Parotidectomy for parotid tumours: 19-year experience from The Netherlands.

A total of 150 patients were treated for parotid tumours over a period of 19 years. In 94 per cent superficial or total parotidectomy was performed. Histological diagnosis of the resected specimen revealed pleomorphic adenoma in 92 patients (61 per cent), Whartin's tumour in 30 (20 per cent), various benign neoplasms in 11 (7 per cent) and malignant tumour in 17 (11 per cent). After a mean follow-up of 7.7 years, no recurrence of a benign tumour was seen. Malignant tumours recurred in five patients. Permanent partial facial paralysis was seen in 4 per cent of patients after surgery for benign lesions. Frey's syndrome was observed in 43 per cent of patients, and was not prevented by resection of the auriculotemporal nerve.

Intraluminal Miller-Abbott tube stenting as treatment and prophylaxis of recurrent intestinal obstruction.

Chronic recurrent intestinal obstruction due to massive adhesions after abdominal surgery is a complication that is difficult to treat. The records were studied of 25 patients with acute intestinal obstruction due to massive adhesions. Since conservative measurements were unsuccessful, the patients were treated with internal intestinal splinting by means of a Miller-Abbott tube. These 25 patients underwent a total of 72 operations, 36 were performed for mechanical obstruction. Conservative treatment alone was effective during 25 admissions. The complaints of the patients lasted five years on an average. After lysis of adhesions the Miller-Abbott tube was introduced either via the nose, via a gastrostomy or via an enterostomy. The tube was left in situ for three weeks and then gradually withdrawn. There was no hospital mortality. There was one postoperative complication: a tube had to be removed under general anaesthesia. Long-term follow-up of the patients varied from 4.5 to 19 years with a mean of 11.3 years. One patient with recurrent intestinal obstruction due to adhesions, required surgical intervention after one year. A second patient with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome needed surgery because of an intestinal adenoma after six years. The mean symptom-free interval was 11.1 years in the cured patients.

Prevention of pulmonary embolism by caval interruption with a Greenfield vena cava filter: a report of four cases.

Interruption of the vena cava is the treatment of choice for patients with thrombosis of the femoral or iliac vein in whom anticoagulants have to be discontinued or cannot prevent recurrent pulmonary embolism. The technique of interruption of the vena cava is outlined and illustrated by the case history of four patients, treated with a Greenfield vena cava filter.

[Breast carcinoma in women younger than 30 years]. / Mammacarcinoom bij vrouwen jonger dan 30 jaar.

Breast cancer is rare in females younger than 30 years. In a retrospective study of 25 women the effects of the early age on diagnosis, treatment and prognosis were investigated. In 21 women there was a clinical or radiological suspicion of carcinoma. Nevertheless, a delay in diagnosis was found in 9 of the 21 patients. In 16 patients stage I tumour was found, in 7 stage II, in I stage III and in I stage IV. After an average follow-up period of 68 months, 20 patients had no tumour recurrence. Tumour stage, treatment and prognosis were comparable with the characteristics reported for other age groups.

No-touch isolation technique in colon cancer: a controlled prospective trial.

In order to assess the effect of the no-touch isolation technique, in the treatment of large bowel cancers, on the site of first recurrence and disease-free and overall survival, 236 patients were prospectively and randomly assigned to either the no-touch isolation technique (117 patients) or to a conventional resection technique (119 patients). No patient with distant metastases or unresectable disease entered the study. The two treatment groups were comparable with regard to patient characteristics. Pre- and postoperative complications (including mortality within 30 days) were similar in both groups. After a complete follow-up of 5 years, a tendency for reduction in the number of, and time to, occurrences of liver metastases was seen in the no-touch isolation group (P = 0.14). This effect was most obvious in the sigmoid colon with angio-invasive growth. Overall (P = 0.42) and corrected (P = 0.25) survival did not differ significantly among the treatment groups although in every analysis the survival data of the no-touch isolation group were superior. The data do suggest a limited benefit of the no-touch isolation technique. This observation is important since the morbidity and mortality of surgery were equal in both groups.

Highly selective vagotomy and serum gastrin levels.

Serum gastrin levels were measured preoperatively and at several intervals postoperatively in 262 patients who underwent highly selective vagotomy for duodenal ulcer. An increase of serum gastrin levels was demonstrated postoperatively in all patients, irrespective of sex, length of history, acid secretion data or recurrence. At several years postoperatively, a highly significant secondary rise in serum gastrin levels was observed, which corresponded well to recent physiologic and morphologic data. The most suitable explanation appeared to be that the proximal gastric vagotomy (vagotomy of the fundus and corpus) abolished the vagally mediated inhibition of the G-cells in the antrum (disinhibition of the oxyntopyloric reflex). The serum gastrin values were always higher and the secondary postoperative increase was earlier for patients who had taken cimetidine preoperatively. Contrary to traditional expectations, no correlation at all was found between serum gastrin levels and acid secretion data. Recurrence could not be predicted on the basis of serum gastrin levels.

Operative treatment of persistent lateral instability of the ankle--is it worse to sprain the ankle than to break it?

A series of 1600 patients suffering from injury to the lateral ligaments of the ankle were treated conservatively with plaster and bandages. In 35 cases the instability persisted and these patients required a Watson-Jones repair. This repair yielded a successful result in over 90% of cases.

[Lung hernia or pneumocele. Literature study and case report]. / Longhernia of pneumonocele. Literatuurstudie en case-report.

Case-report of a "spontaneous" rupture of intercostale muscles between the 7th and 8th ribs on the right side is presented. The case was combined with a herniation of the lung in the defect of the thoracic wall. Surgical treatment consisted of closure of the defect utilizing tissues in the immediate vicinity. Review of frequency, signs and therapy of lunghernia in literature.

Results of highly selective vagotomy in a non-university teaching hospital.

Clinical and laboratory results are presented of 229 patients treated by highly selective vagotomy for duodenal ulcer in a non-university teaching hospital. Sixty-two per cent of the operations were performed by residents as part of their training. After 1-8 years follow-up (97 per cent complete) there were 22 recurrences (9.6 per cent). The residents had fewer recurrences than the consultants, but their patients follow-up was shorter. The usual Visick grading is presented (1, 2: 83.5 per cent; 3, 4: 16.5 per cent) as well as an additional way of grading described by Visick in 1948 which suggests that 4 per cent appear to be permanent failures. Mortality rate was 0.4 per cent, complications rate was low and side effects were in general of minor importance. Laboratory results are presented showing that the basal acid output (BAO) was reduced permanently by 65 per cent, and the PAO by 50 per cent. In patients with recurrences BAO was not reduced and the PAO was less reduced than in the non-recurrence group. Metabolic parameters did not deteriorate. Basal serum gastrin rose after operation while serum vitamin B12 remained constant with a minimal tendency to decrease.