Patients suffering from Type I glycogen storage disease frequently develop hepatic tumors. Some of these were classified as carcinoma, with the majority of tumors representing benign adenomata. However, no evidence exists of malignant transformation of adenomata in these patients. Here, we describe the occurrence of a hepatocellular carcinoma in the adenomata-bearing liver of the elder of two sisters suffering from Type I glycogen storage disease at the age of 20 years, 6 years after the diagnosis had been made. Surprisingly, alpha-fetoprotein levels were normal throughout the entire course of this patient, whereas the younger sister had elevated levels despite the absence of malignant lesions. Thus, the clinical significance of alpha-fetoprotein remains unclear in both cases. Nocturnal feeding, although performed continuously over the 6 years after the diagnosis, had obviously failed to prevent the development of hepatic tumors in both patients.

HG. Is the elimination of endotoxin and cytokines with continuous lavage an alternative procedure in necrotizing enterocolitis? Acta Padiatr 1994;(suppl 396):24-6. Stockholm. ISSN 0803-5326Ascites fluid was obtained intraoperatively in 12 consecutively treated neonates (6M, 6F, mean weight 940 g, mean gestational age 27th week, lethality 3/12) suffering from necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). The concentrations of endotoxin and cytokines (IL-1, IL-6, TNF) were determined. Endotoxin and interleukins were excessively elevated in all patients, TNF only in those who survived. Postoperative treatment included the use of a continuous abdominal lavage system. This therapeutical procedure allows the elimination of endotoxin and cytokines out of the abdominal cavity in order to reduce their adverse biological effect. 0 Cytokines, endotoxin, intraperitoneai lavage, necrotizing enterocolitis

Laparoscopic-assisted colonoscopic polypectomy is a new minimal-invasive therapeutical approach in selected cases with large, sessile or arkward localized polyps. The endoscopic procedure is possible also in polyps which should be treated by colotomy or segmental resection in the past. The additional discomfort for the patients due to laparoscopy is minimal.

Orthotopic liver transplantation in the rat was performed using different combinations of four inbred strains. The influence of infection and rejection on the early fate of the grafts were studied with a particular emphasis on histomorphological changes and their diagnostic interpretation.

A prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial was performed comparing the antithrombotic efficacy of the low molecular weight heparin LMWH 21-23, (Braun) with an unfractionated heparin in elective general surgical patients over an observation period of 7 postoperative days. A total of 230 patients were admitted: 103 (group I) received low molecular weight heparin and 100 (group II) low-dose unfractionated heparin treatment given subcutaneously. In group I 41 patients (46%) were operated on for malignant disease and in group II 54 patients (54%). Due to the large amount of great abdominal procedures the intra- and perioperative application of hydroxyethyl starch was allowed for volume substitution. None of the patients died due to fatal pulmonary embolism. In group I four patients revealed positive 125I-labeled fibrinogen uptake (3.9%); two patients belonged to the hydroxyethyl starch subgroup. In group II five patients displayed a positive fibrinogen uptake (5%); two belonged to the hydroxyethyl starch subgroup. The results of the hemostaseological investigations (e.g., prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, thrombin clotting time, fibrinogen, antithrombin III, protein C, plasminogen, alpha 2-antiplasmin, tissue-type plasminogen activator, plasminogen activator inhibitor) revealed no statistically significant differences between groups I and II or their subgroups, although a tendency to prolonged clotting times was observed. The antifactor Xa activity values, however, displayed a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05). The antifactor Xa activity measured up to 0.16 U/ml for the low molecular weight heparin (group I) and 0.05 U/ml for the unfractionated heparin (group II) in the postoperative period.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)