A comparison of a personal series of biliopancreatic diversion and literature data on gastric bypass help to explain the mechanisms of resolution of type 2 diabetes by the two operations.

Background: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) and biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) are highly beneficial operations for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in obese patients, leading to complete T2DM resolution in 75-90 and 97-99% of cases, respectively. In both RYGBP and BPD, the foregut is excluded from the food stream and the distal small bowel receives the food stimulation, while following BPD fat intestinal absorption is also extremely limited. This study was carried out to identify clinical features that could give insight on the different mechanisms of action on diabetes resolution.

[Surgical resection of gastrointestinal stromal tumor after treatment with imatinib: clinical case].

The stromal tumor is the most common mesenchymal tumor of the gastrointestinal tract. Surgical resection is the first-line therapy for operable lesions, however for inoperable imatinib is an effective therapy. In this setting a patient has been operated after a remarkable response to imatinib, used as both neoadjuvant and adjuvant.

Anterior tension-free repair under local anesthesia of abdominal wall hernias in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients.

Background: A 10-year experience of abdominal wall hernia repair performed with anterior tension-free mesh or plug technique under local anesthesia in end-stage renal failure patients submitted to continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) is described in order to assess the safety and effectiveness of this approach.

Methods: Between January 1993 and December 2002, 18 hernia repairs were performed under local anesthesia in 16 patients (14 males and two females) with a mean age of 70 years (48-78). One umbilical and three unilateral inguinal hernias were observed and repaired before starting peritoneal dialysis (PD), while two umbilical, eight unilateral, and two bilateral groin hernias developed and were then treated during PD.

Leptin and insulin action in severely obese women.

Background: The authors investigated the interrelationships between the components of the metabolic syndrome in severe obesity.

Methods: In non-diabetic, severely obese women, the degree of obesity (BMI), the insulin sensitivity (from the Homeostatic Model of Assessment, HOMA), the serum leptin concentration and the presence of dyslipidemia and arterial hypertension were evaluated.

Results: In insulin-resistant patients, an overall impaired metabolic status and a greater cardiovascular risk were observed, while serum leptin concentration was higher than in the insulin-sensitive ones.

Relationships of serum leptin to clinical and anthropometric findings in obese patients.

Background: The authors evaluated the relationship between leptin and the clinical, anthropometric and metabolic variables connected to the metabolic syndrome in obese individuals.

Methods: A large group of patients with different degrees of obesity was investigated: body mass index (BMI) values, serum leptin, fasting glucose and insulin, triglycerides and HDL-cholesterol concentrations, insulin resistance index and blood pressure were measured.

Results: On multiple regression analysis, serum leptin levels appeared to be positively correlated to the BMI and to the serum HDL-cholesterol concentration.

Intraperitoneal mitoxantrone: a feasibility and pharmacokinetic study.

Fractionated doses have been advocated to prevent chemoperitonitis after intraperitoneal infusion of mitoxantrone. Patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis of various origin underwent surgery, including intestinal resections, with minimal residual disease. Peritoneal mitoxantrone in 1000 ml/m(2) saline was planned on the first post-operative day in groups of four patients (5 mg/m(2) for 3 and 5 days, 7.

Reduction of cisplatin nephrotoxicity by procainamide: does the formation of a cisplatin-procainamide complex play a role?

Procainamide protects mice bearing P388 leukemic cells against the toxicity of cisplatin without diminishing antitumor activity. The mechanism of action of procainamide protection was investigated both in vitro and in vivo. HPLC studies showed that procainamide forms a complex with cisplatin in vitro that has a UV spectrum similar to that of DPR, a triamine platinum complex that contains procaine as ligand.

Pleural space perfusion with cisplatin in the multimodality treatment of malignant mesothelioma: a feasibility and pharmacokinetic study.

Introduction: Malignant pleural mesothelioma is an ideal model for testing new locoregional multimodality approaches because of its aggressive local behavior.

Methods: This study was planned to investigate the feasibility, safety, and pharmacokinetics of a multimodality therapy including an operation, pleural space perfusion (60 minutes) with cisplatin (100 mg/m2), hyperthermia (41. 5 degrees C), and postoperative radiotherapy (55 Gy to chest wall incisions).

[Pancreatic cancer. Analysis of 149 cases in our 17-year experience].

The Authors analyse a series of 149 consecutive patients with carcinoma of the pancreas or the periampullary region. Curative surgical treatment was achievable in 55 patients, palliative procedures included surgery in 68 patients; biliary decompression with endoscopic or percutaneous procedure in 25 patients and chemotherapy in one patient with lymphoma. Perioperative complications consisted in gastroplegia (33%), pancreatic fistula (22%), biliary fistula (7.

Differential device performances for hepatic arterial chemotherapy: a technical report on totally implantable pumps and ports for both continuous and bolus infusion.

Performances of totally implantable infusion systems were analyzed in patients with colorectal liver metastases undergoing intra-arterial treatment. It consisted of 14-day continuous infusion of 5-fluor-2'deoxyuridine with pumps (pump14, 44 patients) or ports fed by external pumps (port14, 34 patients), or bolus infusion of cisplatin (port21, 57 patients) or epirubicin (port7, 22 patients) every 3rd week and weekly, respectively. Toxicity and disease progression were the most common causes of treatment interruption.

[Severe infections after orthotopic hepatic transplant].

Methods: The authors analysed severe infections in 43 consecutive patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplant. Prophylaxis and full anti-infection monitoring was performed in all cases. Immunosuppressive therapy was administered in the form of primary cyclosporine in 27 cases and primary OKT3 in 16 cases.

[Lipiodol with and without Gelfoam in primary liver tumors. Plasma levels of Mitoxantrone and clinical results].

