Basic Sciences Flashcards
Where are sarcomas most likely to be found?
In the extremities
What are sarcomas?
Malignant tumours fo mesenchymal origin.
What are the origins of sarcomas? (3)
- Bone
- Soft tissue
- Malignant fibrous histocytoma - sarcoma that may arise in both soft tissues and bone
Types of bone sarcoma? (3)
- Osteosarcoma.
- Ewings sarcoma (although non bony sites also recognised)
- Chondrosarcoma - originates from chondrycytes.
Types of soft tissue sarcoma? (4)
- Liposarcoma (adipocytes)
- Rhabdomyosaroma (striated muscle)
- Leiomyosarcoma (smooth muscle)
- Synovial sarcomas (close to joints - cell fo origin not known, but NOT synovium)
General clinical features of sarcomas? (4)
- Large (>5cm) soft tissue mass.
- Deep tissue location or intra muscular location.
- Rapid growth.
- Painful lump.
Assessment of sarcomas?
Imaging of suspicious masses should utilise a combination fo MRI, CT and ultrasound.
Blind biopsy should not be performed prior to imaging and where required should be done in such a way that the biopsy tract can be subsequently included in any resection.
Epidemiology of Ewings sarcoma? (3)
- Commoner in males.
- Incidence of 0.3/1,000,000
- Onset typically between 10-20 years.
Commonest site of Ewings sarcoma?
Location by femoral diaphysis is commonest site.
Histology of Ewings sarcoma?
Small round tumour.
Management of Ewings sarcoma?
Blood borne metastasis is common and chemotherapy is often combined with surgery.
Pathophysiology of osteosarcoma?
Mesenchymal cells with osteoblastic differentiation.
Epidemiology of osteosarcoma? (4)
- 20% of all primary bone tumours.
- Incidence of 5/1,000,000
- Peak age 15-30.
- Commoner in males.
Management of osteosarcoma?
Limb preserving surgery may be possible and many patients will receive chemotherapy.
Origins of liposarcoma?
Adipocytes
Epidemiology of liposarcoma? (3)
- Rare - 2.5/1,000,000.
- They are the most common soft tissue sarcoma.
- Affect older age group - usually >40 years of age.
Pathophysiology of liposarcoma? (3)
- Located in deep locations such as retroperitoneum.
- May be well differentiated and thus slow growing although may undergo de-differentiation and disease progression.
- Many tumours will have a pseudocapsule that can misleadingly allow surgeons to feel that they can ‘shell out’ these lesions. In reality, tumour may invade at the edge of the pseudocapsule and result in local recurrence if this strategy is adopted.
Management of liposarcoma?
Usually resistant to radiotherapy, although this is often used in a palliative setting.
Pathology of malignant fibrous histiocytoma?
Tumour with large number of histiocytes.
Also described as undifferentated pleomorphic sarcoma NOS (i.e. cell of origin is not known).
Subtypes of malignant fibrous histocytoma? (4)
- Storiform- pleomorphic (70%)
- Myxoid (less aggressive)
- Giant cell
- Inflammatory
Management of malignant fibrous histiocytoma?
Treatment is usually with surgical resection and adjuvant radiotherapy as this reduces the likelihood of local recurrence.
A 10 year old boy is admitted to the emergency department following a fall. On examination, there is deformity and swelling of the forearm. The ability to flex the fingers of the affected limb is impaired. However, there is no sensory impairment. Imaging confirms a displaced forearm fracture. Which of the nerves listed below is likely to have been affected?
Anterior interosseous nerve.
Forearm fractures may be complicated by neurovascular compromise. The anterior interosseous nerve may be affected. It has no sensory supply, so the defect is motor alone.
Features of the anterior interosseous nerve?
- A branch of the median nerve that supplies the deep muscles of the front of the forearm - except the ulnar half of the flexor digitorum profundus.
- It accompanies the anterior interosseous artery along the anterior of the interosseous membrane of the forearm - in the interval between the flexor pollicis longus and flexor digitorum profundus, supplying the whole of the former and (most commonly) the radial half of the latter, and ending below in the pronator quadratus and wrist joint.
Innervation of the anterior interosseous nerve? (3)
It classically innervates 2.5 muscles:
- Flexor pollicis longus
- Pronator quadratus
- Radial half of the flexor digitorum profundus (the lateral two out of the four tendons).
These muscles are in the deep level of the anterior compartment of the forearm.
Which nerve supplies the majority of the skin on the palmar aspect of the thumb?
Median nerve supplies the cutaneous sensation to this region.
Features of the median nerve?
Path of median nerve?
It is formed by the union of a lateral and medial root respectively from the lateral (C5,6,7) and medial (C8, T1) cords of the brachial plexus.
The medial root passes anterior to the third part of the axillary artery.
The nerve descends lateral to the brachial artery, crosses to its medial side (usually passing anterior to the artery).
It passes deep to the bicepital aponeurosis and the median cubital vein at the elbow.
It passes between the two heads of the pronator teres muscle and runs on the deep surface of the flexor digitorum superficialis (within its fascial sheath)
Near the wrist it becomes superficial between the tendons of flexor digitorum superficialis and flexor carpi radialis, deep to the palmaris longus tendon.
It passes deep to the flexor retinaculum to enter the palm, but lies anterior to the long flexor tendons within the carpal tunnel.
Upper arm branches of median nerve?
No branches, although the nerve commonly communicates with the musculocutaneous nerve.
Innervation of median nerve in forearm? (7)
- Pronator teres.
- Pronator quadratus.
- Flexor carpi radialis.
- Palmaris longus.
- Flexor digitorum superficialis.
- Flexor pollicis longus.
- Flexor digitorum profundus (only the radial half)
Branch of median nerve in distal forearm?
