Prognostic significance of histopathological factors in survival and recurrence of atypical carcinoid tumours.

Objectives: Atypical carcinoids are neuroendocrine neoplasms of intermediate degree and low frequency. The aim of this study is to analyse their clinical characteristics and the importance of different histopathological factors in their prognosis.

Methods: Multicentre cooperative group EMETNE prospectively reviewed 153 patients operated on between 1998 and 2016 with diagnosis of atypical carcinoids.

Thyroid Papillary Microtumor: Validation of the (Updated) Porto Proposal Assessing Sex Hormone Receptor Expression and Mutational BRAF Gene Status.

Given the high incidence and excellent prognosis of many papillary thyroid microcarcinomas, the Porto proposal uses the designation papillary microtumor (PMT) for papillary microcarcinomas (PMCs) without risk factors to minimize overtreatment and patients' stress. To validate Porto proposal criteria, we examined a series of 190 PMC series, also studying sex hormone receptors and BRAF mutation. Our updated Porto proposal (uPp) reclassifies as PMT incidental PMCs found at thyroidectomy lacking the following criteria: (a) detected under the age of 19 years; (b) with multiple tumors measuring >1 cm adding up all diameters; and (c) with aggressive morphologic features (extrathyroidal extension, angioinvasion, tall, and/or hobnail cells).

Frailty, disability and comorbidity: different domains lead to different effects after surgical aortic valve replacement in elderly patients.

Objectives: Frailty syndrome predicts adverse outcomes after surgical aortic valve replacement. However, disability or comorbidity is frequently associated with preoperative frailty evaluation. The effects of these domains on early and late outcomes were analysed.

Aggressiveness of the tall cell variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma is independent of the tumor size and patient age.

The tall cell variant (TCV) of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is characterized by tall columnar cells with a height of at least three times their width. TCV usually presents at an older age, has a larger size and exhibits more extrathyroidal extension and metastases than classical PTC. The current study compared TCV with the classical and follicular variants (CaFVs) of PTC to determine if, irrespective of the age at diagnosis and tumor size, TCV is more aggressive than its classical and follicular counterparts.

[Procalcitonin and C-reactive protein as early indicators of postoperative intra-abdominal infection after surgery for gastrointestinal cancer].

Aim: to evaluate the association between serum levels of procalcitonin and C-reactive protein, on the first 3 postoperative days, and the appearance of postoperative intra-abdominal infection.

Method: Prospective observational study including 67 patients operated on for colo-rectal, gastric and pancreatic cancer. Serum levels of procalcitonin and C-reactive protein were analyzed before surgery and daily until the third postoperative day.

[Prosthetic material in incisional hernia surgery].

There are different designs of prosthesis for use in the repair of incisional hernia, and it is often difficult to choose the most appropriate. The biological behaviour of the material must be a key part in the selection, although this behaviour will vary depending on what materials are available. A proper understanding of the relationship of the material with the abdominal wall dynamics is another important factor in this selection.

Early or delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy in acute cholecystitis? Conclusions of a controlled trial.

Background/aims: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is now accepted as being safe for acute cholecystitis. However, it has not become routine, because the exact timing and approach to the surgical management remains ill defined. This study evaluated the effect of timing of LC in patients with acute cholecystitis.