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Apurinic apyrimidinic endonuclease (APE1)/redox effector factor 1 (Ref-1), which is a multifunction protein involved in both transcriptional regulation of gene expression during adaptive cellular responses to oxidative stress and in the base excision repair pathway of DNA lesions generated as a consequence of oxidant-induced base damage, contributes to the maintenance of genome stability. APE1/Ref-1 is normally localized in the nucleus; cytoplasmic localization observed in several tumors has been correlated with a poor prognosis. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) grading is an essential tool to predict the risk of relapse and patient prognosis, particularly in patients undergoing liver transplantation (OLT). The aim of this study was to identify the role of APE1/Ref-1 in predicting a posttransplant HCC relapse. We studied 48 patients transplanted for HCC to define grading as well as nuclear and cytoplasmic APE1/Ref-1 expression within neoplastic versus nonneoplastic parenchyma. We defined a cutoff of 60% of cytoplasmic APE1/Ref-1 expression to identify positive cases. At a minimum of 1.5-year follow-up after transplantation, 32 patients are alive and 16 patients are deceased after HCC relapse. Among low-grade HCC (grades 1 and 2), 76% of cases are alive; only 34% showed cytoplasmic APE1/Ref-1 immunoreactivity. Among the high-grade cases (grades 3 and 4), 50% were alive with 64% showing cytoplasmic immunoreactivity. Nuclear reactivity was generally similar either in neoplastic or in cirrhotic livers, irrespective of the grade. These data seemed to support the hypothesis of a predictive role of APE1/Ref-1 for HCC risk of relapse, which together with tumor grade by analysis of a pretransplant needle biopsy should aid decision making for OLT.

BACKGROUND: The Liver Match is an observational cohort study that prospectively enrolled liver transplantations performed at 20 out of 21 Italian Transplant Centres between June 2007 and May 2009. Aim of the study is to investigate the impact of donor/recipient matching on outcomes. In this report we describe the study methodology and provide a cross-sectional description of donor and recipient characteristics and of graft allocation. METHODS: Adult primary transplants performed with deceased heart-beating donors were included. Relevant information on donors and recipients, organ procurement and allocation were prospectively entered in an ad hoc database within the National Transplant Centre web-based Network. Data were blindly analysed by an independent Biostatistical Board. RESULTS: The study enrolled 1530 donor/recipient matches. Median donor age was 56 years. Female donors (n = 681, median 58, range 12-92 years) were older than males (n = 849, median 53, range 2-97 years, p < 0.0001). Donors older than 60 years were 42.2%, including 4.2% octogenarians. Brain death was due to non-traumatic causes in 1126 (73.6%) cases. Half of the donor population was overweight, 10.1% was obese and 7.6% diabetic. Hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb) was present in 245 (16.0%) donors. The median Donor Risk Index (DRI) was 1.57 (>1.7 in 35.8%). The median cold ischaemia time was 7.3h (≥ 10 in 10.6%). Median age of recipients was 54 years, and 77.7% were males. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was the most frequent indication overall (44.4%), being a coindication in roughly 1/3 of cases, followed by viral cirrhosis without HCC (28.2%) and alcoholic cirrhosis without HCC (10.2%). Hepatitis C virus infection (with or without HCC) was the most frequent etiologic factor (45.9% of the whole population and 71.4% of viral-related cirrhosis), yet hepatitis B virus infection accounted for 28.6% of viral-related cirrhosis, and HBcAb positivity was found in 49.7% of recipients. The median Model for End Stage Liver Disease (MELD) at transplant was 12 in patients with HCC and 18 in those without. Multivariate analysis showed a slight but significant inverse association between DRI and MELD at transplant. CONCLUSIONS: The deceased donor population in Italy has a high-risk profile compared to other countries, mainly due to older donor age. Almost half of the grafts are transplanted in recipients with HCC. Higher risk donors tend to be preferentially allocated to recipients with HCC, who are usually less ill and older. No other relevant allocation strategy is currently adopted at national level.

