[The management of confirmed cases of Covid-19 infection in schools: the experience of the prevention Department of the Azienda Sanitaria Friuli occidentale in the Pordenone area]. / L'attività del Dipartimento di prevenzione ASFO nella gestione dei casi confermati di Covid-19 nelle scuole del territorio pordenonese.

The SARS-Cov-2 pandemic that exploded in 2020 resulted in an exceptional school closure involving at least 188 countries worldwide, leaving more than 90% of children at home. This event excluded children and teenagers from the opportunity to learn, socialize, experiment and increased early school leaving. In light of these premises, during the summer months of 2020 the Azienda sanitaria Friuli Occidentale (AsFO) decided to set up a working group to accompany schools in the prevention and containment of the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 infection in the course of the school year 2020-21, with the aim of guaranteeing the right to study and favoring teaching activities in presence in the highest conditions of health and safety. The school reality of the Pordenone area is made up of 40 Comprehensive Institutes for a total of about 206 school complexes of all levels (public, equal and private). In total, the local school population is about 33,000 pupils and 4,000 units of school staff (teachers, ATA, etc ...). The activities of the Schools Group were analyzed by monitoring all interventions with carrying out rapid antigen tests at school and by assessing the incidence of infections within schools. From September 2020 to June 2021, the AsFO Schools Group participated in about 35 teaching colleges and more than 10 dedicated meetings with the families of school pupils of all levels. In total, 170 interventions with rapid antigen tests were carried out at school, involving all the schools in the Pordenone area and a total of 206 classes. During the interventions at school, a total of 6,370 rapid antigen tests were carried out, of which 70% concerned pupils (4,458 total tests) and 30% concerned school staff (1,912 total tests). The antigen tests carried out at school found 173 total positivity (equal to 3% of all tests carried out at school). Out of 173 positives found, 121 are students (70% of the total) and 52 are school staff (30% of the total). During the observation period, the results of the interventions with rapid antigen tests carried out at school led to the continuation of the teaching activity in the presence (with respect to the hygiene and behavioral measures defined by the DP) in 69% of cases (118 interventions). In 9% of cases (15 interventions) the "cross" quarantine was carried out, while in 17% of cases (29 interventions) the quarantine was established for the entire class / section. In 7 circumstances, following the intervention at school, quarantine was established for several classes. Only in 4 circumstances was the institution of quarantine for all school staff, a situation that led to the interruption of all educational activities for the quarantine period.

Evans Syndrome: A case report.

We describe a case of a 14-years old caucasian female affected by autoimmune hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia successfully treated with intravenous immunoglobulin and steroids. Nevertheless, neutropenia occurred during follow-up period. Positivity of direct antiglobulin test and sieric anti-neutrophil antibodies suggested the diagnosis of Evans syndrome trilineage.

Ischemic necrosis with sigmoid perforation in a patient with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE): case report.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic inflammatory rheumatic disease which affects the connective tissue. Its etiology is as yet unknown, while its pathogenesis involves the immune system. Both genetic and environmental and hormonal factors play a key role in the impaired immune regulation. A correlation with estrogens is demonstrated by the fact that the greatest incidence is found in young women, when estrogen secretion is at its highest. The disease is also reported to worsen in women taking oral contraceptives. It is therefore believed that the components of oral contraceptives, estrogens (ethinyl estradiol) and progestins, can affect the immune profile. Of the various complications attributed to systemic lupus erythematosus, gastrointestinal disorders are less common but potentially by far the most serious. We report a case of ischemic necrosis with sigma perforation in a patient with SLE. Signs and symptoms of acute abdomen in patients with SLE are rare (0.2%), but serious. Most patients require an exploratory laparotomy, as the causes are often linked with vasculitis.

Long-term outcomes following "presumed" total parathyroidectomy for secondary hyperparathyroidism of chronic kidney disease.

