Sandro Mattioli

The goal of our study was to verify the clinical applicability of an original balloon sensor probe for the manofluorographic study of oropharyngeal dysphagia. A prototype apparatus for manofluorography was developed and a standard perfused probe for esophageal manometry was modified by applying fluid-filled floppy balloons 0.5-, 1-, and 2.5-cm long. A group of healthy volunteers and a group of patients affected by oropharyngeal dysphagia underwent manofluorography. Statistically significant differences were calculated between the groups with regard to the upper esophageal sphincter (UES) basal and postrelaxation contraction pressures (p < 0.05, Student’s t test, 2.5- vs. 1-cm-long balloon sensors). In the group of patients versus the group of healthy volunteers, statistically significant differences were calculated with regard to pharyngeal intrabolus pressure, UES residual and UES postrelaxation contraction pressures, and mean diameter of the UES during maximal opening (p < 0.05, Student’s t test). A strong negative correlation (r = −0.92, p = 0.001; r = −0.93, p = 0.006 linear regression analysis) was observed between intrabolus pressure and UES diameter during maximum opening in the group of patients. The balloon probe demonstrated its reliability and clinical adequacy for the study of swallowing disorders.

Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a complex multifactorial disorder whose treatment is based on knowledge of its pathophysiology, natural history and evolution. Recently the relationship between the severest degrees of cardial incontinence and hiatus hernia has been emphasized, which causes the impairment of the mechanical properties of the gastro-oesophageal barrier and of oesophageal acid clearing. Among different types of hiatus hernia, those characterized by the permanent axial orad migration of the oesophago-gastric (EG) junction (nonreducible hiatus hernia) are correlated with severe GERD. Barium swallow may adequately differentiate hiatal insufficiency, concentric hiatus hernia and short oesophagus which are the steps of migration across or above the diaphragm. When associated with panmural oesophagitis and fibrosis of the oesophageal wall, these conditions may be the cause of recurrence of hiatus hernia and reflux after laparoscopic standard anti-reflux surgical procedures; in the presence of nonreducibility of the EG junction below the diaphragm without tension, dedicated surgical procedures are necessary. It is currently agreed that surgical therapy is indicated for patients affected by severe GERD who are not compliant with long-term medical therapy, require high dosages of drugs and are too young for lifetime medical treatment. While the existence of severe GERD correlated with an irreversible anatomical disorder represents an elective indication for surgery, warrants further investigation. Accurate identification of the functional and anatomical abnormalities underlying GERD is mandatory in order to decide whether medical or surgical therapy should be implemented, and to tailor the surgical technique, laparoscopic or open, to each patient.

The presence of isolated tumor cells in the bone marrow affects the prognosis of both esophageal cancer and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Therefore, preoperative assessment of isolated tumor cells may be useful to plan multimodality treatment. Rib segment resection at surgery provides adequate amounts of bone marrow for the detection of isolated tumor cells while bone marrow aspirate from the iliac crest does not. The iliac crest biopsy according to the Jamshidi technique procures a core of tissue apt for histology and not simply for cytology. The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of iliac crest biopsy versus rib segment resection in the diagnosis of isolated tumor cells in order to obtain a useful preoperative approach. Twenty-one consecutive patients (18 NSCLC, three esophageal cancer) were evaluated. None had chemotherapy prior to evaluation. Bone marrow was obtained preoperatively by iliac crest biopsy using the Jamshidi needle and at surgery by rib segment resection. Positive cytokeratin neoplastic cells were searched by immunohistochemistry on tissue sections from the iliac crest biopsies and by flow cytometry on cell suspensions from the rib segments. Isolated tumor cells were detected in the rib segments of ten patients. In all cases the Jamshidi needle biopsy was not diagnostic. Our results suggest that, if the diagnosis of bone marrow isolated tumor cells has clinical relevance, the preoperative assessment should be performed by rib segment resection or methods other than iliac crest aspirate or biopsy. Further investigation is needed to determine whether isolated tumor cells have a preferential spread to chest bones other than distant bone sites.

Summary. In order to define the optimal extent of resection for cancer of the cardia, we considered 116 patients operated upon with five different surgical tec

