Parallel imaging and dobutamine stress magnetic resonance imaging in patients with atypical chest pain or equivocal ECG not suitable for stress echocardiography.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical utility of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with dobutamine stress in patients with atypical chest pain or equivocal electrocardiography (ECG) stress test, not suitable for stress echocardiography, using steady-state free-precession and parallel imaging technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-three patients (22 men, 11 women; mean age 62.4 years) underwent MRI with a 1.5-Tesla imager (General Electric, HD). We used an eight-channel phase-array dedicated coil. The MRI protocol included short-axis cine steady-state sequences with four-chamber parallel imaging of the left ventricle outflow tract at rest and after stress induction. Images were acquired 3 min after the intravenous injection of 5,10, 20, 30 or 40 microg/kg/min dobutamine. MRIs were analysed both at rest and at incremental dobutamine doses. Results were considered positive for coronary artery disease (CAD) if any new or worsening wall motion abnormality developed during the stress test. Twenty-two patients underwent coronary angiography; in the remaining ten, survival free from cardiovascular events over at least 9 months was considered as absence of disease. RESULTS: One patient presented severe hypertension at rest and was excluded from our study. We analysed 960 segments and observed appearance or worsening of kinesis in 29 different segments in seven patients. Seven patients were considered positive for CAD on the basis of new or worsening wall motion abnormalities during dobutamine stress, yielding an overall sensitivity of 85% and a specificity of 100% in CAD detection. CONCLUSIONS: Dobutamine stress cardiac MRI is an accurate method for assessing myocardial ischaemia in patients with CAD, and it could be useful as a noninvasive tool for excluding the disease. The increase in signal intensity and acquisition speed obtained by using steady-state free precession with parallel imaging proved useful in increasing test specificity with respect to previous similar studies.

Evaluation of the Maruyama computer program accuracy for preoperative estimation of lymph node metastases from gastric cancer.

Controversy still exists about the optimal lymph node (LN) dissection for potentially curable gastric cancer. For rational LN dissection it is important to know the incidence of metastasis at each LN station. For this purpose a computer program was developed using data from 4302 primary gastric cancers treated at the National Cancer Center Hospital in Tokyo between 1969 and 1989. To evaluate the accuracy of the computer program, the differences between the individual reports generated by the computer and the stored data were investigated in 282 Italian patients submitted to curative gastrectomy and D2 or more extended LN dissections for gastric cancer. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to assess the sensitivity and specificity of the program for predicting LN metastases in each of the 16 regional LN stations. The computer program showed good predictive ability for LN metastases in most of the 16 LN stations, as the areas under the curve ranged from 0.741 (station 15) to 0.944 (station 8), with a mean of 0.856. A critical cutoff point of 18% of the program's expected percentage was the value maximizing the validity of the prediction. Using an "absolute" cutoff point of 0%, the overall rate of false-negative (FN) predictions in 176 N+ patients was 11.9%; of these, 11 (6.2%) were absolute FNs, in which the program totally failed to estimate LN metastases; the remaining 10 cases (5.7%) were relative FNs because the specific prediction was positive for a different depth of stomach invasion. The low number of D3/D4 lymph-adenectomies in the historical database may affect the low estimate of metastases to N3/N4 nodes generated by the program. Based on these data, the program predicts with good accuracy the extent of LN metastases from gastric cancer, but it is not recommended for directing the surgeon to perform more extensive lymphadenectomy.

