[The evaluation of immunoinflammatory response in acute bacterial peritonitis]. / Cercetarea rasspunsului imunoinflamator în peritonitele acute bacteriene.

AIM: To evaluate the immunoinflammatory markers that shape the evolution of acute peritonitis and to assess their utility in specifying the development of septic shock from peritonitis. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We conducted a prospective study on a sample of 100 patients with acute peritonitis, hospitalized during 2001-2005 and immunologically monitored. We realized 2000 dosages of immunoinflammatory markers for 15 days by 1200 simple radial immunodiffusion tests (IDRS), the Mancini-Carbonara method for C reactive protein, complement component C3, immunoglobulins and 836 ELISA tests to evaluate cytokines. Results were reported to a witness group. RESULTS: C reactive protein (CRP) values were significantly elevated in patients with peritonitis (12-310 ng%) vs. witness group (1.5-8 ng%). Postoperative, elevated values were maintained at the patients who will develop serious complications and were correlated with multiple organic dysfunction in deceased patients. Determination of circulating immune complexes have shown elevated values in patients with peritonitis. Dosage of pro/antiinflammatory cytokines may be specific to the severity of inflammatory response to infection. The level of procalcitonin was increased in patients with sepsis and severe inflammatory reactions and become an important prognostic tool. CONCLUSIONS: The study of biological markers in microbial aggression highlights the role of cytokines as messengers and important mediators of immunoinflammatory response. PCT test can be introduced in the daily tracking protocol for septic patients.

[Correlation of adenomatous polyps and early colorectal cancer. Diagnostic and therapeutic implications]. / Relatia polip adenomatos--cancer colorectal precoce. Implicatii diagnostice si terapeutice.

AIM: To detect the patients with colorectal adenomatous polyps or those with adenocarcinoma areas with a view to prevent and to treat the malignant disease. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A prospective study including 309 patients hospitalized between 2000-2005 diagnosed with isolated adenomatous polyps after repeated colonoscopies. The research method was selective screening with identification of risk factors regarding the evolution of colorectal polyps in early cancer, using colonoscopy and histopathological examination. RESULTS: We identified 464 single or multiple isolated polyps of which 399 were adenomas, 59 hyperplastic polyps and 6 other types of lesions. Histologically we recorded 41 (13.27%) polyps with a low grade of dysplasia, 56 (18.12%) with severe dysplasia and 30 (9.7%) intramucosal adenocarcinoma with submucosal invasion. TREATMENT: Colonoscopic polypectomy was used for benign polyps and in situ carcinoma. In case of adenocarcinoma is probable the invasion of submucosal lymphatics being shown a colorectal resection as appropriate. We performed 279 colonoscopic polypectomies and 30 conventional resections. CONCLUSIONS: High grade of dysplasia, the number of polyps, ulceration, bleeding, intraepithelial areas of neoplastic transformation are predictive factors for early colorectal cancer. Depth of submucosal invasion of malignant transformed polyps are important pathological factors to predict lymphatic metastasis and to select the therapeutic procedure.

[A study of the incidence and the specific risk factors for surgical site nosocomial infections]. / Studiu asupra incidentei reale a infectiilor nosocomiale de sediu chirurgical si a factorilor de risc specific.

UNLABELLED: The aim of our study is to estimate the incidence of surgical site nosocomial infections in a general surgery department and also to present the importance of the risk factors associated with these infections using the latest diagnostic protocols. MATERIAL AND METHOD: a retrospective analysis of 3038 surgical procedures performed between 2000-2002. We identified all the patients with surgical site nosocomial infection (SSI) mentioned in the observation sheet using NNISS/HELICS protocols to appreciate the risk for surgical site nosocomial infections. The results were compared to those published in the literature. RESULTS: we selected 198 cases (6,55%) with surgical site nosocomial infections of 3024 surgical patients (we excluded 14 cases): 41.4% of them were superficial infections, 49% profound infections, 7.1% organ-space infections and 2.5% with mixed nosocomial infections. We analysed the incidence depending on the risk factors and the type of surgical procedure, the agents involved in the development of the postoperative nosocomial infections, the germs concerned and their antibiotics resistance. CONCLUSIONS: the rates of different NNISS values after surgical procedures with nosocomial infections are analysed relative to the rates published by HELICS study for Romania and other European countries and it shows larger rates than the european average, maybe because our country has not started yet the HELICS protocol for SSI.

[Differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Diagnosis and therapeutic aspects]. / Carcinomul tiroidian diferentiat. Aspecte diagnostice si terapeutice.

The significant increase in incidence of thyroid cancer in the last decade, augmented the interest in reevaluation of treatment and diagnosis methods. Those aspects let us into making this retrospective study regarding the differentiated thyroid carcinoma. The clinical material consist in 70 C.T. patients, of which 54 (77.14%) C.T.D. patients, ages between 17-80 year old, sex ratio W/M 3.5/1.9. Preoperatively malignancy diagnosis was made by FNAC in 38.88%, intraoperatively by extemporaneous pathological exam 42.59%, postoperatively by paraffin exam 18.51%. Papillary CTD 30 (55.55%), follicular 20 (41.25%), Hürthle cells carcinoma 4 (7.2%). From the therapeutical point of view, the elective procedure of thyroidectomy was dictated by the histological type, staging and specific prognostic factors. There was 41 (75.9%) patients with total thyroidectomy (T.T), with a specific morbidity of 7 (12.96%) and 5-years survival rate of 88.88%. Preoperatively diagnosis of C.T was suspected through clinic, ultrasonography and scintigraphy arguments and confirmed by FNAC. The non conclusive cases were diagnosed intraoperatively by extemporaneous exam or postoperatively by paraffin exam. In most cases total thyroidectomy remains the essential surgical procedure. Also clinical, imaging and biological postoperative monitoring as well as suppress and substitution hormonotherapy are mandatory.

[Septic complications in acute appendicitis. Problems of diagnosis and treatment]. / Complicatiile septice perioperatorii în apendicita acuta. Probleme de diagnostic si tratament.

AIM: diagnostic improvement in complicated acute appendicitis (AA) by implementing the new sepsis concepts and modern imaging procedures; optimization of treatment with decreasing postoperation morbidity and mortality and improving the cost-efficiency indicator. 1495 cases of AA admitted between 2000 and 2004 have been assessed retrospectively and among them 306 (20.46%) had complications. On admission 80.43% patients were diagnosed with AA, 17.50% with acute abdominal syndrome and 2.07% with chronic appendicitis. On discharge there were 1158 (77.45%) cases of inflammatory AA and 306 (20.46%) cases of complicated AA (perforation, gangrene, peritonitis, plastron abscess). TREATMENT: 98.26% of patients under-went operation and 1.73% did not. SURGICAL PROCEDURES: standard appendicectomy in 1407 (95.77%) cases; laparoscopic appendicectomy in 30 (2.04%) cases; extraperitoneal approach in 15 (1.02%) cases; associated with surgical interventions on other organs in 75 (5.10%) cases. POST-OPERATORY MORBIDITY:128 (41.08%) cases out of 306; septic parietal complications in 102 (33.33%) cases; intraperitoneal complications in 26 (8.49%) cases. POST-OPERATORY MORTALITY: 6 deaths in patients aged over 68. AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY IN HOSPITAL: 4 days for uncomplicated AA and 14.6 days for complicated ones. Perioperative septic complications are the result of evolution of late diagnosed disease, unjustified postponing of operation, surgical technique, patient health condition.

[Duodenal post-bulbar ulcers. Diagnostic and therapeutic problems]. / Ulcerul duodenal postbulbar. Probleme de diagnostic si tratament.

