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Just like simulators are a standard in aviation and aerospace sciences, we expect for surgical simulators to soon become a standard in medical applications. These will correctly instruct future doctors in surgical techniques without there being a need for hands on patient instruction. Using virtual reality by digitally transposing surgical procedures changes surgery in are volutionary manner by offering possibilities for implementing new, much more efficient, learning methods, by allowing the practice of new surgical techniques and by improving surgeon abilities and skills. Perfecting haptic devices has opened the door to a series of opportunities in the fields of research,industry, nuclear science and medicine. Concepts purely theoretical at first, such as telerobotics, telepresence or telerepresentation,have become a practical reality as calculus techniques, telecommunications and haptic devices evolved,virtual reality taking a new leap. In the field of surgery barrier sand controversies still remain, regarding implementation and generalization of surgical virtual simulators. These obstacles remain connected to the high costs of this yet fully sufficiently developed technology, especially in the domain of haptic devices.

Pathophysiological and molecular research have marked the understanding of the primary events taking place in triggering acute pancreatitis, although the early diagnosis of pancreas diseases in general, continues to be a source of frustration in modem medicine. This presents the news about pathogenesis (co-localization theory, auto-activation theory of the tripsynogen), location of early events (acinar pancreatic cells which are the "key" involved: muscarinic receptors, acinar membrane, role of ionized calcium, the phenomenon of apoptosis), extracellular events in initiation of acute pancreatitis with the granting of a central place to enzyme activation and systemic inflammatory response. Aspects of early microvascular changes, disturbances of ischemia-reperfusion and systemic microvascular abnormalities are so important that justifies therapeutic concept of microcirculatory protection. Participation of monocyte/macrophage system, excessive activation of leukocytes that involving activation and release of lysosomal enzymes and oxygen free radicals associated with ischemia-reperfusion mechanism are defining for pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis.

The surgical technique we applied was the classical one with several improvements. Firstly, the timing of intervention is delayed until the occurrence of the clearly defined infected necrosis. Secondly, we limited the propagation of infection in submesocolic peritoneal cavity by creating this omental laparostomy with suturing the cutting edges of the gastrocolic ligament to the supra-umbilical anterior parietal peritoneum, near to the laparotomy, achieving the "marsupialisation" of the lesser sac. With this maneuver we protect submesocolic region by creating an "omental wall". Another major advantage of our approach was the subsequent necrosectomy, daily during the first week, which was accompanied by the change of dressings. Simultaneously we carefully perform haemostasis in the areas of necrosectomy, even with the harmonic scalpel if the situation required it. "Targeted" antibiotherapy and antifungal medication was initiated according to the microbiological results. Considering the fact that the intensive care techniques are approximately the same in the last 10-15 years, we thought that this improvement in the survival rate may be due to the application of OPLS in cases with indication and optimal timing for surgery.

Anderson Fabry disease (alpha galactosidase A deficiency) is an X-linked recessive lysosomal storage disorder; alpha galactosidase A deficiency results in accumulation of neutral glycosphingolipids, especially globotriaosylceramide (Gb3), in various cell types promoting development of disease with renal, cardiovascular, and cerebrovascular involvement. Clinical aspects which usually begin in childhood or adolescence include intermittent pain in the extremities (acroparesthesias), episodic "Fabry crisis" of acute pain lasting hours to days, characteristic skin lesions (angiokeratomas), hypohidrosis, heat and cold intolerance. Classic phenotype conception of the disease has changed within the past decade, recognizing that disease is not limited to the classical full-blown manifestation in affected males, but may also occur in carrier females. The expanding clinical spectrum of Anderson Fabry disease (AFD) is a real challenge to diagnosis, especially in some patients whose exclusive single organ manifestation belongs to the heart or kidney. This paper reviews natural history of three unrecognized cases recently diagnosed by markedly deficient alpha galactosidase A (alpha Gal A) activity in peripheral leucocytes. Case A: A male patient, aged 24 years, experienced recurrent acroparesthesia when he was 9 years-old. His 26 years-old sister has angiokeratomas as the only sign of disease (case B). Case C: the uncle of these two cases (A, B) has a long history of disease including chronic renal failure, bilateral deafness, stroke, aseptic osteonecrosis. The purpose of the presentation is to sharpen physicians' perception of this disease. Early and accurate diagnosis is mandatory considering that this disorder is now, after introduction of the novel enzyme replacement therapy, a treatable disease.

The increase of the peripheral blood flow resistance level is the major hemodynamic parameter in pathophysiology of essential hypertension (HT). The functional and morphological abnormalities of the microcirculation in the early stage, sometimes before the increase of the blood pressure, are intensely explored. Their identification is a proof for the genetical component of the hypertensive disease theory (studies on young male patients). Our purpose is to examine the capillary peripheral bed at the terminal phalanx level using in vivo capillary microscopy on a group of patients that have the risk of developing HT or that already have HT stage I (according to the JNC 7 Report). The nailfold area and the dorsal surface of the phalanx of fingers 3 and 4 were observed, having as a first objective the search for the areas with rare capillaries. Contrary to the data of the existing studies we have not found any case of significant capillary density decrease or of diffuse capillary rarefaction. Seven patients out of the total number of fifteen with HT stage I were identified to have a low vasomotility score. Considering the association of these cases with glucose intolerance (3 cases) and dyslipidemia (4 cases) the capillary functional anomaly could be related to precapillary arteriole modifications (endothelial dysfunction? metabolic status?).

A patient aged 42, diagnosed with polycondritis for approximately 14 years is presented; she has undergone urgent surgery for a splenic abscess in imminent fistulization in the left pleural cavity. Her susceptibility to infections is marked in time by surgical interventions for pultaceous amygdalitis, an abscess of the right submandibular salivary gland, a splenic abscess. To be noted the peculiar connection between the illness and the pregnancy, which differs from the data to be found in reference literature that is the association with a tendency to spontaneous abortion and the sudden installation of an evolutionary acute episode during pregnancy, which was followed by deafness. Based on these facts, immunopathogenic observations on recurrent polycondritis are getting into shape.

Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is an uncommon clinical entity, lacking a precisely defined etiopathogenesis. Its clinical features are not specific and diagnosis is difficult. We analysed 10 patients, all of them women, whom we had treated surgically in combination with intraperitoneal chemotherapy. Postoperative complications had been minimal and no death had occurred. 5 patients were followed up in time, 4 of them presenting a favourable evolution (2 required reintervention), and 1 patient decreased. We analysed up-to-date therapeutic approaches and the benefit of their combinations in order to identify the optimal therapeutic strategy. We consider that the combinations surgery + intraperitoneal chemotherapy or surgery + intracavitary radiotherapy are the most effective up to date.

Primary repair of the abdominal wall and the cure of incisional hernias using the relon mono-filamentous fibres (N.I. 2402/76) Confronted with long lasting parietal suppurations which are entertained by the classic nylon poly-filamentous fibres, suppurations that cannot be avoided unless the above fibres are removed on one hand assuming the risk of a possible subsequent incisional hernias and on the other hand because of the relative elevated price of the mono-filamentous fibres brought from abroad, within the last years (from 1982) we have utilised the relon mono-filamentous fibre (N.I. 2402/76) in abdominal wall reconstruction (initially for the surgical cure of the incisional hernias and there after in primary abdominal wall reconstruction when there were factors predisposing to a possible subsequent parietal for septic contamination, in overweight patients, immune-compromised patients, in patients following steroid therapy, chemotherapy, etc. Our present experience extends over more than 1000 patients who have undertook a surgical procedure.