AIM: The most efficacious surgical treatment for renal hyperparathyroidism is still subject of research. Considering its low incidence rate of long-term relapse, "presumed" total parathyroidectomy without autotrasplantation (TP) may be indicated for secondary hyperparathyroidism (2HPT) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), not eligible for kidney transplantation. The aim of this study was to analyse the TP long-term results in 2HPT haemodialysis (HD) patients. METHOD: Between January 2004 and October 2009, 25 2HPT HD patients, not eligible for kidney transplantation, underwent TP of at least four parathyroid glands. Clinical status and intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) serum levels were assessed intraoperatively and during a 36-month follow-up. RESULTS: TP improved the typical clinical symptoms and a significant reduction of iPTH serum levels was achieved in each patient. Aparathyroidism was never observed; in case of severe postoperative hypocalcemia, hypocalcemic seizures were never reported and the long-term recurrence rate was 8%. Only one patient received a kidney transplantation. Postoperative cardiovascular events (hypertension, peripheral artery disease, arrhythmia, coronary or cerebrovascular disease) were observed in 32% of cases and mortality rate was 16%. CONCLUSIONS: Considering its low long-term relapse rate and the absence of postoperative aparathyroidism, TP may still be considered the treatment of choice in patients with aggressive forms of 2HPT or of advanced dialytic vintage, with no access to renal transplantation. In case of postoperative hypoparathyroidism, hypocalcaemia can be effectively managed by medical treatment.

Integrated treatment of secondary hepatolithiasis. Case report.

Hepatolithiasis is defined as the occurrence of stones proximal to the biliary confluence and represents a prevalent disease in South East Asia being uncommon in Western countries. Biliary sepsis, hepatic abscesses and cholangiocarcinoma are considered potential complications. The Authors describe a case of a 68 years male patient affected by a left massive intrahepatic lithiasis secondary to common duct stones and associated to acute pancreatitis. The patient refused surgery and was submitted to a conservative transhepatic percutaneous treatment. After a complete removal of intrahepatic stones and a positioning of external internal biliary drainage (14F), a laparoscopic cholecistectomy was performed. The MRI control showed a complete resolution of the intrahepatic lithiasis. Conservative transhepatic percutaneous approach to hepatolithiasis represents a safe and effective treatment allowing good medium-long term results. Surgery is recommended in case of severe hepatic fibrosis or atrophy, suspected cholangiocarcinoma or multiple strictures with biliary distorsion. Integrated therapeutical protocols in referral multidisciplinary centers-offers the best long term results.

[Anastomotic configuration as a risk factor in the recurring onset after intestinal resection for Crohn's disease: our point of view]. / La configurazione anastomotica quale fattore di rischio nell'insorgenza di recidiva dopo resezione intestinale per morbo di Crohn: nostro punto di vista.

Crohn's disease is an inflammatory chronic intestinal disease characterized of an high level of postoperative recurrence. Actually surgical treatment is not decisive; patients can undergo several operations during their lives, running the risk of coming up against the syndrome of short bowel. The main disease frequently appears in the segment ileo-caecal, while the site more often affected by the recurrence seems to be the stump close to the anastomosis. General, local and not specific factors should influence the recurrence level. Among the general factors, cigarette smoking would have a leading role in the recurrences onset. Giving up smoking and a treatment with 5-ASA (amino-salicylic acid) help to reduce the risk of Crohn's recurrences after surgery. During the treatment of this pathology the wide intestinal resections are not justified because the anastomotic recurrence after resection seems to be influenced not by the presence of remaining lesions but by the type of realized anastomosis. Although they disagree about the type of anastomosis to adopt, the authors agree identifying the anastomotic stenosis as the main factor which determines the recurrences. Stenosis, in fact, determining fecal stasis and, therefore, the increase of the pressure at the intestinal wall level, causes ischemia of this same wall. Ischemia puts up the risk of fistulas and anastomotic dehiscence. The mechanical or manual ileo-colic side-to-side anastomosis, assuring a wide lumen, drops to the minimum the risk of stenosis compared with the end-to-end and end-to-side configurations. And then, the side-to-side ileo-colic anastomosis avoiding the intestinal compartmentation between ileo and colon, guarantees less reflow in the small bowel of bacteria and colic metabolite. In this way the inflammatory process which brings to the fresh outbreak of the disease on the mucosa of the near anastomotic head faints. In the light of this thesis, most of the authors, including the writer, agree about making the side-to-side anastomoses in the intestinal resections for the Crohn's disease.

