Osman Kurukahvecioglu

Total thyroidectomy for the treatment of Hashimoto's thyroiditis coexisting with papillary thyroid carcinoma.

The coexistence of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is controversial. This study was conducted to evaluate the correlation between HT and PTC and to identify predictive factors for the coexistence of PTC and HT. A total of 922 patients underwent surgery for thyroid disorders between January 2001 and August 2005. In all, 199 patients had been diagnosed with PTC, 37 of whom had coexistent HT; in 689 patients, benign thyroid disease had been diagnosed. Patients’ age and sex, as well as histopathology, tumor size, nodal involvement status, multicentricity, presence of metastasis, and serum thyroglobulin levels, were retrospectively reviewed. A significant correlation was observed between HT and PTC, although no statistical significance was noted between PTC and HT type (nodular or diffuse). Most patients with PTC+HT were female and younger (<40 y old) than those with PTC only. The rate of occult tumor in patients with PTC+HT was higher than that in patients with PTC alone. Data indicate the coexistence of PTC and HT and suggest that PTC may develop even in cases of diffuse HT. Total thyroidectomy is the surgical procedure of choice, especially in young, female patients with HT.

A prospective comparison of local and spinal anesthesia for inguinal hernia repair

Aim Today, in inguinal hernia repair, postoperative pain and costs are regarded as equally important issues as technique and recurrence rates. Postoperative pain is thought to vary according to the applied anesthesia method. As local anesthesia is reported to inflict less pain, its effects on early period post-operative complications should also be evaluated.

Adult ileal intussusception: an unusual emergency condition.

Adult intussusception occurs infrequently and differs from the childhood condition in its presentation, cause, and treatment. Nonspecific symptoms can delay diagnosis; most cases are diagnosed at emergency laparotomy. Increased use of computed tomographic scanning to evaluate patients with abdominal pain can enhance reliable preoperative diagnosis. Treatment entails simple bowel resection in most cases. Reduction is controversial, especially in cases of colonic intussusception. This report describes the diagnosis and management of a case of adult ileal intussusception caused by an inflammatory fibroid polyp—a rare lesion of the gastrointestinal tract.

Neopterin as a prognostic biomarker in intensive care unit patients

PURPOSE The present study was undertaken to evaluate urinary neopterin in intensive care unit patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS Urinary neopterin levels were determined in systemic inflammatory response syndrome (n = 10), sepsis (n = 18), septic shock (n = 9), and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (n = 5). It was tested whether neopterin is a differential parameter among the patient groups. Furthermore, the results were also evaluated by comparing with a healthy control group (n = 30), and the relationship between neopterin and mortality or Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores were investigated. RESULTS Neopterin levels of the control group and patients were detected as 111 +/- 11 and 3850 +/- 1081 mumol/mol creatinine, respectively (P < .05). It was significantly increased in the sepsis and septic shock groups compared to the systemic inflammatory response syndrome group (P < .05). Neopterin levels were significantly higher in the patients with mortality and lower Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores. CONCLUSION This study showed that monitoring of urinary neopterin profile can be used in intensive care units to show the degree and prognosis of the disease.

A prospective comparative study of the efficacy of conventional lichtenstein versus self-adhesive mesh repair for inguinal hernia

PurposeLichtenstein repair has been the gold standard in inguinal hernia surgery. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of mesh fixation in terms of postsurgical chronic pain and recurrence.MethodsSixty patients with primary inguinal hernias were treated between March 2007 and December 2008. Thirty patients underwent conventional Lichtenstein repair while a self-adhesive mesh was used for the second group. The primary outcome parameters were the rate of recurrence and chronic pain. The operating time, postoperative pain, complications, and time when patients returned to work were recorded.ResultsFifty-one patients completed the survey. Early pain scores were lower in the self-adhesive mesh group. The main advantage of the self-adhesive mesh was the shorter operating time (23.70 ± 5.57 vs 36.90 ± 11.36, P = 0.006). Both techniques were almost identical in terms of long-term chronic pain (P = 0.294), and the rates of recurrence at the end of a median of 31 months’ follow-up were identical.ConclusionSelf-adhesive mesh repair of inguinal hernias is superior to the conventional Lichtenstein method in terms of shorter operative time and less pain in the early postoperative period. The rates of chronic pain and recurrence are similar with the suture-fixed repairs.