Transcatheter chemoembolization with various drugs is employed for palliative treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Thirty-seven patients (33 with Child A or B cirrhosis) were treated with 14 mg/m2 of Mitoxantrone and up to 20 ml of Lipiodol, followed by Gelfoam embolization as indicated. Sixty-nine cycles were given, with mean (+/-SD) Lipiodol and emulsified Mitoxantrone doses of 11.

[Effects of adjuvant hyaluronidase in tumors refractory to chemotherapy. Review of the literature and pharmacokinetics of cisplatin after regional administration in animals and humans].

Several clinical studies have recently suggested that topical or systemic adjuvant hyaluronidase may increase the therapeutic index of anticancer drugs. In cases of disease progression, further objective responses have been observed after the association of hyaluronidase to the previously employed drugs. Some evidences suggest that hyaluronidase improves local diffusion as well as tissue and tumor uptake of the associated drugs.

[Performance and complications of totally implantable port device in bolus hepatic intra-arterial chemotherapy].

The performances of totally implantable ports were analyzed in patients with colorectal metastases undergoing intraarterial treatment. Seventy-nine patients received bolus infusion of Cisplatin (DDP, 57 cases) or Epirubicin (EPI, 22 cases) every 21 and 7 days, respectively. Disease progression or toxicity were the most common causes of interruption of treatment, whereas failure of ports occurred in six and two patients out of DDP and EPI groups, respectively.

[Lacking effect of timing of surgery in relation to the menstrual cycle on prognosis of breast cancer in premenopausal women].

The influence of timing of surgery in relation to menstrual period on survival of breast cancer patients has been both advanced advocated and disputed. A meta-analysis on published series showed a statistically significant overall odds reduction when surgery is performed in the luteal phase. The records of 165 premenopausal M- breast cancer women, not on hormonal therapies, consecutively operated on from 1977 to 1991 were reviewed.

Timing of surgery related to menstrual cycle and prognosis of premenopausal women with breast cancer.

The influence of the timing of surgery in relation to the menstrual cycle on the survival of breast cancer patients has been both advocated and disputed. The records of 165 premenopausal M- breast cancer women consecutively operated from 1977 to 1991 were reviewed. All patients underwent modified radical mastectomies or quadrantectomies plus postoperative radiotherapy.

Helical CT for the study of abdominal aortic aneurysms in patients undergoing conventional surgical repair.

Objectives: To evaluate the reliability of helical computed tomography (CT) as sole preoperative diagnostic technique for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) and to compare these results with the surgical findings.

Materials: Thirty-three patients undergoing elective surgical repair.

Methods: Helical CT, Doppler exam of lower limbs, digital angiography, in case of peripheral vascular disease, and intraoperative evaluation.

Isolated lung perfusion with platinum in the treatment of pulmonary metastases from soft tissue sarcomas.

A multimodality approach including operation and isolated lung perfusion with platinum was used in six patients with lung metastases from soft tissue sarcomas. Staged thoracotomies were used in two patients with bilateral lesions. The inclusion criteria generally applied for surgical excision were adopted in this study.

Effect of hyaluronidase on the pharmacokinetics of free and total platinum species after intra-arterial Cisplatin in refractory patients with colorectal liver metastases.

A pharmacokinetic study was carried out in patients with unresectable colorectal liver metastases who had primarily been included in a phase II trial of intra-arterial cisplatin (DDP) plus intravenous fluorouracil. Ten patients of those accrued for the clinical study underwent the pharmacokinetic investigation upon liver progression of the disease. Four patients were treated with DDP (24 mg/m(2)) through short intra-arterial infusion (baseline study) and 4 patients received intra-arterial hyaluronidase (HY, 100 000IU) 2 minutes before DDP infusion.

Screening study of abdominal aortic aneurysm in a general population: lipid parameters.

The level of blood lipids and apolipoproteins in subjects being screened for abdominal aortic aneurysms have been investigated. As part of an ultrasound screening programme in a population of 65- to 75-year-olds, blood samples were collected from 1460 of 1504 subjects with a normal aorta (97.1%) and 69 of 70 patients with an abdominal aortic aneurysm > 29 mm (99%).

Conventional isolated hyperthermic antiblastic perfusion in the treatment of recurrent limb melanoma.

Hyperthermic Antiblastic Perfusion (HAP) is a widely used method for the treatment of recurrent limb melanoma. In terms of tumor response, locoregional control and survival HAP has led to better results than those achieved with any other treatment. The aim of this report is to analyze our own experience with HAP in locally advanced limb melanoma.

[Function and complications of diverse totally implantable systems for continuous intra-arterial infusion of FUdR in colorectal hepatic metastases].

Different totally implantable arterial infusion systems were compared in patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer undergoing continuous intra-arterial infusion. Seventy-eight patients received continuous FUdR infusion using either totally implantable pumps (group a = 44 pts.) or ports fed by external portable pumps (group b = 34 pts.

Pharmacological control of intimal hyperplasia in small diameter polytetrafluoroethylene grafts. An experimental study.

Objective: The efficacy of a postoperative treatment with Low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) vs Ticlopidine in controlling early thrombosis, intimal hyperplasia and growth of true endothelial cells in small prosthetic expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) grafts (4 mm) interposed in the carotid artery of sheep has been evaluated.

Experimental Design: Thirty animals were randomized into three different groups: control group (CTRL); ticlopidine hydrochloride (TICL) 250 mg/b.d.

Palliative chemoembolization of hepatocellular carcinoma with mitoxantrone, Lipiodol, and Gelfoam. A phase II study.

Transcatheter chemoembolization, in conjunction with various drugs, has been widely used for palliative treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. A phase II study was carried out on mitoxantrone chemoembolization. High risk cirrhotic patients were excluded from this study.