An increased interest in surgical treatment of liver metastases from colorectal origin has evolved recently. However not all patients benefit from this approach, with early recurrence and death still being encountered. To evaluate clinical as well as perioperative factors that might significantly affect the outcome of patients with completely resected colorectal liver metastases, we examined 116 patients who underwent resection between September 1987 and August 1989. Median follow-up time was 13.2 months (0.6 to 31.4 months). The overall survival rate was 91% at 1 year and 75% at 2 years. Median survival was not reached. Median disease-free survival time was 11.5 months, with 49.4% and 21.2% of the patients being free of disease at 1 and 2 years, respectively. By univariate analysis, site of primary colorectal cancer, preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level, size of metastases, number of metastases, length of operation time, percentage mean arterial pressure, number of hypotensive episodes, duration of hypotensive episodes, and whole blood transfusion significantly affected recurrence rate following resection. However only site of primary tumor, CEA, number of metastases, and number of hypotensive episodes remained significant in the multivariate analysis. The most significant single factor that affected recurrence rate was the number of hypotensive episodes during the operative procedure. It is concluded that hypotensive episodes, even when well controlled, should be avoided during operation to maximize the chances of cure and prolong disease-free survival of patients with colorectal liver metastases.

ALI values are expressed as EBD lung leakage (microg EBD/g dry lung weight). EBD lung leakage values in the CLOD-LIP group were 32.59 +/- 12.74 for I/R, 27.74 +/- 7.99 for LAP, and 33.52 +/- 10.17 for CTR. In the LIP group, lung leakage values were 58.02 +/- 18.04 for I/R, 31.90 +/- 8.72 for LAP, and 27.17 +/- 11.48 for CTR. In the UNTREAT group, lung leakage values were 55.60 +/- 10.96 for I/R, 35.99 +/- 6.89 for LAP, and 30.83 +/- 8.41 for CTR. Within each group, LAP values did not differ from CTR values. However, in the LIP and UNTREAT groups, values for both the LAP and CTR subgroups were lower than values for the I/R subgroup (p < 0.001). The CLOD-LIP I/R subgroup value was less (p < 0.001) than the I/R subgroup values in the LIP and UNTREAT groups. These results indicated that I/R provokes ALI that can be prevented by CLOD-LIP treatment, and further suggested that AMs are essential for ALI occurrence induced by intestinal I/R in rats.

INTRODUCTIONThe antibacterial effect of ozone (O3) has been described in the extant literature, but the role of O3 therapy in the treatment of certain types of infection remains controversial.OBJECTIVESTo evaluate the effect of intraperitoneal (i.p.) O3 application in a cecal ligation/puncture rat model on interleukins (IL-6, IL-10) and cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant (CINC)-1 serum levels, acute lung injury and survival rates.METHODSFour animal groups were used for the study: a) the SHAM group underwent laparotomy; b) the cecal ligation/puncture group underwent cecal ligation/puncture procedures; and c) the CLP+O2 and CLP+O3 groups underwent CLP+ corresponding gas mixture infusions (i.p.) throughout the observation period. IL-6, CINC-1 and IL-10 concentrations were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Acute lung injury was evaluated with the Evans blue dye lung leakage method and by lung histology. P<0.05 was considered significant.RESULTSCINC-1 was at the lowest level in the SHAM group and was lower for the CLP+O3 group vs. the CLP+O2 group and the cecal ligation/puncture group. IL-10 was lower for the SHAM group vs. the other three groups, which were similar compared to each other. IL-6 was lower for the SHAM group vs. all other groups, was lower for the CLP+O3 or CLP+O2 group vs. the cecal ligation/puncture group, and was similar for the CLP+O3 group vs. the CLP+O2 group. The lung histology score was lower for the SHAM group vs. the other groups. The Evans blue dye result was lower for the CLP+O3 group vs. the CLP+O2 group and the cecal ligation/puncture group but similar to that of the SHAM group. The survival rate for the CLP+O3 group was lower than for the SHAM group and similar to that for the other 2 groups (CLP and CLP+O2).CONCLUSIONOzone therapy modulated the inflammatory response and acute lung injury in the cecal ligation/puncture infection model in rats, although there was no improvement on survival rates.

Cancer cachexia is a frequent complication observed in patients with malignant tumors. Although several decades have passed since the first focus on the metabolic dysfunction's associated with cancer, few effective therapeutic interventions have been successfully introduced into the medical armamentarium. The present study thoroughly reviews the basic pathophysiology of cancer cachexia and the treatment options already investigated in that field. Experimental and clinical studies were evaluated individually in order to clarify the intricate alterations observed in tumor-bearing patients. The difficulties in introducing sound and effective nutritional support or metabolic manipulation to reverse cancer cachexia are outlined in this review.

We examined the effect of prolonged bile duct obstruction, and subsequent biliary decompression, on biochemical and metabolic parameters, using a reversible jaundice model in male Fischer 344 rats. The animals were studied after biliary obstruction for varying periods (4 days, one week, and two weeks) and following decompression. They were sacrificed one or two weeks following decompression. All the rats were compared to sham operated, pair-fed, controls. Obstructive jaundice rapidly increased bilirubin, liver enzymes, serum free fatty acid, and triglyceride levels. Glucose levels were significantly decreased in the jaundice rats compared to their pair-fed controls. Only after two weeks of jaundice was significant hypoalbuminemia observed. Following decompression, all biochemical and metabolic values gradually returned to normal levels, except for albumin. Hypoalbuminemia was not reversed within the two-week post-decompression period. The rats jaundiced for two weeks had significantly higher mortality, compared to the other groups. We conclude that prolonged jaundice adversely affects the metabolic capacity of the rats, with albumin concentration being markedly decreased, and that biliary decompression could not reverse completely all the alterations seen with cholestasis, especially following two weeks of bile duct obstruction.