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Object. Local tumor control, patient survival, and treatment failure outcomes were analyzed to assess treatment efficacy in 58 patients in whom fractionated proton radiation therapy (RT) was administered for skull base chordomas and chondrosarcomas.Methods. Between March 1992 and January 1998, a total of 58 patients who could be evaluated were treated for skull base tumors, 33 for chordoma and 25 for chondrosarcoma. Following various surgical procedures, residual tumor was detected in 91% of patients; 59% demonstrated brainstem involvement. Target dosages ranged from 64.8 and 79.2 (mean 70.7) Co Gy equivalent. The range of follow up was 7 to 75 months (mean 33 months).In 10 patients (17%) the treatment failed locally, resulting in local control rates of 92% (23 of 25 patients) for chondrosarcomas and 76% (25 of 33 patients) for chordomas. Tumor volume and brainstem involvement influenced control rates. All tumors with volumes of 25 ml or less remained locally controlled, compared with 56% of tumors larger than 25 ml (p = 0.02); 94% of patients without brainstem involvement did not experience recurrence; in patients with brainstem involvement (and dose reduction because of brainstem tolerance constraints) the authors achieved a tumor control rate of 53% (p = 0.04). Three patients died of their disease, and one died of intercurrent disease. Actuarial 5-year survival rates were 100% for patients with chondrosarcoma and 79% for patients with chordoma. Grade 3 and 4 late toxicities were observed in four patients (7%) and were symptomatic in three (5%).Conclusions. High-dose proton RT offers excellent chances of lasting tumor control and survival, with acceptable risks. In this series all small- and medium-sized tumors with no demonstrable brainstem involvement have been controlled; all such patients are alive. Surgical debulking enhanced delivery of full tumoricidal doses, but even patients with large tumors and disease abutting crucial normal structures benefited.

BACKGROUND Epithelioid vascular tumors of bone are uncommon and include epithelioid hemangioma, epithelioid hemangioendothelioma, and epithelioid angiosarcoma. It is important to distinguish among them because they have significantly different biologic potential and require different forms of therapy. In the current study the authors describe six cases of a distinct benign epithelioid and spindle cell vascular tumor of bone that, because of their unusual morphology, were confused with aggressive vascular neoplasms. METHODS Cases were retrieved from the surgical pathology files of the Department of Pathology or from the consultation files of one of the authors. Hematoxylin and eosin stained slides were examined. Immunohistochemistry was performed on two cases and electron microscopy was performed on one case. RESULTS The tumors arose in the small bones of the hands and feet and the tibia. Three patients had multifocal bone disease at the time of presentation. Histologically, all lesions were comprised of lobules of spindle cells that grew focally in a fascicular pattern and were associated with abundant hemorrhage. Plump epithelioid cells were intermixed and were present focally in the interlobular areas as well, in which they lined larger, more well developed vascular spaces, often protruding into the vascular lumen in a “tombstone” fashion. Immunohistochemically and ultrastructurally the neoplastic cells had features of endothelium. One case was treated by amputation, one by resection, three by curettage, and one by curettage plus radiation therapy. None of the lesions was locally aggressive nor did any metastasize. CONCLUSIONS The authors believe that hemorrhagic epithelioid and spindle cell hemangioma of bone is a histologically benign bone tumor. It should be distinguished from malignant epithelioid vascular tumors of bone, which have metastatic potential and need to be treated more aggressively. Cancer 1999;85:1966–72. © 1999 American Cancer Society.

Background: The data on 227 patients who had been managed for a chondrosarcoma at one institution were reviewed to determine the nature of the lesions, the predictors of outcome, and whether there were any ways to change the treatment approaches to improve the results. Methods: The patients were followed for a mean duration of six years (range, three to twenty-five years). The mean age of the patients was forty-seven years (range, nine to eighty-four years). The most prevalent sites of the tumors were the femur (seventy-eight), the pelvis (fifty-one), and the humerus (thirty-nine). The tumors were divided into two groups according to histological grade. Eighty-six tumors (sixteen atypical enchondromas and seventy grade-1 chondrosarcomas) that were locally destructive but were associated with a low likelihood of metastasis were considered to be low-grade. The remaining 141 lesions, which were locally destructive, potentially metastatic, and capable of causing death, were thought to be high-grade. One hundred and three of these 141 lesions were grade 2, and thirty-eight were grade 3 (eighteen of the thirty-eight were grade 3 only, and twenty were both grade 3 and dedifferentiated). Two hundred and twenty-four patients were managed with resection and a limb-sparing procedure; the remaining three patients had an amputation. Postoperative adjuvant radiation was used for fifty-six patients; chemotherapy, for thirty-five; and both radiation and chemotherapy, for nineteen. Flow cytometric patterns were analyzed for 105 patients. Results: The patients who had a high-grade tumor were older than those who had a low-grade tumor (mean age [and standard deviation], 50 ± 17.0 years compared with 40 ± 15.9 years; p < 0.001). Pathological fracture, metastasis, local recurrence, and death were more prevalent in the group that had a high-grade lesion (p < 0.001). Predictors of metastasis and death in that group of patients included local recurrence, a pelvic location of the tumor, a tumor that was more than 100 cubic centimeters in size, a ploidic abnormality (aneuploidy coupled with a high mean DNA index), a histological grade of 3, and a dedifferentiated type of tumor (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Although the data are suggestive, with the numbers available for study we could not detect a significant difference in the rates of pulmonary metastasis and death between the patients who had a grade-3 lesion and those who had a grade-3 lesion that was also dedifferentiated. However, the interval between diagnosis and death was 32 ± 22.8 months for the patients who had a grade-3 lesion compared with 5 ± 3.7 months for those who had a grade-3 lesion that was also dedifferentiated (p < 0.001). Overall, patients who had had a resection with wide margins (margins extending outside the reactive zone) had a longer duration of survival than did those who had had a so-called marginal resection (margins extending outside the tumor but within the reactive zone) or an intralesional resection (margins within the lesion) (p < 0.04). Adjunctive chemotherapy or radiation, or both (which, it must be noted, was used, without a protocol, in a relatively small number of patients), after an intralesional resection, for recurrent disease, or for distant metastasis did not appear to alter the outcome.

