ICG-Guided Lymphadenectomy during Surgery for Colon and Rectal Cancer-Interim Analysis of the GREENLIGHT Trial.

Lymphadenectomy is crucial for an optimal oncologic resection of colon and rectal cancers. However, without a direct visualization, an aberrant route of lymph node (LN) diffusion might remain unresected. Indocyanine-green (ICG) lymphatic mapping permits a real-time LNs visualization. We designed the GREENLIGHT trial to explore in 100 patients undergoing robotic colorectal resection the clinical significance of a D3 ICG-guided lymphadenectomy. The primary endpoint was the number of patients in whom ICG changed the extent of lymphadenectomy. We report herein the interim analysis on the first 70 patients. After endoscopic ICG injection 24 h (n = 49) or 72 h (n = 21) ahead, 19, 20, and 31 patients underwent right colectomy, left colectomy, and anterior rectal resection. The extent of lymphadenectomy changed in 35 (50%) patients, mostly (29 (41.4%)) for the identification of LNs (median two) outside the standard draining basin. Identification of such LNs was less frequent in rectal tumors that had undergone chemoradiotherapy (26.3%) (p > 0.05). A non-significant correlation between time-to-ICG injection and identification of aberrant LNs was observed (48.9% at 24 h vs. 23.8% at 72 h). The presence of LN metastases did not affect a proper fluorescent mapping. These data indicate that ICG lymphatic mapping provides relevant information in 50% of patients, thus increasing the accuracy of potentially curative resections.

Colectomía derecha robótica con escisión completa del mesocolon y linfadenectomía D3 mediante abordaje suprapúbico «bottom-to-up»: aspectos técnicos clave / Robotic right colectomy with Complete Mesocolic Excision (CME) and D3 lymphadenectomy with a suprapubic bottom-to-up approach: technical key points

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Autotransplantation of pancreatic islets. A single-center first experience.

INTRODUCTION: Islets auto-transplantation (IAT) is a well-known procedure that may improve glycemic control after total or completion pancreatectomy compared to insulin therapy alone. CASE REPORT: We herein report our experience in IAT with the case of a sixty years old woman underwent completion pancreatectomy for recurrent pancreatitis. She received IAT by percutaneous trans-hepatic intra-portal injection. The patient recovered well, except for a surgical wound infection that was treated with vacuum therapy. She was discharged on p.o.d. 27th in good general conditions and tolerating a diet. DISCUSSION: Data in literature demonstrate that IAT is cost-effective on the long-run compared to insulin therapy in patients with diabetes. 30-days mortality rate for islets auto-transplantation (IAT) following total pancreatectomy is 5%, which is comparable with previous reports on total pancreatectomy without IAT. Our report may expand the literature on this procedure in order to further develop and improve both technique and outcomes, and clarify the correct indication to surgery. KEY WORDS: Auto-transplantation, Chronic pancreatitis, IAT, Pancreatic islets, Total pancreatectomy.

Is primary surgery for locally advanced/metastatic breast cancer a better choice than chemotherapic treatment?

INTRODUCTION: A part of the literature supports the undoubtful advantage of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on the overall survival and for the possibility of surgical conservative treatment in locally advanced tumours after downstaging. Other authors report that primitive tumour's surgical removal at first, improves survival in cases with locally advanced /metastatic disease. The advantages were improvement of patient's health status, removal of a reservoir of neoplastic cell neoangiogenic cytokines and growth factors,and cytoreduction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness on the survival of a primary surgical treatment of the locally advanced tumours comparing two homogeneous groups. In the first group (GROUP 1) 40 patients were enrolled with stage III A, III B,IV tumours and were treated with primary surgery. The second group (GROUP 2) was made up of 40 patients with similar stage treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The surgical treatment had the intention to remove the entire primary tumour. RESULTS: After a median follow up of 48,2 months,22,5 % of GROUP 1 died and 30 % of GROUP 2. The average survival of patients in GROUP 1 was 27,1 months while in GROUP 2 there was an average survival of 16,8 months. CONCLUSION: In conclusion surgical treatment plays a key role in the treatment of advanced/metastatic disease and is an independent factor associated with survival.

Successful use of rFVIIa for major breast surgery prophylaxis in congenital factor VII deficiency: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Factor VII deficiency is a rare cause of haemorrhagic syndrome. The Authors describe a case of a 46 years old patient with congenital factor VII deficiency that successfully underwent breast surgery after treatment with Novoseven® before the procedure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The AA used the schedule reported below to value the levels of PT and aPTT in the patient. Blood Collection: Venous blood from patient and control was collected in glass tubes for routine serum preparation and into plastic tubes (0.129 M sodium citrate, Becton-Dickinson Vacutainer Systems) in a ratio of blood to anticoagulant of 9:1. Platelet Poor Plasma (PPP) was obtained by centrifugation at 4.000 x g for 15 minutes at room temperature. The plasma was recentrifuged for another 10 min at 12000 g to fully eliminate platelet concentration. A normal control plasma pool was prepared by mixing equal volumes of platelet-free plasma obtained from at least 50 normal volunteers. Prothrombin time (PT) was measured with Recombiplastin (IL, Milano Italy). Activated partial thromboplastin times (APTT) was measured with APTT-SP (IL, Milano Italy). They were performed on the coagulation analyzer ACL 1000 (IL, Milano Italy). RESULTS: The results were interpreted from the ratio of the patient times to the normal control times (Table I). CONCLUSION: The infusion of Novoseven solved the clotting problems enabling the surgical procedure, without risks for the patient.

