Immunocryosurgery for basal cell carcinoma: results of a pilot, prospective, open-label study of cryosurgery during continued imiquimod application

Background/aim  Theoretical considerations support the combination of cryosurgery and topical imiquimod to treat basal cell carcinomas (BCC). The aim of the present study was to test the feasibility and efficacy of 'cryosurgery during continued imiquimod application' ('immunocryosurgery') to treat 'high-risk-for-recurrence' BCCs.
Methods  Thirteen patients with 21 biopsy-proven tumours (4 of 21 relapses after prior surgery) were included. After 2–5 weeks (median, 3) of daily 5% imiquimod cream application, the tumours were treated by liquid N₂ cryosurgery (spray, two cycles, 10–20 s) and imiquimod was continued for additional 2–12 weeks (median, 4). The outcome after at least 18 months of follow-up (18–24 months) is currently reported.
Results  Nineteen of 21 tumours responded promptly to immunocryosurgery; two tumours required additional treatment cycles to clear. Thus, the clinical clearance rate was 100%. Only 1 of 21(5%) tumour relapsed after at least 18 months of follow-up (cumulative efficacy: 95%).
Conclusions  'Immunocryosurgery' is a promising non-surgical combination modality to treat 'high-risk-for-recurrence BCCs'. Initial evidence is suggestive of an at least additive effect of the two combined modalities. Further studies comparing immunocryosurgery directly with cryosurgery and imiquimod monotherapies will confirm the reported results.     

Increased salt retention and hypertension from non-steroidal agents in the elderly

We studied blood pressure and natriuretic responses to acute salt loading, and the effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents on these responses, in five healthy normotensive women aged 65 to 71 years. Five women aged 25 to 31 years acted as controls. Intravenous saline loading, with and without prior ingestion of ibuprofen, was 15 ml/kg/h for 3 h. Baseline blood pressures were higher in the elderly. Saline infusion without ibuprofen raised systolic blood pressure (SBP) by about 25 mmHg in the older group only. Ibuprofen increased baseline SBP in the elderly (129 +/- 6 vs. 116 +/- 5 mmHg, p < 0.05). Saline loading after ibuprofen again raised blood pressure by about 25 mmHg in the elderly only. The elderly group showed markedly increased sodium excretion during saline loading, but this was reduced by ibuprofen. Ibuprofen had no effect on SBP or sodium excretion in controls. Ageing appears to increase susceptibility to salt retention and hypertension from non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents.      

Choledochal duct cyst: resection with physiologic reconstruction.

BACKGROUND. The accepted surgical treatment of choledochal duct cyst is complete excision and enteric drainage through an intestinal conduit. Peptic ulceration and fat malabsorption have been reported after Roux-en-Y reconstruction. Such long-term complications may be avoided by a technique that simulates normal physiology. METHODS. Twenty-one patients have undergone resection of a choledochal duct cyst in the past 12 1/2 years. The pathologic duct is resected to the level of normal mucosa. A short segment of jejunum with a intussusception valve (1.5 to 2 cm) is interposed between the common hepatic duct and the duodenum. The medical records and all radiographs of each patient were reviewed. Eighteen children were reexamined or the parents were contacted by phone. RESULTS. Twenty of 21 patients recovered without major perioperative complications. Twelve of them are well and have no symptoms at 3 to 12+ years (mean, 6 years) after operation. Four children are currently well 6 to 19 months after operation. Three children were well when lost to follow-up. Two patients have radiographic evidence of incompetence of the interposition valve. One of these, who initially underwent operation at 9 months of age, was reexplored at 10 months and at 10 years for a stricture at the hepaticojejunal anastomosis. The other, a 7-year-old girl who was admitted with jaundice and pancreatitis, has had episodic abdominal pain for 7 years after operation but is well. CONCLUSIONS. The valved jejunal interposition hepaticoduodenostomy offers superior biliary reconstruction after excision of a choledochal duct cyst. Normal physiology is simulated, with bile draining directly into the duodenum. A short conduit prevents stasis, and biliary reflux is minimized with the addition of an intussusception valve.     

