External beam radiotherapy boost versus surgical debulking followed by radiotherapy for the treatment of metastatic lymph nodes in cervical cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to assess disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS) and treatment-related toxicity of two therapeutic strategies for treating bulky lymph nodes on imaging in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC): radiotherapy boost versus surgical debulking followed by radiotherapy.

METHODS

We performed a systematic review of studies published up to October 2023. We selected studies including patients with LACC treated by external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) boost or lymph node debulking followed by EBRT (with or without boost).

RESULTS

We included two comparative (included in the meta-analysis) and nine non-comparative studies. The estimated 3-year recurrence rate was 28.2% (95%CI:18.3-38.0) in the EBRT group and 39.9% (95%CI:22.1-57.6) in the surgical debulking plus EBRT group. The estimated 3-year DFS was 71.8% and 60.1%, respectively (p = 0.19). The estimated 3-year death rate was 22.2% (95%CI:11.2-33.2) in the EBRT boost group and 31.9% (95%CI:23.3-40.5) in the surgical debulking plus EBRT group. The estimated 3-year OS was 77.8% and 68.1%, respectively (p = 0.04). No difference in lymph node recurrence between the two comparative studies (p = 0.36). The meta-analysis of the two comparative studies showed no DFS difference (p = 0.13) but better OS in the radiotherapy boost group (p = 0.006). The incidence of grade≥3 toxicities (ranging 0-50%) was not different between the two approaches in the two comparative studies (p = 0.31).

CONCLUSION

No DFS and toxicity difference when comparing EBRT boost with surgical debulking of enlarged lymph nodes and EBRT in patients with cervical cancer was evident. Radiotherapy boost had better OS. Further investigation is required to better understand the prognostic role of surgical lymph node debulking in light of radiotherapy developments.

Use of the subfascial plane in debulking an extensive lower extremity plexiform neurofibroma: A case report

INTRODUCTION

Plexiform neurofibromas (PNs) are characterized by their diffuse masses with tortuous expansion along nerve branches. While surgery is the primary management for PNs, the optimal surgical approach remains unestablished.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 35-year-old lady presented with a large hanging mass covering the medial aspect of the thigh and the leg. It caused discomfort, disfigurement, and occasional pain. The patient was planned for the debulking surgery under spinal anesthesia. Incisions were given on the normal-looking skin adjacent to the mass, through the skin layers, subcutaneous tissue and deep fascia until the muscles were seen. The mass was then approached and elevated in the subfascial plane (relatively avascular). Large, dilated, dense tortuous vessels could be seen in the suprafascial and subcutaneous planes. Maximum area that could be removed was marked and excised. The normal contour of the left lower extremity was restored close to achieving a thigh and a leg lift.

DISCUSSION

PNs pose surgical challenges due to their vascularity and difficult locations. The subfascial debulking approach presented in the case aims to reduce intraoperative hemorrhage by avoiding highly vascular areas and preventing entry into blood sinuses within the neurofibromatous tissue. This technique also minimizes the risk of inadvertent injury to nearby neurovascular structures.

CONCLUSION

The proposed subfascial approach, significantly reduces intraoperative hemorrhage during the debulking of a PN.

Peritonectomy and resection of mesentery during Visceral-Peritoneal Debulking (VPD) in patients with stage IIIC-IV ovarian cancer: A phase I-II trial

OBJECTIVE

To describe the surgical technique, assess feasibility, efficacy, and safety of peritonectomy and/or resection of mesentery (P-Rme) during Visceral-Peritoneal Debulking (VPD) in patients with stage IIIC-IV ovarian cancer (OC).

METHODS

In April 2009 we registered a protocol study on the safety and feasibility of P-Rme. In the period April 2009-December 2022, 687 patients with FIGO stage IIIC-IV ovarian cancer underwent VPD. One hundred and twenty-nine patients (18.7%) had extensive disease on the mesentery and underwent P-Rme. Feasibility was assessed as the number of procedures completed. Efficacy was measured as the rate of Complete Resection (CR). Safety was defined by the intra- and post-operative morbidity rate specifically associated with these procedures.

RESULTS

In all patients P-Rme was successfully completed. P-me was performed in 82 patients and R-me in 47, both procedures in 23 patients. CR was achieved in all 129 patients with an efficacy of 100%. Intra-operatively 5 patients out of 129 experienced small bowel loop surgical devascularization. They required small bowel resection and anastomosis. The procedure specific morbidity was 3.8%. No post-operative complication was related to P-Rme. At 64 months median follow-up, survival outcomes in the study group were similar to patients in the control group.

CONCLUSION

Overall, almost 20% of the VPD patients needed P-Rme to obtain a CR. P-Rme was a safe and effective step during VPD. The rate of CR in the study group was 100% achieved thanks to the addition of the P-Rme. No procedure specific post-operative complications occurred but 3.8% of the patients had unplanned additional surgery related to these procedures.

Collaborative expertise of gynecological and surgical oncologists in managing advanced epithelial ovarian cancer

BACKGROUND

Most patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) present with significant peritoneal spread. We assessed collaborative efforts of surgical and gynecological oncologists with expertise in cytoreductive surgery (CRS) in the management of advanced EOC.

METHODS

Using a prospective single-center database (2014-2022), we described the operative and oncologic outcomes of stage IIIC-IVA primary and recurrent EOC perioperatively managed jointly by gynecological and surgical oncologists both specializing in CRS and presented components of this collaboration.

RESULTS

Of 199 identified patients, 132 (66 %) had primary and 53 (27 %) had recurrent EOC. Due to inoperable disease, 14 (7 %) cases were aborted and excluded from analysis. Median peritoneal cancer index (PCI) in primary and recurrent patients was 21 (IQR: 11-28) and 21 (IQR: 6-31). Upper abdominal surgery was required in 95 % (n = 125) of primary and 89 % (n = 47) of recurrent patients. Bowel resections were performed in 83 % (n = 110) and 72 % (n = 38), respectively. Complete cytoreduction (CC-0/1) with no disease or residual lesions <2.5 mm was achieved in 95 % (n = 125) of primary and 91 % (n = 48) of recurrent patients. Ninety-day Clavien-Dindo grade III-IV morbidity was 12 % (n = 16) and 21 % (n = 11), respectively. Median follow-up was 44 (95%CI: 33-55) months. Median overall survival in primary and recurrent EOC was 68 (95%CI: 45-91) and 50 (95%CI: 16-84) months. Median progression-free survival was 26 (95%CI: 22-30) and 14 (95%CI: 7-21) months, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Perioperative collaboration between surgical and gynecological oncologists specializing in CRS allows safe performance of complete cytoreduction in the majority of patients with primary and recurrent EOC, despite high tumor burden.

Management of ingrowing nail

For decades, there has been debate about the cause of ingrown nail: is the nail plate or the periungual tissue at fault? There is no consensus and management relies on case-by-case analysis followed by tailored treatment. Conservative treatment should be attempted in children when the cause is transient (e.g., poor clipping) or the patient refuses surgery. Surgical treatments rely on two main approaches: either narrowing the nail plate, or debulking the soft tissue. It is up to the surgeon to select the most appropriate approach in each case. All procedures discussed in this chapter have high cure rates as long as they are properly performed. As with all surgical procedures, they are operator-dependent. Chemical cautery is the easiest and most versatile technique that may help in almost all instances for lateral ingrowth. For distal ingrowth and very hypertrophic and exuberant lateral folds, debulking with primary or secondary healing is most effective.

Low anterior resection syndrome and its impact on quality of life of ovarian carcinoma patients: A prospective longitudinal study

OBJECTIVES

Bowel dysfunction is frequently reported in patients with ovarian carcinoma (OC). Our aim was to evaluate the incidence of low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) like symptoms in patients with primary OC and its impact on quality of life (QoL).

METHODS

A prospective longitudinal observational cohort study was performed, including patients with newly diagnosed OC treated by primary or interval surgery with residual tumor <1 cm, from 2018 until 2021. Patients with a stoma or recurrence of disease were excluded. Intestinal dysfunction was assessed using the validated LARS score questionnaire pre- and postoperatively. There are 3 subgroups based on the results: no, minor, or major LARS. The impact on QoL was evaluated by an additional question to demonstrate the severity of patient's life impairment.

RESULTS

The questionnaire was answered by 78 patients pre- and post-operatively. LARS like symptoms were reported preoperatively in 34.6% (24.4% minor/10.2% major) and significantly increased postoperatively to 47.4% (28.2% minor/19.2% major; p = 0.011). Moderate to severe impairment of QoL correlated with LARS scores pre- (80%) and post-operatively (90%). Patients with two bowel anastomoses (mean score 18.6 pre- and 24.9 post-operatively, p = 0.041) showed a significant increase of the questionnaire score.

