["Heart transplantation program" in Piedmont. Results of a 3-year activity]. / "Programma trapianto di cuore" della Regione Piemonte. Risultati dopo tre anni di attività.

Since 1990 the "Heart Transplant Program" has been instituted in the Piemonte Region. Until now the program had regular development according to the number of transplantations and the high quality of clinical results. Sixty heart transplantations has been performed with a 36 month survival close to 80%. Our data demonstrate that after heart transplantation prognosis of end-stage cardiac disease is highly improved either for life expectancy and for quality of life. Our program includes several aspects of scientific research from physiology to clinic, from biochemistry to immunology, from infectivology to pathology, from intensive care to surgery. Several very positive multi disciplinary investigations have been activated.

Trigeminal neuralgia: evaluation of percutaneous neurodestructive procedures.

The treatment of trigeminal neuralgia (TN), which is resistant to medical therapy, has benefited from many surgical techniques. It is not possible, in light of the present level of knowledge, to establish exactly which method is the most suitable. It does, however, seem significant that certain side effects appear, in varying percentages, in all kinds of operations. In 13 years, 2,094 patients suffering from TN have been treated by the authors with percutaneous Gasserian neurolysis, 128 patients with radiofrequency trigeminal neurolysis, and 1,966 with selective ethanolic trigeminal neurolysis (SETN). Our experience treating TN with controlled increments of ethanol by means of a needle introduced through the oval foramen in the Gasserian ganglion is related here. The tip of the needle is accurately placed among the roots desired under fluoroscopic control. The clinical effects on the conscious patient of a prognostic block with local anesthetics are evaluated before producing the neurolysis. Follow-up has been long enough to show that SETN is a highly selective procedure, which shouldn't be underrated in the centers that use it routinely.

[Current treatment of tetanus patients in intensive therapy]. / Trattamento attuale del tetano in terapia intensiva.

A brief survey of recent criteria for evaluation of the seriousness of toxicity and infection in tetanus is followed by the examination of a series of cases of average severity. The method employed in their therapeutic management is described, and an account is given of its advantages and the possibility of complications. The mortality rate for the years 1974-1978 is also reported.