Before the 1980s, multiple-injured patients arriving to the hospital might undergo emergency surgery to repair head, neck, and thoracoabdominal injuries; however, orthopedic injuries, such as an open femoral fracture, were splinted and debrided, but definitive repair was not performed until some future date. This practice placed patients at risk for fat embolism secondary to fracture fragment motion, sepsis caused by infection, and impaired ventilation because these patients were maintained at bedrest.” 41 The concept of early fracture repair was introduced in the 1980s, when LaDuca et alB published a report describing only a 4% incidence of infection and no cases of fat embolism or posttraumatic cardiopulmonary failure in 42 patients with 50 open fractures undergoing immediate repair. In this study, 27 patients suffered multiple injuries. Care was taken to adequately debride and clean open fractures, even if it took many hours during the initial surgery. There were two postoperative deaths, one from suicide and one from a ruptured thoracic aorta. Thus, LaDuca et alB demonstrated that early fracture fixation could allow early mobilization, diminish wound complications, and elinkate casts, thereby improving wound care. Johnson et all8 at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas noticed that the incidence of adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) increased as time to repair of fractures was prolonged. In an examination comparing time of repair and severity of injury, they were able to demonstrate that the incidence of ARDS was significantly diminished with early fracture fixation despite the level of injury severity score (ISS) (Fig. 1). The study included trauma victims from motor vehicle accidents, motorcycle accidents, automobilepedestrian accidents

An 11-year-old, neutered, male Golden Retriever cross dog was euthanized following a history of recurrent pericardial effusions. At necropsy, blood-tinged pericardial and intrathoracic effusions were seen along with numerous firm to hard plaque-like masses that studded the epicardial, pericardial, mediastinal, and costal pleural surfaces. Within the right thorax, the lesions coalesced into a large mass that occupied most of the cavity. Histologically, the masses were composed of solid sheets and papillary aggregates of medium-sized polygonal cells that contained abundant vacuolated to clear cytoplasm. Some of the cytoplasmic vacuoles stained positive with oil red O. The stroma contained metaplastic trabeculae of woven and lamellar bone. Immunohistochemically, the neoplastic cells expressed vimentin, pancytokeratin, and S-100 protein. Transmission electron microscopy corroborated the presence of intracytoplasmic vacuoles and demonstrated prominent intercellular junctional complexes and apically located microvilli. These findings are consistent with a lipid-rich variant of mesothelioma. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of a lipid-rich mesothelioma in a dog.

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) is one of the most common soft tissue sarcomas of adulthood. Although it is usually intramuscular and pseudocapsulated, we have recently observed MFHs with extremely infiltrative growth margins, which are predominantly located in the subcutis. These lesions are often associated with incomplete primary surgical excision, the subsequent need for additional surgery or adjuvant therapy, and an increased risk for local recurrence. To further analyze the growth pattern and clinical implication of the subcutaneous infiltrative MFHs, we reviewed a series of 24 subcutis and 21 intramuscular MFHs of the extremities. Morphologically, we defined "infiltrative" as tumor extension along normal tissue planes for a minimum measurable distance of 2 mm from the edge of the main mass. Radiographic findings were correlated with pathologic findings. Of the 24 subcutis MFHs, 83% showed an infiltrative growth pattern, involving 5% to 90% (mean, 51%) of the evaluable margin. Fifty percent of patients with subcutaneous MFH had both an infiltrative growth pattern and positive surgical resection margin on initial resection. Only 25% noninfiltrative subcutaneous MFHs had a positive initial surgical resection margin. Of the 21 intramuscular MFHs, only 5 (24%) had an infiltrative growth pattern that involved 5% to 90% (mean, 40%) of the evaluable margin. One of the five tumors had 90% margin infiltration with multiple positive surgical resection margins. Of 16 noninfiltrative intramuscular MFHs, 3 (19%) had positive resection margins. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and/or computed tomography (CT) scan correctly identified the growth pattern in 87% of subcutaneous and 88% of intramuscular MFHs. Patient follow-up evaluation showed that four (17%) patients with subcutaneous MFHs had resection-proven recurrences, 6 to 57 months after diagnosis. All four of these tumors had infiltrative growth patterns and positive margins on the original surgical resection. There were no local recurrences of the intramuscular MFHs. Two patients of 20 in the infiltrative subcutaneous MFH group and two patients of four in the well-circumscribed subcutaneous MFH group had biopsy-proven metastases, which developed within 5 years after diagnosis. Six patients had metastases in the intramuscular MFH group. A group of MFHs, predominantly subcutaneous, have an extremely infiltrative growth pattern. This growth pattern, documented by radiographic methods and/or light microscopic examination of biopsy specimens, should indicate that a wider margin on initial resection is necessary to entirely excise the lesion. The presence or absence of an infiltrative growth pattern is not predictive of the tumor's metastatic potential.

Intramuscular myxoma (IM) is a benign soft-tissue tumor that presents as a deeply seated mass confined to skeletal muscle. Surgical excision is virtually always curative. Recurrence, even after incomplete resection, is exceptional. Intramuscular myxoma is classically described as hypocellular and hypovascular, and is composed of cytologically bland stellate and bipolar fibroblasts separated by abundant extracellular myxoid matrix. What is underemphasized, however, is that IMs often show areas of increased cellularity and vascularity that can lead to a mistaken diagnosis of sarcoma, especially myxofibrosarcoma, low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma, and myxoid liposarcoma. In this report, we describe the clinicopathologic features of 51 IMs with special emphasis on those that exhibit these "hypercellular regions." The patients included 35 women and 16 men who ranged in age from 27 to 89 (mean 52) years. The tumors measured from 2 to 15 (average 5.6) cm and all had a gelatinous, lobulated cut surface. Histologically, they all demonstrated classic hypocellular, hypovascular regions. Thirty-eight tumors contained areas of relative increased cellularity that occupied from 10 to 80% of the tumor. These foci had increased numbers of cells, more prominent vascularity, and often increased collagen content. The hypercellular regions were not associated with cytologic atypia of the constituent cells, mitotic activity, or necrosis. Follow-up information was available for 32 patients and ranged from 3 to 108 (average 30) months. No tumor recurred or metastasized. Areas of hypercellularity are common in IMs. Their recognition is important to avoid an erroneous diagnosis of sarcoma.

