The effect of protease inhibitors in shock

Protease inhibitors, such as ulinastatin and gabexate mesilate, are widely used for the patients in shock state. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of these protease inhibitors on renal protection and coagulofibrinolytic disorders. The obtained results were as follows: 1. Ulinastatin studies. 1) Beta 2-microglobulin (BMG) excretion and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) activity in urine were increased in cases of emergency operation (10 patients) compared with elective operation (38 patients). 2) In canine experimental model of renal ischemia, ulinastatin significantly improved urine volume and urine NAG levels. 3) Administration of ulinastatin suppressed urine NAG level in 12 patients, but BMG level did not significantly change. 2. Gabexate mesilate (FOY) studies. 1) All patients in shock state showed coagulofibrinolytic disorders. Especially remarkable hypercoagulability was observed in 21 patients. 2) FOY suppressed platelet aggregation and the release of beta-thromboglobulin and platelet factor 4. 3) In 24 patients, administration of FOY markedly increased the antithrombin III levels in early postoperative period. 4) Fibrinolytic system was not affected any significant changes with administration of FOY. Conclusion: Our results suggested that protease inhibitors are useful for management of the patients in shock state.     

基于累积评分的食管癌术后吻合口瘘的风险分级系统

目的建立食管恶性肿瘤术后吻合口瘘并发症的风险分级系统,为食管癌切除术后发生胃食管吻合口瘘风险分级,识别潜在的高危患者。 方法回顾性收集2010年1月至2015年1月于北京朝阳医院胸外科接受食管癌手术患者的临床资料,共285例食管癌患者被纳入分析。对术后胃食管吻合口瘘的潜在危险因素进行单因素分析和Logistic多因素回归分析,确定影响食管恶性肿瘤术后吻合口瘘的独立预测因素;并根据预测因素的权重进行赋值,最终建立食管恶性肿瘤术后吻合口瘘并发症的风险分级系统。 结果全组患者术后食管胃吻合口瘘发生率为9.5%(27/285),院内病死率为2.8% (8/285)。Logistic多因素回归分析发现,颈部吻合、年龄>69岁及血浆白蛋白<25 g/L是食管癌术后吻合口瘘的独立危险因素。每个独立危险因素均赋值1分,根据患者累积评分进行分组,其中0、1、2、3分组术后吻合瘘的发生率分别为2.2%、7.4%、21.0%和37.5%。 结论食管恶性肿瘤术后吻合口瘘风险分级系统,临床可操作性强,可识别食管癌术后吻合口瘘的高危患者。     

Very late results of esophagomyotomy for patients with achalasia: clinical, endoscopic, histologic, manometric, and acid reflux studies in 67 patients for a mean follow-up of 190 months

INTRODUCTION: Laparoscopic esophagomyotomy is the preferred approach to patients with achalasia of the esophagus, However, there are very few long-term follow-up studies (>10 years) in these patients. OBJECTIVE: To perform a very late subjective and objective follow-up in a group of 67 patients submitted to esophagomyotomy plus a partial antireflux surgery (Dor's technique). MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a prospective study that lasted 30 years, 67 patients submitted to surgery were divided into 3 groups: group I followed for 80 to 119 months (15 patients); group II, with follow-up of 120 to 239 months (35 patients); and group III, with follow-up more than 240 months (17 patients). They were submitted to clinical questionnaire, endoscopic evaluation, histologic analysis, radiologic studies, manometric determinations, and 24-hour pH studies late after surgery. RESULTS: Three patients developed a squamous cell esophageal carcinoma 5, 7, and 15 years after surgery. At the late follow-up, Visick III and IV were seen in 7%, 23%, and 35%, according to the length of follow-up of each group. Endoscopic examination revealed a progressive nonsignificant deterioration of esophageal mucosa, histologic analysis distal to squamous-columnar junction showed a significant decrease of fundic mucosa in patients of group III, with increase of intestinal metaplasia, although not significant time. Lower esophageal sphincter showed a significant decrease of resting pressure 1 year after surgery, which remained similar at the late control. There was no return to peristaltic activity. Acid reflux measured by 24-hour pH studies revealed a progressive increase, and the follow-up was longer. Nine patients developed Barrett esophagus: 6 of them a short-segment and 3 a long-segment Barrett esophagus. Final clinical results in all 67 patients demonstrated excellent or good results in 73% of the cases, development of epidermoid carcinoma in 4.5%, and failures in 22.4% of the patients, mainly due to reflux esophagitis. Incomplete myotomy was seen in only 1 case. CONCLUSION: In patients with achalasia submitted to esophagomyotomy and Dor's antireflux procedure, there is a progressive clinical deterioration of initially good results if a very long follow-up is performed (23 years after surgery), mainly due to an increase in pathologic acid reflux disease and the development of short- or long-segment Barrett esophagus.     

