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David R Farley

Publications and source records attributed to David R Farley.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Surgical management of Graves disease in childhood and adolescence: an institutional experience.

BACKGROUND: Graves disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism in children. Medical therapy, radioiodine ablation, and thyroidectomy are all treatment options. To evaluate the safety and efficacy of operative therapy, we updated our operative experience with pediatric Graves disease at a single tertiary care center. METHODS: The medical records of children <18 years old who underwent thyroidectomy for Graves disease between 1986-2003 were reviewed. RESULTS: We identified 78 patients (median age, 13.8 years; 87% female). The most common presenting signs and symptoms included heat intolerance (61%), decreased academic performance (50%), tremor (49%), and ophthalmopathy (43%). All patients had clinical and laboratory evidence of autoimmune thyrotoxicosis. Sixty-nine percent chose operative therapy because of failure of medical therapy or adverse drug reactions. Near-total thyroidectomy was the most common surgical procedure performed (65%). Pathology demonstrated previously unrecognized thyroid malignancies in 4 (5%) patients. Operative morbidities were transient and included hypoparathyroidism (6%) and recurrent laryngeal nerve neuropraxia (1%). Three (4%) patients who underwent subtotal thyroidectomy developed recurrent hyperthyroidism; all were treated successfully with radioiodine ablation. Of patients presenting with ophthalmopathy, 85% noted improvement postoperatively, while 1 (3%) patient experienced worsening of symptoms. Only 5% developed new-onset Graves ophthalmopathy after operation. CONCLUSIONS: Near-total thyroidectomy for Graves disease in children is safe and effective when performed by experienced thyroid surgeons. In addition to relief of systemic symptoms, the majority of patients presenting with Graves ophthalmopathy experienced improvement of their ocular disease after operation. In 5% of patients, surgical management allowed for detection and treatment of clinically occult thyroid malignancies.

Adolescent↗

Value of preoperative ultrasonography in the surgical management of initial and reoperative papillary thyroid cancer.

BACKGROUND: Cervical recurrences, predominantly in lymph nodes, occur in 14% to 30% of patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). Postoperative surveillance for recurrent PTC increasingly includes thyrotropin-stimulated thyroglobulin and high-resolution ultrasonography (US). This combination commonly can detect recurrent disease as small as 5 mm. HYPOTHESIS: Preoperative US will increase detection and assessment of the extent of lymph node metastasis (LNM) in patients with PTC. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Tertiary care academic center. PATIENTS: From January 1, 1999, to December 31, 2004, a total of 770 patients were seen, 551 (381 female and 170 male; median age, 47 years; age range, 9-89 years) who underwent initial surgical management and 219 (154 female and 65 male; median age, 44 years; age range, 5-90 years) who underwent cervical reoperation for PTC. The US images were obtained preoperatively for 486 initial and 216 reoperative patients. Therapeutic radioactive iodine was administered to 151 (68.9%) of the reoperative patients before the subsequent operation (median dose, 5.6 x 10(9) Bq; range, 7.4 x 10(8)-3.7 x 10(10) Bq). RESULTS: Ultrasonography identified nonpalpable lateral jugular LNMs in 70 (14.4%) of the patients undergoing initial exploration. Similarly, in reoperative patients, nonpalpable lateral LNMs were detected via US in 106 (64.2%), and 61 (28.2%) had LNMs detected in the central neck. Even when nodes were palpable preoperatively (37 [6.7%] of the initial and 56 [25.6%] of the reoperative patients), US assessment of the extent of LNM involvement altered the operation in 15 (40.5%) of the initial and 24 (42.9%) of the reoperative patients. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value for US were 83.5%, 97.7%, and 88.8% in initial patients, and 90.4%, 78.9%, and 93.9% in reoperative patients. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, preoperative US detected nonpalpable LNMs in 231 (32.9%) of the 702 patients with PTC who underwent US, thereby altering the operative procedure performed. In addition, even in patients with palpable LNs, US helped to guide the extent of lymphadenectomy.

Adolescent↗

A single-center experience with inflammatory breast cancer, 1985-2003.

