Surgical prevention of terminal neuroma and phantom limb pain: a literature review

The incidence of extremity amputation is estimated at about 200,000 cases annually. Over 25% of patients suffer from terminal neuroma or phantom limb pain (TNPLP), resulting in pain, inability to wear a prosthetic device, and lost work. Once TNPLP develops, there is no definitive cure. Therefore, there has been an emerging focus on TNPLP prevention. We examined the current literature on TNPLP prevention in patients undergoing extremity amputation. A literature review was performed using Ovid Medline, Cochrane Collaboration Library, and Google Scholar to identify all original studies that addressed surgical prophylaxis against TNPLP. The search was conducted using both Medical Subject Headings and free-text using the terms “phantom limb pain,” “amputation neuroma,” and “surgical prevention of amputation neuroma.” Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria, including six prospective trials, two comprehensive literature reviews, four retrospective chart reviews, and three case series/technique reviews. Five techniques were identified, and each was incorporated into a target-based classification system. A small but growing body of literature exists regarding the surgical prevention of TNPLP. Targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR), a form of physiologic target reassignment, has the greatest momentum in the academic surgical community, with multiple recent prospective studies demonstrating superior prevention of TNPLP. Neurorrhaphy and transposition with implantation are supported by less robust evidence, but merit future study as alternatives to TMR.

SURGICAL PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF POSTOPERATIVE HYPOPARATHYROIDISM IN PATIENTS OPERATED ON THYROID GLAND

Thyroid gland (TG) diseases are among the most common and occupy the second place in the structure of endocrine system diseases after diabetes mellitus. The main method of TG disease treatment remains the surgical one. With the increase in the incidence of various forms of TG pathology, the number of surgeries increases including the ones performed at non-specialized in-patient facilities leading to an increase in the frequency of postoperative complications. One of the most common specific complications after surgeries on TG is postoperative hypoparathyroidism (PHPT). It occupies a special place considering the severity of manifestations and the difficulty in prevention. It is usually caused by trauma or parathyroid glands (PTG) removal, their blood supply disturbance, as well as the development of fibrosis at the surgery site in the long term. Therefore, the improvement of existing technologies and the development of new approaches to surgeries in case of TG diseases are relevant today. The most common method of postoperative hypoparathyroidism (PHPT) surgical prevention is precision nature of surgical manipulations with careful adhering to tactical and technical requirements for the operator: identify parathyroid glands (PTG) timely, mobilize gently, and keep their blood supply. However, it is often impossible to keep PTG intact structurally and without ischemia due to the small sizes of PTG and their vessels, anatomical and embryological features of these organs localization, the consistency and color similarity with fatty tissue, lymph nodes. The objective of the research was to develop and evaluate the algorithm of prevention and treatment of postoperative hypoparathyroidism (PHPT) based on determining parathyroid glands (PTG) viability and the use of antihypoxant-antioxidant therapy in the postoperative period. The research was based on the results of a comprehensive examination and treatment of 60 patients who were operated for thyroid gland diseases. The patients underwent inpatient treatment at the surgical department of Ivano-Frankivsk Central City Clinical Hospital and Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Oncology Center from 2017 to 2020. We proposed an algorithm for surgical prevention and treatment of PHPT during thyroid gland surgeries which consisted in the following. We performed a visual assessment of PTG intraoperatively and evaluated each gland from 0 to 3 points according to the degree of its viability affection. If the gland was evaluated at 0-2 points, we left it, since there was a high probability of maintaining its function. If it was evaluated at 3 points, its autotransplantation was performed. Cytoflavin drug was applied in a dose of 10 ml per 200 0.9% NaCl intravenously once a day during 7 days in the postoperative period for the purpose of antihypoxant-antioxidant therapy. 2 groups of patients were formed in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the algorithm. Each group consisted of 30 people. Patients of Group I underwent surgery on thyroid gland according to generally accepted rules. Patients of Group II underwent interventions according to the above-mentioned algorithm. The use of our proposed algorithm (intraoperative assessment of PTG viability and antihypoxant-antioxidant therapy in the postoperative period) significantly reduces the frequency of permanent PHP justifying indications to its application.

PREVENTION OF POSTOPERATIVE VENTRAL HERNIAS AND PREDICTORS OF HERNIATION

The issue of predicting and preventing postoperative ventral hernias is relevant. 450 patients were examined to identify and determine the significance of risk factors, and 71 patients underwent MRI of the anterior abdominal wall to assess the morphology of the anterior abdominal wall. Large and small predictors of herniation are identified. MRI revealed aponeurosis defects that are not physically determined, which is a high risk of postoperative ventral hernias. Based on the risk level of postoperative ventral hernias, their surgical prevention was performed. Patients at low risk should undergo laparorrhaphy with a staggered strengthening suture, at high risk - preventive using a mesh prosthesis, and if it is impossible - laparorrhaphy using a thread from a mesh polypropylene implant according to the developed technique.

Non-surgical prevention strategies in women with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndromes

ObjectivesTo review non-surgical prevention strategies in women with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndromes.ContentWomen with a gBRCA1 or 2 mutations face a high cumulative breast and ovarian cancer risk. While bilateral mastectomy (PBM) and bilateral salpingo-oophrectomy (PBSO) profoundly reduce the respective cancer risks, they are also associated with considerable side effects. There is therefore an urgent need for alternative and non-surgical risk reduction options. Tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors have both been evaluated in secondary prevention, but their benefit in primary prevention is currently unknown in BRCA mutation carriers. In addition, their use is compromised by their side effect profile which makes them less appealing for a use in chemoprevention.Summary and outlookDenosumab is a well-tolerated osteoprotective drug, which has been demonstrated to have a potential preventive effect particularly in BRCA1-deficient models in vitro. The prospectively randomized double-blind BRCA-P trial is currently investigating the preventative effect of denosumab in healthy BRCA1 germ line mutation carriers.

HEREDITARY BREAST CANCER CURRENT STATE OF PROBLEM

The literature review devoted to the evaluation of various methods of prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of the hereditary breast cancer has been presented. Methods of surgical prevention, effectiveness of bilateral prophylactic mastectomy are considered.