Efficacy and safety in pharmacological cardioversion of recent-onset atrial fibrillation: a propensity score matching to compare amiodarone vs class IC antiarrhythmic drugs.

The acute management of recent-onset (<48 h) atrial fibrillation (AF) is still debated. Aim of our study was to compare efficacy and safety of intravenously administered class IC antidysrhythmic agents vs amiodarone in a propensity score matched series of patients acutely treated for AF in the emergency department. During a 3-year period, we retrospectively evaluated all episodes of recent-onset (<48 h) AF pharmacologically treated for sinus rhythm restoration in the emergency department.

Induction chemoradiotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus: impact of increased dosage on long-term results.

Background: This study analyzed the impact on long-term results of an increase in the dosage of an induction chemoradiotherapy protocol for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the thoracic esophagus.

Methods: Two groups were considered among 177 patients who underwent preoperative chemoradiotherapy for SCC of the thoracic esophagus. Group A includes 111 patients (from 1987 to 1995) who were submitted to cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (two cycles) and radiotherapy (3,000 cGy).

[Long-term results of neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy in squamous carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus].

Aim: Surgery is considered the mainstay of therapy for clinically resectable esophageal cancer, even though neoadjuvant treatments are frequently added. The aim of this study was to analyse our experience on neoadjuvant treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus with special reference to long-term

Methods: The results of 66 patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemo-radiotherapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus at the 1(st) Division of General Surgery, University of Verona, from February 1995 to December 2002 were analysed statistically. The median follow-up period for the surviving patients was 65.

Endoscopic ablation of Barrett's esophagus using high power setting argon plasma coagulation: a prospective study.

Aim: This prospective study evaluated the effectiveness of 90 W argon plasma coagulation (APC) for the ablation of Barrett's esophagus (BE) that is considered to be the main risk factor for the development of esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Methods: The results from 25 patients, observed at the First Department of General Surgery, University of Verona, Italy, from October 2000 to October 2003, who underwent APC for histologically proven BE were prospectively analyzed.

Results: The ablation treatment was completed in all the patients but one (96%).

Laparoscopic approach to postoperative adhesive obstruction.

Background: Some authors have assessed the feasibility of laparoscopy in the treatment of postoperative adhesive obstruction, but conclusions about its effectiveness are related to different selection criteria used for surgery. This paper reports on our experience in laparoscopic adhesiolysis and analyses the results on the basis of the selection criteria used.

Methods: From January 1993 to December 2001, 65 patients were submitted to laparoscopic adhesiolysis for small bowel obstruction according to specific selection criteria.

Liver abscess due to acute cholecystitis. Report of five cases.

Acute cholecystitis is one of the most frequent causes of admissions to surgical departments. The development of liver abscesses is an uncommon and underrated complication of acute cholecystitis. In this study we report on our experience with the treatment of 5 cases of liver abscesses secondary to acute cholecystitis.

[Acute hemorrhage caused by duodenal ulcer. Results of endoscopic treatment of the first bleeding episode and of recurrences].

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of immediate endoscopic treatment of bleeding and rebleeding on the clinical outcome of patients with duodenal ulcer hemorrhage.

Materials And Methods: Between January 1995 and December 1998, 445 patients with bleeding duodenal ulcers were observed in the First Division of General Surgery--University of Verona. All patients, except two who died for hemorrhage before the endoscopic examination, underwent emergency endoscopy within 2 hours from the admission and ulcers with active or sign of recent bleeding were submitted to injection therapy.

[Superextended lymphadenectomy (D4) in the treatment of gastric adenocarcinoma].

Background: The incidence of paraaortic lymph node metastasis (N4) in relation with the site of the tumour, and survival in patients with gastric cancer who underwent gastric resection and superextended lymphadenectomy (D4), have been analyzed.

Methods: The frequency of paraaortic lymph node metastasis was studied in 132 patients who underwent gastrectomy with D4 lymphadenectomy during the period June 1988 - December 2000. Six patients with plastic linitis and 3 with carcinoma of the gastric stump were excluded from the analysis.

