Publications (9)19.58 Total impact
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Article: Esophagogastric Metaplasia Relates to Nodal Metastases in Adenocarcinoma of Esophagus and Cardia.
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ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Immunohistochemical profiles of esophageal and cardia adenocarcinoma differ according to the presence or absence of Barrett's epithelium (BIM) and gastric intestinal metaplasia (GIM) in the fundus and antrum. Different lymphatic spreading has been demonstrated in esophageal adenocarcinoma. We investigated the correlation among the presence or absence of intestinal metaplasia in the esophagus and stomach and lymphatic metastases in patients who underwent radical surgery for esophageal and cardia adenocarcinoma. METHODS: The mucosa surrounding the adenocarcinoma and the gastric mucosa were analyzed. The BIM+ patients underwent subtotal esophagectomy and gastric pull up, and the BIM- patients underwent esophagectomy at the azygos vein, total gastrectomy, and esophagojejunostomy. The radical thoracic (station numbers 2, 3, 4R, 7, 8, and 9) and abdominal (station numbers 15 through 20) lymphadenectomy was identical in both procedures except for the greater curvature. RESULTS: One hundred ninety-four consecutive patients were collected in three major groups: BIM+/GIM-, 52 patients (26.8%); BIM-/GIM-, 90 patients (46.4%); BIM-/GIM+, 50 patients (25.8%). Two patients (1%) were BIM+/GIM+. A total of 6,010 lymph nodes were resected: 1,515 were recovered in BIM+, 1,587 in BIM-/GIM+, and 2,908 in BIM-/GIM- patients. The percentage of patients with pN+ stations 8 and 9 was higher in BIM+ (p = 0.001), and the percentage of patients with pN+ perigastric stations was higher in BIM- (p = 0.001). The BIM-/GIM- patients had a number of abdominal metastatic lymph nodes higher than did the BIM-/GIM+ patients (p = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: According to the presence or absence of BIM and GIM in the esophagus and cardia, adenocarcinoma correspond to three different patterns of lymphatic metastasization, which may reflect different biologic and carcinogenetic pathways.The Annals of thoracic surgery 02/2013; · 3.74 Impact Factor -
Article: The frequency of true short oesophagus in type II-IV hiatal hernia.
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ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVES: The misdiagnosis of short oesophagus may occur on recurrence of the hernia after surgery for type II-IV hiatal hernia (HH). The frequency of short oesophagus in type II-IV hernia is undefined. The aim of this study was to assess the frequency of true short oesophagus in patients undergoing surgery for type II-IV hernia. METHODS: Thirty-four patients with type II-IV hernia underwent minimally invasive surgery. After full isolation of the oesophago-gastric junction, the position of the gastric folds was localized endoscopically and two clips were applied in correspondence. The distance between the clips and the diaphragm (intra-abdominal oesophageal length) was measured. When the intra-abdominal oesophagus was <1.5 cm after oesophageal mobilization, the Collis procedure was performed. After surgery, patients underwent a follow-up, comprehensive of barium swallow and endoscopy. RESULTS: After mediastinal mobilization (median 10 cm), the intra-abdominal oesophageal length was >1.5 cm in 17 patients (4 type II, 11 type III and 2 type IV) and ≤1.5 cm in 17 patients (13 type III and 4 type IV hernia). No statistically significant differences were found between patients with intra-abdominal oesophageal length > or ≤1.5 cm with respect to symptoms duration and severity. Global results (median follow-up 48 months) were excellent in 44% of patients, good in 50%, fair in 3% and poor in 3%. HH relapse occurred in 3%. CONCLUSIONS: True short oesophagus is present in 57% of type III-IV and in none of type II HHs. The intraoperative measurement of the submerged intra-abdominal oesophagus is an objective method for recognizing these patients. CLINICALTRIALS.GOV ID: NCT01587859. https://register.clinicaltrials.gov/prs/app/action/SelectProtocol?sid=S0003J7U&selectaction=View&uid=U0000GED&ts=4&cx=uweuc0.European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery: official journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery 11/2012; · 2.40 Impact Factor -
Article: Obscure gastrointestinal bleeding: single centre experience of capsule endoscopy.
