A case of Bouveret's syndrome treated with gastrojejunal anastomosis

Bouveret's syndrome is a rare cause of proximal gallstone ileus with obstruction of duodenum or gastric outlet. We report a case of an 87-year-old female patient presented with 1 week history of vomiting whose plain radiograms showed ileus and pneumobilia. The abdominal computed tomography confirmed pneumobilia and revealed free air and leakage of oral contrast agent in the hepatic hilum and subhepatic space and an impacted gallstone in the third portion of the duodenum. The patient underwent exploratory laparotomy, which showed that the duodenal perforation was circumvallated, and a side-to-side retrocolic gastrojejunal anastomosis was performed in order to surpass the impacted gallstone. Removal of the impacted gallstone through enterotomy or gastrotomy or endoscopic lithotripsy is the usual treatment of Bouveret's syndrome. However, gastrojejunal bypass may be a treatment option when the patient undergoes laparotomy and the gallstone is impacted in the third or fourth portion of the duodenum.

Castleman's disease of the spleen

INTRODUCTION

Castleman's disease (CD), also known as giant or angiofolicular lymphoid hyperplasia or lymphoid hamartoma, is a group of atypical lymphoproliferative disorders that share common lymph node histological features and may be localized either to a single lymph node (unicentric) or occur systemically (multicentric).

PATIENT AND METHOD

Herein, we present a rare case of a of 75-year-old female patient who was referred to our department and after a thorough work-up, underwent splenectomy with synchronous resection of an accessory spleen, splenic artery lymph nodes, and splenic hilar lymph nodes due to splenic involvement in a multicentric CD.

RESULTS

The pathology of the specimens led to the conclusion that it was a case of polycentric HHV-8-positive CD, affecting the spleen, the accessory spleen, and the lymph nodes.

CONCLUSIONS

Incidence of this rare condition is believed to be approximately 0.001-0.05%. CD has been linked to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8), and is associated with malignancies. The pathogenesis mechanism is considered to be a dysregulation and hypersecretion of cytokines, either idiopathic or secondary to a viral infection, with the latter considered the most frequent. Solid organ involvement is very rare as is splenic involvement.

Adipose-derived stem cells for breast reconstruction after breast surgery - preliminary results

Enrichment of fat grafts with adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) has gained popularity due to promising preliminary results. Herein, we present two patients who were treated with ASC-enriched fat grafts following mastectomy and breast reconstruction with implants. Both exhibited favorable outcomes achieving a significant improvement of breast defects and asymmetries.

Laparoscopic hepatectomy in a morbidly obese patient with liver cirrhosis: A case report

Cirrhotic patients constitute a high-risk population, and present a major challenge for the performance of minimally invasive laparoscopic resections due to difficulties in parenchymal transection. The present study describes the case of a 71-year-old morbidly obese male patient who was referred to our department with a hepatic mass identified on routine abdominal ultrasound. Abdominal computer tomography and magnetic resonance imaging confirmed a mass in segments V-VI of the liver, highly suspicious for HCC. The patient's past medical history additionally included non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, diabetes mellitus and arterial hypertension and myocardial infarction. The patient's body mass index was 45 kg/m², and the American Society of Anesthesiologists' classification of preoperative risk was 3. The patient underwent laparoscopic resection of segments V-VI and cholecystectomy. Two years postoperatively, the patient remains disease-free and in excellent condition. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on laparoscopic liver resection for such a morbidly obese patient in the context of advanced liver cirrhosis.

Laparoscopic liver resection for malignancy in high-risk surgical patients according to ASA classification

Laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) represents one of the most recent evolutions in the field of surgical oncology. While offering to the patients all the short-term advantages of the laparoscopic approach, the ongoing experience underlines that the long-term outcomes are not negatively influenced through this minimally invasive method. We explored the surgical results in a case series of 5 high-risk patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists' (ASA) Class 3 or more, who underwent LLR in our department. Three bisegmentectomies, one segmentectomy and one wedge resection were performed. All patients could be discharged within the first postoperative week. LLR was safe and efficient in this high-risk patient group. Careful patient selection and individualized preparation for surgery remain the keys for the success of LLR in high ASA class patients.