Our study upon 1235 cases of duodenal ulcers (1991 - 2001) revealed a decrease of its morbidity rate of 10 - 12%. However, the incidence of the post-bulbar duodenal ulcer (P.B.D.U.) remained constant - 9,33% (115 cases) from all duodenal ulcers. Its diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties, its peculiar etiology, pathogeny, topography and evolution are the consequence of the duodeno-bilio-pancreatic morphologic modifications, clinic polymorphism, radiologic indirect signs and difficult endoscopic localisation. Definitive diagnosis was set only intraoperatively. There are 2 forms of P.B.D.U.: proximal (D1 fixed) - 62,60% and distal (D2 above duodenal papilla) - 37,40%. Associated bilio-digestive lesions were encountered in 30 cases (26,08%). Due to its aggressive, endocrine-type etiology and pathogeny, evolution to severe complications and resistance to modern medical therapy, the PBDU should be of first surgical intent, considering a radical procedure whenever possible. Gastric 2/3 resection or truncal vagotomy with limited gastric resection were achieved in 90,43% of cases. We preferred the Bilroth II type anastomosis (65,20%) excluding the ulcerous lesion. Drainage of the duodenal stump was employed in 26% of cases. Specific postoperative morbidity of 12,17%, an early re-operations rate of 6,05% and postoperative mortality of 3,47% versus 2,05% for the duodenal ulcers, emphasize the severity of the P.B.D.U.

[The megaureter--a possible complication after resected retroperitoneal tumor]. / Megaureterul--complicatie posibila dupa tumori retroperitoneale operate.

The authors present a very rare complication of a retroperitoneal tumor resection: unilateral iliopelvic segmental megaureter. This condition was subsequently complicated with a diffuse peritonitis caused by parietal microperforations.

[Epidemiological aspects in breast cancer]. / Aspecte epidemiologice în cancerul mamar.

Breast cancer represents one of the main public health problem, with a special epidemiological interest, both at the national and international level. A retrospective epidemiological study during the last 11 years (1990-2000) concerning new cases and incidence of the breast cancer at the national level, in Dolj county and in the 1st Surgical Clinic Craiova was made, by using of a comparative analyses which parameters were processed by modern statistic methods. Time evolution equation of the new cases all over the county showed us that more than 208.52 new cases than in the previous year appeared every year. If such an increased rhythm were held, about 6800 new cases would be every year up to 2100. As concerning breast cancer frequency, both at national and local level, a significant increase can be noticed during the last period. At national level the incidence increased from 3.3@100000 in female in 1950 to 29.2@100000 in 1990 up to 46.2@100000 in 2000. We noticed an increase of the incidence with 58.2% at the national level and 86% in Dolj county, in 2000 compared to 1990. By using a comparative analyses on age grouped we could establish a significant frequency of cancer in the patients of 40-49, 50-59 and 60-69 years old, with two frequency peaks for 45-49 and 60-64 subgroups, both at national and county level and also in 1st Surgical Clinic.

[Diagnosis characteristics features in breast cancer]. / Particularitati de diagnostic în cancerul mamar.

Representing about 20% of all woman's cancers in all the world, breast cancer is a multifactorial disease with unknown mechanism facts which may explain the significant growth of incidence and mortality in the last few years. In the absence of screening program in majority cases the diagnosis is discovered too late. In this present study we have made a retrospective study on 487 patients during 1996-2000 at the 1st Surgical Clinic from Craiova. The purpose of this study was the defining of the population with an increased risk which has to be monitorized. In order to accomplish it, we have carefully supervised some of clinical parameters: sex, age, social environment, physiological and pathological antecedents, heredocolateral antecedents, and the constitutional type. The study method was the comparative analysis, and the evaluation according to the modern statistical methods. The risk factors, which can be surely used in defining the groups of population with an increased risk, which should be supervised for an active discover of breast cancer, as the resulted from our study, are: the age decades V, VI, and VII with maximum incidence in subgroups 45-49 and 60-64 years old; early monarch (67.15%); delayed menopause, over 50 years old (84.4%); long exposure to sexual hormones during the reproductive period (the period of menstrual cyclicity over 32 years old); the pathology of the benign tumor, the biggest risk belonging to the proliferative tumours (intraductal papiloma); hyperestrogenism. The only improving method of the therapeutical results in breast cancer is an early discover of it, which can be accomplished only by the implementation of a national program of active discover, in which the essential part belongs to the primary care helped by a widely-broadcast medical education.

[Exceptional etiologies in upper digestive tract bleeding ]. / Exceptii etiologice în HDS.

