[Tumors in the gallbladder: a possible differentiation between malignant and benign tumours]. / Tumoren in de galblaas; een moeilijke differentiatie tussen maligniteit en goedaardige tumor.

In a 59-year-old woman with pain in the right upper abdomen, echography and CT-scan revealed adenomatosis of the gallbladder. Her symptoms did not disappear after cholecystectomy, even though echography showed no further abnormality. In a 46-year-old man with fever and weight loss, echography revealed two polyps in the gallbladder. Following cholecystectomy, histopathology revealed cholesterol polyps and an infection with Entamoeba coli. In a 63-year-old man with systemic symptoms, a biopsy of the echographically diagnosed tumour of the gallbladder revealed that he had actually had cholecystitis. The management was wait-and-see and the patient recovered completely. In a 68-year-old woman with jaundice and attacks of abdominal pain, a CT-scan revealed gallstones. The symptoms recurred following an ERCP. Following cholecystectomy, an adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder was found. One year later, a contact metastasis developed forwhich she received radiotherapy. After 4 years she was in good condition. Patients with a tumour in the gallbladder are often diagnosed with gallbladder cancer, which has a poor prognosis. Other diseases should also be considered, since the treatment and prognosis differ greatly. It is important to differentiate at an early stage. Ultrasound, CT and MRI have improved the possibility of differentiating and choosing the correct treatment.

Twenty-five years' experience with the arterial switch operation.

OBJECTIVE: The arterial switch operation was introduced in 1976 to correct transposition of the great arteries and has since replaced atrial palliation. This study examines the long-term outcomes of the arterial switch operation. METHODS: Included in the study were 195 patients who underwent the arterial switch operation from 1977 through June 2000. Patients were evaluated for functional class, pulmonary stenosis, left ventricular function, arrhythmias, aortic sequelae, and coronary disease. RESULTS: Overall perioperative mortality was 15%, but rates dropped in the last 5 years to 4% for complex transposition and 0% for simple transposition. Of 151 survivors, 2 died late; 1 died of persisting pulmonary hypertension and 1 died of ventricular fibrillation after coronary pathologic changes. At last follow-up, a total of 145 patients were in New York Heart Association functional class I and 4 patients were in class II. The most frequent complication was pulmonary stenosis, necessitating 45 reinterventions in 26 patients. Left ventricular dysfunction was noted in 5 patients. Arrhythmias were seen in 5 patients: 2 patients had ventricular fibrillation (1 died and 1 required a defibrillator implantation), 1 had sick sinus syndrome, 1 had atrial flutter, and 1 had a single attack of supraventricular tachycardia. Aortic valve incompetence was absent or trivial in 146 patients, 3 had mild incompetence, 1 had moderate incompetence, and 1 had severe incompetence. Coronary sequelae were found in 5 of the 61 patients who underwent angiography. CONCLUSION: Long-term clinical outcome of the arterial switch operation is good, and perioperative mortality is now low. Morbidity is dominated by pulmonary stenosis and coronary artery disease, with the potential for lethal arrhythmias.