Pharyngostoma reconstruction after laryngectomy and radiotherapy: A retrospective study and literature review.

Background: The occurrence of pharyngocutaneous fistula or pharyngostoma after oncologic head and neck surgery is a serious complication. It is the most common complication after major hypopharyngeal and laryngeal ablative surgery.

Aim: The purpose of this study is to review the surgical approach and evaluate the results regarding reconstruction methods of pharyngostoma, caused after laryngectomy and radiotherapy.

Palliative treatment of rectal carcinoma recurrence using radiofrequency ablation.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of CT-guided radiofrequency (RF) ablation for the palliative treatment of recurrent unresectable rectal tumors.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-seven patients with locally recurrent rectal cancer were treated with computed tomography (CT)-guided RF ablation. Therapy was performed with the patient under conscious sedation with a seven- or a nine-array expandable RF electrode for 8-10 min at 80-110°C and a power of 90-110 W.

The International Scoring System (ISS) for multiple myeloma remains a robust prognostic tool independently of patients' renal function.

Background: The International Staging System (ISS) is the most widely used staging system for patients with multiple myeloma (MM). However, serum β2-microglobulin increases in renal impairment (RI) and there have been concerns that ISS-3 stage may include 'up-staged' MM patients in whom elevated β2-microglobulin reflects the degree of renal dysfunction rather than tumor load.

Patients And Methods: In order to assess the impact of RI on the prognostic value of ISS, we analyzed 1516 patients with symptomatic MM and the degree of RI was classified according to the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative-Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) criteria.

Osteoid osteomas in common and in technically challenging locations treated with computed tomography-guided percutaneous radiofrequency ablation.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of computed tomography (CT)-guided radiofrequency (RF) ablation for the treatment of osteoid osteomas in common and in technically challenging locations.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-three patients with osteoid osteomas in common (nine cases) and technically challenging [14 cases: intra-articular (n = 7), spinal (n = 5), metaphyseal (n = 2)] positions were treated with CT-guided RF ablation. Therapy was performed under conscious sedation with a seven-array expandable RF electrode for 8-10 min at 80-110 degrees C and power of 90-110 W.