Radical Surgical Treatment Research Articles

Surgical vs. conservative treatment for hip osteoporotic fracture in maintenance hemodialysis patients: a retrospective analysis

BackgroundHSip Osteoporotic fractures are common complications with high mortality in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). It remains unclear whether surgical or conservative should be adopted for hip fractures in MHD patients.MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted in Tianjin Hospital of Tianjin University from August 2019 to August 2023. A total of 43 MHD patients with hip fracture were included, with 30 cases in the surgical group and 13 cases in the conservative group. The differences in cumulative survival rates, time to first ambulation, Harris score, Barthel index, and incidence of complications were compared.ResultsThe surgical group had remarkable lower mortality rates as compared with the conservative group at 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, 24 months (13.33 VS. 38.46%, 26.67 VS. 53.85%, 26.67 VS. 53.85%, 26.67 VS. 61.54%, 26.67 VS. 61.54%, and 26.67 VS. 69.23%). In the surgical treatment group, the first ambulation time was reduced to 28 (26) days, which was superior to the conservative group (134.17 ± 43.18 days, P < 0.001). The Harris score at 1 month (61.50 ± 4.10) and the Barthel index at 3 months (95, 11.25) were also significantly higher (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the surgical group had a significantly lower overall incidence of complications (60.00 vs. 92.31%, P = 0.034). The risk of death and complications of surgical treatment was only 23.0 and 32.4% of conservative treatment in MHD patients with hip fracture.ConclusionSurgical treatment is effective and safe and should be the first choice for hip fracture in MHD patients.

Analysis of long-term outcomes after surgical treatment of patients with complicated forms of colon cancer

The aim of the study. To evaluate long-term outcomes in patients who underwent surgery due to complications of colon cancer in a general surgical hospital. Materials and methods. The study group included 71 (100 %) patients with complicated forms of colon cancer. Radical surgical interventions were performed in 48 (67.6 %) patients, palliative cytoreductive operations – in 18 (25.4 %) hospitalized patients, symptomatic – in 5 (7.0 %) patients. Results. In the postoperative period, only 37 (58.7 %) patients sought help from an oncologist at the third level of medical care. The remaining 26 (41.3 %) patients refused to consult an oncologist and specific treatments for whatever reason. Conclusions. Of the 37 (58.7 %) operated patients who sought oncological care, a chemotherapy course was initiated for 19 (51.4 %), dynamic follow-up without specific treatments was recommended for 7 (18.9 %) patients and symptomatic treatments according to the standards of palliative medical care – for 9 (24.3 %). During the follow-up period, among 43 (68.3 %) patients with non-metastatic cancer, 6 (14.0 %) of the operated patients had local recurrences, 8 (18.6 %) – regional, and 12 (27.9 %) – distant ones. In 17 (39.5 %) patients, no findings on recurrent colon cancer were revealed. Cumulative 1-year and 3-year survival rates in this category of patients were 56.3 ± 5.9 % and 38.0 ± 5.8 %, respectively.

КЛИНИЧЕСКОЕ НАБЛЮДЕНИЕ МЕСТНОГО ЛУЧЕВОГО ПОРАЖЕНИЯ ТЯЖЕЛОЙ И КРАЙНЕ ТЯЖЕЛОЙ СТЕПЕНИ БОЛЬШОЙ ПЛОЩАДИ С НЕБЛАГОПРИЯТНЫМ ТЕЧЕНИЕМ РАНЕВОГО ПРОЦЕССА

Purpose: to familiarize medical workers with the unfavorable course of local radiation injury (LRI) due to its depth and area, damage to underlying bone structures and internal organs, the presence of concomitant severe somatic disease, drug addiction and the impossibility of radical surgical intervention due to a lack of own tissues to hide the ulcerative defect. Material and methods: The article presents a clinical observation of a 46–year-old man who had accidental household contact with a radiation source of electric current RIT-90 with an activity of 30 kCu – a powerful source of bremsstrahlung. Results: The patient suffered severe acute radiation syndrome from extremely uneven beta-gamma irradiation (moderate bone marrow syndrome, acute posterior thoracic LRI of extremely severe degree (IV) – 5%, severe and moderate degree – 10% and both hands of mild degree (I) – 2%). He was admitted to the clinic for treatment 3 months after irradiation. On admission, against the background of pronounced hyperpigmentation and atrophy of the skin of the left and partly right half of the back, there were ulcerative defects in the form of a figure eight (diameter – 10 and 3 cm). The ulcers are covered with a thick layer of fibrin with scanty discharge. Within 3 months after admission to the clinic, pulmonary tuberculosis was treated with good clinical effect. 6 months after the irradiation, a phased surgical treatment was initiated. However, necrotization of transplanted autografts and infection of the ulcerative surface were almost constantly noted. Despite the ongoing supportive, detoxification and antibacterial therapy, multiple organ failure developed, which led to the death of the patient. Conclusions: With extensive and deep radiation lesions accompanied by severe damage to underlying bone structures and vital internal organs localized in anatomical areas that are not subject to amputation, in the presence of severe concomitant somatic pathology in the patient, surgical closure of the skin defect with a full-layer flap with axial blood supply capable of restoring trophicity of the affected tissues becomes an almost unsolvable problem. Covering with patient’s tissues is impossible, first of all, due to the complexity of the necessary size flap extraction. The remaining open skin defect is the gateway to infection with its further generalization and death of the patient. It is possible that the solution in this case may be the use of various collagen films or artificial skin, which will mechanically close the defect, however, the inability to restore trophicity in the area of affected tissues still makes the prognosis extremely unfavorable.

