Emergency surgical treatment of complicated acute diverticulitis

Twenty-five percent of patients undergoing surgery for acute complicated diverticulitis represent emergencies. This condition is currently treated by colonic resection with primary anastomosis with or without colostomy, or by a Hartmann operation. We report on our experience with 52 consecutive patients with generalized peritonitis (8 cases), peri- and paracolonic abscesses (19 cases), severe pelvic abscesses (12 cases) and multiple abscesses with visceral fistulas (13 cases). All patients had emergency surgery. In 50/52 patients (96.2%) we performed a colonic resection with primary anastomosis using a mechanical stapler and in 2/52 a Hartmann operation. The overall mortality rate was 5.8%. The morbidity rate was 22% with 9 anastomotic leakages. A diverting colostomy was constructed in 16 patients and opened in only 8 patients. In 4 cases a parastomal hernia occurred after late closure and reduction of the colostomy. This data suggest that colonic resection with primary anastomosis, even without colostomy, is a safe procedure for the emergency treatment of acute complicated diverticulitis.     

Intra-articular osteoid osteoma of the lower extremity: diagnostic problems

We report five cases of intra-articular osteoid osteoma. Physical findings of osteoid osteoma vary with the site of the tumor. Juxta- and intra-articular osteoid osteomas present various atypical and nonspecific features. They are recorded both for their rarity and for the unusual clinical and roentgenographic findings that may delay diagnosis or induce misdiagnosis. Specialized imaging techniques may hasten diagnosis, but only an accurate clinical history, with a high index of suspicion, can allow for a proper diagnosis. When the diagnosis is suspected, we suggest that the most sensitive test is a "three-phase" technetium-99m bone-scan followed by computerized tomographic-scanning. Detailed evaluation of the suspected area, using thin sections is required to prevent misinterpretation, especially in a diagnosis involving first sprain of an ankle. The following cases of intra-articular osteoid osteoma illustrate the problems encountered in their diagnosis.     

Antegrade scrotal sclerotherapy and varicocele

Antegrade scrotal sclerotherapy is a simple and easy technique for the treatment of varicocele.The success rate varies between87%and95%,The initlal reflux grade and the number of collateral vessels of the spermatic vein are the most important factors to predict the outcome of the technique.The postoperative complica-tion rate is about7%and the common ones are scrotal hematoma and epididymo-orchitis of slight severity.Testicular athrophy is a rare event(0.6%).This technique offers a considerable cost eduction compared to other therapeutic optione currently available for varicocele.     

Giant prolactinomas presenting as skull base tumors

BACKGROUND: Prolactinomas invading the skull base are rare, and could easily be confused with skull base tumors of nonpituitary origin. CASE DESCRIPTION: We report a series of 4 cases of giant prolactinomas invading the skull base and presenting with atypical symptoms. Case 1 presented with a short history of headache and nasal obstruction. Case 2 presented with progressive hypoacusia, dizziness, and ophthalmoplegia. In Case 3, the patient developed rapid progressive visual failure and psychiatric symptoms. Case 4 presented with a 1-year history of headache and retrorbital pain. The diagnosis of prolactinoma was made on the basis of tumor immunohistochemistry and/or high plasma prolactin levels (range from 650-6,500 ng/mL). Medical treatment with the dopamine agonist cabergoline was given; it was effective in normalizing prolactin levels and inducing tumor shrinkage. CONCLUSION: Prolactin levels should be measured in all large skull base tumors involving the pituitary region before any surgery or inappropriate radiotherapy is performed.     

Impact of intraoperative ultrasonography in laparoscopic liver surgery

Background Laparoscopic surgery has gained growing acceptance, but this does not hold for laparoscopic surgery of the liver. This mainly includes diagnostic procedures, interstitial therapies, and treatment of liver cysts. However, the authors believe there is room for a laparoscopic approach to the liver in selected cases. Methods A prospective study of laparoscopic liver resections was undertaken with patients who had preoperative diagnoses of benign lesion and hepatocellular carcinoma with compensated cirrhosis. The inclusion criteria required that hepatic involvement be limited and located in the left or peripheral right segments (segments 2–6), and that the tumor be 5 cm or smaller. The location of the tumor and its transection margin were defined by laparoscopic ultrasound (LUS). Results From December 1996, 17 (5%) of 313 liver resections were included in the study. There were 5 benign lesions and 12 hepatocellular carcinomas in cirrhotic patients. The mean age of the study patients was 59 years (range, 29–79 years). The LUS evaluation identified the presence of new hepatocellular carcinoma nodules in two patients (17%). The resections included 1 bisegmentectomy, 8 segmentectomies, 3 subsegmentectomies, and 3 nonanatomic resections. The mean operative time, including laparoscopic ultrasonography, was 156 ± 50 min (median, 150 min; range, 60–250 min), and the perioperative blood loss was 190 ± 97 ml. There was no mortality. Conversion to laparotomy was necessary for two patients. Postoperative complications were experienced by 3 of 15 patients, all of them cirrhotics. One of the patients had a wall hematoma, and the remaining two patients had bleeding from a trocar access requiring a laparoscopic reexploration. The mean hospital stay for the whole series was 6.9 ± 4.9 days (median, 6 days; range, 2–25 days) and 5.6 ±1.4 days (median, 6 days; range, 2–8 days) for the 15 laparoscopic patients. Conclusion Laparoscopic treatment should be considered for selected patients with benign and malignant lesions in the left lobe or frontal segments of the liver. Evaluation by LUS is indispensable to guarantee precise determination of the segmental tumor location and the relationship of the tumor to adjacent vascular or biliary structures, excluding adjacent or adjunctive new lesions. The evolution of laparoscopic hepatectomies probably will depend on the development of new techniques and instrumentations.     

