HypoparaNet: A Database of Chronic Hypoparathyroidism Based on Expert Medical-Surgical Centers in Italy.

Hypoparathyroidism is a rare disease characterized by low serum calcium levels and absent or deficient parathyroid hormone level. Regarding the epidemiology of chronic hypoparathyroidism, there are limited data in Italy and worldwide. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to build a unique database of patients with chronic hypoparathyroidism, derived from the databases of 16 referral centers for endocrinological diseases, affiliated with the Italian Society of Endocrinology, and four centers for endocrine surgery with expertise in hypoparathyroidism, to conduct an epidemiological analysis of chronic hypoparathyroidism in Italy. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board. A total of 537 patients with chronic hypoparathyroidism were identified. The leading etiology was represented by postsurgical hypoparathyroidism (67.6%), followed by idiopathic hypoparathyroidism (14.6%), syndromic forms of genetic hypoparathyroidism (11%), forms of defective PTH action (5.2%), non-syndromic forms of genetic hypoparathyroidism (0.9%), and, finally, other forms of acquired hypoparathyroidism, due to infiltrative diseases, copper or iron overload, or ionizing radiation exposure (0.7%). This study represents one of the first large-scale epidemiological assessments of chronic hypoparathyroidism based on data collected at medical and/or surgical centers with expertise in hypoparathyroidism in Italy. Although the study presents some limitations, it introduces the possibility of a large-scale national survey, with the final aim of defining not only the prevalence of chronic hypoparathyroidism in Italy, but also standards for clinical and therapeutic approaches.

Changes in the sensorimotor system and semitendinosus muscle morphometry after arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a prospective cohort study with 1-year follow-up.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the time course of sensorimotor integration processes involved in balance capability during 1-year follow-up after arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. To evaluate whether an association exists between balance performance and semitendinosus muscle morphometry features. METHODS: Twenty-seven patients (mean age 29.6 ± 10.8 years) were prospectively followed with stabilometry and ultrasound at 3 months (T0), 6 months (T1), and 1 year (T2) after arthroscopic ACL reconstruction. Body sway and sensorimotor integration processes were evaluated by calculating the percentage difference of sway (PDS) on two surface conditions. RESULTS: A significant difference in PDS was observed over time (p < 0.001). The interaction "Time × Condition" showed significant differences (p = 0.02), with worse performance on the compliant than the firm surface. There was a significant difference in CSA (p < 0.001), MT (p < 0.001), and %HRD (p < 0.001) over time. The interaction "Time*side" was significant for CSA (p = 0.02) and %HRD (p = 0.01). A negative correlation between PDS on compliant surface and CSA was measured at 3- (r = - 0.71, n = 27, p < 0.001) and 6-month post-surgery (r = - 0.47, n = 27, p = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: Balance was regained within the first 6 months after surgery, while morphometry of the semitendinosus muscle improved mostly between 6 and 12 months in patients who returned to sports activities. Balance capabilities paralleled semitendinosus muscle morphometry improvements. The instrumental assessment of sensorimotor integration processes is relevant in clinical practice as screening tests for primary and secondary prevention of ACL injury. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prospective studies, Level II.

A rare and challenging case of intrapericardial hydatidosis.

