Breast-conserving surgery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced cancer. Preliminary results

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in locally advanced breast tumors may allow an adequate control of the disease impossible with surgery alone. Moreover, NACT increases the chance of breast-conserving surgery. Between 2008 and 2012, we treated with NACT 83 patients with locally advanced breast cancer. We report the preliminary results evaluating the impact of NACT on the type of surgery

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in Steinert's myotonic dystrophy: about two clinical cases

Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1, or Steinert's Myotonic Dystrophy, is a rare RNA-mediated autosomal dominant disease. Here we describe two clinical cases of patients with Steinert's disease who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy under general anaesthesia in conjunction with thoracic peridural anaesthesia, without muscle relaxants. Using such an anaesthesiological technique allowed for rapid recovery from anaesthesia, quick and complete recovery of autonomous breathing, and a significant haemodynamic and arterial blood gases stability, as well as an adequate and complete analgesic coverage over the entire perioperative period

Hamartoma of the breast in a young woman. Case report

Hamartoma is a benign tumor-like malformation characterized by a focal mixture of mature cells and tissues normally present in affected area. The hamartoma of the breast is rare. We report a case in an asymptomatic young woman coming to our attention for a left breast lesion detected by ultrasound screening

Breast-conserving surgery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced cancer. Preliminary results

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in locally advanced breast tumors may allow an adequate control of the disease impossible with surgery alone. Moreover, NACT increases the chance of breast-conserving surgery. Between 2008 and 2012, we treated with NACT 83 patients with locally advanced breast cancer. We report the preliminary results evaluating the impact of NACT on the type of surgery

Incidental thyroid carcinomas. A retrospective study

The aim of the present study is to report our series of incidental thyroid carcinomas in the last 15 years and their follow-up, discussing therapeutics indications and surgical choices

Treatment of renal angiomyolipoma: surgery versus angioembolization

Renal angiomyolipoma (AML) is a benign mesenchymal tumour. AML often leads to haemorrhagic complications such as retroperitoneal haematoma. Treatment varies from case to case, ranging from minimally invasive approaches such as selective embolization of the renal artery to invasive wedge resection, partial nephrectomy or, in more severe cases, radical nephrectomy. Here we report a case of retroperitoneal haematoma secondary to AML, treated with conservative approach by super-selective embolization of the lower-pole segmental renal artery

Treatment of renal angiomyolipoma: surgery versus angioembolization

Renal angiomyolipoma (AML) is a benign mesenchymal tumour. AML often leads to haemorrhagic complications such as retroperitoneal haematoma. Treatment varies from case to case, ranging from minimally invasive approaches such as selective embolization of the renal artery to invasive wedge resection, partial nephrectomy or, in more severe cases, radical nephrectomy. Here we report a case of retroperitoneal haematoma secondary to AML, treated with conservative approach by super-selective embolization of the lower-pole segmental renal artery

Transoral video assisted thyroidectomy. A systematic review

Abstract Introduction: The aim of this study is to perform a review of the English-language international literature concerning thyroid surgery performed through the transoral vestibular approach, to evaluate its feasibility and safety in terms of complications. Method: The review was carried out on 17 studies of 17 different authors. The following variables were taken into consideration: first author's name, nationality, year of publication, number of cases, hospital stay, conversion rate, type of surgical approach, total number of total thyroidectomies and loboisthmectomies, operative time range, intraoperative blood loss range, number and percentage of complications. Results: 736 procedures were performed: 289 total thyroidectomies and 447 loboisthmectomies. Surgical approach was trivestibular in 15 cases and combined (oro-vestibular) in 2 cases. The operative time varies from 43 minutes for a loboisthmectomy to 345 for a total thyroidectomy. Intraoperative blood loss ranges from 3 to 300 ml. Ten cases were converted into open surgery. The hospital stay varies from 1 to 10 days. Complications were: transient recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy in 34 cases, permanent in 2 cases; transient hypoparathyroidism in 62 cases. One case of postoperative bleeding, 22 postoperative seroma, 20 cases of mental nerve injury, 8 cases of operative wound infection. Conclusions: Transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) is a new surgical method, the use of which exclusively meets the aesthetic needs of some patients. Its specific complication is the injury of the mental nerves. Further studies, however, seem to be necessary, on numerically broader cases, to ascertain the real validity of the method

The ChoCO-W prospective observational global study: Does COVID-19 increase gangrenous cholecystitis?