An histopathologic screening method for prostate cancer assessment in organ donors is crucial because of the widening of the donor pool to older individuals. Evaluation of cancer grading with multiple biopsies is fundamental in the cases of abnormal prostate-specific antigen (PSA) values and suspect ultrasound findings. However, multiple biopsies may fail to represent the whole neoplasia, and grading may be difficult particularly because there may not be information about capsular penetration. Since October 2007, 20 prostate autopsy specimens were submitted to an histopathologic screening method of the entire prostate based on extemporary frozen section analysis (maximum 75 minutes) of shavings of samples of the lateral surfaces of the prostate gland: namely, approximately 5 samples or 7 in the case of a large gland. We produced 3-mm-thick step sections at three levels: the first was immediately taken at the cutting level, and then 30-microm sections were discarded. The following three levels of 5 microm intervals for 10 sections for each level were evaluated. There were 7 cases of undiagnosed prostate cancer, three of which were demonstrated on frozen sections with neoplastic foci of extraglandular infiltration within connective and adipose tissues outside the gland. No neoplasia was present in the other 13 cases. In all cases, the final diagnosis was confirmed by the extemporary analysis. Our goal was to confirm the optimal number of samples that were representative of the whole prostatic contour, to define time to diagnosis and to evaluate reproducibility of frozen-section histopathologic screening compared with paraffin sections. This novel approach should permit a more refined risk-benefit analysis.

Extrahepatic disease (EHD) has been considered a contraindication to hepatectomy. Over the last few years, some series reported interesting 5-year survival rates after resection with hepatic colorectal metastases and EHD free margins. Between August 1989 and October 2005, 116 patients underwent liver resection for colorectal metastases at Surgical Department of the University of Udine, Italy. Among these, we reviewed the data of 5 patients affected by EHD. In 3 patients there were also an anastomotic recurrence of the primary tumor, in 3 patients diaphragm was infiltrated by contiguous liver metastases. We performed in all the patients minor liver resections. We have associated the radiofrequence ablation of a lesion not surgically resectable with liver resection in one case. The surgical procedure was always considered as curative. We observed no case of operative mortality. The mean survival of the entire cohort is 23.2 months (range 4-42 months). Our study, even if based upon a limited number of patients, supports the thesis that extrahepatic disease in patients affected by colorectal cancer with hepatic metastases should not be considered as an absolute contraindication to liver resection especially for the cases in with local radical cure exeresis is achievable.

The last 20 years have seen a systematic reappraisal of the physiopathology and diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and its associated typical symptoms, while less attention has been paid to correlating GERD with certain extraesophageal symptoms and the value of surgery for their treatment. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical and physiopathological features and the outcome of surgery, in a group of patients who underwent laparoscopic fundoplication for GERD with atypical symptoms, and to compare the results with another group of patients operated for GERD with typical symptoms.Two hundred and forty-one patients were evaluated for GERD at our Digestive Physiopathology outpatients surgery from January 2001 to January 2003. Of the 36 patients who underwent laparoscopic fundoplication, 23 had the typical symptoms of GERD and 13 had atypical symptoms. Twelve months after surgery, these patients were compared in terms of 24-h pH monitoring, esophageal manometry, regression of symptoms and degree of satisfaction.Postoperatively, patients with atypical symptoms had a smaller increase in effective peristalsis (P = 0.06) and a more limited improvement in symptoms (54% vs 91%, P = 0.001), and they expressed less satisfaction with the surgical treatment (5.9 vs 8.2, P = 0.003).The results of surgery in GERD patients with atypical symptoms are worse than in those with typical symptoms. A careful preoperative work-up, based on 24-h pH monitoring, is fundamental for patients with atypical symptoms, who also need to be informed of the high likelihood of surgery proving clinically unsuccessful.

