ABSTRACT Objective Warthin-like papillary thyroid cancer (WL-PTC) is an uncommon variant of PTC, usually associated with lymphocytic thyroiditis. Scarce evidence suggests that WL-PTC has similar clinical presentation to classic PTC (C-PTC), with no studies comparing risks of recurrence and response to treatment between both variants. Our objective was to describe the clinical presentation and prognosis of WL-PTC and compare it to C-PTC. Subjects and methods Retrospective analysis of a prospective cohort, including 370 (96%) patients with C-PTC and 17 (4%) with WL-PTC, consecutively treated with total thyroidectomy with or without RAI, followed for at least 6 months. We compared clinical presentation, risk of mortality and recurrence, as well as response to treatment between both variants. Results Of the total cohort: 317 (82%) female, 38 ± 13.5 years, median follow-up 4 years (0.5-28.5); most of them stage I and low/intermediate risk of recurrence. We found no differences regarding clinical-pathological data and risk of recurrence. WL-PTC was associated with a higher rate of anti-thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb) (65% vs. 36%, p = 0.016) and lymphocytic thyroiditis (59% vs. 34%, p = 0.03). The rates of biochemical and structural incomplete responses were similar in both variants. WL-PTC had a lower rate of excellent response (23% vs. 54%, p = 0.01), which became non-significant when performing analysis by TgAb presence (50% vs. 67%, p = NS). Conclusions WL-CPT and C-CPT have similar clinical presentation and rate of recurrence. The lower rate of excellent response to treatment in WL-PTC is due to a higher frequency of TgAb. WL-PCT should not be considered an aggressive variant of PTC.

ABSTRACT Objective Our objective was to evaluate the trend of antithyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb) during follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) treated without RAI, as well as their role in the risk of recurrence. Subjects and methods This was a prospective, descriptive study. A total of 152 consecutive patients with DTC treated in a single institution undergoing total thyroidectomy without RAI and followed for a median of 2.3 years (0.5-10.3) were divided in two groups: TgAb(-) (n = 111) and TgAb(+) (n = 41). Patients were classified according to AJCC 7th and 8th editions, as well as to their risk of recurrence and response to treatment categories. Results Both groups, TgAb(-) and TgAb(+), were similar regarding patient and tumor characteristics. At the end of follow-up, 90 (59.2%), 57 (37.5%), 3 (2%) and 2 (1.3%) patients achieved excellent, indeterminate, biochemically incomplete and structurally incomplete response, respectively. The risk of structural recurrence was similar in both groups (TgAb[-] 0.9% vs. TgAb[+] 2.4%, p = 0.46). In the TgAb(+) group, TgAb became negative in 10 (24.4%), decreased ≥ 50% without negativization in 25 (60.9%), decreased < 50% in 4 (9.8%) and remained stable or increased in 2 (4.9%) cases. The only incomplete structural response had increasing TgAb during follow-up. Conclusions In properly selected patients with DTC, TgAb concentration immediately after total thyroidectomy should not mandate RAI ablation, and their trend during follow-up may impact the risk of recurrence.

Background: Differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is generally associated with a favorable prognosis. Its treatment requires surgery, selective use of radioiodine and levothyroxine, and its intensity must be adjusted to the initial risks of mortality and recurrence. Aim: To validate the risk of recurrence classification developed by the Chilean Ministry of Health in 2013 (MINSAL 2013), and compare it with the American Thyroid Association (ATA) 2009 and 2015 classifications. Material and Methods: Retrospective study of 362 patients with DTC aged 44.3 ± 13.4 years (84% women), treated with total thyroidectomy, selective radioiodine ablation and levothyroxine and followed for a median of 4.2 years (range 2.0-7.8). Risk of recurrence was estimated with MINSAL 2013, ATA 2009 and ATA 2015 classifications, and risk of mortality with 7th and 8th American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC)/TNM systems. Clinical data obtained during follow-up were used to detect structural and biochemical persistence/recurrence. Results: A mean dose of 104 ± 48 mCi radioiodine was received by 91% of patients. MINSAL 2013 classified 148 (41%), 144 (40%), 67 (19%) and 3 (1%) patients as very low, low, intermediate and high risk of recurrence, respectively. Forty-five (12.4%) patients had persistence or recurrence during follow-up: 33 structural and 12 biochemical. Rates of persistence/recurrence on each category of MINSAL 2013 were 4.1%, 7.6%, 37.3% and 100%, respectively (p < 0.01). Areas under Receiver Operating Characteristic curves for persistence or recurrence of MINSAL 2013, ATA 2009 and ATA 2015 were 0.77 vs 0.73 vs 0.72, respectively. Conclusions: MINSAL 2013 classifies appropriately DTC patients and estimates correctly their risk of persistence or recurrence.

