Early assessment of patient perception of outcome in total knee replacement.

Purpose: the aim of the present study was to measure patient perception in the early period after knee replacement surgery and to correlate health status with the surgery-related outcome.

Methods: thirty-eight consecutive patients who underwent total knee replacement were evaluated before surgery; at the time Radiographic evaluation was used to assess limb alignment and the Oxford Knee Score (OKS) to assess objective outcome. Health outcome was measured with the three-level version of the EuroQol - five dimension (EQ-5D-3L) self-administered questionnaire, a standardized instrument used to measure patient's perception of health status.

The ACTIVE (Acute Cholecystitis Trial Invasive Versus Endoscopic) study: multicenter randomized, double-blind, controlled trial of laparoscopic (LC) versus open (LTC) surgery for acute cholecystitis (AC) in adults.

Background: In some randomized trials successful laparoscopic cholecystectomy for cholecystitis is associated with an earlier recovery and shorter hospital stay when compared with open cholecystectomy. Other studies did not confirm these results and showed that the potential advantages of laparoscopic cholecystectomy for cholecystitis can be offset by a high conversion rate to open surgery. Moreover in these studies a similar postoperative programme to optimize recovery comparing laparoscopic and open approaches was not standardized.

Immune response to small intestinal submucosa (surgisis) implant in humans: preliminary observations.

Surgisis IHM is an acellular biomaterial derived from porcine small intestinal submucosa (SIS) that induces site-specific remodeling in the organ or tissue into which it is placed. Previous animal studies have shown that the graft recipient mounts a helper T type 2-restricted immune response to the SIS xenograft without signs of rejection. The aims of this study were to evaluate the immune response to the SIS implant in a small series of humans and to examine the long-term clinical acceptance of the xenograft in these patients.

259 Patients with DCIS of the breast applying USC/Van Nuys prognostic index: a retrospective review with long term follow up.

Background: The Van Nuys Prognostic Index (VNPI) is a simple score for predicting the risk of local recurrence (LR) in patients with Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) conservatively treated. This score combines three independent predictors of Local Recurrence. The VNPI has recently been updated with the addition of age as a fourth parameter into the scoring system (University of Southern California/ VNPI).

The analgesic efficacy of continuous elastomeric pump ropivacaine wound instillation after appendectomy.

Study Objective: To evaluate the analgesic efficacy and safety of ropivacaine 0.2% when administered continuously via elastomeric pump after appendectomy.

Design: Prospective, randomized, double-blinded study.

Hernioplasty with Surgisis Inguinal Hernia Matrix (IHM).

Although at present nonabsorbable meshes are the preferred material for tension-free hernioplasty, some problems with their use are still to be addressed (i.e., chronic pain and infections).

Skin angiosarcoma arising in an irradiated breast: case-report and literature review.

Background: Angiosarcoma (AS) is a rare, invasive malignancy originating from endothelial cells caused by many different clinical situations. AS following radiotherapy for breast cancer after conservative surgery is a rare but well-known association.

Objective: The aim of this article is to describe a case of AS after breast conserving surgery and to review the literature to date.

Small bowel tumours in emergency surgery: specificity of clinical presentation.

Background: Despite advances in diagnostic modalities, small bowel tumours are notoriously difficult to diagnose and are often advanced at the time of definitive treatment. These malignancies can cause insidious abdominal pain and weight loss, or create surgical emergencies including haemorrhage, obstruction or perforation. The aim of the present study was to describe the clinical presentation, diagnostic work-up, surgical therapy and short-term outcome of 34 patients with primary and secondary small bowel tumours submitted for surgical procedures in an emergency setting and to look for a correlation between clinical presentation and the type of tumours.

Postoperative Delirium after elective and emergency surgery: analysis and checking of risk factors. A study protocol.

Background: Delirum is common in hospitalized elderly patients and may be associated with increased morbidity, length of stay and patient care costs. Delirium (acute confusional state) is defined as an acute disorder of attention and cognition. In elderly patients, delirium is often an early indicator of patho-physiological disturbances.

Stapled versus hand-sewn anastomoses in emergency intestinal surgery: results of a prospective randomized study.

Purpose: Sutured and stapled intestinal anastomoses are perceived to be equally safe in elective intestinal surgery. However, our search of the literature failed to find any studies comparing hand-sewn and mechanical anastomoses in emergency intestinal surgery. Thus, we compared the short-term outcomes of patients with sutured as opposed to stapled anastomoses in emergency intestinal surgery.