Uroscopy in the 21st century: high-field NMR spectroscopy

From the experiments described, it can be seen that there are different research approaches that can be taken and these are summarized in Table 1. Whereas much scientific research is principally hypothesis led, there remains, nevertheless, an important place for exploratory research. High resolution NMR can measure, directly and simultaneously, a wide range of endogenous metabolites in biological fluids and has the unique capability of providing structural information on the metabolites detected. It has proved to be a powerful research tool with which to study inherited metabolic diseases, renal disease, drug metabolism, and toxicity, and can be used to monitor the effects of drug therapy. For instance, by using a library of experimental toxins one can map the metabolic profile of site-specific nephron injury. With this approach in man one could eventually take an unknown disease such as Balkan nephropathy and predict the initial site of tubular injury, the mode of injury and therefore the kind of toxin capable of producing that injury. NMR spectroscopic techniques are still advancing rapidly, with ever increasing sensitivity and sophistication of NMR pulse sequences to enhance structural elucidation in complex mixtures. Given the advances in directly coupled HPLC-NMR and even HPLC-NMR-mass spectroscopy it is likely that these technologies in conjunction with pattern recognition will make major contribution to our understanding of renal processes and provide new diagnostic insights in the 21st century.      

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 7 (SCA7): a neurodegenerative disorder with neuronal intranuclear inclusions

Autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia with progressive macular degeneration is caused by a CAG/glutamine repeat expansion in the SCA7 gene/protein. Neuronal intranuclear inclusions were detected in the brain of an early onset SCA7 case with the 1C2 antibody directed against an expanded polyglutamine domain. Nuclear inclusions were most frequent in the inferior olivary complex, a site of severe neuronal loss in SCA7. They were also observed in other brain regions, including the cerebral cortex, not considered to be affected in the disease. Using confocal microscopy we showed that some inclusions were ubiquitinated, but to varying degrees, ranging from <1% in the cerebral cortex to 60% in the inferior olive. In addition, we also observed cytoplasmic staining using the 1C2 antibody, particularly in the supramarginal gyrus, the hippocampus, the thalamus, the lateral geniculate body and the pontine nuclei. These data confirm that the presence of intranuclear inclusions in neurons is a common characteristic of disorders caused by CAG/polyglutamine expansions, but unlike what has been reported for Huntington's disease, SCA1 and SCA3/MJD, in SCA7 the inclusions were not restricted to the sites of severe neuronal loss.      

A long-term follow-up of three patients with biliary atresia

This report reviews the courses of three children who underwent surgery for biliary atresia. They include a patient who is now 25 years of age who underwent correction of an "operable" biliary atresia in the neonatal period. This patient is alive and well without jaundice. The second is a 21-year-old woman who had a Kasai operation, also performed in the neonatal period; she is well and attending school but does have an elevated bilirubin and signs of liver dysfunction. The third patient, who underwent surgery performed by Dr Willis Potts in 1963 for what appeared to be "inoperable" biliary atresia, finally underwent a portal duodenostomy after her third operation. She had satisfactory bile drainage but had numerous bouts of cholangitis early in her life. She survived until she had several major episodes of gastrointestinal hemorrhage from varices and finally died after a portal systemic shunt. These three patients illustrate that prolonged survival is possible after a variety of operations performed for biliary atresia. Furthermore, even though these patients were severely jaundiced early on in life and at least two of them had complicated postoperative courses, they are perfectly normal from an intellectual standpoint and have functioned in a normal fashion.     

CT-Cephalometry—A study in Indian population

Determination of obstructive site in obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is of paramount importance is planning the management. Cephalometric evaluation of lateral X-rays when combined with clinical assessment and fibreoptic examination of the airway helps in locating the site of obstruction. The usual technique of cephalometry has been modified so as to give a better delineation of the soft tissues. Holding a 2mm card board in the mouth and using barium paste helped in more accurate calculations. Using our technique, various parameters have been quantified and a number of controls were studied and normal range derived. Further improvement in cephalometry has been done by using C.T. cephlometry topogram technique. A topogram is a scan done on a running table top cranio-caudally. Using the topogram technique 38 OSA patients were evaluated for all the parameters. The technique, its advantages over traditional cephalometry and the values obtained in the study are discussed in this paper.