Erasmo Magalhães Castro de Tolosa

Aortoesophageal fistula caused by aneurysm of the thoracic aorta: Successful surgical treatment, case report, and literature review

Aortoesophageal fistula induced by atherosclerotic thoracic aortic aneurysm is rare, but is usually a fatal disorder, with few survivors reported. We report the case of a 72-year-old man with aortoesophageal fistula successfully treated in a two-stage operation. In the first stage, we performed resection and replacement of the aortic aneurysm with a prosthetic graft in situ, esophagectomy, cervical esophagostomy, and jejunostomy. After the patient recovered well postoperatively, a transmediastinal retrosternal interposition of the stomach was performed, with esophagogastroanastomosis in the cervical area, to re-establish the gastrointestinal tract. We include a discussion of the causes, diagnostic approach, management of the aorta and esophagus, and review of the literature.

DNA image cytometric analysis of differentiated thyroid adenocarcinoma specimens

A total of 117 differentiated thyroid adenocarcinomas that had been removed by total thyroidectomy were studied. Seventy (60%) were papillary, 36 (30%) were follicular, and 11 (10%) were Hürthle cell adenocarcinomas. The mean length of follow-up was 57.7 months. Adverse prognostic factors according to multivariate analysis were adjacent tissue infiltration (p = 0.0004), histologic type (p = 0.0049), and patient age (p = 0.033). The nuclear DNA content of tumor cells and of morphologically normal adjacent tissue was assessed by image cytometry, and correlations between nuclear DNA content and prognostic factors were examined. Fifty-four (75%) adenocarcinomas were classified as aneuploid, 9 (13%) as diploid, and 9 (12%) as borderline. Thirty-four (60%) specimens of morphologically normal adjacent tissue were classified as aneuploid, 18 (32%) as diploid, and 5 (8%) as borderline. The correlation between tumor ploidy and selected prognostic factors was statistically significant for patient age (p = 0.004) and histologic type (p = 0.033). Despite the fact that ploidy could not be identified as a prognostic factor, we suggest that, because of its correlation with age and histologic type, it might prove prognostic if the number of patients were increased. We also emphasize the importance of evaluating morphologically normal adjacent tissue because of the high rates of aneuploidy in these areas.

Radiographic aspects and angioarchitectural arrangements in corrosion casts of the blood supply to the human sternocleidomastoid muscle by the sternocleidomastoid branch of the occipital artery

The contribution of the sternocleidomastoid branch of the occipital artery (superior arterial pedicle-SAP) to the irrigation of the sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM) was evaluated in fresh human cadavers by injecting radiological dye and a resin for microvasculature corrosion casts. From its insertion in the mastoid process of the temporal bone, the SCM was divided into superior, medium, and inferior thirds. In most of the SCM, The SAP are formed by two longitudinal parallel branches. In all specimens, the radiological dye injected into the SAP reached or trespassed the middle part of the studied SCM. The SAP was poorly distributed in the lowermost region of the inferior third of the SCM, suggesting the contribution of other arteries or pedicles. The corrosion casts of the microvasculature showed a profuse network of microscopic vessels in those levels where the SAP was detected.

Blood supply to the human sternocleidomastoid muscle by the sternocleidomastoid branch of the occipital artery

The contribution of the sternocleidomastoid branch of the occipital artery, superior arterial pedicle (SAP), to the irrigation of the sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM) was evaluated in fresh human cadavers by injecting Neoprene‐latex for minute dissection. From its insertion in the mastoid process of the temporal bone, the SCM was divided into six levels. The Neoprene‐latex injected into the SAP reached the upper three levels in all SCMs studied, which corresponds to the middle part of the studied SCM. In 43.3% of the SCM, this branch reached level four and in 36.6%, it reached level five. Clin. Anat. 12:412–416, 1999.

Classificação ultra-sonográfica do derrame pleural e do empiema parapneumônico

We correlated the anatomopathological abnormalities of the pleural space with the ultrasound findings in patients with pleural effusion and/or parapneumonic empyema and proposed a classification based on these results. Ultrasonography is a reliable method to infer the anatomopathological phase of pleural disease and consequently may be of help in the choice of the most suitable treatment.