Results of treatment of patients 75 years or older with non-metastatic prostate cancer in real clinical practice

Aim. To evaluate the results of radical surgical treatment and radiotherapy in patients with non-metastatic prostate cancer at age ≥75 years.Materials and methods. The retrospective study included data from 151 patients ≥75 years with verified non-metastatic prostate cancer who underwent radical prostatectomy (RP) or external beam radiotherapy (EBRT). Median age was 81.0 (75.0–97.0) years. Median Charlson comorbidity index was 7 (4–12). Median baseline prostate specific antigen (PSA) level was 11.0 (1.8–172.0) ng/mL. Prostatic adenocarcinoma was verified (ISUP grade 4–5 – 30 (19.9 %)) in all patients. сТ category was сТ3–4 in 37 (24.5 %), cN1 category was diagnosed in 10 (6.6 %) patients. The groups of unfavorable intermediate, high and very high risk included 93 (61.6 %) patients. Radical treatmentwas performed in all cases: RP in 38 (25.2 %), EBRT in 113 (74.8 %) patients (109 (72.2 %) men completed EBRT). Adjuvant treatment was administered in 8 (21.1 %) patients who underwent surgery. In the EBRT group neoadjuvant androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) was administered in 74 (65.5 %), adjuvant ADT in 79 (70.0 %) cases. Treatment groups were matched by the main characteristics (р >0.05 for all) excluding lower baseline PSA in the RP group (р = 0.013). Median follow-up was 46.2 (1.5–234.2) months for all patients.Results. RP complications were registered in 3 (7.8 %), EBRT complications – in 7 (6.2 %) patients. No serious or lethal adverse event was observed. Recurrences were diagnosed in 9 (23.7 %) patients after surgery and in 26 (23.9 %) of 109 patients who completed EBRT. In the total study population, 4-year recurrence-free, cancer-specific, overall, and cardiac-specific survival rates were 74.5; 96.3; 91.2 and 90.8 %, respectively. The only factor significantly decreasing overall survival was Charlson comorbidity index ³8 (р = 0.05). Significant decrease of recurrence-free survival was observed in the surgery group compared to the EBRT group (р = 0.032). It did not translate into decreased cancerspecific and overall survival (р >0.05 for all). There was no significant difference in cardiac-specific survival between the groups (р = 0.626). Significant unfavorable prognostic factors of recurrence-free survival in the EBRT group included сN1 category (р = 0.045), very high risk (р = 0.049), and EBRT dose.Conclusion. RP and EBRT in elderly patients with non-metastatic prostate cancer receiving treatment in real clinical practice have acceptable safety profile and provide effectiveness comparable to the historical data on patients not sampled by age. The optimal candidates for radical treatment are men with Charlson comorbidity index <8.

