Objective Intraoperative sentinel lymph node biopsy is a universally accepted technique to identify patients who are candidates for axillary lymph node dissection during breast cancer surgery. However, there is controversy over its use in patients who underwent preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy. This study aimed to examine the diagnostic value of gamma probe-assisted intraoperative sentinel lymph node examination with frozen section in breast cancer patients who had undergone preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Methods This retrospective study included 94 tumors diagnosed with stage IIA, IIB or IIIA invasive breast cancer with locoregional lymph node metastasis who underwent surgical treatment after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Intraoperatively, axillary sentinel lymph node sampling was done using radioactive colloid and gamma probe and materials were examined with frozen section method. Patients with positive sentinel nodes underwent axillary resection. Histopathological examination of all surgical samples was done postoperatively. Results In 87 of 94 tumors (92.6%), a sentinel lymph node could be identified using the method. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the method for predicting axillary macro metastasis were 85.7, 86.5 and 86.2%, respectively, with 5.7% false negative rate. Conclusions Sentinel lymph node identification using preoperative scintigraphy and intraoperative use of gamma probe seems to be a feasible and efficient method in terms of differentiating patients that require axillary lymph node dissection during breast cancer surgery, even when they have received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Further large prospective studies allowing subgroup analyses are warranted.

PurposeThe current study aims to analyze the risk factors for the failure of ileostomy reversal after laparoscopic low anterior resection for rectal cancer.MethodsAll patients who underwent a laparoscopic low anterior resection for rectal cancer with a diverting ileostomy between 2007 and 2014 were abstracted. The patients who underwent and did not undergo a diverting ileostomy procedure were compared regarding patient, tumor, treatment related parameters, and survival.ResultsAmong 160 (103 males [64.4%], mean [± standard deviation] age was 58.1 ± 11.9 years) patients, stoma reversal was achieved in 136 cases (85%). Anastomotic stricture (n = 13, 52.4%) was the most common reason for stoma reversal. These were the risk factors for the failure of stoma reversal: Male sex (P = 0.035), having complications (P = 0.01), particularly an anastomotic leak (P < 0.001), or surgical site infection (P = 0.019) especially evisceration (P = 0.011), requirement for reoperation (P = 0.003) and longer hospital stay (P = 0.004). Multivariate analysis revealed that male sex (odds ratio [OR], 7.82; P = 0.022) and additional organ resection (OR, 6.71; P = 0.027) were the risk factors. Five-year survival rates were similar (P = 0.143).ConclusionFifteen percent of patients cannot receive a stoma reversal after laparoscopic low anterior resection for rectal cancer. Anastomotic stricture is the most common reason for the failure of stoma takedown. Having complications, particularly an anastomotic leak and the necessity of reoperation, limits the stoma closure rate. Male sex and additional organ resection are the risk factors for the failure in multivariate analyses. These patients require a longer hospitalization period, but have similar survival rates as those who receive stoma closure procedure.

A bezoar is a hard, and solid, foreign body located in the gastrointestinal tract that may recur. Bezoar is classified according to its origin. Pharmacobezoars develop in the gastrointestinal tract due to alterations in anatomical structure and/or intestinal motility. In this paper, a case, not yet defined in the literature, of a pharmacobezoar causing a mechanical obstruction that is accompanied by a malignancy in the colon is reported, with the aim of contributing to the literature.

The presence of a previous laparotomy does not worsen the outcomes in patients undergoing laparoscopic removal of sigmoid or rectal cancer, thus laparoscopy may be considered to be safe and feasible in these cases.

T wo female patients with ages 38 and 41 were referred to the breast surgery units with firm inflammatory masses in the axilla. Both of them were treated with antibiotics.In our physical examination, the first patient had a 1 · 1 cm mass at the upper medial quadrant and another conglomerate mass at the axilla. The bilateral mammographic examination showed no evidence of malignity (B _ IRADS 2) ( Fig. 1). Ultrasonography (USG) of the left breast showed a complicated cyst at the radius of 9 and two hypoecoic benign masses in the axilla, 25 · 17 mm and 17 · 17 mm in size (Fig. 2).In the physical examination of the second patient, we determined a conglomerate mass at the axilla adjacent to the arm. The bilateral mammographic examination showed no evidence of malignity (B _ IRADS 2) (Fig. 3). USG of the left breast showed an 31 · 15 mm hypoecoic benign mass in the left axilla.We performed true-cut biopsies to the axillary masses. The pathology evaluation reported invasive ductal carcinoma for both of the patients. The other laboratory and radiologic results indicated that these lesions were not metastatic but primary lesions.To obtain long-term survival, diagnostic suspicion and early biopsy of unidentified lesions of the axilla is essential. Even if radiologically benign, subcutaneous nodules with unknown origin around the periphery of the breast should be always evaluated carefully with the suspicion of carcinoma of aberrant breast tissue. Figure 1. Left axilla with no evidence of malignity.