胃食管吻合术后残余食管胸胃运动功能研究

目的探讨食管、贲门癌切除后不同部位的食管胃吻合对残余食管和胸腔胃运动功能的影响。方法按手术中食管胃吻合部位不同,将39例食管、贲门癌患者分为两组,弓上吻合组:21例,为食管中段癌患者行食管胃主动脉弓上吻合;弓下吻合组:18例,为食管下段癌及贲门癌患者,行食管胃主动脉弓下吻合。对照组:为6例无胃食管反流症状的健康人。3组均行食管测压、上消化道X线钡餐造影检查,观察残余食管和胸腔胃运动功能。结果两吻合组部分患者均存在吻合口高压区,残余食管静息压均明显高于对照组(P<0.05),并与胸腔胃内静息压无明显差别(P>0.05);两吻合组残余食管和胸腔胃内静息压比较差别均无统计学意义(P>0.05)。弓上吻合组残余食管蠕动性收缩幅度及原发蠕动次数均明显低于或少于对照组,残余食管原发蠕动次数明显少于弓下吻合组(P<0.05)。术后3个月上消化道X线钡餐造影显示,两吻合组患者胸腔胃底、胃体部均无蠕动性收缩,蠕动收缩自胃窦部向幽门运动,速度缓慢,胃内钡剂排空缓慢;术后1年两吻合组胃窦部蠕动收缩均有明显恢复。结论食管、贲门癌患者术后食管胃吻合口无抗反流作用,食管胃吻合位置越高残余食管蠕动功能越差,但不影响残余食管和胸腔胃内静息压。食管、贲门癌术后胸腔胃运动功能减弱,随着时间的延长逐渐恢复,但很难达到正常水平。     

Coagulation changes during liver resection]

Thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TAT) and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) were measured during liver resection surgery in 8 patients. TAT and PAI activities of patients under liver resection were compared with those of 11 patients under resection of esophageal carcinoma. TAT activity increased during liver resection (P < 0.001) and reached 14 times (P < 0.001) of its control value in the recovery room. PAI activity was very stable during operation, but increased to twice (P < 0.01) of its control value in the recovery room. TAT activity of patients after liver surgery in the recovery room was (P < 0.05) more than twice of that of patients after esophageal surgery. We conclude that hypercoagulable state occurred during liver resection to a greater degree compared with that observed with esophageal surgery, and that its cause might be liver resection itself.     

