Colour-duplex echography in atherosclerotic carotid artery disease.

The first and larger part of this article is devoted to a brief review of colour duplex echography of atherosclerotic lesions of the carotid artery: history, basic principles, technique, and diagnostic value. The authors, a vascular surgical team, witness from their own experience, with due attention to surgical practice. In the last part concerning duplex-based surgical decision, the results of a small scale trial conducted in 1996 in their department are presented: in 36 consecutive operated cases, the operative data and excised plaque were compared to the preoperative colour-duplex data regarding degree of stenosis, geometry of the lesion, and plaque composition.

Venous homografts in infra-inguinal procedures: an eight years experience.

Autogenous saphenous vein is still the first choice graft material for femoro-distal bypass whenever it is available, but the choice of an alternative is still a challenging problem. Between 1982 and 1989, 100 femoro-distal reconstructions were performed with saphenous vein segment homografts, harvested during varicose vein stripping, they were selected, prepared and stored at 4 degrees C. In 71 cases the distal anastomosis was below the knee.

Limited acute dissections of the abdominal aorta. Report of five cases.

Within a two year period, the diagnosis of acute dissection of a segment of the abdominal aorta was made in five cases without aneurysmal dilation or leakage and with virtually no ischaemia. All patients presented with an atypical painful abdominal syndrome and the diagnosis was made by computed tomography. Only one patient, suffering persistent pain was treated by resection and graft interposition of the infrarenal aorta.

[Gastric schwannoma. Observations apropos of a case report of an schwannosarcoma with lymph node metastasis].

Schwannomas as neurofibromas are neurogenic mesenchymal tumors of the stomach. They arise from the Schwann cells of nerves of th gastric wall and are usually benign. The incidence of malignant schwannomas is uncertain because of the variable pathologic criteria used.