Laparoscopic diagnosis of malignant retroperitoneal fibrosis

Untypical bilateral breast cancer with peritoneal fibrosis on 18F-FDG PET/CT: case report and literature review

Background

Retroperitoneal fibrosis, a condition of uncertain origin, is rarely linked to 8% of malignant cases, including breast, lung, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, thyroid, and carcinoid. The mechanism leading to peritoneal fibrosis induced by tumors is not well understood, possibly encompassing direct infiltration of neoplastic cells or the initiation of inflammatory responses prompted by cytokines released by tumor cells. We report a case of breast cancer with renal metastasis and retroperitoneal fibrosis detected using 18F-FDG PET/CT, providing help for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Case report

A 49-year-old woman was referred to the hospital with elevated creatinine and oliguria for over a month. Abdominal computer tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a retroperitoneal fibrosis-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) was suspected. However, a percutaneous biopsy of the kidney lesion confirmed metastasis from breast cancer. The physical examination revealed inverted nipples and an orange peel appearance on the skin of both breasts. Ultrasonography revealed bilateral hyperplasia (BIRADS 4a) of the mammary glands and bilateral neck and axillary lymphadenopathy. Subsequently, 18F-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computer tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) detected abnormally high uptake (SUVmax) in the bilateral mammary glands and axillary lymph nodes, suggesting bilateral breast cancer. Furthermore, abnormal 18F-FDG uptake was detected in the kidney, suggesting renal metastasis. In addition, abnormal 18F-FDG uptake was observed in the vertebrae, accompanied by an elevation in inhomogeneous bone mineral density, raising suspicion of bone metastases. However, the possibility of myelodysplasia cannot be dismissed, and further investigations will be conducted during close follow-ups. There was significant 18F-FDG uptake in the retroperitoneal position indicating a potential association between retroperitoneal fibrosis and breast cancer. The final pathological diagnosis of the breast tissue confirmed bilateral invasive ductal carcinoma. The patient had been treated with 11 cycles of albumin-bound (nab)-paclitaxel (0.3 mg) and had no significant adverse reaction.

Conclusion

In this case, neither the bilateral breast cancer nor the kidney metastatic lesion showed typical nodules or masses, so breast ultrasound, abdominal CT, and MRI did not suggest malignant lesions. PET/CT played an important role in detecting occult metastases and primary lesions, thereby contributing to more accurate staging, monitoring treatment responses, and prediction of prognosis in breast cancer.

A retrospective analysis of perioperative complications of lateral approach lumbar interbody fusion in patients with prior abdominal surgery or a history of colonic inflammatory disease

BACKGROUND CONTEXT

Lateral approaches for lumbar interbody fusion (LIF) allow for access to the lumbar spine and disk space by passing through a retroperitoneal corridor either pre- or trans-psoas. A contraindication for this approach is the presence of retroperitoneal scarring that may occur from prior surgical intervention in the retroperitoneal space or from inflammatory conditions with fibrotic changes and pose challenges for the mobilization and visualization needed in this approach. However, there is a paucity of evidence on the prevalence of surgical complications following lateral fusion surgery in patients with a history of abdominal surgery.

PURPOSE

The primary aim of this study is to describe the association between surgical complications following lateral interbody fusion surgery and prior abdominal surgical.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective study.

PATIENT SAMPLE

Patients over the age of 18 who underwent lateral lumbar interbody fusion at a large, tertiary care center between 2011 and 2019 were included in the study.

OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome included medical, surgical, and thigh-related complications either in the intraoperative or 90-day postoperative periods. Additional outcome metrics included readmission rates, length of stay, and operative duration.

METHODS

The electronic health records of 250 patients were reviewed for demographic information, surgical data, complications, and readmission following surgery. The association of patient and surgical factors to complication rate was analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. Statistical analysis was performed using R statistical software (R, Vienna, Austria).

