Morbidity of colostomy closure

An unexpectedly high morbidity (28 per cent) followed colostomy closure in 100 patients. One patient died postoperatively because of sepsis resulting from disruption of the colon anastomosis. Wound infection (10 per cent), intraperitoneal abscess (1 per cent), bowel obstruction (7 per cent), and fecal fistula (4 per cent) were other significant complications. Wound sepsis was greater after primary than after delayed wound closure. Obstruction did not correlate with the use of either an open or closed technic of anastomosis. Three patients required reoperation for complications. Temporary colostomy was constructed for colon injury in 85 per cent of patients. In view of the considerable morbidity of colostomy closure, alternate technics of managing colon trauma should be considered. Such technics include primary closure and exteriorization of repaired colon. When temporary colostomy is unavoidable, closure is best done by open, two layer anastomosis with delayed wound closure. Colostomy should be recognized as an important procedure associated with significant morbidity.     

Antegrade colonic enemas

Thirteen children aged 6-14 (mean 8) years in whom an antegrade colonic enema procedure was performed were reviewed retrospectively. All presented with refractory constipation or faecal soiling over a 3-year period. Nine of the children had previously undergone pull-through procedures for Hirschsprung's disease or high anorectal malformations. Two were suffering from spina bifida and two from idiopathic functional constipation. The operation was performed through a right iliac fossa incision. A catheterizable conduit was created. The appendix was brought out to the wound edge and made continent by intussuscepting the appendix base into the caecum. When the appendix was absent or unusable, a caecal tube was formed. Five patients suffered minor morbidity, six required a further operative procedure and two eventually required a sigmoid colostomy. However, the eventual outcome of a continent stoma was attained in 11 of the 13 children, all of whom would have been considered for sigmoid colostomy before introduction of the antegrade colonic enema procedure.     

Colostomy complications in children. An analysis of 146 cases

This report analyzes the course of 146 pediatric patients with colostomies in reference to problems with colostomy formation, management, and subsequent closure. Colostomy was performed predominantly for Hirschsprung's disease (70 cases) and imperforate anus (46 cases). A transverse colostomy was done in 120 patients (82%), and a sigmoid colostomy in the remaining patients. Loop colostomies were five times more frequent than divided colostomies. Early major complications occurred in 24 patients (16%). Stomal complications occurred in 69 patients and were more frequent after loop colostomies. Colostomy revision was required in 24 cases. Sigmoid colostomy had a significantly lower complication rate (P less than .01). One hundred nine patients underwent colostomy closure. Major complications occurred in 16 cases (15%). There were no deaths related to colostomy closure. The use of a sigmoid colostomy when possible and close attention to technical details, principles of stomal care, and proper parental instruction should minimize morbidity.     

Long-term clinical outcome of surgery for solitary rectal ulcer syndrome

BACKGROUND: When severe symptoms of solitary rectal ulcer syndrome persist despite medical management, surgery may be necessary. METHODS: A retrospective review was carried out of 81 patients undergoing surgery for solitary rectal ulcer syndrome in the 10-year period from 1984 to 1993 to determine the long-term outcome at a minimum follow-up of 12 months. Of the 81 patients, 15 were excluded from further analysis (11 were followed up for less than 12 months, two died and two were lost to follow-up). Sixty-six patients were studied (median age 38 (range 15-77) years; 53 female). Of these, 49 underwent rectopexy, nine Delorme's operation, two anterior resection and four creation of a stoma as the initial operation. RESULTS: At a median follow-up of 90 (range 12-177) months, the rectopexy had failed in 22 of 49 patients; 19 of these patients underwent further surgery, including rectal resection with coloanal anastomosis (four with three failures), colostomy (11) and other procedures (four). Ultimately, 14 required a stoma. Constipation was the indication for a stoma in nine of the 11 patients who had colostomy as the first procedure after failure of rectopexy. Nine patients had Delorme's operation as the first procedure. At median follow-up of 38 (range 19-107) months, there were four failures. Two of these ultimately required a stoma. Of the seven patients who underwent anterior resection as the initial or subsequent procedure, a stoma was finally necessary in four. Anterior resection used as a salvage procedure was not successful. The overall stoma rate was 30 per cent (20 patients). Of 11 symptoms assessed before operation only incontinence and incomplete evacuation were related to a poor outcome following surgery. CONCLUSION: Antiprolapse operations result in a satisfactory long-term outcome in about 55-60 per cent of patients having surgery for solitary rectal ulcer syndrome. Results of anterior resection are disappointing.     