Surgical treatment of locally advanced kidney cancer in the T3a–с stage

BACKGROUND: Kidney cancer is a common pathologic condition, which ranks the 3rd place among urologic cancers. In 4–10% of patients, while growing it metastasizes upward the venous vessels up to the thoracic vena cava and right atrium. Selection of the optimal tactics for surgical treatment of such patients still remains a complex and unsolved task. AIM: To assess the surgical treatment findings for the patients suffered from kidney cancer with tumor invasion in the renal and inferior vena cava. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 115 patients with renal cell carcinoma complicated by tumor invasion into renal and inferior vena cava have been operated in North-Western State Medical University named after I.I. Mechnikov from 2003 to 2023. They were 76 (66.1%) men and 39 (33.9%) women, their mean age was 67.0 ± 4.1. Stage T3a covered 53 (46.1%), T3b — 33 (28.7%) and T3c 29 (25.2%) patients. Metastatic lesion of one lymph node was observed in 21 (18.3%) and of multiple nodes in 6 (5.2%) patients. Distant metastases were found in 26 (22.6%) patients: in the lungs in 9.6% and in the adrenal glands in 5.2%. All patients were treated with radical nephrectomy, removing blood trombi from the inferior vena cava system. Eight (7.0%) of them, received the treatment by the method developed in the clinic, which consists in preliminary endovascular extraction of the cranial trombus part. Another 3 (2.6%) patients were treated using cardiopulmonary bypass machine. RESULTS: Early postoperative complications developed in 36 (31.4%) patients. The most common and severe of them were pulmonary embolism (4.4%) and acute cardiovascular insufficiency (10.4%). These complications appeared the causes of death of 4 patients. The mortality rate was 3.5%. The three year survival rate in the T3a group was 70.6%, T3b group — 66.0% and T3c group — 50.6% (p 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Nephrectomy with vena cava thrombectomy is a radical surgical treatment. Its complexity increases as the tumor thrombus spreads further through the venous system and in some cases requires an interdisciplinary approach.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with FLOT scheme in surgical treatment of gastric cancer: short- and long-term outcomes. A retrospective cohort study

Aim. To compare the results of surgical treatment of patients with gastric adenocarcinoma and esophagogastric junction cancer (EGJC) who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) FLOT with primary operated patients. Materials and methods. A retrospective cohort study included 177 patients who underwent radical surgical treatment at the Burdenko Faculty Surgery Clinic of Sechenov University for gastric cancer (GC) and/or EGJC Sievert Type II–III in the period from January 2018 to December 2022. The main group consisted of patients (n=28) who received NCT FLOT. Patients in both groups did not statistically significantly differ in average age (p=0.110), ASA status (p=0.541), ECOG status 0–3 (p=0.12), localization (p=0.063), depth of invasion (p=0.099) and histological structure of the tumor (p=0.787). In the main group, more patients with lesion of the regional lymph nodes were expected (p0.001). According to the most significant indicators [postoperative complications, the presence of a "positive" edge of resection (R1), recurrence and/or progression of GC], we performed a quasi-randomization by the matching procedure, taking into account the selection of the nearest neighbors. Results. In 92.9% of patients in the main group and in 94.9% of the control group, R0 resection (p=0.750) was achieved. The number of removed lymph nodes was statistically significantly higher in the main group (average 26 vs 21; p=0.010). There was no difference in intraoperative blood loss (p=0.294) and hospital stay (p=0.992). The average duration of surgery in the main group was 319 minutes, compared to 250 minutes in the control group (p0.001). In the early postoperative period, the total number of complications (CD I–IV) was higher in the main group (p=0.031), however, there was no difference in the number of small (CD I–II; p=0.094) and significant (CD III–V; p=0.142) complications. Postoperative mortality in the first 30 days after surgical treatment was 3.6 and 2.5% in the main and control groups, respectively (p=0.764). The overall 6-month survival rate in the control group was 95.9% vs 90.9% in the main group, and the 12-month survival rate was 88.8% vs 75.7%, respectively. The reccurence-free 6-month survival rate in the control group was 96%, in the main group – 100%; the reccurence-free 12-month survival rate in the control group was 92.1%, in the NCT group – 93.3%. Conclusion. NCT FLOT in the treatment of GC and EGJC Sievert Type II–III does not increase the level of intraoperative blood loss, the number of postoperative complications and the duration of hospitalization. The 6-month and one-year survival rates did not differ in the two groups. Considering that the majority of patients in the NCT group belonged to the cN+ category, with an initially less favorable treatment prognosis, it can be assumed that comparable survival results were achieved thanks to NCT.

Introduction of uniportal VATS access when performing lobectomies

Aim. Analysis of surgical indices during monoport thoracoscopic lobectomies in Sakhalin Regional Clinical Oncological Dispensary at different stages of mastering the technique. Materials and methods. Case histories of 251 patients who underwent radical surgical treatment for lung cancer using monoport thoracoscopic access. Patients were divided into two groups: initial (109 patients) and advanced (142 patients). The average surgical time, number of complications and conversions were assessed. Results. Mastering the technique leads to a statistically significant reduction in surgical time. The difference in other parameters, such as the number of postoperative complications and the percentage of conversions at different stages, tends to decrease. Conclusion. Surgical indices improve as the team goes through the learning curve. The technique is adequate and reproducible for surgical treatment of patients with lung cancer.

Metastasis to the male breast from squamous cell lung carcinoma 18 months after radical surgical treatment.

Metastasis to the male breast from squamous cell lung carcinoma 18 months after radical surgical treatment.

