The current study was done to analyze our experience with recurrent goiter. Prevention must be stressed because reoperations of the thyroid gland present technical difficulties and are associated with an increased risk of hypoparathyroidism and permanent hoarseness. Nodular recurrences occurred in 36 of 1,456 patients (2.5 percent) who underwent thyroidectomy between 1968 and 1983. All patients had the initial operation at Jean Bernard Hospital, Poitiers, France, and had follow-up evaluation from five to 20 years. Multinodular goiter accounted for 70 percent of the recurrences. Sixty percent of the recurrences were in patients with multinodular goiters. Recurrent goiter was usually first detected about eight years after thyroidectomy. Thirty patients with recurrence had reoperations. Two patients had paralysis of the vocal cord and one patient had permanent hypoparathyroidism. Recurrent goiter may occur because of the development of new nodules (true recurrence) or because of the growth of "residual" or persistent macroscopic or microscopic nodules left at the previous thyroid operation. Intraoperative digital palpation of the entire thyroid gland is essential for detecting residual macroscopic thyroid nodules, and all enlarged nodules should be removed. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) suppressive therapy is recommended by some authorities to prevent "true" recurrences, although its efficacy is debated. Since recurrence is uncommon in the current series, perhaps TSH suppressive therapy should only be used in high-risk patients. In the current experience, only the multinodular character of the nodules in euthyroid patients has a significant correlation with subsequent development of recurrent goiter (p < 0.01), and one must consider patients with multinodular goiter at risk for recurrence. Once TSH treatment is begun, it will logically be continued for life. Total thyroidectomy has been recommended by some endocrine surgeons for treating patients with multinodular goiter. We prefer subtotal thyroidectomy and reserve total thyroidectomy for patients when no normal thyroid tissue can be preserved because only 2.5 percent of the patients in the current study had recurrent goiter. Prevention of residual nodules is probably best assured by systematic palpation during operation of the two thyroid lobes. This considerably lessens the risk of recurrence. Since nodular recurrences occurred in only 2.5 percent of the patients in the current study, although multinodular goiter must be considered at risk for recurrence, we do not recommend systematic total thyroidectomy in multinodular goiter.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

Long-term outcome of severe radiation enteritis treated by total parenteral nutrition.

The outcome of 31 patients with severe radiation enteritis treated by total parenteral nutrition (TPN) was analyzed. Before initiation of parenteral nutrition, 18 of the patients had not had abdominal surgery, while 13 had either a resection or an intestinal bypass for radiation enteritis. Median follow-up was 2 1/2 years (range: 1 month to 12 years) from the time of initiation of parenteral nutrition. Surgery was required in 15 cases because parenteral alimentation could not be continued. Only eight of these 15 were able to resume a normal oral intake. Total parenteral nutrition allowed oral feeding to be resumed in 11 (36%) after a median follow-up of 40 months (range: 6-142 months). In general, total parenteral nutrition was well tolerated and was associated with low morbidity. Eighteen patients died, 13 of complications due to radiation therapy, four of cancer recurrence, and one of an unrelated cause. Survival probability was 58% at one year and 36% at five years. When possible, prognostic factors present either before or at initiation of total parenteral nutrition were analyzed. Age, predisposing vascular factors (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, or vascular disease), and enteric fistula and/or perforation were found to have prognostic value. The probability of clinical radiation enteritis recurrence was 34% at one year and 47% at two years. A clinical recurrence of symptoms was more frequent but not significantly so after parenteral nutrition as compared to surgical therapy of radiation enteritis. Although TPN corrected denutrition and allowed deferred surgery in some patients, severe radiation enteritis remains a poorly predictable progressive disease with numerous relapses.

Enteritis↗

PubMed1992

[Hepatobiliary complications of total parenteral nutrition].

Total parenteral nutrition has showed his efficacy in severe digestive diseases. However, infections, metabolic and hepato biliary complications can appear. Aim of this study is to report hepato biliary complications in 200 adult patients, mean age 53 years, treated between 1979 and 1988. Three types of hepato biliary complications occurred in 138 patients initially free of hepato biliary disorders: 1) biochemical hepatic disorders (cholestasis and/or cytolysis) occurred in 58 patients (42%) with mean time of 27 days. In 40% these disorders disappeared after modifications or stop of parenteral nutrition. 2) Jaundice occurred in 9 patients (7%) with mean time of 73 days. Regression of Jaundice is possible only if enteral nutrition is reestablished. Sludge or cholelithiasis occurred in 34 patients (25%) with mean time of 43 days. In five of these patients cholecystectomy must be performed. Literature confirms high frequency of hepato biliary complications in total parenteral nutrition. Occurrence of these complications seems to be related to duration of total parenteral nutrition and to type of nutrition. Most complications decrease when we can stop total parenteral nutrition. Use of lipids in separated perfusion decreases significantly (p < 0.05) biochemical hepatic disorders occurrence. In conclusion, 1) biochemical hepatic disorders are very common, requiring biochemical hepatic tests weekly. 2) Jaundice is rare but serious, requiring stop of parenteral nutrition, and sometimes surgery to reestablish an enteral nutrition. 3) high frequency of cholelithiasis justifies ultrasonographic follow-up, and perhaps preventive cholecystectomy in operation leading total parenteral nutrition.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

[Prognostic incidence of blood transfusion in 753 patients operated for colorectal adenocarcinoma].