HYPOTHESIS: "Up-front" surgery improves survival in inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). DESIGN: Retrospective cohort, 1985-2003. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: Consecutive patients with a primary occurrence of IBC. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: All-cause and disease-free survival. RESULTS: One-hundred fifty-six patients were identified with IBC; 28 patients with metastatic disease were excluded from further analysis. The mean age of the remaining 128 patients was 53 years; 57% of women were postmenopausal. One hundred twenty-two patients had clinically apparent IBC. Tumors were palpable in 83 patients (mean diameter, 9.1 cm). Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was the initial therapy in 106 patients, while surgery was the initial therapy in 22 patients. The overall median survival was 37 months, with a median disease-free interval of 23 months. The 5-year survival was 42%, with a disease-free survival of 21%. Univariate analysis of recurrence identified previous hormone therapy (relative risk [RR], 0.50; P = .03), menopause (RR, 0.55; P = .01), and palpable adenopathy (RR, 1.57; P = .04) as significant factors. Univariate survival analysis highlighted previous hormone therapy (RR, 0.48; P = .04), radiotherapy (RR, 0.39; P = .02), sequence of therapy (P = .001), family history (RR, 0.47; P = .01), and palpable adenopathy (RR, 2.22; P<.001) as being important. Multivariate analysis of recurrence identified menopausal status as the key factor. Adenopathy at the initial examination was associated with decreased length of survival, while radiotherapy was associated with better survival. CONCLUSIONS: Survival from IBC remains poor. Although adenopathy and radiotherapy affected survival by multivariate analysis, the sequence of therapy was not associated with improved outcome.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Incidence and risk factors for urinary retention after endoscopic hernia repair.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative urinary retention (PO-UR) frequently complicates the repair of inguinal hernias. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of and risk factors for developing PO-UR in patients undergoing endoscopic inguinal hernia repair. METHODS: The incidence of PO-UR was determined by a retrospective review of a prospective patient database for all patients undergoing inguinal hernia repair by 1 surgeon from 2001 to 2003 at a tertiary referral center. A case-control study was used to identify risk factors for the development of PO-UR. RESULTS: Thirty-four (22.2%) out of 153 patients undergoing endoscopic inguinal hernia repair developed PO-UR. The use of narcotic analgesia and the volume of intravenous postoperative fluid administered were significant risk factors (P < .05) for the development of PO-UR. CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative urinary retention is common after totally extraperitoneal and transabdominal preperitoneal inguinal hernia repairs and is associated directly with increased narcotic and postoperative intravenous fluid administration.

Adolescent↗

Thyroid nodules: does the suspicion for malignancy really justify the increased thyroidectomy rates?

Thyroid nodules are frequently diagnosed today, mainly due to the wide use of neck ultrasonography (US). The majority of these are benign; suspicion for malignancy is an indication for surgery, while benign thyroid nodules may be managed conservatively. There is evidence that a large percentage of patients with thyroid nodules (many diagnosed incidentally) are over-treated. Careful and accurate identification of patients with thyroid nodules highly suspicious for underlying malignancy would allow a more reasonable therapeutic approach and would result in a reduction of the number of unnecessary thyroidectomies. Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), in conjunction with high-resolution thyroid US, are currently the most accurate and cost-effective diagnostic approach for the evaluation of patients with nodular thyroid disease. Radionuclide thyroid scanning should be used selectively. By increasing the use of FNAC, it is expected that the number of unnecessary thyroidectomies will be further diminished, thereby avoiding over-treatment, without exposing the patients to the risk of under-treatment for a highly curable cancer. However, accurate preoperative diagnosis of thyroid cancer within a thyroid nodule is not always possible and, although the problem of unnecessary surgery can further be diminished, it cannot be completely eliminated.

Adolescent↗

Colonoscopic perforations: a retrospective review.

Colonic perforation is no longer a rare complication of colonoscopy. Our previous report identified 45 such iatrogenic injuries from 1980 through 1994 (3082 colonoscopies per year). This follow-up of the ensuing 7 years examines changing trends of endoscopic usage in addition to management and prognosis of patients with colonoscopic perforations. Retrospective analysis of 78,702 colonoscopies (1994 through 2000, 11,243 colonoscopies per year) allowed assessment of medical records in all patients treated at our institution for colonic perforation. Sixty-six patients from our institution (perforation rate, 0.084%; 1 per 1192 procedures) and six patients from outside institutions were treated for colonic perforation following colonoscopy (41 women, 31 men; ages, 30-92 years; median, 73 years). Sixty-two patients underwent laparotomy, while 10 were managed nonoperatively. All 10 patients managed nonoperatively were void of peritoneal irritation by physical examination; eight patients did well (median hospital stay, 5.5 days; range, 0-12), but one death (family declined operative intervention) and one pelvic abscess requiring percutaneous drainage were noted. Peritoneal irritation by physical examination was evident in 57 of 62 patients undergoing laparotomy. Perforations occurred throughout the colon: right, 22 (31%); transverse, 5 (7%); left, 44 (61%); and unknown, 1 (1%). Thirty-eight patients (61%) underwent primary repair or resection with anastomosis. Fecal diversion was used in 100% of patients with extensive peritoneal contamination (n = 12) and 40% of patients with moderate contamination (12 of 30). Perioperative morbidity (39%) and mortality (8%) were significant. Factors predicting a poor outcome included delayed diagnosis, extensive peritoneal contamination, and patients using anticoagulants (P < .05). Compared with our prior study, the present review highlights a higher prevalence of injury based on more frequent use of colonoscopy. Perforation rates remain around 0.08%. While nonoperative management is viable in patients void of peritonitis, expedient surgical intervention seems to facilitate patient recovery.