Pancreatic endocrine function in patients with intrathoracic replacement after esophagectomy

The majority of patients with esophageal carcinoma are elderly and have disturbances of carbohydrate metabolism to a greater or lesser extent. Surgery for esophageal carcinoma and change in the route of the digestive tract by reconstructive surgery are considered to have an effect on carbohydrate metabolism, especially on insulin and glucagon secretion. Since the opening of Kinki University School of Medicine in 1976, the present authors have performed reconstructive surgery by the retrosternal route after total esophagectomy from the chest. In the present study, we carried out oral glucose (50 g) tolerance tests (O-GTT) before and 1 month after esophageal reconstruction, gave intravenous glucose (0.5 g/kg) tolerance tests in controls and 1 month after esophageal surgery, and examined the influence of esophageal reconstruction on carbohydrate metabolism by determining blood sugar, insulin, and glucagon levels. Consequently, the insulin response to O-GTT was attenuated in the group of patients with esophageal carcinoma as compared with the control group. However, after esophageal operation, it was enhanced in the early phase and was weakened in the late phase. The glucagon secretion was significantly increased in the patients after esophagectomy. This suggested that hyperglucagonemia relates to disorders of carbohydrate metabolism after surgical treatment of esophageal carcinoma. The insulin response to intravenous glucose suggests an impairment in the first phase of insulin secretion in the surgically treated group, demonstrating a role for the vagus in insulin secretion.     

Hypercoagulability after surgery of esophageal carcinoma

The purpose of this study was to determine hypercoagulability in patients surgically treated for thoracic esophageal cancer. Twenty-four patients were evaluated; 19 subjected to open chest esophagectomy and 5 closed chest blunt dissection. Six patients subjected to gastrectomy served as controls. In all test patients, preoperative coagulability was within the normal range. Immediately after surgery, however, they were in a hypercoagulable state, showing a marked decrease in platelet count, prothrombin time, antithrombin III level and plasminogen level and an increase in activated partial thromboplastin time and fibrinopeptide B beta 15-42. The controls showed almost no change. There was a close correlation between hypercoagulability on one hand and the time needed for surgery and hemorrhage during 3rd to 7th postoperative day except those with multiple organ failure whose recovery was delayed and those with leakage of anastomosis whose condition did not improve even on the 10th postoperative day.     

Diagnostic evaluation, surgical technique, and perioperative management after esophagectomy: consensus statement of the German Advanced Surgical Treatment Study Group

Purpose

Correct diagnosis, surgical treatment, and perioperative management of patients with esophageal carcinoma remain crucial for prognosis within multimodal treatment procedures. This study aims to achieve a consensus regarding current management strategies in esophageal cancer by questioning a panel of experts from the German Advanced Surgical Treatment Study (GAST) group, comprised of 9 centers specialized in esophageal surgery, with a combined total of >220 esophagectomies per year.

Materials and methods

The Delphi method, a systematic and interactive, evidence-based approach, was used to obtain consensus statements from the GAST group regarding ambiguities and disparities in diagnosis, patient selection, surgical technique, and perioperative management of patients with esophageal carcinoma. After four rounds of surveys, agreement was measured by Likert scales and defined as full (100% agreement), near (??66.6% agreement), or no consensus (<66.6% agreement).

Results

Full or near consensus was obtained for essential aspects of esophageal cancer staging, proper surgical technique, perioperative management and indication for primary surgery, and neoadjuvant treatment or palliative treatment. No consensus was achieved regarding acceptability of minimally invasive technique and postoperative nutrition after esophagectomy.

Conclusion

The GAST consensus statement represents a position paper for treatment of patients with esophageal carcinoma which both contributes to the development of clinical treatment guidelines and outlines topics in need of further clinical studies.     

淋巴化疗对食管癌患者术后免疫功能的影响

目的 探索术中淋巴化疗对食管癌患者术后免疫功能的影响。 方法 前瞻性纳入2013年3～10月于华西医院胸外科接受食管癌术中淋巴化疗的病例及同期未接受淋巴化疗的食管癌手术病例。纳入患者分为紫杉醇淋巴化疗组、氟尿嘧啶淋巴化疗组及未接受淋巴化疗的对照组。比较淋巴化疗组与对照组患者术前、术后第3 d和第7 d外周血体液和细胞免疫学代表性指标的变化。共纳入分析病例37例,男25例,女12例;年龄42～76（61.89±7.95） 岁。紫杉醇淋巴化疗组15例,氟尿嘧啶淋巴化疗组15例,对照组7例。 结果 3组术后所有免疫学指标均有不同程度降低。淋巴化疗组与对照组相比,免疫球蛋白浓度下降差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）,CD8＋T细胞计数在淋巴化疗组术后恢复快,CD3＋T细胞计数在氟尿嘧啶淋巴化疗组恢复较快。 结论 淋巴化疗有利于食管癌患者术后T细胞的细胞毒作用的恢复,对体液免疫可能无促进作用。     

