A human pilot study on positive electrostatic charge effects in solid tumors of the late-stage metastatic patients.

Background: Correlative interactions between electrical charges and cancer cells involve important unknown factors in cancer diagnosis and treatment. We previously reported the intrinsic suppressive effects of pure positive electrostatic charges (PEC) on the proliferation and metabolism of invasive cancer cells without any effect on normal cells in cell lines and animal models. The proposed mechanism was the suppression of pro-caspases 3 and 9 with an increase in Bax/Bcl2 ratio in exposed malignant cells and perturbation induced in the KRAS pathway of malignant cells by electrostatic charges due to the phosphate molecule electrostatic charge as the trigger of the pathway. This study aimed to examine PECs as a complementary treatment for patients with different types of solid metastatic tumors, who showed resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Methods: In this study, solid metastatic tumors of the end-stage patients (n = 41) with various types of cancers were locally exposed to PEC for at least one course of 12 days. The patient's signs and symptoms, the changes in their tumor size, and serum markers were followed up from 30 days before positive electrostatic charge treating (PECT) until 6 months after the study. Results: Entirely, 36 patients completed the related follow-ups. Significant reduction in tumor sizes and cancer-associated enzymes as well as improvement in cancer-related signs and symptoms and patients' lifestyles, without any side effects on other tissues or metabolisms of the body, were observed in more than 80% of the candidates. Conclusion: PECT induced significant cancer remission in combination with other therapies. Therefore, this non-ionizing radiation would be a beneficial complementary therapy, with no observable side effects of ionizing radiotherapy, such as post-radiation inflammation.

Fistulectomy and primary sphincteroplasty in complex anal fistula treatment: a hospital-based long-term follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: Currently, there is no agreement on the best treatment for complex anal fistulas with the least recurrence and lowest complication rate. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term recurrence and incontinence after fistulectomy and primary sphincteroplasty (FIPS) in a group of patients with complex perianal fistula. METHODS: This prospective observational study was done at the colorectal ward of Taleghani Hospital of Tehran from January 2010 to December 2020. Patients with anal fistula who underwent FIPS were studied. After surgery, patients were evaluated regularly by a colorectal surgeon for fistula recurrence and incontinence. Recurrence was described as a new fistula tract formation after the initial cure and failure of healing in the operation site or any purulent discharge from the fistula tract and openings. In addition, the patient's continence was assessed based on the Wexner score. RESULTS: There were 335 patients (66 men and 269 women, mean age 42.74 ± 12.44 years), 191 of them with low fistula and 144 with high fistula. Thirteen patients (3.90%) experienced recurrence (all had a low fistula). Thirty-nine patients (11.64%), 19 patients with high and 20 patients with low fistula, had a Wexner score ≥ 3 during the follow-up. Fifteen patients were lost to follow-up. Male patients (OR = 2.67, 95% CI 0.84, 8.45, p = 0.094, adjusted OR = 4.41, 95% CI 1.05, 18.48, p = 0.042), patients with low fistula (p = 0.001), and recurrent cases had a significantly higher rate of recurrence (OR = 10.38, 95% CI 3.24-33.20 p ≤ 0.001, adjusted OR = 23.36, 95% CI 4.35-125.39, p ≤ 0.001). A significant correlation between body mass index > 35 kg/m2 and incontinence was found (OR = 4.40, 95% CI 1.35, 14.33, p = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, an acceptable healing rate and a low percentage of complications following FIPS were seen in patients with complex anal fistula. Randomized clinical trials with appropriate follow-up duration and sample size comparing different surgical methods in these patients are needed to confirm these results.

The Clinical Efficacy of Infrared Photocoagulation Versus Closed Hemorrhoidectomy in Treatment of Hemorrhoid.

Introduction: Infrared photocoagulation (IRC) was introduced as a mainstay procedure for treatment of hemorrhoids. The present study aimed to compare the clinical efficacy of IRC compared to closed hemorrhoidectomy. Methods: Forty patients suffering grade-3 hemorrhoid that referred to the surgery clinic at Imam Hossein hospital in Tehran in 2013 were randomly assigned to groups treated with the IRC modality or Ferguson's closed hemorrhoidectomy method. The patients in the 2 groups were followed-up for the first 24 hours after surgery and 8 weeks later. Postoperative pain was assessed using visual analogue scale (VAS) at three time points of 24 hours, 2 weeks and 8 weeks after operation. Results: Regarding bleeding, its overall prevalence was 5.0% in the IRC group and 30.0% in the hemorrhoidectomy group, which was significantly less prevalent in the IRC group. Notably, the IRC group had a lower mean postoperative pain score compared to the hemorrhoidectomy group. Time of return to work was significantly shorter in the IRC group; no difference was found in the mean duration of hospital stay, and recurrence rate across 2 groups. Conclusion: IRC procedure is safer than closed hemorrhoidectomy with lower postoperative pain severity, less secondary bleeding, and leads to earlier return to work in patients with hemorrhoid.

Comparing the efficacy of preoperative magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography with intra-operative cholangiography in patients suspicious to biliary stones.

AIM: This study was performed to compare the efficacy of preoperative magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) and intra-operative cholangiography (IOC) methods in patients suspicious to gall stones. BACKGROUND: According to previous studies, it is recommended that common bile duct investigation should be done in order to rule out choledocholithiasis in all patients with symptomatic cholelithiasis. IOC is an invasive procedure with probable complications, it would seem that MRCP could replace the direct cholangiography. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a diagnostic clinical trial, Fifty-nine patients with symptomatic biliary stones or cholecystitis were recruited in this study. The included patients had normal size biliary ducts in sonography but high serum alkaline phosphatase level. Preoperative MRCP and IOC were performed for the patients and the obtained results were analyzed and compared. RESULTS: The positive predictive value for IOC was 88% and for MRCP was 43%. The diagnostic accuracy of IOC and MRCP were 98% and 85% respectively, suggesting that IOC is much more diagnostically accurate. There were no significant difference in specificity and sensitivity of these two methods. CONCLUSION: According to the results, we can conclude that MRCP may not obviate the need for IOC. The suggestion for routine use of MRCP instead of IOC and as a substitution of that procedure needs further investigations on more patients.