Pre-operative angiography in gastric cancer surgery with extended lymphadenectomy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The value of pre-operative angiographic evaluation in patients undergoing gastric cancer surgery with extended lymphadenectomy was assessed in a prospective study comparing exposed and unexposed groups of patients. METHODOLOGY: During the period from July 1991 to October 1997, 76 patients (Group A--exposed) were pre-operatively submitted to a digital subtraction angiography (DSA) after informed consent. Concurrently, 94 patients (Group B--unexposed) were included as an unexposed reference group. All patients underwent total or subtotal gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy according to the guidelines proposed by the Japanese Research Society for Gastric Cancer (JRSGC). RESULTS: In 34 (45%) exposed patients (Group A), DSA detected an atypical vascular anatomy. Major anatomical variations of the celiac axis, its branches and the superior mesenteric artery were discovered in 4 subjects (5%). Vascular anomalies affecting the surgical tactics of lymphadenectomy were detected in less than 8% of patients. Five post-operative deaths (6.6%) were registered between patients of the Group A, exposed to pre-operative angiography, 8 in the unexposed Group B (8.5%). Post-operative morbidity was significantly higher (P = 0.038) in the Group B (34%) in comparison to Group A (20%) but no difference in risk of individual complications was detected. CONCLUSIONS: Although useful in the presence of major vascular anomalies, it appears that pre-operative angiography did not significantly reduce intra- and post-operative complications associated with radical gastrectomy combined with extended lymphadenectomy. Arteriography is therefore not routinely recommendable but its use is mandatory in specific operations for gastric cancer.

Biological effects of preoperative radiotherapy on metastatic lymph nodes from rectal cancer.

The quantitative description of the proliferative activity of cancer cells correlates with the aggressiveness of malignant tumors. The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the biological effect of adjuvant therapy on metastatic lymph nodes from rectal cancer and to compare the results between patients treated with surgery alone and patients treated with preoperative radiotherapy. Expression of the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was examined in metastatic lymph node samples of 12 rectal cancer patients receiving and 14 patients not receiving preoperative radiotherapy. PCNA immunostaining was performed by an avidin-biotin complex immunoperoxidase technique. The results of the mean proliferation index (PI) between the two groups were compared. A semiquantitative PCNA grading system was also estimated. In patients receiving preoperative radiotherapy, the PI was 22.8 per cent, and only one patient had high proliferative grade. On the contrary, the PI in nonirradiated patients was 67.6 per cent, and nine patients showed high proliferative grade. Although not sufficient to reach significance in terms of prognosis, the present study confirms the clinical value of radiation therapy, and it supports the suggestion to treat Dukes' C patients with preoperative radiotherapy to decrease the risk of local recurrence.

Squamous-cell carcinoma developing within anal lichen planus: report of a case.

AIM: We present a case of squamous-cell carcinoma developing within perianal lichen planus. This is a chronic or recurrent cutaneous and/or mucosal dermatosis affecting less than 1 percent of the population. Neoplastic degeneration of cutaneous lichen planus is rare; only one case of squamous-cell carcinoma developing within perianal lichen planus has been described up until now in the international literature. CASE REPORT: Our case involved a 68-year-old woman with chronic, long-term lichen planus spreading all over the vulva and perianal region and the mucosa of the anal canal, where squamous-cell carcinoma developed within the perianal lichen planus. Treatment consisted of wide, circular excision of the perianal skin and mucosectomy of the anal canal up to as far as 1 cm above the dentate line. Reconstruction was performed by means of two V-Y bilateral subcutaneous flaps. CONCLUSION: Wide excision was performed not only to remove the squamous-cell carcinoma but also the lichen planus to prevent recurrence of metachronous or synchronous squamous-cell carcinoma. Follow-up at one year after surgery showed no local recurrence of either lichen planus or squamous-cell carcinoma, which suggests that surgical removal should be the therapy of choice for long-term, chronic perianal lichen planus that has proved to be resistant to medical therapy.

Causes of death and recurrence after surgery for early gastric cancer.

The postoperative course of 172 patients with early gastric cancer (EGC) was followed for a median 7 years to evaluate the causes of death, incidence and patterns of recurrence, and characteristic findings in the recurrent cases. The cumulative 10-year mortality rate (+/- SE) was 22 +/- 3.7%. Seven patients (4.1%) died of operative mortality, 11 (6.4%) died of a recurrence of the gastric cancer and 13 (7.6%) died of unrelated causes. Unrelated causes of death were metachronous primary cancer (n = 6), cardiovascular disease (n = 2), pneumonia (n = 3), sepsis (n = 1), and car accident (n = 1). Four patients died from gastric stump recurrence, three from liver metastases, two from lymph node metastases, and two from peritoneal dissemination. Using Cox multivariate analysis, histologic type had the most significant effect on recurrence. Although influenced by the tumor nature, the EGC prognosis is relatively good. Based on the results of this study, particularly in Western institutions, histologic examination of resection margins and lymphadenectomy should be improved. Moreover, patients must be carefully followed for late recurrence and metachronous cancer.

[Pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy allows a better maintenance of glucose homeostasis]. / La duodenocefalopancreatectomia con conservazione del piloro assicura il mantenimento di una fisiologica omeostasi glicidica.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic diseases and pancreatic surgery usually cause a derangement of glucose metabolism ranging from a change in glucose tolerance test to insulin-dependent diabetes. The authors assess the changes in glycemia both in basal condition and after a challenge test in a group of patients who underwent Pylorus Preserving Pancreatoduodenectomy (PPPD) according to an original technique of reconstruction with two separate bowel loops. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten patients who underwent PPPD either for chronic pancreatitis or ampullar carcinoma were enrolled in this study. Pre- and postoperative assessment of pancreatic endocrine function was carried out in all the patients. The evaluation included: 1) oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), 2) intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) and 3) glucagon challenge test. RESULTS: Plasma glucose level in basal condition, after oral glucose tolerance test, intravenous glucose tolerance test and glucagone challenge test, shows that insulin secretion and/or its effectiveness is not impaired after PPPD. Two patients with preoperative insulin-dependent diabetes needed a lower dose of insulin in the postoperative period. One patient responded abnormally to OGTT both in the preoperative and postoperative periods. Seven patients maintained normal glucose homeostasis in the postoperative period. DISCUSSION: PPPD allows a normal control of glucose metabolism. Better digestive and endocrine function noted in our patients in the postoperative period is due to the integrity of the stomach and the reconstruction technique with two bowel loops used to drain biliary and pancreatic secretion separately.

[Gastric adenocarcinoma: magnetic resonance versus surgical staging]. / Adenocarcinoma gastrico: Risonanza Magnetica versus staging chirurgico.

Preoperative MR staging in 34 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma was compared with postoperative histologic findings to evaluate MR sensitivity, specificity and accuracy. MR exams were carried out with an 0.5-T superconductive magnet, with SE T1- and T2-weighted sequences on axial and sagittal planes, 10-mm slice thickness and 3-mm interval. The stomach was distended with a watery solution of Gd-DTPA. MRI showed the tumors only in their advanced stage. MR sensitivity was high in detecting hepatic metastases, but peritoneal carcinomatosis was difficult to demonstrate because of inherent technical MR limitations, such as motion and respiratory artifacts. MRI had 40.6% sensitivity, 93.87% specificity and 42.08% accuracy in demonstrating lymph node involvement. Hepatoduodenal lymph nodes were particularly difficult to study, as were those in the splenic hilum and artery. No correlation was found between tumor invasion and lymph node size. MRI exhibits many limitations in gastric carcinoma staging because of motion and respiratory artifacts and of the long acquisition times needed for gastric studies. However, MR sensitivity and specificity are similar to those of CT, as reported in the literature.

Hürthle cell adenoma of the thyroid: in 32 consecutive cases.

Hürthle cell neoplasms of the thyroid gland are uncommon but potentially lethal lesions, the treatment of which is controversial because of a lack of information about their biological and clinical behaviour. Based on histological criteria Hürthle cell tumours cannot always be separated accurately into benign and malignant. Unexpected evolutions with malignant late recurrence of an adenoma previously labelled as benign have been reported. The authors reviewed the clinical and pathological features of 32 patients with Hürthle cell adenomas. The results suggest that total thyroidectomy 'de principe' is not necessary and that some electron microscopy criteria are useful to understand the nature and to predict the biological deportment of Hürthle cell adenomas.

[Original excluding cecostomy procedure for the prevention of colorectal anastomotic dehiscence]. / Un'originale procedura di ciecostomia escludente per la prevenzione delle deiscenze anastomotiche colo-rettali.