[The gold standard in the treatment of haemorrhoidal disease. Milligan-Morgan haemorrhoidectomy vs Longo mucoprolapsectomy: comparing techniques]. / Il gold standard nel trattamento della malattia emorroidaria. Emorroidectomia secondo Milligan-Morgan vs mucoprolassectomia secondo Longo. Tecniche a confronto.

AIM: Although mucosectomy according to Longo was a real revolution in the treatment of haemorrhoidal disease, Milligan-Morgan haemorrhoidectomy, maintaining the characteristics of a technique which is physiopathologically efficacious and easily performed, is still the procedure of choice in some clinical conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate which of the two techniques, Milligan-Morgan haemorrhoidectomy and Longo mucoprolapsectomy, could be considered the gold standard in the treatment of haemorrhoidal disease. METHODS: From March 2002 to October 2006, in the VII Department of General Surgery of SUN, we compared two groups of 26 patients each: one treated with Milligan-Morgan haemorrhoidectomy, the other one with Longo mucoprolapsectomy. Among the patients treated with traditional technique, 16 were suffering from grade III haemorrhoids and prolapse, while the other 10 from grade IV haemorrhoids and prolapse. The group treated with stapler was composed of 10 patients affected by grade III haemorrhoids and prolapse, while the other 16 were patients complaining for grade IV haemorrhoids and prolapse. For both groups of patients the follow-up lasted 12 months; they were controlled at 1 week, 1 month, 6 months and 1 year after the operation. RESULTS: The level of pain measured with a visual analogue scale (VAS) was always higher in the group treated with traditional technique. In 69% of the patients treated with stapler and in 59% of those treated with open technique there was the first defecation within postoperative day 2. The return to normal activity was earlier in patients who underwent Longo technique. Among the patients treated with traditional technique, 7.7% had postoperative bleeding, 15.4% at the 6-month control, suffered from anal fissure with associated high pressure of anal sphincter and tenesmus and 7.7% showed a recurrence after 1 year. In the group treated with Longo technique, 11.54% of the patients had a postoperative haemorrhage at the 6-month control, 7.7% showed substenosis, 3.84% of the patients felt tenesmus; in 3.84% of the cases a perianal extra-sphincteric fistula was evident. At 1 year control, 11.54% of the patients showed recurrences. CONCLUSION: The conclusion is drawn that it does not exist any indication for the Longo technique; however, it seems to give the best results in grade III haemorrhoids with prolapse, without sphincteric implications.

[Diagnosis and treatment of gallbladder and common bile duct stones: our experience]. / Diagnosi e trattamento della calcolosi colecisto-coledocica. Nostra esperienza.

AIM: The aim of this study was to verify the possibility to identify and treat common bile duct (CBD) stones by means of preoperative magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with a reduction of postoperative complications. METHODS: We have carried out a retrospective monocenter analysis of 104 consecutive patients who underwent a laparoscopic or open cholecystectomy performed by a single surgeon at the VII Division of General Surgery, Second University of Naples, between 2002 and 2006. Before the operation, we have performed highly selective studies like MRCP and ERCP to identify and treat CBD stones in patients affected by pancreatitis, jaundice, high liver function tests or in case of common bile duct dilation at the US examination, without intraoperative cholangiography. RESULTS: Of 104 patients with indication for a cholecystectomy, 22 patients (21.2%) presented high levels of cholestasis tests; 13 patients (12.5%) presented common bile duct dilation at the US examination (>6 mm diameter). Both groups underwent a MRCP which was positive in 8 patients (7.7%), confirming the diagnosis of common bile duct stones. For these reasons we removed CBD stones using preoperative ERCP. CONCLUSION: Preoperative ERCP and RMCP, without intraoperative cholangiography, is not associated with a significant increase in morbility/mortality associated with CBD stones before surgical treatment.

[Diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines for entero-cutaneous fistulas. Personal experience and literature review]. / Orientamenti diagnostico-terapeutici nel trattamento delle fistole enterocutanee: esperienza personale e review della letteratura.

The entero-cutaneous fistulas (ECF) are abnormal communications between intestine and abdominal skin. They can occur spontaneously, or after an injury or a surgical procedure. They are associated with a high rate of morbidity and mortality. Spontaneous fistulas can mainly occur in patients affected by cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticulitis, appendicitis, as a result of radiotherapy or injuries. Surgical procedures, carried out in case of neoplastic diseases, inflammatory bowel disease, adhesions removal, represent the primary cause in the development of a postoperative fistulas. Malnourishment, poor general conditions of the patient, high output fistula along with anatomical site of development, and the presence of abscesses, represent the negative factors influencing the spontaneous healing of fistulas. The experience reported here is about three ECF cases occurred after surgery and treated only with medical therapy. The first case is a woman in good general conditions who underwent surgery to remove a recurrent retroperitoneal myxoid liposarcoma situated in the right lower quadrant. The patient had never undergone surgery for an intestinal resection. The other two patients analyzed were affected by sepsis and metabolic unbalance and had developed a fistula after colonic resection. Fluids and electrolytes adjustments and sepsis management have preceded any other kind of therapy. Continuous infusion with somatostatin, fast, proton pump inhibitors and loperamide have been taken up to decrease secretions and intestinal motility. Total parenteral nutrition has been essential to recover nutritional status and improve patients' general conditions. In order to heal and protect peri-fistula skin we have used sterile washing solutions, absorbable ionic exchange resin, silver and polyurethanes based medications and colostomy bags adhesive systems. Since surgical treatment of ECF is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality, conservative treatment should always be taken into consideration. When conservative treatment fails, delayed surgical intervention has been related to a higher rate of success. The purpose of this study is to describe diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines to general surgeons, like ourselves, whenever they have to deal with ECF cases.

[Minilaparotomy versus laparoscopy in the treatment of cholelithiasis: our experience]. / Minilaparotomia versus laparoscopia nel trattamento della litiasi biliare: nostra esperienza.

The traditional biliary surgery has undergone some transformations to patient's advantage. Nowadays the open-surgery of cholelithiasis is inclined to reduce the incision to 5-6 cm and to perform a transverse one to respect the anatomy of abdominal wall. From July 2002 to April 2006, 82 cholecystectomy (53 minilaparotomy cholecystectomy, and 29 laparoscopic cholecystectomy) have been performed in our institution. The two groups are homogeneous for age, sex, BMI, ASA. Among the patients who underwent a minilaparotomy cholecystectomy we observed a quick recovery of normal activities already 24 hours from the operation, a hospital stay of 24-48 hours and an excellent esthetic result. The minilaparotomy approach is, in our opinion, similar to laparoscopic for short and long time results. Nevertheless, according to medical literature, our first choice is for laparoscopic approach and we prefer laparotomy approach in selected clinical conditions.

[Nearly total thyroidectomy: versus total thyroidectomy: our experience]. / Tiroidectomia quasi totale versus tiroidectomia totale. Nostra esperienza.

