Surgical methods and clinical results of subfascial endoscopic perforator surgery in Japan.

OBJECTIVES: To clarify the surgical methods and the clinical results of subfascial endoscopic perforator surgery in Japan. METHODS: This study included 1287 limbs of 1091 patients who underwent subfascial endoscopic perforator surgery in 14 hospitals. Simultaneous saphenous vein treatment was performed in 1079 limbs (83.8%), and 118 limbs (9.2%) had deep venous lesions. The venous clinical severity score was calculated before and 6 to 12 months after surgery. The ulcer healing rate and ulcer recurrence rate were calculated cumulatively. RESULTS: Preoperative venous clinical severity score was significantly decreased from 10.0 ± 6.6 to 3.1 ± 3.4 ( P < .0001) postoperatively. The primary ulcer healing rate was 96.2% (332/345 C6 limbs) at an average follow-up of 47.7 months, and the ulcer recurrence rate was 12.0% (49/393 C5, C6 limbs) at the average follow-up of 46.0 months after the ulcer healed. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that subfascial endoscopic perforator surgery is an alternative to improve the long-lasting disease severity and/or clinical outcome.

Analysis of Deep Posterior Anal Fistulas by Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Site of Primary Abscess and Extension Patterns According to the Primary Abscess Depth.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to elucidate the site and depth of the primary abscesses associated with deep posterior anal fistulas and their extension patterns. METHODS: We analyzed 176 consecutive patients with deep posterior anal fistulas and classified the fistulas according to whether the MRI-detected site of the primary abscess was at a superficial or a deep external anal sphincter (EAS) level. RESULTS: The distance between the anal center and the primary abscess center was significantly shorter than the length of the EAS and radius at an angle of 45°. In addition, deep posterior anal fistulas with primary abscesses located at the deep EAS level penetrated the EAS significantly more laterally and made external openings at a significantly more lateral site than when the primary abscess was located at a superficial EAS level. CONCLUSIONS: Primary abscesses associated with deep posterior anal fistulas are located in the posterior intersphincteric space or in the EAS muscle itself, not in Courtney's space, as had previously been claimed.

Rotation of Magnetization Derived from Brownian Relaxation in Magnetic Fluids of Different Viscosity Evaluated by Dynamic Hysteresis Measurements over a Wide Frequency Range.

The dependence of magnetic relaxation on particle parameters, such as the size and anisotropy, has been conventionally discussed. In addition, the influences of external conditions, such as the intensity and frequency of the applied field, the surrounding viscosity, and the temperature on the magnetic relaxation have been researched. According to one of the basic theories regarding magnetic relaxation, the faster type of relaxation dominates the process. However, in this study, we reveal that Brownian and Néel relaxations coexist and that Brownian relaxation can occur after Néel relaxation despite having a longer relaxation time. To understand the mechanisms of Brownian rotation, alternating current (AC) hysteresis loops were measured in magnetic fluids of different viscosities. These loops conveyed the amplitude and phase delay of the magnetization. In addition, the intrinsic loss power (ILP) was calculated using the area of the AC hysteresis loops. The ILP also showed the magnetization response regarding the magnetic relaxation over a wide frequency range. To develop biomedical applications of magnetic nanoparticles, such as hyperthermia and magnetic particle imaging, it is necessary to understand the mechanisms of magnetic relaxation.

Lymphoepithelial cyst of the pancreas associated with elevated CA 19-9 levels.

An extremely rare case of a lymphoepithelial cyst associated with persistent elevation of serum carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 levels is described. A 72-year-old man was incidentally found to have a cystic tumor in the uncus of the pancreas and to have a high serum CA 19-9 level. At 2-year follow up, the tumor size had gradually increased and the high CA 19-9 level persisted. Because the malignant potential of the tumor could not be ruled out, a laparotomy was performed. The tumor was excised from the pancreas. On pathological examination, the tumor was proven to be a lymphoepithelial cyst. After the operation, the patient's serum CA 19-9 level decreased to the normal range. Lymphoepithelial cysts of the pancreas are a rare, benign entity. They are true pancreatic cysts, characterized by a mature, keratinizing, squamous lining surrounded by lymphoid tissue. Because the treatment options and the prognosis of these entities are quite different from those of other cystic neoplasms of the pancreas, preoperative differential diagnosis is the main issue. Thus, although they are rare, lymphoepithelial cysts should be considered in the differential diagnosis of cystic tumors of the pancreas.

