The effects of Reiki therapy on pain and anxiety in patients attending a day oncology and infusion services unit.

Reiki is a system of natural healing techniques administered by laying of hands and transferring energy from the Reiki practitioner to the recipient. We investigated the role of Reiki in the management of anxiety, pain and global wellness in cancer patients. Building on the results of a pilot project conducted between 2003 and 2005 by a volunteer association at our hospital, a wider, 3-year study was conducted at the same center.

[The measurement of cochlear flow by laser Doppler in man: the preliminary results].

Laser-Doppler flowmetry is presently one of the methods of choice in measuring cochlear blood flow. The techniques is non-invasive and is based on the frequency shift of the laser beam induced by the red blood cell movement. Previous studies of cochlear blood flow carried out on animals and humans demonstrated the reliability of laser-Doppler flowmetry and its usefulness in understanding inner ear microcirculation physiology.

[Perioperative treatment with thymostimulin in patients with stomach and colorectal neoplasms. Our experience with 114 cases].

The authors report their experience about the use of the timostimoline in the perioperative time in 114 cases of gastric and rectum cancer. They think that this method can be of help for neoplastic patients about the time of surgical stress.

[Observations in sclerosing cholangitis].

Sclerosing cholangitis is a rare liver disease of unknown etiology with a slow but progressive course. The authors report their experience and illustrate some surgical procedures to preserve bile duct patency in view of a liver transplantation program.

[Our experience in the use of somatostatin in upper digestive hemorrhages].

The paper illustrates the Authors' personal experience of the use of somatostatin in high digestive hemorrhages. Endoscopy continues to be the principal method for hemorrhage diagnosis and therapy and the additional use of somatostatin undoubtedly accelerates recovery by blocking gastric and pancreatic secretions and blood flow at the splanchnic level.

[Conservative intervention in tumors of the papilla of Vater. Apropos of 2 new cases].

On the basis of two new cases of cancer of the papilla of Vater, stress is laid on the indication for and value of duodeno-cephalopancreatectomy as the sole radical intervention. Conservative papillectomy should be confined to special cases (advanced age, general condition poor) with good long-term results.

[Our experience with cysts of the pancreas].

The Authors produced their series of pancreatic cysts and pseudocysts. In order to a correct surgical therapy they deem it essential to do the Wirsungraphia or the cysto-wirsungraphia to recognize the "communicating cyst" and the "non communicating cyst". The simple resection and the cystoparenchimal resection are the operations of choice but the cystoanastomosis provides suitable and definitive results in the same way.

[Emergency or deferred treatment of perforated and bleeding gastroduodenal ulcer].

The treatment of perforated peptic ulcer, according to the experience of the Authors (327 cases), must be very pressing and always surgical. The closure of the perforation, the simplest treatment, seems the most suitable and the least dangerous for the survival of the patient, even though 68% of these patients will have to undergo surgery again in the course of 10 years. The radical treatment of resection, is reserved to few and carefully chosen cases, because it is loaded with sufficient risk.

[Notes on 4000 surgical operations for biliary tract calculosis. I. Papillotomy and papillosphincterotomy. Indications and results].

Personal experience with papillotomy and papillosphincterotomy in calculosis of the PBD is reported. The indications and results obtained are discussed. The techniques employed are described and an assessment is made of the extent to which these operations can be performed without causing unnecessary damage to the sphincter.

[4,000 surgical operations for calculosis of the biliary tract. II. Bilio-digestive shunts: indications and results].

Personal experience with biliodigestive derivations in calculosis of the principal bile way is reported. The operating technique is presented and indications and results discussed. It is concluded that biliodigestive anastomosis must be carried out with an appropriate technique and in the presence of particular bile duct lesions, primarily choledochic ectasia.