Adult↗

Psychologic well-being of surgery residents after inception of the 80-hour workweek: a multi-institutional study.

BACKGROUND: The 80-hour workweek was adopted by US residency programs on July 1, 2003. Our published data from the preceding year indicated significant impairment in psychologic well-being among surgery residents. The purpose of this study was to determine whether psychologic well-being and academic performance of surgery residents improved after inception of the 80-hour workweek. METHODS: A single-blinded survey of general surgery residents (n=130) across 4 US training programs was conducted after July 1, 2003, with the use of validated psychometric surveys (Symptom Checklist-90-R and Perceived Stress Scale) and the American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination; comparison was done with preceding year and societal data. Primary outcomes were "psychologic distress" and "perceived stress." Secondary outcomes were "somatization," "depression," "anxiety," "interpersonal sensitivity," "hostility," "obsessive-compulsive behavior," "phobic anxiety," "paranoid ideation," "psychoticism." and "academic performance." The impact of demographic variables was assessed. RESULTS: Mean psychologic distress improved from the preceding year (P < .01) but remained elevated, compared with societal norms (P < .001). The proportion of residents meeting the criteria for clinical psychologic distress (>or=90th percentile) decreased from 38% before, to 24% after, July 2003. Mean perceived stress remained elevated, compared with norms (P < .0001) without improvement from the preceding year. Overall academic performance was unchanged. Previously elevated secondary psychologic outcomes improved after July 2003 (P < .05), although obsessive-compulsive behavior, depression, interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, and anxiety failed to normalize. Male gender and single status were independent risk factors for psychologic distress. CONCLUSIONS: Inception of the 80-hour workweek is associated with reduced psychologic distress among surgery residents. The perception of stress and academic performance remains unchanged.

Adult↗

Technetium-99m 2-methoxyisobutyl isonitrile-scintigraphy: preoperative and intraoperative guidance for primary hyperparathyroidism.

As refinement of technetium-99m 2-methoxyisobutyl isonitrile-scintigraphy (MIBI)-scintigraphy of parathyroid glands has continued since its initial use in 1989, the sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy of the technique have improved greatly, approaching 100% for larger, solitary adenomas. Preoperative use of sestamibi scintigraphy has become commonplace and allows surgeons the option of a minimally invasive, or focused approach for their patients with primary hyperparathyroidism. Intraoperative use of the gamma probe based on sestamibi localization has not caught on due to lesser accuracy, cumbersome gamma probes, small doses of radiation exposure for patients and staff, and the greater accuracy and current confidence in intraoperative parathormone (PTH) monitoring. However, with the potential for smaller and more accurate gamma probes that truly assist in localizing abnormal parathyroid glands, the potential for cost reduction by shortening operative times, avoiding expensive PTH assays, and eliminating the need for pathologic analysis, gamma scintigraphy may yet become a viable option for many parathyroid surgeons.

Adenoma↗

Double-blind, prospective, randomized study of warmed, humidified carbon dioxide insufflation vs standard carbon dioxide for patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

HYPOTHESIS: Patients undergoing warmed, humidified carbon dioxide (CO2) insufflation for laparoscopic cholecystectomy will (1) maintain a warmer intraoperative core temperature, (2) have their surgeon experience less fogging of the camera lens, and (3) have less postoperative pain than patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy with standard CO2 insufflation. DESIGN: A double-blind, prospective, randomized study comparing patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy with standard CO2 insufflation vs those receiving warmed, humidified CO2 (Insuflow Filter Heater Hydrator; Lexion Medical, St Paul, Minn) was performed. Main variables included patient core temperature, postoperative pain, analgesic requirements, and camera lens fogging. RESULTS: One hundred one blinded patients (69 women, 32 men) undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy were randomized into 2 groups-52 receiving standard CO2 insufflation (group A) and 49 receiving warmed, humidified CO2 (group B). Mean patient intraoperative core temperature change (group A decreased by 0.03 degrees C, group B increased by 0.29 degrees C, P =.01) and mean abdominal pain (Likert scale, 0-10) at 14 days postoperatively (group A, 1.0; group B, 0.3; P =.02) were different. Other variables (camera lens fogging, early postoperative pain, narcotic requirements, recovery room stay, and return to normal activities) between groups were similar. CONCLUSION: While patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy with warmed, humidified CO2 had several advantages that were statistically significant, no major clinically relevant differences between groups A and B were evident.

Carbon Dioxide↗

Retrospective study of women presenting with axillary metastases from occult breast carcinoma.

Although palpable axillary lymphadenopathy is most often related to benign disorders, it may be a harbinger of an underlying advanced malignancy. Fewer than 1% of patients diagnosed with breast cancer initially present with axillary metastases as their only clinical manifestation. This study represents the Mayo Clinic experience with women with occult breast cancer who presented with axillary metastases. Among a group of 44 women undergoing axillary biopsy for a palpable mass, 35 had histologic evidence of a metastatic carcinoma of primary breast cancer origin. Our retrospective analysis focused on the workup, identification, treatment, and outcome of these 35 women. All 35 women had a palpable axillary nodule, no dominant breast mass, and normal mammograms and chest radiographs. Histologic analysis of the axillary node revealed a probable breast cancer in all patients. Long-term follow-up was available for 33 patients (mean 71.5 months, range 4-252 months). Mastectomy was performed as part of the primary treatment in 18 patients (51%), and among them a primary breast tumor was found in 6 (33%). Of the women who underwent mastectomy (n = 18) and for whom follow-up data were available (n = 17), six developed tumor recurrence (35%), and four died of their disease (24%). Among the patients who did not undergo mastectomy (n = 17) as their primary treatment, follow-up revealed that 12 (of 16) patients developed recurrent disease (75%), and 11 patients died of breast carcinoma (69%). Despite extensive clinical and radiologic evaluation, a primary tumor was not initially located in any of the 35 women with axillary metastases from a presumed occult breast carcinoma. As a consequence of aggressive surgical intervention, six primary breast cancers were located in mastectomy specimens, and those 17 patients followed after mastectomy fared significantly better than the 16 patients without mastectomy (p = 0.047).

Adult↗

Focused cervical exploration for primary hyperparathyroidism without intraoperative parathyroid hormone monitoring or use of the gamma probe.

Selected patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) who have a positive preoperative sestamibi scan can be managed safely and successfully with a focused cervical exploration without either adjuvant intraoperative parathyroid hormone (PTH) monitoring or use of a gamma probe. This article reports a retrospective analysis of a consecutive series of patients surgically treated at a tertiary referral center. From August 1998 to August 2002, 100 patients (68 women, 32 men; mean age 63 years [range: 29-89 years]) underwent a focused cervical approach without intraoperative PTH monitoring or use of the gamma probe after perioperative sestamibi injection. The study group comprised 9% of all patients (n = 1063) undergoing cervical exploration for pHPT during the study period. Ninety patients underwent an initial exploration, and 10 others underwent repeat cervical exploration following prior parathyroid (n = 7) or thyroid (n = 3) operation. Sestamibi scanning correlated with one enlarged parathyroid gland in all patients. Other enlarged glands were, however, not demonstrated in three patients (true positive = 97%; false negative = 3%). The single enlarged glands excised in all patients had a mean weight of 795 mg (range: 90-3640) and were histologically compatible with an adenoma. Postoperatively, 97% of patients were eucalcemic. Three patients remained hypercalcemic (3%). Of the three patients with persistent hypercalcemia, one underwent successful re-exploration with excision of a 500 mg second adenoma, whereas the other two patients (with confirmed familial HPT) remained hypercalcemic. Mean hospitalization was 0.5 days (range: 0-3 days). There was no operative mortality. No patients had permanent hypocalcemia. Postoperative morbidity occurred in three patients: two self-limiting cervical hematomas and one permanent vocal cord paralysis. Selected patients with pHPT due to single-gland disease and an unequivocally positive preoperative sestamibi scan can safely and successfully be managed with a focused unilateral cervical exploration without either intraoperative PTH monitoring or use of the gamma probe. Further experience with this surgical approach seems warranted to determine the overall cure rate, operative morbidity, and the sensitivity and specificity of preoperative localization studies.