BACKGROUND: Hydatid cysts are most frequently located in the liver and lungs and very rarely can be found in the pericardium. Diagnosis and treatment are quite challenging, as the disease can present itself in many forms depending to the location and the complications that it might cause. CASE PRESENTATION: A 22-year-old man presented to our hospital with ongoing dry cough for more than 1 month prior to admission. Other symptoms included chest pain, fatigue, low grade fever, and night sweats, which have worsened in the past 2 weeks. Physical examination revealed normal respiratory and heart function. Chest X-ray demonstrated mediastinal enlargement and left pleural effusion. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography images showed a walled cystic mass lesion measuring up to 56 × 50 mm in close proximity to the upper left atrium, ascending aorta and pulmonary artery, potentially localized in the pericardium, with a 10 mm endoatrial filling defect, findings were compatible with hydatid cyst, left pleural effusion and peripheral pulmonary upper left lobe consolidation. Cardiac involvement was excluded on magnetic resonance imaging and trans-esophageal ultrasound. The patient underwent fine needle aspiration of the affected lung and thoracocentesis. No malignancy was found, meanwhile the biopsy confirmed the presence of pulmonary infarction. In view of the imaging findings were highly suspicious of a hydatid cyst, we performed a test of antibody titers that was negative. The patient underwent left anterolateral thoracotomy, and after the opening of the pericardium, a cystic mass of 5 cm in diameter was found next to the left atrium and in close proximity with the left pulmonary veins. The content of the cyst was completely removed after the surgical area was isolated with gauze impregnated with hypertonic solution (NaCl 10%). The mass resulted to be an echinococcal cyst with multiple daughter cysts within it that did not penetrate/involve (perforate) the cardiac wall. CONCLUSION: Pericardial echinococcosis is a very rare pathology in which a high expertise multidisciplinary approach is required. The compression mass effect caused by the cyst can lead to complications, such as in our case where the pulmonary vein was compressed, leading to pulmonary infarction. The value of radiology studies and transoesophageal ultrasound are very important in the diagnosis. Surgery in these cases is always recommended, but preferred surgical approach is questionable. In cases such as ours, we recommend anterolateral thoracotomy.

Second-Degree Type 2 Atrioventricular Block Requiring Permanent Cardiac Pacing in Patients on CDK4/6 Inhibitors: Report of Two Cases.

Introduction: A wide spectrum of cardiovascular (CV) toxicity is associated with anticancer treatment, and nearly all chemotherapeutic agents can elicit CV toxicity. Inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases 4/6 (CDK4/6Is) have become standard of care in the treatment of hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative metastatic breast cancer (MBC). CV side effects are uncommon with CDK4/6Is and only include QT prolongation, with a low incidence rate. Case Presentation: This paper describes 2 cases of new-onset second-degree type 2 atrioventricular (AV) blocks requiring permanent cardiac pacing involving 2 women with MBC receiving ribociclib or abemaciclib. Both our patients had no known history or risk factors of cardiac disease and a normal 12-lead resting electrocardiogram (ECG) when diagnosed with breast adenocarcinoma. Both patients have been subjected to surveillance for cardiotoxicity with serial ECG and echocardiography. No left ventricular dysfunction or arrhythmia was found during the follow-up, and cardiac biomarkers were normal. Conclusion: To our knowledge, these are the first cases reported in the literature of new-onset advanced AV blocks in patients under treatment with CDK4/6Is, suggesting the clinical relevance of a more frequent ECG monitoring, besides the QT interval, in these patients.

Extraction of a bullet floating in the pulmonary artery after a gunshot wound.

BACKGROUND: Patients with thoracic trauma caused by gunshots face a high risk of death, and medical staff often encounter technical difficulties in resolving these cases. Most gunshot wounds result in an entrance and exit wound. In cases with no exit wound, missiles are seen in other areas with screening radiographs. The bullet may migrate depending on gravity, coughing, swallowing, blood flow, or local erosion. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a teenager who was hospitalized in critical condition owing to a left hemithorax injury caused by an improvised explosive device. The patient underwent two surgeries: an anterior left thoracotomy during which a hole in the myocardium was sutured, and after radiography, anterolateral right thoracotomy was performed, in which a deformed projectile was found at the level of the intermediate right pulmonary artery. CONCLUSIONS: This case highlights the crucial importance of repeated imaging to assess the possibility of projectile migration within the cardiovascular system in similar cases of penetrating injury. Immediate surgery was necessary and very important for the survival of our patient, despite the difficulties presented by this complicated case.

Clusterin in stool: a new biomarker for colon cancer screening?

