The use of probiotics has been widely documented to benefit human health, but their clinical value in
surgical patients remains unclear. The present study investigated the effect of perioperative oral
administration of probiotic bifidobacteria to patients undergoing colorectal surgery. Sixty patients
undergoing colorectal resection were randomized to two groups prior to resection. One group (n=31) received a
probiotic supplement, Bifidobacterium longum BB536, preoperatively for 7–14 days and
postoperatively for 14 days, while the other group (n=29) received no intervention as a control. The
occurrences of postoperative infectious complications were recorded. Blood and fecal samples were collected
before and after surgery. No significant difference was found in the incidence of postoperative infectious
complications and duration of hospital stay between the two groups. In comparison to the control group, the
probiotic group tended to have higher postoperative levels of erythrocytes, hemoglobin, lymphocytes, total
protein, and albumin and lower levels of high sensitive C-reactive proteins. Postoperatively, the proportions
of fecal bacteria changed significantly; Actinobacteria increased in the probiotic group, Bacteroidetes and
Proteobacteria increased in the control group, and Firmicutes decreased in both groups. Significant
correlations were found between the proportions of fecal bacteria and blood parameters; Actinobacteria
correlated negatively with blood inflammatory parameters, while Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria correlated
positively with blood inflammatory parameters. In the subgroup of patients who received preoperative
chemoradiotherapy treatment, the duration of hospital stay was significantly shortened upon probiotic
intervention. These results suggest that perioperative oral administration of bifidobacteria may contribute to
a balanced intestinal microbiota and attenuated postoperative inflammatory responses, which may subsequently
promote a healthy recovery after colorectal resection.
The efficacy of Shosaiko-to (SST) on 222 patients with chronic active hepatitis was studied in a double-blind multicenter clinical study. One hundred and sixteen patients received SST in a daily oral dose of 5.4 g for 12 weeks, followed by the same dose for a further 12 weeks. One hundred and six patients received a placebo containing 0.5 g of SST for 12 weeks, followed by a cross-over to SST for a further 12 weeks. Among the liver tests, serum AST and ALT values decreased significantly with the administration of SST. The difference of the mean value between the SST group and the placebo group was significant after 12 weeks. In patients with chronic active type B hepatitis, a tendency towards a decrease of HBeAg and an increase of Anti-HBe antibodies was also observed. No remarkable side effects were noticed.
The familial occurrence of epidermoid cysts of the spleen is rare, with only six cases having ever been reported, to our knowledge. We recently diagnosed epidermoid cysts of the spleen in a mother and son. First, a 15-year-old boy was admitted to our hospital for management of blunt abdominal trauma. Computed tomography (CT) showed a ruptured large splenic cyst with an intraabdominal hematoma. We performed a splenectomy, and histopathological examination confirmed the existence of an epidermoid cyst of the spleen. About 2 years and 6 months later, the family physician found that the patient's 41-year-old mother had a large splenic cyst, and she was referred to our hospital for further investigation. CT showed a 10 x 8 cm cyst occupying most of the spleen. The patient underwent splenectomy, and a pathological diagnosis of an epidermoid cyst of the spleen was confirmed. Although the etiology of epidermoid cysts of the spleen is unclear, this familial occurrence may support the hypothesis of congenital malformation as a result of genetic change.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.