Joao C. Prolla

THE GASTROINTESTINAL LESIONS AND COMPLICATIONS OF THE LEUKEMIAS.

Excerpt In spite of their recognition Since the nineteenth century (5, 20, 48, 66, 144), the gastrointestinal lesions developing in the course of the leukemias have attracted attention only recentl...

Late gastric carcinoma developing after surgery for benign conditions

Seven cases of late carcinoma developing in the stomach after surgery for benign conditions are presented. Gastroscopic biopsies demonstrated a higher incidence of atrophic gastritis in these patients than in a control group, and frequent polypoid formation at or near the anastomotic site. These changes were seen more often in patients with gastrojejunostomy than in patients with the Billroth I operation. Since the radiographic approach was unsatisfactory, the value of gastroscopy, and of cytology and biopsy under direct vision is emphasized to detect this complication in its early stage.

Perforation of an Esophagogastric Anastomotic Ulcer into the Left Atrium: Case report and review of the literature

Summary A review of the literature has revealed 7 established cases of perforation of the heart, 2 cases compiled by Finney being excluded because of incomplete documentation, and 22 instances of pericardial penetration, with pyopneumopericardium formation, by nontraumatic lesions of the upper digestive tract, mainly peptic ulcer and neoplasm. In the present case, peptic ulcer developing at the anastomosis between esophagus and stomach perforated into the left atrium. Two courses of gastric irradiation had failed to eliminate the acid gastric secretion and, therefore, had not prevented the ulcer recurrences and the final dramatic complication of perforation into the heart.

Tissue cytogenetic studies in chronic ulcerative colitis and carcinoma of the colon

Cytogenetic preparations were obtained by brushing the rectal mucosa during proctoscopy. of 61 individuals examined, 33 provided reliable material for chromosomal analysis: 10 normal controls, 5 with Crohns disease involving the colon, 10 with chronic ulcerative colitis, 4 with ulcerative colitis complicated by cancer of the colon in whom special care was taken to obtain separated samples from both colitic and cancerous tissue, and 4 with cancer of the colon alone. Chromosome count and karyotypes were normal in all controls and patients with Crohns disease. In chronic ulcerative colitis the modal chromosome number remained in the diploidy range. But aneuploid cells, or possible broken polyploid were seen in 2 patients, and in the inflamed mucosa of 2 other patients with cancer of the colon associated with ulcerative colitis. All these cells were in the hypotetraploidy range. No chromatid breaks were found in the controls and in patients with Crohns disease, but patients with ulcerative colitis and colon cancer demonstrated a variable number of breaks. Profound abnormalities were demonstrated in patients with carcinoma, characterized by aneuploidy, chromatid breaks and marker chromosomes. This study documents significant chromosomal abnormalities in chronic ulcerative colitis, both in patients with and without colonic cancer.

Exfoliative Cytology in the Diagnosis of Stomach Cancer

Excerpt Concern for the early diagnosis of cancer has been one of the main factors in the development of diagnostic methods for the examination of the upper gastrointestinal tract: X ray, endoscopy...

Use of direct vision biopsy in the diagnosis of gastroesophageal malignancy

The technique of direct-vision endoscopic biopsy has been used in 185 cases to differentiate benign from malignant lesions of esophagus and stomach. No complications were encountered. Of 48 malignant lesions, 83.3% were correctly identified. No false positive interpretations were given to biopsy specimens from 137 benign lesions. Routine use of endoscopic biopsy improves substantially the accuracy of endoscopic diagnosis.

Endoscopic diagnosis of gastric non-epithelial tumors

Benign non-epithelial tumors of the stomach characteristically are observed endoscopically as circumscribed masses. Ulcerated or infiltrative lesions connote malignancy and may be confused with carcinoma. Gastroscopy supplemented by biopsy and cytology can lead to an accurate diagnosis in a majority of these cases.

Curschmann Spirals in Cervical Mucus

Excerpt To the editor: The finding of Curschmann spirals by microscopic examination of sputum is generally considered to be almost pathognomonic of bronchial asthma, by most textbooks of clinical l...

The Importance of Exfoliative Cytology in the Diagnosis of Cancer of the Upper Gastrointestinal Tract.

Excerpt During the period april, 1955, through december, 1963, esophageal exfoliative cytology was performed in 210 patients and gastric exfoliative cytology in 2,127 patients, with adequate follow...