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Biomedical subjects

A Sanguinetti

Publications and source records attributed to A Sanguinetti.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

Breast surgery and sentinel node biopsy. Our experience.

Massive campaigns of screening of breast pathologies improved early diagnosis of breast cancers. Most of these cancers are small-sized (T1) and seldom show intraoperative nodal involvement. Sentinel node biopsy is the elective choice in the above mentioned cases because, if negative, it avoids axillary dissection. International literature reports rates of false negative sentinel node biopsy ranging among 4.5 and 12%; results in our experience account for almost 6%. As a consequence, there is the definite risk of potentially positive axilla that will not be dissected with subsequent risk of axillary recurrence within 24 months. The reason of that could be related to the fact that in Referral Centers this technique is performed in strictly selected patients, so as to gain a diagnostic accuracy of 98%. The rate of axillary recurrences does not justify the routine axillary dissection, since this is just a staging, not a therapeutic procedure. In case of doubt, it can be recommended a close and careful follow-up of the axilla.

Axilla↗

Which therapy to prevent post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia?

Hypocalcemia is one of the most frequent complications after total extracapsular thyroidectomy (TET). In most of cases it is a transient phenomenon. The aim of this study is to evaluate if and how the oral administration of calcium or calcium combined with D-vitamin could effectively prevent post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia. A randomized prospective study was performed, recruiting 120 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy. The patients in our series were randomly assigned to one of two groups: group A--patients who received calcium lactogluconate/calcium carbonate (mg 300 per day); group B--patients who received calcium carbonate/cholecalciferol therapy (calcium carbonate: 1500 mg per day; cholecalciferol 400 UI per day). The groups were well matched for age, sex and pathologies. Patients of both A and B groups were divided in two subgroups: those operated on for benign thyroid diseases (A1 and B1) and those operated on for malignancy (A2, B2). Serum calcium assays, performed 24, 48 and 72 hours after surgery, showed mean values of calcemia higher in patients of the B1 and B2 group. Statistical analysis was performed using a Student's t test. Mean serum calcium concentrations on post-operative day one, two and three were higher in patients of the group B (p<<0.01). Early and combined oral administration of both calcium and vitamin D seemed to prove major efficacy in preventing and treating post-operative hypocalcemia, showing mean serum calcium levels higher than those of patients who received only oral calcium administration. Nevertheless, further studies are necessary to validate these data.

Adult↗

Major complications in thyroid surgery: utility of bipolar vessel sealing (Ligasure Precise).

In the present study the Authors tried and assess the advantages of the standard sutureless thyroidectomy performed by the Ligasure Vessel Sealing System, thanks to the use of the dedicated Precise handle. The Authors compared the efficacy of haemostasis and the economical impact of the device, in terms of drug administration and costs. The Authors comparatively analyzed 120 total extracapsular thyroidectomies (TET) performed by the standard operative technique (Group A, control) and 70 TET achieved by the "sutureless technique" (Group B, case). There was a statistically significant decrease of transient postoperative hypocalcemia (5.71% vs 7.5%) and also of mean operative time (about 20 minutes) in patients of the group B. Non significant decrease of other kind of complications (postoperative hemorrhage, transient and permanent inferior laryngeal palsy, stupor of the superior laryngeal nerve, seromas) were also observed. The use of the Ligasure Precise resulted easy, safe and efficient in the Authors' experience. It allowed the decrease of postoperative haemorrhages and mean operative time.

Case-Control Studies↗

[The role of surgery in the treatment of small cell lung cancer].

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a biologically aggressive tumor with a low long-term survival rate. SCLC is highly responsive to chemotherapy and surgery has a very limited role in its treatment because the disease is usually widely disseminated at the diagnosis. Good results from surgery have been reported in the small subgroup of T1-2 N0 M0 patients. In N1 peripheral SCLC, surgery in combination with other treatments, can obtain fair results. Surgical treatment does not influence the prognosis in SCLC as stage III and IV.

Aged↗

[Use of the Dynamic Stent in the palliation of carinal and distal tracheal stenosis].

Satisfactory palliation of the lesions involving the carinal region is difficult to achieve because the stenting is conducted in an unsuitable anatomy, in highly symptomatic patients. During the period 1987-2000 we performed 785 operative rigid bronchoscopies in 524 patients, 184 of whom received a respiratory stent. The stenting of the carinal region was carried out in 27 patients with the use of the Frietag Dynamic stent. In this group of patients indication for stenting was as follows:--advanced lung cancer (22);--esophageal cancer invading the lower trachea (1);--severe tracheobronchomalacia (2);--postintubation stenosis of the lower trachea (2). No perioperative mortality was observed. All patients experienced symptomatic improvement. Follow-up ranged from 1 to 60 months: all neoplastic patients died for advanced disease without significant respiratory problems with a median survival of 5.6 months; three patients treated for benign diseases are still alive at 2, 31 and 65 months from stent deployment. No major complications were observed: in two patients the stent was removed after few days due to mucous retention; furthermore we observed symptomatic respiratory infections caused by a residual space between the tracheal wall and the prosthesis in other two patients with severe COPD. Dynamic stent is to be considered the stent of choice for palliation of the carinal region because it is effective and well tolerated with a low complications rate. The main limitations of such prosthesis are the shortness of the right bronchial branch and the size, sometimes inadequate.

Adult↗

[Male breast cancer. Five years experience and literature review].

Male breast cancer is an uncommon disease and its aetiology, clinical behaviour and treatment is not well-known . Retrospective studies show that age and stage-matched breast cancer in men and women are compared. Nevertheless, the poor mammary tissue in man allow a rapid local infiltration, late diagnosis and poor survival rate. The Authors report their five years experience and with a short literature review they summarise what is currently known about this uncommon neoplasm in terms of prognostic factors, therapy and survival.

Breast↗

[Granulomatous mastitis: diagnostic and therapeutic problems. Case report and review of the literature].

The granulomatous mastitis is uncommon inflammatory disease of the breast of unknown etiology. The diagnosis is obtained only through hystopathology. We report a case of woman, 41 years old, showing lesions of the breast, that caused strong pain with ulcerations sero-haematic secretion and axillary omolateral lymphadenopathy. The diagnostic workup (sonography, mammography, multiples FNAB of single lesions, the culture of cells and hormonal profile) showed an inflammatory aspecific lesions with presence of atipic cells in nipple's secretion and in FNAB of periareola lesion. We performed an excisional biopsy. The hystopathologic diagnosis showed a granulomatous mastitis, confirming the validity of our diagnostic and therapeutic choices. The excisional biopsy has allowed to avoid an overtreatment and obtain a good aesthetic result.

Adult↗

[Surgery of pulmonary and hepatic metastases].

In recent years surgery for hepatic and pulmonary metastases has been undertaken with a curative intent in a growing percentage of cases. In the present study the Authors evaluate their own experience in such a field, and summarize the state of the art, as it appears from a review of the international literature. At present, the subject is not settled, as several aspects are matter of debate (prognostic significance of free interval, tumor doubling time, number and location of metastatic lesions, histologic type, and stage, of the primary tumor, approach to synchronous metastases, accuracy of preoperative diagnosis), with different therapeutic implications according to the hepatic or pulmonary site. Pulmonary metastases should be managed by resection through a median sternotomy, in order to allow thorough exploration of both lungs. Hepatic lesions (from colorectal primaries) should be resected with a free margin not less than 1-2 cm. The need for uniformity of selection criteria and for the establishment of protocols including adjuvant therapy is strongly felt.

Adult↗