OBJECTIVES: The identification of useful markers for early diagnosis of human colon cancer is a major goal still in progress. Clusterin is a pleiotropic protein with a broad range of functions. It has recently drawn much attention because of its association with cancer promotion and metastasis. It is involved in prosurvival and apoptosis processes that are carried out by two different isoforms. Secreted clusterin isoform (sCLU) is cytoprotective and its prosurvival function is the basis of the current phase I/II clinical trials against prostate, lung, and breast cancers. We have already shown that in colorectal cancer (CRC) there is an increased expression of sCLU. In this report, we investigated whether sCLU is released in the blood and stool of colon cancer patients in order to study sCLU as a potential diagnostic molecular marker for colon cancer screening. METHODS: The quantitative expression of sCLU was determined by dot blot immunodosage in the serum and stool of CRC patients (n=63) and age-matched controls without clinical history of neoplasia, CRC, or systemic or bowel inflammatory disease (n=50). Unpaired t-tests and Mann-Whitney U-tests were used for continuous variables. The diagnostic performance of clusterin was appraised by means of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: We found a significant increase of sCLU in the serum and stool of CRC patients (P=0.0002 and P<0.000, respectively) as compared with controls. ROC curves provided cutoff points showing a trade-off between sensitivity and specificity. With a cutoff point of 88.5 microg/ml, sCLU in blood showed a 55.6% sensitivity and 100% specificity, and with a cutoff point of 34.6 microg/g, the stool test reached 66.7% sensitivity and 84% specificity in discriminating between nonneoplastic and colorectal neoplastic lesions. Human cancer xenografts in nude mice indicated a positive correlation between increasing serum clusterin level and tumor size. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the potential of clusterin detection in stool to be a valuable tool to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of large-scale clinical cancer screening.

Intrapericardial gossypiboma found 14 years after coronary artery bypass grafting.

BACKGROUND: Foreign body left after surgery surrounded by a foreign body reaction otherwise known as gossypiboma, have been first described in 1884. Although it occurs rarely, it can lead to various complications which include adhesions, abscess formation and related complications. Intrathoracic gossypiboma is a rare but serious consequence of negligence, mainly during abdominal and cardiothoracic surgery that can lead to severe medical consequences. This paper aims to raise awareness among surgeons and nurses in the operating room to prevent such errors and future complications. CASE PRESENTATION: A patient with a history of coronary arterial bypass grafting performed 14 years ago, presented with shortness of breath and dry cough. A chest X-ray revealed a large mass in the left hemithorax. The chest CT demonstrated the presence of a heterogeneous density mass of 11 cm and smooth edges in the middle mediastinum, next to the heart and partially intrapericardial. Because clinical and radiologic evidence revealed presence of a mass, we did proceed with CT guided FNA of the mass. The cytology findings confirmed an inflammatory lesion. Based on patient symptomatology and the evidence of a mass, allegedly compressing the cardiopulmonary structures in vicinity, we performed surgical exploration. An old and degraded piece of surgical swap was found and removed through an anterolateral left thoracotomy. The post-operative course was excellent. CONCLUSIONS: Forgetting surgical swaps during surgery is a medical fault. To avoid them, surgical units should design and implement a surgical inventory process to account for surgical instruments or surgical swaps. Failure to make a proper diagnosis of cases such as these can lead to further health complications in these patients. The iatrogenic foreign material seen as a mass in the radiologic films had not been previously noticed by other health professionals although the patient had undergone X-ray and cardiac ultrasound examinations in the 14 years following coronary bypass surgery. Once the causative agent was identified and removed the patient returned to normal activity.

Anastomotic leakage following laparoscopic resection of low and mid rectal cancer.

PURPOSE: Anastomotic leakage is considered the commonest major complication after surgery for rectal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients who underwent laparoscopic LAR or ULAR for rectal cancer were recruited. The primary outcome was the incidence of the AL during 30 days postoperative. RESULTS: Fifty-nine consecutive patients were included in the study. Fifty-three patients underwent LAR with stapled colorectal anastomoses, while the remaining 6 patients underwent ULAR with hand-sewn coloanal anastomoses. The median duration of operation was 195 minutes (range; 120-315). The defunctioning ileostomy was created in 24 (7%) patients. Overall, there was no recorded mortality. Only 10 (17%) patients developed complications. There were only 4 patients who developed AL. Three patients had a subclinical AL as they had defunctioning ileostomy at the time of the initial procedure, the diagnosis was made by CT with rectal contrast. They were treated conservatively with transanal anastomotic drainage under endoscopic guidance. One patient had a clinically significant AL, demonstrated as a peritonitis. This patient required reoperation during which pelvic abscess was drained, resection of the previous anastomosis, and hartmann's colostomy was performed. CONCLUSION: Standardization of a definition, as well as, criteria for the diagnosis of AL, will help in comparison of the results and the surgical techniques in order to optimize the required care offered to rectal cancer patients. On expert hands, it is feasible to perform a laparoscopic sphincter-saving total mesorectal excision, additionally, it provides the advantages of a clear view of the deep pelvis and facilitates a precise sharp dissection. KEY WORDS: Anastomosis, Anastomotic Leakage, Rectal cancer, Total mesorectal excision.

