Faculty Bibliography

A 35 year review of adenocarcinomas of the esophagus was undertaken. We found the disease to be one of increasing incidence afflicting white males disproportionately. Risk factors remain to be clarified. Radiation therapy in curative doses and complete resection were competitively effective in terms of long-term survival. No survival advantage was found with palliative surgery compared with other means of therapy. Optimal combinations of treatment remain to be discovered.

Hibernoma is an uncommon soft tissue tumor that is derived from the remnants of fetal brown fat. Review of the world medical literature revealed 90 cases, 6 of which were intrathoracic. We present the seventh case of intrathoracic hibernoma; in this case, the hibernoma was within the mediastinum without direct invasion of other structures.

Medical grade leeches have recently been used in the management of acute problems relative to venous congestion in patients with traumatic injuries and surgical problems. Specific cases, especially in the realm of reconstructive microsurgery, have demonstrated the effectiveness and application of leech therapy. Specific contraindications include arterial insufficiency from either anatomic or mechanical obstruction. We present five illustrative cases of successful therapeutic intervention.