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Abstract Background Lymphadenectomy is performed to assess patient prognosis and to prevent metastasizing. Recently, it was questioned whether lymph node metastases were capable of metastasizing and therefore, if lymphadenectomy was still adequate. We evaluated whether the nodal status impacts on the occurrence of distant metastases by analyzing a highly selected cohort of colon cancer patients. Methods 1,395 patients underwent surgery exclusively for colon cancer at the University of Lübeck between 01/1993 and 12/2008. The following exclusion criteria were applied: synchronous metastasis, R1-resection, prior/synchronous second carcinoma, age < 50 years, positive family history, inflammatory bowel disease, FAP, HNPCC, and follow-up < 5 years. The remaining 421 patients were divided into groups with (TM+, n = 75) or without (TM-, n = 346) the occurrence of metastasis throughout a 5-year follow-up. Results Five-year survival rates for TM + and TM- were 21% and 73%, respectively (p < 0.0001). Survival rates differed significantly for N0 vs. N2, grading 2 vs. 3, UICC-I vs. -II and UICC-I vs. -III (p < 0.05). Regression analysis revealed higher age upon diagnosis, increasing N- and increasing T-category to significantly impact on recurrence free survival while increasing N-and T-category were significant parameters for the risk to develop metastases within 5-years after surgery (HR 1.97 and 1.78; p < 0.0001). Conclusions Besides a higher T-category, a positive N-stage independently implies a higher probability to develop distant metastases and correlates with poor survival. Our data thus show a prognostic relevance of lymphadenectomy which should therefore be retained until conclusive studies suggest the unimportance of lmyphadenectomy.

Purpose:  The objective of the present study was to evaluate the benefit of a thoracic, computed tomography-guided sympathicolysis (CTSy) in patients with primary, focal hyperhidrosis of the hands. In addition, the influence of the amount and distribution of the administered sympathicolytic agent was to be assessed., Patients and Methods:  Retrospectively, 78 patients [13 (16.7 %) men, mean age 31.2 ± 9 years and 65 (83.3 %) women, mean age 34.2 ± 12 years], who had been treated using CTSy, were included in the study. The indication for treatment was primary focal palmar hyperhidrosis grade II and grade III after exhaustion of all conservative treatment options and a continued high level of suffering. CTSy was performed after establishing the entry plane at the level of the intervertebral space T2 / T3 via a dorsolateral approach using a 22-G coaxial needle. On average 5 (2-10) ml of a sympathicolytic mixture (10 ml consisting of 8 ml 96 % alcohol, 1.6 ml 0.5 % Carbostesin and 0.4 ml 0.9 % NaCl solution, with added amounts of contrast medium) were instilled. The volume of distribution of the sympathicolytic agent was determined in craniocaudal direction using CT images. The patients evaluated their sense of discomfort preinterventionally, 2 days postinterventionally, and 6 and 12 months after the intervention, on the basis of a Dermatology life Quality Index (DLQI) as well as the side effects that occurred., Results:  The technical success rate of CTSy was 100 %. No major complications occurred. The interventions performed led to a significant reduction (p < 0.001) in the preinterventional sense of discomfort 2 days, 6 and 12 months after CTSy. As the most common side effect, compensatory sweating was reported by 16/78 (20.5 %) of the patients over the further course. In all of these patients, the volume of sympathicolytic agent administered was below 5 ml. In no case did the sympathicolytic agent extend caudally beyond the base plate of Th 3. No compensatory sweating of the back was observed in 5/78 (6.4 %) patients; here the sympathicolytic volume was above 5 ml and extended significantly caudally below the baseplate of T3.Transient miosis and ptosis was found in 8/78 (10.3 %) patients. In all of these patients, the volume of sympathicolytic agent administered was above 5 ml and it extended markedly cranially beyond the upper plate of T2. A mild to moderate recurrent sweating developed in 35/78 (44.9 %) patients, which was more marked if the volume of sympathicolytic administered was below 5 ml and slightly more pronounced on the left than on the right. Given a high level of satisfaction overall, 71/78 (91.0 %) patients said that they would undergo the intervention again., Conclusion:  For patients with primary, focal palmar hyperhidrosis CTSy represents a therapeutic option that offers good benefit and has few side effects. The amount and spatial distribution of the sympathicolytic agent has an influence on the therapeutic outcome and the side effects., Key Points: · CT-assisted thoracic sympathicolysis is a minimally invasive, low-complication therapy for treatment of severe forms of primary hyperhidrosis palmaris.. · CT-assisted thoracic sympathicolysis can usually be performed on an outpatient basis.. · The quantity and local distribution of the sympathicolytic agent has an influence on the therapeutic outcome and the side effects.., Citation Format: · Andresen J, Scheer F, Schlöricke E et al. CT-assisted thoracic sympathicolysis for therapy of primary hyperhidrosis palmaris-retrospective analysis of the influence of the amount and position of the sympathetic agent on the therapeutic outcome and side effects. Fortschr Röntgenstr 2021; 193: 574 - 581., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)