We report three cases of atypical decubital fibroplasia (ADF), a benign, reactive pathologic process that develops in the skin and subcutaneous tissue of immobilized or debilitated patients. Two patients were immobilized, one wheelchair bound, and one bedridden. The third patient frequently lay over the affected area. Two were male, one female, ages 49, 66, and 89 (mean 68 years old). Each patient presented with a subcutaneous mass, one with focal surface ulceration, present for 5 months, 6 months, and 12 months (mean 7.7 months). The locations included back, lateral thigh (over greater trochanter), and lateral chest wall. No other lesions were present, and none had recurrences. Histologically, atypical decubital fibroplasia is characterized principally by dermal and subcutaneous tissue involvement with fibrinoid necrosis, reactive fibrosis, and focal myxoid change with surrounding more cellular zones of prominent reactive neovascularization including granulation tissue and ectatic vessels with reactive atypical fibroblasts and fat necrosis. Other findings include hyalinization of vessel walls, fibrin thrombi, red blood cell extravasation, hemosiderin deposition, and acute and chronic inflammation. Although the changes are predominantly deep, involving the dermis, subcutaneous tissue and skeletal muscle, the overlying epidermis may ulcerate. Recognition of atypical decubital fibroplasia is of paramount importance, for it may be misinterpreted as a sarcoma, both clinically and histologically.

To examine prognostic indicators in aggressive fibromatoses that may be used to optimize case-specific management strategy.One hundred and seven fibromatoses presenting between 1971 and 1992 were analyzed. The following treatment modalities were utilized: (a) surgery alone for 51 tumors; (b) radiation alone for 15 tumors; and (c) radiation and surgery (combined modality) for 41 tumors. Outcome analysis was based on 5-year actuarial local control rates.Control rates among surgery, radiation therapy, and combined modality groups were 69%, 93%, and 72%. Multivariate analysis identified age18 years, recurrent disease, positive surgical margins, and treatment with surgery alone as predictors for failure. Patients treated with surgery alone had control rates of 50% (3 of 6) for gross residual, 56% for microscopically positive margins, and 77% for negative margins. Radiation and surgery resulted in rates of 59% for gross residual, 78% for microscopically positive margins, and 100% (6 of 6) for negative margins. For recurrent vs. primary tumors, control was achieved in 48% vs. 77%, 90% vs. 100% (5 of 5), and 67% vs. 79% in the Surgery, Radiation, and Combined modality Groups, respectively. Patients presenting with multiple disease sites tended to have aggressive disease. A radiation dose-control relation to60 Gy was seen in patients with unresected or gross residual disease. Of the patients, 23 with disease involving the plantar region had a control rate of 62%, with significantly worse outcomes in children.These results are consistent with those found in the relevant literature. They support primary resection with negative margins when feasible. Radiation is a highly effective alternative in situations where surgery would result in major functional or cosmetic defects. When negative surgical margins are not achieved in recurrent tumors, radiation is recommended. Perioperative radiation should be considered in other high-risk groups (recurrent disease, positive margins, and plantar tumors in young patients). Doses of 60-65 Gy for gross disease and 50-60 Gy for microscopic residual are recommended. Observation may be considered for primary tumors with disease remaining in situ when they are located such that progression would not cause significant morbidity. Although plantar lesions in children may represent a group at high risk for recurrence or aggressive behavior, the greater potential for radiation-induced morbidity in this group must also temper its use. Given the inconsistent nature and treatment response of this tumor, it is fundamental that treatment recommendations should be made based on the risk:benefit analysis for the individual patient, dependent on tumor characteristics and location, as well as patient characteristics and preferences.

The infraclavicular approach to the brachial plexus is a safe and reliable technique for surgery of the upper extremity. When performing the block, the anesthesiologist must appreciate three variables: needle direction, needle angle to the chest wall, and needle depth. Surface stimulation is an easy technique that can reliably predict both needle direction and needle angle.

We report a rare case of ossifying plexiform tumor in a 64-year-old female. The patient had a 2-year history of gradual hardening of the right thumb pad and pain that radiated up the forearm. Physical examination showed a tender, mobile 2-cm subcutaneous nodule distending the tip of the right thumb. The biopsy specimen showed a well-delineated tumor with multiple lobules of epithelioid and spindled cells arranged in a plexiform pattern separated by fibrous bands and having foci of bone formation. The neoplastic cells had scant-to-moderate amphophilic cytoplasm with mild nuclear pleomorphism in a myxocollagenous background. No necrosis, mitoses or cytological atypicia were seen. The osteocytes present in the bone islands were bland, with occasional rimming osteoblasts. X-ray showed stippled calcification in the soft tissue of the distal thumb without involvement of the phalanx. The patient is tumor free for 1 year after complete local excision. Only three cases of ossifying plexiform tumor have been reported. All previous cases and the current case presented as subcutaneous nodules on hand digits of females, measuring 1-2 cm in greatest dimension. Ossifying plexiform tumor appears to be a benign neoplasm with no reports of progression or metastasis.

