Aim: to investigate whether flow cytometry could help to define the optimal therapeutic strategy of primary gastric lymphomas. Material and method: retrospective study of 46 patients having primary gastric lymphoma -according to Dawson criteria- in Ann Arbor stage I E and II E, who were surgically treated. From selected paraffin-embedded tissue blocks of the tumor, DNA content was studied by flow cytometry (FC). Other pathological tumor features were analysed by hematoxiline-eosine and Giemsa stains as well as immunohistochemical study; any possible influence on postoperative survival was investigated through statistical analysis. Results: the DNA ploidy pattern was diploid in 40 cases (87%) and aneuploid (hyperdiploid) in 6 (13%). Postoperative survival probability (PSP) was 62.7% at 5 years. Statistical analysis showed significant prognostic value for Ann Arbor classification -with higher PSP for stage I E (p = 0.009)- and FC parameters: diploid tumors had higher PSP than aneuploid tumors. Also tumors having S-phase (p = 0.044) or G2-M phase values (p = 0.023) under the respective mean values had higher PSP. No influence on PSP was found for wall invasion, Helicobacter pylori infection, Isaacson's histologic type or resection margin involvement. No significant relationship was appreciated between Isaacson's histologic type and DNA ploidy patterns. Conclusion: FC could be useful in assessing gastric lymphoma prognosis.

Background: port-site metastases (PSM) have been reported following oncological laparoscopic surgery. However, their frequency after laparoscopic examination in gastric cancer has not been well established. Material and methods: prospective follow-up of 41 patients having had a staging laparoscopy and a follow-up longer than 12 months. Mean age was 65 years (29-89). After staging, an open gastrectomy was performed in 33 cases. Mean follow-up was 21.4 (12-66) months. PSM was defined as a node in the former port-site wound with adenocarcinoma histology at biopsy. Results: no patient showed clinical signs of PSM or port-site recurrence, even in advanced stages. We had no morbidity or postoperative mortality attributable to laparoscopic manoeuvres, and no need for laparotomy in cases without a gastrectomy indication. Conclusions: our results suggest that staging laparoscopy is a safe procedure in gastric carcinoma, as it is not associated with PSM after even considerable follow-up, and has a very low complication rate.

Objective: to analyze the results of our series in order to assess whether surgical excision is still a valid therapeutic option in case the patient needs surgery. Secondarily, to analyze Helicobacter pylori infection rate. Patients and method: a retrospective study of 69 consecutive patients having stage IE-IIE primary gastric lymphoma; of these, 65 were treated by gastrectomy between 1974 and 1999. Mean age: 62.6 years (28-85). New staining of paraffin-embedded samples from the surgical specimen were carried out (hematoxiline-eosine, Giemsa, immunohistochemistry) and reviewed. The histological classification was performed according to Isaacson's criteria. The statistical analysis was done by Chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests, as well as Kaplan-Meier and Log-Rank tests. Results: mortality was 9.2%. There were non-fatal complications in 10.8%. Helicobacter pylori was identified in 62.7%. Seven patients (11.9%) suffered a relapse. The 5-year survival probability was 87%. The statistical analysis did not show any influences of Ann Arbor stage, gastric wall invasion, Helicobacter pylori infection, histological type, or margin resection involvement on survival. Conclusions: surgical excision provides a high rate of complete remissions and excellent long-term survival with acceptable mortality. Therefore it appears to be a valid treatment in case of emergency surgery, incidental finding, or lack of histological diagnosis.

Objetivo: analizar los resultados de nuestra serie a fin de establecer si la extirpación quirúrgica continúa siendo una opción terapéutica válida para las situaciones en las que pudiera precisarse cirugía. Como objetivo secundario, analizar la prevalencia de infección por Helicobacter pylori. Pacientes y método: estudio retrospectivo de 69 pacientes consecutivos diagnosticados de linfoma gástrico primario, en estadio I E y II E de Ann Arbor, 65 de los cuales fueron tratados mediante gastrectomía entre 1974 y 1999. Edad media: 62,6 años (28-85). En 60 casos se revisó la histología de la pieza de resección con nuevas tinciones (hematoxilina-eosina, Giemsa), y estudio inmunohistoquímico de los bloques de parafina. La clasificación histológica se realizó de acuerdo con la clasificación de Isaacson. El análisis estadístico se realizó mediante las pruebas de Chi cuadrado y prueba exacta de Fisher y Kaplan-Meier y Log-Rank para el análisis de supervivencia. Resultados: la mortalidad fue de 9,2%. Se produjeron complicaciones no mortales en 10,8%. Se identificó Helicobacter pylori en 62,7%. Se produjo recaída en 7 pacientes (11,9%). La probabilidad de supervivencia fue de 87% a 5 años. El análisis estadístico no demostró influencia del estadio de Ann Arbor, invasión en la pared gástrica, infección por Helicobacter pylori, tipo histológico, ni afectación de bordes sobre la supervivencia. Conclusiones: la extirpación quirúrgica posibilita un alto grado de remisión completa y una excelente supervivencia a largo plazo, con mortalidad aceptable, por lo que es un tratamiento válido en caso de ausencia de diagnóstico histológico, hallazgo incidental o urgencia.

