Claudia Conti

Surgical morbidity of cervical lymphadenectomy for thyroid cancer: A retrospective cohort study over 25 years.

INTRODUCTION Prognosis of thyroid cancer is strictly related to loco-regional metastases. Cervical lymphadenectomy has a specific oncologic role but may lead to significant increase of morbidity. Aim of the study is the analysis of surgical morbidity in cervical lymphadenectomy for thyroid cancer. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed 1.765 thyroid cancers operated over a period of 25 years at S. Maria University Hospital, Terni, University of Perugia, Italy. Type of lymphadenectomy, histology and complications were analysed. RESULTS A prevalence of differentiated and medullary cancers was observed (respectively 88% and 7.2%). Central lymphadenectomy was carried out in 425 patients, lateral modified and radical lymphadenectomy respectively in 651 and 17 cases. Following central neck dissection we observed: bilateral and unilateral temporary recurrent nerves palsy respectively of 0.7% and 3.5%, unilateral permanent palsy in 1.6% of cases, temporary and permanent hypoparathyroidism respectively in 17.6% and 4.4%. After lateral neck dissection we observed: intra and post-operative haemorrhage respectively in 2% and 0.29%, respiratory distress in 0.29%, lesions of facial nerve in 0.44%, of vagus in 0.14%, of phrenic nerve in 0.14%, of hypoglossal nerve in 0.29%, of the accessory nerve, transient in 1.34% and permanent in 0.29%, permanent lesion of cervical plexus in 0.29%, salivary fistula in 0.14% and chylous fistula in 1.04% of patients. Students t test was used to compare groups when appliable. CONCLUSION Central and lateral cervical lymph node dissection are associated to severe morbidity. Correct indication, surgical expertise, high volume of patients and early multidisciplinary management of complications is the key of an acceptable balance between oncologic benefits and surgical morbidity.

The role of surgery in the treatment of thyroid anaplastic carcinoma in the elderly

INTRODUCTION Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is characterized by local invasiveness, risk of recurrence and very poor prognosis. METHODS We retrospectively analysed the multimodality treatment of ATC in 79 patients considering the impact of surgery on survival. RESULTS Patients were divided in two age groups A and B (cut-off 75 years) and in two size subgroups (cut-off 5 cm). Surgery was performed in 78.5% patients of group A and 32.4% of B (p < 0.05). Radiation respectively in 73.8% and 43.2% (p < 0.05). Tracheostomy and endoprosthesis were used in 45.2% and 16.6% in group A and in 43.2% and 35.1% in group B. The use of tracheostomy was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in larger tumours. In group B comparing operated and not operated patients significant difference in survival was observed for larger tumours (p = 0.043). In Kaplan Meir analysis significant difference in survival was observed comparing surgical and no surgical patients of all four subgroups. Surgery plus radiotherapy offered a significant better outcome in smaller tumours (p = 0.017). Considering the effect of the single treatment, compared to no treatment at all, survival is significantly improved by surgery for smaller and larger tumours respectively with 4.42 (p = 0.001) and with 3.5 months (p = 0.0001) and by radiotherapy respectively with 3.44 and with 3.28 months (p = 0.047 and p = 0.0001). CONCLUSION In elderly patients with ATC, although poor prognosis, surgery is still fundamental in the multimodality treatment with significant advantage in selected patients. Nevertheless most of elderly patients with large tumours are suitable only for palliative management.

Breast cancer micrometastasis and axillary sentinel lymph nodes frozen section. Our experience and review of literature

BACKGROUND Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy plays a major role in the surgical management of primary breast cancer. The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of the assessment of axillary frozen sections of SLNs for micrometastasis diagnosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS This study focused on 250 SLNs from 137 patients. Each lymph node was fully analyzed by frozen section. After fixation, serial sections were cut and stained by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and for pan-cytokeratins by immunohistochemistry (IHC). RESULTS Tumor cells were detected in 57 SLNs, 37 on frozen sections and 20 on controls. Of these 57 positive SLNs, 38 contained metastases, 9 contained micrometastases and 10 contained isolated tumor cells. The specificity and positive predictive value of SLN frozen sections for micrometastasis was 100%. The sensitivity was 83.3% for metastasis, 40% for micrometastasis; the false-negative rate was 16.7% for metastasis and 60% for micrometastasis. CONCLUSION Analysis of frozen section of SLNs is an accurate method for metastasis detection, allowing concurrent axillary dissection when positive. The protocol for SLN analyses described herein shows good sensitivity for micrometastasis detection.

