Modified Miccoli's thyroid surgery for thyroid diseases.

Minimally invasive video-assisted thyroidectomy (MIVAT), originally described by Miccoli, is considered to be the most widely practiced and easily reproducible procedure for selected patients with benign and/or malignant thyroid nodules. Modified techniques based on MIVAT, namely modified Miccoli's thyroid surgery (MMTS), were developed based on MIVAT. This study aimed to evaluate the preliminary results of MMTS compared with those of MIVAT. The enrolling criteria included a benign nodule <3.5 cm in diameter, a malignant tumor <2 cm, no previous neck surgery and no evidence of any suspected lymph node metastasis or local invasion. Unilateral lobectomy was considered for benign lesions and the additional dissection of central compartment (level VI) lymph nodes was applied for malignant disease. The modified techniques included carefully selecting the operative incision, expanding the operative space, embedding a drainage tube in situ and delicately suturing every layer inwards and crosswise, as well as measuring cervical motion. In addition to the comparison of surgical outcomes between MMTS and MIVAT, other surgical parameters, including operative time, blood loss, postoperative drainage, cosmetic satisfaction, peak angle of cervical rotation, length of hospitalization and complications, were retrospectively analyzed. A consecutive series of 70 patients, including 54 cases of benign and 16 cases of malignant disease, initially underwent MIVAT between April, 2008 and May, 2012, while 127 patients, including 98 benign and 29 malignant cases, subsequently underwent MMTS between September, 2011 and October, 2014. Patients who received MMTS exhibited significantly less blood loss (20.3±11.3 vs. 32.3±12.6 ml, P<0.01), lower volume of postoperative drainage (42.77±15.2 vs. 50.48±23.2 ml, P<0.01) and higher cosmetic satisfaction (94.6±3.5 vs. 88.9±2.7%, P<0.01), but a longer operative time (102±36 vs. 50.48±23.2 min, P<0.01) when compared with MIVAT. In addition, a better peak angle of cervical rotation (38.6±4.1° vs. 35.3±3.8°, P=0.25) and shorter length of hospitalization (4.25±1.08 vs. 4.51±1.30 days, P=0.52) was observed in the MMTS group, although the differences with the MIVAT group were not statistically significant. No complications were observed, apart from 2 cases of recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy and 1 case of transient hypocalcemia at the beginning of MIVAT. In conclusion, both MMST and MIVAT are safe and feasible methods of thyroidectomy; however, MMST is associated with less trauma and higher cosmetic satisfaction compared with MIVAT. Therefore, MMST may be used as a standard operative method and prospectively applicable for thyroidectomy, even for early-stage malignancies.

Portal-systemic myelopathy after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt creation: report of four cases.

The authors attempted to describe the clinical manifestations of portal-systemic myelopathy (PSM) after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) creation. PSM was developed in four of 212 (1.89%) patients who underwent TIPS procedures in our hospital. Three men and one woman, ranging in age from 41 to 56 years, with a history of posthepatitis cirrhosis and recurrent bleeding from gastroesophageal varices had intrahepatic shunts created with 10-mm-diameter Wallstents. Shunt patency was confirmed by color Doppler ultrasonography (US) in each patient after TIPS creation. Progressive spastic paraparesis involving the lower extremities occurred between 5 weeks and 5 months after TIPS creation in the four patients. Neurologic examination showed evidence of spasticity in all cases, with ankle clonus, extensor plantar responses, and lower extremity hyperreflexia. All sensory modalities remained intact. Cytologic examination of cerebrospinal fluid from each patient was normal. There was no evidence of spinal cord compression on the imaging studies. PSM is a rare syndrome that includes spastic paraparesis with intact sensation. Initially noted in patients who have undergone surgical placement of a portacaval shunt, it also may occur after TIPS creation.

Isolated lower extremity chemotherapeutic infusion for treatment of osteosarcoma: experimental study and preliminary clinical report.

PURPOSE: To increase the dose of drug delivered to a tumor while maintaining tolerable systemic side effects, an interventional technique of isolated lower extremity infusion was investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Experiments were performed in eight dogs. Four dogs were treated by a combination of intraarterial (IA) femoral cisplatin infusion at a dose of 2.0 mg/kg with drug removal from the ipsilateral extremity venous blood by a dialyzer. The other four dogs comprised the control group. In these animals, left femoral arterial IA cisplatin infusion was performed without dialysis. Leukocyte and platelet counts, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels, and serum creatinine levels were recorded before and after the treatment. Subsequently, two human patients with inoperable osteosarcoma were treated with the isolated infusion. RESULTS: In the experiments, 85%-90% of the free platinum that entered the dialyzer was removed. The peak systemic plasma cisplatin concentrations in animals undergoing dialysis were reduced by 81.25% compared to those in animals undergoing femoral IA infusion without hemodialysis. There were no significant changes in the hematologic profiles or BUN and serum creatinine levels in the experimental animals. However, in the control group, all dogs developed myelosuppression and severe renal toxicity after IA infusion of the same dose of cisplatin. Clinically, immediate relief of symptoms related to the primary tumor was achieved in both human patients after the combination of isolated IA infusion and embolotherapy. CONCLUSION: Single-pass hemodialysis removed a significant amount of cisplatin after regional IA infusion, reduced systemic toxicity, and permitted survival of the experimental animals. In two patients with osteosarcoma, percutaneous isolated lower extremity chemotherapeutic infusion therapy and embolotherapy were performed safely with partial responses.