To repropose the importance of videofluoroscopy in the study of esophageal motor disorders, comparing the radiologic and manometric results; the manometric results are considered the reference parameters. From 1996 to 1999, 76 patients (42 males and 34 females), were studied first using manometry and then videofluoroscopy. The patients had symptoms like dysphagia, thoracic pain or both. The manometric study was performed with a perfusional system equipped with 6 tips (4 radial for the study of the esophageal sphincters and 2 placed longitudinally for the study of the esophageal peristalsis). With the patient in a supine position we analysed 5-10 deglutitions with 5 ml water bolus at 20-25 degrees C, administered using a graduated syringe. The radiologic study was performed with a remote-control digital television system, connected to a video recorder. Three 7.5 ml bolues of high density barium suspension (250% weight/volume) were injected orally in the upright position and other three were injected in the prone position following the passage from the oral cavity to the stomach. The comparison of the manometric and videofluoroscopic results suggests that the total sensitivity of the radiological study in the detection of esophageal motor disorders was 92%. In particular dynamic radiologic investigation diagnosed the normal esophageal functionality in 100% of the cases, nonspecific esophageal motility disorders in 89.6%, diffuse esophageal spasm in 100% of the cases, the presence of achalasia in 90%, whereas "nutcraker esophagus" only in 50%. Videofluoroscopy therefore showed high sensitivity in four groups of the five considered. It has some limitations in the diagnosis of initial achalasia, and is not sufficiently sensitive in the diagnosis of "nutcracker esophagus". Videofluoroscopy is a simple method which presents high sensitivity and specificity in the detection of motility disorders of the esophagus and could therefore be proposed as the first diagnostic method in patients with specific symptoms.

One of the major limitations of thoracoscopic resection of lung nodules is localization of the target, especially when the lesion is deep or very small: we investigated the efficacy of US as a technique for intraoperative localization. We examined 11 patients who underwent diagnostic and/or curative thoracoscopic resection of benign or malignant, primary or metastatic lung nodules. The study was preceded by a preliminary phase in which we examined with US 5 patients that underwent thoracotomy. A multifrequency laparoscopic US probe with a deflectable linear headpiece mounted on a portable Esaote-Hitachi Spazio US unit was used. The US exploration of the lung requires the complete collapse of the parenchyma and is therefore particularly difficult in patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In the patients examined during thoracotomy US showed all the lesions but one 7-mm nodule in an emphysematous patient in whom complete parenchyma collapse could not be achieved. Also in the patients examined during thoracoscopy US detected all the targets (13/13), even a 13-mm metastatic nodule which had been visualized preoperatively by PET only. The smallest lesion found was a 4-mm fibrosarcoma metastasis. The mean time to achieve adequate lung collapse was about 40 minutes from selective exclusion of the affected lung. Thoracoscopic US has been recently introduced for the intraoperative localization of pulmonary nodules. In our experience this technique is helpful in localizing the targets, assessing the extent of surgical resection and studying possible vascular involvement. Considering the easy execution, the low cost, the lack of contraindications and complications of the technique and its accuracy when performed under optimal technical conditions, we think there are enough reasons to investigate this approach further. Intraoperative US proved to be a useful technique of easy execution, even though it is heavily operator-dependent and limited in patients with severe COPD.

The authors describe the clinical case of a 54 year old patient, affected by malignant peritoneal mesothelioma treated by chemotherapy, who subsequently developed a lung lesion, treated by surgical wedge resection. The histologic examination of the surgical specimen, which led to the diagnosis of an intraparenchymal necrotic focus, confirms the favourable result of the adjuvant therapy. A review of the literature showing the rarity of lung metastases from malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is presented.

We stress the importance of dynamic radiologic studies of swallowing in the patients submitted to reconstructive laryngectomy. January, 1989, to December, 1996, we examined 36 patients submitted to reconstructive laryngectomy, namely cricohyoidoepiglottopexy in 34 cases, cricohyoidopexy in 1 case and Guerrier's cricohyoidoepiglottopexy in 1 case. Dynamic radiologic studies were performed with fluoroscopic videorecording (Sony U-Matic RM 580) from an X-ray unit. The study was performed with the patients standing or sitting, initially acquiring AP and LL fluoroscopic images of the oropharyngeal region at rest and during swallowing. The patients then swallowed 2 boluses of 5 ml liquid (60%) and semiliquid (250%) barium. When aspiration was suspected, we began with a 2-ml bolus. The patients were grouped by symptoms: group A patients had no symptoms, group B patients had dysphagia and group C patients presented aspiration. The functional changes were: reduced pharyngeal contraction, reduced epiglottis deflection, reduced hyoid bone elevation, aspiration, altered upper esophageal sphincter function. The organic alterations were: parapharyngeal diverticulum, pharyngeal stenosis, posterior pharyngeal wall introflexion. Three group A patients had severe posterior pharyngeal wall introflexion, 4 had marked retention and 2 of them presented postswallowing aspiration. Two group B patients had major retention, 1 cricopharyngeal incoordination, 3 posterior pharyngeal wall introflexion, 2 a pseudodiverticulum and 2 a luminal stenosis. Seven group C patients had intraswallowing and 3 postswallowing aspiration. The videofluorographic identification of organic and functional complications, sometimes unknown in asymptomatic patients, is useful for therapy and suggests the speech specialist the best compensatory mechanism to improve the patients' swallowing and consequently their quality of life. Moreover, videofluorography of swallowing is a very useful tool in the follow-up, to monitor treatment outcome after rehabilitation.