7 cases, considered as being true etiological exceptions selected from 756 upper gastrointestinal bleeding, are presented. The causes of bleeding were: pancreatic pseudocyst with intracystic hemorrhage broken into duodenum (2 cases), the nonepithelial gastroduodenal tumor (3 cases), the aneurysm of gastroduodenal artery broken into duodenum (1 case) and the aortoduodenal fistula in one patient with a bilateral aorto-iliac by-pass (1 case). The etiological diagnosis could not be established in any cases before the operations. All the cases were operated on, the operation being imposed by the severity of bleeding and having the haemostasis as a main purpose.

[Present strategies in the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid diseases]. / Strategii actuale în diagnosticul si tratamentul chirurgical al bolilor tiroidiene.

AIM: Selective and critical presentation of the present exploring methods concerning surgical thyroid diseases and accomplishing a pre-surgical diagnosis as accurate as possible. Depending of the diagnosis--choosing the most appropriate surgical strategy according to the newest concepts in thyroid pathology. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Clinical-statistic study, carried out retrospectively over 1,108 patients having various surgical thyroid maladies hospitalized in 1980-1999 period. There have been operated 1,058 cases. Demographic structure as regards sex, F/M was 9.07/0.93 for goiters, whereas for thyroid cancer it was 3/1. RESULTS: Nodular goiters are the most frequent (77.31%), with a pathology benign majority (91.30%). The fundamental problem is the pre-surgical establish malign lesions that require a complex therapeutic protocol comparing to benign nodules. Benign lesions 91.30%, carcinomas 5.48%, others 3.21%. All types of thyroidectomies have been made: T.ST 69.37%, T.T for benign and malign lesions 7.65% and other procedures. Thyroid specific morbidity is 4.25%, whereas unspecific is 8.69%. The 0.08% mortality (1 case), virtually null, place the result between the best of the kind. CONCLUSIONS: Pre-surgical diagnosis, as accurate as possible, based on the clinic exam using the vacuum punction with a fine needle, finally confirmed by the paraffin exam, provided the choice of an optimal surgical strategy, followed by an appropriate post-surgical protocol. Total thyroidectomy is the preferred procedure is most of the thyroid cancer forms and in benign diseases is highly recommended (multi-nodular goiters, hyperthyroid, Basedow disease, cancer).

[Postoperative intestinal fistulae]. / Fistulele intestinale postoperatorii.

58 (6.25%) intestinal fistulae raised after 928 operations performed for varied surgical small bowel diseases were studied. The primary operation was performed for bowel obstruction, acute peritonitis, small bowel tumours, postoperative eviscerations and for entro-mesenteric infarction. We also noticed that the surgery was performed for the small bowel diseases in 47 (81%) acses and for the diseases belonging to other abdominal viscera in the rest, having an emergency character in 81% of cases. The small bowel fistulae were single (51 cases) or multiple having the following topographic distribution: jejunal fistulae in 25 (43.4%) cases and ileal fistulae in 33 cases (56.6). The coming out of the fistulae was directly in 41 (70%) cases and trough an intermediate route in 17 (30%) cases. The onset of the fistulae was certainly pointed by the coming out moment, early only in 39.6% of cases. This underlining the importance of an active exploration of the operative wound, imposed by the general and/or local premonitory symptoms. The treatment was complex, using conservative and/or surgical procedures; 23 (39.6%) patients were operated on. The mortality rate was of 29.4%. The parenteral nutrition and the therapeutical option for the conservative methods were the main therapeutical acquisitions, which improved the results and the prognosis of the intestinal fistulae.

[Critical evaluation of surgical treatment in slip hiatal hernia]. / Evaluare critica asupra tratamentului chirurgical în herniile hiatale de alunecare.

