[Inguinal hernia repair with the Shouldice method. Our experience].

From 1982 to 1990, in our Surgical General Department, we have replaced the traditional technique of inguinal hernia with Shouldice's method. This choice was treatment of the following considerations: few relapses happen compared to traditional operations.

[Amniotic band syndrome (author's transl)].

The authors present a critical revision of the literature concerning the pathogenic hypotheses and the opinions, during the centuries, about the origin of the deformities caused by amniotic bands. Here they describe two cases of severe deformities caused by amniotic bands which can be classified in types I and V according to Onnipoff and Hall. In the first case the newborn died immediately after the birth: the other one lives in good health after multiple surgical operations.

[Spontaneous rupture of the subdiaphragmatic esophagus].

Personal experience with an extremely rare clinical picture, spontaneous rupture of the subdiaphragmatic oesophagus is reported. In the case in question, the laceration occurred in a free peritoneum, unlike what occurred in the first reported case, that of Strauch and Lynch in 1965, where the lesion was retroperitoneal. On the basis of this experience, certain pathogenetic and diagnostic factors are discussed, but most attention is paid to the surgical treatment of this exceptional lesion.