[Show abstract][Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: Mesenteric cysts are rare and can occur at any age. They can manifest with abdominal pain or compressive mass effect. The exact etiology is unknown. Ultrasonography, computed tomography and laparoscopy are used in diagnosing mesenteric cysts. Laparoscopic excision of a mesenteric cyst is possible and should be considered as the treatment of choice. We present a case of mesenteric pseudocyst of small bowel treated by laparoscopic excision.
Il Giornale di chirurgia. 11/2014; 35(11-12):279-82.
[Show abstract][Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: Splenic metastasis is extremely rare and are usually found in conjunction with metastasis of other organs. In addition, late recurrence even after 10 years of operation is very unusual. The most common sources of splenic metastasis are lung, colonrectal, melanoma, breast and ovarian carcinoma. We present a case of 67 year old woman who was admitted to our department with a solitary splenic metastases after hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy for ovaric carcinoma 10 years ago. In conclusion, solitary splenic metastasis are very rare and the incidence of the reported cases in the medical literature is increasing. The treatment of choice is laparoscopic splenectomy that must be followed by chemotherapy in order to prevent the development of other possible micrometastases.
Il Giornale di chirurgia. 07/2014; 35(7/8):181-184.
[Show abstract][Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: Surgical treatment of complicated colonic diverticular disease is still debatable. The aim of our study was to evaluate the outcome of laparoscopic colon resection in patients with diverticulitis and with complications like colon-vescical fistula, peridiverticular abscess, perforation or stricture. All patients underwent laparoscopic colectomy within 8 years period. Main data recorded were age, sex, return of bowel function, operation time, duration of hospital stay, ASA score, body mass index (BMI), early and late complications. During the study period, 33 colon resections were performed for diverticulitis and complications of diverticulitis. We performed 5 associated procedures. We had 2 postoperative complications; 1 of these required a redo operation with laparotomy for anastomotic leak and 3 patients required conversion from laparoscopic to open colectomy. The most common reasons for conversion were related to the inflammatory process with a severe adhesion syndrome. Mean operative time was 229 minutes, and average postoperative hospital stay was 9,8 days. Laparoscopic surgery for complications of diverticular disease is safe, effective and feasible. Laparoscopic colectomy has replaced open resection as standard surgery for recurrent and complicated diverticulitis in our institution.
Il Giornale di chirurgia. 05/2014; 35(5/6):126-128.
[Show abstract][Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: We describe a case of a patient with synchronous bilateral colorectal tumours and renal carcinoma who underwent one-stage laparoscopic surgery procedure with right transperitoneal nefrectomy, right hemicolectomy and sigmoidectomy. One-stage laparoscopic procedure can be used safely and successfully for a patient with multiple primary tumours.
[Show abstract][Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: We present the case of a patient with a double adenocarcinoma of the right colon and sigma associated with a bilateral infiltrating ductal breast carcinoma. Sigma and caecum bowel cancers were diagnosed at colonoscopy, with computerized tomography staging, while breast cancer was found with screening mammography. Following right hemicolectomy , sigmoidectomy and bilateral mastectomy the histology confirmed the presence of colonic adenocarcinoma and infiltrating and in situ lobular cancer. This case report reviews the treatment of synchronous neoplasia.
Il Giornale di chirurgia 11/2012; 33(11/12):409-410.
[Show abstract][Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: Background. Our aim is the retrospective valuation of results in over 75 year-old patients, with colorectal cancer, treated with laparoscopic and laparotomic surgery, considering how laparoscopic surgery has improved these patients' outcome. Patients and methods. We took all over 75 year-old patients, affected by colorectal cancer, treated with colectomy. Patients has been divided into two groups: laparotomy group and laparoscopy group. Data concerning patients, i.e., age, sex, BMI, ASA, comorbidities, were collected with data concerning the operation (surgical time, conversion percentage). Postoperative outcomes - i.e., gas evacuation, bowel movements, solid and liquid feeding, need to ICU, complications, re-surgery, hospitalization and type of discharge, mortality - were evaluated. Results. A total of 145 patients are included: laparotomy 80 and laparoscopy 51. Two groups are homogeneous for age, sex, BMI, ASA, comorbidities. Surgical times are the same. Need to Intesive Care Unit (ICU) is lower in laparoscopy. Gas evacuation and bowel movements are earlier in laparoscopy. Liquid and solid diet is earlier in laparoscopy. Hospitalization was earlier after laparoscopy. Discharge at home is more frequent in laparoscopy. Major and minor complications are lower in laparoscopy. Post-operative mortality is lower in laparoscopy. Conclusions. Laparoscopy improves over 75 year-old patients' outcomes, after elective surgery for colorectal cancer. Surgery trauma, anaesthesia, nutritional and hemodynamic alterations, are factors that break the old patients' fragile physiologic balance. Less traumatic surgery improves old patients' outcomes.
