[Whole pancreatic transplantation and islet transplantation. Experiment notes].

Background: The results of pancreas transplantation have greatly improved in recent years. The path to further improvements goes through extensive experimental researches.

Methods: This study describes the effects of different procedures as hemodynamic asset and postoperative outcome.

[The hemodynamic effects of the in-vivo administration of insulin-like growth-factor I].

Background: Recent studies have demonstrated that IGF-I has several biological activities that correlate with the GH axis, by acting as a cell protecting factor and a promoting compound in different tissues and organs. Our latest findings have demonstrated a potential application of IGF-I in the treatment of postischemic renal injury, which frequently appears after a kidney transplant. The beneficial effect of the renal postoperative recovery probably correlates with the regulation of the vascular tone, in which IGF-I plays a role with other cytokines.

[Treatment of the nephrotoxicity of immunosuppressive drugs with insulin-like growth factor-I].

Background: Delayed graft function is a common and severe complication after cadaveric kidney transplantation. Besides a more complicated postoperative course, DGF can worsen the overall graft survival. In particular, DGF enhances the nephrotoxicity of mainstream immunosuppressants cyclosporine and FK506.

Insulin-like growth factor-I ameliorates delayed kidney graft function and the acute nephrotoxic effects of cyclosporine.

Background: Delayed graft function (DGF) is a relatively common complication after cadaveric renal transplantation. The adverse effect of DGF on long-term graft survival has lead to intensive efforts to reduce ischemic graft injury. In this study we examined the effects of a new protective treatment based on insulin growth factor (IGF)-I.

[Quality of life of geriatric patients after surgery. VII. Lung tumors].

After reviewing the literature on this subject, the authors examine the results of a five-year follow-up in all patients undergoing lung cancer surgery. The results obtained showed that old-age patients (third age) are more numerous than geriatric (fourth age) patients, and males are more frequently affected than females. The most frequent localisation in the series examined was the upper right lobe and the majority of these patients underwent lobectomy, the form of surgery that produced the best results (30.

Expandable prosthesis for sutureless anastomosis in thoracic aorta prosthetic substitution.

Objective: Most complications of descending aorta prosthetic substitution seem mainly to be related directly (ischemia to distal organs, i.e. liver, kidney, spinal cord) or indirectly (extracorporeal circulation or shunts and systemic heparinization complications) to the duration of blood flow interruption.

Aortic wall structural strengthening by intraluminal net prosthesis to arrest aneurysm progression and to prevent dissection and rupture.

The major limitation implicit in the endovascular procedures for aortic prosthetic substitution is that they cannot be used in those tracts of the aorta where important collateral branches originate (aortic arch, thoraco-abdominal tract, upper abdominal), that would be occluded by the prosthesis. In order to overcome this limitation we hypothesized the endovascular positioning of a prosthesis in the form of a wide mesh network that would be gradually and spontaneously covered by new intima and included in the aortic wall. The fabric framework linked to the aortic wall would then condition its significant, regular and uniform mechanical strengthening that fractionates and partially absorbs the centrifuge pulsatile stress of the bloodstream.