An unusual foreign body in the upper aerodigestive tract: esophageal obstruction due to bran impaction.

Foreign bodies of the upper aerodigestive tract are common problems encountered by the otolaryngologist and general surgeons. While the diagnosis seems straightforward, it is sometimes delayed until after serious complications have occurred. The treatment of choice is endoscopic retrieval under general anesthesia.

Helicobacter pylori infection and gastric MALTomas: an up-to-date and therapy highlight.

During the last 20 years Helicobacter pylori (Hp) has been, undoubtly, the star of gastroenterology and microbiology, so much to deserve the "Nobel prize 2005" for biology and medicine to its discoverers. More recently, an increased interest arised on Hp and its linkages with other medical fi elds such as immunology, surgery and dentistry. The outcome of the pathologies due to such bacterium is dependent on many factors, including bacterial genotype, host physiology and genetics, and environmental factors such as diet.

Our experience in Helicobacter pylori infection and gastric MALToma.

Objective: A number of recent studies have expanded our understanding of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection and of the pathogenesis of MALT lymphoma. The purpose of this paper is to perform a retrospective analysis of the clinical characteristics of gastric MALT lymphoma and its relationship with H. pylori infection in authors' experience.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease and dental erosion. A case report and review of the literature.

The term gastroesophageal reflux refers to the regurgitation of gastric material into the oesophagus. When the reflux is accompanied by inflammation of the oesophageal mucosa and extra-oesophageal symptoms the complaint is classified as a pathological condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD is caused by backward expulsion of the gastric content into the oesophagus.

[Abdominal sepsis in surgical patients. Pathophysiology and prevention].

Abdominal sepsis is a rare but life threatening condition due to several causes. Although several advances in medicine have been performed in last years, abdominal sepsis could have a negative potential evolving beyond exitus. The authors present a review of the literature and a commentary of their own clinical experience.

[Chronic viral diseases of the liver and oncoproteins externalization in hepatocytes].

Strong interest exists about the biomolecular basis of the chronic liver diseases due to viral infections. It seems to be very interesting because of their evolutive potential. In this context the study of oncogenes and oncoproteins could be interesting as prognostic factors for chronic viral diseases of the liver.

[Gardner syndrome: clinical and epidemiologic up to date].

In 1950 EJ Gardner first described a new syndrome characterized by (1) familial colonic polyposis, (2) multiple osteomas, (3) soft tissues cysts and (4) fibrous lesions. Thereafter, in 1975 Watne and coll. have demonstrated the occurence, in patients affected by Gardner syndrome, of the early onset of osteomas and dental inclusions in maxillary bones.

[Nutritional problems in the surgical patients with head and neck tumours. Literature review and personal experience].

During the last years the importance of the correct nutritional assessment as a part of the therapeutic process of the human pathologies has a greatly increased relevance. Still more in oncology, such relationship among nutritional assessment and good result of the therapeutic treatment have a fundamental importance. Among the neoplastic diseases those of the head and the neck result to be particularly aggressive, both for their nature and for the particular anatomical organization of such body areas, and the affected patients also need a precise evaluation of the nutritional assessment to obtain an optimal therapeutic result.

[Treatment of bowel obstruction in our own experience].

The intestinal obstruction accounts for the 20% of the acute surgical affections and represents one of the most common indications for the urgent surgery. The clinical scenarios of the intestinal occlusion are rather diversified, with a series of signs not always contemporary present, since they are related to the site (left colon in most cases) and type (neoplastic, by adhesions, or hernia complication) of the obstruction. The authors report their experience about 149 patients clinically observed and treated along a period of 7 years and 3 months.

[Advances in diagnosis and therapy of breast cancer between the 20th and the 21st centuries].

During the last two decades several new data have been acquired about tumor biology and therapy. Breast cancer is one of the more common cancers occurring, determining life threatening and depression in affected females. By the way a great interest has been developed during the time attempting to reach the earliest diagnosis and the more conservative treatment.

[Expression of epithelial oncoproteins in large intestine neoplasms].

The high incidence of the colorectal cancer in the industrialized countries has drawn the interest of the scientific community to detect and investigate its morphologic precursors. Growth factors and oncoproteins could be useful to investigate the morphologic and biologic evolution of precancerous lesions of the large bowel. Therefore the Authors report the results obtained from 30 selected patients with hyperplastic and adenomatous polyps, and different histotypes of colorectal cancer, investigated using the EGF-r and p62 protein expression.

[Argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) as malignancy biomarkers in colorectal neoplasms].

The high incidence of intestinal cancer has aroused strong interest in researching and trying to discover its morphologic precursors. In this contest the study of nucleolar organizing regions could be interesting as prognostic factor for bowel neoplasm and useful for differential diagnosis of intestinal diseases. The Authors report on the results of their study performed on 30 selected samples from 6 different bowel lesions.

[Assessment of hepatocyte AgNORs expression in chronic hepatopathy].

