Avoiding axillary dissection in breast cancer surgery: a randomized trial to assess the role of axillary radiotherapy.

Background: The need to dissect axillary nodes in patients with early breast cancer and clinically negative axilla remains controversial. The aim of the study was to assess the role of axillary radiotherapy (RT) in reducing axillary metastases in patients with early breast cancer who did not receive axillary dissection.

Patients And Methods: From 1995 to 1998, 435 patients over 45 years old with breast cancer up to 1.

Breast cancer cellular proliferation indexes and 99mTc-sesta Mibi capture: what correlation?

Aim of this study was to verify existing correlations between breast cancer 99mTc-sestaMIBI cells uptake and their cytological characteristics. Forty-five patients with clinically and/or mammographically suspect breast cancer were enrolled. In all patients 99mTc-sestaMIBI scintimammography was performed and malignant lesions were detected in 44 cases and benign in one case.

[Gasless laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Our experience with 130 cases compared with 450 cases treated with the CO2 technique].

Alongside the technique based on the creation of an abdominal cavity for surgery following the introduction of gas (usually CO2) into the peritoneal cavity, a new method has been developed. This involves the use of an atraumatic mechanical lifting device connected to the same abdominal wall (gasless laparoscopy). The authors report a technique that uses an inflatable cushion inserted into the abdomen through a periumbilical incision.

Severe steroid-unresponsive ulcerative colitis: outcomes of restorative proctocolectomy in patients undergoing cyclosporin treatment.

Purpose: The recent introduction of the immune suppressor cyclosporin for treatment of steroid-refractory ulcerative colitis has required surgeons to perform a colectomy in those patients who eventually fail this rescue treatment, thus raising questions as to the safety of surgery as performed in patients with a heavily manipulated immune system. To assess the rates of mortality and morbidity in this setting, we studied a cohort of consecutive patients who had surgery after failing cyclosporin for refractory ulcerative colitis at our center.

Methods: Between January 1991 and December 1996, 25 patients with ulcerative colitis underwent restorative proctocolectomy performed in three steps (21 patients) and in two steps (4 patients).

[Breast carcinoma and the axillary lymph node status: the use of 99mTc-sestamibi scintimammography for the diagnosis and preoperative staging. Preliminary results].

Background: The purpose of this study is the sensitivity and specificity evaluation of the 99mTc-sestaMIBI scintimammography (SMM) in the diagnosis and pre-surgical staging of patients with clinical and/or radiological suspicion of breast cancer.

Materials And Methods: Forty-five patients with clinical and/or mammographic breast cancer suspicion were enrolled. Prone lateral views of both mammalian glands and anterior of chest, to evaluate the axillary lymph node infiltration, were acquired 60 min after i.

[Superior mesenteric artery syndrome after surgical correction of severe dorso-lumbar deformities. Authors' experience].

The authors report two cases of superior mesenteric artery syndrome observed in 22 operations for severe spinal deformities. Medical, dietary and postural treatment enabled the situation to be resolved in one case; whereas an intestinal derotation according to Strong-Valdoni was successfully performed in the other. The various surgical alternatives are discussed.

[Antibiotic prophylaxis with ++vancomycin in corrective surgery with alloplastic material].

The authors report a controlled series of 40 patients treated for recidivating inguinal hernia and laparocele with the implant of alloplastic material. Short-term prophylaxis with vancomycin was performed in all cases. The antibiotic was found to be well tolerated at the doses used and this was associated with a good clinical success rate.

[Biliary cystadenoma. Discussion of a clinical case].

A case of biliary cystadenoma is reported. The neoplasm was located at the left lobe of the liver and its diameter was 18 cm. It presented with abdominal swelling and palpable mass in epigastric region.

Phenotypical characterization of lymphocyte recirculating subsets in patients undergoing splenectomy for trauma.

The spleen is a peripheral lymphatic organ where lymphocytes stop for long time during their circulation. We studied the peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets both in 30 subjects splenectomized for trauma and in 30 healthy, non splenectomized, subjects. The phenotypical characterization of lymphocyte subpopulations was performed employing monoclonal antibodies by direct immunofluorescence assays with single and double labelling.

[Endogastric migration of an Angelchik prosthesis. A case report and review of the literature].

At first, the authors mention indications and way of placement of the Angelchik prosthesis. Then after a wide review of the literature, they describe the complications and results. Finally a case of penetration into the stomach of an Angelchik prosthesis is reported.

[Anatomo-pathological study of the evolution of cryonecrosis in the rat pancreas].

The progress of a cryonecrosis site occupying about one-third of the rat pancreas and induced with liquid nitrogen applied via a 10 mm luminal diameter probe applied for 2 min was followed. The lesion was not responsible for irreversible functional and anatomical lesions. Blood sugar remained within normal limits.

[Anatomo-pathological study of the development of a focus of cryonecrosis in the rat spleen].

A focus of cryonecrosis in the rat spleen, induced with liquid nitrogen (4 mm diameter probe, application time 2') does not cause haemorrhage either during or after treatment. The frozen area, which is of infarctual type with disappearance of spleen cells and preservation of the elastic structures of the follicular arteries, sees its surface reduced considerably and is replaced by connective tissue within 30 days.

[Endothyroid (non-chromaffin) branchiomeric paraganglioma. Description of a clinical case].

A case of endothyroid paraganglioma in a 9-yr-old girl is described. Subtotal lobectomy was performed and the tumour was not recognised until a histological examination has been carried out on a section embedded in paraffin. Only two other cases could be found in the literature.

[Our experience with reparative and derivative operations for non-cancerous lesions in the extrahepatic bile ducts].

17 reparative operations on the bile ducts, 7 of which were immediate (5 for peroperative lesions and 2 for "spontaneous" lesions) and 10 reoperations to deal with sclero-cicatricial lesions, were studied. 7 reconstructive operations (plastic or end-to-end anastomosis) and 10 derivative operations with a preference for hepato- or choledocho-jejunostomy on defunctionalized loop were carried out. The former were reserved for lesions without or with minimum loss of substance, the latter for extensive lesions.