Adenoma↗

Surgical management of amiodarone-associated thyrotoxicosis: Mayo Clinic experience.

Amiodarone-associated thyrotoxicosis (AAT) is often poorly tolerated owing to underlying cardiac disease, and it is frequently refractory to conventional medical treatment. The goal of this study was to describe the patient characteristics, management, and outcomes of all the patients treated surgically for AAT at a single institution. We conducted a retrospective chart review of all patients managed surgically for AAT (April 1985 through November 2002) at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Altogether, 29 men and 5 women, ages 39 to 85 years (median 60 years), treated with amiodarone for 3 to 108 months underwent near-total or total thyroidectomy. Frequent symptoms were worsening heart failure, fatigue, weight loss, and tremor. Altogether, 12 patients failed medical management of their AAT, and 21 received no preoperative medical therapy. One patient had been successfully managed medically but required definitive treatment. Common indications for operation were the need to remain on amiodarone, cardiac decompensation, medically refractory disease, and severe symptoms, both hyperthyroid and cardiac, necessitating prompt resolution. The median+/-SD American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification (1 = healthy through 5 = moribund) was 3.00+/-0.58. A total of 27 specimens had histology consistent with AAT. Complications included death (n = 3), rehospitalization (n = 3), symptomatic hypocalcemia (n = 2), pneumonia (n = 2), cervical hematoma (n = 1), prolonged ventilatorywean (n = 1), and stroke (n = 1); one patient developed hypotension, adult respiratory distress syndrome, and sepsis. Of the 31 surviving patients, 25 (80%) remained on amiodarone postoperatively. The median follow-up was 29 months, at which time all surviving patients were free of hyperthyroid symptoms. Thyroidectomy is an effective treatment for AAT but has a high incidence of perioperative morbidity and mortality. The cardiovascular co-morbidities and high operative risk in this group of patients may account for the increased complication rate.

Adult↗

Psychological well-being of surgery residents before the 80-hour work week: a multiinstitutional study.

BACKGROUND: Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education work-hour restrictions are aimed at improving patient safety and resident well-being. Although surgical trainees will be dramatically affected by these changes, no comprehensive assessment of their well-being has been recently attempted. STUDY DESIGN: A multicenter study of psychological well-being of surgical residents (n = 108) across four US training programs before implementation of the 80-hour work week was performed using two validated surveys (Symptom Checklist-90-R [SCL-90-R] and Perceived Stress Scale [PSS]) during academic year 2002-03. Societal normative populations served as controls. Primary outcomes measures were psychologic distress (SCL-90-R) and perceived stress (PSS). Secondary outcomes measures (SCL-90-R) were somatization, depression, anxiety, interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, obsessive-compulsive behavior, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation, and psychoticism. The impact of personal variables (age, gender, marital status) and programmatic variables (level of training, laboratory experience, institution) was assessed. RESULTS: Mean psychologic distress was significantly higher in general surgery residents than in the normative population (p < 0.0001), with 38% scoring above the 90th percentile and 72% above the 50th percentile. Mean perceived stress among surgery residents was higher than historic controls (p < 0.0001), with 21% scoring above the 90th percentile and 68% above the 50th percentile. Among secondary outcomes, eight of nine symptom dimensions were significantly higher in surgical residents than in societal controls. In subgroup analyses, male gender was associated with phobic anxiety (p < 0.001) and anxiety (p < 0.05), and junior level of training (PGY 1 to 3) with anxiety (p < 0.05), obsessive-compulsive behavior (p < 0.05), and interpersonal sensitivity (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: More than one-third of general surgery residents meet criteria for clinical psychologic distress. Surgery residents perceive significantly more stress than societal controls. Both personal and programmatic variables likely affect resident well-being and should be considered in assessing the full impact of Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education directives and in guiding future restructuring efforts.