Successful use of rFVIIa for major breast surgery prophylaxis in congenital factor VII deficiency.

INTRODUCTION: Factor VII deficiency is a rare cause of haemorrhagic syndrome. The Authors describe a case of a 46 years old patient with congenital factor VII deficiency that successfully underwent breast surgery after treatment with Novoseven® before the procedure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The AA used the schedule reported below to value the levels of PT and aPTT in the patient. Blood Collection: Venous blood from patient and control was collected in glass tubes for routine serum preparation and into plastic tubes (0.129 M sodium citrate, Becton-Dickinson Vacutainer Systems) in a ratio of blood to anticoagulant of 9:1. Platelet Poor Plasma (PPP) was obtained by centrifugation at 4.000 x g for 15 minutes at room temperature. The plasma was recentrifuged for another 10 min at 12000 g to fully eliminate platelet concentration. A normal control plasma pool was prepared by mixing equal volumes of platelet-free plasma obtained from at least 50 normal volunteers. Prothrombin time (PT) was measured with Recombiplastin (IL, Milano Italy). Activated partial thromboplastin times (APTT) was measured with APTT-SP (IL, Milano Italy). They were performed on the coagulation analyzer ACL 1000 (IL, Milano Italy). RESULTS: The results were interpreted from the ratio of the patient times to the normal control times (Table I). CONCLUSION: The infusion of Novoseven solved the clotting problems enabling the surgical procedure, without risks for the patient. KEY WORDS: Breast cancer, Factor VII deficiency, Major surgery, Recombinant fVIIa.

Cat scratch disease presenting as breast cancer: a report of an unusual case.

Benign lymphoreticulosis (cat scratch disease, CSD) may have a clinical course that varies from the most common lymphadenitis localized in the site of inoculation, preceded by the typical "primary lesion," to a context of severe systemic involvement. Among these uncommon clinical aspects, there is mammarian granulomatous lymphadenitis which may appear as a mastitis or a solitary intraparenchymal mass, giving the impression of a breast tumor. In these cases, intensive clinical, instrumental, and laboratory investigations are necessary to exclude malignancy. Because of its rarity, in equivocal cases, it is reasonable to use surgical excision for accurate histological examination. We report a case of CSD of the breast in a 59-year-old woman, analyzing the clinical, histopathological, and instrumental appearance and also performing a literature review.

Clinical management of Crohn's disease in the elderly.

INTRODUCTION: Crohn's Disease (CD) occurs in the elderly in 5 - 25% of cases. Aim of our study: to define the features of clinical presentation, diagnostic tools and therapy of CD in old age. METHODS: In the last ten years we observed in our Department 47 patients affected by CD. We divided them into two groups: A (42 patients < 65 years old) and B (5 patients ≥ 65 years old). A retrospective survey evaluated the clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatments with relative outcomes. RESULTS: Group A: 23/42 patients (54,76%) were operated on. The most important indication for surgery was intestinal obstruction (15/42 pts, 65,2%). Small bowel resection was the most frequent surgical procedure (13/42 pts, 56,2%). Overall, 2/23 (8,7%) of the patients developed postoperative complications. There was no postoperative mortality. 8 pts (34,7 %) developed recrudescence of CD. Group B: 3 of 5 pts were operated on. Intestinal obstruction was the indication for surgery in all cases (100%). Two patients underwent small bowel resection (66,6%) and the third patient was submitted to an ileo-colic resection (33,3%). There was no mortality in the aftermath of surgery. In 2/3 operated patients (66,6%) recurrence occurred. All operations in the old patients were performed in urgency. CONCLUSIONS: Surgery of CD in the elderly appears in our experience to have the same indications and procedures as in young patients. The postoperative morbidity, mortality and recurrence rates are similar in two groups even if we observed slightly higher postoperative morbidity rates in elderly due to the presence of comorbidity.

Advantages and disadvantages of day surgery in a department of general surgery.

INTRODUCTION: We make our study of day surgery to awaken health worker that is possible to reduce the mean hospitalization time for each type of procedure: it needs improvement in communication, organizational and medical skills with a specific training both for medical and nursing staff. MATERIAL OF STUDY: A retrospective study on all patients who underwent day surgery procedures from 1st January 2008 to 31st December 2011. Out of 486 hospitalizations for programmed surgery, 177 (36.41%) were made in Day Surgery (DS) for a total of 450 operations. Of those patients, 105 (59.3%) stayed Overnight. RESULTS: Re-conversion rate of day surgery hospitalization reached 1% and referred to haemorrhagy post-hemorroidectomy. DISCUSSION: Nowadays in Italy many surgical procedures that could be performed in day surgery, are made in routine hospitalization with an higher cost for NHS. In our department DS is made for small surgery but even other procedures (hernioplasty, hemorroidectomy, stripping of vein safena, etc.). Our day surgery activity has had some negative aspects both for the availability of operating rooms and for the possibility of improvement of specific skills in our health staff. CONCLUSIONS: Day surgery permits a better use of resources and also a cut of costs. The dates of our series demonstrate the necessity of improving DS, considering trends of the most part of European Countries. The Authors highlight the importance of creating specific Units for Day-Surgery activity to permit a training for all health staff.