Five-year audit of the acute complications of diverticular disease

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to audit the presentation and outcome for patients admitted with an acute complication of diverticular disease. METHODS: This study was a retrospective review of 418 admissions with an acute complication of diverticular disease over a 5-year interval. RESULTS: Of the 418 admissions, 15 patients were eventually found to have an alternative diagnosis. Some 403 patients were studied further. The overall mortality rate in this group was 5.7 per cent. A total of 113 patients (28.0 per cent) required an operation and in this group the mortality rate was 17.7 per cent. All deaths occurred in patients who had surgery for septic complications or bowel obstruction. Of the patients who had surgery, 90.2 per cent had a resection of the involved colon. One-third of these had a primary anastomosis; the remainder underwent Hartmann's procedure. Some 83 patients had a stoma fashioned and of these 72 went on to have the stoma closed. The median age of those who died after operation was 80 years. An American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score of 3 or more, concurrent medical disease and shock on admission were all associated with a high mortality rate (P < 0.001). Some 30 per cent of patients were readmitted during this study with a further complication of diverticular disease. CONCLUSION: The mortality rate after surgery for acute diverticular disease remains excessive and a high-risk group can be identified before operation. A policy of resection and anastomosis appears justified for selected patients. Adopting a practice of interval elective sigmoid colectomy after admission with acute diverticulitis might prevent readmission with further complications.     

Medical malpractice involving radiologic colon examinations: a review of 38 recent cases

OBJECTIVE: Our purposes were to determine the causes of malpractice claims against radiologists performing contrast examinations of the colon and to design strategies to reduce litigation and diminish patient morbidity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Reports of malpractice claims were collected from legal journals and databases between 1985 and 1994. For this period, 38 plaintiffs raised 52 allegations of malpractice that involved radiologists performing barium or Hypaque (meglumine diatrizoate; Winthrop Pharmaceuticals, New York, NY) colon examinations. For the 38 cases, 18 plaintiffs for decedents alleged that failure to diagnose colorectal cancer by barium enema examination caused delay in treatment and the patient's death. Eighteen plaintiffs alleged that improper performance of barium (17 cases) or meglumine diatrizoate (one case) colon examinations caused perforation of the colon, resulting in significant morbidity (15 cases) or death (three cases). Miscellaneous causes for malpractice claims were recorded in two cases. RESULTS: In 18 cases of failure to diagnose colorectal cancer, the initial radiographs were interpreted as follows: normal findings in 14 cases, diverticulosis in one case, and spastic bowel in two cases; in the remaining case, colon cancer was missed because of nonopacification of the cecum. In retrospect, 17 of 18 colorectal cancers were visualized. The delay in the diagnosis of colorectal cancer ranged from 5 to 72 months. Missed colorectal cancers occurred in the cecum (two cases), transverse colon (two cases), rectosigmoid area (nine cases), or unspecified area (five cases). In 18 cases of colon perforation, the site was the cecum (one case), transverse colon (one case), extraperitoneal rectum (seven cases), rectosigmoid area (one case), colostomy stoma (two cases), or unspecified area (six cases). One patient experienced anaphylactic shock that required hospitalization. One underwent unnecessary surgery because barium enema films showing colon cancer were mislabeled with her name. CONCLUSION: On the basis of our analyses of malpractice claims, we suggest strategies to prevent medicolegal litigation. Strategies include communicating with the patient about the type and indications of the barium enema examination, performing digital rectal examinations on all patients to detect distal rectal lesions or strictures, recognizing colon perforation, and obtaining immediate surgical consultation if colon perforation occurs. The number of missed colon cancers may be reduced by reading twice or reviewing at a later time all barium enema examinations.     

