[Groin abscesses and vascular catastrophes in intravenous drug users--strategy and results].

Background: Drug addiction is a global medical and public health-care problem. Infections of the groin and fossa cubitalis are a common clinical problem in these patients. Severe vascular complications are rare but if they occur, therapy is difficult and requires emergency management and surgery because of bleeding problems.

Is peritoneal cytology a predictor of unresectability in pancreatic carcinoma?

Background/aims: Demonstration of unresectability often requires diagnostic laparotomy with high co-morbidity in pancreatic carcinoma. The value of detected peritoneal tumor cells and influence on outcome should be determined.

Methodology: In a prospective study 150 consecutive patients with pancreatic carcinoma were evaluated.

Sympathetic nervous system activity during laparoscopic and needlescopic cholecystectomy.

Background: It is difficult to quantify the impact of surgical trauma on patients with conventional measurement techniques. We report our preliminary experience with the determination of sympathetic nervous system activity during laparoscopic and needlescopic cholecystectomy.

Methods: The electroconductivity of representative dermatomes (24 measuring points) was recorded prior, during, and after performing laparoscopic and needlescopic cholecystectomy on 40 consecutive patients according to the method of Nakatani (Ryodoraku).

Intraoperative ultrasonography versus helical computed tomography and computed tomography with arterioportography in diagnosing colorectal liver metastases: lesion-by-lesion analysis.

Helical computed tomography with arterioportography (CTAP) and intraoperative sonography (IOUS) are both recognized to be extremely sensitive in the detection of liver metastases measuring <2 cm in diameter. As sensitivity and specificity values for both techniques differ significantly in the literature and in default of sufficient published data regarding this subject, a lesion-by-lesion analysis was considered necessary. Accuracy of IOUS was compared with helical computed tomography (CT) and portal-phase contrast enhancement (CTAP) in the preoperative detection of liver metastases from colorectal carcinoma projected as a prospective blinded study.

Dedicated head-neck coil in MR angiography of the supra-aortic arteries from the aortic arch to the circle of Willis.

Purpose: To evaluate the usefulness of a dedicated head-neck coil in preoperative imaging of the supra-aortic arteries.

Material And Methods: Forty consecutive patients with suspected carotid artery stenosis underwent MR angiography (MRA). Using a dedicated head-neck coil, we made a complete evaluation of the supra-aortic arteries and graded the internal carotid artery (ICA) stenoses.