CONCLUSIONS

Major LARS like symptoms appear in 10% of OC patients preoperatively and significantly increase to almost two-fold postoperatively. Multiple bowel anastomoses had a significant risk for higher postoperative LARS score. QoL impairment correlates linearly with LARS positive scoring, independent on the timing of the complaints.

Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy does not reduce surgical complexity nor the accuracy of intra-operative visual assessment of disease in advanced ovarian cancer

AIM

Compare the surgical complexity and histological accuracy of visual inspection of disease in patients undergoing primary debulking (PDS) versus delayed debulking surgery (DDS) following neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for advanced ovarian cancer (AOC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All patients undergoing PDS or DDS for stage III / IV AOC at a UK cancer centre between January 2014-October 2021 were included. Retrospective data was collected accessing an electronic gynaecological oncology database, operation and histology records. Comparative frequencies of surgical procedures performed were calculated for primary versus delayed cohorts; and correlation between intra-operative suspicion of disease and specimen histology at PDS and DDS compared.

RESULTS

N=232. PDS was performed in 45.3% and DDS in 54.7% of patients; achieving complete cytoreduction in 77.2%. Appendicectomy, pelvic and para-aortic nodal dissection were undertaken significantly more often at primary surgery; whilst right diaphragm stripping, pelvic peritonectomy, splenectomy and cholecystectomy were more likely following NACT. We found no variation in bowel resection rates between cohorts. For the majority of specimens, there was no difference in correlation between intra-operative suspicion of disease and final histopathology - with a significantly lower positive predictive value for visual assessment demonstrated only for liver capsule and pelvic peritoneum at DDS.

CONCLUSION

NACT does not appear to reduce the complexity of surgery, including rates of bowel resection; nor accuracy of intra-operative visual assessment of disease. We therefore caution against both deferring to NACT to facilitate less radical delayed debulking; and any presumption that macroscopically abnormal tissue at DDS may represent inert post-NACT 'burn-out', mitigating indication for excision. We instead suggest reservation of the neo-adjuvant pathway for patients with poor PS and radiologically-confirmed surgical stopping points; and advocate equivalent and maximal cytoreductive effort to remove all visibly abnormal tissue in both the upfront and delayed surgical settings.

[Surgical treatment for recurrent intra-abdominal mucinous neoplasms]

BACKGROUND

The gold standard in the treatment of mucinous intra-abdominal neoplasms is cytoreductive surgery (CRS) combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). Despite complete cytoreduction up to 45% of patients develop recurrences.

METHOD

A search and analysis of the current literature were carried out.

RESULTS

There is still controversy regarding the best treatment strategy for patients with recurrent pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) after CRS and HIPEC. The clinical management of these patients depends on many factors, such as the site and volume of recurrence, histological subtype and symptoms. Treatment options range from repeated surgery with curative intent with or without HIPEC to watch and wait strategies. In selected patients redo surgery is feasible and safe with low morbidity and mortality. Iterative complete CRS can result in a median 5‑year overall survival of more than 80%. Debulking surgery leads to a prolonged survival and to symptom control fora period with of nearly 2 years.

CONCLUSION

Repeated complete cytoreduction of recurrent PMP can result in long-term survival. Tumor debulking surgery may be particularly beneficial for symptomatic patients.

Reducing the Volume of Upper Eyelids in East Asians Increases Vertical Palpebral Height

BACKGROUND

Correcting puffy eyelids is important for improving the first impression. The puffiness is most predictable corrected by tissue resection and fat excision. Fold asymmetry, overcorrection, and recurrence can sometimes occur after levator aponeurosis manipulation. The objective of this study was to introduce a method of volume-controlled blepharoptosis correction (VC) without levator manipulation.

METHODS

The medical records of patients who had undergone upper blepharoplasty between 2017 and 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Questionnaires, digital photographs, and charts were used to evaluate the surgical outcomes and complications. The degree of levator function was graded as poor, fair, good, or very good. Levator function must be above good (>8 mm) to employ the VC method. Poor and fair grades of levator function were excluded because they require levator aponeurosis manipulation. The margin to reflex distance (MRD) 1 was assessed preoperatively, 2 weeks postoperatively, and at follow-up visits.

RESULTS

Postoperative satisfaction was 4.3 ± 0.8 with no postoperative discomfort (0%), and the duration of swelling was 10.1 ± 2.0 days. Regarding other complications, no fold asymmetry (0%) was observed, although hematoma formation was observed in 1 (2.9%) patient in the VC group. Significant differences were observed in the changes in palpebral fissure height over time (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

VC can effectively correct puffy eyelids and create natural-looking, beautiful, and thin eyelids. Thus, VC is associated with higher patient satisfaction and surgical longevity without serious complications.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

How I do it: Radical debulking of lower extremity end-stage lymphedema

Debulking procedures have been a last-resort therapy for end-stage lymphedema for more than a century. Multiple techniques have been described, and the approach as a whole has fallen in and out of favor as providers have tried to maximize quality of life outcomes. We describe our technique for radical debulking of the lower extremity for the treatment of severe end-stage lymphedema.

Unradical Surgery for Locally-Advanced Thymoma: Is it time to evolve Perspectives?

OBJECTIVES

Nearly-one-third of thymomas are locally-advanced at diagnosis. The traditional dogma that surgery is justified in case a complete resection can be achieved has remained unmovable until today. This study aimed to investigate feasibility and oncologic efficacy of incomplete resection for locally-advanced thymomas in a contest of multimodality therapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted using data of prospectively maintained thymomas database in a single high-volume centre. Data on 285 consecutive patients undergoing surgery for stage III and IVa thymomas between 1995 and 2019 were reviewed. Patients who underwent incomplete resection with curative-intent (removal of at least 90% of tumour burden) were included. Long-term outcomes and predictors of cancer-specific survival (CSS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were analyzed. Secondary endpoint was to assess adjuvant therapy efficacy.

RESULTS

The study included 79 patients, 60 with microscopic residual tumour (76%, R1) and 19 with macroscopic residual disease (24%, R2). Masaoka-Koga stage was: III in 41 patients (52%) and IVa in 38 (48%). Histology was B2-thymomas (n = 31, 39.2%) followed by B3 (n = 27, 34.2%). Five- and 10-years CSS was 88% and 80%. Seventy patients (90%) underwent adjuvant treatment; they showed CSS comparable to radical resected patients (5-years: 89.1% vs 98.9%, respectively; 10-years: 81.8% vs 92.7%, respectively, p = 0.43). The site of residual disease, Masaoka-Koga stage and WHO histology did not affect prognosis. Stepwise multivariable analysis confirmed adjuvant therapy as a favourable CSS prognostic factor (HR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.33-0.79, p = 0.003). Stratifying by subgroups, R2-patients who received postoperative chemo(radio)therapy (pCRT) showed a significantly better prognosis than R2-patients treated by consolidation radiotherapy alone (10-years CSS: 60%, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

In locally-advanced thymomas, whenever a radical surgery cannot be achieved, incomplete resection has proved to be effective in a contest of multimodality strategy, independently of WHO histology, Masaoka-Koga stage and site of residual disease.

[Current treatment recommendations for pseudomyxoma peritonei]

BACKGROUND

The term pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) describes a clinical syndrome characterized by the presence of gelatinous intraperitoneal accumulation of mucus. It mostly originates from a mucocele of the vermiform appendix. Affected patients are often asymptomatic for a long time. Because of its indolent nature it is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage. Clinical presentation is determined by the dissemination of the tumor.

METHOD

A search and analysis of the current literature were carried out.

RESULTS

Based on the morphological characteristics PMP subtypes with various malignant potential can be differentiated. The prognosis depends on the histopathological differentiation and the clinical stage. The treatment spectrum varies from laparoscopic appendectomy to complete cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC).

CONCLUSION

Due to the rarity of PMP there are no prospective randomized studies. Therefore, there is still controversy regarding the best stage-dependent treatment strategy. This review article attempts to clarify the optimal management of mucinous neoplasms of the appendix and PMP taking the clinical presentation and the histological differentiation into consideration.

A critical analysis of American insurance coverage for imaging and surgical treatment of lymphedema

BACKGROUND

Over 35 million Americans have lymphedema. Nonetheless, lymphedema is underdiagnosed and undertreated worldwide. We investigated whether the rates of coverage for imaging and surgical procedures may contribute to the limited care provided for lymphedema.