Surgical resection combined with CHOP chemotherapy plus rituximab for a patient with advanced mesenteric diffuse large B cell lymphoma.

Herein is described a mesenteric diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) case with a bulky mass which had achieved a complete remission by the combination therapy of a surgical resection and the CHOP chemotherapy with rituximab. A 78 year old man was referred to the Rakuwakai-Otowa Hospital due to a left lower abdominal tumor. Abdominal CT and MRI showed a bowel-like mass in the left lower abdominal cavity. Abdominal US revealed lymph node swellings at the paraaortic region. By the gastro-duodenoscopy, DLBCL of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was proven at the 2nd portion of the duodenum. On laparotomy, a mass of 8x8cm in size was found at the mesenterium of the ileum, which directly invaded the ileum and the sigmoid mesocolon. A partial resection of the ileum and the sigmoid colon was performed. After the operation, it was determined to be Stage IV DLBCL and the chemotherapy based on the R-CHOP regimen was performed. The regimen was repeated to the 6th course. During the chemotherapy, he was confirmed to have achieved a complete remission. The present case is a rare case in which a Stage IV mesenteric DLBCL with extensive bulky masses had a favorable prognosis. Stage IV mesenteric DLBCLs with extensive bulky masses are thought to be the indication for the combination therapy of surgical resection and multiagent chemotherapy with rituximab.

The role of prophylactic bilateral oophorectomy at the time of initial diagnosis of a unilateral ovarian metastasis in cases with colorectal adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: In cases with a macroscopic unilateral ovarian metastasis of colorectal adenocarcinoma, a clear therapeutic policy regarding a prophylactic bilateral oophorectomy is lacking. METHODOLOGY: Four cases of ovarian metastases of colorectal adenocarcinoma are presented. RESULTS: Case 1 is a 63-year-old with ascending colon carcinoma, Dukes' C, and right oophorectomy due to metachronous ovarian metastasis. Case 2 is a 28-year-old with transverse colon carcinoma, Dukes' D, and right oophorectomy due to synchronous ovarian metastasis. Case 3 is a 40-year-old with rectal carcinoma, Dukes' B, and right oophorectomy due to metachronous ovarian metastasis. Case 4 is a 32-year-old with rectal carcinoma, Dukes' D, and bilateral oophorectomy due to synchronous and metachronous ovarian metastases. Later, in cases 1 and 3, in which a unilateral ovary was preserved, ovarian metastases to the preserved ovary were found and caused severe clinical symptoms. However, by that time their general condition did not permit any additional laparotomy. CONCLUSIONS: Without other extensive metastases, if demonstrable diseases are found in a unilateral ovary, a prophylactic bilateral oophorectomy is recommended.

Synchronous mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma and gastrointestinal stromal tumor of the stomach presenting with gastric bleeding.

We report an extraordinarily rare case of synchronous mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma and gastrointestinal stromal tumor of the stomach. An 80-year-old man presented with gastric bleeding. Gastroscopy showed an ulcerative lesion and a submucosal tumor at the upper corpus of the stomach. The ulcerative lesion was proven by biopsy to be mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma, but the submucosal tumor could not be diagnosed. Due to the repeating episodes of massive gastric bleeding, a total gastrectomy with lymphadenectomy was performed. After the operation, the submucosal tumor was pathologically proven to be a gastrointestinal stromal tumor. In this case, synchronous occurrence of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma and gastrointestinal stromal tumor seems to be coincidental rather than related with the same pathogenic triggering. Surgical resection of the stomach provided an accurate diagnosis and an effective treatment.