Palmar cutaneous branch
Motor supply of median nerve in hand? (4)
LOAF
- Lateral 2 lumbricals
- Opponens pollicis
- Abductor pollicis brevis
- Flexor pollicis brevis
Sensory supple of median nerve in hand?
Over thumb and lateral 2.5 fingers.
On the palmar aspect this projects proximally, on the dorsal aspect only the distal regions are innervated with the radial enrve providing the more proximal cutaneous innervation.
Features of median nerve damage at wrist? (3)
- Paralysis and wasting of thenar eminence muscles and opponens pollicis (ape hand deformity)
- Sensory loss to palmar aspect of lateral (radial) 2.5 fingers.
E.g. carpal tunnel syndrome
Features of median nerve damage at elbow? (4)
Same as for damage at wrist:
- Paralysis and wasting of thenar eminence muscles and opponens pollicis (ape hand deformity)
- Sensory loss to palmar aspect of lateral (radial) 2.5 fingers.
ALSO:
- Unable to pronate forearm.
- Weak wrist flexion.
- Ulnar deviation of wrist.
Features of damage to anterior interosseous nerve?
It is a branch of the median nerve. Leaves just below the elbow.
- Results in loss of pronation of forearm and weakness of long flexors of thumb and index finger.
Which drug increases the rate of gastric emptying in the vagotomised stomach?
Erythromycin - it enhances gastric emptying by acting via the motilin receptor in the gut.
Vagotomy seriously compromises gastris emptying which is why either a pyloroplasty of a gastro-emterostomy is routinely performed at the same time.
Ondansetron slows gastric emptying slightly.
Metoclopramide increases the rate of gastric emptying but its effects are mediated via the vagus nerve.
Features of gastric emptying?
The stomach serves both a mechanical and immunological function. Solid and liquid are retained in the stomach during which time repeated peristalitic activity against a closed pyloric sphincter will cause fragmentation of food bolus material. Contact with gastric acid will help to neutralise any pathogens present.
The amount of time material spends in the stomach is related to its composition and volume.
The presence of amino acids and fat will all serve to delay gastric emptying.
Hormones with increase gastric emptying? (1)
- Gastrin
Hormones which delay gastric emptying? (3)
- Gastric inhibitory peptide.
- Cholecytokinin.
- Enteroglucagon.
Features of nervous system control of gastric emptying?
Neuronal stimuation of the stomach is mediated via the vagus and the parasympathetic nervous system will tend to favour an increase in gastric motility.
It is for this reason that individuals who have undergone truncal vagotomy will tend to routinely require either a pyloroplasty or gastro-enterostomy as they would otherwise have delayed gastric emptying.
Diseases affecting gastric emptying? (4)
- Iatrogenic
- Diabetic gastroparesis
- Malignancies
- COngenital hypertrophic pyloric stenosis
Features of iatrogenic causes affecting gastric emptying?
Gastric surgery can have profound effects on gastric emptying.
Any procedure that disrupts the vagus can cause delayed emptying.
Particularly true of vagotomy (but now rarely performed)
Surgeons are divided on the importance of vagal disruption that occurs during an oesophagectomy, some will routinely perform a pyloroplasty and others will not.
When a distal gastrectomy is performed, the type of anastemosis performed will impact on emptying. When a gastro-enterostomy is constructed, a posterior, retrocolic gastroenterostomy will empty better than an anterior one.
Features of diabetic gastroparesis affecting gastric emptying?
Predominantly due to neuropathy affecting the vagus nerve.
The stomach empties poorly and patients may have episodes of repeated and protracted vomiting.
Diagnosis is made by upper GI endoscopy and contrast studies, in some cases a radio nucleotide scan is needed to demonstrate the abnormality more clearly.
In treating these conditions, drugs such as metoclopramide will be less effective as they exert their effect via the vagus nerve. One of the few prokinetic drugs that do not work in this way is the antibiotic erythromycin.
Features of how malignancies can affect gastric emptying?
Obviously a distal gastric cancer may obstruct the pylorus and delay emptying.
In addition, malignancies of the pancreas may cause extrinsic compression of the duodenum and delay emptying.
Treatment in these cases is by gastric decompression using a wide bore nasogastric tube and insertion of a stent or, if that is not possible, by a surgical gastroenterostomy.
As a general rule gastroenterostomies constructed for bypass of malignancy are usually placed on the anterior wall of the stomach (in spite of the fact that they empty less well).
A Roux en Y bypass may also be undertaken, but the increased number of anastomoses for this, in malignant disease that is being palliated, is probably not justified.
Features of how congenital hypertrophic pyloric stenosis can affect gastric emptying?
This is typically a disease of infancy.
Most babies will present around 6 weeks of age with projectile non bile stained vomiting.
It has an incidence of 2.4 per 1000 live births and is more common in males.
Diagnosis is usually made by careful history and examination and a mass may be palpable in the epigastrium (often cited seldom felt!).
The most important diagnostic test is an ultrasound that usually demonstrates the hypertrophied pylorus.
Blood tests may reveal a hypochloraemic metabolic alkalosis if the vomiting is long standing.
Once the diagnosis is made the infant is resuscitated and a pyloromyotomy is performed (either open or laparoscopically).
Once treated there are no long term sequelae.
What branches of the brachial plexus form the median nerve?
It is formed by the union of a lateral and medial root respectively from the lateral (C5,6,7) and medial (C8, T1) cords of the brachial plexus.
What is the relationship between the median nerve and the axillary artery?
The medial root passes anterior to the third part of the axillary artery.
What is the relationship between the median nerve and the brachial artery?
The nerve descends lateral to the brachial artery, crosses to its medial side (usually passing anterior to the artery).