Endoscopic parathyroidectomy: report of an initial experience.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative localization of parathyroid lesions and intraoperative quick parathyroid hormone (PTH) assay have been proposed to minimize the extent of operation in primary hyperparathyroidism. To this purpose, endoscopic procedures have been introduced recently. METHODS: During a period of 13 months, 39 of 65 consecutive patients with primary hyperparathyroidism were selected for endoscopic parathyroidectomy on the basis of the following criteria: preoperative echographic diagnosis of a single adenoma, absence of nodular goiter, and no prior neck operations. Unilateral neck exploration and excision of the adenoma was performed through a gasless procedure combined with intraoperative PTH measurements. Mean follow-up after the operation was 7 months (range 1 to 13 months). RESULTS: Thirty-nine parathyroid adenomas were removed; the mean diameter was 21 mm (range 5 to 30 mm). The mean operative time was 65 minutes (range 30 to 180 minutes). In all cases PTH concentration decreased significantly. Patients who underwent endoscopic parathyroidectomy had less postoperative pain compared with patients who underwent conventional hemithyroidectomy. At follow-up, serum calcium and PTH levels were normal in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic parathyroidectomy proved to be a feasible surgical procedure that can be performed in an acceptable operative time with an excellent cosmetic result. The gasless approach avoided any emphysema.

Thyroid surgery in patients aged over 80 years.

In the past 5 years (1987-1991), we admitted for thyroid surgery 12 patients older than 80 years. Indications for surgery were represented by goiter causing tracheal compression and severe dyspnoea in 6 cases, and by preoperative cytological report of malignancy in the other 6 cases. The dyspnoea represented an absolute surgical indication. All patients but one were treated by cervicotomy; in one case we performed a median sternotomy. Frozen section was performed in all patients with cytological report of malignancy. Histology detected 3 differentiated cancers, 2 anaplastic cancers, and one follicular adenoma. The patients with benign disease were treated by 4 subtotal thyroidectomies and 3 total lobectomies. Three out of 5 affected by malignant lesions were submitted to a total thyroidectomy (differentiated carcinomas) and 2 to palliative thyroidectomy (anaplastic carcinoma). In this series there were neither intraoperative mortality nor major surgical complications. All the patients with dyspnoea were cured by surgery. All the patients affected by differentiated cancer were alive and well 8, 13 and 18 months after surgery. The mean survival of patients with anaplastic cancer was 12 months.

Carotid body tumours. A review of eight cases.

Between 1968 and 1988, eight patients with carotid body tumour have been operated on at Istituto di Clinica Chirurgica at the University of Pisa. We undertook the follow-up of all these patients. Two of them presented with bilateral and familial lesions. There was no mortality or morbidity, except in one patient, who had the vagus resected because it was invaded by tumour. For investigation of familial occurrence we have found ultrasound very useful for screening.

[Loco-regional anesthesia in minor surgery of the breast]. / Anestesia loco-regionale negli interventi di chirurgia minore della mammella.

Breast minor surgical operations, either demolitive or reconstructive, are more frequently effected by day-hospital modalities, to obviate to room scarcity and to meet patients requirements. Several patients, due to age or to concomitant pathologies, show risks caused by premature dismissal after having general anaesthesia. This problem led Authors to find an alternative loco-regional anaesthesia. Good results encouraged them to extend this method.

Long term treatment with tamoxifen for metastatic carcinoid tumor.

Carcinoid tumor associated with carcinoid syndrome is a very difficult condition to treat. Many different drugs have been used in order to control symptoms and different antineoplastic agents were experimentated to reduce the often large neoplastic lesions. Recently the description of the existence of estrogen receptors in carcinoid tumor tissue arose great enthusiasm on the possibility of using the antiestrogen tamoxifen as a direct antitumor agent. Few experiences appeared in the international literature and contrastant results were reported. In this paper we describe one case of long term treatment with tamoxifen for a metastatic carcinoid tumor. The patient experienced the regression of carcinoid syndrome symptoms with tamoxifen therapy. Unfortunately after one year symptoms reappeared in spite of tamoxifen therapy. We conclude that tamoxifen is at the moment the best therapy in patient affected by carcinoid tumor associated with carcinoid syndrome. Data on other drugs as the oral analogues of Somatostatin or Calcitonin need to be confirmed by additional studies.