Successful sphincter-sparing local excision for mucinous adenocarcinoma associated with chronic fistula in ano using preoperative MRI evaluation.

A 78-year-old man with a 10-year history of ischiorectal abscess was referred to our hospital because purulent drainage from an external opening changed to mucoid drainage. By the brushing cytology of fistula ano, mucinous adenocarcinoma was found. T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) indicated that a mucinous adenocarcinoma was localized within the abscess and the fistula, and was not invasive neoplasm. He underwent a sphincter-sparing local excision of the ischiorectal abscess including the fistula and openings. The pathological findings indicated that mucinous adenocarcinoma arose from anal glands, developed lining the preexisting abscess and fistula wall. Five years after the resection, he remains asymptomatic and free of disease. From the present case, it is advisable that a high index of clinical suspicion in any elderly patient presenting with perirectal abscess and a major impact of the MRI evaluation on the perioperative assessment of perianal diseases should be emphasized.

Successfully-treated mesenteric non-Hodgkin's lymphoma involving hepatic mass--a case report.

A mesenteric diffuse large B-cell lymphoma which also involves the liver is very rare. We describe herein a mesenteric diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with hepatic involvement successfully treated by the combination of surgical resection and multiagent chemotherapy. A 77-year-old man was referred to our hospital because of a right lower abdominal tumor. Abdominal computed tomography showed a mass in the mesenterium at the ileocoecal region and multiple mass in the liver. Gallium scintigram showed focal hot uptake at the ileocoecal region and multiple areas of increased Gallium uptake in the liver. With the diagnosis of a mesenteric tumor with liver metastases, a laparotomy was performed. By an intraoperative pathological examination, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was suggested. The mesenteric mass was completely resected, but additional operative procedures were not done to the liver. After the operation, the patient was determined to have Stage IVB diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and chemotherapy based on the CHOP-like regimen was given. After the 8th course of such chemotherapy, he was confirmed to have achieved a complete remission by abdominal computed tomography and Gallium scintigram.The Stage IV mesenteric diffuse large B-cell lymphoma involving the liver seems to be an indication for combination therapy of surgical resection and multiagent chemotherapy.

Huge pseudocyst of the pancreas caused by poorly differentiated invasive ductal adenocarcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells: report of a case.

A 72-year-old man presented with several week's abdominal distension and jaundice. Under the tentative diagnosis of pancreatic pseudocyst of 22cm in diameter, a percutaneous drainage was performed. Despite the reduction of the pseudocyst, his serum total bilirubin level was increased. At this time, abdominal computed tomography scan showed a tumor at the uncinate process of the pancreas. After the biliary decompression, a total pancreatectomy with the resection of pseudocyst walls and splenectomy was performed. It was histologically proven to be poorly differentiated ductal adenocarcinoma in combination with osteoclast-like giant cells. The pseudocyst was considered to be due to the stenosis of the main pancreatic duct caused by carcinoma of the uncinate process. Five months later, he died of recurrent carcinomatous peritonitis. Osteoclast-like giant cell tumor is a very rare neoplasm, the origin and prognosis of which still remain obscure. However, it has to be considered in the differential diagnosis of cystic changes of the pancreas, especially of pseudocyst. Furthermore, detailed surveys are needed in cases of pseudocyst of the pancreas without chronic pancreatitis, in order to identify small carcinoma of the pancreas.

Nonfunctioning pancreatic endocrine tumor presenting with hemorrhage from isolated gastric varices.

Hemorrhage from gastric varices due to left-sided portal hypertension is an unusual presentation for pancreatic endocrine tumor. A case of pancreatic endocrine tumor presenting with gastric variceal hemorrhage secondary to left-sided portal hypertension associated with splenic vein occlusion is presented. A 53-year-old man with hemorrhage from isolated gastric varices was referred to our hospital. Laboratory studies revealed normal liver function. Surveys to identify the cause of gastric varices by an abdominal CT, MRCP, and abdominal angiography revealed splenic vein occlusion secondarily attributed to the pancreatic tail tumor and splenomegaly. The pancreatic tumor was suspected to be a resectable endocrine tumor. A distal pancreatectomy, splenectomy, partial resection of the gastric fundus, and limited lymph node dissection were performed. By the histological examination, the diagnosis of nonfunctioning pancreatic endocrine tumor with malignant potential was determined. Three years after the surgery, the patient is doing well and reveals no sign of recurrence. In this case, the unusual presentation for pancreatic endocrine tumors such as a gastric variceal hemorrhage had an advantage that led to early presentation prior to the development of metastases with possible curative surgery.