Differential Expression of β-Catenin, EGFR, CK7, CK20, MUC1, MUC2, and CDX2 in Intestinal and Pancreatobiliary-Type Ampullary Carcinomas

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to associate immunohistochemical expression of β-catenin, EGFR, CK7, CK20, MUC1, MUC2, and CDX2 in ampullary adenocarcinomas with the type of differentiation and prognosis. Methods: Forty-seven patients with ampullary adenocarcinoma who underwent pancreatoduodenectomy with curative intent from 1997 to 2014 were included in this study. Nine patients with perioperative death were included in the association analysis but excluded from survival analysis. All tumors were classified as intestinal or pancreatobiliary type, according to histologic criteria, and immunohistochemically stained against the aforementioned markers. Results: Eighteen carcinomas were classified as intestinal type and 29 carcinomas as pancreatobiliary type. Univariate analysis revealed that CK20 and CDX2 expression correlates with intestinal type, whereas MUC1 positivity indicates pancreatobiliary type. A marginally significant trend was shown for intestinal-type tumors toward larger size and more frequent MUC2 expression. Using multivariate analysis CK20 ( P = .003) and MUC1 ( P = .004) were identified as independent predictors of the intestinal and pancreatobiliary types, respectively. Mean and median survival was 90.3 and 55 months, respectively. Overall 5-year survival rate was 48%. On univariate survival analysis, overall survival was adversely influenced by the number of infiltrated lymph nodes, elevated Ca19-9 serum levels, jaundice, poor differentiation, T4 stage, N1 stage, TNM stage III, and CDX2 immunonegativity. Multivariate analysis identified TNM stage as the only independent prognostic factor in ampullary adenocarcinoma ( P = .048). Conclusions: Immunoreactivity against CK20 and MUC1 in ampullary carcinomas is a useful adjunct to histologic examination in determining histotype. None of the immunohistochemical markers studied had prognostic significance.

Incidence of inactive allele CYP2D6*4 among Greek women suffering from hormone-sensitive breast cancer

BACKGROUND

The incidence of CYP2D6*4 among Caucasians is estimated up to 27%, while it is present in up to 90% of all poor metabolizers within the Caucasian population. The hypothesis under question is whether the presence of one or two non-functioning (null) alleles predicts an inferior outcome in postmenopausal women with breast cancer receiving adjuvant treatment with tamoxifen. The aim of the present study is to estimate the incidence of CYP2D6*4, in the Greek population and more precisely among females suffering from breast cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Eighty unrelated mainland Greek female volunteers suffering from hormone-sensitive breast cancer were recruited during their primary handling or follow-up examination in order to provide samples for purification and polymerase chain reaction/restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) of genomic DNA derived from buccal swabs.

RESULTS

The incidence of individuals with at least one present allele*4 within the Hellenic population was estimated to be as high as 30% (n = 24/80), with a 95% confidence interval of 20% to 40%. From the statistical point of view, it can be securely stated that incidence of *4 among Greek women is over 20%. The incidence of homozygous carriers of *4 in the present sample occurred in 8.75%, while the incidence of allele*4 haplo-type occurred in 19.4% (n=160).

CONCLUSION

Although the outcoming results for Greek women are actually in line with existing data for other European nations, it should be noted, that a routine CYP2D6 testing of women suffering from breast cancer is formally not recommended, as the clinical significance of CYP2D6 phenotype in treatment and outcome of breast cancer remains unclear.

Laparoscopic versus open liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma: initial experience in Greece

Background

Liver resection represents the treatment of choice for a small proportion of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), amenable to surgery. The remarkable evolution in surgical techniques during the last decades introduced laparoscopic hepatectomy in the operative management of HCC, even in the presence of liver cirrhosis. No comparative study on laparoscopic or open liver resection for HCC has been conducted in Greece yet.

Methods

Patients undergoing liver resection for HCC by one senior hepatobiliary surgeon in our Institution during the period 11/2011-02/2016 were prospectively sampled and retrospectively analyzed for the purposes of this study. Statistical analysis encompassed Student’s t-test, Fisher’s exact test, the Kaplan-Meier method/log rank test and Cox proportional hazard regression analyses.

