Impact of COVID-19 on hand surgery in Italy: A comparison between the Northern and the Southern regions.

The aims of this study were to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency and elective hand surgery in four Italian regions that had either a high (Lombardy and Piemonte) or a low (Sicilia and Puglia) COVID-19 case load to discuss problems and to elaborate strategies to improve treatment pathways. A panel of hand surgeons from these different regions compared and discussed data from the centers they work in. The COVID-19 pandemic had an enormous impact on both elective and emergency surgery in Italy, not only in highly affected regions but also - and paradoxically even at a higher extent - in regions with a low COVID-19 case load. A durable and flexible redesign of hand surgery activities should be promoted, while changing and hopefully increasing human resources and enhancing administrative support. Telematics must also be implemented, especially for delivering rehabilitation therapy.

Which distal anastomosis should be used in PTFE femoro-tibial bypass?

AIM: The PTFE prosthesis represents an alternative to the autologous saphenous vein in femoro-tibial revascularization for limb salvage in the absence of venous material in the patient. The aim of our study is to confirm the validity of PTFE revascularization and determine the best distal anastomosis in terms of patency using 3 different techniques. We carried out a retrospective analysis, evaluating patients who underwent PTFE femoro-tibial revascularization for critical ischemia. METHODS: Between January 1998 and June 2002 we performed 46 femoro-tibial revascularizations at the Vascular Surgery Division of the Poliambulanza Hospital in Brescia using a PTFE prosthesis, from a total of 192 infrainguinal revascularizations (24%). All patients presented a critical ischemia, with trophic lesions or gangrene in 76% of the cases (35/46) and who were previously treated unsuccessfully with medical therapy. Seventeen cases (36%) were a redo bypass due to previously failed revascularization. In all cases the saphenous vein was not available due to past peripheral or coronary revascularization (45%), saphenectomy (20%) or inadequate diameter (35%). The distal anastomoses were performed on the peroneal artery in 29 cases, on the anterior tibial artery in 14 cases and on the posterior tibial artery in 3 cases. The distal anastomosis was performed by interposing a segment of vein between the prosthesis and the tibial artery in 12 cases; in 22 cases the interposition was performed using a vein patch, and in the remaining 12 cases a PTFE prosthesis provided with a premanufactured expanded anastomosis (Distaflo(c)) was used. RESULTS: Average follow-up was 22.5 months (range: 3-48 months). The primary and secondary patency rate at 48 months, calculated with the Life table method, was 35% and 47%, respectively. Limb salvage in the same time period was 56%. Depending on the anastomosis performed (Distaflo(c), vein patch, distal vein) we obtained a secondary patency rate of 31%, 62%, and 44% respectively after 48 months with a significant difference between distal vein patch and the other two anastomoses (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The PTFE bypass on the tibial artery performed for limb salvage in the absence of a saphenous vein represents a valid alternative to other types of prostheses with a patency percentage that is acceptable in the medium term. Within our study population, anastomosis by vein patch interposition gave better results than other types of tibial anastomosis.

Morbidity and mortality related to anesthesia outside the operating room.

Morbidity and mortality related to sedation or anesthesia outside the operating room has not been investigated so far, but it is assumed to be a relevant problem because the increasing needs for sedation/analgesia in remote locations for a wide range of diagnostic and operative procedures (endoscopy, radiology, magnetic resonance...) and the lack of monitoring, inadequate training of personnel,insufficient staffing. Many complications could occur to patients, like anaphylactic shock,accidental hypothermia,difficult airway maintenance, aspiration,nausea and vomiting, and anesthesiologists, like exposure to pollution, radiation, electromagnetic fields, falls and trauma. Recent guidelines and personal experience are presented and discussed.

Left-sided inferior vena cava in patients submitted to aorto iliac surgery. Our experience and review of the literature.

We present two cases of left sided inferior vena cava, one unexpectedly observed during an operation of aorto bifemoral bypass in a patient with severe Leriche syndrome and almost complete obstruction of the infrarenal aorta, the second in a patient with an aneurysm of the abdominal aorta, in whom the anomaly was recognized before the operation. This very rare congenital malformation (0.2-0.5%) was not recognized in the first patient by the duplex scanner performed preoperatively, probably because of the low level of suspicion carried on by an experienced operator. Computer tomography angiography or magnetic resonance angiography, which would have surely shown us the anomaly, were not done in the first patient because, in the lack of an aneurysmal disease or other abdominal pathological situations, these investigations were not required before operation. The possible hazards of such an unrecognized malformation are great, mostly in terms of uncontrollable intraoperative hemorrhages, but the final outcome of this case was positive.

