Association of helicobacter pylori infection and colon cancer.

Background: Gastrin has been shown to exert carcinogenic effect to the epithelium of the colon. This study examines whether hypergastrinemia and H. pylori infection -especially infection by the CagA+ strain- are statistically associated with colorectal cancer and examine possible correlations with the colorectal cancer stage and lymph node metastasis.

The last place you would expect to find a gallstone.

The increasing use of laparoscopic cholecystectomy has led to an increased frequency of gallbladder perforation and subsequent gallstone spillage in the abdominal cavity. Occasionally unretrieved gallstones can cause infection, adhesions, and obstruction. Furthermore, spilt stones can cause erosion into adjacent organs and can migrate to distant sites, causing a variety of complications.

Thyroid surgery with the new harmonic scalpel: a prospective randomized study.

Background: Despite their safety and effectiveness in thyroid surgery, the previous harmonic scalpel instruments are considered large and cumbersome by several surgeons. An innovative technical improvement of the device has been made available since 2008. The objective of this study was to compare the results of total thyroidectomy using the new harmonic scalpel (FOCUS) with that with the previously available device (HARMONIC ACE).

Complete abdominal aortic aneurysm thrombosis and obstruction of both common iliac arteries with intrathrombotic pressures demonstrating a continuing risk of rupture: a case report and review of the literature.

Introduction: Although mural thrombus in an abdominal aortic aneurysm is frequent and its role has been studied extensively, complete thrombosis of an abdominal aneurysm is extremely rare and its natural history in relation to the risk of rupture is not known. The case of a patient with a completely thrombosed infrarenal aneurysm is presented along with a literature review.

Case Presentation: We report the case of a 56-year-old Caucasian man with an infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm, presenting at our hospital due to critical ischemia of his right lower limb.

Lymphocyte apoptosis after major abdominal surgery is not influenced by anesthetic technique: a comparative study of general anesthesia versus combined general and epidural analgesia.

Study Objective: To examine the influence of abdominal colectomy with combined general anesthesia and epidural analgesia versus general anesthesia on apoptosis of circulating lymphocytes.

Design: Prospective, randomized, clinical comparison study.

Setting: Tertiary-care general hospital.

Undifferentiated giant cell type carcinoma of the gallbladder with sarcomatoid dedifferentiation: a case report and review of the literature.

Introduction: Undifferentiated gallbladder carcinoma is a rare entity. Among unusual types of undifferentiated gallbladder carcinoma, giant cell type carcinoma is infrequent and, moreover, very few cases of such neoplasms with osteoclast-like giant cells have been documented. We report a case of undifferentiated gallbladder carcinoma presenting an unusual immunophenotype that was shown to be of giant cell type with sarcomatoid dedifferentiation infiltrated by osteoclast-like multinucleated cells.

Repeated intraperitoneal instillation of levobupivacaine for the management of pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Background: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the treatment of choice for symptomatic cholelithiasis. Postoperative pain, however, can prolong hospital stay and lead to increased morbidity. In the context of a multimodal approach to analgesia, intraperitoneal local anesthetic administration optimizes analgesia and facilitates early postoperative recovery, and it may be associated with a decreased risk of side effects.

Management of incidental left-sided gallbladder.

A left-sided gallbladder is a gallbladder located on the left side of the round ligament. It constitutes an uncommon anatomic abnormality. We report on a case of left-sided gallbladder discovered incidentally during laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and we discuss the different forms of this anatomic anomaly and its surgical relevance.

Detection of epithelial cells by RT-PCR targeting CEA, CK20, and TEM-8 in colorectal carcinoma patients using OncoQuick density gradient centrifugation system.

Background: The detection of epithelial-specific mRNA correlates well with the presence of cancer cells in the peripheral blood and provides a rational explanation for subsequent metastasis.

Material And Methods: Forty-two, patients with colorectal cancer and 14 controls were included in our study. Peripheral blood samples were acquired at 24 h before and 48 h after laparotomy.

Emphysematous pyelonephritis, a rare cause of pneumoperitoneum: a case report and review of literature.

Introduction: Emphysematous pyelonephritis is a gas-producing necrotizing bacterial infection that involves the renal parenchyma and perirenal tissue.

Case Presentation: We report on a case of a 55 year old Caucasian male with no prior medical history presented with left flank pain and malaise. He was diagnosed with emphysematous pyelonephritis, and was successfully treated in our department.