Comparison of efficacy and safety of nab-paclitaxel and oxaliplatin + S-1 and standard S-1 and oxaliplatin chemotherapy regimens for treatment of gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer (GC) is a relatively frequent clinical phenomenon, referring to malignant tumors emerging in the gastric mucosal epithelial cells. It has a high morbidity and mortality rate, posing a significant threat to the health of patients. Hence, how to diagnose and treat GC has become a heated topic in this research field. To discuss the effectiveness and safety of nab-paclitaxel in combination with oxaliplatin and S-1 (P-SOX) for the treatment of GC, and to analyze the factors that may influence its outcomes. A total of 219 eligible patients with advanced GC, who were treated at Qinghai University Affiliated Hospital Gastrointestinal Oncology between January 2018 and March 2020, were included in the study. Among them, 149 patients received SOX regimen and 70 patients received S-1 regimen. All patients underwent both preoperative and postoperative chemotherapy consisting of 2-4 cycles each, totaling 6-8 cycles, along with parallel D2 radical surgical treatment. The patients were followed up for a period of three years or until reaching the event endpoint. The short-term and long-term efficacy of the P-SOX group was significantly higher than that of the SOX group, and the safety was manageable. Cox multivariate analysis revealed that progression-free survival was associated with perioperative chemotherapy efficacy, tumor diameter ≤ 2cm, high differentiation, and early cTNM (T stands for invasion depth; N stands for node metastasis; M stands for distant invasion) stage. In comparison to the SOX regimen, the P-SOX regimen demonstrates improved short-term and long-term efficacy with tolerable adverse reactions. It is anticipated that the P-SOX regimen will emerge as a first-line chemotherapy option for GC. Patients with GC who receive effective perioperative chemotherapy (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors 1.1, Tumor Regression Grade), have a tumor diameter ≤ 2cm, exhibit high degree of differentiation, and are at an early cTNM stage show better prognosis.

Cesarean scar pregnancy: should surgery be the preferred treatment approach?

To compare the characteristics and outcomes of non-surgical and surgical treatments for Cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP). A retrospective study conducted at a tertiary university affiliated medical center, including all women diagnosed with Cesarean scar pregnancy between 2019 and 2023. Women treated non-surgically (including: methotrexate, uterine artery embolization and balloon catheter) were compared to women treated surgically (including: hysterectomy, hysteroscopy and excision of the pregnancy with or without uterine niche repair). Demographic information, medical history, obstetric and gynecological characteristics, presenting symptoms, imaging findings, management details, surgical characteristics, and follow-up data were collected from the women's electronic medical records. Primary outcome was defined as the β-hCG levels on follow-up visit at 2weeks following treatment. 42 women were diagnosed with Cesarean scar pregnancy during the study period, of them 9 (21%) were treated non-surgically and 33 (79%) were treated surgically. Median age was 33 (30-36) year old and median BMI was 31 (27-35) kg/m2, with no statistical differences in-between the groups. Most of the women had previous two Cesarean sections (n = 12, 28%). 63% of the women were asymptomatic at the time of diagnosis. On transvaginal ultrasound examination, embryo was demonstrated in 66.7% and cardiac activity was observed in 75%. The median gestational age at diagnosis and β-hCG levels were comparable between the non-surgical and surgical treatment groups (p = 0.22, p = 0.61, respectively). In the surgical arm, the most common surgical procedure was excision of the pregnancy with uterine niche repair, that was performed in 14/42 (33%) of the women. Median hospitalization length was 3 (1-4) and 2 (1-3) days, for the non-surgical and surgical treatment groups, respectively (p = 0.51). The hemoglobin level before discharge was similar between the groups (p = 0.20). Only one woman in each group visited the emergency room before the follow-up visit (p = 0.31). β-hCG levels on follow-up were significantly lower in the surgical group compared to the non-surgical (p = 0.02). Cesarean scar pregnancy can be asymptomatic and should be suspected to enable early diagnosis. Both non-surgical and surgical treatments are viable options, with comparable hospitalization lengths; however, the surgical intervention group is expected to show a significantly faster decrease in β-hCG levels.