METHODS

We performed a cross-sectional evaluation of 58 insurers, chosen based on state enrollment and market share. A web-based search or phone call determined whether a publicly available policy on lymphedema-specific imaging, physiological procedures, and excisional procedures was available. Coverage status and corresponding criteria were extracted.

RESULTS

Of the two-thirds of insurers who included a policy on imaging, 4% (n = 2) provided coverage and 4% (n = 2) specified coverage only on a case-by-case basis. Forty-eight percent (n = 28) of insurers had a statement of coverage on lymphovenous bypass or vascularized lymph node transfer, in which reimbursement was almost universally denied (96%, n = 26; 93%, n = 26). Liposuction and debulking procedures were included in 25 (43%) and 13 (22%) policies, in which seven (28%) and four (31%) insurers would provide coverage, with over 75% having criteria. Coverage of liposuction was significantly more than for lymphovenous bypass (P < .04).

CONCLUSIONS

Nearly one-half of American insurers do not have a publicly available policy on most imaging, physiological, or excisional procedures, leaving coverage status ambiguous. Reimbursement was uncommon for imaging and physiological procedures, whereas the majority of insurers who did offer coverage for excisional procedures also had multiple criteria to be met. These elements may together be a limiting factor in receiving appropriate care for lymphedema.

Role of debulking mucoid ACL in unicompartmental knee arthroplasty: a prospective multicentric study

BACKGROUND

Mucoid degeneration of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) has been shown to cause restricted terminal range of motion and rest pain. If present in a patient undergoing unicompartmental knee arthroplasty, it can deteriorate the final outcome. This study aims to compare functional and clinical outcomes of debulking the mucoid ACL in patients undergoing mobile-bearing unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA).

METHODS

Patients with mucoid ACL undergoing mobile-bearing UKA at five different centres by five different arthroplasty surgeons were included. They were segregated into two groups matched for all demographic and pre-operative values: group A did not undergo debulking; group B underwent open debulking by a 15-number blade prior to UKA. Patient-related outcome measures, rest pain, clinical outcomes, and subjective patient satisfaction were recorded and compared at 2 years follow-up.

RESULTS

A total of 442 patients (226 patients underwent debulking, 216 patients did not undergo debulking) were included. Both groups showed overall improvement after surgery, however, patients who underwent debulking performed better at 2 years follow-up in terms of Knee Society functional score, International Knee Documentation Committee scores, range of motion, rest pain and overall patient satisfaction (p < 0.05) as compared with their counterparts.

CONCLUSIONS

Debulking of mucoid ACL in patients undergoing unicompartmental knee arthroplasty significantly reduces the rest pain and improves the final range of motion of the knee joint, subsequently improving the overall functional and clinical outcome of the patient and resulting in greater patient satisfaction.

Localized orbital amyloidosis - A varied presentation

Localized orbital amyloidosis is rare, usually slowly progressive and benign disorder. The most common signs and symptoms include visible periocular mass, ptosis, proptosis, globe displacement, ocular motility disturbances, recurrent periocular subcutaneous hemorrhages, and dry eyes. Herein, we report a case of localized recurrent orbital amyloidosis with strabismus, restricted eye movement, ptosis, and orbital mass as the presentation in a 60-year-old female and managed with debulking and strabismus surgery, resulting in a good cosmetic and functional outcome.

Percutaneous debulking strategy for severe nodular calcification in common femoral artery

BACKGROUND

Despite marked progress in endovascular treatment (EVT) techniques and devices, calcified lesions remain one of the toughest obstacles to EVT success. Moreover, because the common femoral artery (CFA) is known as a "non-stenting zone," endovascular strategies for this area are controversial.

CASE PRESENTATION

Here we describe the technical tips for a novel, less invasive, and effective debulking strategy for severe nodular calcification using an endovascular maneuver. This technique was demonstrated in a 73-year-old man with severe calcified stenosis of the CFA. To complete a stent-less strategy for CFA, we conducted aggressive debulking of the nodular calcification, established a bidirectional approach from the radial artery and the superficial femoral artery (SFA), and inserted a balloon-guiding catheter in the SFA. Under distal protection provided by this catheter, we crushed the nodular calcification 43 times using myocardial biopsy forceps. After achieving a volume reduction of nodular calcification through this maneuver, we completed the procedure by inflating a 6-mm drug-coated balloon catheter. Final angiography demonstrated a reduced filling defect of the contrast medium in the CFA and favorable blood flow as far as the ankle. The puncture site on the SFA was closed with a vascular suture assisted by balloon inflation inside the vessel, which allowed the patient to be ambulatory immediately after the procedure without requiring bed rest.

CONCLUSIONS

Severely calcified lesions in the CFA are usually difficult to treat using an endovascular strategy, but our novel and less invasive method may become a promising technique for managing these lesions.

Adoption of minimally invasive surgery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in women with metastatic uterine cancer

OBJECTIVE

Utilization of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for advanced stage uterine cancer is increasing. We analyzed the use and outcomes of open versus minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for women with stage IV uterine cancer who received NACT and underwent IDS.

METHODS

The National Cancer Database was used to identify women with stage IV uterine cancer diagnosed from 2010 to 2017 and treated with NACT. Among women who underwent IDS, overall survival (OS) was compared between those who underwent laparotomy vs a minimally invasive approach. To account for imbalances in confounders, a propensity score analysis using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was performed.

RESULTS

A total of 1618 women were identified. Minimally invasive IDS was performed in 31.1% and increased from 16.2% in 2010 to 40.4% in 2017 (P < 0.001). More recent year of diagnosis and performance of surgery at a comprehensive cancer center were associated with increased use of MIS (P < 0.05). Women with serous and clear cell tumors, and carcinosarcomas (compared to endometrioid tumors), as well as Medicaid coverage (compared to commercial insurance) were less likely to undergo an MIS approach (P < 0.05). The median OS was 28 months (95% CI 23.7-30.7) and 24.3 months (95% CI 22.3-26.1) for MIS and laparotomy, respectively. After propensity score balancing, there was no association between the use of MIS and survival (HR = 0.90, 95% CI 0.71-1.14).

CONCLUSIONS

Among women with stage IV uterine cancer treated with NACT performance of minimally invasive debulking surgery is increasing. Compared to laparotomy, MIS does not appear to negatively impact survival.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for advanced stage endometrial cancer: A systematic review

OBJECTIVE

While primary cytoreductive surgery (PCS) is considered the standard of care for women who present with stage IV endometrial cancer, neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed by interval cytoreductive surgery (ICS) has emerged as an alternative treatment strategy. We summarized the literature and compared outcomes of PCS compared to NACT and ICS.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic search on PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus for articles published from January 1, 1990 to December 31, 2020. Key search terms included multiple descriptors of advanced disease status in combination with "endometrial cancer" and "neoadjuvant chemotherapy". Our review included studies that examined survival and surgical outcomes of patients with stage III or IV endometrial cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval cytoreductive surgery versus those who received primary cytoreductive surgery. We excluded studies examining only patients with leiomyosarcomas, carcinosarcomas, and stromal sarcomas due to the biologic heterogeneity of these malignancies.

RESULTS

The nine included studies encompassed 5,844 patients, of which 1,317 (22.5%) received NACT and 4,527 received PCS (77.5%). With the exception of a single study, all were retrospective observational studies or case series. Use of NACT in patients with stage IV EC increased from 16.0% in 2010 to 23.9% in 2015. Five studies analyzed median overall survival and all but one reported no significant difference between NACT + ICS vs. PCS. Optimal cytoreduction (<1 cm of residual disease) rates were similar across both treatment groups in three separate analyses, however pooled data suggest improved rates of optimal cytoreduction for NACT + ICS vs. PCS patients (81.9% vs. 51.5% respectively). Patients receiving NACT experienced significantly shorter hospital admissions and lower operative times compared to PCS counterparts.

CONCLUSIONS

NACT followed by ICS reduces perioperative morbidity while offering similar overall survival.

[Application of Rotarex mechanical thrombectomy system in treating in-stent restenosis of lower extremity arteriosclerosis obliterans]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the role of Rotarex mechanical thrombectomy system in treating instent restenosis of peripheral artery disease (PAD).