The high incidence of liver chronic diseases has aroused strong interest in researching and trying to discover the biomolecular basis. In this context the study of nucleolar organizing regions could be interesting as a prognostic factor for chronic hepatitis and for liver neoplastic disease. The Authors report on the results of their study performed on 39 selected samples from 4 different inflammatory hepatic disorders.

[Role of mast cells in the physiopathology of gastric lesions caused by Helicobacter pylori].

Routine observation of stained histological preparations for the detection of Helicobacter pylori (HP) has shown a variable presence of mast cells in the mucosa of patients suffering from gastritis. Our aim was to verify whether any correlations exist between HP positivity, type of gastritis and presence of mast cells. We examined 300 bioptic fragments of gastric mucosa obtained by diagnostic oesophagogastroduodenoscopy.

[Carcinoma of unknown origin++ with latero-cervical metastasis. Diagnostic problems. Retrospective analysis of 110 cases of latero-cervical tumefaction].

The cervical region, despite to its little extension, is very important by the surgical and anatomical point of view. This region, occupied by a lot of organs, sometimes is the site of metastasis from carcinomas located in various parts of the body. In some cases the origin site of cancer stays unknown.

[Pica in psychotic patients: an unusual cause of acute abdomen].

Pica is a pathologic craving for substances not commonly regarded as foods. In this study the authors report their experience about five cases presented with an acute abdomen following foreign bodies ingestion by patients mentally handicapped. Therapeutic treatment was emergency laparatomy with postoperative morbidity of 40% and mortality of 40%.

[Rare neoplasms of the breast: our experience concerning nonepithelial malignant breast tumors].

The Authors report their experience about some clinical cases of uncommon breast neoplasms observed at the Division of Surgical Pathology, referring particularly on non epithelial malignant tumors. Signalled more meaningful anatomopathologic elements, they describe diagnostic difficulties and therapeutic of such neoplasias; for their rarity they would deserve a study more deepened finalized to the formulation of diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines as so as in the most common breast carcinoma.

A survival regression analysis of prognostic factors in colorectal cancer.

Background: Many prognostic factors of colorectal cancer are known but their actual clinical validity is still uncertain. The aim of the present study was to verify, on the basis of our experience, the prognostic validy of variables for survival by using survival regression analysis.

Methods: From January 1978 to December 1986 the prognostic factors for 192 patients were analysed.

[Immune evaluations in cancer patients after colorectal resection].

The authors report a protocol of immunomodulation and monitoring of the intestinal function in coloresected patients using fermented milk (yoghurt). Intestinal immunity was evaluated with respect to CD4+ cells armed with secretory intestine-derived IgA, and to CD8+ cells armed with IgG aiming to an additional effect in the host protection against Gram-negative strains, such as Salmonella typhi, whose particularly high incidence in Apulia accounts for an increased immunitary activity. Ten patients (six females, four males), age ranging from 44 to 85 years, who underwent surgery between 1989 and 1992, each of whom had been prescribed a daily ration of 500 gr skimmed yoghurt for one month, were observed.

[Report of a case of malignant atrophic papulosis or Degos disease].

The Authors report an exceptional case of Atrophic Malignant Papulosis (P.A.M.

[Acute ileitis due to Ascaris lumbricoides].

The authors report their experience of two cases of acute ileitis with an obstructive complication due to "Ascaris lumbricoides". The distinctive features were, in the first case, the pathogenic mechanism responsible of the occlusion, and in the second one, the need of a long term follow-up. The latter, especially in the "aspecific forms", often allows an etiological diagnosis difficult even at laparotomy.

[Cystosarcoma phyllodes of the breast: clinical cases].

The authors report their experience in the management of 8 cases of cystosarcoma phylloides of the breast observed between January 1979 and December 1986 in the Surgical Department of the University of Bari. This uncommon breast pathology, which stands halfway between benign (adenofibromas) and malignant (carcinomas) tumors presents considerable difficulties in terms of diagnosis particularly problematic for the small-sized lesions. The authors stress the need of a surgical treatment which takes into account women aesthetic desire assuring at the same time a complete exeresis.

[The diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in neoplasms of the adrenal cortex: the authors' own experience].

The Authors report their limited series of neoplasms of the adrenal cortex, and underline the decisive role of the modern diagnostics based on imaging techniques (US--TC--NMR). These, in fact, often allow a good definition also in the non-functioning adrenal masses incidentally discovered (incidentalomas). The authors emphasize the high quality of such diagnostic methods offering a good reliability in discriminating the nature of the adrenal mass.

[Esophagogastric devascularization in bleeding esophageal varices due to portal hypertension: median-term results].

The authors report their personal experience in the treatment of bleeding gastroesophageal varices related to portal hypertension. The excellent results of the esophagogastric devascularization observed in the middle-term follow-up (5 years) reinforced authors' opinion on this surgical procedure as the most valid alternative to derivative surgery. Furthermore, they emphasize esophagogastric devascularization can often replace, on principle, derivative surgery.