Laparoscopic adhesiolysis in the elderly patient

Results For 3 (11.1%) of the 27 patients treated with laparoscopy a conversion was necessary because of the adhesions localization in the posterior abdominal wall. The median stay in hospital was 4.7 days for patients who underwent laparoscopy and 14.3 days for patients treated with traditional laparotomy. None of the first groups patients were reoperated on within 30 days of surgery, while 5 patients (3.1%) of the patients who underwent laparotomy needed to be reoperated because of obstruction recurrence by new adhesions.

Surgical management of mediastinal goiter in the elderly

AIM Mediastinal goiter (MG) is characterized by compression symptoms such choking, dyspnea, sleeping apnea and dysphagia. It is significantly observed in elderly patients who due to comorbidity are associated to increased surgical risk. Total thyroidectomy is indicated to treat tracheal compression. Cervicotomy is the most used surgical access. AIM of the study was the evaluation of the role of surgery in the treatment of MG in the elderly. METHODS A retrospective analysis of twenty-eight-years on 1721 (390 over 80-years-old) cases of MG in a referral center for endocrine surgery was carried out. CT was used as a standard in the preoperative study. Surgery was performed by an experienced surgical team with standard technique via cervical approach or in selected cases via sternotomy or thoracotomy. Clinical records were examined. RESULTS Patients were divided into two groups: older and younger than 80-years-old. Total thyroidectomy was performed in all cases and via a cervical approach in almost 99% of patients. Tracheal dislocation and tracheomalacia were prevalent in elderly patients and were treated conservatively. Benign struma was observed in 1463 patients and a carcinoma in 258. Larger thyroid weight was observed in the elderly. The rate of complications was similar between groups. CONCLUSION Total thyroidectomy via cervical approach is the treatment of choice for MG in the elderly. It should be treated only in referral centers with adequate caution for elderly patients to achieve complete cure with limited complications.

The role of CT in acute mesenteric ischemia

Results Only 12 patients (37.5%) performed a preoperative diagnostic CT study, whereas in 20 cases (62.5%) the intestinal ischemia was diagnosed during surgical exploration. The acute mesenteric ischemia caused primarily by occlusive superior mesenteric artery in 26 cases (81.2%) and by venous thrombosis in 6 cases (18.7%). Most of the embolus are located approximately 3–10 cm from superior mesenteric artery emergence. An arterial embolus can be detected like filling defect or like an abrupt interruption of vascular enhancement. Frequently a secondary venous thrombosis follows the arterial occlusion. CT shows a moderate intestinal wall thickening and inclusions in air signs of intestinal gangrene. Only 19 (59.3%) of 32 patients survived the acute intestinal ischemia (in hospital mortality was 40.6%), delayed diagnostic and operation caused higher mortality. In 12 cases a preoperative diagnostic CT was performed the mortality was 32.5%.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in geriatric patients

Materials and methods We performed a retrospective study from 1998 until 2007 for two groups of patients. The first group is composed by 110 patients underwent to laparoscopic cholecystectomy (group A) and the second group composed by 60 patients underwent to traditional laparotomy (group B). Both groups were compared for the duration of surgical procedures, for intra-operative and post-operative complications and for post-operative pain.

Timing in surgical management of acute volvulus of the sigmoid colon in geriatric patients

Materials and methods We performed a retrospective analysis of all the patients treated for sigmoid volvulus at the Department of General and Emergency Surgery, S. Maria Hospital in Terni of the University of Perugia, from January 1996 to March 2008. We treated 23 patients with sigmoid volvulus; mean age was 81 years. Eleven patients were admitted with a diagnosis of intestinal occlusion, 12 patients came to us from Medical divisions.