THE EXPRESSION OF STEM CELL MARKERS (CD133, NESTIN, OCT4, SOX2) IN INVASIVE PITUITARY ADENOMAS.

INTRODUCTION: The pituitary gland serves as the center of the endocrine system. Stem cells are typically found in a specialized microenvironment of the tissue, called the niche, which regulates their maintenance, self-renewal, fate determination, and reaction to external influences. The aim of this study is to elucidate the role of stem cells in the initiation, invasion, and progression of pituitary adenomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All specimens were collected between January 2007 and April 2015. Radiological classification (invasiveness) for all cases was performed according to the Wilson-Hardy classification system. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to all specimens for CD133, Oct4, Sox2 and nestin. RESULTS: The study included 48 patients. Of 48 patients, 17 (35.4%) were male and 31 (64.6%) were female. Mean age is 47.10±14.14 (17-86 yrs.). According to the Wilson-Hardy classification system, 27 (56.3%) were non-invasive adenomas. There was no statistical significance between the expression of pituitary stem cell markers (CD133, OCT4, SOX2, nestin) and invasiveness. CONCLUSION: All stem cell markers are stained extensively in pituitary adenomas, except for SOX2 which was stained weakly. However, there is no effect of stem cells on invasiveness of pituitary adenomas because we cannot find a difference of the staining level between invasive and non-invasive adenomas. Nestin was stained extensively in functional adenomas, especially for GH, PRL, and gonadotropin secreting adenomas. SOX2 was stained extensively for ACTH-secreting adenomas.

Laparoscopic versus open fecal diversion: does laparoscopy offer better outcomes in short term?

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic fecal diversion is performed in patients with complicated colon and rectal diseases. We aim to compare operative and short-term outcomes between laparoscopic and open fecal diversion. METHODS: After obtaining institutional review board approval, patients undergoing laparoscopic or open fecal diversion between February 2010 and September 2012 were reviewed. A straight comparison of the open and laparoscopic groups was made initially; then, patients who underwent laparoscopic fecal diversion were case-matched with open counterparts based on stoma type and primary diagnosis. RESULTS: While body mass index (BMI) was higher in the laparoscopy group (p = 0.04), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score (p = 0.33) and gender (p = 0.74) were comparable between the study groups in the straight comparison. In the case-matched analysis, type of prior operations (p > 0.05), age (p = 0.79), gender (p > 0.99), BMI (p = 0.1), and ASA (p = 0.25) score were comparable between the groups. Open surgery was associated with increased estimated blood loss (p = 0.01), longer hospital stay (p = 0.0002), higher postoperative ileus (p = 0.03), and higher readmission rates (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Considering the short-term benefits as regards postoperative recovery and morbidity, fecal diversions should be performed laparoscopically when feasible.

Mild and severe anal incontinence after lateral internal sphincterotomy: risk factors, postoperative anatomical findings and quality of life.

AIM: This study aims to evaluate the risk factors for incontinence after lateral internal sphincterotomy (LIS) and assess quality of life in different levels of incontinence. METHODS: All consecutive patients (n = 253) with chronic anal fissure who underwent LIS between 2003 and 2006 were retrospectively reviewed. All patients were questioned for possible anal incontinence according to the Wexner Incontinence Score (WIS). Demographics, vaginal delivery history, additional procedures and surgeon's experience were evaluated as risk factors. Endoanal ultrasound (EUS) was performed in incontinent patients to assess the thickness of the remaining internal sphincter and to evaluate any injury in the external sphincter. Quality of life was questioned with SF-36. RESULTS: Twenty-eight (11.7%) patients suffered from incontinence (mean WIS = 3.6 ± 2.5). The search for a risk factor was unsuccessful when continent and incontinent groups were compared. In subgroup analyses, patients were found to be suffering from mild (WIS <5, n = 19) or severe (WIS >5, n = 9) incontinence. Vaginal delivery history was found more often in the severely incontinent subgroup than in the continent group (p < 0.05). Also, vaginal delivery history and the additional procedures were more frequently observed in the severely incontinent subgroup than in the mildly incontinent subgroup. EUS did not find any external sphincter injury in these cases. WIS had negative correlations with the physical and mental component scores of SF-36. CONCLUSION: In our opinion, the threat for incontinence is unpredictable; however, vaginal delivery history may increase the risk of severe incontinence.

Giant cavernous haemangioma in an infant.

Cavernous haemangiomas are benign vascular lesions of the central nervous system. Their size varies from a few millimetres to several centimetres. Giant and paediatric cases are rare. This report presents a 10-month-old baby with a giant multilobular cavernous haemangioma in the left parietal lobe who presented with seizures.

Intracranial epidural abscess secondary to isolated sphenoid sinusitis.

