Treatment and outcome in 52 consecutive cases of ampullary carcinoma

The results of treatment and outcome in 52 consecutive patients presenting to Leicester from 1972 to 1984 are presented. The number of patients diagnosed increased from two per year before the introduction of duodenoscopy to nearly five per year afterwards. Endoscopic drainage (ED) was attempted in 21 patients with a success rate of 81 per cent. In eight cases ED was used pre-operatively and in the remainder as definitive treatment. Twenty-four patients had a Whipple's resection (12.5 per cent mortality), four patients had a local resection (no deaths), ten patients had surgical bypass (60 per cent mortality) and thirteen patients had ED alone (23 per cent mortality). The major risk factor score was significantly greater in patients undergoing surgical bypass compared with Whipple's resection. Age and risk factor scores were significantly greater in patients who had ED drainage alone than in surgical patients. The 5 year survival rate for resection was 56 per cent versus 13 per cent for drainage procedures (P less than 0.001). Survival in resection cases was directly related to the degree of tumour differentiation and a new staging system. It is proposed that all patients with ampullary tumours should have endoscopic biopsy followed by ED; Whipple's resection remains the surgical treatment of choice.

Study of common bile duct exploration and endoscopic sphincterotomy in a consecutive series of 438 patients

The outcome of 438 consecutive patients who had exploration of the common bile duct and/or endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES) in a 5-year period was reviewed. Patients were analysed according to four groups: 59 patients had planned ES followed by surgery resulting in 14 major complications (23.7 per cent) including 3 deaths (5.1 per cent) (group 1); 248 patients had surgery alone with 21 major complications (8.5 per cent) including 10 deaths (4.0 per cent) (group 2); 114 patients with gallbladder in situ underwent ES alone with 22 major complications (19.3 per cent) including 9 deaths (7.9 per cent) (group 3); 17 patients with remote cholecystectomy also had ES alone with 3 major complications (17.6 per cent) including 3 deaths (17.6 per cent) (group 4). There was no difference in mortality between the groups. Compared with group 2, major complications were significantly higher in group 1 (chi 2 = 11.0, d.f. = 1, P less than 0.001) and in group 3 (chi 2 = 8.6, d.f. = 1, P less than 0.003). Patients in group 3, however, were significantly older than those in groups 1 and 2, and the former also had higher medical and total risk factor scores than the latter (all P less than 0.001). The results indicate that routine pre-operative ES is of questionable value. ES alone is justified in elderly high risk patients; mortality in this group might be reduced by improved management of post-ES complications.

Preliminary characterization of ribosomes of Entamoeba invadens

The ribosomes of Entamoeba invadens trophozoites have sedimentation coefficients of 77, 53 and 36 S. Most of the ribosomal proteins are basic and their one- and two-dimensional electrophoretic patterns differ from the corresponding patterns of Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Two dozen bands were observed in the 10 000 to 100 000 molecular weight range following sodium dodecylsulfate-gel electrophoresis of amoebal ribosomal proteins. Long, thin pronase-sensitive structures were seen in electron micrographs of E. invadens ribosomal preparations.

Sago haemolysis: clinical features and microbiological studies

Severe, acute and sometimes fatal intravascular haemolysis has occurred on several occasions in Papua New Guinea families after the ingestion of apparently 'stale' sago. Earlier cases had been recorded only from the Maprik area; however, we now report the occurrence of two similar outbreaks, involving a total of 14 persons, in the Western Province. Several bacteria and fungi were isolated and identified in a sample of suspect sago from one of the outbreaks. None of these, however, to our knowledge, has ever been incriminated as a cause of haemolysis, and the aetiological agent(s) and mechanism of haemolysis thus remain to be elucidated. No mycotoxins were detected in one sample available for analysis. It is suggested that the eating of sago stored for a long time be discouraged; and further that, if a meal of sago tastes abnormal, additional mouthfuls should not be eaten and the remaining portion should be sent for analysis or discarded.