[Show abstract][Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: To study the short-term outcome of patients treated with laparoscopic right colectomy and how intracorporeal anastomosis has improved the outcome.
We retrospectively examined all patients affected by colorectal cancer who underwent a laparoscopic right colectomy between January 2006 and December 2010 in our department. Our evaluation criteria were: diagnosis of colorectal carcinoma at presurgical biopsy, elective surgery, and the same surgeon. We excluded: emergency surgery, conversions from laparotomic colectomy, and other surgeons. The endpoints we examined were: surgical time, number of lymph nodes removed, length of stay (removal of nasogastric tube, bowel movements, gas evacuation, solid and liquid feeding, hospitalization), and major complications. Seventy-two patients were divided into two groups: intracorporeal anastomosis (39 patients) and extracorporeal anastomosis (33 patients).
Significant differences were observed between intracorporeal vs extracorporeal anastomosis, respectively, for surgical times (186.8 min vs 184.1 min, P < 0.001), time to resumption of gas evacuation (3 d vs 3.5 d, P < 0.001), days until resumption of bowel movements (3.8 d vs 4.9 d, P < 0.001), days until resumption of liquid diet (3.5 d vs 4.5 d, P < 0.001), days until resuming a solid diet (4.6 d vs 5.7 d, P < 0.001), and total hospitalization duration (7.4 d vs 8.5 d, P < 0.001). In the intracorporeal group, on average, 19 positive lymph nodes were removed; in the extracorporeal group, on average, 14 were removed P < 0.001). Thus, intracorporeal anastomosis for right laparoscopic colectomy improved patient outcome by providing faster recovery of nutrition, faster recovery of intestinal function, and shorter hospitalization than extracorporeal anastomosis.
Short-term outcomes favor intracorporeal anastomosis, confirming that a less traumatic surgical approach improves patient outcome.
World Journal of Gastroenterology 08/2012; 18(29):3869-74. · 2.43 Impact Factor
[Show abstract][Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: Fatty liver is commonly associated with alcohol ingestion and abuse. While the molecular pathogenesis of these fatty changes is well understood, the biochemical and pharmacological mechanisms by which ethanol stimulates these molecular changes remain unknown. During ethanol metabolism, adenosine is generated by the enzyme ecto-5'-nucleotidase, and adenosine production and adenosine receptor activation are known to play critical roles in the development of hepatic fibrosis. We therefore investigated whether adenosine and its receptors play a role in the development of alcohol-induced fatty liver. WT mice fed ethanol on the Lieber-DeCarli diet developed hepatic steatosis, including increased hepatic triglyceride content, while mice lacking ecto-5'-nucleotidase or adenosine A1 or A2B receptors were protected from developing fatty liver. Similar protection was also seen in WT mice treated with either an adenosine A1 or A2B receptor antagonist. Steatotic livers demonstrated increased expression of genes involved in fatty acid synthesis, which was prevented by blockade of adenosine A1 receptors, and decreased expression of genes involved in fatty acid metabolism, which was prevented by blockade of adenosine A2B receptors. In vitro studies supported roles for adenosine A1 receptors in promoting fatty acid synthesis and for A2B receptors in decreasing fatty acid metabolism. These results indicate that adenosine generated by ethanol metabolism plays an important role in ethanol-induced hepatic steatosis via both A1 and A2B receptors and suggest that targeting adenosine receptors may be effective in the prevention of alcohol-induced fatty liver.
The Journal of clinical investigation 03/2009; 119(3):582-94. · 15.39 Impact Factor
[Show abstract][Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: Cutaneous melanoma is one of the most studied neoplastic lesions in biology and clinical oncology. It has been well documented that this type of neoplasm presents a high metastatic rate, and is able to involve nearly every tissue. Non-cutaneous melanoma represents an unusual pattern of melanoma, and the small intestine is an uncommon anatomic localization. Herein we report an extremely rare clinical case of a young woman affected by a bleeding jejunal melanoma, whose early clinical presentation was an intestinal invagination.
