Clinical and surgical relevance of the progressive phases of intrathoracic migration of the gastroesophageal junction in gastroesophageal reflux disease.

OBJECTIVE: The pathophysiologic influence of progressive intrathoracic migration of the gastroesophageal junction axial to the esophagus on gastroesophageal reflux disease was investigated. METHODS: A radiologic-manometric study was performed on hiatal insufficiency, concentric hiatus hernia, and short esophagus, the three radiologic steps of intrathoracic gastroesophageal junction migration, and on healthy volunteers. The distances between inferior and superior margins of the lower esophageal sphincter and the diaphragm were measured. Endoscopic, manometric, and pH-metric evaluations were performed after barium swallow in 38 patients with severe gastroesophageal reflux disease and sliding hiatus hernia with intraabdominally reducible gastroesophageal junction, in 35 patients with hiatal insufficiency, in 40 with concentric hiatus hernia, and in 19 with short esophagus. RESULTS: The distance from the lower esophageal sphincter inferior margin to the diaphragm was different in healthy volunteers (-2.6 +/- 0.9 cm [standard deviation]) versus that in patients with hiatal insufficiency (-1.0 +/- 0.7 cm; p = 0.02), concentric hiatus hernia (-0.8 +/- 1.0 cm; p = 0.02), and short esophagus (4.0 +/- 2.5 cm; p = 0.0002), and in patients with short esophagus versus hiatal insufficiency (p = 0.0002) and concentric hiatus hernia (p = 0.0002). Lower esophageal sphincter tone was reduced between healthy volunteers (19 +/- 9.1 mm Hg [standard deviation]) and patients with sliding hiatus hernia (12 +/- 7.2 mm Hg;p = 0.02), hiatal insufficiency (10 +/- 5.9 mm Hg; p = 0.0001), concentric hiatus hernia (7 +/- 3.1 mm Hg; p = 0.00002), and short esophagus (7 +/- 3.7 mm Hg; p = 0.00003) and between concentric hiatus hernia versus sliding hiatus hernia (p = 0.007). Acid gastroesophageal reflux total time percent was increased between healthy volunteers (2.4% +/- 1.8% [standard deviation]) and patients with sliding hiatus hernia (12.8% +/- 7.8%;p = 0.02), hiatal insufficiency (17.2% +/- 15.8%; p = 0.0001), concentric hiatus hernia (24.0% +/- 19.6%;p = 0.00002), and short esophagus (26.1% +/- 19.6%;p = 0.00002) and between sliding hiatus hernia versus concentric hiatus hernia (p = 0.002) and short esophagus (p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Permanent gastroesophageal junction orad migration axial to the esophagus has greater pathophysiologic relevance on gastroesophageal reflux disease than sliding hiatus hernia with an intraabdominally reducible gastroesophgeal junction. Hiatal insufficiency, concentric hiatus hernia, and short esophagus are markers of progressively increasing irreversible cardial incontinence and therefore indications for surgical therapy.

Tracheobronchial ruptures due to cuffed Carlens tubes.

At our institution in the past 22 years, more than 3,000 patients have undergone chest procedures, and 2,700 of them were intubated with a cuffed Carlens endotracheal tube. In this paper we report on 5 patients with tracheobronchial ruptures caused by intubation with these tubes. We believe this hazard should be brought to the attention of physicians.

[The role of lymphadenectomy in the surgical treatment of cancer of the left colon and rectum]. / Il ruolo della linfectomia nella terapia chirurgica del cancro del colon sinistro e del retto.

The study of 89 cases of left colon and rectum cancer treated with oncology lymphectomy of II and III level, permits to confirm the main role of this surgical practice for a right tumoral stadiation. It's also confirmed the therapeutic role of lymphectomy with a 5 years follow-up, with a rescue of C1 cases, without a significative advantage of the extension to the III level.