Superior mesenteric and renal artery embolism during PTA and re-stenting of infrarenal abdominal aorta. Report of a case and review of the literature.

The authors report a case of acute superior mesenteric and right renal artery embolism that occurred during an interventional radiological procedure on the abdominal aorta of a young diabetic woman. The onset of a severe abdominal pain during the procedure evoked the clinical suspicion of intestinal ischemia related to the dislodgement of atheroembolic material into the mesenteric artery; the event was correctly diagnosed, but the surgical therapy was delayed by many hours because of the fact that the patient was in a peripheral hospital of the region and had to be transferred to our institution. Fortunately in spite of the considerable delay, the operation was fully successful, probably because of the favourable location of the embolus, which allowed collateral splanchnic circulation to maintain a good metabolic balance.

[Propofol and remifentanil in day surgery]. / Propofol e remifentanil in chirurgia di giorno.

AIM OF THE STUDY: to compare AG versus MAC using propofol & remifentanil in a day surgery setting evaluating intra and postoperative clinical conditions and emergence times. METHODS: Propofol and remifentanil, either for general anesthesia (AG) then conscious sedation (MAC), have been administered to 218 patients undergoing mainly plastic or proctologic surgery as day hospital. AG was induced with propofol 1.5-2 mg/kg followed by a continuous infusion of 10 mg/kg/h and remifentanil infused at 10 micrograms/kg/h; MAC was started with propofol 3 mg/kg/h and remifentanil 4-5 micrograms/kg/h; during the maintenance phase of both AG and MAC, infusion rates of both drugs were adjusted according to clinical needs. Diazepam (0.05-0.06 mg/kg) and/or midazolam (2-3 mg) were given as premedication or coinduction as necessary. All patients received field infiltration with local anesthetics (lidocaine or mepivacaine); patients under GA were artificially ventilated with O2/air through IOT or LMA. Surgical and anesthesiological data were collected on specially designed records, with special attention to time intervals between anesthesia (FA) and surgery (FC) end and eyes opening (EO), orientation (OR), return of spontaneous breathing (SR), extubation (EST), sitting (SED), walking (CAMM), dressing (VEST) and discharge (DIM); data were analyzed with parametric and non parametric analysis of variance. RESULTS: All emergence intervals were longer under AG than under MAC: the earlier in the range of 4-5 vs 0.5-1 min; for the late intervals; FA-SED 24 +/- 18 vs 15 +/- 8, FA-PIED 65 +/- 48 vs 34 +/- 17, FA-VEST 69 +/- 58 vs 33 +/- 17, FA-CAMM 68 +/- 42 vs 39 +/- 19. Discharge times (83 +/- 67 vs 73 +/- 60) were similar between the two groups. Drugs consumption under AG were roughly double than under MAC; total dose infused of propofol (mg/kg/min) 0.118 +/- 0.044 vs 0.06 +/- 0.036; total dose of remifentanil (microgram/kg/min): 0.106 +/- 0.049 vs 0.066 +/- 0.027. AG resulted in a higher % incidence of intraoperative hypotension and bradycardia: hypotension 61.7 vs 25.7 and bradycardia 30.3 vs 12.4. SaO2 decreased more commonly during MAC than AG (20.9% vs 10.1); intraoperative itching was referred in 20% of MAC patients. Conversions rate from MAC to AG was 2.8%. Psychomotor agitation was more frequent following AG (14%) than MAC (2%); nausea (1%), vomiting, shivering (12%), headache (2%), ortostatic hypotension (2%) were similar between the two groups. Diazepam and/or midazolam caused a significant prolongation of recovery intervals, for both AG and MAC with a mean delay of the order of 100-200%. CONCLUSIONS: Propofol- remifentanil gave excellent conditions for a wide variety of day surgery procedures, offering good anesthesia with quick emergence; the addition of bdz, even at low doses, prolongs significantly discharge times.

A comparison of 2% and 1% formulations of propofol for the induction and maintenance of anaesthesia in surgery of moderate duration.

