Percutaneous recanalization of an occluded hepatico-jejunostomy, using Colapinto needle, in a two-yr-old patient after partial liver transplantation.

We report one case of percutaneous recanalization of an hepatico-jejunostomy, using Colapinto needle, in a two-yr-old patient after partial liver transplantation and occlusive anastomotic biliary stricture non-crossable with conventional interventional radiology techniques. The procedure was successfully performed and followed by biliary trans-anastomotic catheter placement. Later, the patient underwent multiple session of conventional percutaneous balloon dilatation of the anastomosis as a good flow of contrast from bile ducts to bowel loops was achieved.

Efficacy of transcatheter embolization/chemoembolization (TAE/TACE) for the treatment of single hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aim: To investigate the efficacy of transcatheter embolization/chemoembolization (TAE/TACE) in cirrhotic patients with single hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) not suitable for surgical resection and percutaneous ablation therapy.

Methods: A cohort of 176 consecutive cirrhotic patients with single HCC undergoing TAE/TACE was reviewed; 162 patients had at least one image examination (helical CT scan or triphasic contrast-enhanced MRI) after treatment and were included into the study. TAE was performed with Lipiodol followed by Gelfoam embolization; TACE was performed with Farmorubicin prepared in sterile drip at a dose of 50 mg/m(2), infused over 30 min using a peristaltic pump, and followed by Lipiodol and Gelfoam embolization.

Menstrual cycle-related sialidase activity of the female cervical mucus is associated with exosome-like vesicles.

Objective: To study endogenous sialidase activity in genital tract secretions of pregnant and nonpregnant women.

Design: Laboratory study.

Setting: Department of Evolutionary Biology and Department of Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.

Primary osteosarcoma of the kidney with retroperitoneal hemorrhage. Case report and review of the literature.

Primary osteosarcoma of the kidney is a very rare neoplasm with a very poor prognosis and unclear histogenesis. Only 20 cases have been reported in the literature. It has a strong tendency to recur locally and spread to distant sites.

Management of patients with nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage before and after the adoption of the Rockall score, in the Italian Gastroenterology Units.

Objectives: Nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage is a frequent reason for ordinary hospital admission. In Italy the use of prognostic scores to stratify the risk has not been adequately validated: the impact on clinical management of a rating system like the Rockall score remains to be established. RING is a 'register' that has been collecting hospital discharge files from hospital gastroenterology units, giving a broad picture of the patients admitted for this pathology.

Cytological aspects of the nasal respiratory epithelium in reproductive-age women taking oral contraceptives.

Objective: To determine the effects of monophasic oral contraceptives on the nasal respiratory epithelium in premenopausal women.

Design: Prospective open clinical trial.

Setting: Outpatient Family Planning Centre.

Presacral ganglioneuroma: a case report and review of literature.

Presacral ganglioneuromas are so rare benign tumors that only 17 cases have been reported in the literature. They are abdominal masses growing slowly and differential diagnoses have to be considered. Surgical resection is important for definitive diagnosis because it represents the only therapeutic choice.

Distal biceps tendon repair: anchor versus transosseous suture fixation.

Suture anchor fixation and transosseous suture fixation were compared in 12 fresh-frozen cadaveric radii using either No. 2 braided polyester suture or single Mainstay 3.5-mm threaded anchors (made at the time by Howmedica, Rutherford, NJ) with No.

Percutaneous transhepatic venous angioplasty in a two-yr-old patient with hepatic vein stenosis after partial liver transplantation.

We report one case of severe hepatic vein stenosis, in a two-yr-old pediatric patient with a left lateral split liver transplantation (S2-S3) and severe ascites, in whom color Doppler ultrasound failed to make the diagnosis and transhepatic balloon angioplasty was successfully performed.

Breast cancer local recurrence: risk factors and prognostic relevance of early time to recurrence.

Background: Local recurrence occurs in 10%-20% of patients treated with breast-conserving surgery for stage I-II breast cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate breast cancer local recurrence, potential risk factors, and prognostic impact.

Methods: A total of 503 patients treated with breast-conserving surgery were included in the study.

[Mortality and hospital discharges in the population of Biancavilla (Sicily) contaminated by natural fibres].

Objective: The volcanic area of Biancavilla (Sicily Italy) has been included by the Italian national law among the areas of "environmental reclamation" due to the presence of amphibole fluoro-edenitic fibres in the environment. The aim of the study was to evaluate the health of residents in the area, through the analysis of the mortality registry and the hospital discharge records.

Design: Age, cause and gender specific indirect standardized mortality ratios SMR (1995-2000) and morbidity ratios SHR (2001-2003) were computed with 95% confidence intervals, using the population of surrounding municipalities as reference.

Effects of the chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin on the protein C anticoagulant pathway.

Although chemotherapy treatment is associated with an increased risk of thrombosis, the pathogenic mechanisms for the thrombogenic effect of chemotherapeutic drugs are poorly understood. We hypothesize that exposure of vascular endothelial cells to chemotherapeutic agents results in the loss of a thromboresistant phenotype. In this study, we examined the effects of the chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin on the endothelium-based protein C anticoagulant pathway.