Results

Eleven patients underwent laparoscopic and 21 open liver resection, respectively. Statistical differences between the 2 groups were observed for tumor size (P=0.04), major resections (P=0.01), Pringle maneuver (P=0.008), intraoperative blood transfusion (P=0.03), and duration of operation (P=0.004). Resection margins, and tumor recurrence showed no statistical differences. Three-year postoperative survival after laparoscopic and open hepatectomy was 100%, and 67%, respectively (P=0.06). Regression analysis for patient survival revealed prognostic value for BCLC staging, γ-glutamyl transferase levels, laparoscopic hepatectomy, UICC stage, Dindo-Clavien classification, and hospital stay. Laparoscopic hepatectomy remained as independent predictor of survival by multivariate analysis (P=0.0142).

Conclusion

Laparoscopic hepatectomy for HCC in chronic liver disease represents a safe and innovative treatment tool in the management of these patients under the presupposition of careful patient selection.

White blood cell and platelet indices as prognostic markers in patients with invasive ductal breast carcinoma

A growing body of evidence suggests that oncogenesis is associated with systemic inflammation. The present study investigated white blood cell and platelet indices, whose values change during the inflammatory response, in women with invasive ductal breast carcinoma. Preoperatively obtained white blood cell and platelet counts from 53 patients with early breast cancer, who developed systemic metastases over a mean follow-up period of 65 months, were analyzed and compared with those of a matching control group formed of 37 patients with the same characteristics, who remained recurrence-free during the same time period. Patients who developed distant metastasis had a significantly higher mean platelet volume and lower neutrophil count than patients who did not present with distant metastasis. Furthermore, time to distant metastasis development was longer in patients with a lower mean platelet volume, whilst patients with a lower neutrophil count had a shorter systemic disease-free time interval. However, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated that these parameters provided moderate accuracy in predicting which patients may develop distant metastasis. No differences were detected between patient groups regarding additional parameters. Patients who developed systemic disease during a mean follow-up period of 65 months were observed to have an increased mean platelet volume and decreased neutrophil count preoperatively. These results indicate that such parameters may be of prognostic value in patients with breast cancer. Studies with a larger number of patients are required to further investigate this hypothesis.

Colonic casts: unexpected complications of colonic ischaemia

Introduction Extensive colonic ischaemia can result in passage of a colonic 'cast' (CC) through the rectum. Case Study We report a 69-year-old male who initially underwent surgery to remove a sessile polyp. On postoperative day (POD)15, he was febrile, suffering from diarrhoea, and was treated conservatively. On POD18, the patient returned to our hospital with a CC that presented after defaecation. Computed tomography of the abdomen revealed a CC extending from the descending colon to the anal orifice with presentation of air between the affected colonic wall and the CC. The patient was treated conservatively and discharged on POD20 without complications having passed the CC (≈80cm) completely and becoming afebrile. Conclusions In most cases, the cause of CC passage is surgery for colorectal cancer or repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. A mild-to-severe presentation is dependent upon the bowel-wall layers affected by ischaemia and which therefore are included in the CC.

Surgery for liver metastases from breast cancer

INTRODUCTION

Liver metastases from breast cancer (BCLM) confer poor survival. Liver resection in BCLM patients has been increasingly employed.

AIM

We undertook a systematic review to evaluate the role of hepatic resection in patients with breast cancer metastatic to the liver.

MATERIALS & METHODS

In total, 36 studies were overviewed. Patient populations, characteristics, morbidity, mortality and survival were documented.

RESULTS

Median overall survival was 41 months. Major morbidity was rare while 30-day postoperative mortality was near nil.

CONCLUSION

Liver surgery for BCLM can be performed with low mortality, acceptable morbidity and promising survival benefit in carefully selected patients.

The growth endocrine axis and inflammatory responses after laparoscopic cholecystectomy

OBJECTIVE

It is well known that conventional surgery leads to detrimental immune and catabolic responses, thus there is growing interest in the effect of minimally invasive techniques on postoperative endocrine and immune function. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the growth hormone (GH)/insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)/IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) axis and acute phase (interleukin-6, IL-6, and C-reactive protein, CRP) responses in patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

DESIGN

Twenty-nine patients (16 women, 13 men; age: 58+8 years) with a history of uncomplicated symptomatic cholelithiasis participated in the study. Blood samples were collected prior to and at 24 hrs and 48 hrs after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Serum concentrations of GH, IGF-1, IGFBP-3, and IL-6 were determined by standard sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), while CRP was measured by nephelometry. ANOVA with repeated measures and Tukey's post-hoc test were used to evaluate changes in serum measurements.