食管癌术后早期肠内肠外营养的对比研究

目的 探讨食管癌术后早期肠内营养（EN）与肠外营养（PN）对息者营养状况的改善及并发症发生率的影响。方法将106例食管癌根治手术的患者随机分为早期EN组和PN组，手术后第1天开始分别给予营养支持1周，于术前1d、术后8d检测体重、血常规、肝功能，并观察并发症的发生率。结果EN组体重、红细胞数、血红蛋白、白蛋白及转氨酶下降幅度少于PN组，两组比较P〈0．01，差异有统计学意义。EN组息者无吻合口瘘发生，肺部感染发生率为5．7％，胸腔积液发生率为3．8％，无切口愈合不良者；PN组患者吻合口瘘发生率5．7％，肺部感染发生率28．3％，胸腔积液发生率15．1％，切口愈合不良发生率7．6％；丽组比较P〈0．05，差异有统计学意义。结论术后早期EN比PN对食管癌营养状况的改善更好，并发症发生率更低。     

Results of prophylactic thoracic duct ligation in advanced esophageal carcinoma

Objective  Esophageal carcinoma is one of the most common lethal malignancies in northwest Iran. The purpose of this study is to determine the efficiency of prophylactic thoracic duct ligation and compare the incidence, risk factors and outcomes of chylothorax in patients undergoing esophageal cancer surgery. Methods and Material  From 1995 through 2005 a total 420 patients undergoing esophageal resection with or without mediastinal lymph node dissection. In first five years (Group I: 210 patients) that after any esophagectomies we have not used prophylactic thoracic duct ligation (1995–2000). In last five years for prevention of chylothorax after any esophagectomies (Group II: 210 patients), thirty patients with advanced stage of esophageal carcinoma underwent to prophylactic thoracic duct ligation (2000–2005). Data analysis included Chi-square or Fisher exact test and Independent Samples t test. A p-value of <0.05 was considered significant. All analyzes were performed using the SPSS.15/_win software. Results  There were 100 men and 110 women with a mean age of 53.18±12.35 years in Group I, 108 men and 102 women with a mean age of 56.1±9.83 years in Group II. The initial procedures were transhiatal esophagectomies and transthoracic esophagectomies. Six patients of group I, developed to chylothorax with average daily postoperative drainage greater than 1000 ml/day for 6 days, and underwent to reoperation at a mean of 7.12±1.85 days after diagnosis (4–8 days). Chest tube drainage was stopped during 48 hours after reoperation. In Group II chylothorax did not occur. Conclusions  Chylothorax increases mortality and duration of hospitalization after esophageal cancer surgery. Most cases of chylothorax after esophageal resection are cured with early surgical intervention. It could be concluded that prophylactic thoracic duct ligation reduce the occurrence of chylothorax in advanced cases of esophageal carcinoma.     

