[Appendiceal lithiasis: case report and review of literature].

Appendiceal calculi are found in a limited percentage of patients. They are in association to an elevated prevalence of necrotic appendicitis and perforation of the appendix. The Authors report a case of acute appendicitis associated to appendiceal lithiasis with perforation of the organ.

[Anaesthesiologic problems about hyperthermic intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy].

The literature considers hyperthermic intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy a safe and effective procedure for peritoneal carcinomatosis, but a technical improvement is necessary. Regional chemotherapy anticipates the "downfall" of tumoral cells in the peritoneum. The Authors considered 5 patients--female, age 27-45 years, ASA 2--operated of peritonectomy in ovaric neoplasia with peritoneal metastasis.

The role of Echo Colour/Power Doppler and magnetic resonance in expansive parotid lesions.

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the role of Echo Colour/Power Doppler and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in the diagnosis of expansive parotid lesions, and to establish criteria for differential diagnosis between benign and malignant forms. Forty nine patients (23 males and 26 females), aging from 30 to 85 years, with an expansive pathology of parotid gland were enrolled in our study from February 1999 through August 2004. Each patient was carefully assessed employing both ultrasonography integrated with Color/Power Doppler and MRI.

A matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor promotes granuloma formation during the early phase of Mycobacterium tuberculosis pulmonary infection.

Objective: The host response to pulmonary Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection results in granuloma formation in an effort to limit infection, but the host immune cells also provide an environment in which Mtb persists. Granuloma formation requires immune cell infiltration and concurrent extensive remodeling of pulmonary tissue which we hypothesize to be the result of increased matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) activity.

Design: C57BL/6 mice infected with virulent Mtb (H37Rv) via intratracheal inoculation were treated with a synthetic inhibitor of MMP activity (BB-94).

Malignant intestinal obstruction: useful technical advice in self-expanding metallic stent placement.

Background: The use of endoluminal self-expanding metallic stents is an effective alternative to surgery in neoplastic gastrointestinal tract obstructions. It is often difficult to mark the proximal segment of the stricture under fluoroscopic guidance (due to patient movements or change of markers' position).

Patients And Methods: We placed Ultraflex precision colonic stent (Microvasive, Boston Scientific) in ten patients with neoplastic stricture of the rectosigmoid colon.

Intrahepatic accessory spleen: imaging features.

The authors present a case report of a 60-year-old man with a hepatic unknown mass. For diagnosis, they used ECO, CT (with and without contrast), MR (with and without contrast) and an ultrasound-assisted percutaneous lesion biopsy. Thus the mass-lesion in the liver appeared to be an intrahepatic accessory spleen in a patient afflicted with chronic hepatitis.

Variations of telomerase activity in cultured mouse fibroblasts upon proliferation of polyomavirus.

Telomerase plays a central role in various biological phenomena such as cell differentiation and proliferation, apoptosis, malignant transformation and virus infection, for instance HIV and papillomavirus. In addition, it has recently been shown that, in human fibroblasts transformed by monkey polyomavirus SV40, telomeres became stabilized as a consequence of telomerase activation. However, no information exists on the effects of acute infection by murine polyomavirus on the telomeres maintenance and telomerase activity in the host cell.

Parotid gland cancer: a case report of a primitive adenocarcinoma arising from a multirecurrent pleomorphic adenoma.

Parotid tumours represent a wide group of tumours which are mostly localized in the major salivary glands. We report a case of a 69-year old female with a parotid tumour history who was referred to us with a prominent lump and swelling localized in the right parotid area. In the period between 1985-2002, she was operated 5 times elsewhere for a recurrent pleomorphic adenoma of the right parotid (mixed tumour until 1991), which was histologically confirmed.

[Collateral effects of intraoperative hyperthermic chemotherapy in peritoneal carcinomatosis].

The association between chemotherapy and hypertermia produces a synergic effect. In this study the Authors present their experience, by the analysis of the results. From 1993 to 2000, 17 patients have been treated with surgery associated with hypertermic chemotherapy for peritoneal carcinomatosis.

[Diagnosis and treatment of distal bile duct carcinoma: our experience].

Bile duct carcinomas are known to be difficult to cure, due to frequent locoregional recurrence even after radical resection. The Authors analyze their experience in a study about 53 patients treated between October 1991-January 2002.

Mesenteric cystic lymphangioma causing intestinal occlusion in an adult patient.

Cystic lymphangioma is a benign tumor of uncertain etiology characterized by a slow growth; in 2-8% of cases it is localized in the mesentery. Symptomatology is aspecific and preoperative diagnosis is often difficult. The Authors report the case of a mesenteric cystic lymphangioma in a patient who had undergone subtotal colectomy eight years earlier for an adenocarcinoma occluding the sigmoid colon.

[Magnetic resonance of the knee: possibility and current indications].

MRI is a multiparametric, multiplanar, non-invasive largely employed tool for assessing osseous, ligamentous and tendineous injuries, inflammatory and degenerative changes of the knee. Although its wider availability and the lack of ionizing radiations MRI should be used only if clinically useful in patient management, in a appropriate diagnostic iter including plain film and/or ultrasound examination. The aim of our work is to review possibilities, limits and current indications for MRI assessment of diseases of the knee.

The surgeon's decision as a prognostic factor in a pool of patients with colorectal cancer coming from different institutions.

