Primary malignant melanoma of the cervix: a case report.

Primary malignant melanomas of the uterine cervix are extremely rare tumors. Diagnosis is confirmed by immunohistochemical methods and by exclusion of other primary sites of melanoma. The treatment of this condition is not yet standardized and the overall prognosis of these patients is very poor. The authors report a case of primary malignant melanoma of the uterine cervix.

Use of ductoscopy as an additional diagnostic method and its applications in nipple discharge.

AIM: About 1/10 of the patients apply to breast clinics with the complaint of nipple discharge (ND). Surgery is the most frequently preferred treatment method in case of suspicious ND. The contribution of ductoscopy to identify the patients who are candidates for surgery was evaluated and its role to limit the surgery was assessed. METHODS: From November 2005 to December 2010 430 patients with ND were assessed by 456 ductoscopic investigations and the results were analyzed. Complete ductoscopic evaluation was achieved in 84% of cases and 28 patients were offered surgery but did not accept (N.=355). Patients with bloody or serous discharges from a single duct were investigated by ductoscopy under local anesthesia as an office procedure. The patients were grouped according to discharge characteristics and the ductoscopic diagnoses. RESULTS: A total of 223 patients had all three criteria of pathologic ND (PND: single duct, spontaneous and bloody/serous discharge). Twenty-two potential neoplastic or malignant lesion (PNML) and 79 papillomatous lesion (solitary or multiple papilloma) were identified. In 132 patients with just two of the PND criteria, 5 PNML and 18 papillomatous lesions were identified. Twenty-three patients with solitary papilloma that were removed by ductoscopic papillomectomy (DP) are followed up without surgery. CONCLUSION: Ductoscopy helped to identify the patients who required surgical treatment and decreased the number of operations. DP was successfully performed in select group of patients who otherwise would have required surgical resection. Patients with normal ductoscopy findings and patients who were treated with DP successfully can be followed up without the need of surgery.

Treatment of ischemic colonic anastomoses with systemic transplanted bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study is to investigate the healing effect of the bone-marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) on ischemic colon anastomosis in systemic application and to recovery the adverse effect of ischemia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourty male Wistar Albino rats weigthing 250-300 g were divided into four equal groups (n=10 Group 1: control; ischemic left colonic anastomoses (4th day); Group 2: control; ischemic left colonic anastomoses (7th day); Group 3: ischemic left colonic anastomoses + systemic transplanted BM-MSCs (4th day); Group 4: ischemic left colonic anastomoses + systemic transplanted BM-MSCs (7th day). BMSCs labelled with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) were transplanted into the vena cava. Group 1 and group 3 were killed four days after surgery. In group 2 and group 4 were sacrificed seven days after the surgical procedure. Histopathological features, hydroxyproline levels in the tissue, and anastomotic strength were investigated. RESULTS: There was no mortality all of the groups.The mean bursting pressures of ischemic colonic anastomoses in group 3 were higher than in control group 1 (4th day). We found significantly higher hydroxyproline values in group 3 and were significantly higher in group 4 than in control groups. We investigated the early period of wound healing (4th day and 7th day). When comparing between group 1 and group 3, we found higher levels for all of the histological parameters except inflammation in group 3. On day 7, when comparing between group 2 and group 4, we found higher levels for parameters of necrosis, collagen deposition. CONCLUSIONS: BM-MSCs therapy significantly accelerated all of the healing parameters for ischemic colonic anastomosis except for inflammation on fourth day. On the seventh day, BM-MSCs augmented the levels of the hydroxyproline. Histological parameters, necrosis and collagen deposition were also found to be important for healing of ischemic colonic anastomoses. However, they did not accelerate the others histological parameters especially angiogenesis.

Intraparenchymal metastasis to the accessory spleen from ovarian cancer: a case report.

Splenic metastasis from ovarian cancer is a rare entity. A few case reports are present in the literature, but to the authors' knowledge, intraparenchymal metastasis to the accessory spleen has never been reported in the literature. The authors report a case of accessory splenic metastasis from ovarian carcinoma.

