[Sclerosing adenocarcinomas of the hepatic hilum].

The authors report their series of 7 adenocarcinomas of the hepatic hilum. Five patients with a stage IV tumor underwent palliative surgery while the remaining 2 patients underwent radical surgery. One patient died and 3 reported postoperative complications.

[Esophagectomy without thoracotomy: indications and our experience].

In this paper the Authors report their experience of Orringer operation in 12 patients with oesophageal cancer observed from 1978 to 1992, and stress the possibility to extend the indications to Akijama oesophagectomy without thoracotomy for the treatment of malignant tumors of the entire oesophagus.

[A case of traditional appendectomy changed to laparoscopic surgery].

The utility of appendectomy performed with laparoscopic procedure is at the present accepted by many surgeons, especially when there is uncertain diagnosis of appendicitis or when an ectopic position is suspected. The authors describe the case report of a 17 years old woman with a diagnosis of subacute appendicitis, in which the unsuccessful finding of the appendix made necessary conversion of traditional laparotomy approach to laparoscopic technique. This choice avoided the execution of an enlargement of laparotomy access, and allowed an easy finding of appendix.

[Therapeutic strategies in the treatment of esophageal cancer: our experience].

Esophageal cancer has a poor prognosis. The Authors in reviewing esophageal carcinogenis stress the importance of an early diagnosis to improve surgical results and compare their experience with those of other Authors.

[Role of surgery in the treatment of gastroduodenal ulcer].

Medical approach to gastroduodenal ulcer has dramatically changed with the advent of anti-H2 drugs. There is still a role for surgery, but it has been confined to the treatment of the complications (perforation, stenosis and some cases of haemorrhage). In this paper the Authors collected the data of 43 patients (27 males and 16 females, mean age 45), operated between July 1988 and December 1992; 12 patients were operated for pyloric stenosis, 16 for gastrointestinal bleeding and 15 for perforation.