Evaluation of clinical, laboratory and morphologic prognostic factors in colon cancer.

BACKGROUND: The long-term prognosis of patients with colon cancer is dependent on many factors. To investigate the influence of a series of clinical, laboratory and morphological variables on prognosis of colon carcinoma we conducted a retrospective analysis of our data. METHODS: Ninety-two patients with colon cancer, who underwent surgical resection between January 1999 and December 2001, were analyzed. On survival analysis, demographics, clinical, laboratory and pathomorphological parameters were tested for their potential prognostic value. Furthermore, univariate and multivariate analysis of the above mentioned data were performed considering the depth of tumour invasion into the bowel wall as independent variable. RESULTS: On survival analysis we found that depth of tumour invasion (P < 0.001; F-ratio 2.11), type of operation (P < 0.001; F-ratio 3.51) and CT scanning (P < 0.001; F-ratio 5.21) were predictors of survival. Considering the degree of mural invasion as independent variable, on univariate analysis, we observed that mucorrhea, anismus, hematocrit, WBC count, fibrinogen value and CT scanning were significantly related to the degree of mural invasion of the cancer. On the multivariate analysis, fibrinogen value was the most statistically significant variable (P < 0.001) with the highest F-ratio (F-ratio 5.86). Finally, in the present study, the tumour site was significantly related neither to the survival nor to the mural invasion of the tumour. CONCLUSION: The various clinical, laboratory and patho-morphological parameters showed different prognostic value for colon carcinoma. In the future, preoperative prognostic markers will probably gain relevance in order to make a proper choice between surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Nevertheless, current data do not provide sufficient evidence for preoperative stratification of high and low risk patients. Further assessments in prospective large studies are warranted.

Helicobacter pylori and gastroesophageal reflux disease.

BACKGROUND: The nature of the relationship between Helicobacter pylori and reflux oesophagitis is still not clear. To investigate the correlation between Helicobacter pylori infection and GERD taking into account endoscopic, pH-metric and histopathological data. METHODS: Between January 2001 and January 2003 a prospective study was performed in 146 patients with GERD in order to determine the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection at gastric mucosa; further the value of the De Meester score endoscopic, manometric and pH-metric parameters, i.e. reflux episodes, pathological reflux episodes and extent of oesophageal acid exposure, of the patients with and without Helicobacter pylori infection were studied and statistically compared. Finally, univariate analysis of the above mentioned data were performed in order to evaluate the statistical correlation with reflux esophagitis. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups, HP infected and HP negative patients, regarding age, gender and type of symptoms. There was no statistical difference between the two groups regarding severity of symptoms and manometric parameters. The value of the De Meester score and the ph-metric parameters were similar in both groups. On univariate analysis, we observed that hiatal hernia (p = 0,01), LES size (p = 0,05), oesophageal wave length (p = 0,01) and pathological reflux number (p = 0,05) were significantly related to the presence of reflux oesophagitis. CONCLUSION: Based on these findings, it seems that there is no significant evidence for an important role for H. pylori infection in the development of GERD and erosive esophagitis. Nevertheless, current data do not provide sufficient evidence to define the relationship between HP and GERD. Further assessments in prospective large studies are warranted.

Dynamics of liver trauma: tearing of segments III and IV at the level of the hepatic ligament.