Background: Neuraxial local anesthetics may have neurological complications thought to be due to neurotoxicity. A primary site of action of local anesthetics is the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neuron. Physiologic differences have been noted between young and adult DRG neurons; hence, the authors examined whether there were any differences in lidocaine-induced changes in calcium and lidocaine toxicity in neonatal and adult rat DRG neurons. Methods: DRG neurons were cultured from postnatal day 7 (P7) and adult rats. Lidocaine-induced changes in cytosolic calcium were examined with the calcium indicator Fluo-4. Cells were incubated with varying concentrations of lidocaine and examined for viability using calcein AM and ethidium homodimer-1 staining. Live imaging of caspase-3/7 activation was performed after incubation with lidocaine. Results: The mean KCl-induced calcium transient was greater in P7 neurons (P < 0.05), and lidocaine significantly inhibited KCl-induced calcium responses in both ages (P < 0.05). Frequency distribution histograms of KCl-evoked calcium increases were more heterogeneous in P7 than in adult neurons. With lidocaine, KCl-induced calcium transients in both ages became more homogeneous but remained different between the groups. Interestingly, cell viability was decreased by lidocaine in a dose-dependent manner similarly in both ages. Lidocaine treatment also activated caspase-3/7 in a dose- and time-dependent manner similarly in both ages. Conclusions: Despite physiological differences in P7 and adult DRG neurons, lidocaine cytotoxicity is similar in P7 and adult DRG neurons in vitro. Differences in lidocaine- and KCl-evoked calcium responses suggest the similarity in lidocaine cytotoxicity involves other actions in addition to lidocaine-evoked effects on cytosolic calcium responses.

BACKGROUND Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is a multipotent growth factor affecting development, homeostasis, and tissue repair. In addition, increased expression of TGF-β has been reported in different malignancies, suggesting a role for this growth factor in tumorigenesis. METHODS Using immunohistochemistry, the expression, prevalence, and distribution of TGF-β isoforms were evaluated in 25 high grade human osteosarcomas. The Cox proportional hazards models and Kaplan-Meier curves were calculated correlating disease free survival with TGF-β expression. RESULTS Expression of one or more TGF-β isoforms was found in all the osteosarcomas. Immunoreactivity for TGF-β1 and TGF-β3 generally was stronger than for TGF-β2. The cytoplasm of the tumor cells showed stronger staining than their surrounding extracellular stroma. Most notably, osteoclasts showed strong to intense staining for all three isoforms. In 11 of 25 specimens angiogenic activity was noted with staining of multiple small vessels in the tumor stroma. Expression of TGF-β3, but not of TGF-β2 or TGF-β1, related to disease progression, such that there was a statistically significant decrease in the disease free interval as the immunoreactivity for TGF-β3 increased. CONCLUSIONS All osteosarcomas expressed TGF-β in the cytoplasm of the tumor cells as well as in their extracellular stroma. The presence of TGF-β in the endothelial and perivascular layers of small vessels in the tumor stroma suggests angiogenic activity of this growth factor. The expression of TGF-β3 was correlated strongly with disease progression (P = 0.027). These data suggest that increased expression of TGF-β isoforms, especially TGF-β3, may play a role in osteosarcoma progression. Cancer 1997; 80:2230-9. © 1997 American Cancer Society.

The U.S. New England groundfish fishery exploits demersal marine groundfish resources off the U.S. east coast from Maine to Virginia. This fishery has been an important source of jobs and income for coastal communities in the Northeast region, in particular, New England. However, the fishery resource base has declined to an all-time low in the last three decades. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) research trawl vessel surveys have documented a declining trend in the abundance of this groundfish resource from 1963 to the present (USDC 1995). The potential benefit of successful management is great: “Overall groundfish landings were one-third the maximum sustainable yield (MSY). Landings for haddock and yellowtail flounders were one-tenth the MSY. If the abundance of groundfish were rebuilt to provide MSY, the catch could increase by two to three times with one-half of the present effort” (Anthony 1993). The potential gains in resource rents and consumer benefits from efficient exploitation of the New England groundfish resources by the commercial fishing industries was estimated to be roughly $130 million and $20 million a year respectively (Edwards and Murawski 1993). The New England Groundfish fishery has been managed under the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act since 1977 (more recently the Magnuson-Stevens Act). While fishery resources have been severely overfished, some important new management actions have been taken in recent years. This article presents a review of the management system of the groundfish fishery to date, with a focus on the role of the overfishing definition and management guidelines. Also included is a description of an economic assistance program that was specifically designed to be parallel to an implementation of a new management system to mitigate the management impact on the industry.

Vascular tumors of the female genital tract are uncommon, and only a few cases have been reported in the ovary. We describe herein, an unusual tumor of the ovary: infantile hemangioendothelioma (cellular hemangioma of infancy) in a newborn. The tumor consisted of well-formed blood vessels and proliferating endothelial cells that were arranged in solid cordlike structures. The tumor permeated the ovarian stroma and entrapped normal ovarian follicles. By immunohistochemistry the neoplastic cells expressed factor VIII, CD34, and alpha smooth-muscle actin, and ultrastructurally they had the features of endothelial cells that were focally associated with pericytes. We examined simple sequence repeat (SSR) polymorphic markers in the tumor tissue, as well as in the patient's and parents' blood. The informative SSR markers were found to be identical in the tumor and in the patient's somatic cells. We suggest that the tumor described herein is a congenital infantile hemangioendothelioma arising from ovarian parenchymal cells rather than a teratoma originating from germ cells. A similar morphologic lesion has been described recently in the ovary and interpreted as monodermal teratoma composed of vascular tissue.

We report on a locally recurrent vulvar tumor in an 80-year-old woman that we believe represents the first example of malignant transformation of an angiomyofibroblastoma. The tumor was predominantly a typical angiomyofibroblastoma, composed of epithelioid or oval cells with eosinophilic cytoplasm that tended to cluster in small groups and around blood vessels. These areas merged imperceptibly with a high-grade sarcoma that resembled a myxoid malignant fibrous histiocytoma. The tumor cells in the benign areas were diffusely immunoreactive for vimentin; many cells were positive for smooth muscle actin, and focal positivity for muscle actin and desmin was observed. The tumor cells in the sarcomatous areas were diffusely positive for vimentin, but negative for smooth muscle actin, muscle actin, and desmin. No staining for keratin, S-100 protein, or CD34 was noted. Ultrastructural examination of the sarcomatous area showed that the cells had the features of fibroblasts. All previously reported cases of angiomyofibroblastoma have exhibited banal histologic features and have behaved in a benign fashion. This case shows that these tumors may rarely be associated with a malignant component, and the designation "angiomyofibrosarcoma" may be appropriate in such cases.