AIM: Generally, the classification of thyroidectomy as benign pathology is: multinodular toxic goitre, simple goitre, toxic adenoma, Base-dow disease, Hashimoto's tyroiditis Subtotal thyroidectomy provides for the removal of the gland except for a bilateral residue of about 6-10 g, near total thyroidectomy provides for the near total removal of the gland except for a residue inferior to 5 grams. Near total thyroidectomy has taken the place of the subtotal thyroidectomy. METHODS: In two years, in our institute, there have been exeuted: 96 near total thyrodectomies, 96 total thyroidetomies, 8 lobectomies ad two revues for recurrencies. RESULTS: In 2 cases there have been haemorrhagies after nearly total thyroidetomy. Only in 1 case we practiced tracheotomy for follicular carcinoma infiltering thiroidic cartilage. In 2 cases treated with nearly total thyroidetomy and in 4 cases treated with total thyroidetomy, there has been temporary hypoparathyroidism. In no case treared wih nearly total thyroidetomy and in 2 cases treated with total thyroidetomy, there has been permanent hypo-parathyroidism. In 5 cases treated with total thyroidetomy and in no case treated with nearly total thyroidetomy, there has been, monolateral, temporary paralysis of the inferior laryngeal nerve that solved in 6 months for 3 patients and in 2 months for 2 patients. CONCLUSIONS: There has not been permanent paralysis of the mono or bilateral inferior laryngeal nerve. Even if the surgical approach to the benign disease is now orientated to the total thyroidectomy, a more conservative surgery is, in our opinion, justified when a malignant pathology is excluded and considering also the low effect of recurrencies and hypothyroidism.

Carcinoid of the vermiform appendix. Description of three clinical cases and review of the literature.

Carcinoids of the appendix represent a separate class of tumours with characteristics that vary between benign (adenomas) and malignant (carcinomas) neoplasias. A recent nomenclature identifies them as diffuse neuroendocrine system (DNS) and/or, parallely, as neuroendocrine tumours (NET): the gastroenteric tract is the site of about 64.3% of carcinoids, followed by the respiratory tract with 25.3%. Among the gastrointestinals, tumour of the small intestine is the one with the highest incidence with 28.5%, followed by the appendix with 4.77%, the rectum with 13.6% and the stomach with 4.6%. Carcinoid of the colon has an incidence of 8.62%, with the caecum which alone represents 34.5% of colic localisations. The 3 cases described are an example of the behavioural unpredictability of intestinal carcinoids. The first case is that of a female patient in whom the primary tumour was only discovered after liver metastasis was documented. The second case regards a girl who, at admission, presented a picture of acute abdomen with the symptomatological characteristics of acute appendicitis. She was submitted to an appendicectomy. Subsequent investigations carried out in the postoperative period documented the presence of liver metastasis at the V and VI liver segments. The last case, similar to the second from certain points of view, shows the need to carry out a right hemicolectomy with removal of locoregional lymphnodes in the event of an appendicular carcinoid >2 cm. Both laboratory and instrumental examinations contribute to the diagnosis of intestinal carcinoid. The main laboratory examinations are based on the measurement of serotonin and urinary 5-hydroxy-indolacetic acid. First level instrumental examinations for the diagnosis of intestinal carcinoid are represented by CT with and without contrast medium, diagnostic endoscopy and, to better highlight the presence of locoregional metastases, scintigraphy with octreotide and PET. An alternative treatment of liver metastases other than surgery is most certainly chemoembolisation. This latter treatment has also proved very effective as a neoadjuvant treatment for liver metastases before subjecting the patient to liver resection. Treatment with somatostatin, on the other hand, proved effective in controlling tumour secretion, so attenuating the inconveniences of carcinoid syndrome.

Uncommon left hepatic duct injury during laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is currently the gold standard in the treatment of symptomatic gallstones but has been shown to have a higher incidence of biliary tree lesions (0.3-1%) compared with reported traditional open approaches. Loss of three-dimensional view and of depth perception is the main limit of the laparoscopic approach, especially if particular risk factors are associated (e.g., postinflammatory fibrosis, anatomic variations). Moreover, inadequate training may justify the increase of biliary tract lesions. The authors describe a unique case of left hepatic duct clipped without section of the duct itself during an otherwise "easy" operation. At the reintervention, because of the favorable local condition, a reconstruction was possible after a small duct resection with a ductal-hepatic anastomosis over a T-tube. This was removed after 8 months because of the good patency of the biliary tree and the absence of cholestasys. A long-term follow-up is mandatory for a complete functional evaluation.

