[Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the day surgery setting].

The first laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the Department of Surgery of the S. Giacomo Hospital in Rome was performed in April 1991. At that time, for the complete study of the patient and recovery from the operation, a mean period of five days was necessary.

[Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in day-surgery analysis of feasibility in 166 consecutive patients].

Background: Day-Surgery (DS) is a widely spreading reality, both for clinical advantages to patients and organizational and economic profit to hospitals. In the last years, DS has been proposed for the treatment of a large number of diseases as inguinal and crural hernias, varicose vein, benign anorectal and thyroid pathologies. Recently, also laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has been realised as DS procedure, and the initial results are promising.

[Therapy of asymptomatic gallstones: indications and limits].

Gallstone disease is one of the most common health problems world-wide. It is also one of the main causes of medical expenditure in Western countries. Asymptomatic gallstones are defined as stones that have not given rise to biliary cholic or other biliary symptoms.

[Isolated agenesis of the gallbladder: case report].

The gallbladder agenesis is a rare congenital abnormality which is frequently mistaken with cholecystolithiasis, regardless of the imaging modality used. The diagnosis is confirmed at laparoscopic surgery with intraoperative sonography and intraoperative cholangiography and postoperative MRI-cholangiography. Intraoperative cholangiography may be risky because the absence of normal anatomical structures and the impossibility of pulling on the gallbladder to dissect the triangle of Calot represents an increased risk of iatrogenic injury to biliary or portal structures.

[Multicenter prospective study of informed consent in general surgery].

To understand the level of acceptance, awareness and usefulness of informed consent, a group of 119 patients (59 men and 60 women) from different types of hospitals were given a questionnaire which required only 'YES or NO' answers, both before and after surgery. The questionnaire concerned the patient's knowledge about pathology, operative risks, approval, anxiety caused, understanding of information received and consent given, and also if he would inform a relative in the same condition. From the analysis of the results it was established that: the more information a patient has about his illness and operation risks, the more he will want to have; the less he knows the less he will want to know, and he will also have more faith in the doctors.

[Prognostic value of C reactive protein in acute pancreatitis].

Controversy still exists regarding the clinical features of acute pancreatitis: it is not known whether this is a disease which progresses from mild to severe forms or which arises immediately as severe acute pancreatitis. An early diagnosis, however, is regarded as mandatory for successful treatment. Over the years many Authors have proposed different scoring systems for the early assessment of the clinical evolution of acute pancreatitis.

Palliative treatment of neoplastic strictures by self-expanding nitinol Strecker stent.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate technical and clinical results of self-expanding esophageal stent implanted in patients with malignant esophageal strictures and clinically significant dysphagia. From June 1992 to September 1994, 27 patients with inoperable tumors of the esophagus or gastric cardiac were treated by placement of 37 self-expanding nitinol stents. Water-soluble contrast and endoscopy studies were performed after the procedure and during the follow-up period.

[Surgical treatment of recurrent gastroesophageal reflux].

From 1972 to 1994, 66 patients underwent 67 Belsey MK IV antireflux repairs in our unit. Fifteen of the 67 patients or 22% had previously undergone antireflux surgery (10 hiatal repairs and 5 antireflux repairs). Obstructive symptoms were present in one patient who had previously undergone a Nissen fundoplication whereas all other patients presented recurrent reflux.

[Palliative treatment of esophageal neoplastic stenoses with self-expanding metallic stents].

Thirty Strecker nickel-titanium self-expanding metallic stents were implanted in 20 patients with esophageal strictures and inoperable neoplasms in the Departments of Radiology of the University School of Medicine of Ferrara, Genoa, Novara and Rome, from March 1992 to April 1993; follow-up ranged 1 to 13 months. Thanks to the stents, esophageal strictures could be dilated, significantly reducing dysphagia and allowing the patients to return on to a solid diet. Radiological and endoscopic exams proved the efficacy of the stents in all but 2 patients in whom the tumors had invaded the stent lumen and caused obstruction.

Heller-Belsey and Heller-Nissen operations for achalasia of the esophagus.

From 1972 to 1985, 101 consecutive patients underwent Heller's myotomy and Belsey repair (H + B) (n = 43) or Nissen fundoplication (H + N) (n = 58) for achalasia of the esophagus. There was no operative mortality after either operation; minor pulmonary complications occurred after H + B procedure in 9.3 per cent of the patients.

Belsey and Nissen operations for gastroesophageal reflux.

From 1972 to 1985, 37 consecutive patients underwent primary Belsey repair and 40 consecutive patients underwent primary Nissen fundoplication because of reflux disease. The operative procedures were performed by a single surgeon in each group. For the purpose of comparison, both groups were divided into two subsets: (1) patients with proved reflux, and (2) patients with different indications.

Effect of gastrointestinal hormone infusions of lower oesophageal competence of rhesus monkeys.

The lower oesophageal high pressure zone (HPZ) was studied in 5 non-refluxing and 3 refluxing Rhesus monkeys. The changes in HPZ and reflux status in response to infusion of various doses of secretin, cholecystokinin and glucagon were measured in all animals, and, in the 5 non-refluxing monkeys, after oesophagogastrectomy with replacement of the lower oesophagus by a stomach tube. All three hormones consistently produced a transient decrease in the HPZ pressure.

Functional evaluation of the interposed colon as an esophageal substitute.

Five Rhesus monkeys and four human adults with colonic reconstruction of the esophagus have been studied by manometric, fluoroscopic and reflux tests. Transit through the graft is mainly under the influence of gravity. Infrequent colon contractions can be propulsive, and sequential haustral contractions give the appearance of peristalsis.

The continuing challenge of gallbladder cancer. Survey of thirty years' experience at the University of Chicago.

The current concepts of the etiologic factors and spread of carcinoma of the gallbladder are discussed. The experience at the university of Chicago with this condition over a period of thirty years is reviewed. Of eighty-two cases diagnosed during this time, 88 per cent of the patients died within one year of diagnosis and the five year survival rate was 5 per cent.