Analysis of outcome of laparoscopic splenectomy for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura by platelet count

Laparoscopic splenectomy (LS) is now performed routinely in patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) refractory to the medical treatment. Low preoperative platelet count was deemed to be a contraindication for a laparoscopic approach; however, there is no data reporting the outcome in those patients. We aimed to evaluate the influence of the preoperative platelet count on the operative and postoperative course and complication rate. Retrospective cohort study that was conducted in tertiary care university-affiliated medical center and included 110 consecutive patients who underwent LS. All patients were divided into three groups by their preoperative platelet counts: 50 x 10(9)/L (n = 80). The outcome and the influence of preoperative factors predictive of complications, blood transfusion, and length of stay were compared between the groups. Patients with a platelet count of 20 x 10(9)/L before surgery. Patients with counts >20 x 10(9)/L can safely undergo LS.     

Radiation therapy for symptomatic hepatomegaly in myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia

OBJECTIVE: To describe the experience with liver irradiation in advanced cases of myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia (MMM). METHODS: Over a 20-yr period, 14 patients with MMM were treated with a total of 25 courses of liver, abdominal, or abdominal and pelvic irradiation for symptomatic hepatomegaly with (5 patients) or without (9 patients) ascites. All 14 patients had advanced disease and 11 (79%) had previous splenectomy. The median radiation therapy (RT) dose per course was 150 cGy (range 50-1000) administered at a median of six fractions. Four patients received two to six courses. RESULTS: Twelve of the 14 patients (86%) had a transient (median 3 months) subjective response from RT. However, in only 35% of these was there a transient (median 3 months) decrease in palpable liver size. Four of the five patients with ascites experienced a short-term response from RT. Eight of the 13 patients suitable for evaluation (62%) had treatment-associated cytopenia, often in the form of anemia and/or thrombocytopenia. At last follow-up, 10 patients (71%) had died after a median of 7 months (range 0.1-23) and 4 were alive at 3, 20, 33, and 57 months after RT. CONCLUSIONS: Low-dose abdominal RT for symptomatic hepatomegaly or ascites associated with advanced-stage MMM is myelosuppressive and provides only temporary and mainly subjective and short-lived relief.     

Prognostic features of splenic lymphoma with villous lymphocytes: a report on 129 patients

Splenic lymphoma with villous lymphocytes (SLVL) is a low-grade B-cell lymphoma defined in the World Health Organization classification as the leukaemic form of splenic marginal zone lymphoma. Presenting features and response to therapy have been described, but information on prognostic factors is scanty. Clinical, laboratory and follow-up data were collected on 129 patients with SLVL to determine features predicting disease behaviour and survival. Diagnosis was made on clinical, morphological and immunophenotypic features and, where available, bone marrow and spleen histology. Median age was 69 years (range 39-90 years) and male:female ratio, 0.9. The majority had splenomegaly, but lymphadenopathy and hepatomegaly were rare. Median Hb was 11.8 g/dl, white blood cell count was 16 x 10(9)/l and platelet count was 145 x 10(9)/l; 27% of patients had monoclonal protein in serum and/or urine. While 27% of patients remained untreated, 10% transformed to high-grade lymphoma. Median follow-up was 61 months and median survival was 13 years, with 72% of patients alive at 5 years. Cox regression analysis showed that increasing age, anaemia, thrombocytopenia and lymphocytosis > 16 x 10(9)/l were independent adverse predictors of overall survival. However, only anaemia and lymphocytosis > 16 x 10(9)/l remained highly significant independent prognostic factors when only deaths due to lymphoma were analysed. Splenectomized patients fared better than those receiving chemotherapy only (P = 0.001 for SLVL deaths). We conclude that SLVL is mainly a disease of the elderly with a relatively benign course but, when treatment is required, splenectomy is beneficial.     

Dissociation between the level of von Willebrand factor-cleaving protease activity and disease in a patient with congenital thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura

Decreased von Willebrand factor (VWF)-cleaving protease activity (<5%) has been implicated in patients with congenital thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura-hemolytic uremic syndrome (Upshaw-Schulman syndrome) and associated with mutations within the ADAMTS13 gene. In this report, we describe longitudinal studies in a patient with congenital TTP who ultimately developed end-stage renal failure and required plasma therapy from infancy. The patient was deficient in plasma high molecular weight (HMW)-VWF multimers during acute disease but had increased amounts of the HMW-VWF multimers during periods of remission. DNA analysis of this patient detected homozygosity for the R692C mutation on exon 17 of the ADAMTS13 gene, previously linked to congenital TTP. The level of VWF-cleaving protease activity in the patient was remarkably low (<5%) throughout her disease, even after she entered complete remission. However, despite no improvement in the level of VWF-cleaving protease activity, this patient had complete resolution of disease following splenectomy and commencing hemodialysis, without need for ongoing plasma therapy. The patient has remained in remission for over 4 years. These observations suggest that there are other factors in conjunction with severe deficiency of VWF protease activity that participate in the platelet-mediated thrombotic complications and other disease manifestations of congenital TTP. In addition, it is possible that splenectomy could be an effective treatment option for some patients with severe, congenital TTP.     

