Ghost ileostomy in anterior resection for rectal carcinoma: is it worthwhile?

Background: There is no consensus in the literature as to whether all patients who undergo anterior resection of the rectum with total mesorectal excision should have a defunctioning stoma or only those at high risk of anastomotic dehiscence.

Objective: The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the results of placing a removable Silastic band around the ileum during the abdominal phase to exteriorize it and create a loop ileostomy postoperatively without the need for laparotomy in case of an anastomotic complication. This approach is known as "ghost ileostomy.

Rare abdominal metastases from occult lobular breast cancer: report of two cases.

Intra-abdominal metastases from breast carcinomas are rarely reported in the literature. Least are those originating from occult breast primary. We report, one case of pancreatic metastasis and one case of metastatic infiltration of the colonic wall, both by occult lobular breast carcinoma.

Rectal hepatoid carcinoma with liver metastases in a patient affected by ulcerative colitis.

Background: Hepatoid tumors (HTs) are rare extra-hepatic neoplasms with the histological features, biochemical profile and, sometimes, even clinical course of hepatocellular carcinoma. We present a case of rectal hepatoid adenocarcinoma with metachronous liver metastases.

Methods: Four months after total procto-colectomy for a rectal adenocarcinoma (Astler-Coller C2), a 42-year-old man with ulcerative colitis showed hypoechoic masses in the hepatic parenchyma by abdominal ultrasonography.

[Laparoscopic cholecystectomy. An analysis of the reasons for a conversion to conventional surgery in an elective surgery department].

Background: To assess which factors determined conversion to laparotomy in patients undergoing laparoscopic elective cholecystectomy.

Setting: department of General Surgery. University of Genoa.

[The role of drainage and antibiotic prophylaxis in thyroid surgery].

Background: It is our habit to employ an open drainage after thyroid surgery in our department. We have also found a large number of surgical infections in these patients (5.8% vs 2.