ABSTRACT Objective We aimed to describe the presentation of papillary microcarcinoma (PTMC) and identify the clinical and histological features associated with persistence/recurrence in a Latin American cohort. Subjects and methods Retrospective study of PTMC patients who underwent total thyroidectomy, with or without radioactive iodine (RAI), and who were followed for at least 2 years. Risk of recurrence was estimated with ATA 2009 and 2015 classifications, and risk of mortality with 7th and 8th AJCC/TNM systems. Clinical data obtained during follow-up were used to detect structural and biochemical persistence/recurrence. Results We included 209 patients, predominantly female (90%), 44.5 ± 12.6 years old, 183 (88%) received RAI (90.4 ± 44.2 mCi), followed-up for a median of 4.4 years (range 2.0–7.8). The 7th and 8th AJCC/TNM system classified 89% and 95.2% of the patients as stage I, respectively. ATA 2009 and ATA 2015 classified 70.8% and 78.5% of the patients as low risk, respectively. Fifteen (7%) patients had persistence/recurrence during follow-up. In multivariate analysis, only lymph node metastasis was associated with persistence/recurrence (coefficient beta 4.0, p = 0.016; 95% CI 1.3-12.9). There were no PTMC related deaths. Conclusions Our series found no mortality and low rate of persistence/recurrence associated with PTMC. Lymph node metastasis was the only feature associated with recurrence in multivariate analysis. The updated ATA 2015 and 8th AJCC/TNM systems classified more PTMCs than previous classifications as low risk of recurrence and mortality, respectively.

Punch biopsy was considered a sole diagnostic method for years. In the former years, new techniques have been developed. New uses now consider punch biopsy an essential part of the therapeutic arsenal in both dermatology and general surgery. The objective of this review is to serve as an update in punch biopsy.

La biopsia punch es una herramienta diagnóstica útil en el estudio de las enfermedades cutáneas, particularmente en dermatología. En los últimos años se han desarrollado nuevas técnicas con usos que van más allá del diagnóstico y se incluyen en el campo de la terapéutica médica, dermatológica y cirugía general. El objetivo de la presente revisión es servir de actualización en biopsia punch, también llamada en sacabocados, tanto para médicos especialistas como no especialistas.

Cutaneous melanoma is a highly aggressive tumor developing from melanocytes, its incidence is increasing, and prognosis in advanced stages is daunting. New therapies have been approved during the recent years with unprecedented results, including inhibitors of MAPK/ERK pathway and immune checkpoint blockade (anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) as ipilimumab, anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-L1) as pembrolizumab and anti-programmed cell death protein 1 ligand (PD-L1), among many others). The aim of this paper is to review currently available metastatic melanoma therapies focusing mainly on new therapies that have demonstrated effectiveness, after several decades of little progress in the treatment of this disease.

Abstract Melanoma represents a disease with high tendency to metastasize locally, regionally to the lymph nodes, and systemically to lungs, liver, brain and bone. The surgical treatment has been the cornerstone to treat melanoma patients, with excellent results in early stage, but with poor effectiveness in advance disease with systemic metastases. Traditional chemotherapy with cytotoxic agents has shown little impact on stage IV patients, which has motivated new investigation and innovation in this field. During last 4 years, FDA has approved new therapies for the treatment of metastatic or unresectable melanoma, mostly based in immunotherapy and signal transduction inhibitors, with very promising results. The surgeons treating these patients must be updated about these new therapies, which represent a new treatment opportunity for our patients.

Resumen El melanoma es un tumor maligno que tiene una alta tendencia a metastizar localmente, regionalmente al sistema linfático, y en forma sistémica, preferentemente a pulmones, hígado, cerebro y hueso. La cirugía es el principal tratamiento para el melanoma, con excelentes resultados en estadios precoces, pero escasa utilidad en etapas avanzadas con enfermedad sistémica. Tradicionalmente los tratamientos en base a quimioterapias citotóxicas han aportado poco beneficio a los pacientes en etapa IV, lo que ha motivado una amplia investigación e innovación en esta área. Actualmente la Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ha aprobado nuevas terapias para el tratamiento del melanoma metastásico, irresecable o recurrente, en base a drogas inmuno moduladoras y drogas que bloquean la transducción de señales, con resultados muy promisorios. Los cirujanos que tratamos pacientes con melanoma, debemos estar al día sobre el uso de estas nuevas terapias que representan una nueva oportunidad de tratamiento para nuestros pacientes.

