Lymph node ratio and surgical quality are strong prognostic factors of rectal cancer: results from a single referral centre.

Aim: Nodal stage is a strong prognostic factor of oncological outcome of rectal cancer. To compensate for the variation in total number of harvested nodes, calculation of the lymph node ratio (LNR) has been advocated. The aim of the study was to compare the impact, on the long-term oncological outcome, of the LNR with other predictive factors, including the quality of total mesorectal excision (TME) and the state of the circumferential resection margin.

Progression of coronary artery calcification and thoracic aorta calcification in kidney transplant recipients.

Background: Vascular calcification independently predicts cardiovascular disease, the major cause of death in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). Longitudinal studies of vascular calcification in KTRs are few and small and have short follow-up. We assessed the evolution of coronary artery (CAC) and thoracic aorta calcification and their determinants in a cohort of prevalent KTRs.

[Correlations between the type of distribution of the branches of the inferior mesenteric artery and the aspect of the mesocolon].

Emergence pattern of inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) branches leaded to description of 6 types of arterial distribution, each of them being correlated with a certain mesocolon aspect. The height of mesosigmoid depends on coalescence pattern and grade, and has a particular importance in terminal colic and retroperitoneal viscera's surgery. For each of the 6 types of distribution are described different ways of differential ligatures, for elongation and descending the colon, initially establishing the predominant collateral trunks.