Flávio Daniel Saavedra Tomasich

Complicações pós-operatórias de colecistectomias: análise comparativa em relação ao sexo

BACKGROUND: To analyze the influence of gender in the incidence of postoperative complications of open and laparoscopic cholecystectomies. METHODS: Retrospective study of 1123 patients who underwent open or laparoscopic elective cholecystectomy in the Department of Surgery of Santa Casa de Misericordia de Sao Paulo, between January 1997 and January 2001. Postoperative complications have been evaluated comparatively and results have been related to age, ASA, type and duration of surgical procedure,intra-operative accidents, need of drainage, length of postoperative hospitalization, histopatological findings and mortality. RESULTS: There was a predominance of female sex in the studied group, representing 82.5% of cases. The mean age was 48,8 years, ranging from 14 to 97 years old. Six hundred and ninety-three (61,7%) patients underwent laparoscopic procedures. There was a higher proportion of open procedures in men. (p=0,0014). The overall conversion rate was 2.31%, with no difference between sexes, as well as the associated surgical procedures and the occurrence of intra-operative accidents. Duration of procedure, length of postoperative hospitalization, need of drainage, complications and mortality were significantly higher in males. The analysis of the duration of procedure and length of postoperative hospitalization, showed that the statistical difference occurred at the costs of open cholecystectomy group. CONCLUSIONS: Male gender was a risk factor for postoperative complications after cholecystectomies, resulting in a longer duration of procedure and length of postoperative hospitalization, more frequent need of drainage and higher mortality when compared to female gender.

Lesões cervicais intraepiteliais de alto grau: avaliação dos fatores determinantes de evolução desfavorável após conização

PURPOSE: To evaluate the ability of various factors related to the conization process in cytological/histological cervical intraepithelial neoplasias (CIN), after therapeutic conization. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of patients who had undergone conization due to CIN 2 and 3, from January 1999 to January 2006. They were divided into two groups: case group (residual disease or recurrence) and control group (without residual disease or recurrence), during 18 months of follow up. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to define the predictive factors of disease recurrence. The c2 test or Fisher exact test was used for statistical analysis, with the level of significance set at p£0.05. RESULTS: Forty-eight patients showed recurrence/progression of CIN (case group) and 65 showed no recurrence/progression of disease (control group). Age and parity were similar in the two groups, as determined by calculation of the mean and standard deviation. There was no difference in smoking habits or in the use of contraceptive methods. The recurrence rate was 14.6%. Only conization positive margins were predictors of recurrence/progression (p<0.001). The conization techinique, the surgeon, CIN grade, gland involvement, and size of the uterine volume removed were not related to the evolution of disease after surgery. CONCLUSION: The recurrence of CIN 2 and 3 was related to positive margins in the product of conization.

An alternative experimental model for training in microsurgery

OBJECTIVE to describe a new model of training in microsurgery with pig spleen after splenectomy performed by undergraduate students of the Discipline of Operative Technique of the UFPR Medical School. METHODS after the completion of splenectomy we performed dissection of the vascular pedicle, distal and proximal to the ligation performed for removal of the spleen. After complete dissection of the splenic artery and vein with microscope, clamps were placed and the vessels were cut. We then made the anastomosis of the vessels with 9.0 nylon. RESULT the microsurgical training with a well-defined routine, qualified supervision and using low cost experimental materials proved to be effective in the practice of initial microvascular surgery. CONCLUSION the use of pig spleen, which would be discarded after splenectomy, is an excellent model for microsurgical training, since besides having the consistency and sensitivity of a real model, it saves the sacrifice of a new animal model in the initial learning phase of this technique.

Leiomiossarcoma primário de adrenal

Leiomyosarcoma of adrenal gland is an extremely rare tumor originating from the central adrenal vein or its tributaries. Patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Epstein-Barr infection have a higher incidence of these tumors, but even in those, the overall incidence is very low. In this paper we report a case of a 48 year-old woman whose diagnosis was made by image exams that had suggested a mass in adrenal area. This patient was submitted to surgery for resection of the mass. The histopathologic and immunohistochemistry exams were compatible with primary leiomyosarcoma of adrenal gland. Fifty-three months after adrenalectomy the patient died with recurrent disease. Despite of the rarity of this tumor, leiomyosarcoma of adrenal gland has an aggressive behavior, such as the others soft tissue sarcomas. The adrenalectomy is the primary treatment, while chemotherapy or radiotherapy is not prescribed except in metastatic or bulky and inoperable disease.