Unilateral ovarian metastasis from gastric mucinous adenocarcinoma visualized on FDG PET/CT.

BACKGROUND: Krukenberg tumor is a metastatic ovarian tumor with primary focus usually seen in the gastrointestinal tract. Metastatic involvement of the ovary is an uncommon manifestation of malignancy. We report a [18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron-emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG PET/CT) appearance of solitary unilateral ovarian metastasis in a 44-year-old woman with a history of mucinous adenocarcinoma type of gastric carcinoma. Total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was performed. Histopathological verification determined metastasis of mucinous adenocarcinoma with components of signet-ring cell carcinoma in the right ovary.

Curcumin nutrition for the prevention of mesenteric ischemia-reperfusion injury: an experimental rodent model.

BACKGROUND: Curcumin is an anti-oxidant molecule known to be a potent inhibitor of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB). It has been shown to attenuate ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in several organ systems. In this study, we sought to investigate the effects of curcumin on the prevention of superior mesenteric artery I/R injury in rats. METHODS: Wistar albino rats were randomly allocated to 3 groups: group I, sham operated (n = 10); group II, I/R injury only (n = 10); group III, curcumin-treated I/R cohort (n = 10). Group I animals underwent laparotomy without I/R injury. After group II animals underwent laparotomy, 60 minutes of superior mesenteric artery ligation were followed by 3 hours of reperfusion. In the curcumin group, 15 days before I/R, curcumin (40 mg/kg) was administered by gastric gavage. All animals were sacrificed at the end of reperfusion. Intestinal tissue samples were obtained to investigate intestinal mucosal injury; in addition we estimated levels of myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), glutathione (GSH), interleukin (IL)-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. RESULTS: There were statistically significant decreases in GSH levels, along with an increase in intestinal mucosal injury scores, MPO activity, MDA levels, NO, IL-6, and TNF-alpha in group I when compared with groups II and III (P = .01). Curcumin treatment in group III produced a significant increase in GSH levels, as well as a decrease in intestinal mucosal injury scores, MPO activity, MDA, and NO levels when compared with group II (P < .05). CONCLUSION: This study showed that curcumin treatment significantly attenuated reperfusion injury in a superior mesenteric artery I/R model in rats.

To what extent is cyanoacrylate useful to prevent early wound infections in hernia surgery?

BACKGROUND: Prolene graft infection still occurs at an unacceptably high rate, despite many preventive measures with suggested effectiveness against infection. We assessed the efficacy of cyanoacrylate as a tissue adhesive and barrier against early and late contamination through the skin. METHOD: Thirty-two Wistar albino rats weighing between 250 and 300 g were randomised into four groups with eight animals in each. Group I: N-butyl 2-cyanoacrylate and early local contamination; group II: N-butyl 2-cyanoacrylate and late local contamination; group III: prolene suture and early contamination; group IV: prolene suture and late contamination. Prolene graft material 1 x 0.5 cm was implanted in mice above the fascia. Local contamination with 75 x 10(6) cfu/ml Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 was carried out in groups III and VI within a postoperative period of 24 h. On the seventh day, the animals were killed and the grafts were explanted. The microscopic, histological and microbiological evaluation of the graft material and the surrounding tissues were performed. RESULTS: All of the graft cultures from group III (8/8) were positive for S. aureus, whereas all of those from group I (0/8) were negative. This difference was significant (P < 0.001). Histological examination revealed denser inflammatory cell infiltration in group III than in group I. On the other hand, there was no difference between groups II and IV. CONCLUSIONS: Maintaining skin integrity after closure is very significant, as contamination during the first few hours of the procedure may result in prolene graft infection. Cyanoacrylate appears to be a promising molecule within the first few hours of the operations for two reasons, namely, its bacteriostatic effects and ability to seal the barrier effectively and immediately.