Do transfusions have a deleterious effect on the survival after surgery for colorectal carcinoma (CRC)? Among 1,221 patients operated on for a CRC between 1969 and 1988, 753 patients having undergone a curative surgical procedure with a follow-up of at least six months were evaluated retrospectively. 134 patients (17.2%) did not receive any transfusion; the others 619 (82.80%) received transfusions including 150 with packed red blood cells only. Transfused and non transfused patients were compared. Among the classical indicators for disease free survival, the only valuable parameter was the pathological classification, but it was not discriminant between transfused and non transfused patients. Prognostic value of transfusions were evaluated with regard of the components and the quantity of transfused items, the time of transfusions (either per- or perioperative), the surgical procedures and the tumor location on colon and rectum. The 5 years survival of transfused patients was less than for non transfused patients (56.3% versus 61.7%, p > 0.05 NS), but only the transfusions of more than 5 packed red blood cells worsened significantly the prognostic. (5 years chi 2 = 5.7; p < 0.02). Adjustments with pathologic analysis and time evolutive indications for transfusions did not alter those results. These results point the fact that transfusions could influence survival after surgery for CRC and stress us to limit reasonably transfusions.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed1992

[Primary hyperparathyroidism: etiology, physiopathology and natural history].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Bone and Bones↗

PubMed1991

Remote arteriovenous fistula with infrapopliteal polytetrafluoroethylene bypass for critical ischemia.

Between January 1985 and January 1989, 13 patients underwent femorotibial bypass using a polytetrafluoroethylene graft with a remote distal arteriovenous fistula. Indications for operation were gangrene in six patients, rest pain in five patients, and nonhealing ulcer in two patients. No patient had a usable autogenous saphenous vein. Eight patients had a previous failed femorodistal bypass. Standard femorotibial bypass was performed using a 6 mm thin-walled polytetrafluoroethylene graft. The distal remote arteriovenous fistula was done on the same artery. Warfarin was given postoperatively. Graft patency was assessed by duplex scan and digital arteriography. There was no postoperative mortality. All grafts and fistulas remained patent initially with improvement in symptoms and limb salvage. In the follow-up period there was continued graft patency in all but two patients who had a below-knee amputation. Three patients died with a patent graft. In two additional patients the graft remained patent but the fistula closed. We believe that in selected situations, the remote distal arteriovenous fistula is a potentially valuable adjunct for obligatory polytetrafluoroethylene femorotibial bypass.

Aged↗

PubMed1991

[X-ray computed tomography in the surveillance of the course of acute pancreatitis. Values of a new classification of inflammatory lesions].

378 tomodensitometric investigations were performed in cases of acute pancreatitis. The evolution of inflammatory lesions were analyzed with special attention to tissue aggressive inflammation in order to recognize early signs of gravity on CAT scans. Pancreatic lesions less than 15 mm in diameter called "hypodense islets-1" are compatible with oedematous lesions while lesions greater than 15 mm in diameter ("hypodense islets-2") are characteristic of developing necrosis. Tissue aggressive inflammatory lesions were classified in five grades retrospectively and showed that the incidence of abcesses was greater in grade II (76.5%) than in grade I lesions (11.75%).

Acute Disease↗

PubMed1990

[Continuous hemofiltration in the treatment of acute kidney failure in multiple organ failure].

Twenty-nine patients with acute renal failure and multiple organ failure were treated with continuous arterio-venous or veno-venous haemofiltration for a period of 6 +/- 5 days. Sixteen of these patients were improved and haemofiltration was withdrawn, but secondary worsening occurred in 8 cases. The method is well tolerated by the cardiovascular system and provides a satisfactory metabolic control. The low patient's survival rate (27 percent) is due to the severity of the disease. In the absence of controlled studies, it is difficult to assert that continuous haemofiltration is better than conventional haemodialysis.

Acute Kidney Injury↗

PubMed1990

[Intestinal perforation occurring at the beginning of treatment: a severe complication of bacillary tuberculosis].

