Letter 2: French multicentre prospective observational study of laparoscopic versus open colectomy for sigmoid diverticular disease (Br J Surg 2005; 92: 1520-1525).
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Publications and source records attributed to D P Edwards.
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INTRODUCTION: Endoanal ultrasound (EAUS) has demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity for the structural imaging of anorectal pathology. This study prospectively assessed the impact of intra-operative EAUS on the surgical management of perianal disease. METHODS: EAUS was performed prior to and after examination under anaesthesia (EUA) in a consecutive series of patients with perianal disease. The impact of EAUS on the surgery performed was identified. RESULTS: Forty-three procedures have been performed in 38 patients (21 male, 17 female; mean age 42.7 years, range 6-76 years) over a three year period. Pathologies encountered were fistula-in-ano (42%), fissure-in-ano (26%), complicated perianal sepsis (16%) and carcinoma (5%). No specific abnormality was identified in 5 symptomatic patients (12%). Four patients with fissures had undergone previous sphincterotomy. In 22 cases (51.2%) the EAUS findings affected the surgical management (extent of muscle above a fistula 9 cases, extent of sphincterotomy 7 cases, site of sepsis identified 2 cases, exclusion of sepsis 2 cases, assessment of cancer resectability 1 case, biopsy of intersphincteric lesion 1 case). CONCLUSION: Intra-operative EAUS accurately identifies perianal disease and influences the surgical procedure performed. While not essential, it is a useful adjunct especially in recurrent perianal sepsis, undiagnosed anorectal pain and anal fissure.
OBJECTIVES: Anal advancement flaps treat a variety of anal disorders. In recent years the "House" advancement flap has been used with good success, the term referring to the shape of the flap used. It is simple with few shortcomings. We reviewed a single centre's experience of this procedure. METHODS: All patients who underwent a house advancement flap between 1996 and 2001 were identified. The case notes were examined and data collected on indication for surgery, complications, follow-up and outcome. RESULTS: Thirteen consecutive patients were identified, mean age of 44 years. Indications for surgery were chronic anal fissure, fistulous disease and post surgical deformity or stenosis of the anal canal. Median follow-up was 37 months (25-84). In 9 patients the flaps healed within 4 weeks. In the remaining 4 patients the flaps healed by secondary intention over a median of 14 weeks (8-20). Postoperative complications occurred in 5 patients (3 donor site separation and 2 flap retraction). Two patients developed recurrence of their original disorder. Eleven patients have relief of pre-operative symptoms with fully healed flaps. CONCLUSION: This procedure is simple, easy to construct and robust. It can be performed for a variety of anal disorders with satisfactory results and few complications and should be in every Coloproctologist's armamentarium.
Intratumoral aromatase is a therapeutic target for the treatment of post-menopausal estrogen-dependent breast cancers. Therefore, reliable methods should be developed for routine application for the detection of intratumoral aromatase. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is considered one of the most suitable methods in this regard. A multi-centre collaborative group has been established to generate and validate new aromatase monoclonal antibodies. We have selected two monoclonal antibodies, #677 against native aromatase protein and F2 against formalin-fixed protein for this purpose. With these two monoclonal antibodies 43 cases of invasive ductal carcinoma, which had been previously assayed for aromatase activity by product isolation methodology, were immunostained in three laboratories in UK, USA and Japan and independently evaluated by three pathologists (H.S., T.A. and S.G.S.). Staining of malignant epithelium, adipose tissue, normal/benign and stromal compartments of the tumors were assessed by estimating the proportion of positive staining cells and the relative intensity of staining in this fashion. Immunoreactivity could be detected in each component of the tissue specimens but a significant positive correlation with biochemical activity was detected only in malignant epithelium stained with 677 not in other components with #677 and not in any of the components. Staining using F2 as a primary antibody did not produce a positive correlation in any components with aromatase activity. These results suggest that we now have a monoclonal antibody against aromatase (#677) which may be used to stain archival materials. A methodology and scoring system is recommended whereby staining significantly correlates with aromatase activity of the resected tissue specimens of breast cancer.
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OBJECTIVE: To identify the preferred surgical management of the rectal stump after emergency subtotal colectomy (ESC) for acute severe colitis by assessing the morbidity associated with each option. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Consecutive patients undergoing ESC at a district general hospital between 1999 and 2004 were retrospectively audited for pathology, rectal stump complications and length of postoperative hospital stay (POS). RESULTS: Thirty-seven ESCs were performed, 34 were undertaken for disease refractory to medical treatment, 2 for toxic mega colon and 1 for perforation. Thirty-four cases were for ulcerative colitis, 2 Crohn's colitis and 1 infective colitis. Twenty-seven had an intraperitoneal and 10 a subcutaneously placed closed rectal stump. The median POS for patients with a subcutaneously placed stump was shorter than for those with an intraperitoneal stump, 8 and 15 days, respectively (P = 0.04). Two patients had leakage from an intraperitoneal stump, prolonging POS (33 and 193 days). Three of the subcutaneous stumps leaked causing wound infection but not prolonging the POS (6, 7 and 16 days). CONCLUSION: Avoiding a second stoma by closing the rectal stump after ESC has been confirmed as acceptable practice by studies over the last 15 years, reporting no overall increase in complications. The location of a closed rectal stump appears to influence the incidence of pelvic sepsis. The lowest pelvic sepsis rate is associated with subcutaneous placement; despite a higher wound infection rate this option appears to be associated with a lower total morbidity reflected in a shorter POS.
