Recent Publications by CFE Educators

This report describes a case of Campylobacter fetus prosthetic valve infective endocarditis and discusses the subsequent management. Although C. fetus has a tropism for vascular endothelium, infective endocarditis has rarely been reported. In this patient, despite initial optimal antimicrobial therapy, valve replacement was ultimately required due to ongoing infectious emboli to the brain in the setting of evidence of vegetation enlargement on echocardiogram. The prosthetic valve was replaced, the patient completed a 6-week course of parenteral antibiotics after surgical intervention and he made a full recovery with no long-term neurological sequelae. This case highlights the fact that despite the relatively low prevalence of C. fetus endocarditis, it is associated with a high degree of mortality and valve replacement is often indicated.

BACKGROUND

Preoperative risk stratification for postoperative pancreatic fistula in patients undergoing distal pancreatectomy is needed.

METHODS

Risk factors for postoperative pancreatic fistula in 220 consecutive patients undergoing distal pancreatectomy at 2 major institutions were recorded retrospectively. Gland density was measured on noncontrast computed tomography scans (n = 101), and histologic scoring of fat infiltration and fibrosis was performed by a pathologist (n = 120).

RESULTS

Forty-two patients (21%) developed a clinically significant pancreatic fistula within 90 days of surgery. Fat infiltration was significantly associated with gland density (P = .0013), but density did not predict pancreatic fistula (P = .5). Recursive partitioning resulted in a decision tree that predicted fistula in this cohort with a misclassification rate less than 15% using gland fibrosis (histology), density (HU), margin thickness (cm), and pathologic diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

This multicenter study shows that no single perioperative factor reliably predicts postoperative pancreatic fistula after distal pancreatectomy. A decision tree was constructed for risk stratification.

Encephalitis is a severe inflammatory disorder of the brain with many possible causes and a complex differential diagnosis. Advances in autoimmune encephalitis research in the past 10 years have led to the identification of new syndromes and biomarkers that have transformed the diagnostic approach to these disorders. However, existing criteria for autoimmune encephalitis are too reliant on antibody testing and response to immunotherapy, which might delay the diagnosis. We reviewed the literature and gathered the experience of a team of experts with the aims of developing a practical, syndrome-based diagnostic approach to autoimmune encephalitis and providing guidelines to navigate through the differential diagnosis. Because autoantibody test results and response to therapy are not available at disease onset, we based the initial diagnostic approach on neurological assessment and conventional tests that are accessible to most clinicians. Through logical differential diagnosis, levels of evidence for autoimmune encephalitis (possible, probable, or definite) are achieved, which can lead to prompt immunotherapy.

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between lymph node yield (LNY) from central (CND) and lateral (LND) neck dissections and risk of recurrence in patients undergoing primary surgery for well-differentiated papillary thyroid carcinoma (WDPTC).

METHODS

Clinical data were reviewed from all patients with biopsy-proven WDPTC who underwent primary total thyroidectomy with CND or LND at the authors' institution from 2005 to 2009. Patient demographics and tumor characteristics were obtained, and clinical data with at least five-year follow-up were used. Within the CNDs and LNDs, total number of nodes removed (LNY), total positive nodes removed, and the ratio of positive lymph nodes to LNY were determined.

RESULTS

One hundred fifty-two patients were included in the study, with average follow-up of 69 months. Of 125 patients who underwent CND, 20 had central neck disease recurrence. The LNY of patients with central neck recurrence was significantly less than those who had no recurrence (2.5 vs. 10.3; p  0.0001). Of 71 patients who underwent LND, 23 had ipsilateral lateral neck disease recurrence. The LNY of patients with lateral neck recurrence was significantly less than those who did not recur (10.5 vs. 24.6; p  0.0001). Higher rates of recurrence were associated with smaller LNY in both groups. For both groups, lower LNY remains predictive of recurrence on multivariate analysis controlling for pT stage, pN stage, American Joint Committee on Cancer stage, and radioactive iodine treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher LNY in CNDs and LNDs is associated with lower rates of papillary thyroid carcinoma recurrence in the central and lateral neck. To minimize the risk of recurrence and the need for secondary therapy with revision surgery and/or radiation, surgeons should perform thorough, compartment-oriented CNDs and LNDs when nodal surgery is undertaken.