We report 2 cases of intestinal perforation caused by tuberculosis and affecting the small intestine in one case and the colon in the other case. The patients were men aged 49 and 51 years respectively. Both were cachectic and presented with advanced open pulmonary tuberculosis. Perforation in free peritoneal cavity occurred 2 and 8 days respectively after an antituberculous treatment was initiated. The outcome was rapidly fatal in both cases. Tuberculous enteritis has become rare, but it can still be observed in patients with severe open pulmonary tuberculosis, where the gastro-intestinal tract is contaminated by the large number of virulent mycobacteria swallowed. In such patients clinicians must be alert to abdominal premonitory signs. Intestinal perforations in free peritoneal cavity are uncommon. Most perforation are small, single or multiple, and located on the antimesenteric side of the terminal ileum. They may occur at any time, and particularly just after an antituberculous therapy has been instituted. Clinical presentation is one of acute peritonitis requiring emergency laparotomy. Mortality has been reduced by technical improvements, notably temporary enterostomy, but perforation remains a serious and often fatal complication of tuberculosis in patients with severe malnutrition.

Antitubercular Agents↗

PubMed1989

[Long-term results of surgery of primary hyperparathyroidism].

The late results of operation for primary hyperparathyroidism were analysed in 52 patients operated between 1971 and 1987. All patients have a minimal 5 years follow-up, and answered a mailed questionnaire concerning their present state of health and recent serum calcium level. Recurrent hypercalcemia occurred in 5.7%. Hypocalcemia occurred in 30% immediately after operation; in 11.5% at six months, and in 7.7% at the final follow-up. The pathogenesis of such hypocalcemia is discussed. 66% of patients with urinary calculi are cured after neck exploration and urologic procedure. Finally 86.6% of the patients are normocalcemic at the final follow up, acting for the efficient and lasting character of the surgical treatment in primary hyperparathyroidism.

Adenoma↗

PubMed1989

[A case of parathyroid adenoma localized in the middle mediastinum].

The discovery of a parathyroid adenoma in the middle mediastinum is exceptional and fewer than 10 cases have been reported. On the basis of a new case, the authors propose several pathogenic hypotheses: this adenoma develops and/or migrates from the fourth branchial pouch. Preoperative imaging is very useful for guiding the operation via sternotomy. The absence of any CT signs in the present case caused us to explore the retro-aortico-caval region. Sternotomies performed for the treatment of primary hyperparathyroidism are unsuccessful in one third of patients. In more than 30% of cases, the cause for this failure is related to the persistence of a cervical adenoma: when the pathological gland is actually located in the mediastinum, the possibility of middle mediastinal ectopia should be considered when investigation of the classical sites in the neck and mediastinum remains negative.

Adenoma↗

PubMed1989

[Systemic mastocytosis disclosed by rupture of esophageal varices].

A 77-year-old woman had variceal bleeding related to systemic mastocytosis. Physical examination revealed minimal ascites and mild hepatomegaly noted 11 years before. Liver function tests were nearly normal. Because of early recurrent bleeding, a mesocaval shunt was performed. Wedged liver biopsy showed a moderate fibrosis of portal tracts and massive mast cell infiltration within portal tracts and sinusoids. Perisinusoidal collagen deposition was demonstrated ultrastructurally. We suggest that systemic mastocytosis be added to the list of diseases related portal hypertension with perisinusoidal fibrosis. As there is currently no specific treatment, a portocaval shunt should be discussed.

Aged↗

PubMed1988

[Major hypertriglyceridemia, associated with severe acute pancreatitis, successfully treated with plasma exchange].

A 27 year-old alcoholic patient with severe acute pancreatitis (4 Ranson's objective prognostic signs), complained of abdominal pain and vomiting and presented fever and rigors. The plasma was of milky turbidity and the concentration of triglycerides (TG) very high (26 Mmol/l, Normal: 3-1.6). Serum pancreatic amylase was elevated (262 U/l, Normal: 10-200). The electrocardiogram (ECG) showed S-T depression. The diagnosis was confirmed by computed tomography which showed a pancreatic phlegmon and a collection in the left pararenal space (Ranson's grade D). After PE on days 1 and 2: the amylase became normal, plasma clear, TG decreased (7.8 Mmol/l), the clinical picture improved and the ECG normal. Assisted ventilation was necessary over 10 days. Pancreatic morphology remained unchanged. The patient was discharged to intensive care on day 18. There was no indication for surgery. The fast drop in TG levels, the precursors of free fatty acids, may have limited their toxicity the pancreas, allowing a difficult stage to be over come and the course of the illness to interrupted. Normalization of the ECG requires emphasis. The association of HG, increased plasma amylase and abdominal pain justifies early iterative PE.

Acute Disease↗