Adjuvant therapy with sorafenib in bone metastases bilateral renal carcinoma: a case report

A 69-yr-old man with bilateral and metastatic renal cell carcinoma developed progressive disease after interleukin-2 and interferon therapy. He was submitted to radical left nephrectomy, right nephron-sparing surgery, and bone metastasis removal, followed by therapy with sorafenib. At 12-mo follow-up there was a significant improvement in patient performance status and no evidence of clinical progression.     

Asymmetric dimethyl-arginine (ADMA) response to inflammation in acute infections.

BACKGROUND AND METHODS: The endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOs) asymmetrical dimethyl-arginine (ADMA) has been implicated as a possible modulator of inducible NOs during acute inflammation. We examined the evolution in the plasma concentration of ADMA measured at the clinical outset of acute inflammation and after its resolution in a series of 17 patients with acute bacterial infections. RESULTS: During the acute phase of inflammation/infection, patients displayed very high levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), procalcitonin and nitrotyrosine. Simultaneous plasma ADMA concentration was similar to that in healthy subjects while symmetric dimethyl-arginine (SDMA) levels were substantially increased and directly related with creatinine. When infection resolved, ADMA rose from 0.62 +/- 0.23 to 0.80 +/- 0.18 micromol/l (+29%, P = 0.01) while SDMA remained unmodified. ADMA changes were independent on concomitant risk factor changes and inversely related with baseline systolic and diastolic pressure. Changes in the ADMA/SDMA ratio were compatible with the hypothesis that inflammatory cytokines activate ADMA degradation. CONCLUSIONS: Resolution of acute inflammation is characterized by an increase in the plasma concentration of ADMA. The results imply that ADMA suppression may actually serve to stimulate NO synthesis or that in this situation plasma ADMA levels may not reflect the inhibitory potential of this methylarginine at the cellular level.     

Inflammation and pruritus in haemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: Pruritus is a common symptom among patients on haemodialysis (HD). We studied 68 HD patients to assess the role of iron deficiency, anaemia, inflammation and other common serum and dialysis parameters in pruritus. METHODS: The patients were questioned about the occurrence of pruritus at home, quantified according to frequency ('never', 'occasionally' and 'every day') and intensity ('absent', 'moderate' and 'severe'). The blood and serum variables considered were: haemoglobin, haematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, hypochromic red blood cells (RBC), hyperchromic RBC, microcytic RBC, macrocytic RBC, reticulocytes, iron, ferritin, transferrin, transferrin saturation, C-reactive protein (CRP), urea, creatinine, calcium, phosphorus, albumin, total protein and glucose. We also analysed Kt/V, age and time on HD treatment. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to the frequency or intensity of their pruritus, and we analysed and compared the variables between the 3 groups. RESULTS: Half (50%) of the patients reported never having pruritus, 32.4% occasionally and 17.6% every day. Pruritus was moderate in 41.2% of them and severe in 8.8%. None of the parameters considered revealed any statistically relevant differences between the three pruritus frequency groups, except for mean serum transferrin level (mg/dl) ('never'=268+/-64 vs 'occasionally'=244+/-40 vs 'every day'=217+/-56, P<0.05). As for the intensity of the symptom, mean serum transferrin (268+/-64 vs 247+/-39 vs 174+/-31, P<0.001) and median ferritin levels (mg/dl) (83 (11-420) vs 98 (11-1121) vs 293 (111-471), P<0.05) showed statistically significant differences between the 3 groups, as did albumin levels (g/dl) (4.3+/-0.4 vs 4.2+/-0.4 vs 3.7+/-0.4, P<0.05). Median CRP values (mg/dl) tended to be higher in patients with more frequent (0.4 (0.3-5.5) vs 0.7 (0.3-11.4) vs 0.9 (0.3-13.5)) and more severe pruritus (0.4 (0.3-5.5) vs 0.7 (0.3-4.0) vs 2.1 (0.3-13.5)), but those differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Iron deficiency and anaemia seem to play no part in HD-related pruritus, whereas lower serum transferrin and albumin levels and higher ferritin values are consistent with the possible role of inflammation in the development and severity of pruritus.     

Cervical disc herniation and cervical spondylosis surgically treated by Cloward procedure: a 10-year-minimum follow-up study

Background  

Cervical degenerative pathology produces pain and disability, and if conservative treatment fails, surgery is indicated. The aim of this study was to determined whether anterior decompression and interbody fusion according to Cloward is effective for treating segmental cervical degenerative pathology and whether the results are durable after a 10-year-minimum follow-up.     

Impact of new technologies on diabetes care

Technologies for diabetes management, such as continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems, have improved remarkably over the last decades. These developments are impacting the capacity to achieve recommended hemoglobin A1c levels and assisting in preventing the development and progression of micro- and macro vascular complications. While improvements in metabolic control and decreases in risk of severe and moderate hypoglycemia have been described with use of these technologies, large epidemiological international studies show that many patients are still unable to meet their glycemic goals, even when these technologies are used. This editorial will review the impact of technology on glycemic control, hypoglycemia and quality of life in children and youth with type 1 diabetes. Technologies reviewed include CSII, CGM systems and sensor-augmented insulin pumps. In addition, the usefulness of advanced functions such as bolus profiles, bolus calculators and threshold-suspend features will be also discussed. Moreover, the current editorial will explore the challenges of using these technologies. Indeed, despite the evidence currently available of the potential benefits of using advanced technologies in diabetes management, many patients still report barriers to using them. Finally this article will highlight the importance of future studies tailored toward overcome these barriers to optimizing glycemic control and avoiding severe hypoglycemia.