Influence of radiofrequency surgery on architecture of the palatine tonsils.

Radiofrequency surgery is a widely used modern technique for submucosal volume reduction of the tonsils. So far there is very limited information on morphologic changes in the human tonsils after radiofrequency surgery. We performed histopathological study of tonsillectomy specimens after previous bipolar radiofrequency induced thermotherapy (RFITT).

Hirschsprung's disease and medullary thyroid carcinoma: 15-year experience with molecular genetic screening of the RET proto-oncogene.

Purpose: Inactivating germline mutations in the RET proto-oncogene are the major genetic cause of Hirschsprung's disease (HD). In some cases, HD can be associated with medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) that is commonly caused by activating RET mutations.

Methods: The retrospective and prospective genetic analyses of 157 patients with HD operated on between December 1979 and June 2011 were carried out.