At present times, general surgeons are continuously faced to evaluate patients with pigmented lesions. Thus, is very important that surgeons acquire adequate knowledge not only to distinguish between suspicious lesion and non suspicious lesion, but also to correctly assess when and how to perform a skin biopsy. The early detection of melanoma and non melanoma skin cancer is one of the most important factors to achieve a better prognosis. The main objective of this article is to provide surgeons some tips and pitfalls to help accurate the evaluation and diagnosis of pigmented lesions. The authors also want to stress out the importance of the team work between surgeons and dermatologist, due that is well documented that multidisciplinary approach to skin cancer raises the possibilities of early diagnosis, adequate treatment and better results for patients with skin cancer.

En la actualidad, el cirujano continuamente se ve enfrentado a evaluar distintos tipos de lesiones cutáneas en los pacientes, por lo que debe tener conocimientos de las características que hacen que una lesión sea sospechosa o no, para evaluar correctamente cuándo y cómo realizar una biopsia de una lesión cutánea. El diagnóstico precoz, tanto del melanoma como del cáncer de piel no melanoma, ha demostrado ser clave para mejorar el pronóstico de nuestros pacientes. Este artículo pretende entregar algunas claves para afinar la evaluación y diagnóstico de las lesiones pigmentadas. Es muy importante también, recalcar la importancia del trabajo conjunto de los cirujanos con los dermatólogos, ya que la evaluación y manejo multidisciplinario mejora sustancialmente el diagnóstico, tratamiento y resultados de los pacientes con cáncer de piel.

Background: Medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) represents approximately 5% of all thyroid cancers. Surgery is the only curative treatment, which includes total thyroidectomy and in most cases, neck dissection. Aim: To report our 10-year experience with surgical treatment of MTC. Material and Methods: Review of medical records and pathology reports of a university hospital. We retrieved data from 28 patients aged 47.2 ± 16 years (21 women) operated for a MTC treated between June 2002 and June 2012. Results: In 20 patients, MTC was diagnosed in the preoperative period. Total thyroidectomy was performed in all cases and included a neck dissection in 24 patients. Median follow-up was 48 (2-120) months. Twenty-five patients (89.2%) achieved complete remission of the disease and three had disease recurrence. There were no deaths during the follow up. Conclusions: The diagnosis of MTC is mainly based on cytology. Total thyroidectomy with neck dissection is the treatment of choice. An early-stage diagnosis is associated with low rates of recurrence and absence of mortality.

Introduction: The sentinel lymph node (SN) biopsy has become the standard technique for staging the axillary involvement in breast cancer. The intraoperative diagnosis of lymph node metastatic involvement can immediately decide the need for axillary dissection. The main objective of this study was to determine the accuracy of intraoperative frozen section in the investigation of metastases in the SN, in patients with breast cancer, between 1999 and 2011. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study of patients operated for invasive breast cancer, in which the SN was studied with intraoperative frozen section. Results: 503 patients biopsy was performed with intraoperative frozen section. One hundred fifty-four (30.6%) patients had metastases in the SN, of these 103 (66.9%) were detected on frozen section. No significant difference in the ability to detect metastases for tumors up to 2 cm and tumors more than 2 cm was observed (p = 0.86). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of frozen section for detection of metastases in the SN was 66.9%, 99.7%, 99% and 87%, respectively. Conclusions: The accuracy of intraoperative biopsy for detection of metastases in the SN in our center is comparable to that described in the literature, being effective only for the investigation of macrometastases (MA). Given the low frequency of metastases in the SN in tumors up to 2 cm, associated with a relatively high number of micro (MI) and submicrometastasis (SM) and false negatives, it seems that in these tumors intraoperative biopsy is unnecessary.

Introducción: La biopsia del linfonodo centinela (LC) se ha convertido en la técnica estándar para estadificar el compromiso axilar en el cáncer de mama. El diagnóstico intraoperatorio del compromiso metas-tásico del linfonodo permite decidir en forma inmediata la necesidad de disección axilar. El objetivo general de este estudio fue determinar el rendimiento de la biopsia intraoperatoria por congelación en la pesquisa de metástasis en el LC, en pacientes con cáncer de mama, entre 1999 y 2011. Material y Métodos: Estudio retrospectivo de las pacientes operadas por cáncer de mama invasor, en que se realizó biopsia del LC, con estudio intraoperatorio por congelación. Resultados: 503 pacientes con biopsia del LC con estudio intrao-peratorio. Ciento cincuenta y cuatro (30,6%) pacientes tuvieron metástasis en el LC, de estos 103 (66,9%) fueron detectadas en la biopsia rápida. No hubo diferencias significativas en la capacidad de detección para los tumores de hasta 2 cm y los tumores mayores de 2 cm (p = 0,86). La sensibilidad, especificidad, valor predictivo positivo (VPP) y valor predictivo negativo (VPN) de la biopsia intraoperatoria para la detección de metástasis en el LC fue de 66,9%, 99,7%, 99% y 87%, respectivamente. Conclusiones: El rendimiento obtenido es comparable al descrito en la literatura, siendo efectiva sólo para la pesquisa de macrometástasis (MA). Dada la baja frecuencia de metástasis en el LC en tumores de hasta 2 cm, asociado a un número relativamente alto de micro (MI) y submicrometástasis (SM) y de falsos negativos, nos parece que, en estos casos, la utilización de la biopsia intraoperatoria del LC es innecesaria.