METHODS

The clinical data of 7 in-stent restenosis (ISR) cases of lower extremity PAD from June 2017 to Dec 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 5 males and 2 females and the mean age was (70.0±7.6) years from 59.0 to 76.0 years. All the cases were treated by Rotarex mechanical thrombectomy system. In the 7 cases, time interval from the previous stent implantation to ischemia recurrence was 1.0 to 72.0 months, and the median time was 6.0 months. The period from ischemia recurrence to endovascular therapy was 3 days to 2 years, and the median time was 62 days. Rotarex mechanical debulking catheter and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) were used in all the cases, and the stent was used only when it was necessary. Anticoagulation was used for 24 hours after procedures and then antiplatelet agents were used as usual. Doppler ultrasonography was taken during the followed-up.

RESULTS

All the 7 cases were successful in technology, 3 of which were implanted with new stents for the fracture of the old ones. while for the other four cases, no new stent was implanted. The ankle-brachial index (ABI) increased from 0.31±0.08 to 0.86±0.08 after treatment (t=-12.84, P < 0.001). Thrombectomy was applied urgently in one case because of acute thrombosis in the stent, and the result was good. There was no other complications in hospital. All the patients were followed up for 5.0-22.0 months, and the median time was 14.0 months. No death and amputation occurred during the follow-up. One patient stopped antiplatelet agents because of gastrointestinal bleeding, which resulted in acute thrombosis. in-stent restenosis reappeared in 3 cases.

CONCLUSION

Debulking using Rotarex catheter is safe and effective in treating in-stent restenosis of PAD, especially in reducing stents implantation, but is not good at dealing with old thrombus and proliferating intima, and can do nothing about fractured stents and hyperplasia of intima, so it needs to be combined with stents and drug coated balloons.

[Treatment strategies for pathological fractures of the spine]

BACKGROUND

Pathological fractures and instabilities of the spine are most often caused by primary tumors that hematogenously metastasize into the spine. In this context breast, prostate, kidney cell and bronchial carcinomas are the most relevant causative diseases. Furthermore, multiple myeloma is another frequent entity. Primary tumors of the spine are correspondingly rare and only make up a small proportion of all malignant processes in the spine.

DECISION MAKING

The main symptom of pain is prognostically unfavorable in this context and is often associated with progressive instability or pathological fractures. To objectify the treatment approach the neurological status, an oncological assessment, the biomechanical stability and (systemic) general condition (NOMS criteria) of the patient have to be considered. Another major factor is the radiation sensitivity of the tumor. The spinal instability neoplastic (SIN) score is recommended to assess stability. Regardless of whether conservative or surgical treatment is carried out, interdisciplinary cooperation between the specialist departments must be guaranteed in order to achieve adequate treatment for the patient.

TREATMENT

If a curative approach is followed an individualized and interdisciplinary surgical strategy must be performed to achieve an R0 resection, usually as a spondylectomy. In the case of palliative treatment, the goal of surgical treatment must be pain reduction, stability and avoidance or restoration of neurological deficits. This requires stabilization in a percutaneous or open technique, possibly in combination with decompression and local tumor debulking.

Robot-assisted laparoscopic debulking surgery for recurrent adult granulosa cell tumors

Despite an often early diagnosis and effective initial surgical management, one third of adult granulosa cell tumors (aGCTs) eventually, and often repeatedly, recurs. Debulking surgery remains the preferred treatment modality for recurrent aGCT, although the risk of intraoperative complications increases with repeated laparotomy. Minimally invasive surgery may limit the risk of complications. We aim to share our initial experience with robotic debulking surgery for recurrent aGCT. Clinical and surgical data of patients with recurrent aGCT who underwent robotic cytoreductive surgery over a three-year period at a tertiary referral center were retrospectively collected and analyzed. Between 2017 and 2020, three patients underwent robotic debulking surgery for recurrent aGCT at our institution. Complete cytoreduction was achieved in all patients. No intraoperative or postoperative complications were reported. This small pilot series at a single academic institution suggests that robot-assisted laparoscopy may be feasible and safe in selected patients with recurrent aGCT. A minimally invasive approach could reduce the complexity of successive surgeries for aGCT relapse.

Fragmentation of surgery and chemotherapy in the initial phase of ovarian cancer care and its association with overall survival

BACKGROUND

Fragmentation occurs when a patient receives care at more than one hospital, and the long-term effects in ovarian cancer are unknown. We examined the association between fragmentation of primary debulking surgery (PDS) and adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) and overall survival (OS).

METHODS

The National Cancer Database was used to identify women with stage II-IV epithelial ovarian cancer between 2004 and 2016 who underwent PDS followed by AC. Fragmentation was defined as receipt of AC at a different institution than where PDS was performed. After propensity score weighting, proportional hazard models were developed to estimate the association between fragmented care and OS.

RESULTS

Of the 36,300 patients identified, 13,347 (36.8%) had fragmented care. Patient factors associated with fragmentation included older age, higher income, and longer travel distance for PDS; hospital factors included PDS performed at a community center or a facility with lower annual surgical volume (P < 0.05, all). Fragmentation was associated with a 15% risk of 30-day delay to AC (aRR 1.15, 95% CI 1.09-1.22). In a propensity scoring weighted analysis, mortality was reduced when AC was fragmented (HR 0.95, 95% CI 0.92-0.97). Sensitivity analyses indicated fragmentation was associated with improved survival in metropolitan residents. Stratified analyses indicated patients who traveled 50 miles or more with PDS and AC at the same institution had the worst OS.

CONCLUSION

Fragmentation of PDS and AC has no adverse effects on long-term survival. Survival outcomes were worst for those who received care at the same institution 50 miles or more away.

New interventional solutions in calcific coronary atherosclerosis: drill, laser, shock waves

In the percutaneous treatment of coronary stenoses, it is essential to take into account the presence of calcifications as this influences the short- and long-term post-procedural outcomes. Today in the catheterization laboratory, there are several tools for the treatment of calcium; exploiting the different operating mechanisms, possibly even combining them together, is part of a modern approach to coronary angioplasty that aims to optimize results. To this end, each procedure must be properly planned and, in this perspective, intracoronary imaging (such as optical coherence tomography and intravascular ultrasound) is an essential aid to guide the procedure and show results.

A prospective study on the diagnostic pathway of patients with stage IIIC-IV ovarian cancer: Exploratory laparoscopy (EXL) + CT scan VS. CT scan

OBJECTIVE

To compare the diagnostic power of CT scan to a combination of exploratory laparoscopy (EXL) and CT scan in patients with stage IIIC-IV Ovarian Cancer (OC) by anatomic areas. To investigate if adding EXL to CT can reduce unnecessary laparotomy.

METHODS

In the period 2009-2017, 350 consecutive patients with FIGO Stage IIIC-IV OC underwent CT and EXL prior to Visceral-Peritoneal debulking (VPD) and were included in the study. Radiologist and surgeons filled an ad-hoc form to report CT scan and EXL of eleven key anatomic areas. The decision to proceed to EXL was based on the CT scan and the decision to proceed to laparotomy (LPT) on CT and EXL. Setting LPT findings as the gold standard, positive and negative predictive value (PPV/NPV), sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of CT, EXL and CT + EXL were calculated. We broke down the diagnostic outcomes by anatomic areas and determined the rate of unnecessary laparotomy avoided with the findings of EXL.

RESULTS

Median time for the EXL was 14 min (SD +/- 3). No complication related to EXL occurred. At EXL, 325 out of 350 patients (93%) proceeded to LPT and 25 patients (7.1%) did not because of exclusion criteria. In 307 patients out of 325 (94.4%) EXL was followed by VPD. Eighteen patients had exclusion criteria found at LPT and had no VPD. EXL reduced the rate of unnecessary/futile laparotomy from 12.2% to 5.1%. CT + EXL showed a significantly higher sensitivity for all anatomic areas except for the lymph nodes. Specificity was not significantly improved. PPV was significantly improved for small bowel, porta hepatis and stomach. NPV displayed a statistical improvement in all anatomic areas except lymph nodes, stomach, and liver.

CONCLUSION

The combination CT + EXL has a higher diagnostic power than CT alone, particularly on diaphragm, small bowel serosa and mesentery. The rate of unnecessary laparotomy decreased by almost 60%.

Opaque hemithorax - An interesting case

OBJECTIVE

To present an interesting case of left opaque hemithorax in an adult female and discuss its assessment and management.

METHODS

Design: Case Report.

SETTING

Tertiary care hospital.

PATIENT

One.

