[Laser-assisted angioplasty in the treatment of obliterations of the iliac-femoral axis].

In the last years, intraluminal techniques and instrumentations grown from the primitive concept of balloon angioplasty, have made an incredible leap among these techniques, Laser assisted balloon angioplasty plays, in selected cases, an important role in the treatment of vascular occlusive disease. The focus of this report will be to present the preliminary experience of the authors about the use of this technique, in the treatment of 18 patients with atherosclerotic occlusive iliac-femoro-popliteal disease. In spite of short number of cases; they try to focalize indications, limits and principal complications of the technique.

[I.V. ketorolac in the therapy of postoperative pain].

Forty-one patients suffering from postoperative pain were admitted to an open, noncomparative trial. A dose of 10 mg of Kerotolac was administered i.v.

Extraperitoneal aorticobifemoral grafts.

Out of 436 patients operated on using aorticobifemoral grafting, 60 cases (mean age 66) had an extra-peritoneal approach to the abdominal aorta. 28 patients underwent aorticobifemoral revascularization, three of them had, in addition visceral artery grafts. In the 60 cases, perioperative mortality was 1.

Different kalemia in abdominal trauma.

Unlike previous reports, in 123 patients with abdominal injury or surgery significant and persistent hypokalemia was observed only after traumatic or surgical injuries of the liver. On the contrary, in all other extrahepatic abdominal trauma or operations kalemia was normal. This discrepancy may be related to the much greater abundance, in comparison with other abdominal organs, of adrenergic endings present in the liver.

Leukocyte adherence inhibition test in lung cancer immunodiagnostic detection.

The leukocyte adherence inhibition test (LAI) was used to study the cellular reactivity in 119 subjects: 48 were affected by lung cancer, 41 by non-malignant lung diseases, 10 by non-lung cancers and 20 were healthy volunteers. The LAI test is based on the observation that leukocytes do not adhere to glass when in the presence of an antigen against which a sensitization exists. Test selectivity was checked by the suppression technique: suppressed cells lose their competence to an antigen when incubated with it before testing.

A tool for transhepatic stenting.

A modified method for transhepatic tube stenting is presented. The use of a No. 25 gauge music wire (1.

Detection and measurement of a cellular immune-reactivity towards polyester and polytetrafluoroethylene grafts. Leukocyte adherence inhibition test.

Several studies were performed on polyester (Dacron) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) vascular substitute thrombogenicity. However, to date, the host-graft interactions have yet to be studied from an immunological point of view. For this reason, 4 classes of 10 patients each (Class 1: Dacron-+PTFE-grafted patients, Class 2: Dacron-, Class 3: PTFE-, and Class 4: controls) were submitted to a cellular immune-reactivity test: leukocyte adherence inhibition (LAI), in which leukocytes fail to adhere to glass on contact with a sensitizing antigen.

Anaplastic adenocarcinoma of the thyroid gland: a study of ten cases.

Anaplastic carcinoma of thyroid gland, while rare, is the most common cause of death from thyroid cancer. Ten cases from a teaching department of surgery have been reviewed, with two-year follow up. Steps in pathological behaviour and management of this lesion are discussed.

[Intra-operative manometry and hiatal hernia].

Personal experience of the intra-operative use of oesophageal manometry in cases of hiatus hernia is presented. Using this system the pressure in the air cushion surrounding the L.E.

[Jaundice as a symptom of traumatic diaphragmatic hernia].

The onset of jaundice as an atypical, early clinical symptom of traumatic hernia of the right diaphragm is described. Jaundice has never been reported in the literature as a symptom of herniated diaphragm. In this case, it was caused by a twisted main bile duct after herniation of the right lobe of the liver through a wide thoraco-diaphragmatic opening.

[Correlation between hyperamylasemia and acute pancreatitis].

It is often difficult to differentiate acute pancreatitis (A.P.) from some other acute abdominal diseases, when there is an elevated serum amylase.

Angioplasty of the profunda femoris in revascularisation of the lower extremity.

Excellent results with respect to preservation of the limb and improvement of claudication were obtained with profundaplasty in 29 patients with Fontaine's stage III or IV chronic obliteration. The method is regarded as one of choice for saving the limb, but not as a replacement for other methods of direct revascularisation of the femoropopliteal axis in cases where complete functional recovery is also required. A comparison is made between the results of profundaplasty and reconstruction of the axis in a personal series.

[Echography in the diagnosis of aneurysms of the abdominal aorta].

The principles of echography and its technique are briefly explanded, and 8 personal cases examined for suspected aneurysm of the abdominal aorta are presented. Correct and accurate diagnosis was obtained in cases. In 1 case, aortography was also performed, though its findings were less clear.