The authors report the results of an original technique of cecostomy performed on 30 patients as an alternative to temporary colostomy. Colorectal anastomotic leakage following surgery represents the main indication to this procedure. This original technique seems to be safer, simpler and more effective than a temporary colostomy.

Arterial vasculature of the stomach and oncologic gastrectomies.

Preoperative knowledge of the gastric arterial blood-supply with special regard to anatomic anomalies is desirable for a correct surgical approach to this viscus and for the reduction of intra- and postoperative complication rates. The authors report their experience with the use of preoperative digital angiography in the evaluation of 46 consecutive patients undergoing gastric cancer surgery. Twenty of these (43.5%) presented a vascular anatomy different from the normal pattern. In 6 (13%), a double arterial anomaly was detected. Some anatomic anomalies of the celiac axis and superior mesenteric artery are described in relation to operative procedures during oncologic gastrectomies.

The role and timing of surgery in the treatment of pseudomembranous colitis. A case complicated by toxic megacolon.

The authors describe a particularly serious case of pseudomembranous colitis due to Clostridium difficile that was complicated by toxic megacolon. It was resolved by surgical intervention, and the reasons why subtotal colectomy is preferable to simple ileostomy are discussed.

[Long-term results of surgical treatment of early cancers of the stomach]. / Résultats à long terme du traitement chirurgical des cancers précoces de l'estomac.

The postoperative course of 172 patients with early gastric cancer operated between 1974 and 1987 was reviewed with a median follow-up of 7 years. The survival probability at the end of 1989 was 0.916 (excluding operative mortality and other causes of death) or 0.876 when the operative mortality was included. Univariate analysis showed a significant survival difference according to the presence or absence of submucosal invasion (p = 0.02, Log-Rank test) and lymph node invasion (p = 0.04, age greater than or less than 50 years (p = 0.03) and according to the type of resection performed (total gastrectomy with gastric and perigastric lymph node dissection or subtotal gastrectomy with incomplete lymph node dissection (p = 0.05). Eleven patients died from cancer recurrence, one is still alive with a recurrence of the gastric stump. The other deaths were due to cancers of other organs (6), cardiovascular disease (2), pneumonia (3), septicaemia (1) and a car accident. Although the prognosis of early gastric cancer is relatively favourable in European countries, patients must be carefully followed for a long period because of recurrences and the high incidence of cancers in other organs.

[The surgical treatment of hepatic echinococcosis and of its biliary complications]. / Il trattamento chirurgico dell'echinococcosi epatica e delle sue complicanze biliari.

The authors report the experience of 47 patients submitted to surgery for hepatic hydatidosis. Results from different therapeutic procedures are then compared. Finally, possible biliary complications of the hepatic echinococcosis and their surgical treatment are discussed.

[Perioperative pain and stress: a comparison between video laparoscopic cholecystectomy and "open" cholecystectomy]. / Dolore e stress perioperatori: confronto tra videolaparocolecistectomia e colecistectomia "open".

Pain and endocrine-metabolic response to surgical stress, during surgery and in the early postoperative period, was compared in two groups of patients affected by gallstones and randomly assigned to Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy or Open Cholecystectomy. Pain was assessed by the VAS method also taking into account the need of analgesic administration in the postoperative period. The so called "stress hormones" (Prolactin (PRL), Cortisol (CORT), Human Growth Hormone (HGH)) and glycaemia were monitored during surgery and in the first postoperative 24 hours. The minimal invasive technique of laparoscopic cholecystectomy accounted for a very limited analgesic administration. In the intraoperative period laparoscopic cholecystectomy plasma hormone levels overlapped the open cholecystectomy ones, while in the postoperative period a constant increase in PRL and CORT levels was registered in the open cholecystectomy group demonstrating a prolonged stressful condition. The end results of this study show that laparoscopic cholecystectomy has major advantages than open cholecystectomy in the treatment of gallstones as far as pain and endocrine-metabolic response are concerned.

Early gastric cancer: follow-up after gastrectomy in 159 patients.

The postoperative course of 159 patients with early gastric cancer operated on between 1974 and 1987 was followed for a median of 7.3 years. The cumulative 10-year survival rate(s.e.) calculated using follow-up data to the end of 1989 was 90.6(2.7) per cent excluding operative death and that from causes other than gastric cancer, or 86.3(3.0) per cent when operative mortality was included. The overall 10-year survival rate(s.e.) was 77.3(3.7) per cent. Univariate analysis showed a significant difference in survival rates between cancers confined to the mucosa and those with submucosal invasion (P = 0.02), between patients with and without lymph node metastases (P = 0.05) and between those < or = 50 and > 50 years of age (P = 0.02). Using Cox multivariate analysis and a stepwise procedure for eight variables (sex, age, depth of invasion, lymph node metastases, presence of ulceration, location, histological type, type of surgery), age and histological type had the most significant effect on survival. Seven operative deaths were recorded. Eleven patients died from recurrent cancer and one is still alive with a gastric remnant recurrence. Other causes of death were metachronous primary cancer (six patients), cardiovascular disease (two), pneumonia (three), sepsis (one) and car accident (one). Although the prognosis of early gastric cancer is relatively good in western countries, patients should be carefully followed over a long period for late recurrence and for metachronous cancer, which has a high incidence.

An original reconstructive method after pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy.

Acute pancreatitis and leakage of pancreaticojejunal anastomosis are the most important causes of operative morbidity and mortality after pancreatoduodenectomy. We have introduced a modified technique for reconstruction that provides a functional exclusion of the pancreatic-jejunostomy in respect of the transit of gastric and biliary secretions. The immediate advantages of this technique are the reduction in the risk of leakage and the possibility of undertaking conservative treatment, in the case that leakage occurs. The preservation of the antral-pyloric unit, according to Traverso and Longmire, increases the functional features of the procedure, by reducing entero-gastric refluxes, and assuring a regulated gastric emptying. We herein present our series of 11 pancreatoduodenectomies (PD) for periampullary neoplasms and chronic pancreatitis. Throughout our series we experienced no cases of operative mortality. However, there was one specific instance of morbidity, consisting of one case of external biliary fistula by micro-dehiscence of the hepaticjejunostomy and which was later resolved by conservative treatment. Our most recent results have produced almost normal findings in terms of gastric secretion, gastric emptying and an absence of dumping syndrome, ulcers and refluxes.

A rare cause of digestive hemorrhage: an aneurysm of the superior pancreaticoduodenal artery rupturing into the duodenal stump of a Billroth II partial gastrectomy.

We report herein a case of an iatrogenic superior pancreaticoduodenal arterial aneurysm which ruptured into the duodenal stump of a Billroth II partial gastrectomy. Superselective angiography was used for the diagnosis, and successful embolization performed nonoperatively. A review of the literature revealed both the etiology and site of rupture in this case to be extremely uncommon.

Incidence and indications for cholecystectomy in a public health district of a small town in central Italy.

There are major differences in cholecystectomy rates between different countries. We prospectively recorded all gallbladder operations in L'Aquila, Italy (a small town in central Italy with a population of about 98,700 inhabitants) from June 15, 1987 to June 14, 1988. During that year 210 cholecystectomies were performed (women and girls = 71.4%), for a calculated yearly incidence rate of 0.212%. Cholecystectomy was elective in 85.2%, urgent in 8.6%, and was performed in the course of other abdominal operations (mainly colon cancer) in the remaining 6.2%. Half (44.3%) of the patients were operated on because of at least one episode of biliary colic, and 9.0% because of an acute complication. Respectively 16.2% and 30.5% were operated on because of dyspeptic symptoms or to prevent symptoms or complications. Gallstones were not found in six, while exploration of the common bile duct revealed gallstones in seven patients. The chemical analysis showed that 84.7% were cholesterol stones (mixed or pure). We presume that most observed differences in cholecystectomy rates between different Western countries are more likely owing to differences in indications for surgery rather than to differences in prevalence of gallstones.