Isolated sphenoid sinus infection, although an uncommon entity, can cause severe cranial complications when left untreated. A case of temporal epidural abscess secondary to isolated sphenoid sinusitis in a 13-year-old boy is presented. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical because the disease can progress rapidly.

A retained surgical sponge (gossypiboma) mimicking a paraspinal abscess.

Gossypiboma (textiloma, gauzoma, muslinoma) is a rare iatrogenic mass caused by the retention of gauze fibres during surgery. This intraoperative complication has rarely been reported for an intraspinal or paraspinal location. Here, we present a patient in whom a retained surgical sponge between the paraspinal muscles was encountered 3 years after lumbar surgery, and discuss the radiological and pathological appearance and differential diagnosis.

Epidural extension of a lumbar vertebral haemangioma.

Vertebral haemangiomas are relatively common, but those extending into the epidural space are rare. A 59-year-old man with severe lower back and right leg pain that did not resolve with conservative treatment was seen in an outpatient clinic. Magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine identified an L3 vertebral corpus lesion with epidural extension. The diagnosis was unclear, so the patient underwent surgery. The pathologic diagnosis was capillary haemangioma, so angiography-guided embolization was performed postoperatively. Vertebral haemangioma must be considered when there is evidence of a vertebral corpus lesion with epidural extension on magnetic resonance imaging.

Is the insertion of drains after uncomplicated thyroid surgery always necessary?

PURPOSE: We conducted a prospective, randomized study to evaluate the necessity of drainage after uncomplicated thyroid surgery. METHODS: The subjects were 135 patients who underwent thyroid surgery between September 2002 and February 2004. The patients were randomized into two groups according to whether drains were inserted at the time of surgery. Group 1 consisted of 68 patients with drains and group 2 consisted of 67 patients without drains. The indications for surgery, procedures performed, local complications (such as infection, seroma, and bleeding or hematoma), necessity for reoperation, and hospital stay were recorded. RESULTS: There were 110 (81.5%) women and 25 (18.5%) men, with a median age of 46.9 +/- 12.5 years. The mean hospital stay was 2.6 +/- 1.0 days in group 1 and 1.3 +/- 0.7 days in group 2 (P = 0.001). Local complications developed in five (7.3%) patients from group 1, as wound infections in two (2.9%), seroma in one (1.5%), and hemorrhage in two (2.9%); and in two (3%) patients from group 2, as seroma in one (1.5%) and hematoma in one (1.5%). Both of the group 1 patients with postoperative hemorrhage required reoperation within 8 h after initial surgery. The hematoma in the group 2 patient was treated successfully with needle aspiration. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the routine use of drains may be abandoned in uncomplicated thyroid surgery, since serious postoperative bleeding rarely occurs and hematomas can be treated by needle aspiration if drains have not been placed. Furthermore, the use of drains prolongs hospital stay and increases the risk of infection.

Noninvasive management strategy in hemodynamically unstable patients with blunt trauma.

BACKGROUND: Non-operative management in abdominal injuries may reduce non-therapeutic laparatomies without increasing mortality. The aim of this study is to evaluate the results of a recently used non-invasive management strategy, in trauma patients in our institution. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed. The sixty-three patients (50 males; 13 females; range 8 to 61 years) with abdominal injuries who were unstable during their admissions to our institution between July 1st, 2000 and July 1st, 2001 (the first year of the NIMS implementation) were identified and divided into three groups according to the presence or absence of surgical intervention and the timing of the operation. RESULTS: There were 63 blunt abdominal trauma patients who were unstable during admission. Patients in Group 1 (n=14) and Group 2 (n=10) had urgent laparotomy during the resuscitation therapy or after a median observation period of 7 hours (range, 2 to 20). Group 3 patients (n=39) did not require surgical intervention. CONCLUSION: Most of the trauma patients who respond to initial fluid replacement do not require surgery. Close monitoring and repeated abdominal examinations (NIMS) can be the main criteria for surgical intervention, although they are not the most reliable techniques in the diagnosis of solid organ injuries in all patients and of hollow organ injuries in conscious patients.

Schwannoma of the lateral ventricle: eight-year follow-up and literature review.

Intracerebral and intramedullary schwannomas are uncommon; but, in general, spinal intramedullary schwannomas are more frequent than intracerebral schwanomas. We present a case of right lateral ventricle schwannoma in a 21-year-old man and review the associated literature. The 21-year-old right-handed man presented with loss of the left-eye vision approximately 8 months before referral to an ophthalmologist. The patient was immediately subjected to computed tomography (CT) scan, which showed an enhanced lesion with cystic component in the right occipital horn of the lateral ventricle. And consecutively, he was admitted to our department. The tumor was evacuated via craniotomy with marked improvement in his clinical state. The postoperative course was uneventful and postoperative CT control showed no residue. On MRI control no recurrence was noted after a follow-up period of 8 years. Intracerebral schwannoma is a rare, benign neoplasm. It is usually located superficially or adjacent to a ventricle. Characteristic imaging features include cyst formation, calcification, and evidence of peritumoral edema or gliosis. The recognition of this benign and potentially curable neoplasm and its differentiation from other neoplasms, some of which have less favourable outcomes, is of obvious importance.