Tracheobronchomegaly, also called Mounier-Kuhn syndrome, consists in dilatation of the trachea and major bronchi because of atrophy or absence of their elastic fibers and smooth muscle cells. Standard chest radiography often does not permit diagnosis because only lateral imaging, obtained with X-rays or chest CT scan, shows the true degree of tracheal dilatation. Surgery has no role in tracheomegaly, except for the complications of tracheal stenosis or pneumothorax. The present work reports cadaveric renal transplantation in a 43-year-old woman affected by end-stage renal disease and suffering from congenital tracheobronchomegaly diagnosed during the first decade of life. No surgical or anesthetic problems were encountered during the immediate perioperative period. The patient did not require pulmonary physiotherapy. Antibiotic prophylaxis was given for 10 days. No pulmonary infection developed, and the patient was discharged from the hospital asymptomatic with normal renal function at 25 days after the transplant. Four months later, the patient experienced bronchitis with cough and fever. Antibiotic therapy was performed with totally resolution of symptoms. At 8 months of follow-up after kidney transplantation, the patient is asymptomatic with normal renal function.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality following renal transplantation. Because many renal transplant recipients die with functioning grafts, deaths resulting from cardiovascular disease have became an increasingly important cause of graft loss, particularly after the first post-transplantation year. Moreover, a contribution of some cardiovascular risk factors to renal allograft dysfunction has been demonstrated. A number of observational studies suggest that cardiovascular disease is more common in renal transplant patients than in the general population. The excessive risk for cardiovascular disease is related to a high prevalence and accumulation of atherogenic risk factors before and after transplantation. Hypertension, post-transplantation diabetes and hyperlipidemia are well-recognized risk factors for the development of cardiovascular events after renal transplantation and are strongly associated with immunosuppressive therapy. Progressive renal dysfunction may also influence the risk of cardiovascular complications after renal transplantation. The elevated risk may also be caused by non- traditional risk factors such as anaemia, adhesion molecules, hyperhomocysteinemia, microinflammatory state, abnormal coagulation and oxidative stress. To prevent post-transplantation cardiovascular disease it is crucial to define the etiological risk factors. Some risk factors can be modified, and for some of these, there is strong evidence from studies in the general population that intervention improves survival. Given the significant morbidity and mortality of cardiovascular disease in renal transplant recipients, aggressive treatment intervention for potentially modifiable factors are strongly advocated after transplantation. In addition to treatment intervention, risk management should also involve tailoring the immunosuppressive regimen to minimize both direct and indirect cardiovascular risks. In this article we attempted to review and quantify the post-transplant risk factors for cardiovascular disease as well as offer suggestions on optimizing the therapy or treatment strategies to minimize the risk of cardiovascular complications in renal transplant patients. Reduction of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality can improve not only the life expectancy and quality of life of the transplant recipients but also their graft function and survival.

The strategies currently used to monitor concentrations of cyclosporine (CsA) in transplanted patients include whole blood trough (C0), total or abbreviated area under the curve (AUC) concentration and population pharmacokinetic approaches. Recently, a single blood concentration measurement at 2 hours (C2) after CsA administration has been shown to be helpful to predict clinical effects during the first weeks after transplantation of liver and kidney grafts. However, this approach has raised multiple questions about pharmacokinetic variability, analytical methods, and organizational requirements. From a pharmacokinetic point of view, the variability of CsA blood concentrations may relate to circadian variations. The present study sought to characterize the circadian variation in C0 and C2 CsA levels among 20 liver transplant recipients during the first 2 weeks posttransplant. All patients received two equal oral doses of CsA microemulsion formulation every 12 hours. Blood samples were collected before and 2 hours after CsA administration in the morning ( am ) and in the evening ( pm ). Whole blood concentrations of CsA were assayed using the monoclonal fluorescence polarization immunoassay system. During the first 2 weeks posttransplant, C2 am mean levels were significantly higher than C2 pm levels (542 ± 241 vs 383 ± 182 ng/mL, P = .005), while the C0 am mean level was not statistically different from the C0 pm (285 ± 174 vs 223 ± 124 ng/mL, P = .367). Our results suggest that morning CsA blood samples may afford a better approach to optimize the CsA dosage, especially based on C2 values.

