Morphology of myenteric plexuses in the human large intestine: comparison between large intestines with and without colonic diverticula.

Background: Large intestines with diverticula exhibit functionally abnormal peristaltic activity and elevated luminal pressure that may indicate functional changes in the myenteric plexus; however, no studies have investigated the characteristics of either normal or diverticula myenteric plexuses.

Methods: Tissue specimens obtained from 93 colorectal cancer patients without diverticula, 14 patients with perforated diverticulitis, and 12 colorectal cancer patients with asymptomatic diverticula were included in this study. Myenteric plexuses and ganglion cells were counted per centimeter, and the area and maximum diameter of the nuclei of ganglion cells were measured using an image analyzer.

A successfully treated case of severe necrotizing fasciitis caused by acute appendicitis: a case report.

We successfully saved a patient with appendicitis followed by necrotizing fascitis. A 77-year-old man with a history of ambulatory treatment for depression underwent an emergency operation because of severe abdominal pain. Laparotomy demonstrated that necrotizing appendicitis was massively extending over the abdominal cavity, involving the right paracolic sulcus and Douglas pouch and posterior surface of the right kidney.

Recurrence patterns after curative resection of colorectal cancer in patients followed for a minimum of ten years.

Background/aims: To investigate the recurrence patterns and interval from initial surgery in patients with curatively resected colorectal cancer followed for a minimum of 10 years.

Methodology: We retrospectively reviewed 418 patients who had undergone curative resection for colon cancer (n = 246) or rectal cancer (n = 169). Follow-up periods ranged from 10 to 23 years.

Ultrasonography for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis.

Acute appendicitis is usually encountered clinically as acute abdomen. Typical cases are easy to diagnose, but it can sometimes be very difficult to make a diagnosis in atypical cases. We retrospectively studied patients who underwent ultrasonography for right-sided lower abdominal pain suggesting acute appendicitis, and assessed the accuracy of ultrasonic diagnosis.

Improvement of 10-year survival by Japanese radical lymph node dissection in patients with Dukes' B and C colorectal cancer: a 17-year retrospective study.

This study investigated whether the Japanese radical lymph node dissection (J-LND) method was useful for improving the survival and outcome in patients undergoing surgical resection of primary colorectal cancer. The subjects were 434 patients with primary colorectal cancer treated over 17 years. The 10-year survival (10-YS), the number of retrieved and metastatic lymph nodes (LN), the extent of lymph node dissection (D0-D3), and the extent of lymph node metastasis (n0-n4) were compared with Dukes' classification by the Kaplan-Meier curves, log-rank test and multivariate analysis.

Is temporary loop colostomy of the right transverse colon appropriate for complete obstruction by colorectal cancer?

We experienced 12 consecutive cases of complete bowel obstruction due to primary colorectal cancer. Among these patients, temporary loop colostomy (loop C) was performed within the resection zone for the primary tumor in 10 cases, and Hartmann's operation was performed in two cases. The loop C was located in the sigmoid colon in five cases and on the left side of the transverse colon in five cases.

Risk of lymph node and distant metastases in patients with early invasive colorectal cancer classified as Haggitt's level 4 invasion: image analysis of submucosal layer invasion.

Purpose: Tumor invasion in patients with early invasive colorectal cancer has been classified into four levels proposed by Haggitt. Level 4 invasion into the submucosa has been defined as a risk factor for lymph node metastasis; however, the false-positive rate remains high. This study was designed to determine risk factors for lymph node and distant metastases in addition to Haggitt's Level 4 invasion.

Efficacy of combination chemotherapy for stage IV colon cancer with extensive peritoneal dissemination and multiple liver metastases: a case report.

A patient was diagnosed as having subacute ileus due to advanced cancer of the descending colon with multiple liver metastases and was treated by palliative left hemicolectomy. He was considered to have Stage IV cancer based on the finding of extensive peritoneal dissemination. Histopathological examination showed that the tumor was moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma.