[Transanal endoscopic microsurgery in rectal cancer].
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to A Heintz.
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Sessile adenomas are predominantly localized in the rectum and lower sigma. Surgical removal is indicated but often implies an invasive surgical procedure. Using conventional transanal surgical techniques, only the lower rectum can be reached and there are high rates of recurrence. The new technique combines an endoscopic view of the rectum under gas insufflation via a stereoscopic telescope with conventional surgical preparation and suturing. Adenomas can be excised using the mucosectomy technique or full-thickness-excision, whereas carcinomas should be excised using full-thickness excision with a sufficient border of healthy mucosa. In carcinomas of the sacral cavity, we remove the retrorectal fat up to the fascia of Waldeyer, including the regional lymph nodes. Transanal endoscopic microsurgery is the most economical and tissue-saving surgical technique for the removal of rectal adenomas and early rectal carcinomas.
Using the "transanal endoscopic microsurgery" technique, 140 patients were treated at the Department of Surgery in Cologne and Mainz. Of the patients with adenomas, 68.2% had typical symptoms preoperatively. The postoperative hospital attendance was 8.7 days, with an average resection size of 14.4 cm2. The postoperative complication rate was 5%, and there were no deaths related to the technique. In a prospective controlled trial, 2.2% of the patients with adenomas treated endoscopically in Mainz showed recidivation, requiring reoperation. The follow-up rate was 100%. In 30 cases, microscopic examination revealed carcinoma. Radical reoperation in 8 pT1 tumours showed neither remaining tumour nor lymph node metastases. Twelve patients with pT1 carcinoma treated by local surgery alone were recurrence-free with an average follow-up period of 12.3 months. So far, there have been no late results.
35 patients with rectal cancer were examined in a prospective trial by endorectal ultrasound. In 27 patients the sonographic diagnosis of tumour penetration was correct as compared with histologic findings, in 7 patients infiltration depth was overestimated, and in one case underestimated. In 21 resected specimens, examined postoperatively in a water tank with the same equipment, ultrasonic examination was correct in 17; in no case was the infiltration depth underestimated. The different technical approaches in local sonographic staging of rectal cancer are discussed.
Ultrasonography was performed in 125 consecutive patients with clinically suspected carcinoma of the pancreas. The most important diagnostic criteria were reflectivity and echo amplitude, which were locally decreased in 71% (50/70) and increased in 27% (19/70) of the cancers. The echogenicity and reflectivity did not differ in four endocrine active tumors and adenocarcinomas. The diagnostic accuracy was 83% (101/122); in 3 patients ultrasonography failed to provide adequate information. Dilation of the biliary tree was found in 68% (43/50) of the carcinomas and dilation of the Wirsungian duct in 52% (32/58). There was some difficulty in differentiating between pancreatic carcinoma and chronic pancreatitis because the echogenicity is similar for both and inflammatory and neoplastic pancreatic processes are also present in both diseases. Although only 2-3 cm in diameter, 87% (7/8) of the carcinomas were already in the T3 stage. Angiography to evaluate resectability is unnecessary only when vascular encasement, extensive infiltration of peripancreatic fat, or tumor thrombus has been demonstrated sonographically.
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Not every case of angina pectoris occurring in a hypertensive patient is indicative of coronary atherosclerosis. Nine patients with essential hypertension of moderate degree had attacks of angina of sufficient severity to require investigation by arteriography. In these patients, the coronary arteriogram was normal but ventriculography showed hypertrophy of the walls of the left ventricle of restrictive or obstructive type. These appearances were confirmed by echocardiography which also showed hypertrophy of the septum and, in certain cases, confirmed the involvement of the ventricle, while by contrast the electrocardiogram and radiological appearances of the heart were essentially normal. The beta-blockers may have an important part to play in such conditions, and echocardiography is suggested as part of the routine investigation in cases of hypertension.
An echographic study was carried out on 17 patients before and after conversion of atrial fibrillation to normal rhythm. It showed up the moment of return of atrial contraction as a movement of the posterior wall of the left auricle and a reappearance of the 'a' wave or the anterior cusp of the mitral valve. The contraction can appear immediately after the electric shock, or may be delayed.