Disorders in cytokine synthesis in women with uterine fibroids

In the structure of gynecological diseases, uterine fibroids occupy an “honorable” second place after inflammatory processes of the genital organs, and its share reaches 40%. Uterine fibroids are a benign monoclonal tumor that develops from one abnormal smooth muscle cell of the myometrium, which, as a result of mutation, has the ability to grow unregulated. Common symptoms of the disease include pelvic discomfort or pain, excessive uterine bleeding, secondary anemia, infertility, and bowel and bladder dysfunction. Uterine fibroids can negatively affect the general condition of a woman, causing hormonal, vegetative-vascular and psycho-emotional disorders. Moreover, about 80% of patients with uterine fibroids undergo radical surgical treatment. The mechanisms of development and growth of this benign tumor have not been fully established and remain controversial. The role of immune disorders in the pathogenesis of fibroids is currently being discussed. It has been proven that the growth of fibroids is accompanied by a weakening of immune defense against the background of an increase in the level of proinflammatory cytokines, which are regulators of the processes of proliferation and apoptosis, mediators of the action of sex steroids. The aim of the study was to study the level of some pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-2, TGF-β2 and MCP-1) in the blood serum of women of reproductive age with uterine fibroids, depending on the size and nature of tumor growth. A comparative analysis of the results of examination of 123 women with uterine fibroids, who made up 2 groups: 1st group of 65 women with simple uterine fibroids and 2nd group of 58 women with rapidly growing uterine fibroids, is presented. The examination included a comprehensive clinical and laboratory study. The level of cytokines (IL-1β, IL- 2, TGF-β2, MCP-1) in the blood serum was assessed by ELISA. It was found that in patients of reproductive age with uterine fibroids, there is an increase in the levels of IL-1β, TGF-β2 and MCP-1. In women with rapidly growing uterine fibroids, these changes are more pronounced. The concentration of IL-2 is reduced in all women with uterine fibroids, regardless of the size and nature of tumor growth. It has been established that an increase in the size of myomatous nodes is accompanied by an increase in immune imbalance: there is an increase in the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TGF-β2, MCP-1) against the background of a reduced content of the lymphokine IL-2, which we regard as possible links in the pathogenesis of uterine fibroids. A pronounced deficiency of IL-2 in the blood serum against the background of a sharp increase in the concentration of TGF-β2 and MCP-1 in the blood of women with uterine fibroids can be considered as a negative criterion for predicting disease progression and used as an additional prognostic marker of tumor growth

A one-stage radical surgical treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa of stage III by the Hurley classification of axillary location with wound plastic surgery using a posterior shoulder flap (a clinical case)

A one-stage radical surgical treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa of stage III by the Hurley classification of axillary location with wound plastic surgery using a posterior shoulder flap (a clinical case)

Mesenchymal tumors of the mediastinum: analysis of the clinical case

Mediastinal tumors include a wide range of benign and malignant neoplasms. The latter in the early stages are characterized by a long latent course and carry a significant threat of com pression and / or invasion of vital organs of the mediastinum. The complexity of their diagnosis is complemented by a mixed clinical picture, similar to other somatic diseases. Considering all of the above, mediastinal tumors are an urgent problem for the modem oncological community, they require improving knowledge and gaining experience in their surgical and conservative treatment. Mesenchym al tumors of the mediastinum make up a small part of tumors of the mediastinal space, and the low incidence of neoplasm s of this anatomical localization dictates the need for an interdisciplinary approach to the diagnosis and treatment of mesenchym al tumors of the mediastinal space. A clinical case of the disease is considered, an effective and radical surgical treatment method is demonstrated. The asymptomatic course of the early stages of the disease, as w ell as the relatively low effectiveness of surgical intervention in the late period of oncogenesis, dictates the need to search for new approaches in the diagnosis and treatment of mediastinal tumors.

Relapses of congenital mesoblastic nephroma: description of three clinical cases and literature review

Congenital mesoblastic nephroma (CMN) is a rare renal tumor of young children with intermediate biological behavior, accounting for 3.5-4% of all renal tumors in children. СMN is characterized by a favorable prognosis in case of radical surgical treatment. Relapses of CMN are considered to be quite a rare occurrence (4% of all cases), however, both local and metastatic relapses are possible. There are no fully standardized treatment approaches for patients with relapsed CMN. In our study, we performed a retrospective analysis of patients (n = 3) with a verified relapse of CMN who had received treatment at the D. Rogachev NMRCPHOI between 2012 to 2022 (132 months). At relapse, all the patients underwent at least one part of treatment at the Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology of Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation. The diagnosis of CMN was established at the Pathology Department of the Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology of Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation, based on a histological examination. The patients with the cellular histological subtype of CMN underwent fluorescent in situ hybridization testing for ETV6 gene rearrangements. The demographic characteristics, clinical data, the extent of initial treatment and relapse therapy were assessed. Here, we describe three clinical cases of relapse in patients with CMN. The median age at initial diagnosis was 0.8 months (range 0.7–1.4). Our analysis of the extent of primary surgical treatment, including nephrectomy, in all cases revealed the following factors associated with a higher risk of relapse: preoperative tumor rupture – 1, intraoperative tumor rupture – 1, inability to confirm tumor-free margins – 1. The distribution of histological subtypes was as following: classical CMN (n = 1), cellular CMN (n = 1), and mixed CMN (n = 1). One patient had local stage II and 2 patients had local stage III. The median time from diagnosis to disease relapse was 0.8 months (range 2.3–4.3). One patient with mixed CMN died 10.6 months after diagnosis from complications of intensive therapy carried out for extremely aggressive relapse. Two patients are alive after repeated surgical treatment (R1 resection) and adjuvant therapy with actinomycin D and vincristine (AV regimen) for 27 weeks in one case, and neoadjuvant therapy (AV regimen for 4 weeks), delayed surgery (R0 resection), and adjuvant therapy (AV regimen for 4 weeks) in the other case. These patients were followed up for 92.2 and 21.3 months, respectively. By acknowledging the possibility of recurrent CMN, it seems important to provide multidisciplinary clinical care to young children with renal tumors involving a detailed planning of surgical procedures, radical surgeries in accordance with practice guidelines and standards in surgical oncology, and careful follow-up, especially during the first year after surgery. The patients' parents gave consent to the use of their children's data, including photographs, for research purposes and in publications.

