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Ruptured duodenal peptic ulcer is a serious complication of ulcer disease that occurs in approximately 5% of cases. Its emergency treatment is based on surgery, namely, simple closure or more definitive ulcer surgery. Laparoscopic repair of perforated duodenal ulcer with classic insufflation of CO2 is quick, simple, and technically feasible in most patients. We describe herein the operative treatment of a perforated duodenal ulcer in a 33-year-old man who presented to our Hospital with acute onset of severe abdominal pain. Wide peritoneal lavage and suture of the perforation was performed by gasless laparoscopic technique using a mechanical retractor obviating the creation of the pneumoperitoneum and of the sealed environment. This new approach enables the use of conventional instruments and provides a clear field of vision in the abdomen equal to that created by the traditional CO2 technique. Because there is not a pneumoperitoneum to maintain, the gasless technique permits a constant irrigation and suction of the abdominal cavity, a wide peritoneal lavage, and the continuous suction of fluid, blood, smoke, and humidity without losing the camera set. If indicated, it permits the laparoscopic repair of the perforation combined with the laparoscopic vagotomy in the same emergency setting. The present case proved it to be another abdominal procedure that can be carried out with all the technical and anesthesiological advantages of gasless minimally invasive surgery.

A retrospective study of 61 patients (61 legs) with recurrent varicose veins (RVV) and saphenofemoral junction (SFJ) incompetence was set up to assess the efficacy of re-exploration of the SFJ through a lateral approach. All the patients underwent re-exploration of the SFJ by a single surgeon (MPV) through a lateral approach. Thirty-one patients (50.8%) presented an intact SFJ. Twenty-seven patients (44.2%) presented intact major tributaries emerging from the stump of SFJ. In 2 patients (3.2%) the recurrence was related to neovascularization and in 1 case (1.6%) to cross groin venous connection. Follow-up averaged 2.81 years. Three (4.9%) patients were lost, 56 out of 58 patients (96.55%) were asymptomatic, 2 out of 58 (3.4%) presented a new recurrence in the groin. Complete isolation of the FV to identify every tributary and ligation of the SFJ flush with the FV are essential to avoid further recurrences.

Leiomyosarcoma is a rare malignant tumor originating from the smooth muscular tissue in any part of the organism. The only therapy is its complete removal. We describe herein the operative treatment of a retroperitoneal leiomyosarcoma with gasless laparoscopic complete removal. The procedure was successfully performed in a consenting woman with an abdominal mass. Gasless laparoscopic removal was performed with a mechanical retractor (Laparolift, Origin Medsystem Inc.), obviating the creation of the pneumoperitoneum and of the sealed environment. The technique is a simple, safe, and effective surgical method. Gasless technique guarantees a clear vision, makes possible continuous suction of smoke and fluids, and allows the use of conventional instruments and easy management of suturing. The present case has proved to be another abdominal procedure that can be carried out with all the advantages of gasless miniinvasive surgery.

Over 15 years, 172 femoropopliteal saphenous vein bypasses were performed on 151 patients with chronic obstructive arterial disease. Follow-up varied from a minimum of six months to a maximum of 12 years. The operative mortality was 1.32%, the survival rates at five and ten years were 66.54% and 33.91% respectively, and the patency at five and ten years was 52.02% and 37.55%. The good results obtained, even in the majority of patients with trophic lesions and/or rest pain, indicate that direct arterial reconstruction should be considered the only effective treatment for saving a limb which would otherwise have to be amputated.

The Authors report a case of acalasic megaoesophagus operated through extramucous myotomy according to Heller 20 years before coming to their observation and with relapse of disphagic symptoms due to serious oesophagitis during the subsequent years, in spite of an interposition of jejunal ansa according to Merendino and an oesophago-gastrostomy after removal of the interposed ansa. As the patient showed a further relapse of the disphagic symptoms, he, at last, underwent a subtotal oesophagectomy with intrathoracic oesophago-colon-plasty. At examination of the operative specimen, as a report added and not evidenced through the preoperative ascertainments, a limited oesophageal neoplastic degeneration at level of the oesophagogastro-stomy was found. The patient died one year and eight months after operation for neoplastic cachexia. The Authors analyse the causes determining the disphagic syndrome after surgical treatment of acalasic megaoesophagus, the therapeutical solutions suggested and the relations between megaoesophagus and oesophageal cancer.

From 1974 through 1984, 24 patients with malignancies of the Oddian region underwent surgery. Four ampullectomies were carried out with one more than 10-year survivor. Nineteen duodenopancreatectomies were performed with no operative mortality, a 21% complication rate and a 4% reoperation rate; mean survival was 42 months; 1-, 3- and 5-year survival was 95%, 53%, and 37% respectively. Nodal metastasis was the major determinant of long-term survival. Duodenopancreatectomy should be considered the operation of choice for malignancies of the Oddian region.

A microcomputer based system for the recording and automatic analysis of esophageal pH-studies has been developed. It consists of a microcomputer interfaced with a pH-meter, one video display, two disk-drives for five inch diskettes, one printer and a fully interactive program written in BASIC. Every second, the microcomputer records the values of pH measured by the pH-meter. The options available in the program are: 1) Creation of medical records; 2) pH probe calibration; 3) pH-basal value acquisition; 4) Standard Acid Reflux Test (SART); 5) Acid Clearing Test (ACT); 6) 24-hour pH-monitoring test; 7) Summary of patient's current results; 8) Printing and data file management. Each one of these options provides access to other related functions. This system and its software has the following advantages: 1) it achieves a high standard in the execution of esophageal pH-study tests; 2) it provides an objective real-time analysis of the results; 3) it reduces the total cost of the investigation.

From March 1980 to December 1982, at the 2nd Surgical Clinic of the University of Milan, 47 jejunostomies were performed at the conclusion of a major gastrointestinal surgery to provide immediate post-operative enteral nutrition. A fine needle catheter jejunostomy technique according to Delaney (10) was employed in all cases, using a polythene catheter with an internal diameter of 2.5 mm. inserted into the proximal jejunum using a stainless-steel needle. An elemental diet (13) was adopted and fed through a volumetric infusion pump. Enteral nutrition was usually initiated on the second postoperative day and on average lasted 12 days. No complications connected to positioning, permanence or removal of the catheter were observed. The only inconvenience was represented by obstruction of the catheter with food concretion thus feeding was discontinued in 3 patients. Collateral effects were observed in 9 patients: diarrhoea (5 cases), hyperperistaltis (2 cases), abdominal distension and nausea (1 case). This method of nutritional intake allowed us to: maintain body weight at pre-operative values; obtain a positive nitrogen balance on average the sixth postoperative day; reduce the volume of parenteral support, early suspension and a significant reduction in complications connected with this method.

Arterialization of the hepatic end of the portal vein after portacaval shunt was studied in the rabbit in order to evaluate clinical, metabolic, and histologic modifications compared with portacaval shunt alone. The mortality rate of arterialized rabbits diminished considerably at the 45th postoperative day, preoperative body weight was regained and there was significant liver weight/body weight ratio difference with both sham operated and portacaval shunted rabbits (p less than or equal to 0.001). Furthermore, after arterialization, clinical examination, laboratory liver function tests and pathological studies were all near normal. Arterialization after portacaval shunt appears to be safe when flow through the arterioportal anastomosis is low.