[The surgery of non-small-cell bronchogenic carcinoma in stage IIIA. An analysis of 150 treated cases]. / La chirurgia del carcinoma broncogeno non a piccole cellule in stadio IIIA. Analisi di 150 casi trattati.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The authors report the findings of a retrospective study made of 150 cases of bronchogenic non-small-cell carcinoma at stage IIIA. METHODS: Of the 150 patients treated 130 were male and 20 female. The mean age of the population examined was 55, with a minimum of 28 and maximum of 76. The techniques of exeresis used were pneumonectomy in 70 cases (33.3%) (simple in 50 cases--33.3% and intrapericardial ligation of pulmonary vessels in 20--13.3%), lobectomy in 61 cases (40.6%), lobectomy with associated atypical resection in 9 cases (6%), atypical resection in 6 patients (4%) and bilobectomy in 4 (2.6%). RESULTS: The 5-year survival rate was 16.9%. It was also found that the 5-year survival rate was 20.7% higher for epidermoid carcinoma compared to other histiotypes. The technique used also influenced survival and subjects undergoing pneumonectomy presented a 5-year survival of 29.7% compared to 26.8% for lobectomies associated with atypical resection. CONCLUSION: Surgery of bronchogenic carcinoma at stage IIIA has not obtained promising results in terms of survival. However, no other alternative treatment permits an average 5-year survival rate of 15% to be achieved.

[Thoracic injuries and resuscitation. Case reports and critical review]. / Traumi del torace in rianimazione. Contributo casistico e revisione critica

A series of 68 chest injuries treated at the Resuscitation and Intensive Care Unit. S. Orsola Policlinic, Bologna, between May 1967 and December 1973 is presented. Treatment was given by the staff of the anaesthesia and resuscitation service and the chest surgery section, 2nd Surgical Clinic, University of Bologna. The types of case observed and the treatment methods employed are bierfly explained, together with the clinical and statistical data. Emphasis is laid on the relation between clinical course and blood gas values. The value of tracheostomy and protracted intubation is discussed, together with the utility of antalgic and psychosedative management. The increased frequency of bronchopneumonic complications is noted. Encouraging results obtained by surgical stabilisation of movable flaps by means of Kirschner wires are reported. While this method admittedly requires thoracotomy, this in itself has the advantage of enabling existing pleural and pulmonary lesions to be repaired.

[Surgery of cancer of the right colon. Analysis of 265 cases]. / La chirurgia del cancro del colon destro. Analisi di 265 casi.

The analysis of 265 selected cases of right colon cancer treated over a long period of time allows a number of points to be raised. Attention is drawn to the lack of progress made in diagnostic techniques, but this is thought to be due primarily to the vagueness of symptoms and their scarse investigation rather than to limits imposed by instrumental techniques. Moreover, no real benefit would be produced by a more aggressive approach using visceral or lymphatic exeresis. An earlier diagnosis of tumours due to differentiation, slow growth and rare association with adenoma should allow more encouraging results to be achieved.

[Pulmonary metastasis of malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. Review of the literature and a case report]. / Metastasi polmonari da mesotelioma maligno peritoneale. Revisione della letteratura in riferimento ad un caso clinico.

The authors describe the clinical case of a 54 year old patient, affected by malignant peritoneal mesothelioma treated by chemotherapy, who subsequently developed a lung lesion, treated by surgical wedge resection. The histologic examination of the surgical specimen, which led to the diagnosis of an intraparenchymal necrotic focus, confirms the favourable result of the adjuvant therapy. A review of the literature showing the rarity of lung metastases from malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is presented.

[The surgery of pulmonary metastases. The surgical indications and technical aspects of lung resections for metastases]. / La chirurgia delle metastasi polmonari. Indicazioni operatorie e aspetti tecnici delle resezioni polmonari per metastasi.

Surgery for pulmonary metastases is an accepted method of treatment for many kinds of malignant neoplasms, because of favorable results in five-year and ten-year survival. At present several technical aspects are being debate (operative indications, method of thoracic access, procedure of lung resection, approach of bilateral lesions), with the aim of improving the number of patients undergoing radical excision of all pulmonary metastatic foci. The present paper summarizes a recent experience (1989-1992) in the treatment of pulmonary metastases in 55 patients, with special reference to tactical and technical problems related to metastasectomies. The primary tumor was an osteogenic sarcoma in 28 cases (51%), other musculoskeletal and soft tissue sarcoma in 20 (36%), and epithelial neoplasms in 7 (13%). In 47 patients (85%) the discovery of pulmonary metastases was metachronous regarding primary malignancy, with a range of between 3 months and 17 years; in the other 8, lung disease was simultaneous with diagnosis of neoplasm. All patients underwent preoperative standard chest X-ray, thoracic computerized tomography and lung function assessment; the radical control of primary neoplasm and the absence of any extrapulmonary metastases were required for thoracotomy. Pulmonary nodules were single in 21 patients (38%), multiple ipsilateral in 16 (29) and bilateral in 18 (33%). The thoracic approach was a muscle-sparing thoracotomy (axillary vertical thoracotomy) in 51 patients, other thoracotomies in 3 and a median sternotomy in 1 patient. The operative procedures were 19 single wedge resections (35%), 27 multiple wedge resections (49%), 1 lobectomy (2%), 1 lingulectomy (2%) and finally 7 exploratory thoracotomies (12%) for different reasons. In patients with bilateral disease, a bilateral synchronous thoracotomy and multiple wedge resection was performed 13 times, while staged thoracotomy was necessary in 2 and a median sternotomy was preferred in 1 case; 2 patients received a monolateral axillary exploratory thoracotomy. A total of 186 lung nodules were excised, but only in 161 (86%) the histologic examination confirm the metastasis. There was no operative mortality and the postoperative complications were few. Based on this experience, the authors believe that every neoplastic patient with pulmonary metastases, certain or suspected, should be considered for thoracotomy, since metastasectomy is a very safe procedure today.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

