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Authors describe a new technique of mechanical cervical anastomosis using a new, particularly long, stapler, the ECS Ethicon. Mechanical anastomosis at neck level is difficult to perform with stapler now in use, so manual anastomosis is usually preferred. However the percentage of leakage is relatively high. The possibility of doing a mechanical anastomosis introducing the stapler through the pylorus is described. At the moment cases are too few to give a full evaluation of this new technique, but certainly it could be a valid alternative, safer and quicker, to manual anastomosis.

The paper reports the epidemiology and causal factors of esophageal carcinoma, and compares the authors' personal experience with already published data. The clinical importance of epidemiology is stressed as a means of identifying risk factors for esophageal carcinoma, thus aiding an early diagnosis. The authors underline the central role of surgery in the treatment of esophageal carcinoma.

Malignant tumours of the oesophagus cannot always be handled radically; in personal clinical experience, only a third of patients suffering from oesophageal carcinoma have been subjected to radical oesophagectomy. The purpose of palliative treatment is to suppress dysphagia and restore possibly natural, adequate feeding. As for techniques, intraluminal catheterization by the combined endoscopic and gastrotomic route has been personally preferred to surgical bypass and gastrostomy whose palliative value should be confined to cases in which no other technique can be used. Good results have been obtained with catheterization and patients have been able to feed themselves naturally without noting the ineluctability of their disease.

Three recently observed cases of Castleman's tumour are described. A brief summary of the clinical histories, themselves of little significance, the histological, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of the disease are examined. The series is shown to be fully in line with those reported in the literature, and support is given to the view that the tumour is of inflammatory origin.

The Authors present 6 cases of oesophageal leiomyomas operated on during the past 15 years at the Institute of Surgical Pathology of the University of Turin and compare the results with those in the literature. The pre-operative diagnosis was not always possible and often difficult: it was however, helped by many clinical and instrumental examinations. The treatment of choice was surgery, usually by enucleation or occasionally by gastroesophageal resection. There was no operative mortality and no recurrences have been observed.

Two cases of congenital diaphragmatic hernia affecting the central tendon are described. The anatomic, etiologic, pathogenic and clinic characteristics of this uncommon disease are then discussed. Finally some considerations about indications on how to operate on these congenital hernias and different repairing surgical techniques are made.

Two cases of pulmonary hernia, different in etiology and therapeutic indications, are described. We are discussing, then, anatomic, etiologic, pathogenic and clinic characteristics of this uncommon disease. At last, Authors, are making some considerations about indications on how to operate on pulmonary hernias and different repairing surgical technics.