Calcium-sensing receptor and apoptosis in parathyroid hyperplasia of patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Objective: This retrospective study investigated the characteristics of secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) by examining the presence of the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) and the rate of cell proliferation and apoptosis in parathyroid glands.

Methods: Eighteen diffuse and 57 nodular hyperplastic parathyroid glands from 24 patients with SHPT were compared with 14 primary adenomas and 33 normal parathyroid glands using immunohistochemical staining of CaSR and a marker of proliferative activity (Ki67 antigen). Apoptosis was measured using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labelling assay.

Laparoscopic resection of a hepatocellular carcinoma arising from an ectopic liver.

Ectopic livers are rarely seen intra-abdominal lesions. Ectopic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can be defined as an HCC arising from hepatic parenchyma located in an extrahepatic organ or tissue. The authors report a case of a primary, well-differentiated HCC arising from ectopic liver tissue in the left subphrenic space at the upper portion of the gastrorenal ligament that was successfully treated by laparoscopic resection.

Laparoscopic treatment of a huge cystic lymphangioma: partial aspiration technique with a spinal needle.

A cystic lymphangioma is a rare intra-abdominal lesion. Treatment is a complete excision of the cyst because of complications and a rare chance of malignancy. In this paper we report on 2 patients with a huge cystic lymphangioma who were treated by laparoscopic surgery successfully.