Carcinoid tmour of the common bile duct: report of a case and a review of the literature.

Carcinoid tumours of the common bile duct are extremely rare lesions. In this article we report a case with an extrahepatic bile duct carcinoid tumour. A 40-year-old woman suffered from biliary colic and jaundice. Pre-operative computed tomography demonstrated a tumour in the biliary tract. At laparotomy there was a tumour invading the common bile duct. Common bile duct resection was performed. Carcinoid tumour of the common bile duct was diagnosed histopathologically. For extrahepatic bile duct carcinoid tumours surgical resection is the only treatment modality that offers a chance to provide a cure and prolonged disease-free survival. The favourable histopathological and biological features of these tumours encouraged the surgeons to use more aggressive approaches for advanced disease.

Signet ring cell carcinoma of the breast as a source of pelvic floor metastatic mass. A case report.

Primary signet ring cell carcinoma of the breast is a very rare tumour. We present a case with pure signet ring cell carcinoma of the breast, which was recognized as metastasis on the pelvic floor, before developing breast symptoms and signs. A 40-year old woman was admitted with abdominal pain. First diagnostic effort revealed a cystic mass on the pelvic floor, compressing the colon and other neighbouring organs. A biopsy of the pelvic mass was performed. The histopathological examination revealed metastatic signet-ring cell carcinoma. At the time of the first operation, the mammary glands were not suspicious. No other sources of primary tumour were evidenced. An inflammatory sign developed in right breast two months after biopsy of the pelvic metastasis. The histopathology of the breast incisional biopsy revealed primary pure signet ring cell carcinoma of the breast. Because the oestrogen and progesterone receptor were negative in the tumoral tissue, the patient underwent chemotherapy followed by modified radical mastectomy, chemotherapy, and palliative resection of the metastatic mass. The patient was followed up for eight months. To our knowledge, in English literature, we believe that this case is the first report of signet ring cell carcinoma of the breast presenting with pelvic floor metastasis without breast sign.

Effects of obstructive jaundice on the peripheral nerve: an ultrastructural study in rats.

Obstructive jaundice (OJ) and hepatic disorders have been shown to be associated with peripheral neuropathy in several clinical studies. The study evaluated the effect of OJ on the ultrastructure of the rat sciatic nerve. In the OJ group, jaundice was created by ligation of common bile duct in Wistar-Albino rats. In the sham-operated control group the same procedure was performed without ligation of the bile duct. On day 7, all rats were re-operated and sciatic nerves were explored to harvest 2-cm-long nerve segments for quantitative and qualitative histopathological analysis by light and electron microscopy. Bilirubin was measured on serum samples. Bilirubin levels were significantly higher in jaundiced rats compared with that of controls (8.46 +/- 0.45 vs. 0.80 +/- 0.14 mmol/l, means +/- SD, p < 0.01). Control nerves did not show anything other than the normal histology. In the OJ group, degenerative changes such as irregularities, thinning, ruffling and invaginations, irregularshaped bodies, vacuolizations and focal segmental demyelination were observed in the myelin sheath. Myelin clusters were noted in the axoplasm. A varying degree of swelling was noted in the nucleus and cytoplasm of the Schwann cells. Morphometric analysis of specimens obtained from sciatic nerves showed that myelin injury (370.9 +/- 51.3 vs. 11.6 +/- 0.5 axons), axonal edema (142.1 +/- 24.2 vs. 10.6 +/- 0.5 edematous axons) and Schwann cell degeneration (50.3 +/- 11.6 vs. 3.2 +/- 0.2 Schwann cells) was significantly higher in the jaundiced rats than in the control group (p < 0.01). The ultrastructural alterations spotted in the rat peripheral nerve were attributed to hyperbilirubinemia and increased concentrations of several neurotoxic substances released from the Kupffer cells in OJ. Neuropathy in jaundiced patients seems to result from accompanying degenerative changes in the peripheral nervous system. However, the exact nature and initiating factors of this nerve injury remains to be unveiled.

[Effect of antithrombin-III (AT-III) on intestinal epithelium changes related to obstructive icterus: experimental study in rats]. / Etude de l'effet de l'antithrombine-III (AT-III) sur les modifications de l'épithélium intestinal liées à l'ictère obstructif: étude expérimentale chez le rat.