[Esophageal non-variceal hemorrhage: a clinical and epidemiological study].

Aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of esophageal bleeding in a group of 3741 consecutive patients with acute non variceal upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage observed between January 1990 and January 1999 in the First Division of General Surgery--University of Verona. In 627 patients (16.8%) the source of bleeding was exclusively esophageal; and the most frequent causes of esophageal bleeding were reflux esopagitis (408 cases) and Mallory Weiss syndrome (185 cases).

[Goseki classification in adenocarcinoma of the cardia].

Background: To assess an additional prognostic value of Goseki histological classification to TNM staging system in adenocarcinoma of the cardia.

Methods: Sixty-one patients curatively resected for advanced (T2, T3 and T4) cardia cancer at the I Division of General Surgery, University of Verona were classified in four different grades according to Goseki. Survival curves were estimated with Kaplan-Meier method and compared by the log-rank test.

[Endoscopic, percutaneous and laparoscopic treatment for acute biliary pancreatitis].

Aim Of The Study: The aim of this study is to evaluate the results of acute gallstone pancreatitis treatment and to discuss indications in relation with the different forms of the disease.

Material And Method: From january 1992 to june 2001, 137 patients have been treated for an acute gallstone pancreatitis. Diagnostic criteria were given by the history, clinical examination, biochemical and radiological findings.

[Results of surgical treatment of acute cholecystitis. Prospective study of 280 cases].

The Authors reported the results of surgical treatment of acute gallstone cholecystitis (AGC) in patients in whom different selection criteria have been applied. Two-hundred-eighty patients with a clinical and/or ultrasonographic diagnosis of ALC were admitted to the 1st Division of General Surgery-University of Verona Italy between January 1992 and June 2001, the patients were divided into five groups according to clinical features, laboratory tests and echographic signs. A specific approach was used in the different groups.

[Peptic ulcer hemorrhage in the elderly].

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of endoscopic injection therapy on the clinical outcome of elderly patients with peptic ulcer bleeding.

Methods: From January 1995 to December 1998, 738 patients with acute peptic ulcer bleeding were observed in the First Division of General Surgery, University of Verona: 359 aged <70 years and 379 =/>70 years. History, clinical and endoscopic findings and outcome were prospectively collected and analyzed comparing old (=/>70 yrs) and young (<70 yrs) patients.

[Acute hemorrhage secondary to gastric ulcer. Results of emergency endoscopic treatment in 775 cases].

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of endoscopic injection therapy on the clinical outcome of patients with gastric ulcer bleeding. Seven hundred and seventy-five patients with gastric ulcer bleeding were observed over a 10-year period (January 1990 to May 2000) in the First Division of General Surgery of the University of Verona. The prognostic and therapeutic implications of endoscopic treatment of acute severe gastrointestinal bleeding were analyzed on the basis of medical history and clinical and endoscopic findings.

[Para-aortic lymph node involvement in gastric adenocarcinoma].

Aims: To determine the significance of superextended lymphadenectomy (D4) in patients with gastric cancer. The incidence of para-aortic lymph node metastases (N4) was analysed as well as its relationship to the site of the tumour.

Patients And Methods: The frequency of para-aortic lymph node metastases was assessed in 110 patients who underwent gastrectomy with D4 lymphadenectomy during the period from June 1988 to October 1999; five patients with plastic linitis and three with carcinoma of the gastric stump were excluded from the study.

[Results of the surgical treatment of primary gastric lymphoma].

The aim of the study was to verify the long term results obtained in primary gastric lymphoma with a strategy consisting in surgery as first-line treatment. Over the period from January 1988 to December 1999, 44 patients with histologically proven primary gastric lymphoma underwent surgical treatment in the First Department of General Surgery of the University of Verona. Tumours were staged according to the Ann Arbor classification and divided, according to the Kiel classification, into high- and low-grade lymphoma.