[Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography in the endovascular treatment of thoracic aortic aneurysms].

Aim: Endovascular surgery is an efficacious alternative to conventional surgery in the treatment of descending thoracic aorta aneurysms. However, primary and delayed endoleaks are some endovascular technology's weak points. They are usually detected by angiography or angio CT, but many information may be obtained by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) both as to endoleaks and to endograft's correct placement.

Platelet gel for healing cutaneous chronic wounds.

Wound healing is a specific host immune response for restoration of tissue integrity. Experimental studies demonstrated an alteration of growth factors activity due to their reduced synthesis, increased degradation and inactivation. In wound healing platelets play an essential role since they are rich of alpha-granules growth factors (platelet derived growth factor--PDGF; transforming growth factor-beta--TGF-beta; vascular endothelial growth factor--VEGF).

Popliteal aneurysms: current management and outcome.

Background: Peripheral artery aneurysm is the most common peripheral arterial aneurysm. Clinical pictures, perioperative diagnostic evaluations, surgical treatment and results are described.

Methods: From January 1982 to September 1998, 65 popliteal aneurysms in 48 patients were treated in the Department of Vascular Surgery of Busto Arsizio Hospital.

[The use of allografts in the surgical treatment of patients with infected vascular prostheses].

The article is devoted to analysis of surgical treatment of patients with such a dangerous complication as infection of the vascular prosthesis. The authors have performed 25 operations for substituting the infected prostheses for allografts. In 18 patients the infected prostheses were located in the aorto-iliac segment, in 5 patients in the femoro-popliteal segment, 1 patient had it in the aorta, and 1 in the subclavian segment.

[Carotid endarterectomy under locoregional anesthesia].

The purpose of carotid surgery is to prevent the incidence of stroke in patients with cerebrovascular disease. It's important, therefore, to find the most useful methods of cerebral protection and flow monitorization during carotid endarterectomy. It is well known that patient's clamping tolerance changes according to his anatomical and physiopathological conditions (contralateral carotid patency, stenosis, occlusion), and compensative circles efficiency (Willis).