RESULTS

The laparoscopic cholecystectomy resulted in a significant postoperative increase in circulating levels of IL-6 (p=0.031), which is the main cytokine responsible for inducing the acute inflammatory response, and of the acute phase protein CRP (p=0.005). A significant increase in GH levels at 24 hrs (p=0.034) and decrease of IGF-1 on both postoperative days were also found (p=0.045, 0.044), while no changes were documented in IGFBP-3 levels. Significant correlations were revealed between postoperative levels of the acute phase proteins and growth axis hormones (p<0.05 - 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that laparoscopic cholecystectomy induces acute phase endocrine and immune responses. These changes may represent a state of systemic inflammation and GH resistance, compatible with possible cytokine-induced anti-anabolic or catabolic effects even after this minimally invasive cholecystectomy.

Nonfunctioning symptomatic paraganglioma: Is there an optimal follow-up for patients with extra-adrenal benign paragangliomas

Paragangliomas are rare neuroendocrine neoplasms originating from the embryological neural crest. In most cases, they exhibit a benign behavior. Here we report a case of a small symptomatic para-aortic paraganglioma, which was completely removed surgically and a review of the available literature regarding the optimal follow-up of a benign paraganglioma, since no guidelines are currently available for this rare entity.

Impact of CYP2D*6 in the adjuvant treatment of breast cancer patients with tamoxifen

Biotransformation of tamoxifen to the potent antiestrogen endoxifen is performed by cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes, in particular the CYP2D6 isoform. CYP2D6*4 is one of the most frequent alleles associated with loss of enzymatic activity. The incidence of CYP2D6*4 among Caucasians is estimated up to 27%, while it is present in up to 90% of all poor metabolizers within the Caucasian population. The hypothesis under question is whether the presence of one or two non-functioning (null) alleles predicts an inferior outcome in postmenopausal women with breast cancer receiving adjuvant treatment with tamoxifen. The numerous existing studies investigating the association of CYP2D6 with treatment failure in breast cancer are inconsistent and give rather conflicting results. Currently, routine CYP2D6 testing among women with breast cancer is not recommended and the significance of CYP2D6 phenotype in decision making regarding the administration of tamoxifen is unclear. The present study summarizes current literature regarding clinical studies on CYP2D6*4, particularly in terms of response to tamoxifen therapy and breast cancer outcome.

Preoperative biliary drainage in patients with distal obstruction due to pancreatic head cancer

A total of 77% of pancreatic head cancers manifest with obstructive jaundice. Hyperbilirubinemia impairs immunity and nutrition and is responsible for systemic toxicity. Several studies have attempted to investigate the impact of biliary drainage prior to duodenopancreatectomy (preoperative biliary drainage [PBD]) on jaundice resolution, morbidity, mortality and infectious complications, conferring high controversy. One large randomized controlled trial concluded that PBD should not be recommended in patients with distal obstructive jaundice owing to high infection rates. However, this work has been extensively criticized due to the exclusion of severely jaundiced patients, lack of information regarding antimicrobial agents used and employment of plastic instead of metal stents. However, proponents of PBD favor its application in selected cases. This work aims to review the literature on PBD for jaundice due to pancreatic head malignancy, to outline the controversy pertaining to this modality and to identify the indications of PBD in selected patients with malignant distal obstruction.

Indications, limitations and maneuvers to enable extended hepatectomy: Current trends

The liver is a solid organ with a wide variety of primary benign or malignant tumors as well as metastatic lesions. Surgical resection of these tumors remains the only curative modality. Several limitations, however, do not allow the performance of these operations. This review evaluates the indications and limitations regarding these extended hepatic resections, as well as describing all the manipulations that increase the candidates for such operations. A thorough review of the literature was performed in order to define indications for extended hepatectomy, as well as to present all methods that contribute to increasing the volume of the future remnant liver. The role of portal vein ligation, portal vein embolization, two-stage hepatectomy, and in situ liver transection are evaluated in the setting of indications and results. Extended hepatectomies are a necessity due to oncological reasons. All methods developed in order to increase the volume of the remnant liver are safe and efficient. in situ liver transection is a novel and revolutionary two-step procedure for extended hepatic resections. Further clinical studies are required to estimate long-term results and the oncological basis of this technique.

