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Meningomyelocele is a malformation with high prevalence, and one of its main comorbidities is Arnold-Chiari malformation type II. The intrauterine repair of this defect has been studied to reduce the progressive spinal cord damage during gestation. The purpose of the present review was to describe the evolution of fetal surgery for meningomyelocele repair. Searches on PubMed database were conducted including articles published in the last 10 years. Twenty-seven articles were selected, 16 experimental studies and 11 studies in humans. A recent study demonstrated that the fetal correction results in better prognosis of neurological and psychomotor development, but open surgery, which has being used widely, has considerable maternal risks. Studies in animal and human models show that the endoscopic approach is feasible and leads to lower maternal morbidity rates. Two endoscopic techniques are currently under assessment - one in Germany and another in Brazil, and we believe that the endoscopic approach will be the future technique for prenatal repair of this defect.

Given the importance of surgery within the specialty of Obstetrics and Gynecology it is crucial to understand the process of wound healing and the suture available to surgical repair. The selection of the type of suture depends on the tissue and anatomical location. The approximation of wound edges can be made with natural or synthetic suture, mono or multifilament. Three properties of a suture material affect its handling: memory, elasticity and knot strength. Tensile strength, tissue reaction and capability to be absorbed are other important characteristics of the suture material.

Objectives: To evaluate the flow, tear pressure, the need of reinforcement stitches in sutured arteries reinforced or not using fibrin sealant after a cross-section., Method: Tissucol fibrin sealant was used. The femoral and carotid arteries of seventeen swine from the same breed (weighing from 15 to 20 kg) were cross-sectioned after heparinization and subjected to anastomoses using a single continuous plane of prolene 7-0. We worked with 68 artery samples, 34 in the Treatment Group and 34 in the Control Group. For each animal, one carotid and one femoral artery randomly received fibrin sealant with the contralateral side being used as a control. The need and the number of reinforcement stitches were recorded. Ten minutes after protamine infusion, the animals were sacrificed and the arteries were catheterized. The arteries were measured and placed on a flow meter. The arteries were then subjected to air infusion at increasingly higher pressures (stepwise increases of 25 mmHg), the grafts were dipped in saline solution, the first air leakage was observed and the tear pressure recorded., Results: The external diameters and thickness of the arteries were similar in both the Treatment and Control Group. There was no significant difference between the groups regarding the tear pressure (p=0.329), flow rate (p=0.943) and the number of samples with a tear pressure above 200 mmHg. However, the sealant reduced the number of reinforcement stitches necessary (p=0.029)., Conclusion: Fibrin sealant reduces the need of additional stitches.

Background: [corrected] The elastic band ligation is the method of choice for treatment of esophageal varices. The action mechanism is a mechanical varices compression with thromboses. Based on this concept we developed a ligature method using pretied loop made with polyamide thread for the treatment of esophageal varices., Objective: The present study describes and evaluates the feasibility of the treatment of esophageal varices by the ligature method using pretied loop made with polyamide thread and analyzes the local changes of the ligations and the results, concerning safety, efficiency and complications of this procedure., Patients and Methods: Between March, 1998 and May, 2000, 58 patients with esophageal varices were treated with pretied loop, made with polyamide thread (26 patients with schistosomiasis, 11 with alcoholic cirrhosis, 9 with hepatitis C, 5 with hepatitis B, 4 of unknown etiology, 2 with hepatitis B and C, and one with Budd-Chiari syndrome/ 42 men and 16 women/ average age of 47,67 +/- 13,12 years, range 16-74). A plastic tube was attached to the endoscope tip featured as an accessory working channel, allowing the pretied loop made with polyamide thread to be conducted to the esophagus facilitated by a flexible metallic tube, to perform the esophageal varices ligature. A total of 506 ligatures were done, distributed in 223 sections (average of 2,26 +/- 1,08 ligature, varying from 1 to 6 per section). The sessions were perform with the interval of 15 days, until the complete eradication of the esophageal varices. The ecoendoscopy was used as a complementary method to evaluate the varices eradication, Results: The esophageal varices were treated successfully in all patients. The complete eradication of varices was achieved in 47 (81,03%) patients. In 37 (63,79%) patients the ligatures resulted in pseudopolyps. It was not identified systemic complications or obits. The ecoendoscopy showed thrombosis in the pseudopolyps of 10 patients. The follow-up period was from 4 to 32 months and recurrence of the esophageal varices was observed in 9 (15,51%) patients. The average cost of each ligature was estimated in US$ 1,00., Conclusion: The study indicates that endoscopic treatment using polyamide thread ligature is a safe, efficient, accessible and low cost method for treatment of esophageal varices treatment, demonstrating a new aspect, that is the obliteration of varices without necrosis, by formation of pseudopolyps.

The management of anal incontinence varies. It can be treated either clinically or surgically depending on its etiology and the intensity of the signs and symptoms. The variety of procedures and techniques employed in its treatment is proof of the incomprehension of the pathophysiological mechanisms involved as well as their diversity. Sphincteroplasties are indicated for those patients with well-defined muscle injury, usually resulting from obstetrical trauma, iatrogenic surgery or vehicular accidents. In cases of persistent anal incontinence after previous sphincteroplasty or those in which extensive destruction of the sphincteric musculature is confirmed, muscle-aponeurotic transpositions are an attractive option. A detailed survey of the literature of the chief techniques utilized and their results is presented.