Three cases of chondromyxoid fibroma arising in the skull base are reported. The tumors arose in females 34, 65, and 66 (median 55) years of age. Two women presented with headaches, and one with nasal obstruction. Radiographic studies revealed that all three lesions were expansile soft tissue masses centered in the clivus, at least 4 cm in greatest diameter. One lesion involved primarily the clivus, the others extended from the clivus into the sphenoid and ethmoid sinuses. Two of the three cases were initially misdiagnosed as chordoma or chondrosarcoma. The initial treatment was curettage of gross disease in all three cases. One patient also received radiation therapy. One patient had local progression of disease, which was treated with surgery and radiation therapy. All patients are clinically free of disease 11 to 26 months following the most recent treatment. Chondromyxoid fibroma can and should be distinguished from chondrosarcoma and chordoma, two tumors which more commonly arise in the skull base and which have the potential to metastasize.

To determine whether allogeneic red blood cell transfusion is a predictor for developing an in-hospital postoperative urinary tract, respiratory, or wound infection.Prospective, consecutive.Six hundred eighty-seven community-dwelling, ambulatory, geriatric hip fracture patients were prospectively followed; all patients had operative fracture treatment and received perioperative antibiotics.Sixty-eight patients had a culture-positive infection before operative treatment. One hundred thirty-four of the remaining 619 patients (21.6%) developed a postoperative infection, primarily a urinary tract infection. The infection rate was 26.8% in transfused patients compared with 14.9% in nontransfused patients (p = 0.001). When stratifying by the type of infection, only the risk of urinary tract infection was statistically significant (p = 0.001). After controlling for the effect of patient age, sex, number of preinjury medical comorbidities, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) rating of operative risk, fracture type, surgical delay, type of surgery, type of anesthesia, operative time, and blood loss, the relationship between allogeneic red blood cell transfusion and postoperative urinal tract infection remained statistically significant.Geriatric hip fracture patients who receive allogeneic red blood cell transfusions are at higher risk for developing a postoperative urinary tract infection than are those patients who are not transfused.

Hintergrund Vorliegender Beitrag wertet die Erfahrungen des Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston mit der Behandlung von Weichteilsarkomen des Kopf-Hals-Bereichs beim Erwachsenen aus. Sie sind bereits in ausfuhrlicher Form dargestellt worden [17].

We report a hepatic monophasic synovial sarcoma in a 60-year-old woman who presented with right upper quadrant pain subsequent to an intrahepatic bleed from a highly vascular tumor mass. Imaging studies showed a dominant tumor mass in the right hepatic lobe with multiple satellite nodules. A detailed physical examination and radiologic workup failed to reveal a primary tumor elsewhere. A right partial hepatectomy was performed with a preoperative differential diagnosis of angiosarcoma versus hepatocellular carcinoma. The morphologic, immunophenotypic, and cytogenetic findings (t(X;18)(p11.2;icq11.2)) were consistent with a monophasic synovial sarcoma. Postoperative clinical evaluation of the extremities and a positron emission tomographic scan performed 4 weeks after surgery showed no evidence of recurrent or metastatic disease. The patient was started on an aggressive 4-drug chemotherapy regimen, but died 3 months thereafter from widespread metastatic disease. No autopsy was performed. The presence of multiple lesions in the liver certainly suggests the possibility of metastatic disease. It would, however, be very unusual for a synovial sarcoma to present as an occult primary, and the negative radiologic workup 1 month after the partial hepatectomy also argues against this possibility. The clinical presentation, radiographic findings, and subsequent course in this patient was therefore most consistent with a primary monophasic synovial sarcoma of the liver.

Dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma is a primary bone tumor characterized by the presence of both low-grade cartilaginous and high-grade malignant noncartilaginous components. The high-grade noncartilaginous component is typically a pleomorphic fibroblastic spindle cell sarcoma. Dedifferentiation into a malignant epithelial component is extremely rare. In this report, we present a 74-year-old woman who developed a metastatic squamous cell carcinoma in the right inguinal area 1 year after wide resection of her right proximal femur for a dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma. The dedifferentiated component was composed of poorly differentiated epithelioid cells with foci of squamous cell carcinoma. Mutational analysis was performed, and the isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 R132C mutation was detected in the low-grade chondrosarcoma, dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma as well as the metastatic squamous cell carcinoma. And this mutation was not detected in patient's normal tissue. Our study supports the theory that both the chondrosarcoma cells and dedifferentiated epithelioid tumor cells arose from the same clonal origin.

Mutations in the gene-encoding β-catenin, CTNNB1, are highly prevalent in sporadic desmoid tumors and may predict the risk for recurrence. We sought to determine the prevalence of CTNNB1 mutations in a large cohort of sporadic desmoid tumors and to determine whether CTNNB1 mutation status correlates with disease outcome.Single-base extension genotyping of the CTNNB1 gene was performed on 145 sporadic, paraffin-embedded desmoid tumor specimens. Correlation of mutation status with outcome was performed on a subset of 115 patients who underwent macroscopically complete surgical resection.CTNNB1 mutations were detected in 106 of 145 (73%) tumor specimens and in 86 of 115 (75%) specimens from patients who underwent curative-intent surgical resection, including discrete mutations in the following codons of CTNNB1 exon 3: T41A (46%), S45F (25%), S45P (1.7%), and S45C (0.9%). Desmoid tumors of the superficial trunk were significantly less likely to harbor CTNNB1 mutations than tumors located elsewhere, but none of the other examined clinicopathologic factors were found to be associated with CTNNB1 mutation status. At a median follow-up of 31 months, 5-year recurrence-free survival was slightly, although not statistically significantly, worse for patients with β-catenin-mutated tumors than for those with wild-type tumors (58% vs. 74%, respectively). The specific CTNNB1 codon mutation did not correlate with the risk for recurrence.CTNNB1 mutations are indeed common in sporadic desmoid tumors. However, our study did not detect a statistically significant difference in recurrence risk according to either the CTNNB1 mutation status or the specific CTNNB1 mutation.