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ABSTRACT: The advent of capsule endoscopy (CE) has resulted in a paradigm shift in the approach to the diagnosis and management of patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB). With increasing global availability of this diagnostic tool, it has now become an integral part of the diagnostic algorithm for OGIB in most parts of the world. However, there is scant data on optimum timing of CE for maximizing diagnostic yield. OGIB continues to be a challenge because of delay in diagnosis and consequent morbidity and mortality. We evaluated the diagnostic yield of CE in identifying the source of bleeding in patients with OGIB. We identified patients who underwent CE at our institution from May 2006 to May 2011. The patients' medical records were reviewed to determine the type of OGIB (occult, overt), CE results and complications, and timing of CE with respect to onset of bleeding. Out of 346 patients investigated for OGIB, 246 (71.1%) had some lesion detected by CE. In 206 patients (59.5%), definite lesions were detected that could unequivocally explain the OGIB. Small bowel angiodysplasia, ulcer/erosions secondary to Crohn's disease, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent use, and neoplasms were the commonest lesions detected. Visualization of the entire small bowel was achieved in 311 (89.9%) of cases. Capsule retention was noted in five patients (1.4%). In this study, CE was proven to be a safe, comfortable, and effective, with a high rate of accuracy for diagnosing OGIB.Internal and Emergency Medicine 09/2011; · 2.06 Impact Factor -
Article: Improving the surgery for sigmoid achalasia: long-term results of a technical detail.
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ABSTRACT: Heller myotomy results for the treatment of sigmoid achalasia are worse than those achieved for fusiform achalasia. We retrospectively examined two groups of sigmoid achalasia patients, in which we performed (1) the standard Heller-Dor procedure (no pull-down) and (2) the Heller-Dor plus a technique apt to obtain the verticality of the oesophageal axis (pull-down). We verified whether the latter technique improved long-term results. We considered 33 patients affected by primitive oesophageal sigmoid achalasia operated upon consecutively (1979-2005). Diagnosis was based on symptoms, manometry, radiology and endoscopy. After 1987, we routinely isolated 360 degrees of the gastro-oesophageal junction and the lower oesophagus and applied U stitches at the right side of the lower oesophagus to pull down and rotate the gastro-oesophageal junction toward the right. Fifteen patients underwent the no pull-down and 18 patients underwent the pull-down technique. Postoperative follow-up included objective clinical and instrumental evaluation (questionnaire filled by a surgeon including the assessment of symptoms and endoscopic reflux oesophagitis according to a semi-quantitative scale) and subjective evaluation (self-evaluation SF-36 questionnaire). The mean follow-up period was 89 months (range 12-261 months). The postoperative dysphagia score was significantly improved in the entire group. Excellent results were present in 12 patients (36.4%), good in 11 (33.3%), fair in 3 (9.1%) and insufficient in 7 patients (21.2%). No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups with regard to the postoperative symptoms and oesophagitis. Postoperative radiological measurements of oesophageal diameter and residual barium column were significantly improved in the whole group and within each group with respect to the radiological variables measured preoperatively (p=0.000). In the comparison of the two groups, statistically significant differences were observed with regard to mean oesophageal diameter (p=0.030) (pull-down, 4+/-0.9 cm; no pull-down, 4.7+/-0.6 cm) and residual barium column (p=0.048) (pull-down, 6.2+/-3.4 cm; no pull-down, 9.6+/-5.8 cm). The Heller-Dor operation is effective in the presence of sigmoid achalasia. The clinical objective and subjective evaluations show a trend toward the improvement of results with the pull-down technique. Stronger statistical significance would probably be obtained from a larger case series.European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery 01/2008; 32(6):827-33. · 2.55 Impact Factor -
Article: Immunopathological patterns of the stomach in adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, cardia, and gastric antrum: gastric profiles in Siewert type I and II tumors.
