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Background: Although FD may affect up to 10% of the general population, the therapy for FD is not standard. Recently, ginger-based food supplements have been proposed in order to restore FD symptoms. Our aim was to assess the efficacy of a new nutraceutical formulation containing extract of gingerol and thymus as a possible natural treatment in managing the symptoms of functional dyspepsia (FD). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the efficacy and safety profiles of a nutraceutical formulation containing Zingiber officinalis root extract and a standardized Thymus extract. It was administered as 1 ml/day twice a day for 90 days. Patients were assessed at baseline and after 1, 2 and 3 months of treatment, following a month of pharmacological washout by completing a questionnaire reporting the trend of the following symptoms: epigastric pain, epigastric heaviness, early satiety, belching, and regurgitation. Every symptom was assessed by a Visual Analogic Scale (VAS), ranging from 0= absence to 10= maximal severity. Results: We enrolled 272 patients (99 males and 173 females; median IQR age 49.5, 36-64 yrs). Obesity (BMI>30) was present in 28 (12.5%) patients; smokers were 83 (30.5%); and comorbidities were present in 107 (39.3%) patients. Improvement of symptom scores during treatment and one month after its suspension was extremely significant (p Conclusion: This large study found that nutraceutical formulation could be one of the tools for an empirical approach to treat patients with FD, especially when a non-conventional drug treatment is preferable for the patient and considered suitable by the physician.

Extragonadal endometriosis is rarely diagnosed preoperatively for the variety of its localizations. Presentations to general surgeons may be atypical and pose diagnostic difficulty, mimicking other acute diseases. We report three cases treated with surgical operation. Case 1: a 28-year-old woman admitted for bowel obstruction due to coecal endometriosis, with appendix mucocele, peritoneal pseudomyxoma and ovarian endometrioma. The patient underwent right colectomy and right adnexectomy in the emergency setting. Case 2: a 31-year-old woman with endometriosis of the distal extraperitoneal portion of the round ligament presenting as an irreducible inguinal hernia. An operation was performed: the round ligament and a polycystic structure encompassing it were completely excised. Case 3: a 41-year-old woman, with umbilical endometriosis diagnosed by her gynaecologist, was admitted to our department for excision. Surgical treatment of extragonadal endometriosis is adequate. However, postoperative follow-up is mandatory and hormonal suppressive therapy may be indicated by the gynaecologist.

It has been reported that patients who refuse blood transfusions, such as Jehovah's witnesses, can undergo major surgery. In a review of the literature, however, we critically examined the severity of anaemia in relation to operative mortality and morbidity rates. We report three cases of Jehovah's witnesses who underwent major surgery and presented complication during the postoperative period. Case 1: a 50-year-old man with oesophageal achalasia who underwent Heller's myotomy and Nissen's fundoplication. The postoperative period was complicated by massive haemorrhage and the patient was reoperated on postoperative day 1. After four years, he underwent total oesophagectomy because of severe chronic oesophagitis. On postoperative day 13 the patient suffered anteroseptal myocardial ischaemia, which was treated with medical therapy. Case 2: a 40-year-old man, admitted for ulcerative rectocolitis, who underwent total colectomy. On postoperative day 1 he presented massive haemorrhage and shock. He was reoperated and the postoperative period was complicated by myocardial ischaemia, renal failure and an enterocutaneous fistula. Case 3: a 65-year-old woman with ulcerative rectocolitis who underwent total colectomy and a temporary ileostomy. She suffered venous thrombosis of the lower limbs and pulmonary oedema. The patient died 14 months after surgery as a result of massive haemolysis by cryoagglutinins and cardiac arrest.