Synovial sarcoma in childhood: Clinical and radiological findings

Objective: To study the clinical characteristics andradiological features of synovial sarcoma in childhood and its relation to the diagnosis and treatment. Methods: The clinical radiological features of 15 children with synovial sarcoma proved surgically and pathologically were analyzed. Results: In children, the tumor boundaries are poorly defined due to paucity of fat, and metastasis usually occurs early. Eight patients in this series had bone involvement, including: direct erosion by tumor causing cortical destruction, indirect pressure defect with sharp margin and reactive bone sclerosis and bone destruction of the primary intraosseous synovial sarcoma. Conclusion: The tumor is often misdiagnosed, the final confirmed diagnosis must be made by histological examination with imaging findings. It is emphasized that the patients should be treated with radiotherapy and chemotherapy preoperatively and postoperatively.     

Day-case laparoscopy: a comparison of prophylactic opioid, NSAID or local anesthesia for postoperative analgesia

BACKGROUND: The study was aimed to evaluate the analgesic efficacy, postoperative comfort, recovery characteristics and side effects of three different analgesic agents administered prophylactically. METHODS: Eighty patients undergoing day-case minor operative laparoscopy were randomly allocated into four groups to receive tenoxicam 20 mg i.v. (Group T), fentanyl 100 microg i.v. (Group F), 5 ml of bupivacaine 2.5 mg/ml for infiltration of trocar sites (Group B), 30, 10 and 5 min before incision respectively. Bupivacaine, 35 ml, 2.5 mg/ml was also administered into the pelvic cavity in Group B. Group P received only placebo. Postoperative pain, analgesic requirements, first response to verbal stimulus, first analgesic requirement, ability to walk without help, to drink and to void, blood pressures, SpO2 and respiration rates were recorded in the PACU. Postoperative pain was evaluated by verbal rating scale. Pain scores, analgesic requirements and side effects were evaluated by telephone calls until the 48th postoperative hour. RESULTS: Postoperative pain scores were lower and time to requirement of rescue analgesics was longer in groups F and B compared to Group P. In the PACU, analgesic requirements were lower in Group B, compared to Group P. Nausea and vomiting were increased in Group F. CONCLUSION: Tenoxicam 20 mg i.v. was found to be ineffective whereas bupivacaine was superior to other groups in reducing pain and analgesic requirements. Bupivacaine also increased time to first analgesics and obtained better recovery characteristics, underlining its value in prophylactic pain management compared to the other two agents.     

Anaesthetic management of a patient with pemphigus vulgaris for emergency laparotomy

A 45-year-old man with a long-standing history of duodenal ulcer presented with symptoms and signs of perforation peritonitis. He also had lesions of pemphigus vulgaris throughout the body, involving both skin and mucous membranes. Care was taken to avoid pressure and friction during placement of monitoring devices, intravenous and arterial lines. Since the patient had to undergo exploratory laparotomy, intubation was performed in an atraumatic manner after rapid sequence induction. However, there was minor bleeding from the mucous lesions of the oral cavity, which was controlled by a saline adrenaline throat pack. The patient was extubated at the end of the surgery and steroids were continued in the peri-operative period.     

Suppression of surgical hyperaldosteronism by potassium canrenoate during gynecologic surgery under sevoflurane anesthesia

BACKGROUND: Surgical hyperaldosteronism leads to sodium and water retention during surgery and often causes postoperative edema. This study investigated the effect of potassium canrenoate (PC) on pituitary adrenocortical function in lower abdominal surgery under sevoflurane anesthesia. METHODS: Twenty patients were randomized to receive 400 mg of PC (the PC group, n=10) or saline (the control group, n=10) intravenously. The following parameters were determined: plasma aldosterone, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), plasma renin activity (PRA), serum sodium and potassium, urinary sodium and potassium, and urine output. RESULTS: The aldosterone and ACTH levels showed significant increases in the control group during surgery. Plasma ACTH also increased significantly in the PC group, but plasma aldosterone levels were unchanged during surgery. The urine Na/K ratio of the PC group was significantly higher than that of the control group. CONCLUSION: The present study suggested that PC suppresses the increase of plasma aldosterone caused by surgical stress. That may prevent sodium retention and potassium excretion during surgery.     

Increases in serum concentrations of cardiac proteins and the prediction of early postoperative cardiovascular complications in noncardiac surgery patients

We investigated the use of measurements of serum concentrations of the cardiac proteins troponins I and T as biochemical markers of myocardial cell damage in 80 patients undergoing vascular or major orthopaedic surgery. Holter electrocardiographic monitoring was carried out before surgery and for 3 days after surgery. Blood samples for troponins I and T and creatine kinase-MB isoenzyme were taken on each of these 4 days. Outcome was assessed at 3 months using a patient questionnaire, general practitioner follow-up and case notes review. Silent postoperative myocardial ischaemia was detected in 21 patients; increases in troponins I and T and creatine kinase-MB occurred in four, six and 17 of these patients, respectively. Eight patients suffered major postoperative complications (cardiac death, myocardial ischaemia, congestive cardiac failure, unstable angina and cerebrovascular accident) and 21 minor complications (poorly controlled hypertension needing increased or new additional treatment, palpitations, increased tiredness or shortness of breath in the absence of known respiratory disease). There were no associations between postoperative ischaemia and cardiac protein concentrations. The relative odds for the associations of major adverse outcome at 3 months after surgery and postoperative ischaemia or increased serum concentrations of the three proteins were 5.39 [95% confidence intervals 1.16-27.67] for postoperative ischaemia; 5.64 [1.07-31.00] for creatine kinase-MB isoenzyme; 17.00 [2.20-116.54] for troponin T and 13.20 [1.12-135.00] for troponin I. We found troponin T to be the only prospective marker for both major and minor cardiovascular complications (relative odds 10.65 [1.26-252.88]).     