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PURPOSE: Enteroscopy during laparotomy for Peutz-Jeghers syndrome was introduced in our unit in 1987. Its aim is to achieve more complete polyp clearance and thereby reduce the number of subsequent laparotomies for small intestinal polyps. METHODS: All patients with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome who had undergone intraoperative enteroscopy since its introduction into our unit in 1987 were identified. The numbers of polyps identified by palpation and transillumination and by enteroscopy were recorded. The timing of, indications for, and findings of all subsequent laparotomies were analyzed and compared with data from our unit before the introduction of intraoperative enteroscopy. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients (14 females) were studied. Enteroscopy identified 350 (median 12, range 0-35) polyps not detected by palpation and transillumination. All impalpable polyps were removed endoscopically by snare or biopsy. The median follow-up was 53 (interquartile range, 13-133) months. Six patients have had an additional laparotomy (1 urgent relaparotomy for small-bowel perforation after endoscopic polypectomy, 4 polypectomies, and 1 adhesion obstruction). No patient has required operative polypectomy within 4 years of polyp clearance by intraoperative enteroscopy, compared with registry data of 4 (17 percent) of 23 patients who had more than 1 laparotomy within 1 year. CONCLUSION: Intraoperative enteroscopy for Peutz-Jeghers syndrome improves polyp clearance without the need for additional enterotomies and may help to reduce the frequency of laparotomies.
Intratumoral aromatase is a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of postmenopausal estrogen-dependent breast cancers. Therefore, reliable methods should be developed for routine application for the detection of intratumoral aromatase. A multi-center collaborative group has been established to generate and validate new aromatase monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). A recombinant GST-aromatase fusion protein was expressed in baculovirus and the purified protein was used for immunization of mice either as a native or formalin-fixed antigen. Hybridomas were generated using standard techniques and screened biochemically prior to immunohistochemistry (IHC) evaluation in human placenta, ovary and breast cancer tissues. Twenty-three MAbs selected by biochemical assays were further evaluated by IHC of paraffin-embedded tissue sections including normal ovary, and placenta, and a small series of 10 breast carcinomas. Of the 23 MAbs, 2 (clones 677 and F2) were determined to specifically stain cell types known to express aromatase in normal tissues. In breast carcinomas staining of malignant epithelium, adipose tissue, normal/benign and stromal compartments was detected. IHC was performed and independently evaluated by three pathologists (HS, TJA and SGS), each using the same evaluation criteria for staining intensity and proportion of immunopositive cells. With these two MAbs, interpathologist and intralaboratory variations were minimal in comparison with differences which could be detected between tissue specimens and antibodies.
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Major advances in our understanding of the mechanisms involved in chronic anal fissure have allowed the introduction of many new medical therapies for this condition. The literature about current treatment modalities licensed for anal fissure and those novel therapies still under evaluation has been reviewed. These new treatments are examined in the context of traditional surgical management of the disease and a future treatment algorithm suggested.
Steroid hormones have rapid nongenomic effects on cell-signaling pathways, but the receptor mechanisms responsible for this are not understood. We have identified a specific polyproline motif in the amino-terminal domain of conventional progesterone receptor (PR) that mediates direct progestin-dependent interaction of PR with SH3 domains of various cytoplasmic signaling molecules, including c-Src tyrosine kinases. Through this interaction, PR is a potent activator of Src kinases working by an SH3 domain displacement mechanism. By mutagenesis, we also show that rapid progestin-induced activation of Src and downstream MAP kinase in mammalian cells is dependent on PR-SH3 domain interaction, but not on the transcriptional activity of PR. Preliminary evidence for the biological significance of this PR signaling pathway through regulatory SH3 domains was shown with respect to an influence on progestin-induced growth arrest of breast epithelial cells and induction of Xenopus oocyte maturation.
BACKGROUND: The consequences of leakage from low colorectal or coloanal anastomoses are reduced by the use of a loop stoma to divert the faecal stream. Controversy continues as to whether loop ileostomy (LI) or loop transverse colostomy (LTC) is the optimal method of defunctioning such anastomoses. METHODS: Patients requiring defunctioning following anterior resection and total mesorectal excision were randomized to receive either LI or LTC. Comparison was made between the groups regarding the difficulty of stoma formation and closure, the recovery after stoma closure and stoma-related complications. The minimum follow-up after stoma closure was 6 months (median 36 months). RESULTS: Between October 1995 and August 1999, 70 patients were randomized (LTC 36, LI 34) of whom 63 underwent stoma closure (LTC 31, LI 32). There were no significant differences in the difficulty of formation or closure, or in the postoperative recovery between the groups. However, there were ten complications related directly to the stoma in the LTC group: faecal fistula (one patient), prolapse (two), parastomal hernia (two) and incisional hernia during follow-up (five). None of these complications occurred in the LI group. CONCLUSION: In this randomized study, the frequency of herniation before or after colostomy closure supports the choice of LI as a method of defunctioning a low anastomosis. Both methods appear to provide satisfactory protection for the low anastomosis.
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Military surgical doctrine has traditionally taught that all ballistic wounds should be formally managed by surgical intervention. There is now, however, both experimental and clinical evidence supporting the nonoperative treatment of selected small fragment wounds. Low energy-transfer wounds affecting the soft tissues, without neuro-vascular compromise and with stable fracture patterns, may be suitable for early antibiotic treatment. The management of ballistic wounds to the gastrointestinal tract requires surgical intervention but, advances in the treatment of these wounds, especially those involving the colon, may allow more effective treatment with a reduced morbidity.
Gas gangrene is a well recognised complication of contaminated military wounds. A case of Clostridial myonecrosis following elective inguinal hernia repair is described. The pathology, clinical features and management of this life-threatening condition are reviewed.