This study, conducted in 110 patients undergoing surgery of moderate duration, compared the pharmacodynamic equivalence, efficacy and safety of 1% and 2% formulations of propofol. Anaesthesia was induced with propofol 2 mg.kg-1 given over 40 s and supplementary bolus injections of propofol were given if needed. There were no significant differences between the groups in mean induction times, total induction doses of propofol, frequency and mean duration of apnoea, fentanyl requirements or mean recovery times (times to eyes opening and to orientation). Isolated statistically significant group differences in systolic and diastolic blood pressures and heart rates during induction were not considered clinically significant. Discomfort on injection occurred in 40% and 52% of those given 1% (n = 55) and 2% (n = 55) propofol, respectively; there was no statistically significant group difference in severity. No major adverse effects were reported. This study showed that the 2% formulation has a similar safety and pharmacodynamic profile to the 1% formulation.

Post stenotic aneurysm of the inferior mesenteric artery: case report and discussion.

A case of post stenotic aneurysm of the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) is reported. This case underlines the importance of a correct diagnosis by instrumental methods such as Duplex Scanner, CT and Arteriography, mainly when the first diagnosis is aneurysm of the abdominal aorta (AAA). Our patient showed, furthermore, the occlusion of the celic axis, of the superior mesenteric artery and of both hypogastric arteries; thus his intestinal vascularization was represented, from the gastric fundus until the rectum, only by the inferior mesenteric artery and its collateral network. The operation consisted in the resection and reimplantation of the vessel on the left side of the terminal abdominal aorta, after removal of the dilated segment. This location was chosen because of the coexistence of a mild dilatation of the aorta of 2.8 cm and considering possible aortic surgery for AAA in the future.

[Myasthenia and muscle relaxants]. / Miastenia e miorilassanti.

Eighteen myasthenic patients have been operated on under general anaesthesia; 14 subjected to thymectomy and 2 to emergency procedures (caesarean section and laparotomy because of intestinal obstruction). Atracurium (0.3 mg/kg) and vecuronium (0.06 mg/kg) exhibited a long duration of action only in the two cases affected by the more severe signs and symptoms of the disease.

[Isoenzymes of lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, creatine kinase. Possible use as tumor markers]. / Isoenzimi della lattato deidrogenasi, fosfatasi alcalina, creatin-chinasi. Possibilità di impiego come markers tumorali.

The electrophoresis of serum isoenzymes in cancer pathology at different stages has enabled us to recognise for LDH4 and LDH5, characteristics of sensitivity in all stages, with positivity greater than 60% in the advanced and multiply metastasized stages or with interference from other pathologies; to reveal portions pathologically heavy like FAST (46%); to reveal atypical bands (BB and MIT), as well as the values for normal or really low enzymatic activity. Through the elevated sensitivity and the high percentage of positivity, the isoenzymes LDH4 and LDH5 can be considered tumour markers and superior in validity to the conventional markers.

ORG NC45 for short intra-abdominal operations: a comparison with succinylcholine.

ORG NC45 was compared with succinylcholine to produce muscle relaxation for short, intra-abdominal operations in 40 patients during nitrous oxide-oxygen-enflurane anaesthesia. Intubating conditions after ORG NC45, 100 micrograms/kg, were similar to those after succinylcholine 1 mg/kg, although this was achieved at a mean time of 229.9 +/- 10.8 sec compared with 129.8 +/- 14.2 sec after succinylcholine. Muscle relaxation during surgery, mean duration 32.5 minutes, was provided in the succinylcholine group with an infusion and in the ORG NC45 group by repeated boluses, 10 micrograms/kg, which were required in four patients. At the end of surgery ORG NC45 was antagonized with atropine, 17 micrograms/kg, and neostigmine, 36 micrograms/kg, which were repeated in two patients. Postoperative recovery of neuromuscular function was indistinguishable between the two groups. We conclude that ORG NC45 is a suitable relaxant for short, intra-abdominal operations if sufficient time, three to four minutes, is allowed to produce good intubating conditions.

[Problems with anesthesia and intensive therapy in pheochromocytoma. A review of 25 cases]. / Problemi di anestesia e terapia intensiva nel feocromocitoma.

A retrospective assessment is made of 25 cases of pheochromocytoma operated between 1970 and 1979. Three of the more complicated cases are discussed in detail. Actual and potential complications are described and a form of monitoring is proposed. The conclusion is expressed that correction of the pathological haemodynamic situation by expansion of the blood volume and the administration of alpha and beta blocking agents is of greater consequence in successful management than the anaesthesiological technique employed.