“切管法”-男性绝育手术的改良

目的：评价切管法（输精管结扎改良术）的临床效果。方法：采用切管法（小针头固定输精管结扎改良术）对600例年龄在26岁～38岁之间的已婚男性进行绝育手术，并对受术者进行术后1年的随访观察，对受术者的妻子进行了术后2年的孕情跟踪。结果：精子消失率：术后6个月为96．7％，术后12个月为98％；避孕有效率：术后6个月为99．8％，术后12个月为99．7％，术后24个月为99．5％；随访观察的600例受术者术后无局部血肿，无附睾淤积，无痛性结节，受术者的手术结节非常小，日常生活中未有不适感。结论：切管法与直视钳穿法相比，避孕有效率无差别，切管法的并发症更低，切管法更加简单，手术更加微创，结扎对象更易于接受。切管法是一项值得提倡的男性绝育术。

Photodynamic therapy prolongs metal stent patency in patients with unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma

AIM:To evaluate the effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT) on metal stent patency in patients with unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma (CC). METHODS:This was a retrospective analysis of patients with hilar CC referred to our institution from December, 1999 to January, 2011. Out of 232 patients, thirty-three patients with unresectable hilar CC were treated. Eighteen patients in the PDT group were treated with uncovered metal stents after one session of PDT. Fifteen patients in the control group were treated with metal stents alone. Porfimer sodium (2 mg/kg) was administered intravenously to PDT patients. Fortyeight hours later, PDT was administered using a diffusing fiber that was advanced across the tumor by either endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography or percutaneous cholangiography. After performance of PDT, uncovered metal stents were inserted to ensure adequate decompression and bile drainage. Patient survival rates and cumulative stent patency were calculated using Kaplan-Meier analysis with the log-rank test. RESULTS:The PDT and control patients were comparable with respect to age, gender, health status, pretreatment bilirubin, and hilar CC stage. When compared to control, the PDT group was associated with significantly prolonged stent patency (median 244 ± 66 and 177 ± 45 d, respectively, P = 0.002) and longer patient survival (median 356 ± 213 and 230 ± 73 d, respectively, P = 0.006). Early complication rates were similar between the groups (PDT group 17%, control group 13%) and all patients were treated conservatively. Stent malfunctions occurred in 14 PDT patients (78%) and 12 control patients (80%). Of these 26 patients, twenty-two were treated endoscopically and four were treated with external drainage. CONCLUSION:Metal stenting after one session of PDT may be safe with acceptable complication rates. The PDT group was associated with a significantly longer stent patency than the control group in patients with unresectable hilar CC.

Successful treatment for esophageal carcinoma with lung metastasis by induction chemotherapy followed by salvage esophagectomy: Report of a case

We here report a case of a 51-year-old man with lung metastasis from esophageal carcinoma that was initially treated by combination chemotherapy consisting of fluorouracil and nedaplatin. Because metastatic disease disappeared, salvage esophagectomy was performed. Although chest wall recurrence developed at the thoracotomy wound, prolonged survival of 48 months was achieved by local tumor resection and additional chemotherapy. This combination chemotherapy is regarded as a promising and considerable treatment for metastatic esophageal carcinoma.

Triple non-invasive diagnostic test for exclusion of common bile ducts stones before laparoscopic cholecystectomy

AIM: To evaluate the impact of a preoperative "triple non-invasive diagnostic test" for diagnosis and/or exclusion of common bile duct stones. METHODS: All patients with symptomatic gallstone disease, operated on by laparoscopic cholecystectomy from March 2004 to March 2006 were studied retrospectively. Two hundred patients were included and reviewed by using a triple diagnostic test including: patient's medical history, routine liver function tests and routine ultrasonography. All patients were followed up 2-24 mo after surgery to evaluate the impact of triple diagnostic test. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients were identified to have common bile duct stones. Lack of history of stones, negative laboratory tests and normal ultrasonography alone was proven to exclude common bile duct stones in some patients. However, a combination of these three components (triple diagnostic), was proven to be the most statistically significant test to exclude common bile duct stones in patients with gallstone disease. CONCLUSION: Using a combination of routinely used diagnostic components as triple diagnostic modality would increase the diagnostic accuracy of common bile duct stones preoperatively. This triple non-invasive test is recommended for excluding common bile duct stones and to identify patients in need for other investigations.

Current Updates on Salpingectomy for the Prevention of Ovarian Cancer and Its Practice Patterns Worldwide

A paradigm shift of the origin of ovarian cancer to fallopian tube has brought more focus on bilateral salpingectomy as a preventive method for ovarian cancer. Bilateral salpingectomy has shown a dramatic reduction in the risk of ovarian cancer. Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy has been a long-used practice to prevent ovarian cancer, but it brings surgical menopause and an increased mortality rate to women undergoing such a surgery at the age of <47.5. With the prophylactic bilateral salpingectomy, however, the ovarian function remains unaltered. Recent studies have shown that prophylactic salpingectomy was helpful not only in preventing high-grade serous type ovarian cancer, but also in decreasing adnexal pathologies. With the publication of committee opinion, more practitioners have accepted this proposal, but some are more concerned about its disadvantages. This review illustrates the latest updates on salpingectomy as a preventive method for ovarian cancer, including its advantages and disadvantages, clinicians' opinions, public opinions, so as to find out Obstetricians' and Gynecologists' practice pattern related to opportunistic salpingectomy worldwide.

Telomerase activity analysis of esophageal carcinoma using microdissection-TRAP assay

OBJECTIVES: To investigate telomerase activity in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and its preneoplasia lesions, and to study the relationships between telomerase activity and cancer differentiation, cancer invasiveness, and lymphatic metastasis. METHODS: Telomerase activity in esophageal SCC tissues, adjacent dysplasia tissues and normal epithelia from the surgical edge were assessed by microdissection-TRAP (telomeric repeat amplification protocol)-silver staining assay. RESULTS: Telomerase activity was detected in 37 (82.2%) of 45 esophageal tumors, 23 (79.3%) of 29 dysplasias, and 2 (5%) of 40 normal epithelia. There was a significant difference in activity between dysplasia and normal epithelium, as well as between tumor and normal epithelium. Twenty-six (92.9%) of 28 tumors with lymphatic metastasis had detectable telomerase activity compared to 11 (64.7%) of 17 non-lymphatic metastasis tumors. These relationships were statistically significant (P