Association between preventive treatment for unruptured intracranial aneurysms and incident dementia: a nationwide population-based cohort study

Preventive treatments for unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs) are used worldwide. However, the long-term effects to cognition have been underestimated. Using representative sample data from the National Health Insurance Service-Senior Cohort database, we compared cumulative risk of incident dementia between two groups: (1) treatment versus observation group, and (2) within the treatment group (surgical versus endovascular treatment). Cox proportional hazard ratios were estimated after applying one-to-one propensity score matching. Subgroup analyses were conducted to investigate interactions between treatment effects and sex, age and history of stroke, respectively. After matching, 3,763 participants were included in each group. The 10-year incidence rates of dementia were 9.82 and 8.68 per 1,000 person-years in the treatment and observation groups, respectively (HR: 1.11, 95% CI: 0.90–1.38, P = 0.33). Furthermore, the risk of incident dementia was not different between the surgical and endovascular treatment groups (HR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.70–1.37, P = 0.91). In the subgroup analysis, surgical treatment was associated with an increased risk of developing dementia, particularly among male patient (HR: 2.34, 95% CI: 1.04–5.28). Preventive treatment of UIAs appears acceptable in terms of long-term effects to cognition. However, further researches are strongly required to identify the high risk patients of development of dementia.

Evaluation of vascular invasion in pancreatic head tumors and its impact on radical surgical treatment

Objective. To evaluate the informativeness and sensitivity of radiological criteria for vascular invasion in pancreatic head tumors in comparison with intraoperative data and results of routine pathological examination. Materials and methods. The study included 98 patients with ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreatic head with suspected venous invasion and spread of tumor growth along the vessels of the portomesenteric axis, who were operated on at the Department of Pancreatic and Bile Duct Surgery of the National Research Center of Surgery and Transplantation named after O. A. Shalimov in the period from 2019 to 2023. Group 1 included 51 (52.0%) patients who underwent radical surgery with resection of the superior mesenteric/hepatic portal vein and extended lymph and neurodissection, and group 2 included 47 (48.0%) patients who had positive vascular margins of pancreatic resection according to routine pathological examination. Diagnostic criteria for vascular alterations were developed. A comparative analysis of the informativeness of the developed criteria and the results of a routine pathological examination was performed. The edges of the pancreatic resection were evaluated, including the neck of the gland, common bile duct, duodenum/gastric duct, and the bed of the superior mesenteric/hepatic portal vein and superior mesenteric artery separately. R1 status was defined as the presence of tumor cells at a distance of less than 1 mm to the resection margin. Results. According to the criteria of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) 2023.2, 61 (62.2%) patients had a marginally resectable stage of ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreatic head and tumor contact with the superior mesenteric/hepatic veins according to multislice computed tomography of the abdominal cavity. In group 1, there were 36 (70.6%) such patients, in group 2 – 25 (53.2%). According to the proposed radiologic criteria for vascular invasion, tumor contact with the superior mesenteric/hepatic portal veins was suspected in 76 (77.6%) patients, which is higher than in the standard approach. Determination of vascular alterations according to the results of our study is a more reliable method for diagnosing invasion of the superior mesenteric/hepatic portal vein (χ2 = 5.46, p = 0.019) and predicting the performance of radical surgery, including vascular resection. Conclusions. The proposed criteria for the radiological diagnosis of vascular invasion at the preoperative stage increased the sensitivity of this method from 62.2 to 77.6%. The most frequent radiological signs of vascular alteration are vascular wall irregularity (47.7%) and parapancreatic tissue density (62.5%). In the presence of any of the radiological signs of vascular alteration, resection of the affected area of the superior mesenteric/hepatic portal vein with extended lymph and neurodissection is indicated, which allows a statistically significant increase in the number of R0 resections.