PURPOSE: Bacterial translocation leading to sepsis is increased by obstructive jaundice(OJ). Antithrombin III (ATIII) mediates the promotion of prostaglandin release, an inhibitor of leucocyte activation and downregulator of many proinflammatory cytokines. We investigated the effect of ATIII on histopatology and villus morphology of small intestine. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We designed an experimental study with 40 rats who were divided into four groups. The first one (control, n = 10) received saline, the second (n = 10) included normal rats who received ATIII, the third group (n = 10) was rats with OJ (ligation of common bile duct), and the fourth group included OJ rats receiving AT-III. AT-III (100 UI/kg intraperitoneally) was started at the third day following bile duct ligation and repeated for 5 days. At the 8 day, rats were scarified and ileum was analysed. Histopathological assessments were performed, using a grading scheme ranging from 0 to 10 (Chui et al). RESULTS: Median histological score was found to be 2 in group 1, 1.71 in group 2, 5.43 in group 3 and 2.71 in group 4. The difference between group 3 and 4 was statistically significant. Mucosal thicknesses and villus lengths were found significantly lower in OJ group. Mucosal thicknesses and villus lengths were significantly preserved in jaundiced + AT-III group. CONCLUSION: ATIII demonstrated a salutary effect on the histopathological changes caused by the OJ and prevented the adverse effects on histopathological and morphological parameters in ileal mucosa.

Sonographic findings in intussusception caused by a lipoma in the muscular layer of the colon.

Lipomas of the gastrointestinal tract are uncommon tumors. Almost all gastrointestinal lipomas are submucosal or subserosal, and most are asymptomatic, although they may cause abdominal pain, bowel obstruction, and gastrointestinal bleeding. The diagnosis of gastrointestinal lipoma is usually not made before surgery. We present a case of colonic intussusception caused by a lipoma that was located in the muscular layer of the colon and was diagnosed preoperatively by sonography. The descending colon appeared edematous and thick. There was layering within the lumen of the descending colon, mimicking the target sign. At the distal end of the intussusception, there was a 4.7-cm, hyperechoic, rounded lesion with a smooth margin. Surgery revealed a polypoid mass originating from the splenic flexure and causing intussusception of the colon, and pathologic analysis confirmed the diagnosis of lipoma of the muscular layer of the colon.

Surgical treatment of intrabiliary rupture of hydatid cysts of liver: comparison of choledochoduodenostomy with T-tube drainage.

BACKGROUND: Intrabiliary rupture is one of the most serious complications of liver hydatid cysts (LHC). The kind of surgery for these patients is still controversial. T-tube drainage and choledochoduodenostomy (CD) are used by most of the surgeons. But there is no comparative study in the literature. METHODS: Eighty patients with symptomatic intrabiliary rupture were treated between 1980 and 1995. All patients had jaundice. In addition to treatment of the cyst cavity, T-tube drainage of the common bile duct (CBD) was performed in 53 patients, 25 patients underwent a CD for biliary drainage and two patients were treated by a T-tube placed in the CBD without treating the cyst. The T-tube drainage and CD groups were compared in regard to morbidity, mortality, duration of the operation, rate of relaparatomy and duration of postoperative hospital stay. RESULTS: The morbidity rate was 40% (10/25) after CD and 18.1% (10/55) after T-tube drainage. Relaparatomy was necessary in 8% (2/25) and 1.8% (1/55) of patients treated with CD and T-tube drainage, respectively. T-tube drainage was performed much more rapidly than CD (p < 0.05). The length of hospital stay for both groups was the same. One patient who was treated with CD died postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that T-tube drainage is superior to CD for intrabiliary rupture of LHC in most cases.

The effect of granulocyte colony stimulating factor on the immune parameters in experimental obstructive jaundice.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Obstructive jaundice is an important clinical problem. It may cause complications such as renal insufficiency, cardiovascular sequels, coagulation defects, gastrointestinal bleeding, delayed wound healing, secondary biliary cirrhosis and sepsis. We investigated the effect of GM-CSF on immunological parameters in the experimental obstructive jaundice. METHODOLOGY: In our experimental study we studied four groups that consisted of 28 rats. The 1st group consisted of sham rats, the 2nd group consisted of sham and GM-CSF applied rats and the 3rd and 4th groups consisted of rats that had obstructive jaundice. In the 4th group we applied 4 micrograms/kg GM-CSF subcutaneously to the rats for 7 days. We measured the levels of neutrophils, lymphocytes, leukocytes, interferon-alpha, CD32, CD34 and CD64 in all groups. RESULTS: In the jaundice group neutrophil, lymphocyte and leukocyte counts were found to be significantly lower compared to the other groups (P < 0.005). interferon-alpha and CD levels were found to be lower in the jaundice group compared to the other groups. In the GM-CSF applied jaundice group neutrophils, lymphocytes, leukocytes and interferon-alpha levels were found to be higher. CD34- CD64 levels were insignificantly increased in the GM-CSF group whereas CD32 levels were significantly increased. CONCLUSIONS: We believe that in the prevention of serious septic complications which have a high mortality risk, GM-CSF application to restore the macrophage-neutrophil functions should be supported by advanced clinical studies.