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The aim of the present prospective observational study was to diagnose and stage pancreatic carcinoma with a minimum of diagnostic procedures. Our experiences in 307 patients with a histologically confirmed pancreatic carcinoma show that for diagnosing pancreatic carcinoma sonography and computed tomography are sufficient in 95% of the cases. The combination of both has a sensitivity equal to that of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP; 96.8 vs. 98.7%; n.s., chi2 test). ERCP is only indicated in cases with negative sonography and computed tomography, and suspicion of pancreatic cancer. For tumor staging, the routine performance of angiography cannot be recommended in view of the fact that although it provides greater sensitivity for the evaluation of an infiltration of the portal vein (80% for angiography vs. 22% for sonography or computed tomography), it is associated with a lower positive predictive value (56.4 vs. 68 and 72%) which results in a lower accuracy. Despite recent advantages in diagnostic technology, less than 50% of unresectable tumors were identified preoperatively at a 10% false-positive rate. The major reason for unresectability is infiltration into the mesenteric axis, which cannot be identified laparoscopically. Laparoscopy or percutaneous biopsy is recommended only in the presence of a tumor with suspicion of distant metastasis detected by radiological imaging and requiring histological confirmation. In conclusion, sonography and computed tomography as the only diagnostic images are sufficient for diagnosing and staging of pancreatic carcinoma in more than 95% of the patients. Only a small number of patients needs further diagnostic procedures.
BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of malignancy can be difficult in endocrine tumors of the pancreas. Moreover prognostically relevant factors are not available. The aim of this study was to evaluate retrospectively whether the DNA distribution pattern can differentiate between benign and malignant pancreatic endocrine tumors and secondly whether the DNA content of tumor cells gives prognostic information. METHOD: Image cytometry of paraffin-embedded tumor material of 42 pancreatic endocrine tumors. RESULTS: In 27 benign endocrine pancreatic tumors (25 insulinomas, 2 benign nonfunctioning endocrine tumors) we could differentiate between 6 diploid, 15 hypotriploid and 6 triploid DNA histograms. In 15 malignant endocrine tumors of the pancreas we could differentiate between 1 diploid, 1 hypotriploid, 9 triploid and 4 hypertriploid tumors. All 4 patients with a hypertriploid tumor died as a consequence of their disease in contrast to only 1 patient with a diploid, hypotriploid or triploid tumor even in case of a nonradical resection. CONCLUSION: With the help of quantitative DNA measurement a differentiation between malignant and benign endocrine pancreatic tumors is not possible even if the risk of malignancy increases with the DNA content. The DNA content of malignant endocrine pancreatic tumors has an influence on the long-term survival. Hypertriploid tumors have a statistically significantly worse prognosis than diploid, hypotriploid or triploid tumors.
BACKGROUND: The technique of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB), although relatively well standardized, has some "weak points". METHODS: We analysed the experience of 2 German university clinics in order to suggest technical alternatives that can be helpful in difficult situations. RESULTS: Between April 1997 and May 2002 115 patients in Cologne (87 females, 28 males) with median BMI 49.5 kg/m(2) and mean age 39 years (19-54), and 112 patients in Mainz (91 females, 21 males) with median BMI 48 kg/m(2) and mean age 35 years (18-57) underwent LAGB, using the Lap-Band. LAGB was performed through 5 ports (3 10-mm, 1 18-mm, and 1 5-mm in Cologne and 4 10-mm and 1 18-mm port in Mainz). The pars flaccida technique by means of a fan-shaped Endo-Retractor was used in both clinics. Mean duration of follow-up was 3.2 years (SD 1.0) in the Cologne group with complete investigation in all except 4 patients. In the Mainz group, mean duration of follow-up was 2.7 years (SD 1.0) with complete investigation in all except 9 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Some technical aspects such as induction of pneumoperitoneum, band position, band fixation, band malposition and port-related complications are discussed.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: The clinical behavior of carcinoid tumors is sometimes difficult to determine from their histological appearance. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether the DNA distribution pattern seen in carcinoid tumors can be correlated with histopathological parameters and the patient's clinical course and prognosis. METHODOLOGY: The paraffin-embedded material of 44 enteropancreatic tumors underwent deparaffinization, was rehydrated, and mechanically and enzymatically processed into a single cell solution. For evaluation of the DNA histogram, analysis was performed with the help of an automatic single cell cytophotometric study. RESULTS: A correlation was seen between the DNA content and tumor stage (p = 0.01), radicalness of surgery (p = 0.03), tumor localization (p = 0.02) and patient's age (p = 0.05). In univariate analysis, patient's age (p = 0.04), tumor localization (p = 0.03), tumor stage (p = 0.0001), radicalness of surgery (p = 0.0006) and DNA content (p = 0.01) influenced prognosis. In multivariate analysis including these parameters, only tumor stage had an independent influence on prognosis. CONCLUSION: The clinical relevance of DNA measurement in carcinoid tumors is still unknown.