World Journal of Gastroenterology 02/2007; 13(2):310-2. · 2.43 Impact Factor
[Show abstract][Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: We report a case of sigmoid volvulus post-stapled transanal rectal resection (STARR) for obstructed defecation. The patient, a 68-yearold woman with chronic constipation and dolichosigma, two days post-STARR presented severe abdominal pain. CT revealed sigmoid ischemia. The patient underwent resection of the sigmoid colon with end colostomy (Hartmann's procedure). Can STARR procedure produce a serious complication as sigmoid volvulus in patient with dolichosigma and obstructed defecation syndrome?
[Show abstract][Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: Laparoscopic approach was safely performed for the diagnosis and treatment of the submucosal tumors of the stomach because it is associated with low morbidity, mortality, and sound oncologic outcomes. However, no report on the long-term safety and efficacy of this surgery for large sized gastric GISTs has been published to date. We present a 63-year-old female case of a large gastric GIST of 19 cm removed by laparoscopic wedge resection.
[Show abstract][Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: Introduction. Small bowel adenocarcinoma is a rare tumor, with a still not well studied tumorigenesis process, and non-specific symptoms that cause a delay in the diagnosis and consequently a worst outcome for the patient. Videocapsule endoscopy (VCE) and double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) have revolutionized the diagnosis and management of patients with small bowel diseases. Surgery is the treatment of choice when feasible, while the chemotherapeutic approach is still not well standardized. Case reports. Two cases in 2 months (two women 52 and 72-yr-old) of primary bowel adenocarcinoma is reported. The site of the tumor was in jejunum, instead of the most common site in duodenum. The patients underwent DBE with biopsy and ink mark. Laparoscopic-assisted bowel segmental resection was performed. The pathologic diagnosis was primary jejunum adenocarcinoma. No post-operative mortality or significant morbidities were noted. Conclusion. The combination of DBE and laparocopic-assisted bowel surgery represents an ideal diagnostic and therapeutic method.
[Show abstract][Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: Laparoscopic approach for treatment of colorectal lesion is gaining acceptance gradually. Evidence from numerous randomised controlled trials has shown the short-term benefits of laparoscopic colon resection over open surgery, and its long-term outcomes also does not differ considerably from those of open surgery. This study aims at a retrospective analysis of operative and short term outcomes of patients.
All laparoscopic colon and rectal resections performed between September 2004 and September 2011 were included. The clinical parameters, operative parameters and short-term outcome details of laparoscopic colorectal surgery patients were collected from the retrospectively reviewed database.
A total of 347 patients, median age 71 years (range 32 to 96), underwent laparoscopic resection of the colon and rectum. The median Body Mass Index (BMI) was 26.5. The majority of the procedures were performed for malignant disease (97,1%) and the most common procedure was right colectomy (41%). The median duration of surgery was 202,3 minutes, with conversion to open surgery in 40 patients (11.5%). Complications occurred in 23 patients (6.6%). The median length of hospital stay was 8.9 days. In patients with malignant disease, the median number of lymph nodes removed was 14.9.
Our results show that laparoscopic approach for colon-rectal lesions is safe, feasible and produces favourable results. The most important aspect of surgery for malignant disease is the ability to remove radically the disease. However all data are still related to the experience of the operator.
[Show abstract][Hide abstract] ABSTRACT: The goal of the therapeutic management of patients affected by end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is to maintain the vascular access (VA) as long as possible. Myointimal hyperplasia development in the vascular walls of arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) is considered one of the most important factors responsible for procedure failure. These alterations could be linked to hemodynamic changes in the anastomosis and to the presence of the surgical suture itself. We report our preliminary experience, discussing the use and the possible benefits of an absorbable suture in polyglycolide trimethylene carbonate (PTC) in AVF creation.
Seventy-four AVFs were created as primary access for hemodialysis (HD), using PTC, over 4 years. Age, gender, ESRD etiology, artery and vein preoperative diameters, AVF survival outcome, and the number of AVFs created per year were recorded. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze AVF survival rates.
No dehiscences, pseudoaneurysms, or failures in the 'critical' period related to PTC absorption were recorded. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to evaluate AVF survival; 12-month primary AVF survival (74.33%) and AVF failure (25.67%) rates, 9 'early' (8.22%) and 10 'late' failures (13.51%), and a 360-day mean survival were found.
Our data indicate that PTC, a well known and widely used material for sutures in vascular surgery, is safe and effective in AVF creation. Potential advantages of PTC sutures are represented by a reduced myointimal hyperplasia formation in the AVF vascular walls, prolonging the AVF lifespan and avoiding re-interventions.
The journal of vascular access 6(4):171-6. · 1.02 Impact Factor