The liver is the most commonly injured intra-abdominal organ. Liver mass is the key factor in determining the extent of the inertial force and consequently of damage in the case of sudden deceleration. In this respect, high-speed accidents usually produce characteristic lesions where the III-IV segments tear at the level of the hepatic ligament causing grade I-III liver injuries. The pathophysiology of such traumas is the subject of the present contribution. All trauma patients who sustained a blunt abdominal injury from January 1 to December 31 2004 were identified by the trauma registry at the Policlinico di Tor Vergata In order to select high-speed and sudden deceleration traumas, clinical records were reviewed for demographics, severity of injury, severity of liver injury, associated concomitant injuries, and management scheme. The grade of liver injury was determined on the basis of the initial CT or the intraoperative findings. A total of 159 patients who incurred abdominal injuries due to blunt trauma were identified. In 14 (8.8 percent) one or more liver lesions were associated. Among the low-grade injuries, 3 were grade I, and 8 grade II. Forty percent were high-grade injuries consisting in 6 grade III and 1 grade IV. We observed no grade V or grade VI injuries in this series. The most frequent occurrence was a tear between hepatic segments III and IV caused by the acute impact of the liver on the hepatic ligament. A hepatic injury caused by the round ligament was diagnosed intraoperatively in 1 out of 5 liver trauma patients (20 percent) and preoperatively in 4 out of 5 (80 percent) in our one-year abdominal blunt trauma series. Our clinical contribution underlines the high frequency of such lesions that seems to be related to, and characteristic of, high-speed trauma. In these cases immediate deceleration due to the impact may be a relevant factor in the pathophysiology of the lesion.

Blunt abdominal trauma following gunshot wound Case report and literature review.

Blunt abdominal trauma following gunshot wound. Case report and literature review Introduction: Similarly to blast weapons, every firearm produces explosion at the moment of shooting, which can cause injuries in every region of the body. The aim of this paper is to present the mechanism of blunt abdominal injury following gunshot wounds, bringing this uncommon disease to the clinicians' attention and to review the literature available. CASE REPORT: A patient developed a delayed bowel perforation following a gunshot injury of the abdomen without breaking of the peritoneum. It was clinically suspected eight hours later and confirmed with contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan. The patient underwent immediate laparotomy. Resection, end-to-end anastomosis, and large lavage of the peritoneal cavity was performed. The patient was discharged ten days after operation in good condition. CONCLUSION: Failure to recognize blunt trauma mechanism following firearm wounds increases the risk of missed injuries. Distant injuries should be suspected in all cases after blast wave and firearms exposure and a follow up should be done for many days to make sure such injuries are excluded. CT scan total body is recommended in all such cases. Key words: Blunt trauma, Distant Injuries, Firearm injuries, Pressure Waves.

Stool test for colorectal cancer screening: what is going on?

Given the increasing incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC), performing new and cost-effective stool tests is of particular importance for early diagnosis and treatment. In the present review, we describe the main characteristics, and the performance of the most recently developed stool tests in the screening setting of colorectal tumoral diseases. Most of the studies reported high sensitivity both for adenomas and CRC diagnosis; less than half studies reported also high specificity with respect to stage and localization of the tumor. However, the performance of every single test was extremely variable, reaching >95% specificity for most of DNA-based markers, although lacking sensitivity even in case of invasive CRC. A new potential stool marker of colon cancer is clusterin, a protein of particular interest for its high sensitivity and positive predictive value in patients with highly aggressive CRC.

Delayed diagnosis and treatment of high grade blunt pancreatic trauma. Case report and review of literature.

INTRODUCTION: Despite technological advancement, high grade pancreatic injuries following blunt abdominal trauma continues to remain a disease that is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates, particularly in cases of delayed diagnosis. The aim of this paper was the presentation of delayed diagnosis and treatment peculiarities of high grade pancreatic trauma and a review of literature. CASE REPORT: A 55-years old man, involved in motor vehicle crashes, was referred to our level I trauma center. Hemodynamically stable. Abdominal physical exam, laboratory and focused abdominal sonography for trauma were normal. First total body multidetector CT scan, performed only after 24 hours, showed almost complete left pneumothorax, left third to fifth rib fractures and subcutaneous emphysema. Left chest tube was applied. On the eighth post-traumatic day, the general condition of the patient started to deteriorate. The patient showed abdominal pain, fever, nausea, vomiting, and bilateral flank ecchymosis. Only the third CT scan performed, on twelfth day, after the peritoneal signs, changes in blood and biochemical parameters appear, we revealed linear laceration and hypo-attenuation area of the neck and a part of distal body pancreas. In laparotomy fat necrosis, giant retroperitoneal abscess, necrosis of the neck and distal body of the pancreas, was found. Distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy was performed. Postoperative course with extensive wound infection and necrotic leakage from peripancreatic drain was complicated. The patient was discharged two months after his operation without any events. CONCLUSION: On time diagnosis of pancreatic trauma, especially in polytrauma patients, continues to remain a challenge for trauma surgeons. Main pancreatic duct injury is an important prognostic factor and the major one determining therapeutic approaches. Adequate surgical approaches decrease morbidity and mortality in pancreatic trauma. KEY WORDS: Delayed diagnosis, Distal pancreatectomy, Pancreatic blunt trauma.

