BackgroundAcute appendicitis is one of the most common surgical emergencies. Accurate diagnosis of acute appendicitis is based on careful history, physical examination, laboratory and imaging investigation. The aim of the study is to analyze the role of C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood count (WBC) and Neutrophil percentage (NP) in improving the accuracy of diagnosis of acute appendicitis and to compare it with the intraoperative assessment and histopathology findings.Materials and methodsThis investigation was a prospective double blinded clinical study. The study was done on 173 patients surgically treated for acute appendicitis. The WBC, NP, and measurement of CRP were randomly collected pre-operatively from all involved patients. Macroscopic assessment was made from the operation. Appendectomy and a histopathology examination were performed on all patients. Gross description was compared with histopathology results and then correlated with CRP, WBC, and NP.ResultsThe observational accuracy was 87,3%, as compared to histopathological accuracy which was 85.5% with a total of 173 patients that were operated on. The histopathology showed 25 (14.5%) patients had normal appendices, and 148 (85.5%) patients had acutely inflamed, gangrenous, or perforated appendicitis. 52% were male and 48% were female, with the age ranging from 5 to 59 with a median of 19.7. The gangrenous type was the most frequent (52.6%). The WBC was altered in 77.5% of the cases, NP in 72.3%, and C-reactive protein in 76.9% cases. In those with positive appendicitis, the CRP and WBC values were elevated in 126 patients (72.8%), whereas NP was higher than 75% in 117 patients (67.6%). Out of 106 patients with triple positive tests, 101 (95.2%) had appendicitis. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive values of the 3 tests in combination were 95.3%, 72.2%, and 95.3%, respectively.ConclusionThe raised value of the CRP was directly related to the severity of inflammation (p-value <0.05). CRP monitoring enhances the diagnostic accuracy of acute appendicitis. The diagnostic accuracy of CRP is not significantly greater than WBC and NP. A combination of these three tests significantly increases the accuracy. We found that elevated serum CRP levels support the surgeon's clinical diagnosis.

Angiogenesis is essential for the development, growth and progression of tumors. Although vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a well-known proangiogenic factor, its impact on lymphoma has not yet been fully clarified. The aim of this study was to evaluate VEGF-A -expression and microvessel density (MVD) in aggressive lymphoma such as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), in indolent lymphomas such as low-grade follicular lymphoma (FL), and in lymph node reactive follicular hyperplasia (FH). In 80 prospective and retrospective cases (30 DLBCL, 30 FL and 20 FH), CD31 was analyzed by immunohistochemical staining assessing density of blood vessels, as well as the total number of CD31 positive endothelial cells. The results were compared with relevant clinical data. MVD was 85% in FH, followed by 60% in DLBCL and 43% in low-grade FL. VEGF-A was significantly higher in DLBCL than in low-grade FL and FH. A statistically significant association of MVD and VEGF-A with the International Prognostic Index (IPI) was found in DLBCL. High MVD and VEGF-A expression was observed in DLBCL patients with high IPI, while there was no statistically significant association between MVD and VEGF-A with the Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index in low-grade FL. Our results suggested an important relationship between angiogenesis and high-grade lymphoma.

BACKGROUND:Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC) is the most predominant renal tumour with unpredictable tumour behaviour. The aim of the study is to investigate the prognostic value of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) expression in CCRCC and to correlate it with other histological parameters as well as with patient’s survival.MATERIAL AND METHODS:Tumour blocks were taken from 40 patients with histopathology diagnosis of CCRCC and tissue block from 20 normal kidneys as a control group were examined using the immuno-histochemical staining for VEGF-A.RESULTS:The VEGF A expression in CCRCC was significantly higher than in the normal kidney tissues (U’ = 720, P < 0.0001). VEGF A expression values in CCRCC were positively correlated with Disease Free Survival (r = 0.335, P = 0.034) and the tumor necrosis degree (r = 0.181, P = 0.262). VEGF-A expression values in CCRCC did not correlate with CD 31 expression (r = -0.09, P = 0.549), and Progression Free Survival (r = -0.07, P = 0.838). VEGF A expression values in CCRCC were negatively correlated with the tumor nuclear grade (r = -0.161, P = 0.318); the pathological tumor stage (r = -0.371, P = 0.018); the tumor size (r = -0.361, P = 0.022); the degree of tumor hemorrhage (r = -0.235, P = 0.143); and Cancer Specific Survival (r = -0.207, P = 0.713).CONCLUSIONS:VEGF-A expression can be used to stratify advanced and metastatic CCRCC patients into low-benefit and high-benefit groups. Based on this study outcome it would be useful to perform IHC staining for VEGF-A expression in all patients with advanced and metastatic CCRCC.

IntroductionGross hematuria caused by rupture of an artery in the urinary tract is a rare but potentially fatal condition. Iliac artery aneurysms, pelvic surgery with radiation, vascular reconstructive surgery, surgery for stenosis of the ureteropelvic junction, and transplantation are reported to be associated with this condition. In the vascular reconstructive surgery group, the most common etiology is rupture of the degenerated artery or synthetic graft in the ureter.Case presentationWe present a case of rupture of the small anastomotic pseudoaneurysm at the proximal anastomosis of a right iliofemoral autogenous vein extra-anatomic graft in the urinary bladder. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a rupture of an autogenous vein graft in the urinary bladder. Our patient, a 24-year-old Albanian farmer, was admitted to the emergency department in severe hemorrhagic shock induced by exsanguinating hematuria. He underwent immediate surgery, during which direct sutures to the bladder were placed and the saphenous graft was replaced with a synthetic one. The patient recovered completely, was free of hematuria, and showed no signs of pathological communication between the urinary and arterial tracts on postoperative cystoscopy and computed tomographic angiography during 2 years of follow-up.ConclusionThe incidence of artery-to-urinary tract fistulas is growing due to the increasing use of urologic and vascular surgery, pelvic oncologic surgery, and radiation therapy. In addition to fistulas involving a degenerated artery and ureter or synthetic grafts and ureter, they can also involve an autogenous vein graft and the urinary bladder. In our patient, the fistula was a result of erosion of the bladder from a pseudoaneurysm at the proximal anastomosis of an autogenous vein iliofemoral bypass in an extra-anatomic position. Open surgery remains the best treatment option, although there is increasing evidence of successful endovascular treatment.

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