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Neoplasic stenoses of the left colon are most frequently caused by primary colon carcinoma, infiltration from an external tumour and great adenomatous polyps. These patients often develop obstruction as their first symptom, leading to emergency surgical procedures in adverse circumstances and without an appropriate intestinal preparation that might prevent primary anastomosis. Therapeutic options for this event, such as Hartmann's resection, subtotal colectomy or anterograde colon lavage are not always possible. In these patients a colostomy is performed that requires future reoperation for reconstruction of the intestinal transit. Transtumoral self-expandable stenting followed by elective surgery might be the best option in these cases, as well as an alternative to surgery in non-operable patients.Twenty four patients treated with this procedure in the past four years were divided in two groups. In group 1 (14 patients), the stent was placed as a permanent and palliative measure for the management of the disease. In group 2 (10 patients), the stent was placed temporarily for the management of the intestinal obstruction and latter the patients underwent elective surgery with fully preoperative and extension study and an appropriate preparation of the colon in order to allow reliable primary anastomosis.There were no hospital mortality nor stent migrations. There was only one complication (perforation caused by the stent) that required emergency surgery, but with any further complications. Failure to place the stent occurred in one patient.Self-expandable stents relieve neoplasic colon obstructions and allow to complete the study protocol, followed by elective surgery associated to less morbi-mortality. In patients with advanced or irresectable cancer, they provide a palliative and safe alternative to surgery, with satisfactory results.

We present a patient with obstructive unresectable carcinoma of the gastric antrum. An expandable stent was placed endoscopically along the tumor to paliate obstruction. Such a procedure allowed unrestricted oral feeding of the patient up to death six months later.

Chagas-Mazza disease is an endemic infection of chronic evolution and is essentially American. Its transmission by vinchuca in Argentine has created a medical, psychological and social problem of great and important significance. The basic, preliminary and social study carried out in a hospital unit, showed in the population attended, precarious socioenvironmental conditions during childhood and adolescence and the almost total lack of basic information on the disease. Interviews, inquests, questionnaires, group actions, team work, direct dialogues, counselling and guidance groups and the guiding to specialized institutions, constitute a synthesis of the task developed which, in its preliminary stage, showed sufficient reasons to continue the control of health during pregnancy, childbirth, puerperium and lactation.