Shigehito Yamagata

Laparoscopic resection of ileal lipoma diagnosed by multidetector-row computed tomography.

Intussusception is rare in adults and it is difficult to diagnose on admission. We present the case of a 43-year-old woman with the chief complaint of nausea and upper abdominal pain. Abdominal multidetector-row computed tomography showed ileo-ileal small bowel intussusception with an intraluminal soft tissue mass with attenuation numbers suggestive of a lipoma. The patient was treated with a laparoscopic-assisted extracorporeal partial resection of the small bowel including ileal lipoma, followed by a functional end-to-end anastomosis. Histologic diagnosis of the resected tumor, 2.4×2.0×2.0 cm, was an intestinal lipoma. This case serves as the basis of a review of small bowel intussusception in adults secondary to lipomas. It focuses on the utility of multidetector-row computed tomography and the cosmetic, physical, and economic benefits of laparoscopic surgery as well as the rarity of the disease.

Differences in Dihydropyrimidine Dehydrogenase Activities Between Gastric and Colorectal Cancer

We studied the relation between clinicopathological factors and dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) activity in gastric and colorectal carcinomas. Specimens obtained by surgery from 27 gastric and 17 colorectal carcinomas and their normal mucosa were examined. The levels of DPD activity in the gastric carcinomas and their normal mucosa were significantly higher than those in colorectal carcinomas and their normal counterparts, respectively (both Ps<0.0001). The gastric carcinomas had significantly higher DPD activities than their normal mucosa (P = 0.028), but the colorectal carcinomas did not. Among the clinicopathological factors, which included invasion/metastatic status and staging, the only effect was that of the histological differences of gastric cancer on DPD activity. That is, the level of DPD activity of the histologically undifferentiated gastric carcinoma was significantly higher than that of the differentiated type. No prognostic predictive values of DPD were recognized in either gastric and colorectal cancer. In conclusion, the higher DPD activity in gastric cancer than colorectal cancer may be due to the higher DPD activity in the background mucosa of origin, and the higher population of undifferentiated type of histological classification, compared to the colorectal counterparts.

Efficacy and Safety of Transanal Tube Drainage for Prevention of Anastomotic Leakage Following Laparoscopic Low Anterior Resection for Rectal Cancers

Introduction: Laparoscopic surgery is widely used for the treatment of colorectal cancer. But anastomotic leakage is one of the most serious complications following laparoscopic low anterior resection (LAR) for rectal cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether transanal drainage tube placement can reduce anastomotic leakage and avoid re-operation after laparoscopic LAR. Methods: Retrospective assessment was performed on 143 patients with rectal cancers who underwent laparoscopic LAR between April 2009 and March 2016. A diverting stoma was not created in all 143 patients. A transanal drainage tube was placed after anastomosis using a double stapling technique, in 90 patients (group TT). In group TT, a 24 Fr. Silicon catheter was inserted into the anus and was placed approximately 20 - 25 cm in the descending colon. Another 53 patients were operated on without a transanal drainage tube (group NTT). Clinicopathological and operative variables, the frequencies of anastomotic leakage and re-operation after leakage were investigated. Results: Between the two groups (Group TT and NTT), age, gender, body mass index, tumor size, Dukes’ stage, the number of Liniar stapler firings for rectal transaction, and the rate of left colic artery preservation were comparable. Intra-operative blood loss and operation time decreased group TT from group NTT (p = 0.07) and all cases with symptomatic leakage in group TT were cured by conservative treatment. There was no side effect of transanal drainage tube (perforation or bleeding of the colon, or deviation of the tube) in Group TT. Conclusions: Transanal drainage tube placement prevents anastomotic leakage after laparoscopic LAR. We regard the transnanal drainage tube to be safe and effective without side effect.

Phase I study of nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel, carboplatin and trastuzumab in women with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-overexpressing breast cancer

Although the concurrent use of anthracycline-containing chemotherapy and taxane with trastuzumab are considered the treatment of choice for the primary systemic therapy of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-overexpressing early breast cancer, non-anthracycline regimens, such as concurrent administration of docetaxel and carboplatin with trastuzumab, exhibited similar efficacies in a previous study. In addition, tri-weekly treatment with nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-paclitaxel) resulted in significantly higher response rates and a favorable safety profile compared with standard paclitaxel for metastatic breast cancer patients in another phase III study. Based on these results, a phase I study of combination therapy with nab-paclitaxel, carboplatin and trastuzumab was planned, in order to estimate its efficacy and safety for HER2-overexpressing locally advanced breast cancer. The present study was designed to determine the dose-limiting toxicity (DLT), maximum tolerated dose and recommended dose of this combination treatment in women with HER2-overexpressing locally advanced breast cancer. The starting dose of nab-paclitaxel was 220 mg/m2 (level 1), and the dose was escalated to 260 mg/m2 (level 2). Nab-paclitaxel was administered with carboplatin (area under the curve, 6 mg/ml/min) and trastuzumab tri-weekly. A total of 6 patients were enrolled. Although no DLT was observed during the first cycle, 4 patients developed grade 4 thrombocytopenia, 2 had grade 4 neutropenia and 3 exhibited a grade 4 decrease in hemoglobin levels. In the present phase I study, although no patients experienced DLTs, this regimen was associated with severe hematological toxicities and it was not well tolerated. However, considering the high efficacy and lower risk of cardiotoxicity and secondary carcinogenesis with taxane, platinum and trastuzumab combination therapy, further evaluation of another regimen including weekly administration or a more accurate dose setting should be conducted.

External Pancreatic Juice Drainage Through a Percutaneous Endoscopic Drainage Tube for the Patient with a Postoperative Pancreatic Juice Leakage

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) has been widely accepted for patients who have no swallowing ability but have an intact gut. Its clinical application is mainly for nutritional support and decompression of the intestine in patients with bowel obstruction. In this paper, we report external pancreatic juice drainage through a percutaneous endoscopic drainage tube in a patient with postoperative pancreatic juice leakage. Soon after this procedure, pancreatic juice leakage subsided. This procedure was minimally invasive for the patient and may be a new application of PEG to maintain the good quality of life (QOL) in a patient with pancreatic juice leakage.