Laparoscopic liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma with cirrhosis in a single institution

Background

In a statement by the second International Consensus Conference for Laparoscopic Liver Resection (LLR), minor LLR was confirmed to be a standard surgical practice, as it has become adopted by an increasing proportion of surgeons. However, it is unclear whether this applies to the more complex group of patients suffering from cirrhosis. Therefore, the aim of this retrospective study was to compare the feasibility and safety of LLR for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) between non-liver cirrhosis (NLC) patients and liver cirrhosis (LC) patients at a single high-volume laparoscopy center.

Methods

From the beginning of 2000 to the end of 2013, open liver resection (OLR) was performed in 99 HCC patients, and LLR was in 118. The HCC patients who underwent LLR were divided into NLC-LLR (n=60) and LC-LLR (n=58) groups, and we compare the short-term outcomes between them.

Results

There was no significant difference in the incidence of blood loss and transfusion requirements between the NLC-LLR group and the LC-LLR group, although wedge resection was mainly performed in the LC-LLR group. There was no significant difference in the complication rate between the two groups, and the remarkable finding was that there was a significantly lower incidence of postoperative ascites in the LC-LLR group than in the NLC-LLR group.

Conclusions

According to our experience, it appears that LLR for selected HCC patients with cirrhosis is a feasible and promising procedure that is associated with less blood loss and fewer postoperative complications, especially the incidence of postoperative ascites. Further investigations are clearly warranted.     

Is endoscopic radial artery harvesting open for business?

With the resurgence of the radial artery in coronary artery bypass grafting, the debate on the optimal harvesting technique continues. Here, we comment on a randomized series in which the authors conclude that endoscopic harvesting techniques offer the benefit of improved cosmetic outcomes and decreased neurological complications with comparable graft-related outcomes when compared with open harvesting. We conclude that although this study is well designed and conducted, there are several areas of concern including surgical technique and statistical power.     

Thyroidectomy

This article discusses the procedure and technique for performing a thyroidectomy, explaining complications, potential pitfalls and methods of avoiding them. We discuss the indications for surgery and the preoperative workup required including for thyrotoxic patients and those with retrosternal goitres and give a brief overview of the minimally invasive techniques used. We also discuss the issues with informed patient consent and how thyroid surgeons are monitored in the UK.     

3D打印钛网预成形联合术后严密护理对眼眶爆裂骨折患者预后的影响

目的:探讨3D打印钛网预成形联合术后严密护理对眼眶爆裂骨折患者预后情况的影响。方法:选取笔者医院收治的眼眶爆裂性骨折患者122例,随机分为对照组和观察组,分别62例和60例。对照组患者予以常规钛网置入术,观察组患者予以3D打印钛网预成形,术后均予以视力监测、眼肌运动训练等严密护理。观察并比较两组患者钛网贴合度,复视、眼球运动及眼球突出等症状的改善情况。结果:观察组患者CT矢状位上修复眼眶底的钛网呈S形,对照组患者呈弯向眼眶内的弧形。术后3个月、6个月,观察组患者复视、眼球运动受限情况治愈率均高于对照组,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05);术后,两组患者患眼眼球突出度差值均降低,观察组显著低于对照组,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:3D打印钛网预成形与眼眶爆裂性骨折患者眶底契合度更高,联合术后严密护理对复视、眼球运动受限及眼球突出等症状的改善作用更好,患者预后更好。     

Review of Conventional and High Dose Rate Brain Radiation (FLASH): Neurobehavioural,Neurocognitive and Assessment Issues in Rodent Models

Ionising radiation causes secondary tumours and/or enduring cognitive deficits, especially in children. Proton radiotherapy reduces exposure of the developing brain in children but may still cause some lasting effects. Recent observations show that ultra-high dose rate radiation treatment (≥40 Gy/s), called the FLASH effect, is equally effective at tumour control but less damaging to surrounding tissue compared with conventional dose rate protons (0.03–3 Gy/s). Most studies on the FLASH effect in brain and other tissues with different radiation modalities (electron and photon radiation), show FLASH benefits in these preclinical rodent models, but the data are limited, especially for proton FLASH, including for dose, dose rate and neurochemical and neurobehavioural outcomes. Tests of neurocognitive outcomes have been limited despite clinical evidence that this is the area of greatest concern. The FLASH effect in the context of proton exposure is promising, but a more systematic and comprehensive approach to outcomes is needed.     

Diagnosis and Treatment of Patients with Thyroid Cancer

Background

Thyroid cancer is the most common malignancy of the endocrine system, representing 3.8% of all new cancer cases in the United States and is the ninth most common cancer overall. The American Cancer Society estimates that 62,450 people in the United States will be diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2015, and 1950 deaths will result from the disease.

Objective

To review the current approach to the diagnosis and treatment of patients with thyroid cancer.

Discussion

Over the past 3 decades, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of people diagnosed with thyroid cancer, which may be attributable to the wide use of imaging studies, including ultrasounds, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission tomography scans that incidentally detect thyroid nodules. Thyroid cancer is divided into several main types, with papillary thyroid cancer being the most common. The treatment options for patients with thyroid cancer include the surgical removal of the entire thyroid gland (total thyroidectomy), radioactive iodine therapy, and molecular-targeted therapies with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. This article summarizes the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid cancer, with recommendations from the American Thyroid Association regarding thyroid nodules and differentiated thyroid cancer. Recently approved drugs and treatment trends are also explored.

Conclusion

The prognosis and treatment of thyroid cancer depend on the tumor type and its stage at the time of diagnosis. Many thyroid cancers remain stable, microscopic, and indolent. The increasing treatment options for patients with thyroid cancer, including therapies that were recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, have kept the mortality rate from this malignancy low, despite the increase in its incidence. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment can improve prognosis and reduce mortality.