保留喉功能的非开胸食管钝性剥脱术治疗颈段食管癌

目的探讨保留喉功能的非开胸食管钝性剥脱术治疗颈段食管癌的临床经验。方法总结分析1997年8月至2005年11月间,采用保留喉功能非开胸食管钝性剥脱术对28例颈段食管癌患者进行治疗的临床资料。结果28例患者术前均确诊为颈段食管鳞状细胞癌。其中12例单纯接受手术治疗(单纯手术组),16例术前或术后接受放疗(综合治疗组)。治疗期间,全组无1例发生大出血、气管撕裂及围手术期死亡;6例(21.4%)出现并发症,其中吻合口瘘2例,喉返神经损伤4例。全组患者5年总体生存率50.3%;单纯手术组5年生存率25.7%,综合治疗组5年生存率66.1%;综合治疗组明显优于单纯手术组(χ2=4.07,P=0.0438)。结论保留喉功能的非开胸食管钝性剥脱术治疗颈段食管癌是可行的,联合放射治疗可以明显提高患者的术后生存率。     

胸腔镜联合腹腔镜食管癌切除术的临床效果分析

目的分析胸腹腔镜联合下行食管癌切除术的临床效果。方法选取2013年5月-2014年5月我院收治的食管癌患者96例,根据术式将患者分为联合组（57例）和传统组（39例）,传统组患者给予传统食管癌根治手术,联合组患者进行胸腔镜联合腹腔镜下食管癌切除术,所有患者手术前后均给予针对性护理干预。结果传统组患者手术时间,术中出血量,淋巴结清扫个数,术后引流量,住院时间及VAS评分均高于联合组,且差异具有统计学意义（P〈0.05）。结论传统手术和胸腔镜联合腹腔镜下食管癌切除术并配合针对性护理均可治疗食管癌,但胸腔镜联合腹腔镜下食管癌切除术效果更优,本研究也为食管癌的治疗和护理提供一定依据。     

食管癌术后胃瘫15例临床分析

目的 探讨食管癌术后胃瘫的病因、诊断及治疗.方法 对1998年7月至2010年7月手术治疗食管癌1476例进行回顾性分析.结果 确诊食管癌术后胃瘫15例,其中14例经保守治疗治愈,1例经手术治愈,全组无死亡患者.结论 食管癌术后胃瘫主要与手术创伤有关,治疗上以保守治疗为主,经长期治疗无效者可考虑手术治疗.     

吲哚菁绿荧光成像在胸腔镜食管癌手术中的应用

目的评价吲哚菁绿(ICG)荧光成像在胸腔镜食管癌手术中应用的价值。 方法随机选取32例食管癌患者作为实验组,在胸腔镜手术中利用ICG荧光成像技术,判断管状胃血液灌注情况,选择灌注良好的区域完成吻合。术后根据临床症状和影像学来判定吻合口漏是否发生,并记录吻合口瘘发生情况。同期选取38例常规手术组食管癌患者作为对照组。 结果全组未出现由于注射ICG而引起的死亡等不良反应。所有患者采用经纵隔途径食管胃颈部吻合方式。器械吻合52例(实验组24例,对照组28例);手工吻合18例(实验组8例,对照组10例),两组患者的吻合方式无统计学差异(P>0.05)。临床症状和影像学证实的吻合口漏共7例,其中实验组2例(6.25%),显著低于同期不用此项技术的对照组5例(13.15%)。 结论ICG荧光素成像是一种安全可行的技术,术中通过一个可视化的效果,评估管状胃的血流灌注情况,有助于降低食管癌手术后吻合口瘘的发生。     

Protective effects of inhaled nitric oxide and gabexate mesilate in lung reperfusion injury after transplantation from non-heart-beat donors.