[Role of the anterior resection in the surgical treatment of rectal cancer. Review of the literature]. / Il ruolo della resezione anteriore nel trattamento chirurgico del cancro del retto.

In the surgical treatment of rectal cancer, local recurrence has a high incidence up to 40% of cases. The introduction of stapling techniques permit the execution of conservative surgery with increasing frequency, to which are wrongly associated a major rate of local recurrence. In effect in the localization of midrectal cancer, at the same stage, the abdominoperineal resection and the anterior low resection have the same long term results. Residual disease is due to no removing lymphatic perivisceral tissue (mesorectum, pelvic lymphatic cell tissue), when is respected a distal clearance from the tumour's margin of 2 cm. The authors on the base of their experience and reported data, examine pathogenetic factors responsible for local recurrence and curative surgical principles. Anterior resection remains the elective operation in midrectal cancer when it is realized with completely removal of mesorectum and with "en bloc" abdominopelvic lymphadenectomy in selected cases. In Duke's C-D stages the preservation of sphincters is always to be preferred, because abdominoperineal resection doesn't assure a curative result with a better quality of life in low anterior resection.

[Morgagni-Larrey hernia: surgical treatment with Marlex. A case report]. / L'ernia di Morgagni-Larrey: trattamento chirurgico con protesi di Marlex. Descrizione di un caso.

The authors described a case of hernia of Morgagni-Larrey in aged patients with an acute sub-occlusive symptomatology. This type of diaphragmatic hernia is uncommon and characterized by an aspecific symptomatology which realize different problems in children and adult patients, in whom diagnosis can be made incidentally, executing analysis for other pathologies. Using Marlex mesh to repair hernia represents an improvement of surgery, because it enables to repair a great hernia with a better result, and no recurrence.

[Fecal incontinence and rectal prolapse. Clinico-functional assessment]. / Incontinenza fecale e prolasso rettale. Valutazione clinico-funzionale.

Rectal Prolapse is a rare and distressing condition, with a multifactorial etiopathogenesis. Often, this pathology is associated with fecal incontinence. The recommended approach to the patient with rectal prolapse and fecal incontinence is to repair the prolapse first, then deal particularly with fecal incontinence at a second operation. A retrospective, clinical and manometric study has varying degrees of fecal incontinence. Clinically five of their operation, and a further three patients improved, in two patients the degree of fecal incontinence remained invariable. One patient was worsened after surgery. Manometrically resting and pressure (RAP) was significantly higher in continent patients than in voluntary contraction pressure (MVCP) (p < 0.05) in preoperative testing. Postoperatively, there was a significant increase in the resting anal pressure as well as in maximum voluntary contraction pressure. Patients who remained incontinent had a significantly lower RAP and MVCP than patients who improved our regained continence. In conclusion this study shows an alteration of internal and external sphincteric function in patients with rectal prolapse. The surgical treatment of this disease improves sphincteric function. Incontinent patients with RAP < 10 mmHg and MCVP < 20 mmHg, probably they would be better treated simultaneously either for rectal prolapsus and incontinence. In this kind of patients the perianal proctectomy with total sphincteroplasty could be the elective treatment.

[Giant Spigelian hernia associated with inguinal hernia. Repair with polypropylene prosthesis]. / Ernia di Spigelio "gigante" associata ad ernia inguinale. Riparazione con protesi di polipropilene.