The classic metaphyseal lesion (CML) is a common high specificity indicator of infant abuse and its imaging features have been correlated histopathologically in infant fatalities.High-resolution CT imaging and histologic correlates were employed to (1) characterize the normal infant anatomy surrounding the chondro-osseous junction, and (2) confirm the 3-D model of the CML previously inferred from planar radiography and histopathology.Long bone specimens from 5 fatally abused infants, whose skeletal survey showed definite or suspected CMLs, were studied postmortem. After skeletal survey, selected specimens were resected and imaged with high-resolution digital radiography. They were then scanned with micro-CT (isotropic resolution of 45 μm(3)) or with high-resolution flat-panel CT (isotropic resolutions of 200 μm(3)). Visualization of the bony structures was carried out using image enhancement, segmentation and isosurface extraction, together with volume rendering and multiplanar reformatting. These findings were then correlated with histopathology.Study of normal infant bone clarifies the 3-D morphology of the subperiosteal bone collar (SPBC) and the radiographic zone of provisional calcification (ZPC). Studies on specimens with CML confirm that this lesion is a fracture extending in a planar fashion through the metaphysis, separating a mineralized fragment. This disk-like mineralized fragment has two components: (1) a thick peripheral component encompassing the SPBC; and (2) a thin central component comprised predominantly of the radiologic ZPC. By manipulating the 3-D model, the varying appearances of the CML are displayed.High-resolution CT coupled with histopathology provides elucidation of the morphology of the CML, a strong indicator of infant abuse. This new information may prove useful in assessing the biomechanical factors that produce this strong indicator of abusive assaults in infants.

Calciphylaxis is characterized by calcification and thrombosis of arteries resulting in ischemic necrosis of predominantly skin and subcutaneous tissue. Primarily affecting patients with end-stage renal disease, calciphylaxis is diagnosed rarely in the absence of renal replacement therapy. We report an elderly obese woman presented with leg pain and ulceration. She had chronic kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and peripheral vascular disease. Angiography revealed occlusion of the left superficial femoral, popliteal, and distal tibial arteries. Amputation was performed. Histological examination demonstrated medial calcification, intimal hyperplasia, and thrombosis of small- and medium-sized arteries in the subcutaneous tissue. This case features calciphylaxis in a patient with chronic kidney disease before the onset of uremia. Calciphylaxis and atherosclerotic peripheral vascular disease have several risk factors in common. This report calls attention to a disorder that can be masqueraded as leg ulceration due to peripheral vascular disease in the absence of renal replacement therapy.

Led by the federal government, the payers of health care are enacting policies designed to base provider reimbursement on the quality of care they render. This study evaluated and compared patient experiences and satisfaction with nasal decolonization with either nasal povidone-iodine (PI) or nasal mupirocin ointment (MO). A total of 1903 patients were randomized to undergo preoperative nasal decolonization with either nasal MO or PI solution. All randomized patients were also given 2% chlorhexidine gluconate topical wipes. Patients were interviewed prior to discharge to assess adverse events and patient experience with their assigned preoperative antiseptic protocol. Of the 1903 randomized patients, 1679 (88.1%) were interviewed prior to discharge. Of patients receiving PI, 3.4% reported an unpleasant or very unpleasant experience, compared with 38.8% of those using nasal MO ( P P >.05). Being recruited as an active participant in surgical site infection prevention was a positive experience for 87.2% of MO patients and 86.3% of PI patients ( P= .652). Those assigned to receive PI solution preoperatively reported significantly fewer adverse events than the nasal MO group ( P

Distinguishing chondrosarcoma from chondroblastic osteosarcoma can be difficult and highly subjective, especially on a small biopsy specimen. This distinction is critical in determining the most accurate prognosis and appropriate treatment modality, as adjuvant chemotherapy with surgery is standard treatment for osteosarcoma, whereas chondrosarcoma is generally treated by surgical excision alone. Cartilaginous neoplasms have recently been shown to frequently (56%) harbor gene mutations in the metabolic enzymes isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) and IDH2 (IDH1>IDH2), whereas other mesenchymal tumors lack these genetic aberrations. We investigated whether the presence of IDH1/2 mutations can be used to distinguish chondrosarcoma from chondroblastic osteosarcoma. Tumors including 25 predominantly high-grade chondrosarcomas and 65 osteosarcomas (44 chondroblastic osteosarcomas and 21 mixed osteosarcomas with a chondroblastic component) were evaluated, and a total of 59 cases (66%) were suitable for genotyping. Mutational analysis was performed using a multiplexed polymerase chain reaction genotyping platform to query for hotspot mutations in the genes IDH1 at codon R132. IDH1-negative cases underwent Sanger sequencing of IDH2 exon 4. No osteosarcomas (0/36) and 61% of chondrosarcomas (14/23) harbored a somatic mutation in IDH1/2, with the majority (86%) of mutations found in the IDH1 gene. IDH1/2 mutation analysis appears to be a promising biomarker for the distinction of chondrosarcoma from chondroblastic osteosarcoma. A positive result strongly favors the diagnosis of chondrosarcoma over chondroblastic osteosarcoma. The presence of IDH1/2 mutations can also help confirm the diagnosis of dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma when the tumor displays osteosarcomatous differentiation.