Pig liver is a possible source of hepatocytes for extracorporeal bio-artificial liver devices. In order to evaluate recovered hepatocyte function following enzymatic isolation, we developed a cytochemical method that is based on the capacity of hepatocytes to sequester the anthracycline antitumour drug doxorubicin within intracellular acidic compartments. Doxorubicin is a naturally fluorescent molecule. Thus, the process of drug concentration within hepatocytes can be visualized in living conditions by fluorescence microscopy. Porcine hepatocytes harvested from heart-beating donors were grown either as isolated cell suspensions or as tissue monolayers. Immediately after isolation and at fixed culture times, cells were incubated with 0.1 mM doxorubicin in Hanks' balanced salt solution for 10 min at 37 degrees C in 5% CO2-humidified atmosphere and observed by fluorescence microscopy. Parallel electron microscopy was performed to compare fluorescence data with general cell morphology. To monitor lysosomal acidification capacity, the fluorescent pH-sensitive vital dye LysoSensor-Blue was used. Doxorubicin fluorescence showed different patterns of nuclear and cytoplasmic staining, according to the time allowed for cell recovery and the culture method. In particular, cytoplasmic fluorescence changed from a diffuse staining, that could be observed after cell isolation and in hepatocyte suspensions, to a punctate perinuclear and pericanalicular fluorescence detectable in fully recovered hepatocyte monolayers. This study indicates that the 'doxorubicin-fluorescence test' may be considered a simple and rapid procedure for assessing hepatocyte functional condition. It may provide valuable and 'real time' guidelines for judging the correct way these cells are to be collected, preserved and utilized for clinical purposes.

The aims of the study were to evaluate how the sliding hiatal hernia, in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), acts on the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and esophageal clearance, and how surgical therapy corrects the physiopathological parameters.Records of 25 patients with only GERD and of 15 with GERD associated to hiatal hernia (3.5 cm) were reviewed. Ten subjects without symptoms and/or endoscopic and functional signs of GERD were considered as control group. The selection of the patients was done by reviewing radiographic examination, endoscopy and functional tests (esophageal manometry, pH-monitoring).Manometry showed a greater LES incompetence (pressure and length) and a worse peristalsis (distal amplitude) in the group with reflux and hiatal hernia against patients with reflux only. Also, patients with hiatal hernia had more acid exposure (total time pH4 in the distal esophagus) and a longer time of esophageal clearance, at pH-monitoring. The functional tests in 8 patients, before and after laparoscopic Toupet fundoplication with posterior closing of the crura, showed a normalised LES, esophageal clearance and acid exposure. Esophageal peristalsis did not show any statistically significance.The presence of hiatal hernia, in patients with GERD, causes worse LES, peristalsis and clearance with a greater acid exposure of the esophagus. Fundoplication, by reconstructing the sphincter-diaphragm unit, normalises the preoperative physiopathology situation but without an effective peristalsis improvement.

Eleven patients with postrenal transplant erythrocytosis were treated with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors for 18 months.Indices of red blood cell production and destruction, renal function and kalemia were followed-up during the treatment. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) led to a progressive and significant fall in hemoglobin and hematocrit compared to the basal values at every time interval considered with a maximum reduction at 12th month for hemoglobin ( 17.04 +/- 0.21 vs. 15.10 +/- 0.42 g/dl, p0.0001) and at the 6th month for hematocrit (53.74 +/- 0.56 vs. 45.7 +/- 1.19 %, p0.0001). Serum erythropoietin levels were reduced significantly after the first month of therapy (13.56 +/- 2.7 vs. 7.48 +/- 1.6 mUI/dl, p0.05) after which no further variations were recorded. In the course of ACEi therapy, there was an inverse correlation between percentage reduction in erythropoietin values and those of hemoglobin emerged (r = 0.24, p0.05) and hematocrit (r = 0.39, p0.01). Indices of red blood destruction including haptoglobin, bilirubin and lactic dehydrogenase, were unaffected by ACE inhibitors treatment, as was creatininemia and kalemia. Treatment was well tolerated by all patients who completed the study without major adverse side-effects. No patient required phlebotomy and no thromboembolic event occurred during angiotensin-converting enzyme therapy.Our results suggest that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors are a safe and effective long-term therapy of postrenal transplant erythrocytosis. These agents decrease the erythropoietin synthesis but this effect is not the sole mechanism by which angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors act in postrenal renal transplant erythrocytosis.

To evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value and influence on surgical strategy of laparoscopy and laparoscopic ultrasound on staging of abdominal malignancies.Prospective evaluation of laparoscopic ultrasound staging, according to the TNM classification, of 80 consecutive cases of abdominal malignancies in terms of sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value and influence on surgical strategy. Pathologic examination of final surgical specimens or laparoscopic biopsies was used as control.Laparoscopic ultrasound evaluation was carried out successfully in 95% of cases with no mortality and morbidity. Twenty one out of 76 patients (28%) had their stage changed based on laparoscopic ultrasound findings. Unnecessary laparotomy was avoided in 11 cases (14%) due to evidence of advanced disease at laparoscopic ultrasound. For pancreatic cancer laparoscopic ultrasound was more sensitive for TNM, specificity was higher just for nodal evaluation. For liver tumor laparoscopic staging revealed more sensitive for N and M evaluation. Laparoscopic ultrasound staging had low specificity and sensitivity for T evaluation, while it was more sensitive and specific than clinical staging for nodal and distant metastasis assessment respectively for gastric and colon cancer.Laparoscopic ultrasound staging is a safe, feasible and effective staging tool for several abdominal malignancies. The introduction of laparoscopic ultrasound probes overcomes the lack of tactile sensation proper of laparoscopy, allowing precise evaluation of both solid and deeply located abdominal structures. The use of laparoscopic ultrasound staging may help to reduce the number of unnecessary laparotomies.

Carcinoma of the breast is a pathology of great social interest for its increase in occurrence and because it is leading cause of tumor-induced death among women in Western Countries. There have been continual changes in the understanding of biological implications of the tumor and in the ensuing therapeutic approaches. Breast cancer is currently viewed as a systemic disorder right from is outset varies widely in behavior within the same histologic type. Hence, the need for a multidisciplinary approach where locoregional treatment (surgery and radiotherapy) is accompanied by systemic (chemotherapy and hormone therapy). As to surgery, there has been a shift away from the radical to the conservative approach which avoids functional and above all psychological mutilation. Beside always being carried out when surgery is not radical, radiotherapy depends on the stage of the tumor. As to chemotherapy, while there is sound evidence proving it to be useful in postoperative adjuvant treatment, its usefulness in preoperative treatment still remains to be demonstrated. Future studies will have to identify new morphobiological parameters of the tumor capable of predicting the clinical behavior and response to therapy of the various types of breast cancer so as to correctly standardize therapeutic actions and their aiming.

Laparoscopic splenectomy for normal-sized spleens has several advantages compared with laparotomy. Only a few cases of splenomegaly done by laparoscopy are reported in the literature. The purpose of this study is to show that laparoscopy for splenomegaly is feasible and has several advantages over the open operation.We performed retrospective chart review of 8 cases of splenomegaly managed by laparoscopy (group 1), 15 cases of open splenomegaly (group 2), and 27 cases of laparoscopic splenectomy for normal-sized spleens (group 3). Comparison has been done between groups 1 and 2 and groups 1 and 3 in terms of operative time, intraoperative estimated blood loss, need for blood transfusion, postoperative ileus, postoperative stay, and mortality and morbidity rates.Patients in group 1 required longer operative time and significantly less intraoperative blood transfusion compared with group 2. The postoperative course was less complicated and shorter in group 1 than in group 2. Operative time was longer in group 1 compared with group 3. No significant differences in terms of postoperative course have been found between groups 1 and 3.Laparoscopy for splenomegaly is a feasible, effective, and safe technique for experienced laparoscopic surgeons. This approach seems to have several advantages over the open operation. Prospective, randomized trials would be required for a proper quantitative evaluation.

The authors report their experience in the surgical treatment of breast cancer liver metastases. Although with a restricted number of cases (4 patients), the short-term results are satisfactory; this is in agreement with the literature. The survival of those patients treated with a loco-regional approach to metastases (chemotherapy and surgery), is longer than one obtained using systemic chemotherapy. This is still an open question requiring further experience.

A rare case of hemoperitoneum in a young man who performed a diagnostic colonoscopy is reported. The rupture of an epiploic appendix among rectum and colon sigma caused massive bleeding into the peritoneum cavity followed by haemorrhagic shock. Diagnostic and therapeutic colonoscopy has a low rate of morbility; perforation and bleeding are the most common events; hemoperitoneum following colonscopy is usually due to spleen rupture. Among other complications, ileal and cecal volvolus, incarceration of hernias and subcutaneous emphysema are reported.