Does type of colostomy influence outcome of colostomy closure?

A retrospective analysis of 81 patients who had closure of colostomy over a 32-month period was carried out to establish factors affecting the outcome of this operation. Their ages averaged 27 years and there were 69 male patients. The sigmoid colon was the most common site and the loop colostomy was most frequently performed. The majority were closed 3 or more months after construction. Loop colostomy took significantly less time to close and patients were fed significantly earlier compared with the other types. Patients who underwent closure after Hartmann's procedure had the longest hospital stay. The complication rate was 12% and there was no mortality. Colostomy closures in this study had minimal complications and no mortality. The loop colostomy is as easy to close as it is to perform and results in shorter hospital stay.     

Influence of a defunctioning stoma on leakage rates after low colorectal anastomosis and colonic J pouch-anal anastomosis

BACKGROUND: Anal sphincter function is increasingly preserved following rectal excision for cancer and provides a better quality of life for patients than does a permanent colostomy. However, anastomotic complications may cause considerable morbidity and mortality. This retrospective study examined the incidence of anastomotic complications following two forms of reconstruction after resection for mid-rectal cancer: colonic pouch-anal anastomosis (CPAA) and low colorectal anastomosis (LCRA). METHODS: Some 258 consecutive patients with mid-rectal cancers between 6 and 11 cm from the anal verge underwent proctectomy with mesorectal excision and either CPAA or LCRA. The incidence of clinical and radiological leaks was determined in these patients who were considered in three groups: LCRA (defunctioning stoma), LCRA (no defunctioning stoma) and CPAA (all defunctioned). RESULTS: In the LCRA group without a defunctioning stoma, a clinical leak occurred in 17.0 per cent, compared with two of 30 in the LCRA group with a defunctioning stoma. In the CPAA group a clinical leak occurred in 4.9 per cent of patients, which was not significantly different from the rate in those with a defunctioned LCRA. Patients with a non-defunctioned LCRA were more likely to suffer a clinical anastomotic leak (P=0.01), peritonitis (P=0.001) and require unscheduled reoperation (P=0.006) than those with a defunctioned LCRA and/or CPAA. CONCLUSION: The use of a protective defunctioning stoma is advocated in conjunction with LCRAs.     

An evaluation of procedures used in staging carcinoma of the cervix

A review of 227 cases of invasive carcinoma of the cervix was undertaken to determine the efficacy of procedures using in the staging of this disease. All patients had a pretreatment chest radiography and intravenous pyelogram. 96.5% had pretreatment cystoscopy, 98.6% had pretreatment proctoscopy, and 92% had a pretreatment barium enema. These patients were retrospectively staged on the findings of physical examination only. Each additional procedure was then evaluated by comparison with the initial staging. Cystoscopy and chest film findings each would have changed the clinical stage in fewer than 1% of cases, barium enema in 1.4%, and proctoscopy in 2.2%. No patient had a positive barium enema without a positive proctoscopy, while two patients had positive proctoscopies with negative barium enemas. The overall yield of positive findings by pretreatment intravenous pyelography was 7.3%. Lymphangiography, although inconsistently done, yielded positive findings in all stages. Chest radiographs, intravenous pyelography, proctoscopy, and lymphangiography are recommended as part of the pretreatment workup of patients with carcinoma of the cervix. Routine barium enema is no longer recommended, and cystoscopy is only recommended in patients with clinical stage IIB disease or greater.     