[Cancer of the anus. Analysis of our surgical experience]. / Il cancro dell'ano. Analisi di un'esperienza chirurgica.

BACKGROUND: The different histological varieties of anal cancer due to the presence of different histogenesis tissue can be anatomically distinguished from anal canal tumours by their growth in a periorificial or marginal site. The first appearance of symptoms are common to usual non-tumoral pathologies, but can be ascertained at an early stage using biopsy. Anal cancer can be treated with surgery, conservative or radical treatment, radiotherapy alone and radiochemotherapy with possible surgery. METHODS: Based on the results obtained by radical surgical exeresis due to the frequent spread of tumours to the pelvis and the possibility of metastases in the cava and portal vein, current therapeutic possibilities were analysed in 101 patients with anal cancer undergoing abdominal-perineal surgery. The priority of radiochemotherapy was underlined, reserving the faculty of surgical treatment for cases of large tumours with insufficient penetration. RESULTS: The choice of therapy should be modulated according to its histology, tumour site, increase and grading. Only surgery can ensure long-term results similar to those obtained using surgical treatment of rectal cancer. CONCLUSIONS: For the best results the authors recommend a therapeutic approach which involves some methods used for an early diagnosis.

[Therapy of spontaneous pneumothorax. Results of 20 years' experience]. / La terapia del pneumotorace spontaneo. Risultati di 20 anni di esperienza.

256 spontaneous pneumothorax episodes in 165 patients were treated during the period 1956-1978. Continuous aspiration with drainage of the pleural cavity was employed in 156 cases, and parietal pleurectomy for 36 recurrent or undrainable cases. One patient in the latter group underwent bilateral parietal pleurectomy. The soundness of aspirative drainage on the occasion of the first episode is underscored by the low percentage of recurrences. The indications for pleurectomy are discussed. Its effectiveness is apparent from the good functional results it offers, in addition to an absence of relapses.

[Diagnostic and therapeutic reflections on polyps and polyposis of the large intestine]. / Riflessioni diagnostico-terapeutiche sui polipi e poliposi del grosso intestino.

The systematic employment of pancolonoscopy in patients with diseases of the large intestine has shown that histological typing is essential when a polyp or polyposis is observed, since this is the only way prognosis can determined, and is only possible through endoscopic polypectomy. Familial investigation is also mandatory. If its findings are positive, every "polyp", irrespective of its number, site, and distribution, is a possible sign of polyposis. In this context, rectum preservation techniques are justified in relation to factors associated with both the polyp itself and its host.

[Surgical treatment of colo-rectal tumors. Immediate and long-term results in 1749 cases]. / Considerazioni sulla terapia chirurgica nei tumori colo-rettali. Risultati immediati e a distanza su 1748 casi.

An assessment is made of the development of surgical techniques and results obtained throughout a series of 1748 cases of colon and rectum cancer observed over a period of 40 years. Attempts to improve survival have included an extension of lymph duct resection. This approach has proved successful, though a longer period of study is still needed. Lastly, rectal cancer is examined in terms of survival in function of various biological factors associated with the neoplasia.

[Iterative pulmonary metastasis. Considerations on 28 surgically treated cases]. / Le metastasi polmonari iterative. Considerazioni su 28 casi operati.