Pilomatrixoma is a rare, benign neoplasm that is derived from hair matrix cells. It is more frequent during childhood, especially between the ages of 5 and 15 years. Pilomatrixoma is usually a hard, well circumscribed, solitary lesion, and can be located on any part of the body, except palms and soles, with a predilection for maxilofacial region. Multiple pilomatrixomas are rare and they have been associated with various systemic syndromes, of which myotonic dystrophy has been the most described. The diagnosis of pilomatrixoma is fundamentally clinical. Complementary studies such as ultrasound can be useful to confrm the diagnosis. Excisional surgery is the standard curative treatment. We present a 17-year-old female patient with an extremely uncommon clinical presentation of pilomatrixoma: multiple lesions, anetodermic, and rapid growth.

El pilomatrixoma, una neoplasia benigna poco frecuente, se origina de la matriz del folículo piloso. Es más frecuente durante la infancia, especialmente entre los 5 y 15 años de edad. La forma múltiple de pilomatrixoma es rara y su presencia se asocia a síndromes sistémicos, entre los cuales destaca la distrofa miotónica. El diagnóstico de pilomatrixoma es fundamentalmente clínico. Estudios complementarios como la ecografía pueden ser útiles para confrmar su diagnóstico. La resección quirúrgica de la lesión corresponde el tratamiento curativo, con baja tasa de recurrencia. Se presenta una paciente de sexo femenino, de 17 años de edad, por su pilomatrixoma de características clínicas inusuales en edad pediátrica: variante anetodérmica, forma múltiple y crecimiento rápido.

Background: Dysphonia is one of the most important and frecuent complication in thyroidectomies. It incidence is between 0 and 20%. The frecuency of this complication depends on factors like the preope-ratory diagnosis, goitre volume, surgeon experience and other general factors that theoretically can affect it incidence. Aim: To evaluate a group of preoperatory risk factors usually not considerated that may have relevance in postoperatory dysphonia in thyroidectomies. Patients and Method: Survey and medical records of 56 patients operated between may and july 2009. Results: None of the risk factors included in this study increase de incidence of posthiroidectomy dysphonia. Conclusions: It seems that these theorical risk factors don't have a great influence in the incidence of dysphonia after a thyroidectomy. It can be eventually useful to submit these patients to a direct vocal cord evaluation before surgery, to obtain their real risk.

Introducción: La disfonía es una de las complicaciones en tiroidectomías más importante y frecuente. Su incidencia varía entre 0 y 20%. Esta incidencia depende de factores como el tipo de diagnóstico preoperatorio, el volumen del bocio, la experiencia del cirujano y otros factores generales que pueden teóricamente influir. Objetivo: Evaluar un grupo no habitualmente considerado de factores de riesgo de disfonía en tiroidectomías. Pacientes y Métodos: Estudio prospectivo con análisis de fichas clínicas y realización de una encuesta preoperatoria en 56 pacientes consecutivos. Resultados: En este estudio no fue demostrado estadísticamente un mayor riesgo de disfonía en pacientes con los factores de riesgos planteados. Conclusiones: Aunque los factores estudiados en esta muestra pueden teóricamente aumentar la incidencia de disfonía postiroidectomía, parecen no ser los más influyentes. Podría ser de utilidad realizar una evaluación dirigida otorrinolaringológica en estos pacientes para objetivar su real riesgo de disfonía postoperatoria.

A questionnaire was send to forty emergency surgeons, about the examination that they prefer to study intestinal obstruction. Computerized tomography (CT) was the first election and to confirm or ruled out obstruction was the principal answer they need to know. We review the CT findings in different pathologies that are causes of intestinal obstruction

Una encuesta efectuada a cuarenta cirujanos de servicios de urgencia dio como resultado que un 75% priorizaba la tomografía computada como examen para el diagnóstico de obstrucción intestinal. Esto nos motivó a revisar los hallazgos manifestados en ésta, en diferentes patologías que determinan obstrucción intestinal, tomando ejemplos de nuestro archivo de casos. Analizamos además, en orden de importancia las respuestas que los cirujanos esperan de este examen, de acuerdo a los resultados de esta encuesta