[Reconstruction of large tissue loss of the anus and perineum with bilateral inferior gluteal and right gracilis myocutaneous flaps]. / Jelentos végbél- és gáttáji lágyrész-hiány fedése kétoldali musculus gluteus major és jobb oldali gracilis musculocutan lebenyplasztikával.

The authors present a case of locally advanced anal squamous cell carcinoma which, due to infiltration of deep structures, caused anal incontinence, serious pain, exulceration, and bleeding. Neoadjuvant radiotherapy made the tumour operable and abdominoperineal extirpation was performed. The large tissue loss of the anal and perineal region was covered by bilateral gluteus maximus myocutaneous flaps, and the loss of the pelvic musculature and the remaining pelvic skin loss were replaced by a right gracilis myocutaneous flap. The patient was discharged on the 36th postoperative day. There was no flap necrosis noted and an incomplete lesion of the proximal urethra healed after direct suturing. The patient was allowed to lye on the flap in the second postoperative month and sitting on the third month. Unfortunately, an inoperable infiltrative lymph node metastasis occurred in the right inguinal region after six months, and the patient died 10 months after the surgery. We believe that in cases of large, ulcerating anal tumours, when direct closure would be impossible due to massive tissue loss after resection, quality of life can be significantly improved by resection and closure with myocutaneous flaps.

Recurrent, nonmalignant tracheoesophageal fistulas and the need for surgical improvisation.

BACKGROUND: Despite the many recent advances in thoracic surgery, the management of patients with recurrent, nonmalignant tracheoesophageal fistulas remains problematic, controversial, and challenging. METHODS: Between 1998 and 2008, we treated 8 patients with RTEF. Closure of the original tracheoesophageal fistula had been attempted once in 5 patients, twice in 2 patients, and 4 times in 1 patient, all in different institutions. Four cases necessitated right posterolateral thoracotomy and cervical exposure, 2 cases cervical and abdominal incision, and 1 case right posterolateral thoracotomy, with abdominal and cervical exposure. With the exception of the 2 patients whose excluded esophagus was used to substitute for the trachea membranous wall, the damaged tracheal segment was removed. In general, a pedicled mediastinal pleural flap was pulled into the neck to increase the safety of the tracheal anastomosis formed with the trachea, and (or) to separate the suture lines of the two organs. RESULTS: A single intervention was sufficient for all 8 patients: no reoperation was necessary, and there was no perioperative mortality. Transient reflux, abdominal distention, and dyspnea in response to forced physical exertion occurred in 1 case each. Only 1 patient subsequently takes medication regularly for reflux disease. CONCLUSIONS: Separation initiated from the tracheal bifurcation, a pedicled mediastinal pleural flap pulled into the neck, a tracheal anastomosis sewn onto the cricoid cartilage with avoidance of its posterolateral elbow, a shaped Dumon stent (Novatech, Plan de Grasse, France) with an individually fenestrated tracheostomy cannula, and endoscopy-assisted, transhiatal vagal-preserving esophageal exclusion all served as successful elements of our surgical procedures.

[The role of radical surgical approach in the treatment of benign multinodular goitre depending on anatomical variations of the recurrent laryngeal nerve]. / A radikalitás helye a benignus pajzsmirigybetegségek sebészi kezelésében a nervus rekurrens anatómiai sajátságainak tükrében.

UNLABELLED: From time to time there is a surprise at the end of surgery - even after subtotal resection - when a vocal cord is observed on indirect laryngoscopy to be non-functional. Surgeons are highly individualistic and develop their own special ways of locating and protecting the nerve. The present study has tried to clarify whether relying on palpation alone during surgery is safe enough in each case. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 01.01.2001 and 31.12.2008, 1228 recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) were exposed in 702 patients on thyroid surgery. The RLN was found and traced until the laryngeal entry point in all patients. Substernal spreading was noted in 38.6% (271/702), while tracheal compression or dislocation was present in 19.5% (137/702). Recurrent thyroid disease counted for 8.4% (59/702) of all cases. Total thyroid lobectomy was carried out in 82.2% (1009/1228), near-total thyroidectomy in 15.5% (191/1228), and subtotal resection only in 2.3% (28/1228). RESULTS: Palpation was helpful in 80.7% (991/1228), proved false positive in 8.7% (107/1228), while in 10.6% (130/1228) it did not provide any help in the localization. The palpability of the RLN showed marked discrepancy between the two sides. False positivity was noted with palpation in 3.4% (21/625) and 14.3% (86/603) on the right and left side, respectively. On the other hand, palpation helped localization in 4.8% (29/603) on the left side, while the same figure was 16.2% (101/603) on the right side. Definitive RLN palsy was experienced in 0.8% of all cases (10/1228), whilst transient paresis was encountered in 1.4% (17/1228). Occult malignancy was noticed in 5.6% (39/702). CONCLUSIONS: No indication has been left for subtotal resection. Even if benign multinodular goitre is present, since the clinical and pathophysiological evidences suggest that multinodular goitre affects the entire gland, any surgery that leaves potentially abnormal thyroid tissue in situ carries a risk of recurrent disease. RLN palpatory method is a useful part of thyroid surgery but it is suitable for rough orientation only.

[Celiac artery compression syndrome--stepchild of abdominal angina?]. / A truncus coeliacus kompressziós szindróma--a hasi angina "mostohagyermeke"?

BACKGROUND: Celiac trunk compression in few percentages of the cases can cause chronic abdominal pain that shows no connection with eating. CASE REPORT: Detailed preoperative examinations showed significant, segmental stenosis of the celiac trunk, caused by outer compression of a tendonous arc of diaphragm, in the background of abdominal pain and mesenteric ischemia of a 58-year-old woman. After preparation we have executed the surgery by removing a tight ring, located at around 8-10 mm from the origin of trifurcation, and a part of the celiac ganglion. The patient was dismissed from our hospital 6 days after surgery in good general condition. DISCUSSION: The abdominal pain can normally be the consequence of mesenteric ischemia. The root cause in most of the cases is the alteration of the particular artery. The outer compression is normally responsible only for a few percentages of the cases. In our case the problem was caused by a stronger tendonous part of the aortic hiatus. The first sign of this during the examination was a recognisable noise over the artery, which was caused by the poststenotic turbulent flow. Detailed radiological examinations executed based on this indeed proved this malfunction. CONCLUSION: In case of unidentified abdominal pain we have to consider the possibility of the stenosis of the celiac trunk. By our case study we would like to call the attention to the importance of the auscultation over the abdomen, which is a relevant part of the basic physical examinations. When getting to the final diagnosis, apart from the duplex doppler sonography, we also used the results of angiography. The essence of the surgery was to get rid of the outer compression of the artery, which has to be done as soon as possible in order to avoid that compression causes degeneration of the artery itself.