RESULTS

44yrs retropositive female admitted with complaints of acute onset dry cough since 15-20 days, sudden breathlesness since 5 days which was progressive in nature, left sided heaviness in chest since 5 days. CECT Thorax showed complete collapse of left lung with cut off of left main bronchus while video bronchoscopy showed left main bronchus completely blocked with very thick necrotic mass and was difficult to dislodge. Debulking with cryo probe was done and left main bronchus was completely cleared off. Allergen panel showed very high serum IgE, high S.IgE against aspergillus and high specific S.IgG against aspergillus. Patient and her Chest X-ray showed significant improvement post cryo debulking and was discharged satisfactorily on oral voriconazole therapy.

CONCLUSION

Endobronchial aspergillosis is characterized by massive intrabronchial overgrowth of the aspergillus species, mainly aspergillus fumigatus. Most patients with chronic pulmonary aspergillosis, including those with simple aspergillomas and Aspergillus nodules, have positive Aspergillus IgG antibodies in the blood. We hereby present a case of 44 yrs female presenting with complaints of dry cough and dyspnea and was diagnosed with endobronchial aspergillosis with complete obliteration of left main bronchus by fungal debris in which cryo debulking was done which relieved the symptoms significantly and was discharged in satisfactory condition on oral voriconazole therapy.

Visceral obesity and muscle mass determined by CT scan and surgical outcome in patients with advanced ovarian cancer. A retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

Visceral obesity (VO) is a risk factor for developing postoperative complications in patients undergoing abdominal oncological surgery. However, in ovarian cancer patients this influence of body composition on postoperative morbidity is not well established. The aim of this study is to assess the association between body composition and complications in patients with advanced ovarian cancer undergoing cytoreductive surgery.

METHODS

Patients with FIGO stage 3 or 4 ovarian cancer between 2006 and 2017 were included. Visceral fat area, total skeletal mass and total fat area were measured on a single slice on the level of L3-L4 of the preoperative CT-scan. VO was defined as visceral fat ≥100cm². The perioperative data were extracted retrospectively. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to test the predictive value of multiple variables such as body composition, albumin levels and preoperative morbidity.

RESULTS

298 consecutive patients out of nine referring hospitals were included. VO patients were more likely to be hypertensive (38% vs 17% p < 0.001), and to have an ASA 3 score (21% vs 10% P = 0.012). Complications occurred more often in VO patients (43% vs 21% P < 0.001). Thrombotic events were found in 4.9% of VO patients versus 0.6% of the non-visceral obese patients (p = 0.019). VO(OR: 4.37, p < 0.001), hypertension (OR:1.9, p = 0.046) and duration of surgery (OR: 1.004, p = 0.017) were predictors of post-surgical complications. Muscle mass is not a predictor of complications.

CONCLUSION

Visceral obesity is associated with a higher occurrence of complications in patients with advanced ovarian cancer undergoing cytoreductive surgery.

Decreasing the burden: An unusual GIST presentation, a case report

•

GIST may be refractory to treatment with only Imatinib and Sunitinib.

•

Surgical debulking in addition to molecular therapy for patients with severely extensive GISTs.

•

Debulking promotes an improved response to chemotherapy, decreases symptoms of obstruction and improves pain, and increases the patient’s ability in activities of daily living.

•

Debulking this large mass significantly reduced tumor burden and thus promoted to an overall increase in chemotherapy effectivity.

Introduction

Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) are notoriously one of the most common mesenchymal tumours of the alimentary canal. Most commonly originating from the gastric stroma, they are recognized by their mass effects on the abdominal cavity. Recurrence frequently occurs with GIST and these tumours may become refractory to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Therefore, resection may be indicated for improved outcomes.

Presentation of case

We present a 52-year-old African American male with a surgical history of GIST resection with recurrence that came to the emergency room with worsening diffuse abdominal pain. The tumour was refractory to two TKIs, Imatinib and Sunitinib. Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen and pelvis was done which showed severe metastatic disease with carcinomatosis, multiple dilated loops of small bowel in the left hemiabdomen without discrete transition point. After seventeen days on nasogastric tube, antiemetics, the patient worsened, and it was decided to go to surgery. In this report, attention is focused on the surgical approach of tumour debulking with subsequent Regorafenib therapy for decreased obstructive symptoms and improved quality of life.

Conclusion

This case serves as an example of the importance of surgical debulking in addition to molecular therapy for patients with severely extensive GISTs. Tumour debulking is important to decrease tumour burden, improve chemotherapeutic response and improve quality of life especially in persons refractory to pharmacological therapy.

Safety and Feasibility of Additional Tumor Debulking to First-Line Palliative Combination Chemotherapy for Patients with Multiorgan Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Introduction

Local treatment of metastases is frequently performed in patients with multiorgan metastatic colorectal carcinoma (mCRC) analogous to selected patients with oligometastatic disease for whom this is standard of care. The ORCHESTRA trial (NCT01792934) was designed to prospectively evaluate overall survival benefit from tumor debulking in addition to chemotherapy in patients with multiorgan mCRC. Here, we report the preplanned safety and feasibility evaluation after inclusion of the first 100 patients.

Methods

Patients were eligible if at least 80% tumor debulking was deemed feasible by resection, radiotherapy and/or thermal ablative therapy. In case of clinical benefit after three or four cycles of respectively 5‐fluorouracil/leucovorin or capecitabine and oxaliplatin ± bevacizumab patients were randomized to tumor debulking followed by chemotherapy in the intervention arm, or standard treatment with chemotherapy.

Results

Twelve patients dropped out prior to randomization for various reasons. Eighty‐eight patients were randomized to the standard (n = 43) or intervention arm (n = 45). No patients withdrew after randomization. Debulking was performed in 82% (n = 37). Two patients had no lesions left to treat, five had progressive disease, and one patient died prior to local treatment. In 15 patients (40%) 21 serious adverse events related to debulking were reported. Postoperative mortality was 2.7% (n = 1). After debulking chemotherapy was resumed in 89% of patients.

Conclusion

Tumor debulking is feasible and does not prohibit administration of palliative chemotherapy in the majority of patients with multiorgan mCRC, despite the occurrence of serious adverse events related to local treatment.

Implications for Practice

This first prospective randomized trial on tumor debulking in addition to chemotherapy shows that local treatment of metastases is feasible in patients with multiorgan metastatic colorectal cancer and does not prohibit administration of palliative systemic therapy, despite the occurrence of serious adverse events related to local treatment. The trial continues accrual, and overall survival (OS) data and quality of life assessment are collected to determine whether the primary aim of >6 months OS benefit with preserved quality of life will be met. This will support evidence‐based decision making in multidisciplinary colorectal cancer care and can be readily implemented in daily practice.

The ORCHESTRA trial was designed to prospectively evaluate overall survival benefit from tumor debulking in addition to chemotherapy in patients with multi‐organ metastatic colorectal cancer. This article reports the preplanned safety and feasibility evaluation after inclusion of the first 100 patients.

Orbitozygomatic Craniotomy for Giant Anterior Communicating Artery Aneurysm: 2-Dimensional Operative Video

Giant intracranial aneurysms pose a significant surgical challenge because of the associated difficulty in achieving adequate visualization of the parent artery and aneurysm neck. This patient had an incidentally identified giant anterior communicating artery aneurysm. An orbitozygomatic craniotomy was performed for aneurysm exposure and aneurysmal neck dissection. Aneurysm dome opening and thrombectomy was performed to debulk the aneurysmal mass, which facilitated subsequent aneurysmal neck visualization. Sequential utilization of temporary clips of the bilateral A1 and bilateral A2 vessels reduced hemorrhage during thrombectomy. Multiple permanent clips were applied along the dissected aneurysm neck to permit occlusion. A small fracture of the aneurysm neck was identified, and cotton was applied with subsequent tamponade utilizing a fenestrated clip to maintain hemostasis. Indocyanine green fluoroscopy was used to verify parent and distant vessel patency. The patient gave informed consent for surgery and video recording. Institutional review board approval was deemed unnecessary. Used with permission from Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona.

Unplanned postoperative intensive care unit admission for ovarian cancer cytoreduction is associated with significant decrease in overall survival

OBJECTIVES

Previous studies have identified age, nutritional status, and hematocrit as risk factors for unplanned ICU admission in gynecologic oncology patients. We sought to identify additional perioperative factors that can be predictive of unplanned ICU admission and its impact on outcomes in women with ovarian cancer undergoing ovarian cancer cytoreductive procedures.

METHODS

This was a case-control study of patients with unplanned ICU admission after primary surgery for ovarian cancer from January 2007 to December 2013. Controls were selected in a 2:1 ratio matching for primary surgeon and date of surgery. Clinical data was abstracted and compared between cases and controls using conditional logistic regression.