Comportamento biomecânico da pálpebra reconstruída

OBJECTIVE: To determine the importance of sutures of the eyelid border, tarsus and skin in resistance to rupture after reconstruction. METHODS: A prospective study was carried out in rabbits submitted to total thickness resection of the eyelid. The animals were divided in 5 groups: G1(lid suture in 3 layers); G2 (lid suture excluding tarsus); G3(lid suture excluding skin), G4 (suture excluding the lid border), G5 (lid suture as in G1). The animals from group 1 to 4 were sacrificed on the 7th day and these from group 5 on the 2nd day. The palpebral specimens underwent rupture test with a tensiometer. RESULTS: 89 eyelids from 85 animals were analyzed. The group in which the border was not sutured (group 4) showed a significant reduction in all studied parameters: maximum tension, stretching and work, as compared with the other groups. CONCLUSION: The lack of suture in the eyelid border had a negative impact in scar tensile resistance. Additionally, we showed that if the eyelid border is repaired, the avoidance of tarsal suture does not interfere with the eyelid biomechanics.

Expressão imuno-histoquímica dos marcadores pcna, KI67 e p53 em carcinomas epidermóides do trato aerodigestivo superior

OBJETIVO: Os carcinomas epidermoides do trato aerodigestivo superior sao tumores de comportamento biologico heterogeneo. O objetivo deste trabalho e verificar se a expressao imuno-histoquimica dos marcadores Ki67, PCNA e P53 apresenta correlacoes com parâmetros prognosticos clinico-patologicos. METODOS: Determinacao da expressao imuno-histoquimica dos antigenos Ki67, PCNA e P53 em especimes tumorais fixados e embebidos em parafina de 53 pacientes com carcinoma epidermoide em diferentes sitios primarios do trato aerodigestivo superior. RESULTADOS: Os marcadores tiveram altos indices de expressao imuno-histoquimica, sendo 46,5% para o Ki67, 66,5% para o PCNA e 36,5% para o P53. Nao houve correlacao da expressao do Ki67 e do PCNA com o estadiamento TNM (AJCC), nem com o grau de malignidade. A expressao do Ki67 apresentou correlacao positiva com a expressao do PCNA (p = 0,037). O mesmo aconteceu para o PCNA e o numero de mitoses por campo (p = 0,001). CONCLUSOES: De acordo com estes resultados, concluiu-se que a determinacao da imunorreatividade dos marcadores Ki67 e PCNA e um metodo objetivo e quantificavel para avaliar proliferacao celular que pode subsidiar as informacoes prognosticas.

Contribuição da ultra-sonografia na orientação do tratamento cirúrgico do empiema pleural em crianças

The authors used the findings at ultrasonography as a criterium to choose the most suitable surgical alternative for the resolution of pleural empyema in children. The preoperative ultrasonographic findings and the intraoperative aspects were compared, concerning parapneumonic pleural empyema in 77 children operated on in the Hospital Universitario of Sao Paulo University, during the period from between November 1986 to November 1996. A numerical classification of these findings is proposed. as well as a correlation between those data and the empyema pathological phase of the exsudative process is accomplished. It is included a description of respective postoperative clinical course, based on the need of a supplementary surgical intervention for a definitive cure to be reached. The authors conclude that ultrasonography is a reliable method to evaluate the evolutive phase of pleural empyema in children and to rationalize the most suitable choice in its surgical therapeutics.

Inbred F344 rats as a biologic model of intra-abdominal sepsis

Aiming to design a biologic model of acute intra-abdominal sepsis for experimental studies, conventional, isogenic rats F344 were infected with the bacteria Escherichia coli (E.coli), strain 11775, serotype H7:01:K1. Six hours after inoculation with E. coli, the animals - males and females - showed the following symptoms: piloerection, hyperpnea and decreased motor activity. The lethal dosis (LD50), was 6 x 105 CFU/ml, analyzed in 32 males and 32 females. The highest mortality rate was observed on the first 24 hours. Liver dysfunction, common in intra-abdominal sepsis, was evaluated at 0, 24, 48 and 168 hours after inoculation, by means of serum enzyme activities. Study of the migration of polymorphonuclear-neutrophil cells (PMN) and mononuclear-macrophage ones (MN) showed a significant increase of PMN in E. coli inoculated males (z > 4.7; P 6.2; P < 0.0003), when compared to control groups. As for MN cells, there were no differences between inoculated and control groups, in males (z = 2.3; P = 0.0107) and in females (z = 1.8; P = 0.0359) as well. In conclusion, these results show that inbred F344 rats are adequate biologic models for studies of acute, intra-abdominal sepsis.