Results of surgical treatment of chronic pancreatitis with a high risk of developing pancreatic cancer

Objective. To analyze the results of surgical treatment of patients with pancreatic insufficiency and a high risk of developing pancreatic cancer. Materials and methods. The study included 39 patients treated in 2019–2023. In 20 (51%) patients, it was difficult to clearly differentiate between chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. In 19 (49%) patients, the diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis was not in doubt. All patients with complicated forms of chronic pancreatitis and suspected pancreatic tumor underwent a set of laboratory tests, and routine screening methods of instrumental diagnostics were used. In addition to standard methods of examination, the levels of matrix metalloproteinases and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases in the blood plasma were studied. Results. The method of intraoperative multiple biopsy, improved by us, was an obligatory component of surgical care for a clear differential diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. In the presence of complicated chronic pancreatitis, during surgery, the biopsy was taken using a special punch instrument that resembles a pen, along the entire length of the main pancreatic duct along the upper and lower edges of the dissection in a checkerboard pattern. There were no complications of punch biopsy. Of the 20 patients in whom it was not possible to clearly differentiate between chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer, 12 (60%) were diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. The characteristic changes in the pancreatic tissue gave grounds for performing extended resection interventions in these patients. In the remaining 8 (40%) patients without morphological changes inherent in malignancy, Whipple operation (2), longitudinal pancreaticoduodenectomy (2), Frey operation (2), and our proposed central pancreatic resection with preservation of the left anatomical segment (2) were performed. Drainage and resectional surgical interventions were performed in 19 (49%) patients with complicated forms of chronic pancreatitis. After radical surgical interventions for pancreatic cancer, 1 patient developed gastrostasis, and on the 11th day he underwent a relaparotomy with reconstruction of the gastroenteroanastomosis, and on the 30th day a subhepatic abscess was diagnosed in 1 patient, who underwent drainage with a subcostal mini–access with a positive effect. In 2 patients, after left–sided pancreatic resection, subdiaphragmatic abscesses were diagnosed on the left, they were treated minimally invasively with punctures and drainage under ultrasound control. Multiple organ failure occurred in 1 patient after surgery for internal pancreatic fistula, infected ascites as a complication of neglected chronic pancreatitis. The patient died. Infection of the median laparotomy wound occurred in 4 patients, and healing was achieved by controlled primary tension. Class B pancreatic fistulas occurred in 3 patients: 2 – after left–sided pancreatic resection, 1 – after longitudinal pancreaticoduodenostomy. In 1 patient, a class C permanent pancreatic fistula was formed after a combined (resection and drainage) intervention. Relaparotomy, subtotal resection with Roux–en–Y loop closure was performed. Conclusions. Morphological changes in the pancreatic tissue in chronic pancreatitis in combination with diabetes mellitus, corresponding to the development of PanIN, are direct predictors of adenocarcinoma. Multiple intraoperative pancreatic biopsies are effective in verifying pancreatic malignancy. Pre– and intraoperative diagnostics make it possible to optimize the surgical treatment of complicated forms of chronic pancreatitis and prevent the development of postoperative pancreatic fistula.

Laparoscopic Access in Radical Surgical Treatment of Complicated Gastric Cancer: a Single-Center Experience

Over the past decades, there has been an active introduction of minimally invasive surgical technologies in the treatment of various diseases, including gastric cancer. In Asian countries and Europe, laparoscopic gastrectomy is an alternative to open gastrectomy for early gastric cancer, with a tendency to displace the latter. In the Russian Federation, laparoscopic gastrectomy is performed in a few specialized centers. From 2013 to 2022, the surgeons of our Center treated 141 patients diagnosed with gastric cancer at different stages (64 men, 39 women, mean age of 60.5±10 years). Of these, 52 patients (50.5%) underwent open surgeries (group I), 51 (49.5%) — laparoscopic surgeries (group II). The study included patients diagnosed with gastric cancer complicated by bleeding or gastric outlet/cardioesophageal junction obstruction, over 18 years of age, who signed consent for the processing of personal data and inclusion of their clinical data in the research and underwent surgical treatment. We analyzed such parameters as the duration of surgical intervention and the duration of hospital stay, the rates of hospital/relapse-free 2-year survival, and uncomplicated postoperative period. Laparoscopic-assisted surgeries lasted longer; however, due to more precise technique and better visualization of anatomical structures, there was a smaller volume of intraoperative blood loss. During laparoscopic-assisted radical gastrectomy, it is possible to perform more precise lymph node dissection, increase the number of harvested lymph nodes and, thus, increase the probability of detecting lymph nodes with metastases; which, in turn, has a direct impact on increasing the 2-year relapse-free and 2-year overall survival of patients. There was no significant difference in the incidence or severity of postoperative complications and mortality. These data are an important indicator of the effectiveness of the minimally invasive surgical method of treatment, which indicates greater safety of the laparoscopic method compared to intervention from laparotomy access.

