Immunoscintigraphy with 111In-satumomab pendetide in patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma: performance and impact on clinical management.

PURPOSE: The role of immunoscintigraphy with 111In-satumomab pendetide in the medical and/or surgical management of colorectal cancer patients was evaluated in a multicenter trial. METHODS: This 103 patient study population included 46 individuals with rising serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels and otherwise negative diagnostic evaluation, 29 patients with known recurrence, presumed to be isolated and resectable, and 28 patients for whom standard diagnostic tests provided equivocal information. RESULTS: No adverse reactions were noted following intravenous administration of 1 mg of satumomab pendetide radiolabeled with approximately 5 mCi of 111In. Thirty percent of patients developed human anti-mouse antibodies postinfusion. In the 84 patients for whom correlation with histopathologic, diagnostic, and/or clinical findings was available, antibody imaging demonstrated a sensitivity of 73 percent in patients with confirmed tumor (36/49) and negative results for all 35 patients with no evidence of malignancy. Occult disease was detected in 18 patients. CONCLUSION: 111In-satumomab pendetide immunoscintigraphy was helpful in the medical and/or surgical management of 45 (44 percent) patients and provided information unavailable from other diagnostic modalities.

Comparison of the Valtrac biofragmentable anastomosis ring with conventional suture and stapled anastomosis in colon surgery. Results of a prospective, randomized clinical trial.

In a randomized, prospective study of 438 patients, the safety and efficacy of the Valtrac biofragmentable anastomotic ring (BAR) was compared with stapling and with conventional suture techniques. There was no significant difference in the morbidity, mortality, and clinical course of the patients. The BAR can effect reestablishment of intestinal continuity somewhat more rapidly, but its major advantage is its uniform applicability to all areas of the intestinal tract, except the low rectum.

Long-term results of open and closed sphincterotomy for anal fissure.

Three hundred fifty patients who underwent open or closed lateral internal anal sphincterotomy for acute or chronic anal fissure between January 1981 and June 1985 were reviewed. Minimum follow-up was 14 months (mean, 37 months). No patient underwent an additional procedure at the time of sphincterotomy. Twenty-one failed to heal or developed a recurrence in the interval (6 percent). Five of these individuals were found subsequently to have Crohn's disease. Excluding these patients, the incidence of nonhealing was 4.6 percent. Eight patients (2.3 percent) developed postoperative infections requiring drainage, one half of which were associated with fistulas. Sixty patients (17 percent) complained of incontinence for flatus or feces. For two thirds, this was transient. There was no statistically significant difference in rate of healing or morbidity when comparing the open with the closed method.

Are we really operating on diverticulitis?

The results of elective surgery for diverticulitis in 100 consecutive patients were reviewed. Follow-up was possible in 82 individuals. Seventy-seven (94 percent) were improved. There was no inflammatory change apparent on histologic examination of the resected specimens in 24 percent of patients. These individuals were less likely to have favorable results. There are a number of preoperative factors which may predict the likelihood of a successful surgical outcome.