The aim of videolaparo-cholecystectomy is to achieve a good results with minimal surgical trauma. Recently there has been an evolution of this technique toward the progressive reduction of trauma with an improvement of the results, also from the aesthetical point of view. In this article we describe our new videolaparo-cholecystectomy technique. Trans-umbilical videolaparo-cholecystectomy represents a variant of the traditional technique. This new method allows the operation to perform with only two trocars positioned in the peritoneum cavity through only one umbilical incision. The technical innovation of this method consists of the substitution of the others trocars, utilized in the traditional technique, with an equal number of trans-parietal suspension wires. Up to now, we have given 95 patients this kind of operation being successful in 67% of the cases. We think that this new technique, requiring as it does only standard laparoscopic instruments, is in accordance with the philosophy of mini-invasive surgery. The suspension wires are responsible for minimal bile spreading which is not an important complication if the surgeon performs an accurate and through cleaning of the abdominal cavity at the end of the surgical procedure. The patient better accepts this technique because of its better aesthetical results. In spite of this there should be more evaluable data about trans-umbilical videolaparo-cholecystectomy especially about the incidence of post-operatory complications.

A controversy exists over the effectiveness and clinical value of preemptive analgesia. Additional studies are needed to define the optimum intensity, duration, and timing of analgesia relative to incision and surgery.One hundred twenty patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy under general anesthesia plus topical peritoneal local anesthetic or saline were studied. Local anesthetic (0.5% bupivacaine with epinephrine) or placebo solutions were given as follows: immediately after the creation of a pneumoperitoneum (blocking before surgery), and at the end of the operation (blocking after surgery). Patients were randomly assigned to one of four groups of 30 patients each. Group A (placebo) received 20 ml 0.9% saline both before and after surgery, group B received 20 ml 0.9% saline before surgery and 20 ml local anesthetic after surgery, group C received 20 ml local anesthetic both before and after surgery, group P received 20 ml local anesthetic before and 20 ml 0.9% saline after surgery. Pain was assessed using a visual analog scale and a verbal rating scale at 0, 4, 8, 12, and 24 h after surgery. Metabolic endocrine responses (blood glucose and cortisol concentrations) and analgesic requirements also were investigated.Pain intensity (visual analog and verbal rating scales) and analgesic requirements were significantly less in the group receiving bupivacaine after surgery compared to placebo. However, in the groups receiving bupivacaine before surgery, both pain intensity and analgesic consumption were less than in the group receiving bupivacaine only after surgery. Blood glucose and cortisol concentrations 3 h after surgery were significantly less in groups receiving bupivacaine before surgery.The results indicate that intraperitoneal local anesthetic blockade administered before or after surgery preempts postoperative pain relative to an untreated placebo-control condition. However, the timing of administration is also important in that postoperative pain intensity and analgesic consumption are both lower among patients treated with local anesthetic before versus after surgery.

The authors present the results of the vascular supply of tubulized gastric stump in patients who had sub-total oesophagectomy and cervical oesophago-gastroplasty (OGP) for oesophageal carcinoma, evaluating the importance of altered tubulized gastric stump's vascular supply on oesophago-gastric anastomosis efficiency. From April 1989 up today 51 patients who had OGP entered this study. Among these 2 had intestinal reconstruction by whole stomach and 49 by tubulized gastric stump. These 49 patients had celiac and upper mesenteric arterial angiography 30 days after surgery. As regards vascular patency angiography allowed us to divide the tubulized gastric stump into three parts; giving useful information above all on the distal part of the stump, considered "at risk" as concerning vascular supply. The authors thus demonstrate that the anastomosis high rate dehiscence is preferably due to the oesophageal stump vascular supply (strongly affected by cervical dissection) rather than to the poor vascular supply of the distal third of the transposed tubulized gastric stump.

The indications for splenectomy in hematological diseases are well known. In particular, they include idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), hereditary spherocytosis (HS) and Hodgkin's disease (HD) (as a part of subdiaphragmatic staging). We present here our initial experience of 10 cases (6 ITP, 2 HS and 2 HD) managed with a laparoscopic approach as opposed to the traditional laparotomy. Advantages over the open operation include decrease of post-operative pain, pulmonary sequelae and infections, cosmetic advantages, faster recovery and reduced hospitalization.

