Copyright (C) 2011 American Society for Radiation Oncology. Published by Elsevier Inc.”
“Background: Liver surgery in patients with underlying liver disease results in higher mortality and morbidity rates compared to patients without underlying liver disease. Laparoscopy seems to have good results in patients with normal liver in terms of postoperative outcomes, but is more challenging in

cirrhotic patients.\n\nAim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of laparoscopic liver resection both in normal and cirrhotic livers, and secondary endpoint was to compare the surgical results.\n\nMethods: We retrospectively evaluated 105 patients who underwent laparoscopic liver resection between November 2001 and January 2012. Candidates for laparoscopic liver resection were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of an underlying liver disease.\n\nResults: 105 patients (52.4% males,

median age 56.1 years) were AZD0530 in vitro enrolled, and 37.1% Stattic in vivo had liver cirrhosis. Hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis (89.7%) and liver metastases (57.6%) were the main indications for surgery in patients with cirrhosis and non-cirrhotic livers, respectively. None of the patients died post-operatively. Cirrhotic patients had greater blood loss (100 vs 50 ml; p < 0.012) and longer hospital stays (6 vs 4 days; p < 0.031) compared to non-cirrhotics.\n\nConclusions: Laparoscopic liver resections are safe and feasible procedures Napabucasin clinical trial in both patients with cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic livers. (C) 2013 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Objective. Tuberculosis (TB) in patients with or without advanced HIV infection may present as smear-negative, extrapulmonary and/or disseminated forms. We studied the role of pericardial and abdominal ultrasound examinations in the determination of extrapulmonary or disseminated TB.\n\nMethods. A prospective descriptive and analytic cross-sectional study design was used to determine the ultrasound findings of value in patients with subsequently proven TB. Ultrasound examinations were

performed on 300 patients admitted to G F Jooste Hospital with suspected extrapulmonary or disseminated TB.\n\nOutcome measures. The presence of hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, lymphadenopathy (location, size and appearance), ascites, pleural effusions, pericardial effusions and/or splenic micro-abscesses was noted. Clinical findings, microbiological and serological data were also recorded, correlated and analysed.\n\nResults. Complete data sets were available for 267 patients; 91.0% were HIV positive, and 70.0% had World Health Organization clinical stage 4 disease. Active TB (determined by smear or culture) was present in 170 cases (63.7%). Ultrasonically visible abdominal lymphadenopathy over 1 cm in minimum diameter correlated with active TB in 55.3% of cases (odds ratio (OR) 2.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5 – 4.