Gentle Giant? Giant Gastric Solitary Peutz-Jeghers Polyp.

Solitary hamartomatous polyps with identical pathological features of the typical hamartomas of the Peutz-Jegher syndrome are extremely rare. These solitary lesions lack the associated intestinal polyposis, classic mucocutaneous pigmentation, and family history typifying the Peutz-Jegher syndrome. We describe the case of a 31-year-old woman with a giant solitary gastric hamartoma endoscopically diagnosed and laparoscopically resected.

The management of patients with primary chronic anal fissure: a position paper.

Anal fissure is one of the most common and painful proctologic diseases. Its treatment has long been discussed and several different therapeutic options have been proposed. In the last decades, the understanding of its pathophysiology has led to a progressive reduction of invasive and potentially invalidating treatments in favor of conservative treatment based on anal sphincter muscle relaxation. Despite some systematic reviews and an American position statement, there is ongoing debate about the best treatment for anal fissure. This review is aimed at identifying the best treatment option drawing on evidence-based medicine and on the expert advice of 6 colorectal surgeons with extensive experience in this field in order to produce an Italian position statement for anal fissures. While there is little chance of a cure with conservative behavioral therapy, medical treatment with calcium channel blockers, diltiazem and nifepidine or glyceryl trinitrate, had a considerable success rate ranging from 50 to 90%. Use of 0.4% glyceryl trinitrate in standardized fashion seems to have the best results despite a higher percentage of headache, while the use of botulinum toxin had inconsistent results. Nonresponding patients should undergo lateral internal sphincterotomy. The risk of incontinence after this procedure seems to have been overemphasized in the past. Only a carefully selected group of patients, without anal hypertonia, could benefit from anoplasty.

Massive enterolithiasis associated with ileal dysgenesis.

A 20-year-old man with massive ileal enterolithiasis was investigated with plain radiography, ultrasound, computed tomography, barium follow through and double contrast barium enema. Ileocecal valve agenesis was found at surgery. The enteroliths were located in the distal ileum, which communicated with the large intestine via an ileotransverse fistula.

Well differentiated "lipoma-like" liposarcoma of the sigmoid mesocolon and multiple lipomatosis of the rectosigmoid colon. Report of a case.

Liposarcoma is the second most common soft tissue sarcoma in adults. These neoplasms take their origin from primitive mesenchymal cells and are rarely encountered in fat rich areas, such as subcutaneous tissue and/or the subserosa of the intestinal tract which, on the contrary, are the two most common sites of lipomas. The two major locations of liposarcomas are the extremities and the retroperitoneum followed with much less frequency by the inguinal region. Other sites are uncommon, particularly the mesentery (9 cases to date in the literature) and, even more so, the mesocolon (only 3 cases of primary sarcoma of the mesocolon reported to date). This paper reports on the case of a well differentiated "lipoma-like" liposarcoma of the sigmoid mesocolon, associated with multiple lipomatosis of the recto-sigmoid colon in a 75 year-old female patient. Surgical treatment consisted of a trans-anal extra-peritoneal anterior resection by CEEA 28 stapler under endoscopic vision. The patient has been followed up for the last 2 years and is still disease-free and well. The peculiarity of the case consists in the contemporaneous presence in close contiguity of two different rare neoplasms whose association is not yet known.

[Behavior of the pressure of the lower esophageal sphincter after intravenous administration of domperidone in normal subjects]. / Comportamento della pressione dello sfintere esofageo inferiore (LES-P) dopo somministrazione intravenosa di domperidone in soggetti normali.

Manometric studies on the action of domperidone 10 mg and 20 mg i.v. on the lower esophageal sphincter pressure (LESP) have been carried on ten healthy volunteers. Domperidone inhibits dopamine receptors and results in an increase of LESP. A dose of 10 mg produces a significant increase in LESP which is rapid and prolonged for thirty minutes; a dose of 20 mg is less efficient. The stimulatory effect of domperidone on LESP suggests an important role for endogenous dopamine as an inhibitory neuromodulator of LES pressure. The use of domperidone in therapy for reflux esophagitis is suggested.