448 hiatal hernias, admitted in the last 20 years (1974-1998), 431 (96.3%) sliding hiatal hernias and 17 (3.8%) paraoesophageal hernias, are presented. The hiatal hernias were noticed under the well known etiopathologic circumstances: the predominance of the patients belonging to the female sex (66.07%), aged over 40 (83.25%); we also found in the natural history of the patients increasing abdominal pressure factors (10.79%), metabolic and deficiency disturbances (34.19%) or the concomitance of such a diseases, which admits a low trophicity of the connective tissue as a main pathogenic factor (35.12%). 231 (52.56%) cases were pure hiatal hernias and in 217 (48.44%) cases the hiatal hernia was associated with biliary and/or gastro-duodenal lesions, the hiatal hernia being considered as secondary. The clinical diagnosis was suggested by the gastrooesophageal reflux syndrome for the pure hiatal hernias associated with respiratory (30.32%) and/or cardiac (27.4%) signs. In the associated forms with biliary and/or gastro-duodenal lesions, the clinical picture was that of the hiatal hernia in 30.6% of cases and of the associated lesion in the rest. The clinical diagnosis was confirmed by x-ray examination in 82.7% of cases; the endoscopy was performed in 159 cases and proved the gastrooesophageal reflux and/or its consequences in 47.2% of cases. 420 (93.75%) cases were uncomplicated and in 28 (6.25%) cases we noticed one of the following complications: upper gastro-intestinal bleeding, incarceration or venous thrombosis of the hernial pouch. 336 (75%) patients were operated on, using a large scale of surgical procedures, surgical indication being established on clinical, radiological and endoscopic criteria, with utmost strictness for pure hiatal hernias (surgical treatment 68.3%) and generously for the associated forms. Both the early and late results were good: the mortality rate of 0.44% and the recurrence rate of 3.97%.

[Gastroduodenal artery aneurysm broken in duodenum. A rare cause of upper digestive tract hemorrhage]. / Anevrismul arterei gastroduodenale rupt în duoden. Cauza rara de HDS.

The authors present a case of recidivated upper digestive tract hemorrhage, in which the bleeding initially stopped under conservative treatment. Imagery showed a piloro-duodenal stenosis. During the preoperative care the hemorrhage is resumed abruptly imposing emergency operation. The lesion was an intraoperative surprise imposing the hemostasis at first, and then the surgical management of lesions of the digestive tract.

[Resuscitation principles in severe acute pancreatitis complicated by multiple organ dysfunctions]. / Principii de reanimare în pancreatitele acute grave complicate cu disfunctii multiorganice.

The first part renders very synthetically a few of the principal pathogenetical mechanisms implicated in PA, as well as general data about MODS, and then tackles therapeutical principles of great organic disfunction, the therapy of septic states and nutrition in PA. Hemodynamics dysfunction--the therapeutical objectives are correlated with the principal mechanisms implicated in cardio-vascular disfunction (the grown level of some myocardial depressive factors, the shortcoming of peripheral vascular resistance, a.s.o.). The therapeutical principles covets the volemic restoration, inotropic therapy, the correction of hydro-ionic and acido-basic disorders, the vasomotor therapy, the CID's correction, the myocardium protection against the free radicals of oxygen. The therapy is recommended to be individualized depending on the clinical data and the monitoring of some parameters (T.A, P.V.C., intrapulmonary pressure, EKG, hematocrit value, a.s.o.). Pulmonary disfunction--includes the therapy of some clinical forms of pulmonary complications, the restrictive syndrome, infections, the pulmonary shunt, the atelectasis and insists on ARDS which is a complication with vital implications. The therapy of curdling disorders--recommends blood, derivatives, antiprotease, the substitution of the consumed curdling factors, as well as the removal of the pathogenic factors which disturb the coagulation-coagulolysis equilibrium. Purge proceedings--covet the elimination from the organism of the toxic agents which generate cell-organic lesions. That's why it is moot the elimination of the pancreatic toxins before reaching the circulation (the thoracic tube draining and peritoneal lavage) as well as extrarenal purge proceedings (hemodialysis, hemofiltration and hemodiafiltration) with their benefits and limits. The sepsis and the immunotherapy--are tackled based on recent data from literature which besides antibiotherapy insists on the neutralization of various toxins and mediators by means of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, anti TFL antibodies, IL, a.s.o. Nutrition--is different presented, parenterally and enterally, each of them with their benefits and limits and with the recommendation to be used by means of the clinical form. There are mentioned some other additional treatments (pain removing, antagonisms of H2 receptors, inflammation and cytotoxicity inhibition, gastric decompression, a.s.o.).