BACKGROUND: The use of lung grafts from non-heart-beat donors (NHBDs) is one way of solving the critical donor organ shortage. Inhaled nitric oxide (NO) and gabexate mesilate (FOY), a protease inhibitor, can attenuate some types of neutrophil-mediated tissue injury. Using an isolated lung ventilation and perfusion model, we studied the effects of these agents on reperfusion injury following lung transplantation from NHBDs. METHODS: Five groups of minipigs were studied. In group 1(n = 6), the lungs were flushed and harvested after cardiac arrest, and were reperfused for 2 hours after 2 hours of cold ischemia. In group 2 (n = 6), the lungs were harvested after 2 hours of in situ warm ischemia, followed by 2 hours of cold ischemia and 2 hours of reperfusion. In groups 3 (n = 7), 4 (n = 7), and 5 (n = 6), the procedure was the same as in group 2, except in group 3, NO was inhaled before and after ischemia, in group 4, FOY was given intravenously, and in group 5, a combination of inhaled NO and intravenous FOY were administered. RESULTS: Compared with group 1, group 2 had higher mean pulmonary arterial pressure, vascular resistance, and lower arterial blood oxygen tension. Furthermore, these negative effects of warm ischemia were also reflected in the contents of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, tissue myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, histology, and permeability change. Either FOY or NO administration (groups 3 or 4) ameliorated the associated injury. A combination of FOY and NO use (group5) decreased the parameters of lung reperfusion injury measurement to a larger degree than either agent individually. CONCLUSIONS: The inhaled NO and FOY can protect NHBD lung grafts at an early reperfusion period. Their use in combination has an additive protective effect that might be applied to the protection of NHBD grafts from preservation and reperfusion injury.     

A Randomized Trial Comparing Postoperative Adjuvant Chemotherapy with Cisplatin and 5-Fluorouracil Versus Preoperative Chemotherapy for Localized Advanced Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Thoracic Esophagus (JCOG9907)

Background

Patients with esophageal carcinoma receiving postoperative chemotherapy showed superior disease-free survival than those receiving surgery alone in a Japan Clinical Oncology Group trial (JCOG9204). The purpose of this study was to evaluate optimal perioperative timing??that is, before or after surgery??for providing chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Methods

Eligible patients with clinical stage II or III, excluding T4, squamous cell carcinoma were randomized to undergo surgery followed (group 1) or preceded (group 2) by chemotherapy consisting of two courses of cisplatin plus 5-fluorouracil. The primary end point was progression-free survival.

Results

We randomized 330 patients, with 166 assigned to group 1 and 164 to group 2, between May 2000 and May 2006. The planned interim analysis was conducted after completion of patient accrual. Progression-free survival did not reach the stopping boundary, but overall survival in group 2 was superior to that of group 1 (P?=?0.01). Therefore, the Data and Safety Monitoring Committee recommended early publication. Updated analyses showed the 5-year overall survival to be 43% in group 1 and 55% in group 2 (hazard ratio 0.73, 95% confidence interval 0.54?C0.99, P?=?0.04), where the median follow-up of censored patients was 61.6?months. Concerning operative morbidity, renal dysfunction after surgery in group 2 was slightly higher than in group 1.

Conclusions

Preoperative chemotherapy with cisplatin plus 5-fluorouracil can be regarded as standard treatment for patients with stage II/III squamous cell carcinoma.     

输血对食管癌病人免疫功能的影响

目的　探讨输血对食管癌病人免疫功能的影响。方法　95例食管癌病人围术期输血者49例、未输血者46例,于术前、术后1、3、7、14?d分别检查细胞及体液免疫指标--外周血T淋巴细胞及其亚群和血浆TNF、红细胞C     

Effects of gabexate mesilate (FOY) on ischemia-reperfusion-induced acute lung injury in dogs

