Laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be performed safely with only three ports in the majority of cases.

Reducing the number of ports used to perform laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is indicated as means of further minimising postoperative pain, allowing a rapid return to activity and work, and obtaining patient satisfaction and better cosmetic results. It is still debatable whether the three-port technique is comparably safe. Since 2001, 374 consecutive patients underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy in elective and emergency surgery.

Hydatid cyst of the liver: spontaneous rupture with peritoneal and thoracic involvement. Report of a case.

Hydatidosis due to Echinococcus granulosus is an endemic parasitic disease in Mediterranean countries. The most frequent anatomical locations are the liver and lung and the most significant complication of liver hydatidosis is rupture into the biliary tract. Spontaneous rupture into the free peritoneal cavity associated with thoracic involvement is an unusual complication accompanied by a high mortality rate.

Treatment of liver metastases from uveal melanoma.

Background: Uveal melanoma patients with liver metastases have a poor prognosis. The effect of screening and multimodality treatment (including surgery) should be evaluated.

Methods: A total of 602 patients treated for uveal melanoma during a 14-year period had abdominal ultrasonography screening every 6 months.

Pemetrexed in gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer is a major clinical challenge, with poor overall prognosis and limited life expectancy for patients with advanced disease. Even with surgery and other modalities, palliation is often difficult. Improvement of response rates has evolved with the development of standard regimens and those incorporating newer chemotherapy agents, such as oral fluoropyrimidines, the taxanes, camptothecins, novel platinums (eg, oxaliplatin [Eloxatin]), and antifolates (eg, pemetrexed [Alimta]).