[Pancreatic cancer. Analysis of 149 cases in our 17-year experience]. / Il carcinoma del pancreas. Analisi di 149 casi in 17 anni di esperienza.

The Authors analyse a series of 149 consecutive patients with carcinoma of the pancreas or the periampullary region. Curative surgical treatment was achievable in 55 patients, palliative procedures included surgery in 68 patients; biliary decompression with endoscopic or percutaneous procedure in 25 patients and chemotherapy in one patient with lymphoma. Perioperative complications consisted in gastroplegia (33%), pancreatic fistula (22%), biliary fistula (7.3%), abdominal abscess (5.5%) and hemoperitoneum (1.8%). Five patients died within 30 days after surgery (9%). The overall median postoperative survival was 37, 29 and 21 months in papillary, choledochal and pancreatic cancer, respectively.

[Postoperative course after laparoscopic surgery of the upper abdomen]. / Il decorso postoperatorio nella chirurgia laparoscopica dello spazio sovramesocolico.

Laparoscopic techniques in general surgery have become a widely accepted method, especially for treatment of symptomatic gallstone disease. Many reports have investigated the indications, contraindications, equipment, techniques and outcome of laparoscopic procedures. However, as yet, relatively few studies have discussed the problems concerning patient's monitoring and care during the postoperative course. In the present paper, the authors review the pertinent literature analyzing the management of the postoperative period after laparoscopic surgery of the upper abdomen. Obviously, most data have regarded cholecystectomy, that is the most frequent procedure. Surgical laparoscopists have utilized knowledge deriving from gynecological experience, but these procedures are generally short and performed on young, otherwise healthy female patients. On the contrary, laparoscopic digestive surgery shows both gastrointestinal and peculiar general problems. These procedures are frequently performed on older patients who may have pre-existing diseases and require longer periods of peritoneal insufflation. During surgery of the upper abdomen, the pneumoperitoneum and the patient's operative position produce haemodynamic and respiratory changes coupled with acid-base disturbances. Intraabdominal hypertension causes a venous stasis along the inferior vena caval territory that can lead to a decrease in cardiac preload and in cardiac output. Usually, a compensatory increase in peripheral vascular resistance ensures normal or mildly high values of arterial tension. Furthermore, a hypercapnia and a mild mixed acidosis can develop as a result of the concomitance of different pathogenetic factors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Malignant tumors in the head of the pancreas and the periampullary region. Diagnostic and prognostic aspects.

This paper analyzes the value of ultrasonography (US), computerized tomography (CT) and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) to establish the location, nature and resectability of carcinomas of the pancreatic head and of the periampullary region. The prognostic importance of certain pathological factors in relation to survival was also evaluated. As regards the site of origin, 112 cases with carcinoma were classified as follows: 56 pancreatic, 32 ampullary, 10 common bile duct, and 14 undefined. Papillary tumors were more accurately defined by ERCP compared to CT+US (p = 0.033), whereas CT was less accurate than US+ERCP (p = 0.05). No significant differences were found in pancreatic and common bile duct tumors. Pathological confirmation was obtained with ERCP in 54 cases (46% pancreatic, 69% papillary and 50% common bile duct). In the remaining 58 patients (including 1 chronic pancreatitis) the diagnosis was confirmed with percutaneous or intraoperative biopsy. Tumor extent was better defined by US+CT. In 42 resected patients the final pathological examination revealed an error of preoperative staging in 79% pancreatic, 59% papillary, and 83% common bile duct tumors. Tumor size, nodal status, perivascular, capsular and portal vein infiltration proved to be significant prognostic factors for pancreatic tumors. Stepwise regression identified tumor size, capsular infiltration and perivascular invasion as the most important covariates for survival. Ulceration, papillary histotype, pancreas and Oddi muscle infiltration, grading, perineural, lymphatic and vascular involvement were found to be significant in papillary tumors. The Cox proportional hazard model showed that pancreatic, Oddi muscle, perineural infiltration, and histologic type respectively represent a relative risk of 5.93, 107.36, 21.31, 20.61. The limited number of cases of common bile duct primary did not allow us to carry out statistical analysis on these tumors.