Background: The incidence of the highly morbid and potentially lethal gangrenous cholecystitis was reportedly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the ChoCO-W study was to compare the clinical findings and outcomes of acute cholecystitis in patients who had COVID-19 disease with those who did not. Methods: Data were prospectively collected over 6 months (October 1, 2020, to April 30, 2021) with 1-month follow-up. In October 2020, Delta variant of SARS CoV-2 was isolated for the first time. Demographic and clinical data were analyzed and reported according to the STROBE guidelines. Baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients who had COVID-19 were compared with those who did not. Results: A total of 2893 patients, from 42 countries, 218 centers, involved, with a median age of 61.3 (SD: 17.39) years were prospectively enrolled in this study; 1481 (51%) patients were males. One hundred and eighty (6.9%) patients were COVID-19 positive, while 2412 (93.1%) were negative. Concomitant preexisting diseases including cardiovascular diseases (p < 0.0001), diabetes (p < 0.0001), and severe chronic obstructive airway disease (p = 0.005) were significantly more frequent in the COVID-19 group. Markers of sepsis severity including ARDS (p < 0.0001), PIPAS score (p < 0.0001), WSES sepsis score (p < 0.0001), qSOFA (p < 0.0001), and Tokyo classification of severity of acute cholecystitis (p < 0.0001) were significantly higher in the COVID-19 group. The COVID-19 group had significantly higher postoperative complications (32.2% compared with 11.7%, p < 0.0001), longer mean hospital stay (13.21 compared with 6.51 days, p < 0.0001), and mortality rate (13.4% compared with 1.7%, p < 0.0001). The incidence of gangrenous cholecystitis was doubled in the COVID-19 group (40.7% compared with 22.3%). The mean wall thickness of the gallbladder was significantly higher in the COVID-19 group [6.32 (SD: 2.44) mm compared with 5.4 (SD: 3.45) mm; p < 0.0001]. Conclusions: The incidence of gangrenous cholecystitis is higher in COVID patients compared with non-COVID patients admitted to the emergency department with acute cholecystitis. Gangrenous cholecystitis in COVID patients is associated with high-grade Clavien-Dindo postoperative complications, longer hospital stay and higher mortality rate. The open cholecystectomy rate is higher in COVID compared with non -COVID patients. It is recommended to delay the surgical treatment in COVID patients, when it is possible, to decrease morbidity and mortality rates. COVID-19 infection and gangrenous cholecystistis are not absolute contraindications to perform laparoscopic cholecystectomy, in a case by case evaluation, in expert hands. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.

The ChoCO-W prospective observational global study: Does COVID-19 increase gangrenous cholecystitis?

BACKGROUND: The incidence of the highly morbid and potentially lethal gangrenous cholecystitis was reportedly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the ChoCO-W study was to compare the clinical findings and outcomes of acute cholecystitis in patients who had COVID-19 disease with those who did not. METHODS: Data were prospectively collected over 6 months (October 1, 2020, to April 30, 2021) with 1-month follow-up. In October 2020, Delta variant of SARS CoV-2 was isolated for the first time. Demographic and clinical data were analyzed and reported according to the STROBE guidelines. Baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients who had COVID-19 were compared with those who did not. RESULTS: A total of 2893 patients, from 42 countries, 218 centers, involved, with a median age of 61.3 (SD: 17.39) years were prospectively enrolled in this study; 1481 (51%) patients were males. One hundred and eighty (6.9%) patients were COVID-19 positive, while 2412 (93.1%) were negative. Concomitant preexisting diseases including cardiovascular diseases (p < 0.0001), diabetes (p < 0.0001), and severe chronic obstructive airway disease (p = 0.005) were significantly more frequent in the COVID-19 group. Markers of sepsis severity including ARDS (p < 0.0001), PIPAS score (p < 0.0001), WSES sepsis score (p < 0.0001), qSOFA (p < 0.0001), and Tokyo classification of severity of acute cholecystitis (p < 0.0001) were significantly higher in the COVID-19 group. The COVID-19 group had significantly higher postoperative complications (32.2% compared with 11.7%, p < 0.0001), longer mean hospital stay (13.21 compared with 6.51 days, p < 0.0001), and mortality rate (13.4% compared with 1.7%, p < 0.0001). The incidence of gangrenous cholecystitis was doubled in the COVID-19 group (40.7% compared with 22.3%). The mean wall thickness of the gallbladder was significantly higher in the COVID-19 group [6.32 (SD: 2.44) mm compared with 5.4 (SD: 3.45) mm; p < 0.0001]. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of gangrenous cholecystitis is higher in COVID patients compared with non-COVID patients admitted to the emergency department with acute cholecystitis. Gangrenous cholecystitis in COVID patients is associated with high-grade Clavien-Dindo postoperative complications, longer hospital stay and higher mortality rate. The open cholecystectomy rate is higher in COVID compared with non -COVID patients. It is recommended to delay the surgical treatment in COVID patients, when it is possible, to decrease morbidity and mortality rates. COVID-19 infection and gangrenous cholecystistis are not absolute contraindications to perform laparoscopic cholecystectomy, in a case by case evaluation, in expert hands