In situ preservation of the partathyroid glands in total thyroidectomy: a propensity score matched analysis.

AIM: Severe hypocalcemia due to parathyroid gland damage may be a serious complication after thyroidectomy. In order to save parathyroid integrity we developed a no-touch parathyroid (NTP) thyroidectomy technique. METHODS: We performed a total extracapsular thyroidectomy with NTP technique in consecutive 50 cases of benign goiter between July 2014 and June 2015. Parathyroid glands were firstly indentified, then they were separated from the thyroid avoiding manipulation or trauma and preserving their vascularization. Traditional scissors were preferentially used for dissection around the glands. Patients operated with NTP technique were matched by a propensity score to a control group. RESULTS: NTP was feasible in all foreseen patients except one. Propensity score selected a group of 23 patients/group for matching. No mortality has been observed in either group. Operative time were comparable between groups. Blood loss were significantly less abundant in the NTP group. No laryngeal permanent paralysis was experienced. Hospital stay was shorter yet not significantly in NTP group. Neither hypocalcemic crisis nor permanent hypoparathyroidism were described in either group. Serum calcium levels (NTP Vs control) were significantly higher in NTP group at day 1 (p=0.03) and day 2 (p=0.002), respectively. Similarly, intact parathormone dosages were significantly higher at day 1 (p=0.004) and day 7 (p=0.001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that NTP thyroidectomy is a feasible in the majority of the patientsand, allows a significant reduction of blood loss without prolonging the operative time. After the procedureboth values of calcemia and intact parathormonewere stable and no hypocalcemic crisis was experienced. KEY WORDS: Parathyroid, Hypoparathyroidism, Hypocalcemia, Total thyroidectomy.

Intraoperative continuous intestinal loop warming technique A prospective randomised trial.

AIM: The aim of this study is to evaluate if the Intraoperative Continuous Intestinal Loop Warming (ICLW) is a valid trick to decrease the postoperative paralytic ileus. METHODS: The subjects were patients who underwent emergency open abdominal surgery for either benign or malignant diseases. Patients were divided into two groups; group A patients who was secluded for ICLW, and a control group B who was not secluded for ICLW. The primary outcomes were the time of recovery of bowel movement, 30 days postoperative mortality and morbidity, morbidity was graded by the Clavien-Dindo classification of surgical complications. Secondary outcomes were operative time, and length of hospital stay. RESULTS: A total numbers of 100 patients were randomly assigned in this prospective study. The mean time of bowel function recovery in the group A was 41.52 hours, whereas for group B was 67.20 hours, these differences were statistically significant with a P value < 0.05. In group B the bowel function recovery for 64% of the patients took between 72-96 hours furthermore, the longest time for peristaltic recovery was 96 hours which was only observed in patients of group B. There were no intra-operative complication in both groups. There is no difference in the two groups in term of 30 day postoperative morbidity. CONCLUSIONS: Intra-operative continuous intestinal loop warming technique is a simple, safe and low cost technique. It seems that intra-operative continuous intestinal loop warming technique maintain tissues hydration and conserve the body temperature limiting the stress response and help in decreasing the incidence of postoperative paralytic ileus. KEY WORDS: Paralytic Ileus, Postoperative Care, Warming.

Use of virtual reality simulator in the training of postgraduated surgical residents.

AIM OF THE STUDY: The purpose of this research project, granted by the Italian University and Scientific Research Ministry (MIUR) and carried on among four Surgical Departments in Padua, Verona, Pisa and Rome-Tor Vergata Universities, is to study the effectiveness of a virtual reality simulator as a tool for surgical residents training and as a method for measuring the surgical skills. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The residents performances on the computer were compared with those obtained by other training groups: medical students with no surgical background, senior surgeons with experience in the laparoscopy field and non medical students with referred ability in videogames. The residents were also sent to a well certified live animal laboratory where they could perform a cholecystectomy in a pig. Their operation was assessed by two independent observers using a new scoring methods for assessing the operative errors. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences among the groups could be seen only after several tasks sessions and in the more surgical specific tasks. The first data analysis shows a fair correlation between the residents rank positions after the training tasks on the simulator and those obtained in the surgical operation. CONCLUSION: Even if the data are not conclusive and the surgical simulators must develop greater levels of fidelity and operational diversity, the potential value of simulation in the educational surgical field appears to be impressive.

