in a study aimed at creating reference curves for inflammation markers (serum C-reactive protein (CRP), blood leukocyte count, iron, transthyretin and procalcitonin). Blood samples were taken daily and the patients were monitored for signs of infection. Ninety-six patients had no postoperative infections. CRP and leukocyte counts peaked on the third and second postoperative days, respectively. Neither patients operated on off-pump (n = 4) nor patients with minor infections (n = 11) differed from the non-infected group. Two out of three patients with major postoperative infection exhibited a secondary peak in CRP and leukocyte count. Iron and transthyretin decreased initially, followed by a slow increase without any difference between the groups. Procalcitonin was high in some non-infected patients and low in some infected patients. CRP and leukocyte count had a predictable course with a secondary peak in major infections but the other markers did not provide any valuable information.     

Expression of Cathepsins B, H, K, L, and S and Matrix Metalloproteinases 9 and 13 During Chondrocyte Hypertrophy and Endochondral Ossification in Mouse Fracture Callus

Fracture repair provides an interesting model for chondrogenesis and osteogenesis as it recapitulates in an adult organism the same steps encountered during embryonic skeletal development and growth. The fracture callus is not only a site of rapid production of cartilage and bone, but also a site of extensive degradation of their extracellular matrices. The present study was initiated to increase our understanding of the roles of different proteolytic enzymes, cysteine cathepsins B, H, K, L, and S, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) 9 and 13, during fracture repair, as this aspect of bone repair has previously received little attention. Northern analysis revealed marked upregulation of cathepsin K, MMP-9, and MMP-13 mRNAs during the first and second weeks of healing. The expression profiles of these mRNAs were similar with that of osteoclastic marker enzyme tartrate-resistant alkaline phosphatate (TRAP). The changes in the mRNA levels of cathepsins B, H, L, and S were smaller when compared with those of the other enzymes studied. Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization confirmed the predominant localization of cathepsin K and MMP-9 and their mRNA in osteoclasts and chondroclasts at the osteochondral junction. MMP-13 was present in osteoblasts and individual hypertrophic chondrocytes near the cartilage-bone interphase. In cartilaginous callus, the expression of cathepsins B, H, L, and S was mainly related to chondrocyte hypertrophy. During bone remodeling both osteoblasts and osteoclasts contained these cathepsins. The present data demonstrate that degradation and remodeling of extracellular matrices during fracture healing involves activation of MMP-13 production in hypertrophic chondrocytes and osteoblasts, and cathepsin K and MMP-9 production in osteoclasts and chondroclasts. Received: 2 February 2000 / Accepted: 25 May 2000 / Online publication: 2 November 2000     

两种微创手术治疗胆囊结石合并胆总管结石的疗效比较

背景与目的:腹腔镜胆囊切除术+经胆囊管胆总管探查取石术(LC+LTCBDE)与内镜逆行胰胆管造影/十二指肠乳头括约肌切开取石术+腹腔镜胆囊切除术(ERCP/EST+LC)均是治疗胆囊结石合并胆总管结石的微创手段,但两者的疗效优劣仍有争议.本研究通过回顾性分析比较两种微创术式治疗胆囊结石合并胆总管结石的疗效.方法:回顾性...     

Comparison of two types of minimally invasive surgery for treating cholecystolithiasis with choledocholithiasis

目的 评价内镜下十二指肠乳头括约肌切开取石+腹腔镜胆囊切除术(EST+ LC)与腹腔镜胆囊切除+胆总管探查取石术( LC+ LCBDE)两种术式治疗胆囊结石合并胆总管结石的临床效果.方法 回顾性分析2005年1月至2011年12月行LC+ LCBDE术和EST+ LC术治疗胆囊结石合并胆总管结石232例的临床资料.其中行LC+ LCBDE术者127例,行EST+ LC术者105例.比较两组的并发症发生率、结石残留率、手术总时间、住院费用和住院天数.结果 两种术式的近期并发症发生率、结石残留率、平均住院天数比较,差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05);EST+ LC组手术总时间、手术费用均明显高于LC+ LCBDE组(P＜0.01).结论 两种术式各有其适应证和优缺点.对于胆总管直径＜1.0 cm、胆总管中下端结石或老年胆石症病人宜采用EST+ LC术式;对于胆总管直径＞1.0cm的多发性较大结石、尤其是中青年病人应首选LC+ LCBDE术式.     