Unilateral parathyroid exploration

Unilateral neck exploration (UNE) for primary hyperparathyroidism can be done with the same excellent results as bilateral neck exploration (BNE) with decreased operative time and postoperative complications with a good preoperative localization study. One hundred six charts were reviewed retrospectively in patients operated on between May 1989 and October 1996 with primary hyperparathyroidism. Seventy-seven of these patients had preoperative ultrasounds (US) performed by a radiologist interested in parathyroid ultrasonography. UNE was performed if the operative findings were consistent with the US and a normal gland was identified on the same side. If a normal gland was not identified on the initial side or there was a question of hyperplasia a BNE was performed. Forty-six of the 77 patients had UNE, and 31 had BNE. Sixty-nine of these patients were found to have accurate US. Based on these results there is a 90 per cent accuracy rate for US performed by an interested radiologist. Comparing operative times between patients with UNE and BNE, there was a statistical difference (P = 0.001). Complications were also recorded in each group. Patients with UNE had a 22 per cent complication rate, whereas patients with BNE had a 45 per cent complication rate. This difference was statistically significant (P = 0.04) (Fisher's exact test). The majority of complications were asymptomatic and symptomatic hypocalcemia. Two patients in the BNE group experienced transient hoarseness. The advantages of UNE include reduced morbidity, decreased operative time and avoidance of scarring in the contralateral neck. In the total study population (n = 106), 99 patients (93.4%) had a single adenoma. An accurate, noninvasive, low-cost preoperative localization study is necessary to practice UNE for primary hyperparathyroidism. Parathyroid US, done by an interested radiologist, with a 90 per cent accuracy rate, meets all these criteria.     

Transport in a grooved perfusion flat-bed bioreactor for cell therapy applications

We retrospectively reviewed the cases of seventy-two consecutive patients who had a lumbar discectomy, between 1950 and 1983, when they were sixteen years of age or younger. There were forty boys and thirty-two girls. At the time of the lumbar discectomy, twelve patients (17 per cent) also had a spinal arthrodesis. The mean duration of follow-up was 27.8 years (range, twelve to forty-five years). Twenty patients (28 per cent) had one reoperation or more, with the first reoperation performed at a mean of 9.7 years after the initial discectomy. Fourteen patients had one reoperation, four had two reoperations, one had three, and one had five. Fifty-two patients (72 per cent) did not need a reoperation. At the time of the latest follow-up, forty-eight (92 per cent) of the fifty-two patients either had no pain or had occasional pain related to strenuous activity and fifty-one (98 per cent) could participate in daily activities with no or mild limitations. Survivorship analysis showed that the overall probability that a patient would not need a reoperation was 80 per cent at ten years and 74 per cent at twenty years after the initial operation. With the numbers available for study, we could not show that age, gender, or an arthrodesis performed at the time of the initial operation were risk factors for a reoperation. We could not detect a difference, with respect to pain or the level of activity, between the patients who had had an arthrodesis at the initial operation and those who had not or between those who had a coexisting structural abnormality of the lumbar spine and those who did not.     

Reversal of Hartmann's colostomy

From January 1980 to December 1992, sixty-two Hartmann's procedures were performed for septic complications of sigmoid diverticular disease, in the Professorial Unit at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. Colorectal continuity was subsequently restored in 53% of the fifty-three surviving patients. The overall morbidity and mortality was 34% and 0% respectively. There were two anastomotic leaks (7%) while two patients (7%) developed anastomotic stenoses requiring multiple dilations. Closure of Hartmann's colostomy was carried out by consultants (48%), senior registrars (38%) and registrars with consultant supervision (14%). Fifteen anastomoses were hand sewn and fourteen were stapled. Twenty-one per cent of patients had closure of colostomy in less than 3 months, 48% between 3 and 6 months and 31% of reversals were carried out more than 6 months following their formation. The grade of surgeon had no influence on the outcome of reversal. Although the numbers were small, the morbidity was found to be highest in those patients in whom colostomy closure was carried out within 3 months of colostomy formation. Also, there was an increased incidence (7%) of anastomotic stenoses in the stapled anastomosis group.     

