Unexpected histopathologic result of a wide surgical excision of a bleeding lesion of the skin: a case of Merkel cell carcinoma of the leg.

BACKGROUND: Merkel cell Carcinoma is a very rare primary cutaneous tumor that often looks like an innocuous and asymptomatic nodule or plaque of the skin, but with a very fast growing. It is also called neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin or trabecular cancer. The main treatment is based on a local excision followed by radiotherapy or chemotherapy. The most common site of presentation of this lesion is head and neck (40-60%.) and it often occur in older men with immunological system dysfunction like HIV patients, cancer, severe infections and immunosuppression for transplantation. METHODS: The authors report a case of a bleeding Merkel Cell Carcinoma of the right leg in a 83 years old man with HCV infection, chronic kidney disease and diabetes mellitus type 2 that required local excision. RESULTS: Lesion was entirely removed and then patient was sent to oncologists. After two months from surgical excision, healing process is regular and without complications. CONCLUSIONS: This type of tumor can be misdiagnosed and, if bleeding, it can represent a serious surgical emergency.

Quality of life after indefinite diversion/pouch excision in ileal pouch failure patients.

OBJECTIVE: Pouch failure occurs in up to 10% of patients over a 10-year period for a variety of reasons. One surgical option is pouch excision (PE) and form a permanent ileostomy. This is a major procedure with potential serious complications. An alternative is indefinite diversion (ID) of the pouch without excision. The aim of this study was to examine the quality of life and functional outcome in these two groups of patients. METHOD: Ninety-seven patients were identified from the database to have either PE or ID. Fifty-three patients (17 men) responded; comprising 31 patients after PE and 22 patients with ID in a case-control study and completed the SF-36 general health survey and the Cleveland Clinic Foundation (CCF) functional outcomes questionnaire. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the domains of SF-36 between the two groups (P > 0.18). All patients with PE had an end ileostomy whereas most patients with ID had a loop ileostomy (18 loop vs 4 end). There was no difference in stoma related complications except for stoma retraction in ID (7%vs 47%; P = 0.003). There was no significant difference in urinary symptoms between PE and ID groups (weak stream 26%vs 14%; P = 0.49, nocturia 22%vs 4%; P = 0.12, urgency 22%vs 9%; P = 0.28, urinary incontinence 22%vs 14%; P = 0.72 respectively). There was no difference in sexually active patients (73%vs 94%; P = 0.11). Of the seven male PE patients, five (71%) could achieve an erection and four (57%) could maintain an erection, compared with all 10 male patients in the ID group (P = 0.151 and 0.05 respectively). Thirty-three per cent of patients with PE and 62% of patients with ID reported that they would have pouch surgery again if indicated (P = 0.052) and 58% of patients with PE and 81% of patients with ID reported that they would recommend pouch surgery to others (P = 0.129). No case of dysplasia was seen in 18 of 22 ID patients in whom histology was available. CONCLUSION: Quality of life after PE or ID was no different and male sexual function was significantly better after ID. Retraction of the stoma was more common in this group.

[Sentinel node in the surgical treatment of the breast cancer. Technique and clinical experience]. / Il linfonodo sentinella nel trattamento chururgico del carcinoma del mammella. Principi di tecnica ed esperienza clinica.

AIM: It is very important to confirm the reliability of the sentinel node (SN) technique in breast cancer surgery, since it can avoid useless traumas, wide mutilations, prolongation of the operation. The aim of the study is to give a contribution to evaluate the real value of SN as regards axillary lymph nodes, in breast cancer, in order to limit axillary lymphadenectomy (AL). METHODS: The search of LS was made in 42 patients (using Patent Blue alone in 5 cases, with radioisotope in 25 cases and with both techniques in 12 cases); their mean age was 62 years and they were suffering from not multicentric infiltrating carcinoma of the breast, with a diameter less than the 2.5 cm and no evidence of axillary gland at clinical examination. All the patients underwent histologic examination of SN and AL was carried out, whatever was the histologic result of SN. RESULTS: Lymphoscintigraphy identified the SN in 96% of the cases (1 case with no identification in a patient with a previous excisional biopsy), with the Patent Blue in 80% of the cases and with the combined technique in 100% of the cases. The average number of SN obtained was 3 and the number of removed lymph nodes in AL was 25. The metastasization of SN was verified in 10 cases, in 3 of them the SN turned out to be the only one interested by metastasis. In 1 case the intraoperative examination was negative and the postoperative one was positive. The percentage of false-negative was 5% (1 case with lymphoscintigraphy and 1 case with Patent Blue). These findings show that in about 70% of the patients AL could be avoided since axillary lymph nodes were without metastases. The predictive role of SN, particularly with lymphoscintigraphy, proved to be reliable with a very reduced number of false-negative. CONCLUSIONS: In our opinion, the SN technique can be considered reliable but it could be used in routine practice when all false-positive can be avoided, since even if not very numerous they represent the principal obstacle to its application.