RESULTS

Of 250 lateral interbody fusion patients, 62.8% had a prior abdominal surgery and 13.8% had a history of colonic disease. The most common perioperative complication was transient thigh or groin pain/sensory changes (n=62, 24.8%). A multivariable logistic regression considering prior abdominal surgery, age, BMI, history of colonic disease, multilevel surgery, and the approach relative to psoas found no significant association between surgical complication rates and colonic disease (OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.02-2.22) or a history of prior abdominal surgeries (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.20-1.55). Further, the invasiveness of prior abdominal surgeries showed no association with overall spine complication rate, lateral-specific complications, or readmission rates (p>.05).

CONCLUSION

Though retroperitoneal scarring is an important consideration for lateral approaches to the lumbar spine, this study found no association between lateral lumbar approach complication rates and prior abdominal surgery. Further study is needed to determine the impact of inflammatory colonic disease on lateral approach spine surgery.

Mediastinal and retroperitoneal fibrosis as a manifestation of breast cancer metastasis: A case report and literature review

RATIONALE

Mediastinal and retroperitoneal fibrosis as a manifestation of metastasis from malignancies is rare disease and particularly, cases of mediastinal fibrosis have been rarely reported.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 60-year-old woman presented with dyspnea and bilateral flank pain. The patient had no previous history of malignancy.

DIAGNOSES

A contrast-enhanced chest computed tomography scan revealed a left breast mass and infiltrative soft tissue masses in the mediastinum and retroperitoneum, which showed high fluorodeoxyglucose uptake on positron emission tomography scan. The left breast mass was proven as a malignancy on biopsy and surgical excisional biopsy of the mediastinal mass revealed metastasis from the breast cancer on histopathologic examination.

INTERVENTIONS

Our patient was treated with palliative hormone therapy for the primary breast cancer and metastasis with mediastinal and retroperitoneal fibrosis.

OUTCOMES

Follow-up imaging studies showed improvement of the primary breast cancer and also metastasis.

LESSONS

We report this rare case to emphasize that mediastinal and retroperitoneal fibrosis can be a presentation of metastasis from various primary malignancies. We expect that appropriate diagnosis and treatment for metastatic mediastinal and retroperitoneal fibrosis can have a beneficial effect on disease course and prognosis of the patient.

Ormond's Disease--IgG4-related Disease

Ormond's disease is a relatively rare disease with unclear etiology, characterized by chronic periaortitis and retroperitoneal fibrosis. The inflammatory process affects the infrarenal part of the abdominal aorta and the iliac arteries, and the presence of infiltrates encasing the ureters and inferior vena cava. This disease is currently classed as an IgG4-related disease. In our review we analyse the clinical history, diagnostic approaches, surgical and immunosuppressive therapies.

[Ureterolysis: technique, indications]

Ureteral obstruction due to idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis is a rare but severe clinical problem. The open approaches, as well as surgical techniques used to prevent stenosis recurrence, are described. Ureterolysis remains the procedure to relieve ureteral obstruction. The ureter is dissected and freed from the fibrotic process, and then separated to prevent the recurrence of the stenosis. Recently, the development of Laparoscopic urology has allowed for minimal invasive treatment of many urological problems. We present our technique of ureterolysis for extrinsic ureteral obstruction. Advantages and complications of each method are considered and indications are proposed.

Primary and postoperative retroperitoneal fibrosis-experience with 18 cases

OBJECTIVES

Retroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF) is an uncommon disease complicated by ureteral entrapment. Its etiology includes several medications, periaortic inflammation, abdominal and retroperitoneal operations, radiotherapy, and malignancy. We present 18 patients, 14 of whom developed RPF after surgery and radiotherapy.

METHODS

During the past 12 years, we treated 7 women and 11 men. The diagnosis was based on intravenous urography, retrograde pyelography, and computed tomography features. Computed tomography-guided or intraoperative biopsies were taken to differentiate benign from malignant fibrosis. In all patients, percutaneous stent nephrostomies or internal stents were inserted before surgery. The operation included ureterolysis with an omental flap or ureteral reimplantation. Follow-up included renal function tests, intravenous urography, and computed tomography.

