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Anorectal manometry is the basic investigation for the study of anorectal function. The lack of a standard execution technique and of any common definition of the manometric parameters constitutes a major limitation. The aim of the present study is to propose a standard technique for performing manometry. In addition we also focus on those manometric parameters that are easily identified and interpreted for the systematic study of a proctological patient. The protocol used is organised in three phases: (i) tests with a radial channel probe with continuous extraction, which provide information on the length of the anal canal and on the precise site of maximum pressure; (ii) tests with a radial channel probe with stationary extraction, which does not involve reflex contraction of the sphincter apparatus and therefore permits better evaluation of sphincter pressure when the muscles are relaxed as well as the identification of slow and ultra-slow waves; (iii) tests with a helicoidal probe and a balloon for the evaluation of the anorectal inhibitory reflex and of anorectal sensitivity. Using this protocol it is possible to perform manometry in less than 30 minutes and to define the importance of anorectal function with approximately 10 parameters which are easily identified and interpreted.

A mammographic screening program was started in 1999 in the Province of Verona and was offered to women aged 50-69. The purpose of this study was to analyse and compare our data, particularly the type of surgery and histotype, with the literature data where no screening program was implemented. During the first three years of the screening, 113 patients underwent surgical treatment in our Institute. The histology of the mammary lesions was benign neoplasia in 28 (24.7%) and breast cancer in 85 (75.3%) patients. Seventy-three women (85.9%) with malignant neoplasms were submitted to conservative treatment. Mastectomy was performed in 12 (14.1%) patients, 8 of whom with immediate breast reconstruction. Patients coming from screening programs benefit in a high percentage of cases from conservative treatment, which, together with the reduced aggressiveness of the cancers, permits alternative treatments for the axillary lymph nodes and a reduction in adjuvant chemotherapy.

The authors report 20 cases of medullary thyroid carcinoma over the period from 1980 to 2000. Two patients turned out to be inoperable and 18 patients underwent total thyroidectomy, associated with dissection of the central lymphatic compartment in 5 patients and with dissection of the central and lateral lymphatic compartments in 10 patients with clinical or instrumental evidence of cervical lymphadenomegaly. Serum calcitonin levels proved to be a reliable marker for the diagnosis of persistence or recurrence of the disease. The follow-up, lasting from 1 to 208 months, demonstrated that in 7 cases in which serum levels of calcitonin underwent normalization there was no recurrence of disease. Among 11 cases with persistence of high calcitonin levels, 6 died and only 2 presented no evidence of metastases. On the basis of our analysis of the cases reported, total thyroidectomy associated with dissection of the central lymphatic compartment is an adequate treatment for patients in stages I and II. The authors regard routine dissection of the lateral lymphatic compartment as unadvisable.

The authors report a case of Fournier's gangrene in a 54-year-old patient subjected 6 days earlier to chemotherapy for mediastinal Hodgkin's disease. The patient had fever and reported the onset of worsening pain and heat sensations in the inguinal, perineal and scrotal areas. Objectively, there was local oedema followed by the onset of crepitation. The patient had a very low white blood cell count (900/cu.mm). The Patient underwent emergency surgery with multiple, communicating incisions in the inguinal, perineal and scrotal areas, with the removal of necrotic tissue and daily washing with physiological solution and 12% H2O2. He also received antibiotic treatment with metronidazole and gentamicin and 5 cycles of high-pressure oxygen therapy, with disappearance of pain and fever and good local tissue repair.

Appendiceal mucocele is a rare entity frequently associated with colorectal cancer. We report two cases of mucocele associated with colorectal tumours. The first case (male, 64 yrs) is an appendiceal mucinous cystadenoma found incidentally during surgery for colon cancer. There is no evidence of disease after a 4-year follow-up. The second case (male, 66 yrs) is a mucocele associated with mucosal hyperplasia that was found during surgery for acute appendicitis with a periappendicular abscess. Endoscopic follow-up showed a rectal adenocarcinoma that was initially treated with local excision with T.E.M.. Examination of the pathology specimen documented vascular invasion and the patient underwent curative colorectal resection. The preoperative radiological and endoscopic diagnostic procedures and the current therapeutic approaches described in the literature are reviewed. The relevance of the association between appendiceal mucocele and colorectal cancer is emphasized. Thorough investigation of the colorectal tract is recommended after diagnosing an appendiceal mucocele.

The Authors report a case of umbilical endometriosis in a 46-year-old patient. The woman came in for observation describing acute pain in the vicinity of the umbilical scar. The pain was occasional at first and then became steady and increased at the time of menstruation. Medical examination revealed a left paraumbilical nodule, measuring 1 cm in diameter. The patient underwent surgical treatment: the nodule was excised and the subsequent histological examination was diagnostic for umbilical endometriosis. The surgical excision was effective: at follow-up 3 months later, there was no recurrence and the patient was in good general condition.

The authors present the case of a 60-year-old male patient suffering from von Recklinghausen's disease (neurofibromatosis type I, NF1) with bilateral pheochromocytoma and occasional intraoperative reports of duodenojejunal GIST (GastroIntestinal Stromal Tumour). Through a review of the literature the authors analyze the frequency and the features of bilateral pheochromocytoma and its rare histological variant, the so-called composite pheochromocytoma, characterized by the combination of pheochromocytoma and ganglioneuroma or ganglioneuro-blastoma. Bilaterality of pheochromocytoma is more frequent in patients with familiarity for pheochromocytoma without NF1. Composite pheochromocytoma accounts for about 3% of total pheochromocytomas. In addition, the authors summarize the present knowledge about gastrointestinal stromal tumours and investigate the possible association between them and NF1 or pheochromocytoma, concluding that any such association is purely casual, while confirming the well known, genetically determined association between NF1 and pheochromocytoma.