Studies have shown that the fracture plane of the classic metaphyseal lesion (CML) of infant abuse occurs in the region of the primary spongiosa, encompassing a radiodense fracture fragment customarily referred to as the "zone of provisional calcification" or ZPC. However, the zone of provisional calcification is defined differently in the pathology and the imaging literature, potentially impeding efforts to understand the fundamental morphological features of the classic metaphyseal lesion.We systematically correlated micro-CT data with histology in piglets to explore the differing definitions of the zone of provisional calcification and to elucidate the anatomical basis for divergent definitions.The distal tibias of five normal fetal piglets were studied postmortem. The specimens were resected and imaged with digital radiography (50 μm resolution) and micro-CT (45 μm(3) isotropic resolution). Image processing techniques were applied to the micro-CT data for visualization and data analysis. The resected tissue specimens were then processed routinely and the light microscopic features were correlated with the imaging findings.The longitudinal dimension of the radiologic zone of provisional calcification is greater than the histological ZPC, and these dimensions are statistically distinct (P 0.0002). The radiologic zone of provisional calcification consists of two adjoining mineralized discoid regions that span the chondro-osseous junction-a thick discoid region that encompasses the densest region of the primary spongiosa, and a thin discoid region (corresponding to the histological ZPC) that is situated in the base of the physis adjacent to the metaphysis.The correlation of the normal histology and micro-CT appearance of this dynamic and complex region provides an anatomical foundation upon which a deeper appreciation of the morphology of the classic metaphyseal lesion can be built.

CD99 reactivity has been reported to be a sensitive and specific marker for Ewing's sarcoma (ES) and primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET). However, within the group of "small round blue cell tumors," the specificity has not been extensively examined. We investigated the immunoreactivity of mesenchymal chondrosarcoma to CD99 using the O13 antibody and found reactivity in 11 of 11 (100%) of cases, specifically in the "small round blue cell" component. All cases showed strong reactivity involving more than 50% of the small round blue cells with a distinct membrane pattern of staining. Staining was either absent or focal and weak in cartilaginous areas. We conclude that mesenchymal chondrosarcoma cannot be distinguished from ES/PNET on the basis of CD99 immunoreactivity.

Background: Although improved staging technology, limb-sparing surgery, and adjunctive radiation and chemotherapy have improved the outlook for patients with malignant soft-tissue tumors of the trunk and extremities, it is evident that we cannot predict which patients will develop distant metastases. Although local control is now frequently achieved, most series of high-grade soft-tissue sarcomas carry a mortality rate of >50%. Methods: In a retrospective study of 93 patients with high-grade sarcomas treated between 1986 and 1992 for whom complete studies including size and volume measurements and DNA ploidy determinations as assessed by flow cytometry were available, a search for a marker for increased risk of metastasis or death was performed. Results: Grade of the lesion, sex, diagnosis, anatomical site, ploidic data (including mean DNA index and presence of an aneuploid peak), and treatment factors (including type of surgery, local recurrence, or radiation protocol) did not correlate with outcome. Age (younger patients did better), size (greatest diameter) and volume, and positive margins at surgery correlated with total survival. Conclusions: The results of the study, although negative, point out that using anatomical site, diagnosis, or ploidic analysis offers little toward anticipating outcome, whereas the size of the tumor is important.

The clinical and pathological features of 25 smooth-muscle tumors of the vulva were analyzed. The patients ranged in age from 17 to 67 (mean, 37.6) years; two were pregnant. Twenty-three tumors were 1.5 to 16 (mean, 5.2) cm in greatest dimension; the size of two tumors was unknown. Microscopic examination showed that 16 tumors were circumscribed, six had focally infiltrative margins, and the margins could not be evaluated in three tumors. Fourteen tumors were composed mainly of spindle cells; two of these tumors had prominent myxoid stroma. Seven tumors were predominantly epithelioid and had a prominent hyalinized or myxoid stroma; often the cells had a plexiform pattern. Four tumors contained an approximately equal number of epithelioid and spindle cells. Ten tumors had mild, nine moderate, and six severe cytologic atypia. Mitotic figures ranged from 0 to 10 (average, 1.8) per 10 high-power fields (hpf). Immunohistochemically, all the tumors stained for one or more muscle markers. Thirteen of 17 tumors were positive for estrogen receptors, and 16 of 18 were positive for progesterone receptors. Follow-up information ranging from 1 month to 19 years (average, 5 years) was available in 19 cases. Four tumors recurred locally, and one patient with recurrent tumor died of metastases 7 months after the initial operation. We propose an expanded criteria to distinguish between leiomyomas and leiomyosarcomas of the vulva. Tumors that manifest three or all of the four following features should be considered sarcomas: > or = 5 cm in greatest dimension, infiltrative margins, > or = 5 mitotic figures per 10 hpf, and moderate to severe cytologic atypia. Those that have only one of these characteristics should be diagnosed as leiomyoma, and those that exhibit only two of these features should be considered benign but atypical leiomyomas. The sarcomas should be excised with widely negative margins; the leiomyomas and the atypical leiomyomas should be excised conservatively, with long-term, careful follow-up.

Tumors of the musculoskeletal system, especially malignant tumors, are rare. The practicing orthopaedic surgeon will see fewer than one primary malignant tumor of the musculoskeletal system every three years. This means that only orthopaedic oncologists will have much experience in the treatment of sarcomas, and there can be little, if any, argument that a patient who has a sarcoma should be referred to a medical center at which there are physicians who have expertise in the treatment of musculoskeletal neoplasia. We suspect that this happens when the referring surgeon knows that the lesion is malignant. All too often, however, the referring surgeon either does not think that the patient has a malignant tumor or finds the temptation to perform a biopsy too strong to resist. When the possibility of malignancy is not even considered, the lesion usually is excised inadequately. An inadequately excised or poorly biopsied sarcoma makes a difficult situation worse. The biopsy of musculoskeletal tumors is not easy and requires careful thought and planning. This issue of The Journal contains three articles that address this topic. Skrzynski et al. compare the diagnostic accuracy and monetary cost of open biopsy performed in an operating room with those of needle biopsy done in an outpatient clinic and report that, for selected patients who have a musculoskeletal tumor, the latter procedure is just as accurate and is less expensive than the former. Noria et al. examine the problem of residual tumor in patients who have had an unplanned excision and report that macroscopic or microscopic tumor often is present even when the referring surgeon thinks that the entire tumor has been removed and when no tumor is seen on postoperative cross-sectional computerized tomographic or magnetic resonance imaging studies. Mankin et al. revisit the issue of complications associated with biopsy and report …