Malone antegrade continence enema for adults with neurogenic bowel disease

PURPOSE: We describe the outcomes of adults with neurogenic bowel disease who underwent a Malone antegrade continence enema procedure with or without concomitant urinary diversion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Consecutive adult patients with neurogenic bowel disease who underwent an antegrade continence enema procedure (continent catheterizable appendicocecostomy for fecal impaction) were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Of the 7 patients who underwent an antegrade continence enema synchronous urinary procedure (ileal conduit, augmentation ileocystoplasty with continent catheterizable abdominal stoma or augmentation ileocystoplasty) was also performed in 6. Mean patient age was 32 years and mean followup was 11 months. Of the 7 patients 6 who self-administered antegrade continence enemas regularly were continent of stool per rectum and appendicocecostomy, using the appendicocecostomy as the portal for antegrade enemas. All 6 compliant patients reported decreased toileting time and improved quality of life. Preoperative autonomic dysreflexia resolved postoperatively in 3 patients. All urinary tracts were stable. In 4 patients 5 complications occurred, including antegrade continence enema stomal stenosis requiring appendicocutaneous revision (1), antegrade continence enema stomal stenosis requiring dilation (1), superficial wound infection (1), small bowel obstruction requiring lysis of adhesions (1) and urinary incontinence (1 who underwent continent urinary diversion). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with neurogenic bladder and bowel disease may benefit from antegrade continence enema performed synchronously with a urinary procedure. Antegrade continence enema may be indicated alone for neurogenic bowel. Patient selection is important.     

Colonic ischemia: the Achilles heel of ruptured aortic aneurysm repair

Colonic ischemia is an often fatal complication of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair. In elective AAA repair, patency of the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) has been shown to be an important contributing factor. The purpose of this study was to determine which clinical and operative factors are important in the development of colonic ischemia in ruptured AAA repair. A retrospective review of all patients treated for ruptured AAA over a 7-year period was performed. Of 101 patients who were treated for ruptured AAA, 71 (70 per cent) survived for longer than 24 hours postoperatively, and these patients are the basis for this study. Colonic ischemia, primarily left sided, was a common perioperative complication (n = 24; 35 per cent) requiring colectomy in 11 patients (44 per cent). It carried a 44 per cent mortality compared to 20 per cent in patients without this complication (P = 0.07). Colonic ischemia occurred more frequently in patients with preoperative shock (P = 0.01) and a greater intraoperative blood loss (P = 0.003), but showed no correlation with patient age, co-morbid medical conditions, laboratory values, time to operation, or treatment of the IMA. Most patients with postoperative bowel ischemia were found to have chronic IMA occlusion, including 8 of the 11 patients requiring colectomy. Revascularization would not be feasible in this group. Revascularization of patent IMAs had little effect on outcome. Of the 17 patent IMAs, 9 were reimplanted and 5 (55 per cent) developed bowel ischemia, two of which required colectomy. Eight were ligated and 3 (38 per cent) developed bowel ischemia, one requiring colectomy. The presence of preoperative shock is the most important factor predicting the development of colonic ischemia following ruptured AAA. The incidence of ischemia is not altered by the presence of a patent IMA or with attempts at IMA revascularization. Colonic ischemia remains a significant source of morbidity and mortality in these patients.     

Use of external conduit impairs liver function in patients with biliary atresia

An external conduit (stoma) for patients with biliary atresia has been used to prevent postoperative cholangitis. Thirty-two patients with biliary atresia who had hepatic portoenterostomies with external conduits were studied retrospectively with respect to frequency and severity of postoperative cholangitis or stoma bleeding. Changes in their liver enzyme levels, and total bilirubin (TB) levels were measured before and after closure of the stoma. Cholangitis was observed in 20 patients (62.5%), and major hemorrhage from the stoma site was seen in 14 patients (43.8%) prior to closure. Levels of liver enzymes such as glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GTP), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) improved significantly within 1 month after closure of the stoma, and remained low thereafter. The TB concentration was the only liver function that did not change significantly following closure. In summary, the authors do not recommend an external conduit in patients with biliary atresia because it is not an effective way of reducing the incidence of postoperative cholangitis, and it may be deleterious to liver function.     