Posterior epidural migration of a lumbar disc fragment causing cauda equina syndrome: case report and review of the relevant literature.

Posterior epidural migration (PEM) of free disc fragments is rare, and reported PEM patients usually presented with radicular signs. An uncommon case involving a patient with cauda equina syndrome due to PEM of a lumbar disc fragment is reported with a review of the literature. The patient described in this report presented with an acute cauda equina syndrome resulting from disc fragment migration at the L3-L4 level that occurred after traction therapy for his lower back pain. The radiological characteristics of the disc fragment were the posterior epidural location and the ring enhancement. A fenestration was performed and histologically confirmed sequestered disc material was removed. An early postoperative examination revealed that motor, sensory, urological, and sexual functions had been recovered. At late follow-up, the patient was doing well after 18 months. Sequestered disc fragments may occasionally migrate to the posterior epidural space of the dural sac. Definite diagnosis of posteriorly located disc fragments is difficult because the radiological images of disc fragments may mimic those of other more common posterior epidural lesions.

Review of 36 cases of spinal cord meningioma.

STUDY DESIGN: Thirty-six consecutive patients with histologically confirmed spinal cord meningioma were presented to evaluate clinical, diagnostic, therapeutic options and to correlate treatment methods and outcome. OBJECTIVE: To present the incidence, clinical presentation, localization, techniques, and long term results of surgically treated spinal meningiomas. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Meningiomas are common tumors of spinal neoplasm. They are generally benign and slow-growing. Advanced in radiologic and surgical techniques have brought about better surgical results. The goal of surgical treatment must be total resection if possible. However, spinal meningiomas may recur, especially as a result of incomplete resection. METHODS: Thirty-six consecutive patients with histologically confirmed spinal meningiomas were treated from 1980 to 1997. Neuroradiological diagnosis was made through myelogram in 20 patients, CT scan in 15 patients, and MRI in 16 patients. All patients were operated on via the posterior approach and using microsurgical technique and when necessary Cooper-Ultrasonic surgical aspirator (CUSA) and CO2 laser were also applied. The patients were followed for 2 to 15 years (mean 9 years). Radiotherapy was not undertaken except in recurrent tumors. RESULTS: The most frequent site of spinal meningiomas was in the thoracic region. In 30 (83%) patients tumors were found to be completely intradural extramedullary during surgery. Total tumor resection was achieved in 35 (97%) of patients. In the follow-up period, 30 cases (83%) improved when compared to their preoperative conditions. There was one operative mortality (3%). A 66-year-old women died of pulmonary emboli. CONCLUSIONS: Magnetic resonance imaging is the best imaging technique for diagnosis. Total tumor resection improved the surgical results of spinal meningiomas. If total removal of the tumor cannot be achieved, or in the case of early recurrence followed by total resection, radiotherapy should be performed in adjuvant therapy.

Calvarial metastasis of a paraganglioma. Case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Metastasis of a paraganglioma (PRG) to the calvarium is very rare. In this paper, the case of a 25-year-old male with metastasis of a PRG to the frontoparietal bone is described. CASE DESCRIPTION: The patient presented with bulging on the left side of the head, headache, and weight loss. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a mass lesion in the left frontoparietal region that had destroyed both the external and internal table of the bone, extending under the skin and above the dura mater. After a frontoparietal craniotomy the tumor was removed totally. Histopathological examination revealed the "Zellballen," which are pathognomonic for a PRG. Systemic examination and radiological investigation revealed no primary tumor source. CONCLUSION: Metastasis of a PRG to the calvarium is possible; radical removal of the tumor will provide a cure.

Application of syringosubarachnoid shunt through key-hole laminectomy. Technical note.

The authors describe the key-hole laminectomy technique (KHLT) for application of syringosubarachnoid shunts. This technique was used in 29 patients with noncommunicating syringomyelia. In all cases the shunts were inserted successfully without any peri- or late postoperative complications. The late follow-up magnetic resonance examinations revealed the clear collapse of syrinx in all cases. The authors advocate use of the KHLT because it is associated with less surgery-related trauma, epidural fibrosis, infection, and spinal instability.

Cervical spine injuries and management: experience with 235 patients in 10 years.

