[500 days of somatostatin treatment].

A group of 11 patients received somatostatin for a minimum period of 30 days. Patients affected by pancreatic fistulae following either chronic and acute pancreatitis of surgery were admitted to the study. Other published reports are not explicit about the possible side-effects of such a long period of full-dose therapy (lasting at least twice the recommended cycle).

[Solitary splenic abscess. Clinical picture, diagnosis and treatment].

Splenic abscess, especially the solitary type, is a rarely seen condition, although it has been seen more frequently in recent years. On the basis of a case of splenic abscess with unusual features, the literature on the subject, 171 cases published in Italy, Britain, France and Spain in the past 10 years, is reviewed. It is pointed out that the diagnosis is generally difficult only because abscess is not considered.

One-stage operation for diverticular disease.

The experience with 59 patients affected by diverticular disease who underwent surgery after failure of medical treatment, is reported. 40 patients showed one or more postoperative complications, 19 none. The operations performed were: in 46 cases one-stage resection with anastomosis, Hartmann's operation in 8 and other procedures in 5.

[Relationship between pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis].

The best known papers on relations between chronic pancreatitis and tumours of the pancreas are reviewed and a description given of the anatomopathological changes which gradually lead from chronic pancreatitis to cancer. It is maintained that all cases of chronic pancreatis should be considered high risks for pancreatic carcinoma.