Spigelian or lateral ventral hernia is a rare pathology, representing about 2% of all abdominal wall hernias. This kind of hernia can be found in the area limited from the umbilicus and anterosuperior iliac spine, near the lateral edge of the rectus abdominis. The authors describe a rare case of "giant" Spigelian hernia related with homolateral direct inguinal hernia. A seventy-year-old and obese patient had a painless huge intumescence in the right side of periumbilical area, and besides--he had a homolateral direct inguinal hernia. Abdominal computerized tomography visualized a hernial gap, which diameter is larger than 7 cm, in pararectal subumbilical site and a wide herniated bowel in interaponeurotic site. This double hernial pathology has been treated in an only solution, placing an only subfascial polypropylene prosthesis, overlapping both hernial defects. The authors believe prosthetic "tension free" repair, previous suture of the defect, represents a gold standard in the treatment of Spigelian hernia. Such refined technique allows an effective repair especially when aponeurotic defect is out of size and/or is related with subsequent homolateral hernia, also allowing an early patient's rehabilitation.

[Surgical treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism]. / Il trattamento chirurgico dell'iperparatiroidismo secondario.

BACKGROUND: Surgical treatment in the patient effected by secondary hyperparathyroidism consists in subtotal parathyroidectomy or total parathyroidectomy plus autotransplantation of parathyroid tissue. METHODS: The results obtained with surgical treatment of 6 patients observed in the years 1995-1996 are analyzed. Two glands were hyperplastic in four patients, 3 in the others. Every patient was submitted to a subtotal parathyroidectomy. RESULTS: Postoperative course was marked by transient hypoparathyroidism in one case. After 18 months of follow-up, no recurrences were observed. CONCLUSIONS: It is pointed out that in case of secondary hyperparathyroidism subtotal parathyroidectomy represents the surgical treatment of choice, according with literature data. Otherwise total parathyroidectomy plus autotransplantation, characterized by a more complex surgical technique, lead to the same results.

[Multidisciplinary treatment of hepatocarcinoma]. / Il trattamento multidisciplinare dell'epatocarcinoma.

Radical treatment of the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is complete surgical removal; it may be done by resection or total hepatectomy. Although multicentric carcinogenesis predicts that liver transplantation is likely adequate to treat both the hepatoma and the underlying cirrhosis, it doesn't seem justified in the advanced stages or in absence of end-stage liver disease and therefore liver resection remains the treatment of choice for radical cure of HCC. However, low resectability and high recurrence rate make surgery alone ineffective. Unresectable HCC may be converted to resectable by multimodality radiation/chemotherapy, and embolization of portal branch feeding tumour, improving the function of the nonembolized liver, can extend the surgical indications for HCC. Adjuvant chemoembolization has already shown to reduce recurrence rate after radical resection and it should be widely applied. In unresectable or not converted HCCs as well as in postoperative recurrence, alternative therapies, particularly as multimodality treatment, can improve survival rate. To date, multidisciplinary treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma, waiting for further studies on newer modalities (prevention and gene therapy, especially), represents the best way to improve long-term results.

[Role of intraoperative cholangiography in videolaparoscopic cholecystectomy]. / Il ruolo della colangiografia intraoperatoria in corso di colecistectomia videolaparoscopica.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy represents elective the treatment of symptomatic lithiasis of gallbladder, due to advantages of shorter hospitalization and lower cost. The evolution of technological instruments permits today an easy and rapid execution of intraoperative cholangiography (IC). Therefore the elective or selective application of IC is debated, because of the effective determination of iatrogenic lesions and the real possibility of diagnosis for unknown lithiasis of biliary tract. Some authors agree that anatomic lesions cannot be prevented by IC, because 50% of its occur during the surgical dissection to prepare structures of Calot's triangle to make cholangiography. On the other hand the early diagnosis of iatrogenic lesions is fundamental for the results. The previous biliary symptomatology (jaundice), the elevation of biochemical parameters of biliary function (bilirubinemia, transaminase and alkaline phosphatase) and the dilatation of biliary ducts represents the indication to IC. The examination is also recommended in case of difficulties of dissection due to inflammatory process, to clarify the anatomy with more safety. Finally, the technique is well defined. The choice of patients is made on the basis of surgeon's opinions but we think that a good selection of patient is the only chance to perform IC with the best results.