Prognostic significance of grading (MIB-1 system) in patients with myxoid liposarcoma

AIMS: To determine the relation between clinical outcome and tumour grade defined by a MIB-1 (Ki-67) score based grading system. METHOD: The clinical and pathological features of 50 patients with myxoid liposarcoma were evaluated, and MIB-1 immunostaining was performed to grade these patients' tumours. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to evaluate survival. Clinical follow up details were available for all patients (median, 46.5 months; range, 9-408). RESULTS: Univariate analysis revealed that the tumour site (p < 0.05), round cell component content (p < 0.01), necrosis (p < 0.01), mitosis (p < 0.01), MIB-1 labelling index (p < 0.001), and tumour grade (p < 0.001) had a significant impact on overall survival. Multivariate analysis showed that, of the variables evaluated, the tumour grade defined by a MIB-1 score based grading system was the most significant adverse prognostic factor. CONCLUSION: Tumour grade determined by the grading system using the MIB-1 score (MIB-1 system) is a very strong prognostic factor in patients with myxoid liposarcoma.     

Echocardiography diagnosis of ruptured aneurysm of sinus of Valsalva. Report of two cases.

Echocardiographic features of two cases of ruptured congenital aneurysm of Valsalva sinus with (case1) and without (case 2) a supracristal ventricular defect were studied before and after surgery by standard echocardiography. M-mode scan and two-dimensional echocardiography. Discontinuity was observed in the echo from the aneurysm wall of the Valsalva sinus in case 1 with ruptured aneurysm, but was not observed in a similar case of unruptured aneurysm. Herniation of the right coronary cusp of the aortic valve into the right ventricular outflow tract was also observed in case 1. After surgical correction the echo from the aneurysm wall and from the herniated right coronary cusp of the aortic valve disappeared. Discontinuity in the echo from the anterior aortic wall and the interventricular septum also disappeared. In case 2, discontinuity in the echo from the anterior aortic wall, and tricuspid flutter with an abnormally low early diastolic peak were observed. These abnormalities disappeared after surgery. The ability of echocardiography to detect ruptured Valsalva aneurysm is discussed.     

Intrahepatic dissemination of hepatocellular carcinoma after local ablation therapy

Background/Purpose

We aimed to clarify the histological features of and risk factors for intrahepatic dissemination after local ablation therapy (LAT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

Between April 1992 and December 2005, 192 HCC patients underwent hepatic resection at our department, among whom were 17 patients who had local recurrences after LAT. Eight of these 17 patients had intrahepatic dissemination. The clinical and histological characteristics of these 8 surgically treated patients with intrahepatic dissemination were investigated.

Results

Histologically, numerous intrahepatic metastases were observed, mainly in the same section as the treated tumor, together with main or sectional portal vein tumor thrombi. Before the ablation therapy, the average tumor diameter was 2.1 cm, and 62.5% of the tumors were adjacent to the main or sectional portal vein. In terms of therapeutic factors, 25% of the patients had a prior needle biopsy and 62.5% had insufficient safety margins.

Conclusions

LAT for HCCs (even those less than 3 cm in diameter) adjacent less than 5 mm to the main or sectional portal vein possibly promotes intrahepatic dissemination.     

Intracardiac flow pattern in mitral regurgitation studied with combined use of the ultrasonic pulsed doppler technique and cross-sectional echocardiography

Thirty patients with mitral regurgitation confirmed by left ventriculography were studied from a transcutaneous approach with combined use of the ultrasonic pulsed Doppler technique and cross-sectional echocardiography. The location of the abnormal Doppler signals was revealed with cross-sectional echocardiography, displayed in two dimensional images.Abnormal Doppler signals, never detected in healthy subjects, were recorded during systole at the mitral area and in the left atrial cavity in patients with mitral regurgitation.In the left atrial cavity, these signals were detected in 11 patients. They were either bidirectional or unidirectional and of a wide velocity range. The area in which these signals were detected was mapped on the cross-sectional echocardiogram, and the map was considered to show the main direction and distribution of regurgitant flow from the mitral ostium into the left atrial cavity. The main direction of the regurgitant flow determined with this method closely coincided with that revealed by angiocardiography.At the mitral area, abnormal Doppler signals were detected in 28 patients. These signals were powerful, bidirectional and of a wide range of velocity. It is believed that these signals indicate not only the mitral regurgitant flow, but also the vibration of the mitral valve. Thus, the combined use of the ultrasonic pulsed Doppler technique and cross-sectional echocardiography is advantageous for the transcutaneous detection and analysis of regurgitant flow in mitral regurgitation.     