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ABSTRACT: The morphologic and immunohistochemical profiles of gastric mucosa and of the tumor were assessed in Siewert type I, type II, and gastric antrum adenocarcinomas. Sixty-two patients, prospectively operated upon, were included in the study: 37 type II, 15 type I, and 10 antrum adenocarcinoma. Samples of the tumor, the surrounding area, and the gastric corpus and antrum were analyzed histologically, and immunostained for cytokeratins (CK)7/20 (staining positive for cells labeled > or = 50%). Among the 37 type II adenocarcinomas were the following: (1) 13 of 37 (35%) had intestinal metaplasia (IM) in the stomach; (2) 24 of 37 (65%) did not show IM at any level; (3) 34 of 37 (92%) had Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection; (4) 13 of 37(35%) had CK7/20 expression of "Barrett's type" (CK7+/20-); 24 of 37 (65%) had a "no Barrett's type" profile (10 of 37 with CK7-/CK20+ and 14 of 37 with CK7+/CK20+); (5) 100% showed the same CK immunoprofile, both in IM and adenocarcinoma (measure of agreement k = 1, p = 0.000). Type I adenocarcinomas showed the following: (1) 87.5% CK Barrett's type, both in the tumor, and in the surrounding IM; (2) 100% gastric samples devoid of both IM and HP infection. Comparison between CK immunoprofiles in type I and type II tumors showed a difference within the two groups (p = 0.002). One hundred percent of antrum adenocarcinomas showed a no Barrett's type CK profile, both in the tumor and in the IM of the entire stomach. Data suggest that type II adenocarcinoma cannot be always considered a gastroesophageal reflux disease-related tumor; other pathogenetic pathways should be taken into consideration.The Annals of thoracic surgery 05/2007; 83(5):1814-9. · 3.74 Impact Factor -
Article: Long-term results after Heller-Dor operation for oesophageal achalasia.
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ABSTRACT: In the literature, reports on the definitive rate of cure of the surgical treatment of oesophageal achalasia are not numerous. The aim of this study is to assess the clinical-instrumental-based patient's outcome related to long-term follow-up. One hundred and seventy-four patients (80 men, median age 57 years, range 7-83) consecutively submitted to first instance transabdominal Heller-Dor in the period 1978-2002 were considered. Follow-up consisted of clinical interview, endoscopy, barium-swallow and oesophageal manometry if required. Twenty-six cases (15%) were sigmoid achalasias. One patient died post-operatively (severe haemorrhage in a patient previously operated upon for a cardiovascular malformation and suffering for portal hypertension), 173 were followed-up (mean 109 months, range 12-288, median 93 months) of whom 68 for more than 15 years. On the whole 151 patients (87.3%) had satisfactory and 22 (12.7%) had poor long-term results. Seven out of 173 patients (4%), 6 of whom were pre-operatively classified as sigmoid achalasia, subsequently underwent oesophagectomy, 3 for epidermoid cancer, 1 for Barrett's adenocarcinoma, 2 for stasis oesophagitis and recurrent sepsis, 1 for severe dysphagia. Fifteen patients (8.7%) had an insufficient result due to reflux oesophagitis which appeared in 2 (one erosion) after 184 and 252 months. All 22 patients, whether surgically or medically retreated, achieved satisfactory control of dysphagia and reflux symptoms. In the long term, insufficient results strictly related to Heller-Dor failure, always due to reflux oesophagitis, were recorded in 15/173 patients (8.7%) although it is questionable whether reflux oesophagitis appearing after more than 15 years is due to the Dor incompetence or to ageing. In sigmoid achalasia, oesophagectomy rather than myotomy should be taken into consideration in the first instance. In the long-term, surgery is the best definitive treatment for oesophageal achalasia.European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery 07/2006; 29(6):914-9. · 2.55 Impact Factor -
Article: The surgical treatment of the intrathoracic migration of the gastro-oesophageal junction and of short oesophagus in gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.