Many anesthesiologists do not even consider regional anesthesia a logical alternative when caring for trauma patients and for many trauma victims this is the correct decision. The beneficial effects of regional anesthesia with its ease of administration, rapid onset, minimal requirements for equipment and medication, and ability to have the patient remain awake is ideal for selected patients in some trauma situations. Although the intubated, multiply-injured trauma victim with a flail chest, upper abdominal wounds, and head injury is not the appropriate patient for regional anesthesia, patients with some lower abdominal, pelvic and extremity injuries have undergone surgical repair under regional anesthesia. Choice of anesthesia in the trauma patient must take neurologic, respiratory, cardiac, hemodynamic stability, and ongoing blood loss into consideration. 6,13,14

To evaluate a percutaneous technique for in situ destruction of osteoid osteoma.Radio-frequency ablation was performed in 18 patients with osteoid osteoma (17 male, one female; age range, 8-42 years). Diagnosis was established by means of clinical and radiographic features and confirmed by means of needle biopsy findings. No attempt was made to remove the lesion. A small radio-frequency electrode introduced into the lesion through the biopsy track was used to produce thermal necrosis of a 1-cm sphere of tissue.Symptoms were completely relieved in 16 (89%) of 18 patients. In one patient, a second procedure was required for pain relief. All but two patients underwent treatment as outpatients: These two were hospitalized for 1 night only. All patients resumed normal daily activities immediately. No casts or external supports were required; there were no complications. Twelve patients were followed up for more than 1 year. There were no recurrencesRadio-frequency ablation of osteoid osteoma is a promising alternative to surgery in selected patients.

Chondroid lipoma is a recently described variant of lipoma with unusual morphologic features. Although classified as a fatty neoplasm, its phenotype is uncertain because it has not been determined whether cartilage is a real component or only simulated by light microscopy and whether the adipocytes demonstrate white or brown fat differentiation, issues that can be resolved only by electron microscopy. We present two cases of chondroid lipoma that ultrastructurally showed abundant intracytoplasmic lipid and glycogen and numerous pinocytotic vesicles, characteristic of white adipocytes. These findings support the conclusion that these tumors are composed solely of fat without true cartilage differentiation.

We report three cases of a unique, previously undescribed soft tissue tumor composed of mature adipocytes and hemangiopericytomatous areas, for which we propose the term lipomatous hemangiopericytoma. The tumors occurred in adults and were located in the sinonasal area, the soft tissue of the shoulder, and the retroperitoneum. The tumors ranged in size from 4 to 10 cm in greatest diameter and grossly were solid and ranged from tan to yellow. Histologically, they were composed of a variable admixture of benign lipomatous and hemangiopericytomatous components. Immunohistochemically, they stained with antibodies to vimentin and not to alpha-smooth-muscle actin, muscle-specific actin, desmin, S-100 protein, glial fibrillary acidic protein, epithelial membrane antigen, or keratin. Ultrastructurally, the cells constituting the hemangiopericytomatous areas had the features of pericytes, and no lipoblasts or transitional forms between lipocytes and pericytes were found. The histologic differential diagnosis of this neoplasm includes spindle-cell lipoma, angiolipoma, liposarcomas, tumors showing smooth muscle and adipocytic differentiation, and hemangiopericytoma infiltrating fat. Because of the small number of cases and the limited follow-up, we cannot be certain of their biologic behavior, although we expect that they are benign. Lipomatous hemangiopericytoma represents a distinctive pathologic entity that should be recognized and studied further.

Aneurysmal bone cysts are rare lesions which even more rarely involve the bones of the hand. We report a case of a cyst involving the lunate which was initially mistaken for interosseous ganglion. Due to delay in diagnosis, marked destruction of the lunate occurred, necessitating excision and scapho-capitate arthrodesis. Although rare, aneurysmal bone cysts should be included in the differential diagnosis and ruled out prior to embarking on a course of treatment.

Background Preoperative anemia is a well-established risk factor for short-term mortality in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery, but appropriate thresholds for transfusion remain uncertain. The objective of this study was to determine long-term outcomes associated with anemia, hemorrhage, and red blood cell transfusion in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery. Methods We performed a long-term follow-up study of consecutive subjects undergoing hip, knee, and spine surgery between November 1, 2008 and December 31, 2009. Clinical data were obtained from administrative and laboratory databases, and retrospective record review. Preoperative anemia was defined as baseline hemoglobin Results There were 3050 subjects who underwent orthopedic surgery. Preoperative anemia was present in 17.6% (537) of subjects, hemorrhage occurred in 33 (1%), and 766 (25%) received at least one red blood cell transfusion. Over 9015 patient-years of follow-up, 111 deaths occurred. Anemia (hazard ratio [HR] 3.91; confidence interval [CI], 2.49-6.15) and hemorrhage (HR 5.28; 95% CI, 2.20-12.67) were independently associated with long-term mortality after multivariable adjustment. Red blood cell transfusion during the surgical hospitalization was associated with long-term mortality (HR 3.96; 95% CI, 2.47-6.34), which was attenuated by severity of anemia (no anemia [HR 4.39], mild anemia [HR 2.27], and moderate/severe anemia [HR 0.81]; P for trend .0015). Conclusions Preoperative anemia, perioperative bleeding, and red blood cell transfusion are associated with increased mortality at long-term follow-up after noncardiac surgery. Strategies to minimize anemia and bleeding should be considered for all patients, and restrictive transfusion strategies may be advisable. Further investigation into mechanisms of these adverse events is warranted.