Different pathological and predictive factors are used to stratify patients submitted to radical surgery for colorectal carcinoma. In addition to stage and histotype, the surgeon's technique and decisions also appeared to affect the prognosis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate if the extent of lymphadenectomy was associated with a different long-term outcome in a pool of 117 patients.

Thyroid cancer in patients with hyperthyroidism.

Objective: The coexistence of hyperthyroidism and thyroid cancer is considered a rare event. With the aim of assessing the clinical relevance of this association, we have retrospectively analyzed the incidence of thyroid cancer in 425 hyperthyroid patients seen and treated by surgery in our institutions.

Methods: Among these hyperthyroid patients, we observed 241 (56.

Extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma of the thoracic wall.

The authors report the CT features of a very rare case of Extraskeletal Myxoid Chondrosarcoma of the thoracic wall, one of a few malignant primary bone tumors which rarely originate from soft tissues.

[Intrabiliary rupture of hepatic echinococcosis cysts: presentation of a clinical case and review of the literature].

Intrabiliary rupture of hydatid cyst of liver is a complication of hydatid disease. The authors report the case of a patient surgically treated by total pericistectomy and suture communication with biliary system, the best treatment for this condition.

Subcutaneous metastasis of pancreatic cancer in the site of percutaneous biliary drainage.

A subcutaneous metastatic lesion from a carcinoma of the pancreas or common bile-duct along the tract of a percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage is a rare finding. Prompted by a case that came to our observation by chance, we reviewed the literature and analysed the 29 cases collected. Neoplastic cell seeding along a percutaneous drainage tract, albeit rare, must be kept in mind.

CT cystoscopy in the evaluation of bladder tumors.

The aim of the present study was to assess the role of virtual cystoscopy in the identification of bladder tumors. Fifteen patients (11 men and 4 women, median age: 61 years, range: 46-74 years) with a positive finding of bladder tumor at fiber-optic cystoscopy were studied by multislice-CT. Scans were downloaded to a workstation with the aid of a software for the processing of 3-D reconstructions, with a volume-rendering technique which allowed the "navigation" within the bladder in search of wall lesions.

Adenocarcinoma on horseshoe kidney studied with computed tomography.

Horseshoe kidney is a congenital anomaly of the upper urinary system frequently associated with atypical vascularization, mostly asymptomatic, usually undetected until the onset of infectious, obstructive or neoplastic complications. Although intravenous pyelography and US are useful tools, the role of CT is of vital importance especially in the pre-operative planning of related complications and in those cases where other techniques have correctly diagnosed the disease but have missed the visualization of an underlying malformation. We report here two cases of adenocarcinoma in two patients with a horseshoe kidney, where CT has clearly depicted both the malformation and the associated pathologic findings.

Hürthle cell tumors of the thyroid gland. Personal experience and review of literature.

Background: Oncocytic cell neoplasm of the thyroid is currently recognized as a histological entity, but doubts still exist about its clinical and evolutionary categorization. Controversies concern occurrence and frequency of malignant forms, natural history and therapeutic strategies.

Materials And Methods: The authors report six cases of Hürthle cell tumor.

Chlamydia trachomatis enhances the expression of matrix metalloproteinases in an in vitro model of the human fallopian tube infection.

Objective: The sequelae of sexually transmitted Chlamydia trachomatis infection include fallopian tube scarring, which implies modification of the extracellular matrix. Our objective was to describe the production of two matrix metalloproteinases in response to chlamydial infection in vitro.

Study Design: Human fallopian tube organ cultures were infected with Chlamydia, and the production of matrix metalloproteinases was assessed by gelatin zymography, antigen capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunohistochemistry, and in situ zymography.

Value of MRI performed with phased-array coil in the diagnosis and pre-operative classification of perianal and anal fistulas.

Purpose: To assess the value of MRI performed with phased-array coil in the diagnosis and preoperative staging of perianal and anal fistulas.

Materials And Methods: 20 patients (13 with Crohn's disease) with clinical evidence or suspicion of anal fistulas underwent pelvic MRI (1.5 T) performed with phased-array coil.

Cancer surveillance in patients receiving long-term hemodialysis.

Background: Cancer incidence in patients submitted to chronic hemodialysis still remains a subject of debate: there is evidence for increased risk, but the results are still controversial. Adoption of a specific surveillance protocol would appear useful.

Materials And Methods: In our Department we prospectively followed patients subject to long-term hemodialysis for a 10-year period, having adopted strict inclusion criteria.

Prognostic significance of primary-tumor extension, stage and grade of nuclear differentiation in patients with renal cell carcinoma.

Surgery remains the preferred therapy for renal cell carcinoma. The various adjunctive or complementary therapies currently yield disappointing results. Identifying reliable prognostic factors could help in selecting patients most likely to benefit from postoperative adjuvant therapies.

Cryptococcus neoformans pulmonary granuloma formation is associated with matrix metalloproteinase-2 expression.

The aim of this study was to investigate matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression during the immune response to pulmonary Cryptococcus neoformans (Cne) infection. The immune response generated in C.B-17 and C57BL/6 mice to pulmonary Cne infection has previously been characterized as type 1 and type 2, respectively, differing in the cytokines produced and leukocytes recruited during infection, influencing the extent of Cne clearance from the lung.