Efficacy of interventional radiology procedures for the treatment of early ureteral complications after kidney transplantation.

Unlabelled: Ureteral stricture and ureteral leakage are the most common early urological complications after kidney transplantation causing decreased urine output and increased serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen. We report our experience with internal-external ureteral stent placement and ureteroplasty.

Materials And Methods: From August 1999 to January 2005, we treated nine patients presenting with stricture or leak.

Percutaneous transarterial embolization of extrahepatic arteroportal fistula.

Arteroportal fistula is a rare cause of prehepatic portal hypertension. A 44-year-old male with hepatitis virus C infection was admitted for acute variceal bleeding. Endoscopy showed the presence of large esophageal varices.

Management and outcomes of hepatic cirrhosis: Findings from the RING study.

Background/aim: Hepatic cirrhosis is a frequent reason for ordinary hospital admission (OA). The RING study collected hospital discharge files (HDF) from Italian hospital gastroenterology units (IGU). This caselist provides a broad picture of the patients admitted for this pathology.

Osteonecrosis after allogeneic stem cell transplantation in childhood. A case-control study in Italy.

A case-control study was conducted among Italian children treated with a stem cell transplant (SCT). Cases (n = 43) were allogeneic recipients with osteonecrosis, and the controls (n = 129) were matched to the corresponding cases on the basis of survival, SCT center and date of transplant. Univariate analysis showed that older age at SCT (OR 1.

[Genetics and arterial hypertension: monogenic forms].

Hypertension is a complex, multifactorial disease; genetic factors represent one third to half of the inter-individual variability of blood pressure values. The study of genes involved in rare forms of monogenic hypertension led to the identification of pivotal pathophysiological pathways of kidney sodium and water reabsorption that can influence blood pressure values when changed. Glucocorticoid-Remediable Aldosteronism (GRA) is characterised by normal to high aldosterone levels, despite plasma renin activity suppression, and by the fact that these alterations are corrected by exogenous glucocorticoid administration.

Changes in clitoral blood flow in premenopausal women affected by type 1 diabetes after single 100-mg administration of sildenafil.

Objectives: To verify whether sildenafil is effective in modifying clitoral blood flow in premenopausal women affected by type 1 diabetes.

Methods: The setting was a diabetes outpatient clinic in which 30 premenopausal women affected by type 1 diabetes treated with insulin therapy and 39 healthy premenopausal women participated in our prospective open-label clinical study. Each diabetic woman received a single oral dose of 100 mg sildenafil.

[Mortality (1995-2000) and hospital admissions (2001-2003) in the industrial area of Gela].

Aims: the area of Gela (Sicily Italy) has been included by the Italian national law among the "areas of environmental concern", due to several industrial plants located in the area: a refinery, a petrolchemical plant and an industrial waste disposal. The aim of the study was to evaluate the health of residents in the area, through the analysis of the mortality registry and the hospital discharge records.

Design: cause and gender specific indirect Standardized Mortality (1995-2000) and Morbidity (2001-2003) Ratios were computed, with 95% confidence intervals, using the population of surrounding municipalities as reference.

Effects of splenic artery occlusion on portal pressure in patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension.

The specific contribution of splenic blood inflow to portal hypertension in patients with cirrhosis is still unclear. In this study, we investigated this contribution by assessing the hemodynamic effects of transient splenic artery occlusion. In 15 cirrhotic patients, portal pressure gradient (PPG) was measured just before inserting a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS), in baseline conditions, for 15 minutes after splenic artery occlusion and 5 minutes after recovery.

Epidemiological aspects of craniopharyngioma.

Craniopharyngioma is a benign intracranial tumor that can be clinically aggressive. The descriptive epidemiology of this tumor is not fully known, in part because of its borderline nature between a benign and malignant tumor, and in part because of its rarity. It has a bimodal age distribution with a peak between 5 and 14 years of age, and a second one in adults older than 65 years.

Sildenafil improves sexual functioning in premenopausal women with type 1 diabetes who are affected by sexual arousal disorder: a double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled pilot study.

Objective: To verify whether sildenafil is effective in type 1 premenopausal women affected by sexual arousal disorder (SAD).

Design: Double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled study.

Setting: Gynecological diabetic outpatient clinic and sexual clinic.

Bcl-2 expression correlates with lymphovascular invasion and long-term prognosis in breast cancer.

Alterations in the mechanisms of apoptosis are responsible not only for the progression of breast cancer, but for different responses to treatment as well. Among the genes regulators of apoptosis, the tumor suppressor gene p53 and the bcl-2 gene have raised interest for their possible role as predictors of response to therapy and markers of prognosis. The purpose of our study was to prospectively analyze the prognostic value of the expression of p53 and bcl-2 genes in a series of 235 consecutive patients operated on for breast cancer at the Department of General Surgery and Surgical Oncology of the University of Siena, Italy.