Randomised clinical trial of two bypass operations for unresectable cancer of the pancreatic head.

OBJECTIVE: To compare two different types of prophylactic gastric bypass in patients with cancer of the pancreatic head who were not suitable for curative resection. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: University hospital, Turkey. SUBJECTS: 44 patients with unresectable cancer of the pancreatic head without duodenal obstruction who presented between May 1995 and June 2000 who were randomised into 2 groups. INTERVENTIONS: 22 patients had an antecolic, isoperistaltic gastrojejunostomy, jejunojejunostomy, and hepaticojejunostomy after cholecystectomy. The remaining 22 had a hepaticojejunostomy and antecolic, antiperistaltic gastrojejunostomy procedure after cholecystectomy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Mortality, morbidity, postoperative course, and survival. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the groups in the incidence of postoperative complications, time until restoration of oral diet, relaparotomy rate, late upper gastrointestinal bleeding, mortality, duration of hospital stay, and survival. The isoperistaltic operation took significantly longer than the antiperistaltic operation (p < 0.001) and there was less delayed gastric emptying in the antiperistaltic group but not significantly so. Both operations caused a significant lengthening in the postoperative gastric emptying time (p = 0.04 and p = 0.01, respectively). CONCLUSION: Both procedures are suitable for patients with unresectable carcinoma of the pancreatic head without impending duodenal obstruction. There was a trend towards better clinical results with the isoperistaltic procedure.

Palliative decompression of obstructive hilar malignancies utilizing an extrahilar biliary approach.

Hilar cancers carry a dismal prognosis. Palliation of obstructive jaundice in patients with hilar cancer can be achieved by either surgical or nonsurgical means. Selection of the appropriate palliative measures is a challenging problem. Segmental bilioenteric anastomosis procedures were performed on 19 patients with hilar cancer. Seventeen of the bypasses were done to the segment III duct, known as the ligamentum teres approach, and two bypasses were to the segment V duct. Five patients, who had already been stented percutaneously or endoscopically, were operated on after the stents were clogged and a duodenal obstruction ensued. There were two postoperative deaths (10.5%) and four postoperative complications (21%). All of the 17 surviving patients experienced improvement in the level of jaundice postoperatively and the levels of serum total and direct bilirubin decreased by 78.9% and 84.2%, respectively. Two patients developed late cholangitis before death and were treated by external biliary drainage; one developed duodenal obstruction and was treated by gastrointestinal anastomosis. The mean length of hospital stay was 15.2 days. Mean survival was 8.2 months and the mean period of well-being was 7.8 months. Median survival was 7 months and median period of well being was 7 months. Three patients are still alive at 8, 8, and 24 months. These data suggest that the ligamentum teres approach offers effective palliation for patients with unresectable hilar cancer.

High-level disinfection with 2% alkalinized glutaraldehyde solution for reuse of laparoscopic disposable plastic trocars.

The reusability of disposable plastic trocars after high-level disinfection by alkalinized 2% glutaraldehyde solution was examined in a prospective study from the point of view of infection risk in order to determine the safety and economic benefits. For this purpose, 45 laparoscopic cholecystectomy cases were analyzed microbiologically and clinically. In 30 cases, trocars subjected to 15 min of disinfection by glutaraldehyde were used. In the remaining 15 cases, new trocars were used and a control group was established. In total, eight culture samples were taken from trocars, laparoscope (as it is disinfected by the same method), glutaraldehyde solution and umbilicus of the patients preoperatively; and from the bile in the gallbladder, peritoneal lavage fluid, and epigastric and umbilical incisions postoperatively. Only one of the disinfected trocars yielded a culture-positive result. No culture-positive results were found in the samples taken from laparoscope, glutaraldehyde, and epigastric incisions. Culture-positive results were obtained in 11 cases at the umbilicus, in one case at the peritoneal lavage and in one case at the umbilical incision. None of the patients had infection at the wound site or intra-abdominally. In conclusion, we have shown that disposable plastic trocars subjected to high-level disinfection can be reused safely without infection risk and that cost can be reduced.