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Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) is a rare and life-threatening complication of long-term peritoneal dialysis and until now, there is no established medical treatment for it. Many factors have been incriminated in its pathogenesis but they do not explain all risk conditions. EPS is significantly associated with PD duration, particularly more than 5 years, however the relationship between long-term PD and EPS increased risk is currently unknown. The "two-hit hypothesis" analyzes the relationship between the histological changes Peritoneal Dialysis-induced and intercurrent acute inflammatory episodes, but it does not explain the transition from Sclerosis Simple to EPS. We report our experience and we investigate the predisposing factors. The abdominal cocooning is a pathognomonic finding but it requires further investigations. Probably unidentified factors make some patients more susceptible to developing encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis. more...

The authors report two cases of small bowel malignant schwannoma. It is an extremely rare disease and it is often difficult to diagnose malignancy. Histologic differentiation from other stromal tumors may require electron microscopy, although the preparation of immunohistochemical reactions now allows to identify forms which were previously diagnosed in different terms to be precisely classified. Diagnosis is often late and no preoperative test enables a correct clinical diagnosis to be made. The primary treatment is surgical and the resection is the only real therapy. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy are ineffective. Close postoperative observation is recommended because of the tendency to recurrence and metastasis. more...

A rare case of intestinal occlusion due to primary abdominal pregnancy is described. Laparoscopy revealed normal appendix and bowel obstruction by adhesion between the last ileal loop and cecum. The adhesion started from a neoformation (diameter 2 cm) localised on the mesenteric side of the ileum, about 30 cm from the ileocecal valve. A resection of the adhesion and dissection of the neoformation were performed. Laparoscopic procedures lasted 30 minutes. Histologic examination of the specimen revealed to be an ectopic pregnancy. The laparoscopic technique permitted to verify the diagnosis and perform the treatment of the abdominal pregnancy in absolute conditions of safety, maintaining the fertility of the patient (actually she is presenting a regular pregnancy). more...

It is stated that the ileocecal valve delays the passage of ileal contents into the cecum and acts as a barrier against reflux and ascension of colonic bacterial flora into the small bowel: its resection may lead to bacterial colonization of the ileum and to abnormalities of intestinal motility, transit and absorption. In this study twenty individuals subjected in pediatric age (1 day to 11 years) to ileocecal resection have been evaluated from 2 to 19 years after surgery. Three patients underwent limited ileocecal resection, in four this was associated with a significant ileal resection, in five with extensive right colon resection and in eight with extensive ileal and right colon resection. Growth, stool habit, hematology and serum biochemistry were examined; all patients also underwent abdominal ultrasonography. In all body weight and height were within normal limits; seven had moderate diarrhea up to 18 months after surgery and two who required extensive intestinal resection (40 and 30 cm of small bowel left) had diarrhea until about 36 months after surgery: now all of them have daily fecal evacuation. Hematological, biochemical, urinary and fecal studies proved normal except in one treated with TPN who presented transaminases slightly increased and in three suffering from mucoviscidosis in whom steatorrhea with moderate alterations of fats and elevation of alkaline phosphatase and transaminases were present. Urinary and gall stones were not seen in anyone. In conclusion from this study it can be postulated that removal of ileocecal valve can be done safely in children. more...

Intestinal endometriosis can rarely show itself bowel obstruction. An accurate anamnesis, radiological tests and endoscopy are of some use for correct diagnosis. Frequently however, differential diagnosis with others of pathology is not possible either in preoperative or in postoperative management, but by means of histological finding. We present here a case of acute bowel obstruction secondary to ileo-cecal endometriosis. more...

The aim of this study was the metabolic evaluation of 10 patients with 2 different types of urinary diversions, after cystectomy for infiltrating carcinoma. The patients were divided into two groups, homogeneous for age and follow up, according to the type of urinary diversion: group A (5 patients with ileo-cecal bladder) and group B (5 patients with ileal conduit). The follow up duration was 16.8 +/- 7.3 months in group A and 25.4 +/- 7.8 months, in group B. Even though the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in both groups was within the normal limits, however - on closer evaluation - patients of A group revealed a slight functional damage, shown by reduced creatinine secretion, lower bicarbonatemia and lower urinary acid secretion when compared with ileal conduit patients. According to this study, the ileal conduit seems to be associated with a fairly good metabolic status while the ileo-cecal bladder could require closer clinical-metabolic follow up and bicarbonate supplementation. more...

Two cases of lipomatosis of the ileocaecal valve, causing intestinal obstruction are reported. Surgery was performed on an emergency basis. A careful assessment of clinical and radiological findings is important, in order to distinguish such as a disease from caecal carcinoma. In fact this is a benign disease, for which conservative surgery is indicated. more...