Mesh versus direct suture for the repair of umbilical and epigastric hernias. Ten-year experience.

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate outcomes of mesh versus primary suture procedures for repair of anterior abdominal wall midline hernias.

Results: Between 1995 and 2005, 98 patients (46 males) underwent repair of umbilical (69 cases) or epigastric (29 cases) hernias. Primary suture of the defect was performed in 34 cases (group 1).

[Surgery for complicated colonic diverticulitis. Our experience].

During the last two decades were observed 422 symptomatic patients with various degree of diverticular disease of the colon. 51 patients underwent surgery: 29 for stenosis (24) or occlusion (5), 4 for fistulas, 18 for perforation. The operations (26 emergencies, 25 elective) included: 21 cases of one-stage resection and anastomosis without protective colostomy, 16 with colostomy, 8 Hartmann's procedures, 7 Mikulicz's operations, 1 suturing of the diverticulum with colostomy.

[Adenocarcinoma of the anal glands. Description of a clinical case and review of the literature].

Adenocarcinoma of the anal glands is a rare slow-growing tumor with a more favorable prognosis compared with colorectal adenocarcinoma, especially if an early diagnosis is established. Clinical symptoms of this disease, often associated with a fistula in ano as in the reported case, include: perianal pain, rectal bleeding and presence of perianal mass. Also perianal Paget's disease may be a not rare association with adenocarcinoma of the anal glands.

[Sclerosing adenocarcinomas of the hepatic hilum].

The authors report their series of 7 adenocarcinomas of the hepatic hilum. Five patients with a stage IV tumor underwent palliative surgery while the remaining 2 patients underwent radical surgery. One patient died and 3 reported postoperative complications.

[Esophagectomy without thoracotomy: indications and our experience].

In this paper the Authors report their experience of Orringer operation in 12 patients with oesophageal cancer observed from 1978 to 1992, and stress the possibility to extend the indications to Akijama oesophagectomy without thoracotomy for the treatment of malignant tumors of the entire oesophagus.