The successful replacement of islet tissue by pancreas transplantation appears to be beneficial in the early course of those uremic diabetic recipients who receive a simultaneous renal transplant. The long-term advantages of SKP transplantation remain to be determined, however, current improvement in patient and graft survival following SPK and the difficulties thus far reported in islet cell transplantation have renewed clinical interests in SPK, PAK and PA transplantation. In our experience, pancreas transplantation has been a challenging technical, immunological and physiological endeavor which was well received by our patients despite the initial problems and complications we and they encountered. Notwithstanding extensive preparation, our team experienced a "learning curve" and we present many of the lessons we learned. This knowledge has aided our transplant team in the successful management and avoidance of these complications and other inherent problems associated with SKP transplantation in subsequent patients.

Hepatodiaphragmatic interposition of the intestine is a rare anomaly (0.025 to 0.28 percent of the general population) described by Chilaiditi in 1911 and often believed to be of irrelevant clinical interest. To the contrary, recent studies stated that this syndrome is a potential source of abdominal problems requiring emergency or elective operation. From a retrospective analysis of records since 1976, four instances of Chilaiditi's syndrome have been found (three males and one female). Interposition of the proximal transverse colon was found in three patients and the small intestine in one patient. The findings of plain roentgenograms of the chest were determinants for diagnosis in three patients. In one patient, a barium meal was given to obtain a better definition. Two patients were admitted for malignant neoplasms (metastatic carcinoma of the breast, carcinoma of the gastrointestinal tract and cirrhosis of the liver) and died within a few months. The other two patients complained of abdominal pain. Patient No. 4 had gastric volvulus. Chilaiditi's syndrome was diagnosed intraoperatively in that patient and a surgical treatment with hepatopexy was performed, by suturing the falciform, the coronaria ligament and the anterior margin of the liver to the diaphragm with interrupted absorbable stitches. After a two year follow-up evaluation, this patient is as well as the patient who underwent medical therapy. Volvulus of the stomach, as was found in Patient No. 4, is an unusual condition and, to our knowledge, the patient is the second reported instance.

30 patients were examined: 17 males and 13 females aged between 53 and 83 years (average age 66 years), candidates for large intestine surgery. For 5 days before the operation, they were treated at random, in a balanced way, with cefotaxime (3 g/day intravenously), either alone or associated with rifaximin (1200 mg/day P.O.). Rifaximin, an antibiotic drug endowed with a topical intestinal action, substantially increased the antibacterial activity of the well known and traditional third-generation cephalosporins therapy in the prevention of bacterial infections after major colic surgery. Intestinal bacterial load and pathogenic micro-organisms reduction was substantially increased. Furthermore, a more limited onset of post- surgical complications was observed, together with a better post-surgical clinical course, and a more rapid recovery of normal intestinal functions. The possibility of carrying out an effective chemoprophylaxis by means of an oral drug, such as rifaximin, must be encouraged as, among other things, it substantially reduces the intolerance risk at systemic level, which is nevertheless possible with parenteral antibiotic treatments.

Summary Simultaneous recordings of electrical and mechanical activities at different levels of the oesophagus were performed in normal men before and after physostigmine and metoclopramide injections. Various parameters of the basal oesophageal peristalsis were significantly modified following drug treatment. In particular, physostigmine injections induced a shortening of electromechanical coupling time and a reduction of the propagation velocities of the electrical and mechanical oesophageal events. Metoclopramide shortened the electromechanical coupling time but increased the electrical and mechanical propagation velocities along the oesophagus.

The results of reimplantation of the thoracic duct carried out in 22 patients suffering from cirrhotic ascites refractory to medical therapy are presented and analysed. 3-year survival was 54,5% with disappearance of the ascites in 83% of cases. Other conditions being equal, these results are superior to those obtained with porto-systemic shunt.

A case of malignant hyperthermia is reported. The clinical symptoms arised after anesthesia and the post-operative enzymatic alterations prompted the Authors to send the patient to the University of Padua where muscle byopsy and caffeine contracture test were performed. The initial diagnosis was confirmed.

