Evaluation of Liver Function Tests to Predict Operative Risk in Liver Surgery

Despite numerous studies in the past it is not possible yet to predict postoperative liver failure and safe limits for hepatectomy. In this study the following liver function tests ICG-ER (indocyaninegreen elimination rate), GEC (galactose elimination capacity) and MEGX-F (monoethylglycinexylidid formation) are examined with regard to loss of liver tissue and prediction of operative risk. Liver function tests were assessed in 20 patients prior to liver resection and on the 10th. postoperative day. Liver and tumor volume were measured by ultrasound and pathologic specimen and the parenchymal resection rate was calculated. In patients without cirrhosis (n = 10) ICG-ER and MEGX-F remained unchanged after resection, GEC was reduced but did not correspond to the resection rate. Patients with cirrhosis (n = 10) had a significantly lower ICG-ER and GEC before resection than patients without cirrhosis. After resection these tests were unchanged. Patients with liver related complications and cirrhosis (n = 5) had lower ICG-ER and GEC than patients with cirrhosis and no complications. In the postoperative course all liver function tests in these patients were significantly lower compared to preoperative results. Comparing liver function tests ICG serves best to indicate postoperative liver failure. Liver function tests do not correspond with loss of liver tissue

The Importance of Screening for Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma in Families of Patients with MEN 2

Family .screening for medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) is important for detecting members of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN 2) families who may be gene carriers but show no clinical evidence of the disease. Most members of our MEN 2 families are screened yearly by measuring basal and pentagastrin-stimulated calcitonin (CT) levels. A 15-year-old first-degree relative of an affected member of the D-kindred showed a normal basal and an elevated stimulated CT level. Clinical examination, ultrasonography, and scintigraphy were normal. Thyroidectomy and bilateral neck dissection revealed a multicentric MTC with no lymph node involvement. In the O-kindred we detected elevated basal and/or stimulated CT levels in three asymptomatic first-degree relatives. At surgery we found a small multicentric MTC in one family member, C-cell hyperplasia in another member, and bilateral lymph node metastases in one member who had been previously thyroidectomized. Basal and stimulated CT estimations in MEN 2 family members provide an effective method for detecting MTC in early, treatable stages

Paralysis agi tans und Trauma lm Lichte der Unfallheilkunde.

OPLADEN-RUG0

Unusual Features of Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia

In addition to the common presentations of the multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) syndromes, unusual organ involvement as rare manifestations of a single disease may occur. Among our patients we have identified four cases in which unusual features of MEN were present. In the first patient, bilateral adrenal cortical adenoma, parathyroid adenoma, multiple pancreatic tumors, and follicular thyroid carcinoma were observed. The second patient suffered from thymic carcinoid, parathyroid hyperplasia, gastrinoma, and pituitary adenoma. Additionally, one family was discovered in which medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), Hirschsprung\u27s disease, and pheochromocytoma occurred and another family had MTC and ovarian cancer. Based on these observations, we stress the importance of screening for MEN syndromes in all patients with pathologic findings in any endocrine organ

Blood Pressure Guided Profiling of Ultrafiltration during Hemodialysis

Hemodialysis-induced hypotension is still a common complication in spite of the progress achieved in hemodialysis (HD) treatment. Due to its multifactorial nature, dialysis-induced hypotension cannot be reliably prevented by conventional profiling of ultrafiltration in open-loop systems since they are unable to adapt themselves to actual decreases in blood pressure. A blood pressure guided closed-loop system for prevention of dialysis-induced hypotension by biofeedback-controlled profiling of ultrafiltration was clinically tested in 94 HD treatments of four patients prone to hypotension. Automatic profiling of ultrafiltration was based on frequent measurements of blood pressure at intervals of five minutes. Proper adaptation of control features to patients′ conditions was provided by the lower limit of systolic pressure which was individually set by the physician at the beginning of each treatment. During the initial and medium phases of the HD sessions, ultrafiltration rates up to 200% of the average rates were applied as long as this was tolerated. The additional ultrafiltrate volume was used for blood pressure stabilization by lowering the ultrafiltration rates in the final phase of HD session. Biofeedback-controlled profiling of ultrafiltration provides reliable blood pressure stabilization in all phases of HD. During the first half of treatment, the frequency of hypotensive episodes remained below that with conventional therapy although ultrafiltration rates up to 200% were used. During the second half of treatment, blood pressure guided reduction of ultrafiltration rate provided a decreasing frequency of hypotensive episodes in contrast to the increasing trend during conventional therapy. Stable blood pressure trends during the last hour of HD were achieved in 91% of biofeedback-controlled treatments in comparison with only 32% of conventional treatments. Ultrafiltration rates of 150%-200% and blood pressure measurements at intervals of five minutes were well tolerated, since hypotension-prone patients were better monitored

Le courtage de services : une question de pouvoir et de responsabilité = Service brokerage : individual empowerment and social service accountability /

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