SKF-10047, a prototype Sigma-1 receptor agonist,augmented the membrane trafficking and uptake activity of the serotonin transporter and its C-terminus-deleted mutant via a Sigma-1 receptor-independent mechanism

The serotonin transporter (SERT) is functionally regulated via membrane trafficking. Our previous studies have demonstrated that the SERT C-terminal deletion mutant (SERTΔCT) showed a robust decrease in its membrane trafficking and was retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), suggesting that SERTΔCT is an unfolded protein that may cause ER stress. The Sigma-1 receptor (SigR1) has been reported to attenuate ER stress via its chaperone activity. In this study, we investigated the effects of SKF-10047, a prototype SigR1 agonist, on the membrane trafficking and uptake activity of SERT and SERTΔCT expressed in COS-7 cells. Twenty-four hours of SKF-10047 treatment (>200 μM) accelerated SERT membrane trafficking and robustly upregulated SERTΔCT activity. Interestingly, these effects of SKF-10047 on SERT functions were also found in cells in which SigR1 expression was knocked down by shRNA, suggesting that SKF-10047 exerted these effects on SERT via a mechanism independent of SigR1. A cDNA array study identified several candidate genes involved in the mechanism of action of SKF-10047. Among them, Syntaxin3, a member of the SNARE complex, was significantly upregulated by 48 h of SKF-10047 treatment. These results suggest that SKF-10047 is a candidate for ER stress relief.     

Effects of the closing speed of stapler jaws on bovine pancreases

Background

The division of the pancreatic parenchyma using a stapler is important in pancreatic surgery, especially for laparoscopic surgery. However, this procedure has not yet been standardized.

Methods

We analyzed the effects of the closing speed of stapler jaws using bovine pancreases for each method. Furthermore, we assigned 10 min to the slow compression method, 5 min to the medium-fast compression method, and 30 s to the rapid compression (RC) method. The time allotted to holding (3 min) and dividing (30 s) was equal under each testing situation.

Results

We found that the RC method showed a high-pressure tolerance compared with the other two groups (rapid, 126 ± 49.0 mmHg; medium-fast, 55.5 ± 25.8 mmHg; slow, 45.0 ± 15.7 mmHg; p < 0.01), although the histological findings of the cut end were similar. The histological findings of the pancreatic capsule and parenchyma after the compression by staple jaws without firing also were similar.

Conclusions

RC may provide an advantage as measured by pressure tolerance. A small series of distal pancreatectomy with a stapler that compares the speed of different stapler jaw closing times is required to prove the feasibility of these results after the confirmation of the advantages of the RC method under various settings.     

Hemorrhage from the pancreatic cut end into the jejunum after binding pancreaticojejunostomy: report of a case

Recent studies have described that binding pancreaticojejunostomy (PJ) decreased the incidence of postoperative pancreatic fistulas and complications after pancreaticoduodenectomy. We herein describe the case of a 77-year-old male with papilla of Vater cancer who underwent subtotal stomach-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy with end-to-side binding PJ. He developed postoperative gastrointestinal bleeding from the pancreatic cut end three separate times. Transcatheter arterial embolization was performed for the first bleeding event. Surgical hemostasis was performed and a temporary jejunostomy was constructed at the jejunal stump for the second event. For the third bleeding event, endoscopic coagulation through the jejunostomy was performed successfully, and no further bleeding was noted.     

Visualization of isolated conus artery as a major collateral pathway in patients with total left anterior descending artery occlusion

To examine the existence of isolated conus artery (ICA) as a source of collateral circulation, we selectively visualized the ICA in patients with left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) occlusion using a no. 5 French catheter. One hundred and fifty patients with a total LAD occlusion were selected from 639 consecutive patients who had diagnostic coronary angiography during an 18-month period; the ICA was found in 45 patients. Among these patients, 30 showed the ICA as a collateral vessel supplying the distal LAD. In nine of these patients, conventional left and right coronary angiography did not reveal any other significant collateral vessels, and the distal LAD was perfused mainly by the collaterals from the ICA. No serious complications such as ventricular fibrillation or myocardial infarction occurred during these procedures. These results indicate that the selective ICA visualization is clinically important when conventional left and right angiography does not demonstrate collaterals to the obstructed LAD.