Monitoring Breast Cancer Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Using Ultrasound Strain Elastography.

Strain elastography was used to monitor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in 92 patients with biopsy-proven, locally advanced breast cancer. Strain elastography data were collected before, during, and after NAC. Relative changes in tumor strain ratio (SR) were calculated over time, and responder status was classified according to tumor size changes.

Surgical treatment of haemorrhoids according to Longo and Milligan Morgan: an evaluation of postoperative tissue response.

Objectives: To compare by prospective randomised trial the postoperative tissue reaction of stapled vs. conventional haemorrhoidectomy.

Patients And Methods: Fifty patients with stage III haemorrhoids underwent surgery for haemorrhoids.

[Initial empirical antimicrobial therapy with piperacillin/tazobactam in intra-abdominal infections due to perforation of the large intestine and rectum and in postoperative complications after resection of the large intestine and rectum].

One of the basic therapeutic procedures in surgical intraabdominal infections is early administration of antimicrobial drugs. The basic requirement for the selection of antimicrobial drugs is a broad-spectum bactericide action with low toxicity. Within the framework of a retrospective non-comparative investigation the action of the betalactam antibiotic piperacillin combined with the betalactamase inhibitor tazobactam was tested which was used in the initial empirical antimicrobial treatment of 33 patients with intraabdominal infectious complications caused by perforation of the large bowel or dehiscence of the anastomosis on the large intestine or rectum.

Surgical treatment of the perforated colon with peritonitis.

The authors present their experience on 85 perforations of the colon treated at the Clinic of Surgery, Charles University Hospital in Prague between 1980-1993 and compare them with the results published in the literature. The most frequent cause of perforation was diverticulitis 35, followed by tumorous process 34, artificial injury 10, local ischemic lesion 4 and ulceration 1. All patients with perforation of the colon suffered from peritonitis.

[Intensive care in patients with intra-abdominal septic complications].

The authors investigated diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities of intensive care units when treating septic conditions in intraabdominal surgery. The authors emphasize the comprehensive and systematic character of the follow up of patients who are threatened by sepsis. Care involves in particular aimed antimicrobial therapy, immunotherapy, normalization of haemodynamics and the acid-base balance and rational parenteral nutrition.