[Marketing in hospitals and practices: from theory to implementation]. / Marketing in Klinik und Praxis : Von der Theorie zur praktischen Umsetzung.

Although hospitals and medical practices are typical service providers from a marketing perspective, only very few engage in topics relevant to marketing. Best practice examples do, however, show how important and meaningful the implementation of marketing tools can be for medical service providers. This article thus deals with the question of how the service of hospitals and practices may be improved by marketing initiatives. As a first step, the particular challenges these service providers face need to be analyzed. A significant focus will therefore be put on the examination of service-related quality and will then be applied to medical services. Thus it becomes evident that the path to success is based on adapting to patients' needs. Possibilities to minimize the uncertainties and risks experienced by the patients need to be identified. At the same time, the perceived service quality needs to be maximized.

Complete extirpation of benign breast lesions with an ultrasound-guided vacuum biopsy system.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether ultrasound-guided vacuum biopsy (VB) with curative intent is suitable for the complete extirpation of selected sonographically detectable benign lesions of the breast, and to establish the limitations of the method with regard to lesion size and complications, the extent of scar formation and the prognostic value. METHODS: One hundred and nine patients underwent hand-held, ultrasound-guided VB (8G or 11G needle) between June 2000 and September 2003. Of these, 45 (41%) women underwent ultrasound-guided extirpation of 46 lesions, and 42 women with 43 lesions were followed up clinically and sonographically for an average of 5.9 months. The complete extirpation rate, residual lesions, and patient satisfaction with the intervention were evaluated. RESULTS: Removal of all sonographic evidence of lesions (median diameter, 13 mm) was achieved in 86% of cases (8G needle, 80%; 11G needle, 89%). 19% of the patients had suspected scar formation at the biopsy site. A palpable lesion in the breast could be removed by VB in 90% of cases. None of the patients developed infections and there were no hemorrhages requiring intervention, or damage to the skin or chest wall. A total of 95% of the patients stated that they would prefer this approach to open excision for possible future intervention. CONCLUSIONS: VB is an ambulatory procedure associated with a low degree of pain. It has a high degree of patient acceptance and, as a minimally invasive biopsy technique for benign lesions, is a good alternative to open excision. The rate of complications is low and is similar to that observed with conventional microbiopsy.

Massive cavernous lymphangioma of the breast and thoracic wall: case report and literature review.

Lymphangiomas are benign lesions but are associated with high morbidity when they become very large, occur in critical locations, or when surgically removed, develop secondary wound infections. Almost all lesions require surgical treatment. Complete excision is curative; however, relapses must be anticipated with incomplete excision. We report the case of a patient with a long history of massive cavernous lymphangioma of the breast and thoracic wall extending into the axilla in whom complete excision was not possible.

Incidence and pattern of liver involvement in haematological malignancies.

The incidence and pattern of liver involvement in 127 liver specimens (2 biopsy and 125 autopsy specimens) from cases of acute myelogenous leukaemia (25), chronic myelogenous leukaemia (7), acute lymphatic leukaemia (5), chronic lymphatic leukaemia (9), multiple myeloma (25), low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (25), high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (24) and myeloproliferative diseases (7) were investigated histologically and immunohistochemically. Liver infiltration was found frequently in chronic leukaemia and myeloproliferative diseases (80-100%), acute leukaemia (60-70%) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (50-60%), but was significantly less common in multiple myeloma (32%) than in any of the other diagnostic groups. Hepatomegaly was found in over 50% of cases in all the diagnostic groups, but was not always associated with infiltration. Diffuse, non-destructive infiltration was most common: in acute myelogenous leukaemia, both the portal triads and sinusoids were usually involved; in chronic myelogenous leukaemia, multiple myeloma and myeloproliferative diseases, infiltration was mainly sinusoidal; and in lymphatic leukaemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma the portal triads were mainly involved. Nodular infiltration was seen in multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The primary tumours and liver infiltrates generally exhibited the same immunophenotype, although reactivity with the antibody L26 (CD20) was only found in the primary lesion in many high-grade B-cell lymphomas. Thus, liver involvement is common in haematological malignancies, but the incidence and pattern of infiltration vary amongst the different types.

Renal involvement in myeloproliferative and lymphoproliferative disorders. A study of autopsy cases.

A considerable proportion of cases of myeloproliferative and lymphoproliferative disorders exhibit renal involvement. However, it is unclear whether the cytologic features, immunophenotype or grade of malignancy of the cells infiltrating the kidney differ from those of the primary tumor. This study was performed on 120 autopsy cases with the following diagnoses: acute myelogenous leukemia (AML, n = 22; subtypes M1 + M2, n = 12, subtype M4, n = 10), chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML, n = 7), agnogenic myeloid metaplasia/myelofibrosis (AMM/MF, n = 6), acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL, n = 6), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL, n = 9), other low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (low-grade NHL, n = 24), high-grade NHL (n = 21) and multiple myeloma (MM, n = 25). Renal involvement was investigated by light microscopy and immunohistochemistry. It was found in 34% of the cases, and was most common in ALL (83%) and low-grade NHL (50%) and least common in high-grade NHL (10%) and MM (12%). Dense infiltration of almost the entire kidney was most commonly seen in AML, low-grade NHL and ALL. Infiltration was bilateral and involved both the cortex and medulla in the majority of cases. When involvement of other organs was compared with that of the kidney, the lung was found to be involved in approximately the same number of cases, but liver involvement was more common and heart involvement less common. Reactive lymphocytic infiltration of the kidney was found in 18 of the 120 cases (15%), and was distinguished from scanty tumorous infiltration by immunohistochemical staining. No major phenotypical differences were found between the tumor cells infiltrating the kidney and those of the primary tumors in the bone marrow or lymph nodes. However, in one case of CML, the cells infiltrating the kidney were negative for KP1 and chloroacetate esterase, but could be identified by reactivity for CD34. The grade of malignancy in NHL was similar in both the nodal and renal manifestations.

Lymphoepithelial cyst of the pancreas. Clinical, morphological, and immunohistochemical findings.

Lymphoepithelial cyst of the pancreas, formerly also termed branchial cyst, is an extremely rare tumor of uncertain histogenesis. Our case, that of a 53-year-old man, is the fourth to be described. Fluid aspirated from the cyst exhibited a very high concentration of carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA; 5000 ng/ml), and a high level of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9; 187 U/l), suggesting a diagnosis of carcinoma of the pancreas. However, the serum CEA and CA 19-9 levels were only slightly elevated (5.5 ng/ml and 125 U/l, respectively). Histologic investigation revealed a cyst lined by squamous epithelium with closely associated lymphoid tissue, without cellular atypia. Numerous lymphocytes, mainly T cells (UCHL1 positive), were present in the lining epithelium. The lymphoid tissue surrounding the lining epithelium was composed of germinal centers and T regions. Epithelial cords contiguous with the squamous epithelium lining the cyst radiated out through the lymphoid tissue towards the pancreatic parenchyma, which suggests that lymphoepithelial cyst of the pancreas is a true pancreatic cyst. Since the excretory ducts of the normal pancreatic tissue and some of the epithelial cells lining the cyst were immunoreactive for CEA and CA 19-9, it can be concluded that CEA and CA 19-9 in the cyst contents are probably produced by cells derived from the exocrine pancreas. The histogenesis of lymphoepithelial cyst of the pancreas remains unclear, but it is probable that it derives from the duct system of the pancreas.