Experiments were performed on 23 dogs to assess the effect of splanchnic pooling on renal hemodynamics and Na retention. When the thoracic duct pressure was raised to 40 cm H2O (HTDP), liver interstitial pressure rose from 9.0 +/- 0.4 to 19.8 +/- 1.1 cm H2O. Simultaneously, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and renal plasma flow fell in the left kidney from 16.3 +/- 1.7 to 9.6 +/- 1.3 and from 73.7 +/- 12.2 to 44.3 +/- 9.8 ml.min-1, respectively (p less than 0.01). UNa.V fell to 59 +/- 9% of control value (p less than 0.01). Plasma antidiuretic hormone (ADH) rose from 29.5 +/- 7.7 to 46.9 +/- 9.2 pg.ml-1 (p less than 0.05). When a portocaval shunt (PCS) was opened in 10 dogs during HTDP after the first set of experimental measurements, splanchnic pressure fell from 17.2 +/- 1.1 to 11.5 +/- 1.2 cm H2O, attended by a return towards control of GFR. ADH fell significantly to 16.5 +/- 8.1 during PCS, and to 9.7 +/- 1.5 pg.ml-1 during a last, postexperimental control period. Instead, UNa.V remained unchanged at the low levels measured during HTDP alone. When the HTDP was released in the 17 dogs without, and the 10 dogs with PCS, all variables became indistinguishable from control, except for UNa.V, which remained reduced, even in 4 aldosterone-escaped animals. No significant change in any of these variables occurred in 6 sham-operated control animals. These data demonstrate that it is possible to increase interstitial liver pressure through the lymph duct.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Following a short introduction on the physiopathology of the phlebo-lymphatic system, the results of a study carried out on 114 patients suffering from chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) treated at the Department of General Clinical Surgery and Surgical Therapy of the University of Ferrara are reported. These patients were subdivided into two random groups and treated with common phlebotonic drugs and aminaftone, respectively. Both groups were also subjected to those physical and medical measures that are usually adopted for the treatment of such patients. The therapeutic effects were assessed by comparing symptomatology before and after 90 days of treatment, both subjectively (patient's assessment of the symptoms by means of a scoring system) and with objective methods (measurements and echo-Doppler examinations). The differences between the two groups were statistically very significant in favour of patients who had taken aminaftone. Excellent results were obtained in the treatment of CVI as well as in lymphatic-related pathology (lymphedema).

The most important physical and chemical properties of the new synthetic absorbable suture materials are shown. Particularly this paper make a comparison between multifilament and monofilament suture wire from the point of view of tensile strength, "in vivo" tensile strength retention, reabsorbability, foreseeability of the reabsorption time of the capillarity. On these theoretical basis the AA. think that actually the best suture wire for the gastrointestinal surgery must be a synthetic absorbable monofilament suture material. Clinical and experimental experience of the AA. utilizing in the surgery of the gastrointestinal tract a copolymer monofilament of the glycolic acid and of the trimethylene carbonate (polyglyconate-Maxon), resorbable by not-enzymatic hydrolysis in about 180 days are described. The clinical experience was acquired performing 43 manual gastroenteric anastomosis by polyglyconate suture material and making an endoscopic follow-up in 19 cases (12 oesophago-jejunal anastomoses and 7 colo-rectal anastomoses). The experimental study consist of 30 enteric anastomosis performed on rats. The results evaluation was made from three points of views: bacteriological, optical diffuse light microscopy and electronic transmission microscopy. The conclusions of the clinical and experimental studies are favourable for the use the polyglyconate suture wire in digestive surgery, and confirm also "in vivo" its theoretical properties.

A new surgical technique for peripheral lymphatic-venous anastomosis is presented. It is designed especially for cases of node block, e.g. lymphoedema after mastectomy. The distal ends of the collectors are sectioned downstream from the block and passed through a patch, which also serves to close a phlebotomy on an adjacent vein. An experimental study and preliminary clinical results are discussed.

The authors analyze their experience on 9 cases of esophageal stenosis dilated by "Grüntzig" type balloon catheter under fluoroscopic examination (transluminal esophagus plastica: TE). This procedure also allows dilatation of severe narrowing, offering distinct advantages represented by: low risk, easy performance, good tolerance, reduction or disappearance of disphagia. Esophageal perforation is possible, though it never appeared in author's experience.