X刀治疗脑膜瘤的临床应用

目的 探讨X刀治疗颅内脑膜瘤的临床效果。方法 回顾分析X刀治疗52例颅内脑膜瘤的临床资料。治疗周边剂量10Gy—20Gy，平均13Gy。随访方法为临床检查和头颅CT增强扫描检查。结果 治疗后出现一侧肢体轻偏瘫1例(1．9％)，局灶性癫痫发作2例(3．8％)；影像学显示无症状性瘤周水肿较术前明显12例(23．1％)。影像学随访40例(76．9％)，时间3月—92月，平均23月，肿瘤体积缩小18例(45．0％)，无变化22例(55．0％)。结论 X刀治疗颅内脑膜瘤安全、有效。     

Epidural and intravenous fentanyl infusions are clinically equivalent after knee surgery

The management of postoperative pain with continuous epidural fentanyl infusion was compared with continuous intravenous fentanyl infusion. In a randomized, doubleblind protocol we prospectively studied 20 patients undergoing repair of the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee. The quality of analgesia and the incidence of side effects were documented. Compared with patients receiving continuous intravenous fentanyl infusion, at 18 h postoperatively patients given continuous epidural fentanyl infusion reported similar pain scores both at rest (22 +/- 25 vs 27 +/- 21, P = 0.52) and with ambulation (59 +/- 18 vs 56 +/- 22, P = 0.82). Plasma fentanyl levels were 1.8 +/- 0.4 and 1.7 +/- 0.4 ng/mL (P = 0.91) for the intravenous and epidural groups, respectively. There were no significant differences in the incidence of nausea, pruritus, or urinary retention. There was no respiratory depression in either group. We conclude that when compared with continuous intravenous fentanyl infusion, continuous epidural fentanyl infusion offers no clinical advantages for the management of postoperative pain after knee surgery.     

Which bone densitometry and which skeletal site are clinically useful for monitoring bone mass?

Long-term precision, as well as reproducibility, is important for monitoring bone mineral density (BMD) alteration in response to aging or therapy. In order to investigate which bone densitometry and which skeletal site are clinically useful for monitoring bone mass, we examined the standardized long-term precision of several bone density measurements in 83 healthy Japanese women. Annual BMD measurements were performed for 5 or 6 years using dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) on the lumbar spine, radius (EXP5000) and calcaneus (HeelScan); peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) on the radius (Densiscan1000); and quantitative ultrasound (QUS) on the calcaneus (Achilles+). The long-term precision error for the individual subject was given by the standard error of estimate (SEE), and the standardized long-term precision was defined as the percentage coefficient of variation (CV%) divided by the percentage ratio of the annual bone-loss rate. Based on the CV% of spinal DXA, speed of sound (SOS) and diaphyseal pQCT showed significantly higher precision than others, while radial ultradistal (UD) DXA and heel DXA showed significantly lower precision. The long-term precision errors of other measurements were statistically the same as that of the spinal DXA. The spinal DXA, the radial DXA, and pQCT at both the distal metaphysis and diaphysis showed high rates of annual bone loss. The radial trabecular BMD (pQCT) was significantly higher than that of spinal DXA. The annual rates of bone loss of QUS and of heel DXA were significantly lower than that of spinal DXA. Taken together, standardized long-term precision was obtained in the spinal DXA and radial pQCT. In conclusion, spinal DXA and radial pQCT were considered the most useful monitoring method for osteoporosis, while QUS was considered less useful.