[Use of the Ravo bypass in high-risk colonic anastomoses]. / L'uso del by-pass di Ravo nelle anastomosi coliche a rischio.

The Authors report a case of high risk colonic anastomosis treated by intracolonic by-pass procedure. The technique of Coloshield application is described. Its use prevents fecal contamination of the anastomotic site and, in case of dehiscence, anastomotic fistula formation.

Acute aperistaltic megaesophagus as a complication of Nissen fundoplication: a case report.

A case of acute aperistaltic megaesophagus which arose after Nissen fundoplication for sliding hiatal hernia, is reported. The resolution of the clinical and instrumental picture with cholinergic drugs leads to the conclusion that the phenomenon observed is of vagal origin. This may be an extreme picture of the mild esophageal dilatation and transitory dysphagia that sometimes occur after Nissen fundoplication.

Pharyngoesophageal transmucosal potential difference in normal subjects and in patients with peptic esophagitis.

Results of a study carried out on pharyngoesophageal transmucosal potential difference (PD) in normal subjects and in patients with peptic esophagitis are reported. Ten healthy individuals used as control group and 12 patients with peptic esophagitis were examined. In all the cases an electric junctional pharyngoesophageal zone was evidenced, characterized by increased negativity at the level of the upper esophageal sphincter between the pharyngeal and esophageal potential difference. No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups as for the length of PD and its location, which was always shown to be included in the high pressure zone. In healthy subjects the pharyngoesophageal PD was -16.2 +/- 4.23 mV; in patients with peptic esophagitis PD was -25.4 +/- 8.51 mV. However, in the latter PD was shown to be higher than normal in 66% of cases (p less than 0.01). No correlation was evidenced between PD values and manometric alterations of the upper esophageal sphincter. On this basis, such alterations should not be related to possible mucosal injuries, as suggested by several authors, but most likely to a reflected or primary phenomenon, common to that causing the gastroesophageal reflux.

Sensorimotor evaluation of ano-rectal complex in diabetes mellitus.

To evaluate the status of ano-rectal complex in diabetic patients, 20 patients with no fecal incontinence and/or local ano-rectal disorders and 18 normal subjects underwent to: 1) ano-rectal manometry; 2) defecography; and 3) rectal sensation tests. In all subjects, the five classic cardiovascular reflexes tests were performed to detect autonomic neuropathy. No significant difference between diabetic patients and controls was found in length, maximum resting pressure and strength of phasic external anal sphincter or anal canal at ano-rectal manometry; similarly, no significant difference between diabetic and normal subjects was found by the same technique in threshold and amplitude of ano-rectal inhibitory reflex. Ano-rectal angle of diabetic patients was not significantly different from normals both at resting and during straining at defecographic study. By rectal sensation testing, it was possible to demonstrate a significant difference between diabetic and normal subjects in perception of rectal distension (87.5 +/- 27.5 vs 39.2 +/- 6.5 ml, p less than 0.05; mean +/- SEM) and of stimulus of defecation (147.0 +/- 56.3 vs 52.9 +/- 18.5 ml, p less than 0.001) but not in perception of maximum tolerable volume (343.5 +/- 69.9 vs 322.0 +/- 48.5 ml, p = NS). No relationship was found between these results and the score of autonomic neuropathy and/or duration of diabetic disease. These data suggest that an early involvement of only sensory parasympathetic fibers of ano-rectal complex occurs in diabetic patients without gastrointestinal symptoms.

Intraoperative esophageal manometry: our experience.

