Curative treatment of oesophageal carcinoma: current options and future developments

Since the 1980s major advances in surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy have established multimodal approaches as curative treatment options for oesophageal cancer. In addition the introduction of functional imaging modalities such as PET-CT created new opportunities for a more adequate patient selection and therapy response assessment

Cholecystectomy in sickle cell anemia patients: Perioperative outcome of 364 cases from the national preoperative transfusion study

Cholecystectomy is the most common surgical procedure performed in sickle cell anemia (SCA) patients. We investigated the effects of transfusion and surgical method on perioperative outcome. A total of 364 patients underwent cholecystectomy: group 1 (randomized to aggressive transfusion) 110 patients; group 2 (randomized to conservative transfusion) 120 patients; group 3 (nonrandomized nontransfusion) 37 patients; and group 4 (nonrandomized transfusion) 97 patients. Patients were similar except group 3 patients were more likely to be female, over 20 years old, smokers, and more healthy by American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status score. Total complication rate was 39%: sickle cell events 19%; intraoperative or recovery room events 11%; transfusion complications 10%; postoperative surgical events 4%; and death 1%. Group 3 patients had the highest incidence of sickle cell events (32%). Open cholecystectomies were performed in 58% and laparoscopic in 42%. Laparoscopic patients were younger and more healthy by ASA score. Laparoscopic patients had longer anesthesia time (3,2 v 2.9 hours), but shorter hospitalization time (6.4 days v 9.8). Complications were similar between these two groups, We conclude that SCA patients undergoing cholecystectomy have a high perioperative morbidity, and the incidence of sickle cell events may be higher in patients not preoperatively transfused. We recommend a conservative preoperative transfusion regimen, and we encourage the use of the laparoscopic technique for SCA patients undergoing elective cholecystectomy. (C) 1997 by The American Society of Hematology