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ABSTRACT: In the rush to implement laparoscopic surgery for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), the necessity to treat a short oesophagus with dedicated techniques was not always adequately considered. The aim of this study was to define the frequency, patterns and surgical treatment of the intrathoracic migration of the g-o junction and short oesophagus in GORD. Between 1980 and 2003 our group indicated surgery only for severe and complicated GORD and for drawbacks of medical therapy. Preoperatively patients underwent clinical-instrumental work up. The various degrees of the intrathoracic migration of the g-o junction were classified according to the barium swallow. A total of 319 patients operated upon were grouped according to the periods 1980-1991 and 1992-2003 with 149 and 170 patients, respectively. In the first period only 'open' procedures were performed; the Collis gastroplasty in addition to the antireflux procedure was performed when reduction of the g-o junction in the abdomen required excessive tension. In the second period mini-invasive techniques were progressively introduced. During laparoscopy, the relationship between the g-o junction and the hiatus, and the need to elongate the oesophagus, was assessed by intraoperative oesophagoscopy. The Collis gastroplasty was performed in 29% in the first period and in 23% in the second period. Radiology was a strong predictor of the necessity to elongate the oesophagus. In the second period, global long-term results improved with respect to the first period; P = 0.047 (first period satisfactory 82%, poor 18%, median FU 84, 12-252 months; second period satisfactory 93%, poor 7%, median FU 34, 6-126 months). In the second period, Collis-Nissen and Collis-Belsey procedures had satisfactory results in 80% and poor in 20%. In surgery for severe GORD, the Collis procedure is required in 23% of operations; radiology helps to plan surgery; intraoperative endoscopy avoids unnecessary oesophageal lengthening.European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery 07/2004; 25(6):1079-88. · 2.55 Impact Factor -
Article: [Laparoscopic and left thoracoscopic Collis-Nissen procedure: technique and short term results].
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ABSTRACT: The aim of this paper is to illustrate a laparoscopic-thoracoscopic technique for the surgical management of foreshortened esophagus in patients affected by severe gastro-esophageal reflux disease. The patient is placed on the operating table with the left chest and arm lifted to perform a thoracostomy in theV-VI space, posterior to the axillary line. The hiatus is opened and the distal esophagus is mobilized. With intraoperative endoscopy the position of the gastroesophageal junction in relationship to the hiatus is determined in order to decide whether to perform a standard procedure for reflux or to lengthen the esophagus. In the second case, short gastric vessels are divided and the gastric fundus is mobilized. An endostapler is introduced into the left chest. The Collis gastroplasty is performed over a 42 Maloney bougie. A floppy Nissen and the hiatoplasty complete the procedure. Twenty-two procedures of laparoscopic-thoracoscopic Collis gastroplasty were performed. The postoperative course was regular in 17 patients and complicated in 5 cases. Two procedures were converted for split of the endosuture caused by an oversized Maloney bougie (52 Ch). Other complications included intrathoracic migration of the fundoplication with need for repeating laparoscopic surgery, an empyema without fistula and atrial fibrillation. In conclusion, this technique corresponds to all principles of anti-reflux surgery and makes it possible to properly treat any anatomical condition.Chirurgia italiana 57(2):183-91. -
Article: Immunopathological Patterns of the Stomach in Adenocarcinoma of the Esophagus, Cardia, and Gastric Antrum: Gastric Profiles in Siewert Type I and II Tumors
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ABSTRACT: BackgroundThe morphologic and immunohistochemical profiles of gastric mucosa and of the tumor were assessed in Siewert type I, type II, and gastric antrum adenocarcinomas.MethodsSixty-two patients, prospectively operated upon, were included in the study: 37 type II, 15 type I, and 10 antrum adenocarcinoma. Samples of the tumor, the surrounding area, and the gastric corpus and antrum were analyzed histologically, and immunostained for cytokeratins (CK)7/20 (staining positive for cells labeled ≥50%).ResultsAmong the 37 type II adenocarcinomas were the following: (1) 13 of 37 (35%) had intestinal metaplasia (IM) in the stomach; (2) 24 of 37 (65%) did not show IM at any level; (3) 34 of 37 (92%) had Helicobacter Pylori (HP) infection; (4) 13 of 37(35%) had CK7/20 expression of “Barrett’s type” (CK7+/20−); 24 of 37 (65%) had a “no Barrett’s type” profile (10 of 37 with CK7−/CK20+ and 14 of 37 with CK7+/CK20+); (5) 100% showed the same CK immunoprofile, both in IM and adenocarcinoma (measure of agreement k = 1, p = 0.000). Type I adenocarcinomas showed the following: (1) 87.5% CK Barrett’s type, both in the tumor, and in the surrounding IM; (2) 100% gastric samples devoid of both IM and HP infection. Comparison between CK immunoprofiles in type I and type II tumors showed a difference within the two groups (p = 0.002). One hundred percent of antrum adenocarcinomas showed a no Barrett’s type CK profile, both in the tumor and in the IM of the entire stomach.ConclusionsData suggest that type II adenocarcinoma cannot be always considered a gastroesophageal reflux disease-related tumor; other pathogenetic pathways should be taken into consideration.The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.