RESULTS

The dataset consisted of 324 patients (108 ICU admissions, 216 controls). On multivariable analysis, failure to optimally cytoreduce (p = 0.001, OR 3.76) and higher EBL (p < 0.001, OR 1.20 per 100 cm³) remained significant predictors of unplanned ICU admission. On multivariable analysis of outcomes, ICU admission was independently associated with increased length of stay (12 days vs. 6 days, p < 0.001), increased number of postop complications (2 vs. 0, p < 0.001), and increased risk of readmission within 30 days (p = 0.041, OR 2.46). Even controlling for debulking status, ICU admission remained associated with a worse median OS (27.3 vs 57.9 months, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

ICU admission for women undergoing cytoreductive surgery for ovarian cancer is associated with a significant decrease in OS and increase in number of postoperative complications. For this inherently high-risk population, this information is critical when counseling patients about peri-operative risks in primary cytoreductive surgery.

2-Octylcyanoacrylate for the prevention of anastomotic leak

BACKGROUND

Anastomotic leak after colorectal surgery is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a reinforced colo-colonic anastomosis with tissue adhesive, 2-octylcyanoacrylate (2-OCA), on the integrity of anastomotic healing as measured by anastomotic bursting pressure.

METHODS

Sixty-eight female Sprague-Dawley rats underwent a rectosigmoid colon transection and a sutured end-to-end anastomosis followed by randomization to receive no further intervention or reinforcement with the tissue adhesive, 2-OCA. After seven postoperative days, a macroscopic assessment of the anastomosis, mechanical assessment to determine anastomotic bursting pressure, and a detailed semi-quantitative histopathologic healing assessment were performed.

RESULTS

Thirty-four animals were randomized to each group. Study characteristics did not differ between the groups. There was also no difference in the degree of adhesions present postoperatively. Although there was no difference between the net proximal and distal luminal areas in the two groups (0.37 cm²versus 0.55 cm², P = 0.26), the 2-OCA group exhibited evidence of stricture in 15% of anastomoses as compared with 3% in the suture-only group (P < 0.0001). Histologically, the presence of only fibroblasts density was statistically more evident in the 2-OCA group compared with the sutured-only anastomosis (P = 0.0183). There was not a significant increase in mechanical strength in the 2-OCA group (238.9 mm Hg) versus in the suture-only group (231.8 mm Hg). There was no difference in the rate of anastomotic leak in the 2-OCA as compared with the suture-only group (9.1 versus 8.8%).

CONCLUSIONS

Application of 2-OCA to reinforce a colo-colonic anastomosis clinically provides no benefit to its mechanical strength and detrimentally increases the rate of obstruction and/or stricture in this in vivo model.

Laparoscopy for primary cytoreduction with multivisceral resections in advanced ovarian cancer: prospective validation. "The times they are a-changin"?

BACKGROUND

Primary cytoreduction is the mainstay of treatment for advanced ovarian cancer (AOC). We developed and prospectively evaluated an algorithm to investigate the possible role of laparoscopic primary cytoreduction (LPC) in carefully selected patients, with AOC.

METHODS

From June 2007 to July 2015, all patients with stage III-IV ovarian cancer and clinical conditions allowing aggressive surgery were candidate to primary cytoreduction with the aim of achieving residual tumor (RT) = 0. The possibility of attempting laparoscopic cytoreduction was carefully evaluated using strict selection criteria. The other patients were approached by abdominal primary cytoreduction (APC). At the end of LPC, an ultra-low pubic mini-laparotomy was performed to extract surgical specimens and to accomplish a laparoscopic hand-assisted exploration of the abdominal organs, in order to confirm complete excision of the disease.

RESULTS

Of the included 66 patients, 21 were considered eligible for LPC; the remaining 45 underwent APC. Optimal cytoreduction (i.e., RT = 0) was obtained in 95 and 88.4% in the LPC and APC groups, respectively. No intra-operative complication and 4 (19%) early post-operative complications were observed among patients who received LPC. Patients who underwent APC had 17.8 and 46.7% intra- and early post-operative complications, respectively. Median time to initiation of chemotherapy was 15 (range, 10-30) days in the LPC group and 28 (20-35) days in the APC group. After a median follow-up of 51 months, 2-year disease-free survival was 76.2% in the LPC group and 73.4% in the APC group.

CONCLUSIONS

After strict selection, a group of patients with AOC may undergo LPC with extremely high rates of optimal cytoreduction, satisfactory perioperative morbidity, a short interval to chemotherapy, and encouraging survival outcomes. Clinical trial registration NCT02980185.

Differences between the Upper Extremity and the Lower Extremity in Reconstruction Using an Anterolateral Thigh Perforator Flap

BACKGROUND

While reconstruction of soft tissue defects is the common purpose, surgical reconstructions of upper extremities and lower extremities have different goals in terms of functional and aesthetic outcomes. The purpose of the current study was to compare and analyze differences between reconstructions of upper extremities and lower extremities using an anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap.

METHODS

We analyzed 74 patients who underwent reconstructions of upper extremities and lower extremities using an ALT flap from October 2006 to August 2012 (upper extremities, 45 cases; lower extremities, 29 cases). The study focused on the statistical analysis of patient satisfaction according to the donor site of the ALT flap and the timing of a debulking procedure.

RESULTS

On the choice of donor site, in the upper extremity reconstruction, flap elevation from the opposite side of the recipient limb was preferred (p = 0.019) because it causes less inconvenience while walking. In the lower extremity reconstruction, flap elevation from the same side of the recipient limb (p = 0.002) was preferred. The debulking procedure performed on the upper extremities at 4 weeks after reconstruction led to better functional results and enhanced patient satisfaction (p = 0.022). In the case of lower extremities, enhanced satisfaction was noted in patients who underwent the procedure at 6 months after reconstruction (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Elevation of the flap in reconstruction reduced inconvenience when performed on the same side of the recipient limb for lower extremities and on the opposite side for upper extremities. In addition, debulking resulted in better satisfaction when performed 4 weeks postoperatively in the upper extremities and 6 months postoperatively in the lower extremities.

Trends and factors associated with radical cytoreductive surgery in the United States: A case for centralized care

OBJECTIVES

To describe the US national trends and factors associated with cytoreductive surgical radicality in women with advanced ovarian cancer (OC).

METHODS

An analysis of the National Inpatient Sample database was performed. All admissions from 1993 to 2011 for advanced OC cytoreductive surgery (CRS) were identified and categorized as simple pelvic (SP), extensive pelvic (EP), and extensive upper abdominal (EUA) surgery. Annual trends in CRS were analyzed. Associations between patient- and hospital-specific factors, with CRS radicality as well as perioperative complications were explored between 2007 and 2011.

RESULTS

In total, 28,677 un-weighted admissions were analyzed. The rate of EP and EUA resections increased over time (8% to 18.1% and 1.3% to 5.4%, P<0.01, respectively). On multivariate analysis, patients were more likely to undergo EUA resections in the Northeast (OR 1.44) or West Coast (OR 1.47) at urban (OR 2.3), or large hospitals (OR 1.4), or if they had private insurance (OR 1.45). EUA surgeries were performed more frequently at high-volume ovarian cancer centers (OR 2.65); additionally, fewer complications were observed after EUA at high compared with low and medium volume hospitals (10.2%, 21.2%, and 21.7%, respectively; P=0.01). Specifically, patients treated at high volume hospitals experienced lower rates of hemorrhage, vascular/nerve injury, prolonged hospitalization, and non-routine discharge than at lower (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The US rate of radical cytoreductive surgery for advanced ovarian cancer is increasing. At high-volume hospitals, patients receive more radical surgery with fewer complications, supporting further study of a centralized ovarian cancer care model.

Conjunctival Chemosis Caused by Exposure of the Lacrimal Caruncle: A Case Report

An 84-year-old woman presented with a 3-month history of conjunctival chemosis in the left eye. At the first examination, the chemosis neighbored the lacrimal caruncle and was localized in the inferomedial region of the conjunctiva. During eyelid closure, only the left lacrimal caruncle was exposed. One month later, the chemosis further extended to the inferolateral region. We debulked the lacrimal caruncle to prevent the exposure of the caruncle. One month after the surgery, conjunctival chemosis had resolved completely. At the postoperative 6-month follow-up, the patient showed no recurrence of chemosis.

The surgical treatment of acromegaly

PURPOSE

Surgical extraction of as much tumour mass as possible is considered the first step of treatment in acromegaly in many centers. In this article the potential benefits, disadvantages and limitations of operative acromegaly treatment are reviewed.

