Lymph node ratio and liver metachronous metastases in colorectal cancer.

Aim: The authors seek to assess whether the lymph node ratio (the ratio of positive nodes divided by the total number of retrieved nodes) could predict the risk of metachronous liver metastases.

Material And Methods: A homogeneous group of 280 patients, followed-up for at least 5 years, was evaluated. In order to highlight the groups with the highest risk of metachronous liver metastases, patients were divided into four quartiles groups in relation to the LNR.

Emerging therapeutic targets for the treatment of hepatic fibrosis.

Fibrosis represents a response to chronic injury, aimed at maintaining organ integrity. Hepatic fibrosis is mainly related to chronic viral hepatitis B or C (HBV or HCV), alcoholic and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and biliary diseases. A deep understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying liver fibrosis has enabled the development of 'pathogenetic tailored' therapeutic interventions.

Delayed presentation of a metastatic choroidal melanoma to the liver: The latency of an elective metastatic localization.

Introduction: Choroidal melanoma is the most common primary intraocular malignant tumour and the second most common type of primary malignant melanoma in the body. Biologically, cutaneuous and ocular melanoma may be considered different, in terms of both metastatic diffusion and metastatic latency. The principal target organ for metastasis of the ocular melanoma is the liver.

Identification of novel targets for the diagnosis and treatment of liver fibrosis.

Liver fibrosis is characterized by the excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) in the hepatic parenchyma and represents an intrinsic response to chronic injury, maintaining organ integrity when extensive necrosis or apoptosis occurs. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the major cell type responsible for liver fibrosis. Following liver injury, HSCs become activated and transdifferentiate into myofibroblasts (MFBs) that lead to intrahepatic ECM accumulation.

Ileo-colic endometriosis: a rare localization of a frequent disease. Case report.

Endometriosis is a common entity affecting females of reproductive age. Clinical manifestations are not specific, making the preoperative diagnosis difficult to establish. Intestinal endometriosis is common, but ethiology is unknown.

A rare case of pancreatic cancer presenting as pseudoachalasia.

"Pseudo" (or secondary) achalasia is a rare entity that it isn't easily distinguishing from idiopathic achalasia by manometry, radiological examination and endoscopy. Usually a neoplastic process of the esophago-gastric region is associated with this clinical condition. However, it has been reported that other neoplastic processes may lead to the development of pseudoachalasia, such as mediastinal masses, gastrointestinal tumours (pancreas, liver, biliary tract and other organs) and non gastrointestinal malignancies.

Bile duct injury during laparoscopic cholecystectomy without intraoperative cholangiography: a retrospective study on 1,100 selected patients.

Background: Whether to routinely or selectively use intraoperative cholangiography (IOC) during laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has been a controversial issue for many years. Many authors maintain that IOC decreases the rate of biliary complications such as bile duct injuries, biliary leak, and missed common bile duct (CBD) stones. However, in contrast to these claims, many centers have opted to perform LC without IOC.

Gastrointestinal carcinoid tumor and chylous ascites, a rare association with a poor prognosis. A case report.

Gastrointestinal carcinoid is a rare tumor. The association of this tumor with chylous ascites is uncommon. A review of the English-language literature carried out in 2002 identified only 15 cases.

Myoepithelial hamartoma of the stomach simulating a gastric carcinoma. A case report.

Myoepithelial hamartoma is a very rare submucosal tumor of the stomach. Magnus-Alsleben first described 5 cases of this tumor in 1903. More recently (1993) Vandelli et al.

[Uncommon abdominal sites of hydatid disease. Our experience with the surgical treatment of 15 cases].

The aim of this retrospective study is to report on a series of 15 patients with abdominal hydatid disease in uncommon sites submitted to surgery in our unit over the period 1974-2003. Eight women and 7 men (mean age: 48.4 years) were included in the study.

[Our experience with the use of a plastic prosthesis and self-expanding stents in the palliative treatment of malignant neoplastic stenoses of the esophagus and cardia. Comparative analysis of results].

Rapid palliation of malignant dysphagia is usually possible by means of the endoscopic implantation of a plastic prosthesis, but this device has a high morbidity rate. Recently, expandable metal stents have become available and may reduce the morbidity and mortality rates. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate self-expanding metal stents compared with conventional plastic prosthesis in malignant strictures of the oesophagus and cardia.