[Splenic traumas: indications and limitations of conservative treatment].

According to the experience of the authors, comparison between two consecutive periods (1980-1994 and 1995-2000) has shown a substantial increase in splenic traumas simply treated by observation and monitoring. Their number in fact has risen significantly from 5 to 32. This has allowed a rise in the overall percentage of spleen conservation, which has increased from 16.

[Lipohyperplasia of the ileocecal valve: unusual cause of severe digestive surgery].

The lipohyperplasia of the ileocaecal valve is a condition of rare clinical observation mainly characterized by an abnormal accumulation of adipose tissue along the submucosal layer of the ileocaecal valve. This pathology presents an unspecific symptomatology that can make difficult the differential diagnosis with a local neoplastic process. Sometimes this pathology can be the cause of gastrointestinal bleeding of unknown origin.

[Necrotizing soft tissue infections as the only clinical manifestation of retroperitoneal colonic perforation].

Necrotizing infections are rapidly progressive potentially lethal bacterial diseases of the soft tissues. In based on the widely varying levels of soft tissues affected and the variety of the microflora, two types of necrotizing soft tissue infections need to be delineated: pure Chlostridial myonecrosis and other necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTI). From an etiopathogenetic point of view NSTI can be secondary to perianal or urogenital abscesses, traumatic lesions, wound infections, trophic or decubitus ulcers, oral cavity abscesses; only in a limited number of cases their origin can be idiopathic.

[Intestinal anastomosis with biodegradable ring].

The authors report their experience using biofragmentable anastomosis ring (BAR) in bowel anastomosis. Starting January 1993 to February 1994, 46 intestinal anastomoses were performed using BAR, and particularly 39 end-to-end colo-colostomies, 2 end-to-side colo-colostomies and 5 end-to-side ileo-colostomies. 35 patients were affected by colonic neoplasm, 5 patients by diverticular colonic complications- and 5 patients by several unusual bowel diseases.