Chirurgia italiana
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Traumatic lesions involving the rectum, perineum and anus are infrequent but difficult to treat, requiring experience with trauma and colo-proctological surgery. The aim of the treatment is to repair the lesions and to minimise the early complications which are the main cause of failure and of late complications and disability. The most complicated lesions present problems concerning either the surgical strategy or the surgical timing, both of which are essential for a successful outcome. ⋯ Only two cases (28.6%) of early complications and one case (14.3%) of persistent minimal sphincter dysfunction occurred. On the basis of these good results, the clinical experience and the literature, the Authors suggest that these perineo-ano-rectal lesions, though often complex, may often be cured by early surgery, confining colostomy only to particular cases. In addition to experience with trauma and the timing of colo-proctological surgery, a knowledge of all the available surgical options is mandatory to achieve the best results.
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Review Case Reports
Splenic rupture after colonoscopy. A case report and review of the literature.
Rupture of the spleen after colonoscopy is a rare but dangerous complication; up to now only a few cases have been reported in the literature. This complication is more frequent in patients who have previously undergone abdominal surgery and after operative colonoscopies. ⋯ Laboratory exams showed anaemia; the patient also developed hypotension and tachycardia; a CT scan revealed a splenic laceration with haemoperitoneum. A laparotomic splenectomy was successfully carried out.
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Incisional hernia after laparotomy closure continues to be an important postoperative complication. Historically, the best results have been obtained with the open Rives-Stoppa technique. This approach is done by fixing a prosthetic mesh behind the posterior fascia of the rectus muscle. ⋯ The recurrence rate of 5.6% confirms the permanence of the repair. The follow-up was 12 months for 44/53 patients and 6 months for 9/53 patients. The procedure for incisional hernia repair used in our study may be performed safely with low complication and recurrence rates and should be considered for the majority of incisional hernia repairs requiring a mesh prosthesis.
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The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the feasibility, safety and efficacy of the laparoscopic approach in the management of perforated peptic ulcers. From January 1997 to December 2002, all patients referred to our community hospital for abdominal surgical emergencies were routinely managed by laparoscopic surgery. A review was carried out on 39 consecutive patients suffering from perforated peptic ulcers with or without generalised peritonitis. ⋯ The mean operative time was 77 minutes (range: 40-120) and the mean hospital stay 9 days (range: 3-22). Laparoscopic repair of perforated ulcers is technically feasible but requires sound experience in laparoscopic abdominal emergencies. This study shows that the mini-invasive procedure is safe and effective, offering a valid alternative to traditional laparotomy.
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Liver transplantation for malignancies still remains a controversial issue. There is concern for tumour recurrence, poor results and waste of organs, which in the sitting of organ shortage would penalize patients with non-malignant disease. Many centers worldwide perform liver transplantation (OLT) for hepatocellular (HCC) carcinoma associated with liver cirrhosis; the results in these cases are similar to those of patients transplanted for other indications. ⋯ There is no evidence that OLT is beneficial for non-HCC tumours. Hopefully for the next future new adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapies combined with OLT would provide improved survival. Nevertheless, long-term survivors continue to be reported suggesting that OLT may be beneficial in individual selected cases with non-HCC tumour.