Collision tumour of the stomach with a cancer to cancer metastasis: a case report.

Introduction: Coexistence of a primary gastric lymphoma and a gastric adenocarcinoma is a rare event. The diagnosis is suspected after the pathologic examination of the endoscopic biopsies and definitely documented with the examination of the surgical specimen.

Case Presentation: We are presenting a rare case of a 77-year-old Greek man with epigastric pain of one and a half month duration, nausea, anorexia and weight loss.

Novel hemostatic devices in thyroid surgery: electrothermal bipolar vessel sealing system and harmonic scalpel.

Accurate and efficient hemostasis is one of the first priorities of the thyroid surgeon to prevent or minimize complications, including injury to the laryngeal nerves or parathyroid glands, perioperative hemorrhage and the potentially life-threatening hematoma. Means to prevent and control intra- or postoperative bleeding therefore remain a topic of utmost importance. Although thyroidectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures, the safest, most efficient and cost-effective way to achieve hemostasis is debated by endocrine surgeons and otorhinolaryngologists.

Modified radical mastectomy with axillary dissection using the electrothermal bipolar vessel sealing system.

Hypothesis: The use of the electrothermal bipolar vessel sealing system is feasible, safe, and effective in modified radical mastectomy with axillary dissection in terms of lymph vessel sealing, hemostasis, and perioperative complications.

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: University surgical department.

A symptomatic cyst of the ligamentum teres of the liver: a case report.

Cysts of the liver ligaments are extremely rare and cysts of the ligamentum teres of the liver have been sporadically reported in the literature during the last century. The present report describes a case of a symptomatic patient with a cyst of the ligamentum teres of the liver. The patient presented with right upper quadrant pain and indigestion during the last 2 years.

Splenic rupture as the presenting manifestation of primary splenic angiosarcoma in a teenage woman: a case report.

Introduction: Primary splenic angiosarcoma is a rare neoplasm of vascular origin carrying a very poor prognosis, partly due to its high metastatic potential. This disease presents frequently with splenic rupture and hemorrhage. We report the case of a 17-year-old woman who presented with rupture of a primary splenic angiosarcoma.

Schwannoma of thigh mimicking pseudoaneurysm of the profunda femoral artery.

Femoral and popliteal artery aneurysms constitute the majority of peripheral arterial aneurysms. However, aneurysm of the profunda femoral artery is highly uncommon, being mainly of traumatic and mycotic origin. Diagnosis is usually straightforward with clinical and radiological examination, and such aneurysms are only rarely misdiagnosed as tumors.

Thyroid surgery: comparison between the electrothermal bipolar vessel sealing system, harmonic scalpel, and classic suture ligation.

Background: This study was conducted to compare the outcome of total thyroidectomy using the electrothermal bipolar vessel sealing system, the harmonic scalpel, and the classic suture ligation technique.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of prospectively collected data from 382 consecutive total thyroidectomies from September 2004 to August 2006. Patients were divided into 3 groups: group SL patients (n = 90) underwent total thyroidectomy with the classic suture ligation technique, group L (n = 148) with the electrothermal bipolar vessel sealer, and group U (n = 144) with the harmonic scalpel.

Vertical rotation and impaction to the choledochal duct of a migrated biliary self-expanding metal stent.

Self-expanding metal stent (SEMS) placement is a well accepted and highly effective method for both treating and palliating obstructive lesions of the biliary tree, still complications may occur including premature occlusion and stent migration. Migration can occur either proximally or distally, usually early after SEMS placement and almost exclusively in covered ones. Distal migration is the most common type and is reported in 5.

Lipoma induced jejunojejunal intussusception.

Intussusception in adults is rare. The clinical picture of intussusception in adults is subtle and the diagnosis is, therefore, elusive. The presence of a structural abnormality in the great majority of the adult cases mandates high clinical suspicion.

Huge epidermoid cyst of the spermatic cord in an adult patient.

Tumors arising in the spermatic cord are uncommon and form a heterogeneous group of neoplasms. A variety of both benign and malignant lesions have been demonstrated. Benign tumors represent 80% of the total, but unfortunately clinical and sonographic features are not specific and they cannot safely differentiate a teratomatous or a malignant neoplasm from benign tumors.