[Severe acute pancreatitis. Its management and experience]. / Pancreatitele acute grave. Conduita si experienta.

The authors examined a group of 91 cases of acute pancreatitis hospitalised and treated between 1992 and 1996, using multiparametric bioclinical scores like Ranson, Imrie, Apache II systems and morphological scores obtained through C.T., they have divided the examined group into patients with A.B.P. (acute benign pancreatitis)--59 (64.84%), who don't require exquisite therapeutical means, with positive healing and A.S.P.--32 (35.16%), who require a complex medico-surgical therapeutics with unforeseeable evolution and results. The purpose of the paper was the one of establishing a diagnostical and therapeutical strategy for the A.S.P. adequate to actual conceptions. The correct diagnosis of acute pancreatitis initially has been established at 59 (64.83%) and erroneous at 32 (36.13%) cases. The diagnosis of A.S.P. has been established in 32 (35.16%). The etiology has been lithiasic (biliary) for 31.25% and nonbiliary for 68.75% patients. The C.T. examination in the best way to diagnose necrosis and infections, to follow the evolution and especially the surgical indication, achieved by the authors in 30% of cases. The initial medical treatment has been fulfilled at all the patients and the surgical one at 29 (91.63%). There have been implemented explorer laparotomies in 33.33% cases, interventions on the pancreas in 72.66%, operations associated on the biliary ways 41.37%, necessity operations 13.8%, with different types of draining (conventional and open abdomen). The results have been taxed by locoregional complications in 72.41%, general complications in 44.51% and a general rate of decrease of 43.75%. It is recommended initial surgical abstention and gravity estimations, the reanimation of all A.S.P. for prevention and treatment of general complications, surgical treatment of A.S.P. complications. The A.S.P. treatment of biliary (lithiasic) etiology after two months and after C.T. to confirm inflammatory process remission.

[Acute necrotizing enterocolitis in an adult--a clinical study]. / Enterocolita acuta necrozanta la adult--studiu clinic.

The authors retrospectively reviewed 24 cases of necrotizing enterocolitis, in which the diagnosis was made or confirmed intraoperatively. This article points to the complex pathophysiology and preoperative diagnostic difficulties of necrotizing enterocolitis due to its clinical heterogeneity and lack of specificity of the laboratory findings. Given all these preoperative problems quite too often the best operatory moment is los and despite the somehow simple intraoperative diagnosis and the modern, well established surgical principles: resection of the necrotic segment with secondary reanastomosis (whenever possible), the post-therapeutic mortality rate remains disappointingly high (70.8%).

[Indications for temporary diversions and for primary resections in emergency colon surgery]. / Indicatiile derivatiilor temporare si a rezectiilor primare în chirurgia colica de urgenta.

The authors make a critical analysis of indications for temporary derivations, and for "d'emblée" resection in the emergency surgery of the colon. This study is based on a series of 267 cases where emergency surgery was necessary for various conditions of the colon. All were operated in the I-st Clinic of Surgery from Craiova. The authors stress the inefficiency of cecostomy for the solution of occlusions due to neoplasms of the colon, and list the present indications of this type of temporary derivation, which include: protection of a colo-colonic anastomosis, and the solution of perforations (diastatic, traumatic) of the caecum. Supratumoral anus is considered as the choice solution for cancers of the left colon complicated by occlusion. Latero-lateral ileo-transverse anastomosis is considered as a temporary derivation, and is indicated in tumours of the right colon also complicated by occlusion. In cases of emergency the authors practice colonic resections by necessity, but they also perform colonic exeresis with relative indications. In cases of colonic resections by necessity the problem is mainly the opportunity of recovery of the digestive transit. Emergency colectomies with relative indications concern colonic cancer, or volvulus of the colon, and particular conditions are necessary for their performance. The authors consider the protection of colo-colonic, or recto-colic anastomoses as useful.