Immunoglobulin Light Chain Amyloidosis Presenting as Inferior Vena Cava Thrombosis.

Immunoglobulin light chain (AL) amyloidosis is a rare disease characterized by the deposition of misfolded extracellular proteins within various body tissues resulting in dysfunction of the cardiac, renal, gastrointestinal, hematologic, and nervous systems, among others. Systemic AL amyloidosis often presents with a constellation of vague symptoms such as fatigue, dyspnea, and abdominal pain. Untreated AL amyloidosis with cardiac involvement is rapidly fatal with a median survival of 6 months.

Open Cholecystostomy Under Local Anesthesia for Acute Cholecystitis in the Elderly and High-Risk Surgical Patients.

Background: The morbidity and mortality rates associated with cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis are higher in the critically ill elderly population. As an alternative to cholecystectomy, we report the results of treatment of acute cholecystitis in the elderly after open cholecystolithotomy with cholecystostomy tube placement under local anesthesia.

Methods: A case series was performed on 5 patients from August 2007 to April 2010 who presented with acute cholecystitis and underwent an open cholecystolithotomy and tube placement.

The benefit of using two techniques for sentinel lymph node mapping in breast cancer.

Sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping has revolutionized the way we stage breast cancer. A blue dye technique (BD) and the use of a radiotracer with the assistance of a gamma-detecting probe (GDP) have been used for the identification of the sentinel nodes. Some groups have suggested that only one technique is necessary.