RESULTS

The mean patient age was 57.3 years (range 36 to 85). Fourteen patients developed RPF after abdominal or retroperitoneal surgery. Three had primary RPF and one malignant RPF due to metastatic disease. Six patients also underwent radiotherapy. The mean time between the insults to the diagnosis of RPF was 18.6 months (range 1 to 96). Ten patients had bilateral obstruction. Fourteen patients underwent surgery and four were treated with stenting only. Of the 14 patients who underwent surgery, 10 had a normal intravenous urogram postoperatively and 4 had decreased function of the formerly obstructed kidney. In 1 patient, re-entrapment of the ureter appeared owing to pelvic recurrence of tumor. At last follow-up, 1 patient waits with stents. The mean follow-up time was 22 months (range 4 to 52).

CONCLUSIONS

The etiology of RPF varies. The unique feature of our series was the high incidence of patients who developed RPF after surgery and radiotherapy to the retroperitoneum. Nephrostomy drainage and ureteral stenting facilitated surgery. Ureterolysis combined with wrapping the ureter with an omental flap or re-implantation ensured good anatomic and functional results.

Laparoscopic treatment of retroperitoneal fibrosis: report of two cases and review of the literature

OBJECTIVES

We present the results of treatment by laparoscopy of two patients with retroperitoneal fibrosis and review the literature since 1992, when the first case of this disease that was treated using laparoscopy was published. We also discuss the contemporary alternatives of clinical treatment with corticosteroids and tamoxifen.

CASE REPORT

Two female patients, one with idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis, and other with retroperitoneal fibrosis associated with Riedel's thyroiditis, were treated using laparoscopic surgery. Both cases had bilateral pelvic ureteral obstruction and were treated using the same technique: transperitoneal laparoscopy, medial mobilization of both colons, liberation of both ureters from the fibrosis, and intraperitonealisation of the ureters. Double-J catheters were inserted before the operations and removed 3 weeks after the procedures. The first patient underwent intraperitonealisation of both ureters in a single procedure. The other had 2 different surgical procedures because of technical difficulties during the first operation. Both patients were followed for more than 1 year and recovered completely from the renal insufficiency. One of them still has occasional vague lumbar pain. There were no abnormalities in the intravenous pyelography in either case.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgical correction of retroperitoneal fibrosis, when indicated, should be attempted using laparoscopy. If possible, bilateral ureterolysis and intraperitonealisation of both ureters should be performed in the same operation.

The application of minimal access procedures in infants, children, and young adults with pediatric malignancies

OBJECTIVE

In this study, we sought analysis of minimal access procedures in pediatric and young adult oncology patients.

METHODS

Between 1990 and 1997, 84 patients underwent 93 minimal access procedures. Clinical, pathological, and operative details were analyzed.

RESULTS

There were 32 females and 52 males with a median age of 14 years (range 3 months to 31 years). The median body weight was 50 kg (range 6-94 kg). There were 47 thoracoscopic procedures and 46 laparoscopic procedures. Laparoscopic procedures included liver biopsy (21), diagnostic tumor biopsy (13), lymph node biopsy (4), cholecystectomy (4), oophoropexy (3), and kidney biopsy (1). Median hospital stay was 2 days (range 1-14 days). Six patients had their procedure converted to an open procedure (13%). Thoracoscopic procedures included diagnostic lung biopsy (22), mediastinal mass biopsy or resection (4), pleural biopsy (5), and pleurodesis (4). Eleven were converted to open thoracotomy (23%). Median hospital stay was 4 days (range 2-35 days). There were two complications after laparoscopy (4%) and three disease-related deaths. There were six complications after thoracoscopy (13%), and three disease-related deaths. Adequate tissue was obtained in all biopsy procedures.

CONCLUSIONS

Children with cancer require operations for diagnosis and staging. Minimal access procedures are safe and effective and allow adjuvant therapy to begin earlier.