Israel Medical Association Journal

Objective: To evaluate the contribution of the sestamibi-SPECT (MIBI) localization, cervical ultrasonography, and intraoperative rapid turbo intact parathormone assay in minimal invasive parathyroidectomy.

Methods: Between August 1999 and March 2004, 146 consecutive hyperthyroid patients were treated using the MIBI and ultrasound for preoperative localization and iPTH[1] measurements for intraoperative assessment.

Results: Parathyroid adenoma was detected in 106 patients, primary hyperplasia in 16, secondary hyperplasia in 16, tertiary hyperplasia in 5 and parathyroid carcinoma in 1 patient. Minimal invasive exploration of the neck was performed in 84 of the 106 patients (79.2%) with an adenoma, and in 17 of them this procedure was performed under local cervical block anesthesia in awake patients. Adenoma was correctly diagnosed by MIBI scan in 74% of the patients, and by ultrasound in 61%. The addition of ultrasonography to MIBI increased the accuracy of adenoma detection to 83%. In 2 of the 146 patients (1.4%) iPTH could not be significantly reduced during the initial surgical procedure. Minimal invasive surgery with minimal morbidity, and avoiding bilateral neck exploration, was achieved in 79.2% of patients with a primary solitary adenoma.

Objectives: To describe the role of wireless capsule endoscopy in diagnosing isolated small intestinal Crohn’s disease in two adolescents.

Methods: Wireless capsule endoscopy was performed in two adolescents with severe protein-losing enteropathy and negative standard diagnostic workup.

Results: Wireless capsule endoscopy successfully diagnosed Crohn’s disease with uncharacteristic presentations and negative radiographic and endoscopic findings in both patients.

Conclusions: The non-invasiveness and ease in performance of capsule endoscopy on an ambulatory basis make this diagnostic modality especially advantageous for children.

Objectives: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and outcome of coccygectomy.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the operative results in nine patients (seven females and two males) who underwent coccygectomy for coccygodynia in the last 5 years following conservative treatment failure.

Results: The outcome of the procedure was excellent in five patients, good in one patient and poor in two patients.

Conclusions: It is mandatory to perform bone scanning in every patient with coccygodynia and before coccygectomy in order to rule out the presence of malignancy. Coccygectomy is recommended for patients with isolated coccygodynia.

Objective: To present our algorithm of urgent and elective donor selection.

Methods: Urgent selection is expeditious and protocol‑based. Elective selection permits a comprehensive process. Both include medical, psychosocial and surgical-anatomic evaluations. Liver volumes and vascular anatomy are evaluated with computerized tomographic angiography. Informed consent is obtained after painstaking explanations. Independent institutional committees review and approve all cases.

Results: Between July 2003 and June 2004 we evaluated 43 potential live donors for 12 potential recipients (fulminant hepatic failure, n=5; chronic end-stage liver disease, n=6); primary graft non-function, n=1). Thirty-three candidates (76%) were excluded due to blood type incompatibility (n=14, 42%), incompatible anatomy (n=8, 24%) – including problematic volume distribution (n=2) or vascular anatomy (n=6) – psychosocial issues (n=4, 12%), or medical co-morbidity (n=7, 22%). Five recipients (FHF[1], n=4; chronic ESLD[2], n=1) were successfully transplanted from living donors. In the acute setting, two patients (FHF, PGNF[3]) died in the absence of an appropriate donor (cadaveric or living donor). In the elective group, one patient died of unexpected variceal bleeding and one received a cadaveric graft just before the planned living donor transplantation was performed. One candidate was transplanted overseas and two cases are scheduled. The ratio of compatibility for donation was 34% (10/29) for blood type-compatible candidates.

Conclusions: Donor selection for living donor liver transplantation is a complex, labor-intensive multidisciplinary process. Most exclusions are due to blood type incompatibility or anatomic details. Psychosocial aspects of these donations warrant special attention.

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[1] FHF = fulminant hepatic failure

[2] ESLD = chronic end-stage liver disease

[3] PGNF = primary graft non-function

Various events occurring during pregnancy might influence the normal neurogenesis of fetus brain, including exposure to the influenza virus. Several studies have attempted to find a relationship between exposure to influenza virus and the onset of schizophrenic behavior in childhood or adulthood, however results remain contradictory. In this review we describe several animal and human studies that show or do not show a relationship between exposure to the influenza virus during pregnancy and the subsequent development of schizophrenia.