Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy versus endoscopical intra-gastric balloon placement: early results of morbidly obese patients

Aim: Endoscopic intra-gastric balloon (IGB) placement and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) are widely used treatment modalities for weight loss in patients with morbid obesity. The aim of our study was to evaluate the results of these two methods in patients with morbid obesity.Material and Methods: The data of 119 patients who were treated during the same time period for morbid obesity (Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥40 kg/m2) and completed a 12-month follow-up period were evaluated retrospectively. The study comprised twenty patients who underwent IGB placement and 99 LSG patients. Patients from these two groups were compared according to their demographic data; rate of comorbidity; weight and BMI changes both preoperatively and postoperatively at the 12 months; excess weight loss (EWL); and excess BMI loss (EBL).Results: Evaluation of postoperative 12th month weights showed a mean weight of 119.2 ±28.5 kg in the IGB group and 78.9 ±12.9 kg in the LSG group (p<0.001). The patients in the IGB group had lost 26.3 ±12.8 kg by the end of the 12th month, while patients in the LSG group had lost 45.35 ±12.2 kg (p<0.001). EWL recorded at the postoperative 12th month was 33.42 ±9.2 % in the IGB group and 67.68 ±14.9 % in the LSG group (p<0.001); EBL% at the postoperative 12th month was 41 ±17.3% in the IGB group and 81.48 ±18.8% in the LSG group (p<0.001). Conclusion: In patients with morbid obesity, endoscopic IGB placement may still be preferred as an effective and safe alternative in patients who decline or are unsuitable for surgery

Effectiveness of Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery in Undiagnosed Exudative Pleural Effusions

OBJECTIVES: Undiagnosed pleural effusions mostly require histologic studies for a definite diagnosis. In addition, malignant pleural effusions responsible for a significant part of exudative pleurisy need palliative therapy The purpose of our study is to research the effectiveness of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery in definitive diagnosis and palliative treatment of unexplained non-parapneumonic exudative pleural effusions

Does Weight Gain During the Operation Wait Time Have an Impact on Weight Loss After Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy?

Weight gain during waiting time has no negative impact on % weight loss and % BMI loss after SG

Predictors of malignancy in patients with solitary pulmonary nodules undergoing pulmonary resection

Background The management of a solitary pulmonary nodule is a challenging issue in pulmonary disease. Although many factors have been defined as predictors for malignancy in solitary pulmonary nodules, the accurate diagnosis can only be established with the permanent histological diagnosis. Objective We tried to clarify the possible predictors of malignancy in solitary pulmonary nodules in patients who had definitive histological diagnosis. Methods We made a retrospective study to collect the data of patients with solitary pulmonary nodules who had histological diagnosis either before or after surgery. We made a statistical analysis of both the clinic and radiological features of these nodules with respect to malignancy both in contingency tables and with logistic regression analysis. Results We had a total of 223 patients with a radiological diagnosis of solitary pulmonary nodule. Age, smoking status and pack years of smoking, maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), and radiological features such as solid component, spiculation, pleural tag, lobulation, calcification, and higher density were significant predictors of malignancy in contingency tables. Age, smoking status and smoking (pack/year), SUVmax, and radiological features including spiculation, pleural tag, lobulation, calcification, and higher density were the significant predictors in univariate analysis. However, multivariate analysis revealed only SUVmax greater than 2.5 (p < 0.0001), spiculation (p = 0.009), and age older than 61 years (p = 0.015) as the significant predictors for malignancy. Conclusion Age, SUVmax, and spiculation are the independent predictors of malignancy in patients with solitary pulmonary nodules

The effects of preoperative immunosuppressive therapy on ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury in healthy rats

Purpose Warm-ischemia-induced injuries might be encountered during renal transplants from cadavers and healthy donors. Toll-like receptors (TLR) in ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury are one of the indicators of intracellular injury pathways. The intensity of ischemic injury is directly proportionate to high TLR levels. To minimize the I/R injury, we investigated TLR2 and TLR4 levels on rats, which were pretreated with tacrolimus (FK506) before I/R