Modelo experimental de icterícia obstrutiva: avaliação por meio da bioimpedância

BACKGROUND: The bioimpedance is method that has been used for body mass, liquid volume and body fat volume’s measurements. The authors observe the utilization and performance of the impedance in experimental research model of obstructive jaundice. METHODS: Eight Wistar rats were divided in two groups with four animals: experiment (1) and control (2). In the group (1) the rats underwent a ligated choledoco bile duct surgery, and in the group (2) the rats underwent laparotomy only. The resistance and reactance measurements had been accomplished by bioelectrical impedance analysis equipment in preoperative and postoperative procedures. RESULTS: The work denoted that the resistance’s mean values for group (2) were statistically significant higher than group (1). Also, the capacitive reactance’s average values were higher in the group (2) with p<0,0001. CONCLUSION: We conclude that in rats there are differences in the impedance’s values between groups, the resistance and capacitive reactance’s average values are lower in the experimental group.

Influência do tratamento neoadjuvante na morbi-mortalidade das esofagectomias

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the influence of neoadjuvant treatment (chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy) on postoperative complications and hospital lethality in patients with esophageal cancer submitted to esophagectomy with two-field lymphadenectomy. METHODS: Retrospective study of 132 patients with esophageal cancer admitted in Department of Surgery in Erasto Gaertner Hospital, from January 1987 to January 1998, divided according to realization of neoadjuvant treatment or not. Variables related to patient (sex, age, general condition, ponderal loss, co-morbidities, tabagism), to tumor (histological type, localization, staging) and to surgical procedure (type and localization of anastomosis, surgical time, hospitalization time) were noted and related to postoperative complications and mortality. RESULTS: Ninety-nine patients (71.2%) were of male sex. The predominant histological type was squamous cell carcinoma in 94.7% of the cases. Eighty-eight patients (66.6%) were smokers, and the main co-morbidities noted were: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (29.55%) and arterial hypertension (15.15%). The main localization of the tumor was inferior thoracic segment (56.06%), with average tumoral extension of 47,72 (8-70) mm. Six patients (4.54%) were stage I, 44 (33.33%) IIA, 24 (18.18%) IIB, 38 (28.80%) III and 17 (12.90%) IV. Considering the neoadjuvant treatment, 39 patients (29.54%) were submitted to chemotherapy and 22 (16.67%) to radiotherapy. The postoperative complications were 74.35% (p=0.0002) and 72.73% (p=0.0037), respectively. The complication rate was 39.3% and hospital lethality 13.70%, represented more frequently by pleuropulmonar causes. CONCLUSION: Neoadjuvant chemotherapic and radiotherapeutic treatments were related to superior occurrence of postoperative complications, without influence on hospital lethality.

Extra-curricular supervised training at an academic hospital: is 200 hours the threshold for medical students to perform well in an emergency room?

IntroductionDue to high number of jobs in Emergency Medicine (EM) and the lack of specialist to work in this field, recent graduates work in the emergency room straight after medical school. Additional courses on EM are available through Academic Leagues. This organizations offer lectures and supervised extra-curricular practical activities in their teaching university-affiliated hospital. The objectives of the present study are to assess the influence of hours undertaken in the extra-curricular practical activities on the performance and confidence of students in carrying out the different procedures in the emergency department, and on their own perception of how well they did. Also, to assess the influence the practical activities have on student´s future choice of specialty.MethodsA Cross-sectional study conducted by collecting data through a questionnaire. 102 eligible individuals were included and divided into two groups according to the number of extra-curricular hours performed (Group 1- up to 200 hours and Group 2- over 200 hours).ResultsStudents in Group 2 (over 200 hours) had a greater number of procedures performed on all variables evaluated, in particular, initial patient care (mean 363.8 vs.136.905 in Group 1 - p = 0.001), Simple Sutures (mean of 96.2 vs 33.980 respectively) ( p = 0.00003). To determine patient follow-up by the student, the number of initial patient care was correlated with number of discharge procedures performed (in Group 1, 49.6% of patients were not followed up and discharged by the same students who first talked to them in the hospital. While in Group 2, this value becomes 29.4 % - values for Group 1 - p = 0.011 and Group 2 - p = 0.117). Regarding the influence of the practical extra-curricular activities, 76.5% of the total reported that it had influenced their choice of future specialty.ConclusionsThe aptitude, confidence and skill of students are closely linked to the practice time (number of training hours served). Two hundred hours appeared to be a relatively significant time for the student to demonstrate good conduct and ability. Practical extra-curricular activities had the ability to influence the future choice of specialty, either positively or negatively.