Review of 1198 cases of penetrating cardiac trauma

BACKGROUND: This study was a clinicoforensic analysis of the prevalence and outcome of traumatic cardiac injuries in Durban. METHODS: Between 1990 and 1992, 1198 patients sustained cardiac trauma. Seventy (6 per cent) reached hospital alive and 1128 (94 per cent) were taken directly to the mortuary. Seven hundred victims had suffered stab wounds, 494 gunshot wounds and four blast injuries. Gunshot injuries increased from 34 per cent in 1990 to 50 per cent in 1992. The mean (s.d.) age was 30.5 (5.4) years and the majority (91 per cent) were men. RESULTS: Thirty-five (50 per cent) of those who reached hospital alive died, including all four gunshot victims. Significant factors associated with survival were isolated injury, the presence of cardiac tamponade (univariate and multivariate analysis), right ventricular injury, single cardiac chamber injury and absence of pleural breach (univariate analysis alone). Delay in operative intervention was associated with a higher mortality rate. When analysing the patients who did not reach hospital alive, 202 (18 per cent) with tamponade due to an isolated stab wound were identified as a subset who might have been saved with prompt treatment. CONCLUSION: An increasing number of gunshot injuries in combination with delays in reaching hospital and in receiving treatment accounted for the high mortality rate in this unselected series.     

Reproductive aging is an evolutionarily programmed strategy that no longer provides adaptive value

PURPOSE:The aim of this study was to assess the results of the Malone (antegrade colonic enema) procedure for fecal incontinence. METHODS: By a retrospective review of patients treated between 1990 and 1996 in a tertiary referral center, 36 patients were treated with a Malone procedure. Age at operation was 8.3 (range, 3 to 14) years, the mean period of follow-up was 39 (range, 9 to 72) months. The indication was fecal soiling in 35 and chronic constipation in one. The underlying diagnosis was an anorectal anomaly in the majority of patients. The appendix was used in 30 patients and a cecal flap in six, and a submucosal antireflux procedure was also performed in 10. In 35 patients, a circular stoma was created and in one a V flap was used. Antegrade colonic enemas were performed daily in 10, alternate days in 23, and in three patients the stoma was no longer used. Enemas were performed with a 10F catheter using a mixture of phosphate enema (or liquorice) and saline. RESULTS: Fecal soiling was completely controlled in 28 patients, and eight children soiled more than once a week. Complications occurred in 15 patients; the main problem was stenosis of the conduit, which occurred in 9 of 30 appendiceal stomas and three of six cecal stomas. Stomal stenosis was treated with surgical revision in eight patients. Additional complications were reflux through the stoma (n=2), pain on catheterisation (n=1), and small bowel obstruction (n=1). In one patient the Malone has been converted to a colostomy. CONCLUSIONS: The Malone procedure is a simple technique that can effectively control fecal incontinence in the majority of cases. It appeared to be better in older children. Stomal stenosis is a frequently encountered problem that may require surgical revision.     

Combined Mitrofanoff and antegrade continence enema procedures for urinary and fecal incontinence