Microanatomy of Milk Ducts in the Nipple

The aim of this study was to determine number and diameter of milk ducts in the nipple and to investigate the possible influences of age, breast weight, and diameter of the nipple on the number of ducts. Two hundred and twenty-six carcinoma mastectomy specimens were weighed and the nipple diameters measured. The number of ducts was counted in histological cross sections. Mean diameter of the nipple and mean breast weight were 13.9 mm and 844.6 g, respectively. There was a small but statistically significant positive correlation between nipple diameter and number of milk ducts (rho = 0.158; p = 0.01), but no correlation with breast weight. The mean number of ducts in the nipple duct bundle was 17.5. This is significantly higher than the number of ducts reported to open on the nipple surface. This discrepancy could reflect duct branching within the nipple or the presence of some ducts which do not reach the nipple surface. Smaller breast ducts (diameter <0.5 mm) represent nearly 50% of the nipple ducts and could be a challenge to the ductoscopy technology.

Intermittent pneumatic sequential compression of the lower extremities restores the cerebral oxygen saturation during laparoscopic cholecystectomy

BackgroundPneumoperitoneum causes intracranial pressure elevation and blood stasis at lower extremities. This study investigates cerebral oxygen saturation changes during laparoscopy and the effects of intermittent sequential compression (ISC) of the lower extremities in patients during elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy.Patients and methodSixty patients were randomly divided into two groups according to the application of ISC to the lower extremities. Group I served as control group whereas ISC was applied to group II. Cerebral oxygen saturation, peripheral blood oxygen saturation, heart rate, mean blood pressure, and associated changes have been recorded during the operation.ResultsPeripheral blood oxygen saturation and mean blood pressure values did not change significantly after pneumoperitoneum. Cerebral oxygen saturation levels of the group II patients were higher in than the group I patients and the difference between the groups was statistically significant (p = 0.0001). The difference became more prominent following the 35th minute of the operation. Mean heart rate of the patients in group II was lower than the patients in group I and the difference was also statistically significant (p = 0.0001).ConclusionIn this study, it was found that the decrease in cerebral oxygen saturation was recovered with ISC application. This simple and reliable technique helps to restore cerebral oxygen saturation levels while increasing blood return from the lower extremities.

Effect of butylated hydroxytoluene (E321) pretreatment versus l-arginine on liver injury after sub-lethal dose of endotoxin administration

Aim of this study was to compare the effects of L-arginine (L-arg) and food-antioxidant butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) against oxidative stress of Escherichia coli endotoxin (LPS) in liver. Ninety Wistar albino rats were assigned in three groups. Rats received one of the following pre-treatment previous to 5mg/kg LPS intraperitoneally: saline, L-arg (NO donor, 100mg/kg) or BHT (250 mg/kg/day), for 3 days. At second, fourth and sixth hours, plasma nitrite-plus-nitrate, circulating liver enzymes, glutathione levels, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase activities were measured. The most remarkable liver injury was evident in BHT pre-treated animals at all time points compared to L-arg pre-treated rats. While BHT enhanced superoxide dismutase activities following LPS, glutathione decreased simultaneously compared to L-arg group. Although the risk associated with the use of BHT alone in subthreshold doses appeared to be low, higher risk of liver toxicity should be considered when over-consuming this food additive in endotoxemic settings.

Laparoscopic Primary Repair of Ventral Hernias: Early Results of a New Technique

Epigastric, umbilical, incisional, parastomal, and trocar site hernias are all classified as “ventral” hernias, which constitute a great portion of the surgery in a general surgical practice, and debate still continues regarding the optimal surgical strategy to correct these anatomical defects. Although repairing these hernias using a synthetic material, whether placed open or laparoscopically, has gained wide popularity, there are some situations where the use of a mesh is either unnecessary or contraindicated. This article presents the cases of 10 patients with some kind of ventral hernia which were all repaired laparoscopically with a primary suturing technique.

Acute hemiscrotum due to inguinoscrotal Littre hernia: a case report.

Meckel diverticulum (MD) is the most common congenital anomaly of the gastrointestinal tract that is generally asymptomatic and only manifests in a specific way when complications exist. An unusual complication of MD is known as Littre hernia. It comprises less than 1% of all MD. Littre hernia is the protrusion of an MD through a potential abdominal opening. Usual sites of Littre hernia are right inguinal (50% of cases), umbilical hernia (20%), and femoral hernia (20%). We report a case of Littre hernia in a boy who presented with acute scrotal pain and swelling.