Annals of surgery
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To determine preoperative predictors of survival that can guide the choice of treatment for patients with small hepatocellular cancers (HCCs). ⋯ Patients with small HCCs who will derive the least benefit from resection can be identified before surgery using a score based on tumor grade and the severity of underlying liver disease. In these patients, transplantation and/or ablation should be considered as possible alternative therapies.
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To evaluate the authors' first 100 patients treated for achalasia by a minimally invasive approach. ⋯ The results after minimally invasive treatment for achalasia are equivalent to historical outcomes with open techniques. Satisfactory outcomes occurred in 93% of patients. Patients whose postoperative LESP was less than 18 mm Hg reported the fewest symptoms. After myotomy, patients rarely have abnormal esophageal acid exposure, and the addition of an antireflux procedure is not required.
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To elucidate the mechanisms that regulate human neutrophil delivery in vivo, as well as the mechanisms that lead to observed reduction in polymorphonuclear (PMN) delivery to remote sites in septic patients. ⋯ These results suggest that change in PMN chemoattractant receptor expression serves to regulate PMN chemotaxis in vivo; that exudate PMN chemotaxis depends more on C5a than IL-8; and that diminished chemoattractant receptors and chemotaxis in septic PMNs may explain decreased PMN delivery in these patients.
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To examine the expression of adhesion molecules by serosal and dermal fibroblasts in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. ⋯ Patients with inflammatory bowel disease display enhanced ICAM-1 expression in serosal fibroblasts but not dermal fibroblasts, indicating a secondary response to inflammation.
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To determine if the extent of lymphadenectomy (number of recovered lymph nodes) was associated with long-term outcome in patients operated on for stage B and C colon cancer. ⋯ Stage B patients with a small number of examined nodes may be understaged. Thus, these patients might be considered for adjuvant therapy because of their poorer life expectancy than other stage B patients. For stage C patients, the number of recovered nodes does not seem to affect long-term outcome.