Immunohistochemical study of characteristics of bile duct dysplasia evaluated on the basis of expression of metastasis/invasion-related factors and p53.

Background/purpose: Bile duct carcinoma still continues to have an unfavorable prognosis, despite an improved rate of curative resection and the development of surgical techniques. We evaluated the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs), and intercellular adhesive factors (E-cadherin, alpha-catenin, beta-catenin) in cancer, dysplastic lesions, and normal (nonatypical) epithelia (glandulous ducts) in patients with bile duct carcinoma. Positivity rates for these factors were compared among the three histological types to examine the characteristics of bile duct dysplasia.

Gasless laparoscopy-assisted colon surgery utilizing mini-laparotomy and a subcutaneous abdominal wall lift system.

Background/aims: This study was performed to investigate the technical aspects and perioperative results of using a subcutaneous abdominal wall lift system for laparoscopy-assisted colectomy.

Methodology: We attempted a laparoscopy-assisted colectomy for 19 patients and completed 16 cases using mini-laparotomy and a subcutaneous abdominal wall lift system, observing monitor images via laparoscopy or direct views through mini-laparotomy. All 5 surgeons had no experience of laparoscopy-assisted colectomy but considerable experience of laparoscopic cholecystectomy.