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Biomedical subjects

R Bellantone

Publications and source records attributed to R Bellantone.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Enterocutaneous fistulas: effect of nutritional management and surgery.

Records of 38 consecutive patients affected by enterocutaneous fistulas were reviewed concerning etiology, site, management, results and prognostic factors. Thirtyfive fistulas resulted from surgical complications, 2 from Crohn's disease and one from pancreatic blunt trauma. Thirty (78.9%) out of 38 fistulas were treated successfully: 22 (57.8%) healed after nutritional treatment, 8 (21.3%) required definitive surgical repair. A significant difference (p = 0.007) in the incidence of medical closure was observed between upper gastrointestinal tract and small bowel fistulas (73.1%) and those located in the large bowel (25%). Large bowel fistulas required definitive surgical repair in 53.8% of cases. Eight patients died prior to fistula resolution; sepsis constituted the major cause of death. Results suggest that the treatment of enterocutaneous fistulas should include early control of infections and appropriate nutritional support. An earlier surgical approach for patients with large bowel fistulas is suggested.

Adult↗

Colorectal cancer in patients 40 years of age and younger.

Of 359 patients with colorectal cancer admitted over a period of about 11 years, 17 (4.7%) were 40 years of age or younger (group 1) and 342 (group 2) were older. In group 1 at the time of diagnosis, there were 9 men and 8 women; the average age was 34.2 years. Abdominal pain and diarrhea were the most common presenting symptoms. The average delay between onset of symptoms and treatment was 8.2 months (7.2 in group 2). Tumor stage at the time of diagnosis or at laparotomy was not more advanced than in group 2, the incidence of Dukes C lesions being 17.6% and 24.8%, and distant metastasis 17.6% and 18.7%, respectively. Analysis of tumor according to the stage (Astler and Coller classification), pelvic fat involvement, lymph node metastases and grading revealed no statistically significant differences between the 2 groups. The age factor had no impact on survival. It is concluded that in the present series, colorectal cancer in young patients differs in no respect from the disease in older patients.

Adult↗

Epidermal growth factor receptor in human breast cancer: correlation with steroid hormone receptors and axillary lymph node involvement.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF-R) estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptors were evaluated in 89 primary breast cancers and 23 axillary lymph node metastases. About 57% of primary and 72.2% of metastatic tumors were EGF-R positive and median EGF-R levels were higher in metastatic deposits than in primary breast tumors (P less than 0.05). An inverse distribution of EGF-R and steroid hormone receptor positive tumors was found (chi 2 = 10.87; P less than 0.001 for PR and chi 2 = 5.01; P less than 0.05 for ER) and an interesting correlation between EGF-R expression in primary tumor and axillary lymph node involvement was demonstrated (chi 2 = 21.4; P less than 0.001). Immunohistochemical studies with a monoclonal antibody against EGF-R revealed the presence of EGF-R only in malignant cells. Our data suggest that EGF-R could identify a class of more aggressive breast tumors endowed with a higher metastatic potential and may therefore represent an unfavorable prognostic parameter in breast cancer.

Adult↗

Preoperative parenteral nutrition of malnourished surgical patients.

Malnutrition is associated with increased incidence of surgical complications and mortality. The efficacy of preoperative parenteral nutrition in preventing septic states and mortality was evaluated in malnourished patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery. The patients were allocated to three groups according to criteria of malnourishment. In all groups parenteral nutrition decreased the incidence of septic complications and serious sepsis as compared with control patients.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗

Systemic perioperative prophylaxis in elective oncological colorectal surgery: cefotetan versus clindamicin plus aztreonam.

A prospective randomized study was performed with 65 patients undergoing elective surgery for colorectal cancer, to evaluate the prophylactic effect of two different parenteral antibiotic regimens. All patients underwent rigorous mechanical cleansing of the bowel (enemas, laxatives), received low-residue diet 3 days pre-operatively, and were given oral metronidazole (250 mg) five times a day for 3 days preoperatively. They were divided into two groups comparable in age, nutritional status and operative procedure. The patients in group A (36) received 2 g i.v. of cefotetan at induction of anaesthesia and two other administrations every 12 h. Patients in group B (29) were given clindamicin (600 mg, i.v.) at induction of anaesthesia plus aztreonam (1 g, i.v.); two other doses of the same combined antibiotics were administered every 8 h. Five patients were excluded from the study because they underwent Miles procedure; two others because they underwent explorative laparotomy only. The overall incidence of post-operative septic complications was 6.9% (4/58). No significant differences were found in terms of the rate of surgical infections: 3.1 in group A (1/32) and 0% in group B. Urinary tract infections (1 case) and respiratory tract infections (2 cases) were observed only in group B: the rate was found to be 11.5% (3/26); two anastomotic leakages were observed in group A (6.25%) and one in group B (3.8%). These data suggest that cefotetan appears to be as effective as clindamicin plus aztreonam in prophylaxis against infection in elective colorectal surgery.

Adult↗

[Mechanical sutures in surgery of cancer of the rectum (a personal contribution)].

The EEA Stapler is widely employed in the rectal cancer surgery, particularly allowing a more frequent sphincteric preservation after low anterior resection. The authors rather employ the manual suture whenever possible and report their own experience on EEA Stapler employment in the surgical management of rectal cancer located 12 to 6 cm. from the anal verge. They emphasize this technique pointing out the necessity of further investigations which may confirm the possibility of obtaining a curative complete surgical removal as well as by abdomino-perineal resection.

Aged↗