METHODS

Pertinent literature was selected to provide a review covering current indications, techniques and results of operations for acromegaly.

RESULTS

The rapid reduction of tumour volume is an asset of surgery. To date, in almost all patients, minimally invasive, transsphenoidal microscopic or endoscopic approaches are employed. Whether a curative approach is feasible or a debulking procedure is planned, can be anticipated on the basis of preoperative magnetic resonance imaging. The radicality of adenoma resection essentially depends on localization, size and invasive character of the tumour. The normalization rates of growth hormone and IGF-1 secretion, respectively, depend on tumour-related factors such as size, extension, the presence or absence of invasion and the magnitude of IGF-1 and growth hormone oversecretion. However, also surgeon-related factors such as experience and patient load of the centers have been shown to strongly affect surgical results and the rate of complications. As compared to most medical treatments, surgery is relatively cheap since the costs occur only once and not repeatedly. There are several new technical gadgets which aid in the surgical procedure: navigation and variants of intraoperative imaging.

CONCLUSIONS

For the mentioned reasons, current algorithms of acromegaly management suggest an initial operation, unless the patients are unfit for surgery, refuse an operation or only an unsatisfactory resection is anticipated. A few suggestions are made when a re-operation could be considered.

Outcome of patients with advanced ovarian cancer who do not undergo debulking surgery: A single institution retrospective review

OBJECTIVE

To assess the outcome of patients with advanced ovarian cancer (OC) who were treated without surgery, having received upfront chemotherapy and no interval debulking surgery (IDS).

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of medical and chemotherapy records of consecutive patients with OC between 2005 and 2013 at UCL Hospitals London, UK who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) was then found to be unsuitable for IDS following review by the multidisciplinary team.

RESULTS

Eighty-three patients (18%) out of 467 receiving NACT did not undergo IDS. Median age was 70years (range 33-88); out of these 83 patients, 43 (51.8%) presented with stage IV disease. Forty-three of these 83 patients received carboplatin and paclitaxel (CP) (51.8%) and 37 received carboplatin alone (C) (44.6%); 3 patients (3.6%) received other platinum-based combinations. Reasons for not proceeding to surgery were: poor response to chemotherapy after 3-4 cycles of NACT (61/83, 73.5%); comorbidities (12/83, 14.5%); patient decision (4/83, 4.8%). Six patients (7.2%) received <3 cycles of NACT due to a worsening clinical condition. The median overall survival (OS) for patients not undergoing IDS was 18months (95% CI 10-20months). Forty-four of 83 patients (53%) received >2 lines of chemotherapy. In a univariate analysis CP, age <70years, and absence of comorbidities were factors influencing OS. In a multivariate analysis only having received CP remained independently associated with OS (HR 0.49, 95% CI 0.29-0.84).

CONCLUSIONS

Chemotherapy alone can provide reasonable disease control in patients unsuitable for IDS and CP should be used if possible.

Primary debulking surgery of the upper abdomen and the diaphragm, with a plasma device surgery system, for advanced ovarian cancer

OBJECTIVE

Electrically neutral argon plasma (PlasmaJet™) technology is a surgical option that helps to get an aggressive cytoreduction in selected patients with ovarian cancer because it can be directly applied by the surgeon to treat the tissue surface [1,2]. Upper abdominal surgical procedures are an important part of the surgery in these patients [3], there is a 22% complications rate when they are performed [4]. We present a surgical approach to ovarian cancer debulking using PlasmaJet™.

METHODS

Case history and operative technique: 51 women supported for ovarian cancer Stage IIIC-IV were operated with systematic use of the PlasmaJet device at the Regional Institute Bergonié Cancer Center of Bordeaux, France between June 2012 and June 2014. 41.2% (n=21) patients underwent a Primary Debulking Surgery (PDS) and 58.8% (n=30) underwent an Interval Debulking Surgery. 78.4% (n=40) of the 51 patients studied had a complete cytoreduction. We present the case of a woman diagnosed with a mucinous ovarian carcinoma FIGO stage IVA, who underwent a PDS. Complete cytoreduction to no macroscopic disease was achieved, this included diaphragmatic and abdominal peritoneal stripping.

RESULTS

No post-operative complications were found in this case. 15.7% (n=8) of patients undergoing diaphragmatic stripping with the PlasmaJet required a pleural drain. It is a safe structured procedure, which could be performed to achieve optimal surgical results for patients with ovarian cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

PlasmaJet™ helps the surgeon to perform a peritoneal stripping of the upper abdominal areas and appears to enable the surgeon to remove more disease without increased morbidity, pushing the cytoreduction/morbidity tradeoff.

The Role of Surgery in Metastatic Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors

OPINION STATEMENT

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common sarcomas and mesenchymal neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract. Macroscopically complete (R0/R1) resection is the standard treatment for localized resectable GIST with adjuvant imatinib therapy recommended for patients with intermediate or high-risk disease. In patients with advanced unresectable or metastatic GIST, imatinib has significantly improved outcomes. However, while most patients achieve partial response (PR) or stable disease (SD) on imatinib (with maximal response typically seen by 6 months on treatment), approximately half will develop secondary resistance by 2 years. Available data suggest that cytoreductive surgery may be considered in patients with metastatic GIST who respond to imatinib, particularly if a R0/R1 resection is achieved. The benefit of surgery in patients with focal tumor progression on imatinib is unclear, but may be considered. Patients with multifocal progression undergoing surgery generally have poor outcomes. Thus, surgery should be considered in patients with metastatic GIST whose disease responds to imatinib with a goal of performing R0/R1 resection. Optimal timing of surgery is unclear but should be considered between 6 months and 2 years after starting imatinib. Although surgery in patients with metastatic GIST treated with sunitinib is feasible, incomplete resections are common, complication rates are high, and survival benefit is unclear. Therefore, a careful multidisciplinary consultation is required to determine optimal treatment options on a case-by-case basis. Finally, patients with metastatic GIST should resume tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment postoperatively.

Advanced Ovarian Cancer: Primary or Interval Debulking? Five Categories of Patients in View of the Results of Randomized Trials and Tumor Biology: Primary Debulking Surgery and Interval Debulking Surgery for Advanced Ovarian Cancer

BACKGROUND

Standard treatment of stage III and IV advanced ovarian cancer (AOC) consists of primary debulking surgery (PDS) followed by chemotherapy. Since the publication of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer/National Cancer Institute of Canada trial, clinical practice has changed and many AOC patients are now treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed by interval debulking surgery (IDS). The best option remains unclear. Ovarian cancer is a heterogenic disease. Should we use the diversity in biology of the tumor and patterns of tumor localization to better stratify patients between both approaches?

METHODS

This analysis was based on results of five phase III randomized controlled trials on PDS and IDS in AOC patients, three Cochrane reviews, and four meta-analyses.

RESULTS

There is still no evidence that NACT-IDS is superior to PDS. Clinical status, tumor biology, and chemosensitivity should be taken into account to individualize surgical approach. Nonserous (type 1) tumors with favorable prognosis are less chemosensitive, and omitting optimal PDS will lead to less favorable outcome. For patients with advanced serous ovarian cancer (type 2) associated with severe comorbidity or low performance status, NACT-IDS is the preferred option.

CONCLUSION

We propose stratifying AOC patients into five categories according to patterns of tumor spread (reflecting the biologic behavior), response to chemotherapy, and prognosis to make a more rational decision between PDS and NACT-IDS.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Trial results regarding effect and timing of debulking surgery on survival of patients with advanced ovarian cancer have been inconsistent and hence difficult to interpret. This review examines all randomized trials on primary and interval debulking surgery in advanced ovarian cancer, including the results of the newly published CHORUS (chemotherapy or upfront surgery for newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer) trial. On the basis of findings presented in this review and in view of recent molecular data on the heterogeneity of ovarian tumors, we propose prognostic categorization for patients with advanced ovarian cancer to better distinguish those who would optimally benefit from primary debulking from those who would better benefit from interval debulking following neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Primary debulking surgery for metastatic cervical adenocarcinoma: A case report

•The case presented is that of a primary debulking surgery for presumed ovarian cancer.•Final pathology revealed diffusely metastatic endocervical adenocarcinoma.•After primary chemotherapy, the patient has remained disease-free 30 months after surgery.