Simultaneous abrogation of NOS-2 and COX-2 activities is lethal in partially hepatectomised mice

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We have investigated the role of the nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandins (PGs), respectively, synthesized by nitric oxide synthase 2 (NOS-2) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), in the outcome of liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy (PH). METHODS: Liver mass recovery and molecular parameters related to cell proliferation and apoptotic death have been determined. RESULTS: NOS-2 and COX-2 are normally both expressed in the remnant liver after PH, and inhibition of either one delays regeneration. We found, however, that simultaneous suppression of the activities of NOS-2 (by gene knockout) and COX-2 (by pharmacological inhibition) resulted in animal death between 24 and 72 h after PH. Analysis of liver mass recovery and molecular parameters related to cell proliferation and apoptotic death revealed increased liver-cell apoptosis and an insufficient proliferative response. Broad-specificity caspase inhibitors, such as z-Val-Ala-Asp.fmk (z-VAD), or administration of NO-donors, rescued animals from death, revealing a critical apoptotic bias at this stage of proliferation. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that simultaneous signaling by NO and prostaglandins plays an important role in the mechanism of liver regeneration after PH by protecting the remnant tissue from apoptotic death.     

胰源性区域性门脉高压症——附14例报告

本文报告了14例胰源性区域性门脉高压症。本病为肝外型门脉高压症中罕见的一种，对未发现肝脏疾病，而有胃底，食管静脉曲张，脾肿大的病人，应考虑本病。门静脉造影可以确立诊断，经皮脾穿刺门静脉造影是确诊本症的三种简单可行的方法。本病可经脾切除治愈。     

Modified laparoscopic splenectomy: a beneficial technique for ABO-incompatible living donor renal transplantation candidates on hemodialysis

Advances in laparoscopy have enabled minimally invasive surgical treatment of splenic diseases. Even with these advances, laparoscopic splenectomy in patients on dialysis can be difficult because of tissue fragility due to the underlying renal disease. We report a safe surgical technique for laparoscopic splenectomy in patients on maintenance dialysis that is suitable for use before ABO-incompatible living donor renal transplantation (LDRTx). Between June 1972 and December 2006, a total of 800 patients underwent LDRTx in our department, including 82 patients who underwent ABO-incompatible LDRTx. Between April 2001 and December 2006 we performed laparoscopic splenectomy in 48 hemodialysis patients as a pretreatment before ABO-incompatible LDRTx. Under general anesthesia the operation was performed using a new technique, referred to as the "splenic hilum lump method." We evaluated the surgical outcomes, such as the operative time, amount of blood loss, efficacy, and complications. The mean operative time was 131.6 +/- 38.4 min and mean blood loss was 126 +/- 395 mL. Blood transfusion was required in three patients. All cases had satisfactory kidney function after LDRTx and none developed kidney graft failure due to acute rejection. Almost all patients could walk the day after laparoscopic splenectomy and were satisfied with the cosmetic appearance of the scar after wound healing. The surgical technique we report here can be safely performed on patients with renal failure who require caution because of tissue fragility. Laparoscopic splenectomy is a safe, effective and less invasive operative procedure as a pretreatment for ABO-incompatible LDRTx.     

Y染色体AZFc区域部分缺失与精神发育迟滞伴小阴茎的关联性

目的 采用基因芯片技术筛查精神发育迟滞伴小阴茎男童的基因组微失衡,探讨Y染色体无精子症因子C区（AZFc）部分缺失对其的致病性。方法 提取1例精神发育迟滞伴小阴茎男童（先证者）及其父亲外周血DNA,利用CytoOneArray 染色体芯片行全基因组微失衡初筛,之后采用定制4×180K SNP+CNV精神发育相关芯片行全基因组微失衡筛查。选择特异性STS标签sY1191,sY1291作为引物,利用PCR特异性扩增11例正常男童,9/20例4×180K SNP+CNV芯片检测异常的精神发育迟滞未伴小阴茎男童,先证者及其父亲的Y染色体AZFc区域。 进一步对170例精神发育迟滞未伴小阴茎男童行PCR扩增,分析AZFc区域缺失频率。结果 ①CytoOneArray 染色体芯片检测发现先证者存在AZFc区域全缺失（chrY:24646690-28103711）,定制4×180K SNP+CNV精神发育相关芯片排除其他精神发育相关基因组微失衡,发现AZFc区域部分缺失（chrY:24873066-25203027;chrY:25850255-26245019）,结果不同于CytoOneArray 染色体芯片。②20例精神发育迟滞伴小阴茎男童行4×180K CNV+SNP芯片检测,5例存在Y染色体AZFc区域部分缺失,但缺失起止点不同;4例为已知的致精神发育异常的基因组微失衡。③PCR验证表明先证者及其父亲为AZFc区域b2/b3缺失,此片段缺失同时存在于1/11例正常男童、4/9例精神发育迟滞未伴小阴茎男童。④精神发育迟滞未伴小阴茎男童AZFc区域b2/b3缺失频率为15.1％（27/179）。结论 AZFc区域b2/b3缺失可能不是精神发育迟滞伴小阴茎男童的致病病因,此AZFc区域部分缺失在中国人群中为多态性位点。     

脾脏多形性未分化肉瘤1例报告

<正>1病例资料患者男性,42岁,因间断左上腹疼痛2个月余入院。既往乙型肝炎病史10年余;病程中无发热等表现。查体:腹部平坦,未触及腹部肿物,左上腹压痛阳性,无反跳痛及肌紧张,腹部叩诊呈鼓音,移动性浊音阴性,肠鸣音约5次/min。实验室检查未见明显异常;腹部彩超检查提示左上腹可见一大小约11.5 cm×8.5 cm团块,回声不均匀;腹部CT平扫+三期增强