PURPOSE: Fecal soiling or intractable constipation frequently occurs in association with urinary incontinence in children undergoing major reconstructive urological operations. To treat double incontinence or the combination of wetting and severe constipation, we constructed a Mitrofanoff conduit and a channel for antegrade continence enemas in 18 patients between 1989 and 1995. We review the underlying pathological conditions, various surgical techniques and outcomes of these operations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Underlying abnormalities mainly included spinal lesions, bladder exstrophy, imperforate anus and various cloacal anomalies. Patient age ranged from 2 to 18 years (average 8.4). In 13 patients both procedures were done simultaneously. The appendix was used to construct the antegrade continence enema channel in 8 cases and the Mitrofanoff channel in 5. It was long enough to be divided and used for both procedures in 2 cases but it was missing or unsuitable in 3. Alternative antegrade continence enema conduits were cecal flap in 7 patients and ileum in 1, while the ureter, ileum and detrusor tube were used to establish Mitrofanoff channels in 5, 5 and 1, respectively. Stomas were constructed according to the V-flap or V. Z. Q. technique and situated in close proximity in the right lower abdominal quadrant in 13 cases. RESULTS: Convalescence was uneventful except for 1 abscess near an antegrade continence enema stoma. Ten patients needed dilation or minor revisions due to difficulty in catheterizing the antegrade continence enema (5), Mitrofanoff (3) or both conduits (2). Subsequently 3 patients underwent repeat operations for reconstruction of 2 antegrade continence enema channels (cecal flap and ileum) and 1 detrusor tube Mitrofanoff channel. Currently 15 patients are dry on regular clean intermittent catheterization using 10 to 12F catheters. Outcomes of the antegrade continence enema channels are satisfactory in 15 patients who are clean or rarely soil. Failure occurred in 1 patients with severe constipation necessitating colostomy and 2 (1 noncompliant who stopped catheterizing regularly) in whom the channels subsequently closed. CONCLUSIONS: Synchronous construction of antegrade continence enema and Mitrofanoff channels is successful in the majority of doubly incontinent patients. Selection of patients with high motivation is important to obtain satisfactory results.     

Prognostic implications of bronchogenic carcinoma proven by bronchoscopic biopsy

A total of 104 cases of bronchoscopically biopsy proven bronchogenic carcinoma are reviewed. Twenty-seven of 39 patients with operable lesions underwent pulmonary resection. There are seven patients with squamous cell tumors who are long-term, cancer-free survivors. The operative mortality was low at 2.3 per cent. A positive bronchoscopic biopsy should not be considered a contraindication for exploration, and an aggressive approach for squamous cell lesions seems justified.     

Adenoviral gene transfer in arteries of hypercholesterolemic nonhuman primates

Osteoid osteoma, a benign bone tumor, has traditionally been treated with operative excision. A recently developed method for percutaneous ablation of the tumor has been proposed as an alternative to operative treatment. The relative outcomes of the two approaches to treatment have not previously been compared, to our knowledge. The rates of recurrence and of persistent symptoms were compared in a consecutive series of eighty-seven patients who were managed with operative excision and thirty-eight patients who were managed with percutaneous ablation with radiofrequency. Patients who had a spinal lesion were excluded. The minimum duration of follow-up was two years. There was a recurrence, defined as the need for subsequent intervention, after operative treatment in six (9 per cent) of sixty-eight patients who had been managed for a primary lesion and in two of nineteen who had been managed for a recurrent lesion. The average length of the hospital stay was 4.7 days for the patients who had a primary lesion and 5.1 days for those who had a recurrent lesion. There was a recurrence after percutaneous treatment in four (12 per cent) of thirty-three patients who had been managed for a primary lesion and in none of five who had been managed for a recurrent lesion. The average length of the hospital stay was 0.2 day for these thirty-eight patients. With the numbers available, we could detect no significant difference between the two treatments with regard to the rate of recurrence. The rate of persistent symptoms (that is, symptoms that did not necessitate additional treatment) was greater than the rate of recurrence. According to responses to a questionnaire, eight (30 per cent) of twenty-seven patients had persistent symptoms after operative treatment and six (23 per cent) of twenty-six patients had persistent symptoms after percutaneous treatment with radiofrequency. Two patients had complications after operative excision, necessitating a total of five additional operations. There were no complications associated with the percutaneous method. The results of the present study suggest that percutaneous ablation with radiofrequency is essentially equivalent to operative excision for the treatment of an osteoid osteoma in an extremity. The percutaneous method is preferred for the treatment of extraspinal osteoid osteoma because it generally does not necessitate hospitalization, it has not been associated with complications, and it is associated with a rapid convalescence.