Among 94 cases of pulmonary metastases treated by the exeresis of one or more nodules, 28 cases produced metastasis located in the lung only. Radical metastasectomy was performed on 250. Analysis of survival, also assessed in relation to every prognostic factor reveals the efficacy of surgical therapy even in iterative metastasectomy.

[Pulmonary hamartoma]. / L'amartoma polmonare.

Pulmonary hamartoma is a rare benign tumor often found by chance. Only in 10% of cases are some calcifications like "pop corn". Fibrobroncho-scopy is help only in endobronchial forms; they don't reach 10% of cases. Computed Tomography and transparietal biopsy can be diagnostic. In the uncertain cases and in presence of symptoms, thoracotomy with exeresis of tumor is justified.

[Surgical treatment of pulmonary metastases of osteosarcoma. Apropos of 206 operated cases]. / Le traitement chirurgical des métastases pulmonaires d'ostéosarcome. A propos de 206 cas opérés.

Two hundred and six patients were operated for lung metastases from osteosarcoma over a period of 7 years. The operative mortality was 0.3%. The actuarial survival for the overall population was 78% at one year. 50% at two years, 40% at three years and 34% at five years. The most significant prognostic factors (p < 0.01) were the number of metastases, the duration of the free interval and the degree of differentiation. Sex, age, site and type of resection of osteosarcoma or the metastases did not have any influence on prognosis. Surgical resection of lung metastases currently constitutes an essential part of the multidisciplinary management of osteosarcoma.

[Resection with preservation of the lower limb in chondrosarcoma of the pelvis]. / Les résections avec conservation du membre inférieur dans le chondrosarcome du bassin.

Twenty-seven chondrosarcomata of the pelvis were treated by local resection with preservation of the limb. Twenty-two were grade I or II, and 5 were grade III or IV. Attention is drawn to the importance of tomodensitometry in assessing the extent of the tumor before operation. An en bloc resection was well wide of the tumour in 16 cases, close to the tumour in 10 cases and involved the tumour in one case. Post-operative complications were varied. There were 6 nerve paralyses after iliac resection, 3 cases of sepsis after resection of the anterior part of the pelvic ring, and 3 cases of sepsis and 2 vascular complications after peri-acetabular resections. The average follow-up was 5 years. Three had metastases and three had local recurrences, one of whom died later from pulmonary metastases. No local recuRrence was seen in cases with wide resection. The functional results were satisfactory in 6 out of 7 partial resections of the ilium and in 4 out of 5 resections of the anterior part of the pelvic ring. They were only fair after peri-acetabular resections and complete resections of the ilium. After peri-acetabular resections, the results were about the same after ilio-femoral arthrodesis or Girdlestone operations. It is not appropriate to reconstruct the pelvic ring after resection limited to the anterior part of the pelvis but it is indicated after resections of the whole of the ilium, particularly in children to avoid shortening of the limb with pelvic shift.

[Axillary thoracotomy: a simple and conservative approach to the thoracic cavity]. / La toracotomia ascellare: un accesso semplice e conservativo al cavo toracico.

Morelli and Di Paola's thoracotomy allows to approach the pleural space with the only osteo-muscular sparing without any section of chest wall structures. With this kind of approach that we have been employing since twenty years, we report our experience about 82 cases recently operated on for both pulmonary and mediastinal disease. Unlike who don't consider this approach to allow adequate exposure of all endothoracic anatomic structures, it is our opinion that this thoracotomy not only allows every kind of operation in thoracic surgery, but is easy to perform and fast to repair. Moreover, postoperative pain is decreased, functional recovery is improved and patient can frequently be discharged earlier from the hospital with a very satisfactory aesthetic result.

[Adenocarcinoma of the distal ileal loop: a rare disease at the typical site for Crohn's disease]. / L'adenocarcinoma dell'ultima ansa ileale: una malattia rara nella sede tipica del morbo di Crohn.

The authors report their recent experience in the treatment of two patients respectively affected by Crohn's disease and adenocarcinoma of the terminal ileum. Although with some differences, they presented with radiological, pathological and gross morphological findings quite similar so that the authors concluded for a different clinical stage of Crohn's disease in both cases. Frozen-section examination carried out in one of the two cases, established the correct diagnosis and indicated a wide resection instead of a very limited one. An extremely rare case of primitive adenocarcinoma of the terminal ileum is presented and the literature is reviewed. Features which could help the differential diagnosis between malignant lesions and regional enteritis are therefore focused.