Conference Scene: Breast cancer management: towards optimum diagnostic and therapeutic methods

The second biennial congress of the Hellenic Society of Breast Surgeons took place in Athens, Greece, from 28 to 30 June 2013. It was highly attended by breast surgeons who are members of the society, but also by a large number of physicians of other specialties involved in the management of breast cancer, including pathologists, diagnostic radiologists, medical oncologists, radiotherapists and plastic surgeons. As well as surgical issues, important topics regarding the role of the radiologist in preoperative diagnosis, controversies in breast pathology, recent advances in systemic treatment and new techniques of radiotherapy were extensively debated in roundtable discussions. Finally, three workshops on diagnostic radiology, the importance of molecular biology in breast cancer treatment decisions and ‘surgical skills’ for young breast surgeons were also included in the 3-day scientific program. Here, we present a summary of the highlights of the congress.

FAP related periampullary adenocarcinoma

INTRODUCTION

The risk of periampullary neoplasia in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is significantly increased compared to the general population.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

We herein report the case of a 47-year-old woman with classic familial adenomatous polyposis with a history of total proctocolectomy for FAP who presented with an ulcerous ampullary lesion 8 years after primary colorectal surgery. Interestingly, the patient had not enrolled to optimal postoperative upper endoscopy follow-up. The patient underwent a Whipple procedure. Histology demonstrated a T2N0 ampullary adenocarcinoma.

DISCUSSION

Periampullary disease in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis occurs increasingly, especially in the subset of patients without proper endoscopic follow-up. Current recommendations concerning upper endoscopy and appropriate management are herein discussed; the importance of optimal postoperative endoscopy after total proctocolectomy in the FAP setting is discussed.

CONCLUSION

Periampullary cancer carries a significant risk in patients with FAP and proper endoscopic follow-up should be applied in this special patient group in order to manage ampullary manifestations of the disease in a timely manner.

How can we treat a patient with liver cirrhosis (hepatitis C virus), hepatocellular carcinoma, and synchronous colon cancer?

INTRODUCTION

The coexistence of liver cirrhosis with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and colon cancer (Ca), which is a rare clinical condition, was treated in a liver transplant recipient.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A 46-year-old man, diagnosed incidentally during an ultrasound (US) examination with a 3.5-cm HCC in segment VII related to chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV), was referred for liver resection. He underwent a laparoscopic protocol evaluation for liver cirrhosis. Liver appearance and biopsy of the left lobe showed Child B/C liver cirrhosis. Because he fulfilled the Milan criteria, we suggested an orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). During protocol colonoscopy, we discovered an ulcerative sigmoid colon Ca. Three weeks after completing the pre-OLT assessment he underwent an OLT and was discharged home on day 9 on an immunosuppressive regimen of Everolimus, Myfortic, and Prezolone. Two months after transplantation, the patient underwent a sigmoidectomy and for nearly 1 month thereafter received chemotherapy for colon Ca (6 cycles of FOLFOX:Folinic Acid+Fluorouracil+Oxaliplatin). One and a half years after OLT, patient was in good condition but presented with an increased alpha fetoprotein (a-FP) without other findings. A couple of months later we discovered a colon Ca recurrence and 3 small liver metastases. Patient underwent a bowel resection with Hartmann's procedure. Almost immediately after the last operation, he was found to suffer multiple myeloma. He underwent chemotherapy for both malignancies with good responses, but a few months later died of severe sepsis.

DISCUSSION

The relevant literature regarding treatment of liver cirrhosis complicated with HCC and synchronous colon Ca reveals poor and controversial outcomes. Our patient underwent chemotherapy immediately after colon resection in the presence of with a good functioning liver. Although his condition was satisfactory after OLT, the optimal treatment of such complicated patients is as yet uncertain.