Adult↗

Role for adrenal venous sampling in primary aldosteronism.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of adrenal venous sampling (AVS) on the management of patients with primary aldosteronism. METHODS: From September 1990 through October 2003, 203 patients with primary aldosteronism (mean age, 53 years; range, 17-80; 163 men) were selected prospectively for AVS on the basis of degree of aldosterone excess, age, desire for surgical treatment, and computed tomographic (CT) findings. RESULTS: Both adrenal veins were catheterized in 194 patients (95.6%). Notable among the 110 patients (56.7%) with unilateral aldosterone hypersecretion were 24 (41.4%) of 58 patients with normal adrenal CT findings, 24 (51.1%) of 47 with unilateral micronodule (< or =10 mm) apparent on CT (7 had unilateral aldosterone hypersecretion from the contralateral adrenal), 21 (65.6%) of 32 with unilateral macronodule (>10 mm) apparent on CT (1 had unilateral aldosterone hypersecretion from the contralateral adrenal), 16 (48.5%) of 33 with bilateral micronodules, and 2 (33%) of 6 with bilateral macronodules. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of CT findings alone, 42 patients (21.7%) would have been incorrectly excluded as candidates for adrenalectomy, and 48 (24.7%) might have had unnecessary or inappropriate adrenalectomy. AVS is an essential diagnostic step in most patients to distinguish between unilateral and bilateral adrenal aldosterone hypersecretion.

Adolescent↗

Optimal management of ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast.

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) represents a breast lesion that is diagnosed with increasing frequency, mainly due to the wide use of screening mammography. Today, DCIS comprises 15-25% of all breast cancers detected at population screening programs. Consequently, the concepts of properly managing such patients assume a greater importance in everyday practice. Mammographically detected microcalcifications are the most common presentation of DCIS. Despite recent technological advances (including Stereotactic-guided directional vacuum-assisted biopsy), mammographically guided wire biopsy remains the "gold-standard" for obtaining a histological diagnosis in patients with non-palpable, mammographically detected DCIS. Management options include mastectomy, local excision combined with radiation therapy, and local excision alone. Given that DCIS is a heterogeneous group of lesions rather than a single entity, and because patients have a wide variety of personal needs that must be addressed during treatment selection, it is obvious that no single approach will be appropriate for all forms of DCIS or for all patients. Careful patient selection is of key importance in order to achieve the best results in the management of the individual patient with DCIS. Axillary lymph node dissection is unnecessary in the treatment of pure DCIS, but it is indicated when microinvasion is present. In these cases, sentinel lymph node biopsy may be an excellent alternative. In the NSABP B-24 trial, tamoxifen reduced both the invasive and non-invasive breast cancer events in either breast by 37%. Nearly all patients who develop a non-invasive recurrence following breast-sparing surgery are cured with mastectomy, and approximately 75% of those with an invasive recurrence are salvaged. Selected patients initially treated by lumpectomy alone may also undergo breast-conservation therapy at the time of relapse according to the same strict guidelines of tumor margin clearance required for the primary lesion; radiation therapy should be given following local excision. The use of systemic therapy in patients with invasive recurrence should be based on standard criteria for invasive breast cancer.

Aged↗

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the safety and results of laparoscopic resection of benign pheochromocytomas. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical charts of all patients who underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy for benign pheochromocytomas at all 3 Mayo Clinic sites between January 1, 1992, and December 31, 2001. Demographics, comorbidities, clinical presentation, imaging studies, biochemical findings, operative intervention, and outcome were examined. Long-term follow-up was obtained via chart review and/or by direct telephone contact with the patient or a relative. RESULTS: Twenty-four women and 23 men with a mean age of 53.1 years (range, 16-81 years) underwent attempted laparoscopic resection of pheochromocytomas. In 5 patients, the procedure was converted to open laparotomy because of bleeding (2), inadequate exposure (2), and adhesions (1). The mean tumor size was 4.3 cm. The mean operative time (181.8 vs 1405 minutes; P = .03), mean hospital stay (6.00 vs 2.64 days; P < .001), and mean blood loss (340 mL vs 80 mL; P < .001) were greater in patients who underwent open laparotomy vs those who underwent laparoscopic resection. All specimens were classified as benign. The mean follow-up was 41 months (range, 10-89 months). No patients experienced a recurrence or developed metastatic disease. CONCLUSIONS: In light of surgical and anesthesia expertise, laparoscopic resection of benign pheochromocytomas is safe and effective with resultant short hospital stays. A low threshold to convert to an open procedure reduces operative times and decreases potentially serious complications. Although there have been no recurrences to date, long-term follow-up is required for all patients, especially those with hereditary forms of pheochromocytomas.

Adolescent↗