Portal and mesenteric vein thrombosis is a very uncommon complication of laparoscopic surgery, especially after anti-reflux procedures. We report the case of a twenty-year-old man with a history of alcohol and cocaine consumption. A Nissen fundoplication was performed. The patient received a single 20-mg dose of enoxaparin (Clexane®, Aventis Pharma, Spain) two hours before surgery for antithrombotic prophylaxis. On the seventh postoperative day the patient had a portal and mesenteric venous thrombosis, which was confirmed at laparotomy, with both extensive small-intestine necrosis and partial colon necrosis. Despite anticoagulant therapy, the patient died 24 hours later. Surgical findings were confirmed at necropsy. Portal and mesenteric venous thrombosis is an uncommon but severe and even fatal complication after laparoscopic anti-reflux surgery. When other pro-thrombotic, predisposing conditions such as laparoscopic surgery and cocaine consumption are present, the usual prophylactic doses of low molecular weight heparin might not be sufficient to protect against this life-threatening complication.

La trombosis venosa mesentérica y portal es una complicación infrecuente de la cirugía laparoscópica. Presentamos el caso de un varón de 20 años, consumidor de cocaína inhalada, al que se realiza una funduplicatura de Nissen laparoscópica, administrándose 20 mg de enoxaparina (Clexane® , Aventis Pharma, Spain) preoperatoriamente. El séptimo día postoperatorio, el paciente presenta una trombosis venosa mesentérica y portal, que se confirma en la laparotomía, con necrosis de todo el intestino delgado y segmentaria del colon, falleciendo el paciente a las 24 horas, a pesar de la terapia anticoagulante y confirmándose el diagnóstico en la necropsia. La trombosis mesentérica y portal es una complicación infrecuentre, pero grave y potencialmente mortal, de la cirugía laparoscópica del reflujo gastroesofágico. Cuando se asocian varios factores predisponentes con un potencial trombótico demostrado aislado, como la cirugía laparoscópica y el consumo de cocaína, no parece que las dosis habituales de profilaxis tromboembólica sean suficientes para evitar esta grave complicación.

We have designed and constructed an integral system that involves two electrostatic deflectors followed by a small ionization chamber with a multi-wire-proportional-counter in its entrance. The function of the former part is to separate evaporation residues from beam ions using their different electric rigidities while the latter is to detect these evaporation residues being distinguished from the beam-like particles originated in slits. Up to now, both devices have been tested and evaluated performing different experiments: the double-electrostatic deflector through scattering studies and the ionization chamber by means of scattering and fusion reactions. We present a brief description of the two devices and some results obtained in different tests.

OBJECTIVE: Ex vivo perfusion model of pig-to-human kidney xenotransplantation to evaluate human antiporcine xenograft rejection once hyperacute rejection (HAR) is avoided. METHODS: Pig kidneys were perfused for 3 hours with pig blood (group 1; n=5), human blood (group 2; n=5), complement heat innactivated human blood (group 3; n=5), platelet-depleted human blood (group 4; n=5); and xenoreactive natural antibodies (XNA)-depleted human blood (group 5; n=5). Tissue samples were studied with immunoperoxidase techniques. RESULTS: Pig kidneys perfused with human blood, group 2, showed HAR with interstitial haemorrhage, vascular thrombi and glomerular injury. Pig kidneys perfused with manipulated human blood (groups 3 to 5) had no histologic evidence of HAR, but showed signs of acute cellular rejection with different degrees of interstitial infiltrate of mononuclear cells, specially in the XNA-depleted group. CONCLUSIONS: The model may be valuable in the isolated evaluation of the elements involved in the pig-tohuman xenorejection. The depletion of complement, platelets and XNA protected porcine kidneys form HAR in our study and allowed the development of an acute cellular rejection, a very unusual fact in this short time, 3 hours.

OBJETIVOS: Desarrollo de un modelo ex vivo de perfusión de riñones de cerdo con sangre humana, intentando reproducir el xenotrasplante renal cerdo-hombre, para el estudio de las manifestaciones que se producen una vez evitado el rechazo hiperagudo. MÉTODO: Perfusión de los riñones de cerdo durante 3 horas con sangre de cerdo (grupo 1; n=5), sangre humana (grupo 2; n=5), sangre humana decomplementada por calor (grupo 3; n=5), sangre humana deplaquetada por centrifugación (grupo 4; n=5), sangre humana inmuonadsobida con proteína A estafilocócica (grupo 5; n=5). Las piezas se estudian por microscopía óptica e inmunohistoquímica. RESULTADOS: Rechazo hiperagudo con hemorragia difusa, trombosis y lesiones glomerulares en el grupo con sangre humana sin manipular. Ausencia de rechazo hiperagudo en el resto de los grupos: decomplementada, deplaquetada e inmunoadsorbida, con presencia de rechazo celular agudo con diferentes grados de infiltración intersticial de células mononucleares, en especial en el grupo con sangre inmunoadsorbida. CONCLUSIONES: El modelo que permite valorar de forma aislada elementos de la respuesta inmune xenogénica cerdo-hombre. La depleción de complemento, plaquetas y xenoanticuerpos protege a los riñones de cerdo del rechazo hiperagudo, observando por primera vez la presencia de rechazo celular agudo en 3 horas, manifestación que suele precisar para su aparición varios días.