Nine years' experience with end-to-end arteriovenous fistula at the 'anatomical snuffbox' for maintenance haemodialysis.

One hundred and seventy-seven end-to-end arteriovenous fistulas were created at the 'anatomical snuffbox' between 1 January 1972 and 31 December 1980. The survival rate of the fistulas was 83.1 per cent at 1 year and 46.3 per cent at 6.5 years; 10.2 per cent failed immediately. Local and general complications were virtually absent. Forty fistulas stopped functioning after a period varying from 10 days to 6.5 years following the operation. The main cause of late failure (50 per cent) was aneurysm formation due to repeated needle venepuncture at the same site and subsequent obliteration of the upper venous segment. The end-to-end anastomosis seems to be preferable to other techniques because of the absence of local vascular complications and a lower risk of cardiac embarassment. The 'anatomical snuffbox' site is convenient and spares the proximal vessels for reoperation if necessary.

[Role of the delayed hypersensitivity skin test in surgery]. / Il ruolo dei test cutanei di ipersensibilità ritardata in chirurgia.

The correlation between state of preoperative immunity assessed by in vitro test and the onset of postoperative septic complications has been evaluated. 153 patients subjected to surgery of choice have been examined. Before the operation cutaneous delayed hypersensitivity tests with recall antigens (streptokinase-streptodornase, purified tuberculoprotein and candidine) were carried out. 111 patients were classed as immunologically normal (at least one positive test) and 42 were anergic (no positive test) Among the former, 12 cases (10.8%) showed post-surgical septic complications, while among the latter, fully 24 (57%) suffered from infectious processes. It is concluded that, although numerous factors make patients prone to infection during the postoperative course, immunitary conditions play a very important part. Prophylactic measures are therefore suggested for anergic patient prior to surgery, measures that are essentially represented by parenteral support feeding and immunostimulation.

[Behavior of plasma enteroglucagon and neurotensin in obese patients subjected to biliopancreatic bypass]. / Comportamento dell'enteroglucagone e della neurotensina plasmatici in soggetti obesi sottoposti a bypass biliopancreatico.

Biliopancreatic bypass for obesity entails a 2/3 distal gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y reconstruction, being the small bowel transected at its midpoint and the enteroenteroanastomosis place 50 cm proximal to the ileocecal valve. Neurotensin and enteroglucagon fasting and meal-stimulated plasma concentrations were determined in 13 nonobese healthy volunteers, in 13 nonoperated obese patients, in 11 subjects within two months, in 12 subjects four to twelve months and in 7 subjects fifteen to twenty months after operation. Basal plasma enteroglucagon was significantly higher in the obese group than in the controls. However, there was no difference in the peak response, and a decrease, though not statistically significant, was seen in the integrated response. All three values were strikingly augmented in the 0-2 month group, with a highly significant difference from the preoperative group. The 4-12 and 15-20 month groups, in comparison with the 0-2 month group, showed no changes in fasting levels, a clear-cut decreased peak response and a sharp progressive reduction in integrated response, mean value in the 15-20 month group being significantly lower than that of 0-2 month group. Neurotensin basal and meal-stimulated peak plasma concentrations in the obese group were significantly higher than in the control group, whilst the integrated response was almost identical in the two groups. In postoperative groups no substantial changes in fasting levels and an increase in the peak response were observed, with a considerable progressive rise in the integrated response.

[Behavior of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) after surgical operations]. / Il comportamento degli acidi grassi non esterificati (NEFA) dopo intervento chirurgico.

The behaviour of free fatty acids after surgery under general anaesthesia was examined. There was a significant increase in blood NEFA values over the baseline on the 1st and 2nd postoperative days in both absolute and percentage terms, followed by a return to preoperative levels on the 3rd day. It is suggested that this increase may play a part in the establishment of postoperative depression.