During the past 10-year period 235 patients with cervical injury were included in this study. In this paper we present our clinical experiences in patients with cervical spine injury treated surgically and conservatively and their outcome. Only few data exist on the treatment of cervical spine injuries. The principles of the management are still controversial. The 235 patients with cervical spine injury admitted to our department were assessed with Frankel's grading scale and treated surgically and conservatively according to the type and level of the injury; 172 patients were treated surgically, and 63 patients were managed conservatively. The neurological state of the patients and the treatment modality are summarized in Table 1 and Table 2. In the upper cervical injury, except type II odontoid fracture with a dislocation of more than 6 mm, conservative treatment modalities were performed. In the lower cervical injury, an anterior approach with discectomy and anterior fusion were performed if there was spinal cord compression anteriorly. Otherwise a posterior approach with decompression and a variety of posterior fusion techniques were used.

Presentation and management of supratentorial and infratentorial arachnoid cysts. Review of 25 cases.

BACKGROUND: To discuss the presentation, diagnosis, management modalities and outcomes of the arachnoid cysts. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Retrospective study with a mean follow-up period of 31 months (ranging between 9 months and 5 years). SETTING: Institutional practice (The Military Medical Faculty Hospital). Patients and the participants: 25 patients with arachnoid cysts treated surgically. INTERVENTION: Fenestration and drainage of the cyst into cisterns in 13 cases, cyst-peritoneal shunting in 8 cases and cyst excision in 4 cases. MEASURE: The arachnoid cysts were followed-up by Computed Tomography or/and Magnetic Resonance Imaging. RESULTS: The results are excellent in 21 cases, moderate in 2 cases and poor in 2 cases. CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of the procedure used for arachnoid cyst treatment, the outcomes are somewhat similar if the surgical indications and techniques are properly selected.

Establishment and characterization of a human glioblastoma multiforme cell line.

Cell lines provide a useful system for further understanding the biology of glioblastoma multiforme. In this study, a new glioblastoma multiforme cell line, GATAGM-96 (Gulhane Askeri Tip Akademisi-Gliblastoma Multiforme-96), was established from a tumor specimen removed from an 80-year-old male patient who underwent surgery for intracranial tumor. Morphologic examination, immunocytochemical staining, growth kinetics, and karyotypic characteristics of this cell line were studied. The cytoskeleton was positive for neuron-specific enolase, vimentin, and neurofilament, and it was negative for glial fibrillary acidic protein, S-100 protein, p53 protein, epidermal growth factor, and transforming growth factor alpha. Growth kinetic studies demonstrated an approximate population doubling time of 38 to 42 h and a colony forming efficiency of 83.3%. The karyotype of the cells demonstrated it as hyperdiploid, with a large subpopulation of polyploid cells. There were numerous structural and numerical chromosome aberrations; most of them were present as clonal events. The phenotypic and chromosomal features detailed on the GATAGM-96 cell line should make it a useful addition to the cell lines currently available for in vitro and in vivo studies of glioblastoma multiforme.

Radical surgery and reoperation in supratentorial malignant glial tumors.

The treatment modalities for gliomas are still questioning and searching. We reviewed the effect of the extent of surgical resection and reoperation on the length and quality of survival in 152 consecutive patients who underwent operation for supratentorial gliomas at GATA Neurosurgery clinic between 1985 to 1995. Seventy-two patients (50%) had glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), and 48 patients (33%) had anaplastic astrocytoma (AA). Gross total resection was achieved in 70 cases (49%), subtotal resection was performed in 60 cases (42%), and biopsy was carried out in 14 cases (9%). Thirty-two patients were reoperated for recurrency and the median interval between the first operation and reoperation was 9.5 months in glioblastoma multiforme, and 11.7 months in anaplastic astrocytoma. The resection groups were compared for age, sex, preoperative and postoperative Karnofsky rating, tumor location, postoperative radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, and survival according to multivariate analysis. Preoperative Karnofsky rating and surgical resection type were the most important factors related to survival after operation or reoperation. The gross total resection group lived longer than the subtotal resection group by life table analysis. Median survival of GBM was 76 weeks in gross total resection group, and 33 months in AA group with total resection (p < 0.001). Preoperative Karnofsky scores had a statistically significant effect on the quality of life and survival after operation and reoperation in all cases (p = 0.005). Radical surgery and reoperation also improve quality and length of life in selective malignant supratentorial gliomas.

Dumbbell lymphoma of the cervical spine in a child. Case report.

Primary or secondary spinal involvement of lymphoma is a rarely reported entity. An eleven-year-old girl with primary cervical dumbbell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) was presented. We could not found any such growth pattern of primary or secondary NHL'S in the literature. For this reason, we reviewed shortly pertinent literature and discussed the pathophysiologic, diagnostic and prognostic features of the lesion with treatment modalities.