Giant inguinoscrotal hernia--report of a rare case with literature review

Massive inguinoscrotal hernias extending below the midpoint of the inner thigh, in the standing position constitute giant inguinoscrotal hernias. We report a patient who presented with giant right inguinal hernia with bilateral hydrocele for 25 years. He had no cardiorespiratory illnesses. He was taken up for surgery under general anesthesia after preoperative respiratory exercises. Sliding hernia with entire greater omentum, small bowel, and appendix as contents was identified. Meshplasty after omentectomy with bilateral subtotal excision of sac, right orchidectomy, and scrotoplasty were done. Giant inguinoscrotal hernias pose significant problems while replacing bowel contents because of the increase in intraabdominal and intrathoracic pressures. Recurrence is another complication seen after successful surgical management. Various techniques such as preoperative pneumoperitoneum, debulking abdominal contents with extensive bowel resections, or omentectomy and phrenectomy have been tried. Postoperative elective ventilation is also needed in many cases. We describe simple reduction with omentectomy as a viable technique in this patient. He did not need elective ventilation due to preoperative respiratory exercises and preparation and review of the literature.

Suboptimal cytoreduction in ovarian carcinoma is associated with molecular pathways characteristic of increased stromal activation

OBJECTIVE

Suboptimal cytoreductive surgery in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is associated with poor survival but it is unknown if poor outcome is due to the intrinsic biology of unresectable tumors or insufficient surgical effort resulting in residual tumor-sustaining clones. Our objective was to identify the potential molecular pathway(s) and cell type(s) that may be responsible for suboptimal surgical resection.

METHODS

By comparing gene expression in optimally and suboptimally cytoreduced patients, we identified a gene network associated with suboptimal cytoreduction and explored the biological processes and cell types associated with this gene network.

RESULTS

We show that primary tumors from suboptimally cytoreduced patients express molecular signatures that are typically present in a distinct molecular subtype of EOC characterized by increased stromal activation and lymphovascular invasion. Similar molecular pathways are present in EOC metastases, suggesting that primary tumors in suboptimally cytoreduced patients are biologically similar to metastatic tumors. We demonstrate that the suboptimal cytoreduction network genes are enriched in reactive tumor stroma cells rather than malignant tumor cells.

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest that the success of cytoreductive surgery is dictated by tumor biology, such as extensive stromal reaction and increased invasiveness, which may hinder surgical resection and ultimately lead to poor survival.

Incorporation of postoperative CT data into clinical models to predict 5-year overall and recurrence free survival after primary cytoreductive surgery for advanced ovarian cancer

PURPOSE

The use of multivariable clinical models to assess postoperative prognosis in ovarian cancer increased. All published models incorporate surgical debulking. However, postoperative CT can detect residual disease (CT-RD) in 40% of optimally resected patients. The aim of our study was to investigate the added value of incorporating CT-RD evaluation into clinical models for assessment of overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) in patients after primary cytoreductive surgery (PCS).

METHODS

212 women with PCS for advanced ovarian cancer between 01/1997 and 12/2011, and a contrast enhanced abdominal CT 1-7 weeks after surgery were included in this IRB approved retrospective study. Two radiologists blinded to clinical data, evaluated all CT for the presence of CT-RD, and Cohen's kappa assessed agreement. Cox proportional hazards regression with stepwise selection was used to develop OS and PFS models, with CT-RD incorporated afterwards. Model fit was assessed with bootstrapped Concordance Probability Estimates (CPE), accounting for over-fitting bias by correcting the initial estimate after repeated subsampling.

RESULTS

Readers agreed on the majority of cases (179/212, k=0.68). For OS and PFS, CT-RD was significant after adjusting for clinical factors with a CPE 0.663 (p=0.0264) and 0.649 (p=0.0008). CT-RD was detected in 37% of patients assessed as optimally debulked (RD<1cm) and increased the risk of death (HR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.06-2.37%).

CONCLUSION

CT-RD is a significant predictor after adjusting for clinical factors for both OS and PFS. Incorporating CT-RD into the clinical model improved the prediction of OS and PFS in patients after PCS for advanced ovarian cancer.

Long-term mortality among women with epithelial ovarian cancer

OBJECTIVES

Patients with solid tumors are at greatest risk for dying from their cancers in the five years following diagnosis. For most malignancies, deaths from other chronic diseases begin to exceed those from cancer at some point. As little is known about the causes of death among long-term survivors of ovarian cancer, we examined causes of death by years from diagnosis.

METHODS

The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was used to identify women diagnosed with ovarian cancer between 1988 and 2012. We compared causes of death by stage, age, and interval time after diagnosis.

RESULTS

A total of 67,385 women were identified. For stage I neoplasms, 13.6% (CI, 13.0-14.2%) died from ovarian cancer, 4.2% (CI, 3.8-4.5%) from cardiovascular disease, 3.6% (CI, 3.3-3.9%) from other causes and 2.6% (CI, 2.4-2.9%) from other tumors; ovarian cancer was the leading cause of death until 7 years after diagnosis after which time deaths are more frequently due to other causes. For those with stage III-IV tumors, 67.8% (CI, 67.3-68.2%) died from ovarian cancer, 2.8% (CI, 2.6-2.9%) from other causes, 2.3% (CI, 2.2-2.4%) from cardiovascular disease and 1.9% (CI, 1.7-2.0%) from other cancers; ovarian cancer was the most frequent cause of death in years 1-15 after which time deaths were more commonly due to other causes.

CONCLUSIONS

The probability of dying from ovarian cancer decreases with time. Ovarian cancer remains the most common cause of death for 15 years after diagnosis in women with stage III-IV tumors.

Risk stratification and outcomes of women undergoing surgery for ovarian cancer

OBJECTIVE

Cytoreduction for ovarian cancer is associated with substantial morbidity. We examined the outcome of patients undergoing surgery for ovarian cancer to determine if there are sub-groups of patients who may benefit from alternative treatments.

METHODS

The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was used to identify women who underwent surgery for ovarian cancer from 2005-2012. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the effect of age, race, functional status, ASA class, preoperative albumin and performance of extended cytoreductive procedures on morbidity, mortality and resource utilization.

RESULTS

A total of 2870 women were identified. The perioperative complication rate increased from 9.5% in women <50years, to 13.4% in those age 60-69years, and 14.6% in women ≥70years (P<0.0001). Similarly, complications rose from 7.3% in those who did not require any extended procedures to 12.9% after 1 procedure, 28.4% for those who had 2, and 30.0% in women who underwent ≥3 extended procedures (P<0.0001). In a series of multivariable models, the number of extended cytoreductive procedures performed and preoperative albumin were the factors most consistently associated with morbidity. Using a series of model fit statistics, compared to chance alone, the ability to predict any complication increased by 27.4% when procedure score was analyzed, 22.0% with preoperative albumin, 11% with age, and 4% with functional status.

CONCLUSIONS

While preoperative clinical and demographic factors may help predict the risk of adverse outcomes for women undergoing surgery for ovarian cancer, performance of extended cytoreductive procedures is the strongest risk factor for complications.

Interval debulking surgery following neo-adjuvant chemotherapy for stage IVB ovarian cancer using neutral argon plasma (PlasmaJet™)

OBJECTIVE

We present a novel surgical approach to ovarian cancer debulking using neutral argon plasma (PlasmaJet™).

CASE HISTORY

A 48 year-old woman diagnosed with FIGO stage IVB grade 3 serous epithelial ovarian carcinoma received three cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with carboplatin and paclitaxel.

OPERATIVE TECHNIQUE

Dissection and radical debulking surgery were performed using PlasmaJet™ as previously described [1,2]. This included diaphragmatic and abdominal peritoneal stripping, supra-colic omentectomy, tumour ablation on the small and large intestines and mesentery, pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy.

RESULTS

The only post-operative complication was a superficial wound breakdown, which healed by secondary intention. She remains well two years after surgery, with no sign of recurrence.

CONCLUSION

In this case, PlasmaJet™ facilitated diaphragmatic peritoneal stripping as well as dissection of tissue close to bowel and major vessels. Further study is required to assess whether this device can reduce the need for bowel resection while achieving complete cytoreduction.

Complicated pediatric subglottic granular cell tumor with extensive intraluminal and extraluminal invasion

Subglottic granular cell tumors (GCT) are rare, potentially life threatening benign tumors. Complete resection is necessary, yet care must be taken to preserve laryngeal function. We present the first description of a pediatric subglottic GCT with extensive invasion beyond the confines of the subglottis to include the vocal folds and central neck. Urgent endoscopic debulking avoided tracheotomy and facilitated extubation. Later, complete resection required hemithyroidectomy, laryngofissure and partial cricotracheal resection. We conclude that endoscopic debulking is an appropriate initial treatment. Transmural extension should be suspected in tumors larger than 1cm and warn of the need for tracheal resection.