In our November 2009 issue, we highlight a prospective study by Soares Miguel et al. who assessed glucose homeostasis and weight loss in 33 morbidly obese female patients undergoing a recently introduced procedure of Silastic® ring sleeve gastrectomy. They found the procedure to be effective in promoting weight loss, waist circumference reduction, and control of glucose homeostasis. We also publish seven other clinical studies and two basic research original articles.
Cobo et al. report on seven patients who were diagnosed between 1996 and 2008 with pemphigoid gestationis, a rare autoimmune blistering disease associated with pregnancy. Demographics revealed a good outcome of the newborns from affected mothers, based on the absence of pemphigoid gestationis cutaneous lesions, mean birth weight, and normal Apgar scores and gestational age at birth.
Ribeiro et al. investigated the relationship between meal frequency, the occurrence of vomiting and weight loss among 80 patients submitted to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in the period up to 9 months after surgery. They report that (1) frequent small meals were associated with a reduction in weight loss after gastric bypass and a decrease in vomiting episodes at 6 months, and (2) that vomiting did not interfere with nutritional outcome. They suggest that multiple small meals may not be advantageous after such intervention and should not be indicated unless required because of vomiting or other reasons.
Piovesan et al. determined the incidence of asymptomatic, histologically proven prostatitis in 183 men with symptoms of benign prostate hyperplasia. They also describe the correlation between asymptomatic prostatitis and prostate specific antigen density. On histological examination of the surgical samples, evidence of prostatitis was observed in 145 patients, with no such evidence in the other 38 cases. No statistically significant differences were detected between the two groups; leading to the conclusion that abnormal PSA density should not be attributed to the inflammatory prostatitis process.
Aguiar Junior et al. retrospectively analyzed a consecutive series of 49 adult patients with advanced extremity soft tissue sarcomas that could not be resected with adequate margins during the primary resection. They were treated with preoperative radiation concomitant with doxorubicin chemotherapy. The five-year local recurrence-free survival, metastasis-free survival and overall survival rates were 81.5%, 46.7% and 58.3%, respectively. For high-grade tumors, the five-year metastasis-free, and overall survival rates were only 36.3% and 41.2%, respectively. Severe wound complications were observed in 41.8% of the patients who underwent surgery. These complications precluded adjuvant chemotherapy in 73.7% (14/19) of the patients eligible to receive it. They conclude that neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy was associated with a good local control rate, but the distant relapse-free rate and overall survival rate were still poor. The high rate of wound complications modified the planning of adjuvant treatment in most patients.
Tramont et al. conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate the impact of ageing on the resistive and reactive properties of the respiratory system, and compare the easiness of accomplishment of spirometry and forced oscillation for assessing lung function. Forced oscillation was used to investigate respiratory system resistive and reactive properties, while spirometry was used as a reference test. Eighty normal subjects aged between 20 and 86 years were evaluated. They conclude that (1) respiratory system resistance and dynamic compliance are not modified with ageing; (2) respiratory system homogeneity decreases during the ageing process. They state that forced oscillation is easy to perform and provides information complementary to spirometry. Suggesting that this approach may be a useful alternative to conventional exams for older people are unable to adequately perform spirometric tests.
Cohen et al. report a descriptive, quantitative study using a retrospective documental analysis regarding doctors were allegedly engaged in sexual harassment. All accusations made from January 2000 to December 2005 were examined. A high prevalence of male professionals committing abuse against female patients during adulthood was found. Average age of the accused was 47 years (range 30 – 76), and ncidence was independent of education, as the accused professionals came from a large variety of medical colleges, without significant differences related to institution. They suggest that the predominance of accusations against older professionals may occur due to the frail personality structure that allows professional acting out.
Pantoni et al. evaluated the heart rate variability during bi-level positive airway pressure in 20 young healthy subjects, and found that acute application altered reduced parasympathetic and an increased sympathetic activity suggesting that high levels of positive pressure can significantly influence cardiovascular function.
Mascaretti et al. evaluated the effects of hyperoxic exposure on elastic and collagen fiber deposition in the lung interstitial matrix and in alveolarization in 28-day preterm New-Zealand-White rabbits obtained through c-section. Test animals were exposed to O2 ≥ 95%, while controls breathed 21% O2. An increase in the alveolar size and a decrease in the alveoli number were observed among hyperoxia exposed rabbits, with no differences regarding the internal alveolar surface area. No difference in the density of elastic fibers was observed after high O2 exposure, but there were fewer collagen fibers and an evident disorganization of fiber deposition.
Barbosa et al. evaluated the degree of vascular occlusion, vascular recanalization, and necrosis of the vascular wall caused by polyvinyl alcohol-covered polyvinyl acetate particles compared to trisacryl particles after renal embolization in 79 female albino New Zealand rabbits, and found that polyvinyl alcohol-covered polyvinyl acetate particles as an embolization material exhibited an adequate tissue reaction (ischemia and volumetric reduction), more expressive vascular occlusion and necrosis, and less recanalization than the trisacryl material.
Adam et al. describe effects of a diet containing repeatedly heated soy oil on the aortic tissues of 30 ovariectomized estrogen-deficient female rats. They found that fresh soy oil offered protection in the estrogen-deficient state, whereas repeatedly heated soy oil damaged the tunica intima and the increased in the ratio of tunica intima/media thickness.
We also publish a review on the surgical procedure of anterior hepatic transection for caudate lobectomy, and three case reports.