经阴道吊带悬吊术(IVS)治疗女性压力性尿失禁

目的　观察IVS经阴道吊带悬吊术治疗女性压力性尿失禁临床疗效。方法　采用IVS经阴道吊带悬吊术治疗 2 6例女性压力性尿失禁患者。结果　 2 6例患者手术后尿失禁均得到控制 ,经随访 1～ 5个月无 1例出现尿失禁现象。平均手术时间 4 5min ,平均出血 5 6ml,2 6例患者恢复正常排尿后测残余尿均 <5 0ml。结论　IVS经阴道吊带悬吊术治疗女性压力性尿失禁具有手术创伤小、在局麻下手术、吊带悬吊效果可靠、作用持久、手术悬吊适度、手术并发症发生率低等优点。适宜临床推广应用     

老年食管癌围手术期的处理要点与体会

目的:提高老年人食管癌手术治疗成功率及降低其围术期死亡率。方法:对30例老年食管癌实行开胸手术患者的围手术期准备、术前检查、处理、手术方法及术后并发症的防治等进行分析。结果:本组手术切除率为100%,无死亡病例,无吻合口瘘。出现呼吸衰竭、窒息各1例。结论:选择好手术适应症,充分准备围手术期各项指标及术后预防呼吸、循环衰竭是手术成功的关键。     

Chronic subdural haematomas in patients aged under 50

The clinical findings in 31 patients with chronic subdural haematoma (CSH), aged between 20 and 50, are described. Aetiopathogenetic factors responsible for the formation of CSH match those of patients aged over 50 with CSH. A history of cranial trauma was present in 77% of the cases. In the remaining patients, a defect of haemostatic mechanisms was responsible for the subdural blood collection. On the computed tomography (CT) the haematoma generally appears as a thin subdural layer. The reliability of magnetic resonance imaging for detection of CSH makes it the most desirable investigation in such patients. Prognosis is influenced by preoperative clinical status and by the disease responsible for the formation of CSH.     

米非司酮在子宫黏膜下肌瘤宫腔镜术前的应用价值

目的：研究米非司酮（Ru486）在子宫黏膜下肌瘤宫腔镜术前的应用价值。方法：67例患者分两组。Ⅰ组31例服用Ru4863个月后实施经宫颈子宫肌瘤切除术（TCRM）．Ⅱ组36例直接行TCRM治疗。观察Ⅰ组Ru486治疗后不同时间肌瘤大小及血红蛋白变化；两组手术时间及术中出血量比较；子宫肌瘤大小与手术时间、术中出血量的相关性。结果：Ⅰ组治疗后1个月肌瘤较治疗前无明显缩小．治疗后两个月及3个月与治疗前比较肌瘤明显缩小，差异显著，P〈0．01；治疗后血红蛋白增高明显．P〈0．01；两组间手术时间、术中出血量比较差异显著．P〈0．05；子宫肌瘤大小与手术时间覆术中出血量均呈正相关。结论：Ru486作为TCRM术前的药物治疗可有效地缩小子宫肌瘤，相时扩大手术适应证，减少术中出血量，缩短手术时间；Ru486导致药物性闭经，有利于术前纠正岔血。     

Prognostic factors in maxillary sinus and nasal cavity carcinoma

AIMS: The aim of the present study is to define prognostic factors, particularly the impact of treatment on paranasal sinus and nasal cavity malignancies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective study of patients with maxillary antrum and nasal fossae malignancies. A maxillectomy classification as performed to treat malignancies in our institution is described. Multivariate analysis of prognostic factors was done using the Cox's model. RESULTS: One hundred and nine patients were evaluated. Squamous cell carcinoma was found in 62 cases and in 95 patients the epicentre of the tumour was located in the maxillary antrum. Ten patients were treated with surgery only, 39 patients with surgery and adjuvant radiation therapy, 37 cases received only radiotherapy, and 18 received radiotherapy followed by surgery; in five cases a combination of chemo-radiotherapy was used. Multivariate analysis identified T classification, orbit invasion, N classification, site of origin of tumour in nasal fossae, and no surgical resection as independent prognostic factors (p=0.0001). CONCLUSION: T4 tumours with orbit invasion present bad prognosis as compared to other T4 tumours. Surgical resection should be included in the treatment strategy. Because of the high frequency of lymph-node metastasis, neck treatment should be considered in T4 tumours.