Massive intestinal infarction following retroperitoneoscopic right lumbar sympathectomy.

The adverse physiological effects of pneumo and retro-peritoneum are relatively well known. However, the clinical implications of compromised mesenteric circulation through several mechanical and physiological mechanisms are not as well recognized. We describe a fatal case of intestinal infarction following an elective retroperitoneoscopic right sympathectomy. The patient was a 88-year-old man who died 30 hours after an uneventful anesthesia and right endoscopic lumbar sympathectomy. An emergency explorative laparotomy revealed a massive intestinal infarction due to thrombosis of the superior mesenteric artery. We reviewed the literature on laparoscopic procedures and mesenteric ischemia. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of intestinal infarction following retro-pneumoperitoneum. We conclude that the presence of a severe multidistrectual? arteriopathy may represent a major risk factor in retroperitoneoscopic procedures.

Transitional challenges of Medicine and Surgery in Albania.

Data on the State of Art of Medicine and Surgery in Albania, are given in this short survey. From recent epidemiological data, conditioned by high rate of migration and territory problems, to problems arising from lack of technological supports and important changes in medical education. An analysis that we could do from the observatory of our Medical School, and international one, based on a strict collaboration among an international professor staff, mostly coming from Italian Universities, particularly the University of Rome, "Tor Vergata", co-founder of the "Catholic University Our Lady of Good Counsel" (UCNSBC). The integration between academics in UCNSBC and health personnel in health care offers some interesting opportunities in research. The recognized limited technological supports create the possibilities to adjust and ameliorate health care services, with the aim of a more convenient distribution of the available resources. KEY WORDS: Academic education, Albania, Epidemiology, Health education.

Color-Doppler sonography in chronic venous insufficiency: what the radiologist should know.

Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is a pathologic condition caused by valvular incompetence, with or without associated venous outflow obstruction, which may affect both the superficial and the deep venous system, causing venous hypertension and stasis. The most common form of CVI is primary varicose veins due to the insufficiency of the saphenous system. Color-Doppler sonography (CDS) is actually the main diagnostic technique of imaging for CVI. In this article, we describe the anatomy, the technique, and the information necessary to the radiologist to perform CDS in chronic venous insufficiency. The knowledge of the venous anatomy is the cornerstone for an adequate sonographic examination. The venous network in the lower extremities is divided into three systems: superficial, deep, and perforating veins. Deep veins are "comitantes" to the corresponding arteries and run under the muscular fascia. Superficial veins course into the subcutaneous fat, superficially to the deep muscular fascia; the main superficial veins are the greater and lesser saphenous and their tributaries. Connection between the saphenous veins are defined as communicating veins. Superficial and deep veins are connected by perforating veins, with flow directed, under normal circumstances, from the superficial to the deep system. The main perforating are the Hunter in the mid thigh, the Dodd in the lower thigh, the Boyd in the upper calf, and the Cockett's in the middle and lower calf. Sonographic examination must be performed in the upright and supine position. Compression sonography and color and PW Doppler are systematically employed to assess the absence of deep venous thrombosis. Femoro-popliteal veins are evaluated with color and PW Doppler for valvular insufficiency with reflux by performing Valsalva maneuver and calf compression. The sapheno-femoral and sapheno-popliteal junctions are examined to identify type of junction, continence, accessory saphenous, and incompetent collaterals. Perforating veins are usually identified at the medial aspect of the thigh and at the medial, lateral, and posterior aspects of the leg. Outward flow (lasting more than 500 ms) in the perforating veins should be considered a sign of their incompetence. Several surgical and interventional procedures are now available for the treatment of the CVI, as follows: vein ligation and stripping, stab avulsion, endoluminal occlusion of the saphenous trunks, subfascial endoscopic perforator surgery, and valvuloplasty.