Contemporary trends in surgery of adrenal glands

There have been analysed the records of suprarenectomy in 459 patients with Conn' syndrome, syndrome of Icenko-Cushing as well as with androsteroma, pheochromocytoma and other tumors, who were operated in the clinic of abdominal surgery of S.P. Fedorov Russian Military Medical Academy. On the base of retrospective analysis the most actual aspects in surgery of the adrenal glands and the ways of the development of this branch of medicine have been determined. High effectiveness and perspectiveness of endovideosurgical removal of the adrenal glands is shown. Original and tested methods of choice of surgical approach, prophylaxis and treatment for some complications of suprarenectomy (adrenal insufficiency, Nelson' syndrome, etc.) are proposed. Substantiated policy in so-called hormono-inactive tumors of the adrenal glands is proposed.     

Prognostic value of paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria clone presence in aplastic anaemia patients treated with combined immunosuppression: results of two‐centre prospective study

Paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) clones are frequently detected in patients with aplastic anaemia (AA). To evaluate the prognostic role of PNH clone presence we conducted a prospective study in 125 AA patients treated with combined immunosuppressive therapy (IST). Seventy‐four patients (59%) had a PNH clone (PNH+ patients) at diagnosis, with a median clone size of 0·60% in granulocytes and 0·15% in red blood cells. The response rate at 6 months was higher in PNH+ patients than that in PNH‐ patients, both after first‐ and second‐line IST: 68% vs. 45%, P = 0·0164 and 53% vs. 13%, P = 0·0502 respectively. Moreover, 42% of PNH+ patients achieved complete remission compared with only 16% of PNH‐ patients (P = 0·0029). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, PNH clone presence (odds ratio 2·56, P = 0·0180) and baseline absolute reticulocyte count (ARC) ≥30 × 10⁹/l (odds ratio 5·19, P = 0·0011) were independent predictors of response to treatment. Stratification according to PNH positivity and ARC ≥30 × 10⁹/l showed significant distinctions for cumulative incidence of response, overall and failure‐free survival. The results of this prospective study confirmed the favourable prognostic value of PNH clone presence in the setting of IST for AA.     

Serum Ornithine Carbamoyl Transferase as a Surrogate Marker in Malaria

Ornithine carbamoyl transferase (OCT) activity and other liver function tests were studied in a total of 50 patients of clinical malaria and 15 controls. They were grouped as group I (positive for malarial parasite on peripheral blood smear, n=18), group II (negative for malarial parasite on peripheral blood smear (PBS) but responded to antimalarials, n=17) and group III (peripheral blood smear negative and did not respond to antimalarial therapy, n=15). The mean OCT levels were significantly raised in group I (6.79 ± 1.84 IU/L, p value = 0.006) and group II (5.0 ± 1.15 IU/L, p value = 0.014) as compared to controls (2.5 ± 1.13 IU/L) and returned to normal after treatment In contrast, group III had normal levels except in a case of kala azar and septicemia where OCT levels were high and increased further on treatment. Taking PBS positivity as a gold standard of diagnostic criteria, OCT had a sensitivity of 83% and specificity of 86% with a high positive predictive value of 88% as compared to ALT which had a lower sensitivity of 55% and specificity of 80%. The clinical response rate in PBS negative cases of fever having high OCT level was 83% as compared to 35% in cases with normal OCT level, making OCT a good surrogate marker of malaria. OCT levels could also be of prognostic significance as 2 cases of cerebral malaria had high OCT levels of 11.1 UAL and 10.7 IU/L, respectively.Key Words: Malaria, Ornithine carbamoyl transferase     

A case of active tertiary syphilis

A case of tertiary active syphilis in a 41-year-old male patient is described, who had not been administered specific treatment. Clinical symptoms of the disease manifested without apparent provoking factors; they were characterized by extensive involvement and no visceral abnormalities.     

A Soviet-made blood vessel bioprosthesis and its clinical use

The authors describe their experience with the using of Soviet made bioprosthesis of blood vessels made of skeleted conserved vein of the human umbilical vein showing its high effectiveness and positive properties such as: high thromboresistent properties of the bioprosthesis and its firmness, the absence of reaction of rejection and pronounced inflammatory reactions of the recipient organism to bioprosthesis, high possibility of the bioprosthesis in remote periods, its fitness for plasty of average diameter arteries.     

Surgical treatment of patients with arteriosclerotic disorders of cerebrovascular circulation

An analysis of the complex examination of 170 patients with ischemic diseases of the brain has been made. Seventy patients were operated upon. Operations either in brachiocephalic branches or extra-intracarotid shunts were performed corresponding to the three established levels of the injuries. The nearest and remote results were obtained in more than 80% of the patients.