Carcinoid Tumour of the Appendix: An Analysis of 1,485 Consecutive Emergency Appendectomies

Aim: The aim of this study is to conduct a retrospective analysis of the incidence and long-term results of carcinoid tumours of the appendix in emergency appendectomies. Methods: A retrospective review of 1,485 appendectomies was performed in two centres from January 2000 until January 2006. Demographic data, clinical presentation, histopathology, operative reports and survival were scored and compared with the literature. Results: In three women and four men, carcinoid tumours were identified (0.47%). The mean age was 32.7 years (range, 20-59 years). The clinical presentation was resembling the symptoms of acute appendicitis in all cases. Laparoscopic appendectomy was the treatment of choice in five patients; in one of these patients, a conversion to laparotomy was necessary. The other two patients underwent primary open appendectomy. Five patients underwent additional surgery after the pathology report became available. Four patients underwent ileocecal resection; one other patient underwent right hemicolectomy. In none of the re-operation specimens was residual carcinoid tumour detected. After a mean follow-up of 65 months (range, 25-92), all patients were alive and disease- and symptom-free. Conclusion: Carcinoid tumours of the appendix most often present as acute appendicitis. It also emphasises the value of histopathological analysis of every removed appendix. The long-term prognosis of incidentally found carcinoids of the appendix is good

The influence of characteristics of actomyosin on the difference of rigor mortis progress between cultured red sea bream and Japanese flounder

As part of a study program to clarify the cause of differences in rigor mortis progress between cultured red sea bream and Japanese flounder, the superprecipitation reaction, the Mg2+-ATPase activity, and the Ca2+-sensitivity of actomyosin were measured at several Ca2+ and ATP concentrations, and these discrepant points were examined between both fishes. The superprecipitation reaction became higher with the increase of Ca2+ concentration from pCa 7.0 to pCa 5.0 and with the decrease of ATP concentration from 3.0 mM to 0.5 mM in both fishes, and the level was remarkably lower in cultured Japanese flounder than in cultured red sea bream. In both the Mg2+-ATPase activity and the Ca2+-sensitivity, similarly changing aspects were observed and these levels were also remarkably lower in cultured Japanese flounder than in cultured red sea bream. Although the significantly positive correlation was found between the superprecipitation reaction and the Mg2+-ATPase activity in both fishes, the distributive position of both values was clearly different between both fishes, and the superprecipitation reaction was higher in cultured Japanese flounder than in cultured red sea bream when the Mg2+ ATPase activity was the same level. This results suggest that the characteristics of actomyosin corresponding to muscular contraction might be remarkably different between both fishes and provide support to the difference of rigor mortis progress between both fishes