Delayed complications after esophageal stent placement for treatment of malignant esophageal obstructions and esophagorespiratory fistulas.

PURPOSE: To evaluate delayed complications after esophageal expandable metallic stent placement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From April 1993 to December 1997, 90 expandable metallic stents were placed in 82 consecutive patients with inoperable malignant esophageal obstruction (n = 49) or malignant esophagorespiratory fistula (n = 33). Stents used included covered Gianturco-Rosch Z stents (n = 20), Wallstents (covered, n = 31; uncovered, n = 13), and Ultraflex stents (covered, n = 8; uncovered, n = 10). Patients were followed prospectively and monitored for delayed complications, defined as major (hemorrhage, tracheal compression, stent migration, perforation or fistula formation, granulomatous obstruction, tumor ingrowth and overgrowth, funnel phenomenon, and stent covering disruption) or minor (reflux, chest pain, and food impaction). RESULTS: Mean survival was 4.5 months after stent placement (range, 3 weeks to 26 months). The overall incidence of delayed complications was 64.6%, with 17 patients (20.7%) experiencing more than one complication. The rates of delayed complications in patients with Z stents, Wallstents, and Ultraflex stents were 75.0%, 68.1%, and 44.4%, respectively (P <.05). Most complications were life-threatening and occurred more frequently when stents were placed in the proximal third of the esophagus, compared with more distally (P <.05). Thirteen patients (15.9%) died from complications directly related to stent placement. CONCLUSION: Esophageal stent placement for malignant obstruction or fistula is associated with a substantial incidence of delayed complications.

Scimitar syndrome in infancy.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to determine the anatomic and physiological factors most responsible for the severe symptoms and poor prognosis of infants with scimitar syndrome. BACKGROUND: Whereas the diagnosis of scimitar syndrome is often made incidentally in older children and adults who undergo chest radiography for diverse reasons, infants in whom the diagnosis is made typically present with severe symptoms and have a poor prognosis. METHODS: The clinical, catheterization and imaging data of 13 consecutive infants with scimitar syndrome who underwent cardiac catheterization in the 1st 6 months of life were reviewed, with emphasis on the pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary and cardiovascular anatomy, therapeutic interventions and outcome. RESULTS: Twelve of the 13 infants had pulmonary hypertension at the time of diagnosis. Six patients died despite specific treatment. Eleven of 13 infants had associated cardiac malformations and 9 had large systemic arterial collateral channels to the right lung. Seven patients had anomalies involving the left side of the heart, especially varying degrees of hypoplasia of the left heart or aorta, and six of these patients died. Ten patients underwent surgical or transcatheter therapy in the 1st year of life. Systemic arteries to the right lung were ligated in three patients and occluded by transcatheter embolization in four. Balloon angioplasty was carried out in two patients, one with stenosis of the left-sided pulmonary veins and one with stenosis of the anomalous right pulmonary vein. The latter had placement of a balloon-expandable stent. In both patients, pulmonary vein stenosis progressed. Six patients had surgical repair of associated cardiovascular anomalies, and two required repair of extracardiac congenital anomalies. Occlusion of the anomalous systemic arteries was generally associated with clinical improvement, but congestive heart failure and pulmonary hypertension recurred in those patients with associated cardiovascular anomalies, whose condition subsequently responded after correction of the shunt lesions. CONCLUSIONS: The severe symptoms and pulmonary hypertension found in infants with scimitar syndrome have many causes. Anomalous systemic arterial supply, pulmonary vein stenosis and associated cardiovascular anomalies play a significant role, and the ultimate outcome of individual infants depends on the feasibility of treating these anomalies in early infancy.

Air bronchogram in differential diagnosis of small peripheral lung cancers on CT image.

The computed tomographic (CT) images of 52 patients of small peripheral lung nodule < 3 cm proved pathologically were reviewed. Air bronchogram (AB) was found in 14 nodules on thin-section CT images, in which well or moderately differentiated small adenocarcinomas were only seen with lipidic growth. Squamous-cell, large-cell carcinomas and small benign lung nodules had no AB sign both on CT image and in pathologic specimens.

Comparison of reduced and oxidized yeast iso-1-cytochrome c using proton paramagnetic shifts.

Dipolar paramagnetic shifts for protons of yeast iso-1-cytochrome c have been calculated by using an optimized g-tensor and the X-ray crystallographic coordinates of the reduced form of yeast iso-1-cytochrome c [Louie, G. V., & Brayer, G. D. (1990) J. Mol. Biol. 214, 527-555]. The calculated values are compared with the observed paramagnetic shift determined from over 450 nonequivalent protons that have been assigned in both oxidation states [Gao, Y., Boyd, J., Williams, R. J. P., & Pielak, G. J. (1990) Biochemistry 29, 6994-7003]. There is good agreement between the calculated and the experimental data with a few exceptions. This indicates that, overall, the solution structures must be very similar in both the reduced and oxidized states in solution as is the case in crystals. The differences between observed and calculated shift values for the molecule in solution are most readily explained by slight movement of the heme and certain changes in diamagnetic shift due to small rearrangements of a few residues and some considerable changes in a few hydrogen bonds. It is also known that small differences exist between the structures of the two oxidation states in crystals but the hydrogen-bond changes are not so easily observed there. Structural changes from nuclear magnetic resonance data are in reasonable agreement with those deduced from crystallography, but additional information is clearly available concerning changes in hydrogen bonding.