In order to improve the results of functional surgical procedures on the esophagus, the authors, after a number of experimental studies, proposed the use of intraoperative esophageal manometry (IEM). The technique was performed for the first time in 1972. IEM has been employed in the course of Heller's cardiamyotomies and Nissen-Rossetti (N-R) fundoplications, respectively, to document the ablation of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) high-pressure zone (HPZ) and to calibrate the pressure of the fundal wrap between values ranging from 20 to 40 mmHg ('hypercalibrated Nissen'). This hypercalibration resulted from the retrospective evaluation of a former series when, at the beginning of our experience, we used to calibrate the fundoplication to pressure values similar to those of a normal sphincter ('normocalibrated Nissen': 10-20 mmHg). This experience, in fact, was followed by a high rate of gastroesophageal reflux (GER) recurrence (28.5%) in the first 12 months after surgery. Since 1985 to date, IEM has been employed in the course of 309 functional surgical procedures on the esophagus. This paper, however, reports on 281 patients: 144 with achalasia treated with Heller's myotomy + Nissen-Rossetti fundoplication and 137 with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GER-D) submitted to Nissen-Rossetti fundoplication. Our data suggest that IEM can be a useful tool in the field of functional surgery of the esophagus, and its routine use seems to be able to improve the postoperative results. In this series, in fact, IEM was able to detect the persistence of an HPZ in 15.2% of apparently complete myotomies, all performed with the aid of intraoperative endoscopy. As regards the manometric calibration of the n-HPZ, our results seem to confirm the validity of the technique, yet some findings still remain unexplained: i.e. two patients with a hypotonic n-HPZ and GER recurrence and two with an n-HPZ, exceeding 20 mmHg with postoperative persistent dysphagia. Finally, we would like to emphasize that the concept of a 'hypercalibrated Nissen' contrasts with the 'floppy Nissen' of Donahue and DeMeester; our wrap is also loose around the esophagus and does not impair the esophagogastric transit.

Baculovirus-expressed herpes simplex virus type 2 glycoprotein D is immunogenic and protective against lethal HSV challenge.

Herpes simplex virus type 2 glycoprotein D (gD2) was cloned and expressed in the baculovirus-Spodoptera frugiperda system. Milligram quantities of glycoprotein were recovered from suspension culture and subjected to purification by ion-exchange and immunoaffinity chromatography. The resultant purified gD existed as a homogeneous 57,500 MW monomeric species demonstrating reactivity with anti-gD monoclonal antibodies including those directed at a non-sequential neutralizing epitope of gD. Immunization of Balb/c mice with doses of 0.1-10.0 micrograms of AlPO4-absorbed gD resulted in elicitation of humoral and cellular responses to both HSV1 and HSV2 as well as to purified gD1 and gD2. Immunized mice receiving an infectious dose of 1 x 10(6) p.f.u. of HSV2 via the footpad route were significantly protected against infection at all doses tested when compared with unimmunized AlPO4 and uninoculated control animals.

Short-term sacral nerve stimulation for functional anorectal and urinary disturbances: results in 40 patients: evaluation of a new option for anorectal functional disorders.