Randomized Controlled Trials Studying Nonoperative Treatments of Osteoarthritis Often Use Misleading and Uninformative Control Groups: A Systematic Review.

Because there are no known treatments that alter the natural course of the pathophysiology of osteoarthritis, nonoperative treatment needs to be compared with known effective treatments that seek to mitigate symptoms or with similarly invasive inert (placebo) treatments to determine effectiveness. Comparing a treatment to an uninformative control group may inappropriately legitimize and support the use of potentially ineffective treatments. We therefore investigated the prevalence of inappropriate control groups in musculoskeletal research and asked whether these are associated with reporting a positive treatment effect. We systematically reviewed randomized trials of nonoperative treatments of osteoarthritis and asked: (1) What proportion of randomized trials use uninformative control groups (defined as a treatment less invasive than the tested treatment, or a treatment that might possibly not outperform placebo but is not acknowledged as such)? (2) Is the use of uninformative control groups independently associated with reporting a positive treatment effect (defined as p < 0.05 in favor of the intervention, or as making a recommendation favoring the intervention over the control treatment)? In a systematic review following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we searched PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase up to September 2023 for randomized controlled trials published between 2020 to 2022 that compared one or more nonoperative treatments for the symptoms of osteoarthritis. We excluded studies that contained a surgical treatment group. We identified 103 trials that met eligibility criteria, with a total of 15,491 patients. The risk of bias was high in 60% (n = 62) of trials using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool, version 2. Although the high risk of bias in the included studies is concerning, it does not invalidate our design; instead, it highlights that some studies may use flawed methods to recommend treatments with unproven effectiveness beyond nonspecific effects because the kinds of bias observed would tend to increase the apparent benefit of the treatment(s) being evaluated. We used logistic regression to test the association of uninformative control groups with a positive treatment effect, accounting for potential confounders such as conflict of interest and study bias using the Cochrane Risk of Bias score. The use of uninformative control groups (treatments less invasive than the tested treatment, or treatments that might not outperform placebo but are not acknowledged as such) was found in 46% (47 of 103) of included studies. After accounting for potential confounding, there was no association between reporting positive treatment effects and the use of an uninformative control group. Studies with a low risk of bias had a lower likelihood of reporting a positive treatment effect (OR 0.2 [95% confidence interval 0.05 to 0.9]; p = 0.04, model pseudo R2 = 0.21). The finding that recent studies that mimic high-level evidence often use uninformative control groups that do not adequately account for nonspecific effects (perceived treatment benefits unrelated to a treatment's direct physiological effects) points to a high risk of legitimizing ineffective treatments. This raises the ethical imperative for patients, clinicians, journal peer reviewers, and journal editors to hold researchers to the standard of an adequate, informative control group. Awareness and risk of bias checklists might help patients and clinicians forgo new treatments based on seemingly high-level evidence that may carry only iatrogenic, financial, and psychological harm (false hope, in particular). Level I, therapeutic study.

Subjective and objective evaluation of nasal obstruction in patients treated at the Hospital de Clínicas, Paraguay

Nasal obstruction is characterized by insufficient airflow and increased resistance in the nasal cavities, affecting patients’ quality of life and sleep. This study aims to compare the efficacy of medical and surgical treatment in patients with Nasal obstruction, using subjective evaluations (NOSE and VAS scales) and objective evaluations (active anterior rhinomanometry). This is an experimental and prospective longitudinal study conducted at the Hospital de Clínicas, Paraguay. Forty patients with Nasal obstruction were included, divided into medical treatment (nasal corticosteroids) and surgical treatment (turbinoplasty, septoplasty, or both) groups. Pre- and post-treatment evaluations were performed using the NOSE and VAS scales, and active anterior rhinomanometry. The sample included 52.5% men and 47.5% women, with an average age of 32.18±11.59 years. The main cause of Nasal obstruction was chronic rhinitis (62.5%). Treatments showed significant improvements in subjective and objective evaluations. In the medical group, VAS improved by 2.63 points in women and 2.00 in men, while the surgical group showed more pronounced improvements. The NOSE also showed significant reductions, especially in patients undergoing combined turbinoplasty and septoplasty. Active anterior rhinomanometry reflected an increase in overall nasal flow in all treated groups. Both medical and surgical treatments are effective in improving Nasal obstruction, with greater benefits observed in surgical treatments. Subjective and objective evaluations are valuable and complementary tools for assessing treatment in patients with Nasal obstruction. These results highlight the importance of a comprehensive evaluation in the management of Nasal obstruction.