Perioperative changes in carbonylhemoglobin and methemoglobin during abdominal surgery: alteration in endogenous generation of carbon monoxide.

BACKGROUND: Carbon monoxide (CO), which is homologous to nitric oxide (NO) as a monoxide, has been recently studied as a novel gaseous mediator for the maintenance of circulatory homeostasis and as a regulator of organ functions. Abdominal surgery is supposed to modulate the gaseous mediator by the reduction of heme oxygenase (HO) activity or transcriptional regulation of inducible HO. Therefore, we investigated perioperative changes in CO generation during abdominal surgery. METHODS: A total of 397 patients who received abdominal surgery under intubation anesthesia were studied retrospectively by spectrophotometric analysis of carbonylhemoglobin (COHb) and methemoglobin (metHb) in arterial blood obtained at three points: before operation; several hours after return from operation room (0 POD); and next morning (1 POD). Thirty-three splenectomies, 36 hepatectomies and 42 drainages with control of infection focus for peritonitis were compared with 286 controls. The influences of smoking and blood transfusion were disregarded in the analysis, because smoking and blood transfusion were shown to increase exogenous and endogenous CO, respectively. RESULTS: In the non-smoker control group without blood transfusion, COHb did not change during the perioperative period, while metHb increased from the preoperative value of 0.52 +/- 0.03 to 0.72 +/- 0.02 at 0 POD and returned to 0.45 +/- 0.03 mg/dL at 1 POD. In the splenectomy group, COHb decreased from the preoperative value of 1.63 +/- 0.36 to 1.19 +/- 0.20 and 1.13 +/- 0.26 mg/dL at 0 and 1 POD, respectively, as a result of the removal of the organ with high HO activity. In the splenectomy group MetHb remained low: 0.47 +/- 0.09 mg/dL at 0 POD as compared with the control value. In the peritonitis and hepatectomy groups, COHb did not change during the perioperative period, while metHb increased to 0.64 +/- 0.06 and 0.73 +/- 0.10 mg/dL at 1 POD, respectively, as compared with the control value. In the hepatectomy group with or without blood transfusion, however, COHb and metHb were higher at 1 POD than the corresponding control value. CONCLUSION: Changes in COHb and metHb concentrations in arterial blood occur during abdominal surgery, although these amplitudes are small when compared with CO intoxication and methemoglobulinemia. It is likely that organ perfusion and functions are affected by these monoxide gas mediators during abdominal surgery.

Tumor thrombi in the portal vein system originating from gastrointestinal tract cancer.

Intraluminal tumor thrombus in the portal vein (PV) system originating from gastrointestinal (GI) tract cancer is a rare condition. There are two types of such thrombi, one arising indirectly from metastatic liver cancer and the other directly from the primary lesion. We report here three patients with the direct type and two with the indirect type; i.e., a total of five patients with gastric or large intestinal cancer with PV tumor thrombus. In all patients, the primary lesion was surgically resected; in two patients, the tumor thrombus was easily extirpated by direct opening of the PV. It is noteworthy that a patient whose tumor thrombus could not be treated died of cancer with liver failure, caused by expansive growth of the PV tumor thrombus, 4 months after the finding of the PV thrombus. Because PV tumor thrombus may, possibly, determine the patient's length of survival, in addition to causing cancer progression, surgical thrombectomy, combined with resection of the primary cancer and metastatic liver cancer, should be considered for prolongation of survival, if all macroscopic lesions can be controlled and if the tumor thrombus is a synchronous and recent one.