Prostaglandin E1 versus lumbar sympathectomy in the treatment of peripheral arterial occlusive disease: randomised study of 86 patients.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of a pharmacological and a surgical vasodilatatory therapy in the treatment of chronic arterial diseases of the lower limbs. METHODS AND RESULTS: After giving their informed consent, 40 patients were randomised to receive a slow (approximately 2-hour) infusion of 40 microg of prostaglandin E1 twice daily for 28 days (group A), and 46 were randomised to undergo lumbar sympathectomy, including the second and third ganglion. Twenty-four (60%) of the patients in group A experienced complete remission, seven (17.5%) were partial responders, and nine (22.5%) failed to respond. Of the 46 patients in group B, 29 (63%) experienced complete remission, seven (15.2%) were partial responders, and 10 (21.7%) failed to respond. CONCLUSIONS: Broadly similar results were obtained with the two types of treatment, both of which are indicated mainly in Fontaine stages IIB and III (non-advanced), particularly when revascularising therapy is impossible or excessively risky. The two strategies can be advantageously combined with direct revascularisation surgery and may therefore constitute a first-line approach favouring subsequent therapy.

[Solid pseudopapillary tumour of the pancreas. Report of a case]. / Il tumore solido pseudopapillare del pancreas. Presentazione di un caso clinico.

Solid pseudopapillary pancreatic tumour is an uncommon disease including 2.7% of exocrine malignancies of the pancreas. Its low incidence is associated with an uncertain prognosis and with difficult diagnostic and therapeutic problems, despite routine use of ultrasonography, TC and RMN. A case of solid pseudopapillary pancreatic tumour in a young woman is reported: the clinicopathologic features, diagnostic imaging and surgical treatment are discussed. Surgery is the primary option. Prognosis is however not fully known. From a review of the literature it is suggested that these tumours should be regarded as potentially malignant.

Conservative treatment of acute thrombosed external hemorrhoids with topical nifedipine.

PURPOSE: This study was performed according to a prospective, randomized, open design. The aim was to test the efficacy of local application of nifedipine ointment in healing acute thrombosed external hemorrhoids. METHODS: Ninety-eight patients who gave their informed consent were recruited; they received clinical examination and anoscopy. A questionnaire to evaluate symptoms, pain, and concurrent use of analgesics was administered. Patients treated with nifedipine (n = 50) used topical 0.3 percent nifedipine and 1.5 percent lidocaine ointment every 12 hours for two weeks. The control group, consisting of 48 patients, received topical 1.5 percent lidocaine ointment during therapy. RESULTS: Results obtained were as follows: complete relief of pain in 43 patients (86 percent) of the nifedipine-treated group as opposed to 24 patients (50 percent) of the control group after 7 days of therapy (P < 0.01); oral analgesics were used by 4 patients (8 percent) in the nifedipine-treated group as opposed to 26 patients (54.1 percent) of the control group after 7 days of therapy (P < 0.01); and resolution of acute thrombosed external hemorrhoids was achieved after 14 days of therapy in 46 patients (92 percent) of the nifedipine-treated group, as opposed to 22 patients (45.8 percent) of the control group (P < 0.01). We did not observe any systemic side effect in patients treated with nifedipine. CONCLUSIONS: Our study clearly demonstrates that the use of topical nifedipine, which at present is for treatment of cardiovascular disorders, is a reliable new option in the conservative treatment of thrombosed external hemorrhoids.

Nifedipine for local use in conservative treatment of anal fissures: preliminary results of a multicenter study.

PURPOSE: This study was performed according to a prospective, randomized, double-blind, multicenter design. The aim was to test the efficacy of local application of nifedipine gel" in healing acute anal fissure by relaxing the internal anal sphincter. METHODS: Two hundred eighty-three patients who gave informed consent were recruited; they received a clinical examination. A questionnaire to evaluate the symptoms and the pain was administered, and a proctoscopy and anorectal manometry were performed. Patients treated with nifedipine (n = 141) used topical 0.2 percent nifedipine gel every 12 hours for three weeks. The control group, consisting of 142 patients, received topical 1 percent lidocaine and 1 percent hydrocortisone acetate gel during therapy. Manometry was performed before and on Days 14 and 21. Anal pressures were measured by recording resting and squeeze pressures. RESULTS: Results obtained were as follows: total remission from acute anal fissure was achieved after 21 days of therapy in 95 percent of the nifedipine-treated patients (P < 0.01), as opposed to 50 percent of the controls (P < 0.01), and previously elevated maximum resting anal pressures decreased from a mean value +/- standard deviation of 72.5 +/- 10.07 mmHg to 50.5 +/- 10.03 mmHg in the nifedipine group. This represents a mean reduction of 30 percent (P < 0.01). We also observed a significant decrease in squeeze pressures in nifedipine-treated patients (from a mean +/- standard deviation of 130.5 +/- 19.25 mmHg to 108.5 +/- 18.55 mmHg, a mean reduction of 16.8 percent; P < 0.01). No changes in anal pressures were observed in the control group. We did not observe any systemic side effect or significant anorectal bleeding in patients treated with nifedipine. CONCLUSIONS: Our study clearly demonstrates that the therapeutic use of nifedipine, which at present is used only in cardiovascular pathologies, should be extended with local use to the conservative treatment of anal fissures.