Foco de criptas aberrantes e câncer da junção colorretal: análise da presença de lesões precoces microscópicas na periferia do câncer colorretal e correlação com a expressão da β-catenina e Ki-67

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a presenca de foco de criptas aberrantes (FCA) em mucosa macroscopicamente normal, localizada na periferia de um câncer colorretal (CCR) e correlacionar a progressao tumoral destes FCA para o CCR, por meio da expressao da β-catenina e o Ki-67. METODOS: Utilizou-se 21 especimes cirurgicos contendo adenocarcinoma de juncao retossigmoide. Foram coletadas amostras localizadas a 1 e 5 cm proximal e distal ao tumor, quando possivel, bem como um fragmento da neoplasia. Os FCA foram selecionados. Subsequentemente foi realizado estudo imunoistoquimico com os anticorpos β-catenina e o Ki-67. RESULTADOS: A expressao nuclear da β-catenina nos adenocarcinomas, revelou frequencia de 81%. O Ki-67 apresentou a mesma frequencia. Apesar disso o coeficiente Kappa revelou fraca concordância entre estes anticorpos. Foram observados 20 FCA, sendo que 13 destes focos localizavam-se nas proximidades do tumor. Nenhum dos FCA apresentou expressao da β-catenina nuclear, tampouco para o Ki-67. CONCLUSAO: Nas areas situadas a 1 cm da neoplasia colorretal, foi observada maior concentracao de FCA em relacao as areas situadas a 5 cm do tumor. No entanto, nao se observou correlacao entre a expressao da β-catenina e ki-67 nos colonocitos das criptas aberrantes das areas estudadas, com as celulas neoplasicas do adenocarcinoma.

The role of P16ink4a and P53 immunostaining in predicting recurrence of HG-CIN after conization treatment

OBJECTIVE Io evaluate the expression of p16INK4a and p53 biomarkers in conization specimens from patients with high grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (HG-CIN), correlating them with the ability to predict the recurrence. METHODS we conducted a retrospective study of patients with HG-CIN in cervical biopsy treated with conization between January 1999 and January 2006 who had a minimum follow-up of 18 months. The expression of the p16 and p53 was assessed by tissue microarrays and correlated with disease recurrence. For analysis, we used the test of proportions (chi-square), considering value p<0.05, 95% CI and calculations of sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of these immunomarkers in predicting recurrence. RESULTS the series comprised 83 patients aged between 16 and 86 years (35±11.7), divided into two groups: 30 with HG-CIN recurrence (study group) and 53 without recurrence (control group). Mean age, parity, smoking and conization technique were similar in both groups. The p53 expression was present in 43% of the study group and 57% of the control group, and the p16 was present in 43% of the study group and in 57% of the control group (p>0.05). p53 had a positive predictive value (PPV) of 42% and negative predictive value (NPV) of 73%, sensitivity 70%, specificity of 47% and accuracy of 59%. The p16, PPV 42%, NPV 72%, sensitivity 66%, specificity of 49% and accuracy of 56%. CONCLUSION immunohistochemistry expression of p53 and p16 showed low sensitivity and low specificity as predictors of HG-CIN recurrence after conization treatment.

Perfil epidemiológico de acidentes com material biológico entre estudantes de medicina em um pronto-socorro cirúrgico

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accidents with biological material among medical students interning in a trauma emergency room and identify key related situations, attributed causes and prevention. METHODS: we conducted a study with a quantitative approach. Data were collected through a questionnaire applied via internet, with closed, multiple-choice questions regarding accidents with biological material. The sample comprised 100 students. RESULTS: thirty-two had accidents with biological material. Higher-risk activities were local anesthesia (39.47%), suture (18.42%) and needle recapping (15.79%). The main routes of exposure to biological material were the eyes or mucosa, with 34%, and syringe needle puncture, with 45%. After contamination, only 52% reported the accident to the responsible department. CONCLUSION: The main causes of accidents and routes of exposure found may be attributed to several factors, such as lack of training and failure to use personal protective equipment. Educational and preventive actions are extremely important to reduce the incidence of accidents with biological materials and improve the conduct of post-exposure. It is important to understand the main causes attributed and situations related, so as general and effective measures can be applied.