Cholecystectomy by mini-laparotomy access. Retrospective analysis of the 10-year work

Ten-year experience of operative treatment of cholelithic disease using mini-access cholecystectomy (MACH) in 920 patients was summarized. There were operated on 167 patients for an acute cholecystitis, chronic calculous cholecystitis--716, gall bladder polyposis--36, gall bladder cancer--1. In 48 patients the MACH was matched with choledochus drainage, in 9--choledocholithotomy was performed, in 1--choledochoduodenostomy. In 6 observations the MACH were done simultaneously inguinal herniotomy, in 10--umbilical herniotomy, in 7--uterine extirpation, in 13--operation for ovarial cyst. The bile leakage from gall bladder bed occurred in 3 observations, the operative wound suppuration--in 4. Duration of stationary treatment was 4.1 days at average.     

Immunohistochemical localization of somatostatin receptor subtypes in benign and malignant adrenal tumours

Background  Somatostatin mediates its action through five receptor subtypes (sst1–5) that are widely distributed in various endocrine tissues and tumours. Because of the inhibitory effects of somatostatin, long-acting analogues have been synthesized. In contrast to their well-established use in neuroendocrine and pituitary tumours, little is known about their potential use in adrenal tumours.
Objective  We examined somatostatin receptor protein expression in adrenal tumours of various aetiologies. Immunostaining was performed with specific polyclonal antibodies for sst1–5.
Design  Seven benign and eight malignant pheochromocytomas (PHEOs), eight aldosterone-secreting adenomas (APAs), nine cortisol-secreting adenomas (CPAs), seven nonfunctioning adrenal tumours (NFAs) and 25 adrenal carcinomas (CAs) as well as eight normal adrenal glands were investigated.
Measurements  Staining pattern, distribution and subcellular localization of the somatostatin receptor subtypes were evaluated.
Results  In the majority of normal cortices the expression of sst1–5 was limited to the reticular zone. The medulla was predominantly positive for sst3. Most cortical adenomas were positive for all five subtypes. However, in the majority of these tumours, less than 30% of cells were positively stained. A high expression of sst4 was found in CPAs but only very few cortical carcinomas exhibited sst immunostaining. All benign PHEOs were positive for sst3. The majority presented with more than 60% of tumour cells stained. By contrast, only six out of eight malignant PHEOs were positive for sst3.
Conclusions  Somatostatin receptor subtypes are expressed in PHEOs as well as in tumours of the adrenal cortex with tumour-specific distribution patterns. This may offer new diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities.     

The analgesic activity of coordination compounds of methionine enkephalin with divalent metals

Coordination compounds of methenkephalin with transition metals: copper, cobalt, nickel and zinc were shown to be superior to morphine by the analgesic activity and to morphine and methenkephalin by the duration of the analgesic effect. A more stable relationship between opiate receptors and copper-containing methenkephalin was shown in the experiments on the isolated neuronal membrane.