Anti-IL-33 antibody has a therapeutic potential for experimental AR.

Post-treatment survival after surgery or TAE was found to be better than after supportive care, and surgery tended to provide better survival benefit than TAE.

AIM:To analyze the risk factors of pancreatic leakage after pancreaticoduodenectomy. METHODS:We r e t r o s p e c t i v e l y r e v i e w e d 1 7 2 consecutive patients who had undergone pancreaticoduodenectomy at Inha University Hospital between April 1996 and March 2006. We analyzed the pancreatic fistula rate according to the clinical characteristics, the pathologic and laboratory findings, and the anastomotic methods. RESULTS: The incidence of developing pancreatic fistulas in patients older than 60 years of age was 21.7% (25/115), while the incidence was 8.8% (5/57) for younger patients; the difference was significant (P = 0.03). Patients with a dilated pancreatic duct had a lower rate of post-operative pancreatic fistulas than patients with a non-dilated duct (P = 0.001). Other factors, including clinical features, anastomotic methods, and pathologic diagnosis, did not show any statistical difference. CONCLUSION: O u r s t u d y d e m o n s t ra t e d t h a t pancreatic fistulas are related to age and a dilated pancreatic duct. The surgeon must take these risk factors into consideration when performing a pancreaticoduodenectomy.

PurposeEndoscopic thyroidectomy (ET) requires a proper working space for adequate visualization of anatomical structures and proper instrument manipulation. The purpose of this prospective study was to estimate the feasibility and safety of ET using an anterior chest wall approach without gas insufflation.Materials and MethodsThe working space was created under a direct and endoscopic view through a 3-cm incision on the anterior chest wall. A retracting device was then inserted to establish the working space, and subsequent procedures were performed endoscopically. All data were reviewed using a prospective database.ResultsWe performed 30 ETs in patients with benign thyroid tumors from December 2003 to December 2005. The procedures were completed successfully in 29 patients (mean operative time: 160.6 min; range: 90-345 min). One patient with ET was converted to open thyroidectomy secondary to substernal extension of the tumor. None of the patients developed permanent postoperative hypocalcemia or recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis. Three patients exhibited some degree of transient recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy.ConclusionThese data suggest that gasless ET using an anterior chest wall approach is safe and feasible in selected patients for treating benign thyroid tumors. This technique may offer good operative working space when performed by surgeons with relatively low-volume ET practices.

Surgery may be the more effective treatment modality than TACE for a solitary large HCC of the BCLC stage A, regardless of tumor size.