[Reciprocal supraventricular paroxysmal tachycardia in pregnancy. Apropos of a case]. / Tachicardia parossistica sopraventricolare reciprocante in gravidanza. A proposito di un caso.

The authors report a case of paroxysmal supraventricular reciprocal tachycardia, associated with transient Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome in a 25-year-old woman, without heart disease, at 31 weeks gestation. The arrhythmia was successfully converted to sinus rhythm by intravenous flecainide. After delivery the arrhythmia and pre-excitation syndrome spontaneously disappeared and were not observed yet during the 6 months follow-up. Pregnancy may predispose patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome toward paroxismal supraventricular reciprocal tachycardia. The management of a similar case is discussed.

[Endometriosis of the large intestine. A report of 2 clinical cases]. / Endometriosi del grosso intestino. Descrizione di due casi clinici.

Intestinal involvement of endometriosis requiring treatment is 5%, but only 0.7% needs intestinal resection. The authors report two cases of colic endometriosis and illustrate problems in diagnosis and management of this disease. Usually intestinal endometriosis takes the form of asymptomatic superficial serosal implants, encountered incidentally at laparotomy for other diseases, but it can also result in obstruction and occasionally bleeding. Any premenopausal woman with episodic bowel symptoms associated with gynecologic complaints should be suspected of endometriosis of the colon. Diagnosis can be suspected by double-contrast enema examination and colonoscopy with biopsy, although neither is likely to establish the diagnosis with certainty. In fact there are no radiologic or diagnostic imaging findings that are specific for endometriosis and unequivocal diagnosis requires microscopic examination. Differential diagnosis includes primary carcinoma of the colon and other benign diseases (pelvic inflammatory disease, diverticulitis, inflammatory bowel disease, pelvic abscess, polyps, etc.). The treatment of patients with uncomplicated, but symptomatic gastrointestinal endometriosis depends on the age of the patient and her childbearing attitude. Resection of the affected bowel should be done in patient with pain, bleeding, changes in bowel habits and intestinal obstruction and it is necessary to avoid neglecting a malignant tumor. Total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral oophorectomy is the treatment of choice in the perimenopausal and menopausal women. In symptomatic women desiring children the only resection of involved colon may be appropriate treatment. In these subjects hormonal therapy can be useful.

[A rare congenital malformation: genu recurvatum. Presentation of a case]. / Una rara malformazione congenita: il genu recurvatum. Presentazione di un caso.

The authors report a case of congenital genu recurvatum: a rare malformation characterized for abnormal hyperextension of knee and wide limitation of flexion. Pathogenesis, clinical pictures and therapy are described.