PURPOSE: There are several options in the treatment of fecal incontinence; it is often difficult to choose the most appropriate, adequate treatment. The consolidated experience gained in the urologic field suggests that sacral nerve stimulation may be a further option in the choice of treatment. The aim of our study was to evaluate the preliminary results of the peripheral nerve evaluation test obtained in a multicenter collaborative study on patients with defecatory and urinary disturbances. METHODS: Forty patients (9 males; mean age, 50.2; range, 26-79 years) underwent the peripheral nerve evaluation test, 28 (70 percent) for fecal incontinence and 12 (30 percent) for chronic constipation. Fourteen (35 percent) patients also had urinary incontinence; six had urge incontinence, two had stress incontinence, and six had retention incontinence. Associated diseases were scleroderma (2 patients), spinal injuries (4 patients), and syringomyelia (1 patient). All the patients underwent preliminary investigations with anorectal manometry, pudendal nerve terminal motor latency testing, anal ultrasound, defecography, and if required, urodynamic tests. The electrode for sacral nerve stimulation was positioned percutaneously under local anesthesia in the S2 (4), S3 (34), or S4 (1) foramen unilaterally (1 patient not accounted for because of no response to acute test), based on the best motor and subjective responses of paresthesia of the pelvic floor. Stimulation parameters were average amplitude, 2.8 (range, 1-6) V and average frequency, 15 to 25 Hz. RESULTS: The mean duration of the tests was 9.9 (range, 7-30) days; tests lasting fewer than seven days were not evaluated. There were four early displacements of the electrode. In 22 of the 25 evaluable patients with fecal incontinence, there was an improvement of symptoms (88 percent), and 11 (44 percent) were completely continent to liquid or solid stools, whereas in 7 symptoms were unchanged. Mean number of episodes of liquid or solid stool incontinence per week was 8.1 (range, 4-18) in the prestimulation period and 1.7 (range, 0-12) during the peripheral nerve evaluation test. (P = 0.001; Wilcoxon's signed-rank test). The most important manometric findings were: increase of maximum rest pressure (39.4 +/- 7.3 vs. 54.3 +/- 8.5 mmHg; P = 0.014, Wilcoxon's test) and maximum squeeze pressure (84.7 +/- 8.8 vs. 99.5 +/- 1.1 mmHg; P = 0.047), reduction of initial threshold (63.6 +/- 5.2 vs. 42.4 +/- 4.7 ml; P = 0.041) and urge sensation (123.8 +/- 0.6 vs. 78.3 +/- 8.9 ml; P = 0.05). An improvement was also found in patients with constipation, with reduction in difficulty emptying the rectum, with prestimulation at 7 (range, 2-21) episodes per week and end of peripheral nerve evaluation test at 2.1 (range, 0-6) episodes per week, P < 0.01) and in the number of unsuccessful visits to the toilet, which dropped from 29.2 (7-24) to 6.7 (0-28) per week (P = 0.01). The most important manometric findings in constipated patients were an increase in amplitude of maximum squeeze pressure during sacral nerve stimulation (prestimulation, 63 +/- 0 mm Hg; end of peripheral nerve evaluation test, 78 +/- 1 mm Hg; P = 0.009) and a reduction in rectal volume for urge threshold (prestimulation, 189 +/- 52 ml; end of peripheral nerve evaluation test, 139 +/- 45 ml; P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: In functional bowel disorders short-term sacral nerve stimulation seems to be a useful diagnostic tool to assess patients for a minor invasive therapy alternative to conventional surgical procedure.

Neuromodulation for fecal incontinence: outcome in 16 patients with definitive implant. The initial Italian Sacral Neurostimulation Group (GINS) experience.

PURPOSE: Sacral nerve modulation appears to offer a valid treatment option for some patients with fecal incontinence and functional defects of the internal anal sphincter or of the striated muscle. METHODS: Sixteen patients with fecal incontinence (4 males; mean age, 51.4 (range, 27-79) years) with intact or surgically repaired (n = 1) anal sphincter underwent permanent sacral nerve stimulation implant. Cause was traumatic in two patients, and associated disorders included scleroderma (2 patients) and spastic paraparesis (1 patient); eight (50 percent) of the patients also had urinary incontinence, and two (12.5 percent) had nonobstructive urinary retention. All patients were selected on the basis of positive findings from at least one peripheral nerve evaluation. The stimulating electrode was positioned in the S2 (1 patient), S3 (14 patients), or S4 (1 patient) sacral foramen. RESULTS: Mean follow-up was 15.5 (range, 3-45) months. Mean preimplant Williams score decreased from 4.1 +/- 0.9 (range, 2-5) to 1.25 +/- 0.5 (range, 1-2) (P = 0.01, Wilcoxon test), and the number of incontinence accidents for liquid or solid stool in 14 days decreased from 11.5 +/- 4.8 (range, 2-20) before implant to 0.6 +/- 0.9 (range, 0-2) at the last follow-up. Important manometric data were an increase in mean maximal pressure at rest of 37.7 +/- 14.9 mmHg (implantable pulse generator 49.1 +/- 18.7, P = 0.04) and in mean maximal pressure during squeeze (prestimulation 67.3 +/- 21.1 mmHg, implantable pulse generator 82.6 +/- 21.0, P = 0.09). CONCLUSIONS: Neuromodulation can be considered an option for fecal incontinence. However, an accurate clinical and instrumental evaluation and careful patient selection are required to optimize outcome.