BACKGROUND: To assess the effects of gabexate mesilate (FOY), a protease inhibitor, on a canine model of pulmonary ischemia-reperfusion injury. FOY has been applied clinically to treat acute pancreatitis and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and has been found to suppress some leukocyte-mediated tissue injuries in both in vitro and in vivo studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: DESIGN: Comparison of four experimental groups: group 1 (untreated control, n = 8), unilateral (left) pulmonary ischemia due to perfusion and ventilation obstruction followed by reperfusion, without receiving any specific treatment; group 2 (negative control, sham operation, n = 8), left pulmonary hilar dissection without ischemia; group 3 (FOY posttreatment, n = 8), FOY treatment during the reperfusion stage only; and group 4 (FOY pretreatment, n = 8), FOY treatment before ischemia and then continued during reperfusion. SETTING: University animal laboratory. SUBJECTS: Heart-worm-free mongrel dogs (12 to 15 kg body wt) were anesthetized with pentobarbital and mechanically ventilated. INVESTIGATIONS: Lung ischemia was made by snaring the left pulmonary artery and veins and clamping the bronchus with peribronchial tissue for 90 min followed by reperfusion for 18 h. Animals of the two treatment groups received a 1 mg/kg bolus of FOY at the beginning of reperfusion, with infusion of 2 mg/kg/h of FOY continuously starting 30 min before ischemia (group 4) or after reperfusion (group 3). During this study the following were measured: hemodynamics and aerodynamics, blood gas, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid neutrophil percentage and protein concentration, lung wet to dry weight ratio (W/D ratio), myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity of the lung tissue, alveolar neutrophil infiltration, and degree of injury. RESULTS: This model of lung ischemia-reperfusion induced significant pulmonary hypertension, increased pulmonary vascular resistance, decreased pulmonary dynamic compliance and arterial hypoxemia, increased BAL fluid total protein amount and neutrophil percentage, and increased alveolar neutrophil infiltration, histological injury score, and lung tissue MPO assay (group 1). Animals of the sham operation (negative control, group 2) showed only minimal changes in the above parameters. Treatment with FOY significantly attenuated the injury by decreasing the lung W/D ratio, alveolar neutrophil infiltration, histological injury score, lung tissue MPO assay, BAL fluid neutrophil percentage, and protein amount. Pretreatment with FOY (group 4) attenuated the injury to a significantly greater degree than it did when administered at the reperfusion stage only (group 3), which was reflected by the above-mentioned parameters, and as well significantly improved gas exchange function. FOY treatment was found to have little effect in altering hemodynamics and aerodynamics at most time points in this model of lung injury. CONCLUSIONS: FOY can attenuate the ischemia-reperfusion-induced acute lung injury in dogs by ameliorating the degree of alveolar membrane permeability change, neutrophil aggregation, and activation. FOY treatment starting before ischemia attenuated this injury to a significantly higher degree than its use after ischemia. However, the effect of FOY may be partial because it cannot alter the hemodynamics or aerodynamics as prominently as other parameters in this type of lung injury. Concomitant use of FOY with other agents will have additive or synergic effects in preventing lung ischemia-reperfusion injury.     

De novo esophageal neoplasia after liver transplantation.

The purpose of the study was to determine the incidence, risk factors, treatment, and influence on survival of patients with de novo esophageal cancer after liver transplantation (LT). From 1988 to 2006, 1,926 patients underwent LT in our institution. A total of 9 patients (0.5%) developed a de novo esophageal cancer and 1 patient a cancer of the cardia (0.05%). A retrospective analysis was performed to reveal underlying diseases, timeframes between LT and appearance of cancer, predisposing factors, cancer therapy, complications, immunosuppressive regimens, and survival. Of our 10 patients, 7 (70%) suffered from esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and 3 patients (30%) developed an adenocarcinoma, including the patient with cancer of the cardia. A total of 9 patients were transplanted due to alcoholic cirrhosis; 1 patient suffered from hepatocellular carcinoma in nonA-nonB hepatitis-related cirrhosis. Median time to tumor diagnosis was 51 months after transplantation. A total of 5 patients were treated conservatively with combined radiochemotherapy and 5 underwent surgical resection. Patients with radiochemotherapy showed a mean survival of 14.8 months vs. 24.8 months for the patients of the surgery group. No major postoperative complication has been observed. A total of 2 patients of the surgery group are still alive after a follow-up of 15 and 89 months. In conclusion, de novo esophageal and cancer of the cardia after LT is a rare event. In spite of immunosuppression, no increased complication rate has been observed. Patients may have a survival benefit from surgical resection.