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Purpose The aim of our study is to verify the feasibility and the efficacy of Onyx as embolization agent in the treatment of traumatic and non-traumatic peripheral vascular lesions. Materials and methods In the period between September 2006 and March 2012, we treated with Onyx 26 patients (14 males/12 females; age range, 18-85 years old; mean age, 65 years old), 11 of which with traumatic peripheral vascular lesions and 15 with non-traumatic vascular lesions (9 neoplastic hemorrhagic lesions, 3 arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) and 3 aneurysms). Follow-up controls were performed with clinical examination and by multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) imaging 1, 6, and 12 months after the procedure. Results All peripheral vascular lesions were embolized with Onyx; 3 patients with aneurysms were treated with Onyx associated with endovascular coils. Four elective and 22 emergency embolization procedures were performed. In all patients, we obtained cessation of bleeding and the complete and permanent embolization of all vascular lesions. Conclusions Onyx is an effective and safe embolization agent for peripheral vascular lesions.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate sensitivity, specificity, reproducibility, and predictive value of palpation of the painful arc sign and of the Royal London Hospital test in 10 patients with Achilles tendinopathy and in 14 asymptomatic subjects. DESIGN: Test-retest study. SETTING: University teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Ten male athletes on the waiting list for exploration of one of their Achilles tendons for tendinopathy of the main body of the tendon attended a special clinic. Each was invited to bring at least one athlete of the same sex in the same discipline aged within 2 years of themselves with no history and no symptoms of Achilles tendinopathy. A total of 14 controls were thus recruited. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Pain and tenderness following performance of palpation, the painful arc sign, and the Royal London Hospital test. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences at the 5% level among the effects of investigator or between morning and afternoon measurements for any of the three measurement methods. There was no evidence of a difference of the three assessment methods (p > 0.05). When the three methods were combined, the overall sensitivity was 0.586 (confidence interval [CI], 0.469-0.741), and the overall specificity was 0.833 (CI, 0.758-0.889). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with tendinopathy of the Achilles tendon with a tender area of intratendinous swelling that moves with the tendon and whose tenderness significantly decreases or disappears when the tendon is put under tension, a clinical diagnosis of tendinopathy can be formulated, with a high positive predictive chance that the tendon will show ultrasonographic and histologic features of tendinopathy.

Purpose Percutaneous laser ablation (PLA) has been proposed as an active treatment in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, large multicenter studies using this technique have not been reported. Patients and Methods We retrospectively analyzed treatment and survival parameters of 432 cirrhotic patients with nonsurgical early HCC (single nodule ≤ 4 cm or three nodules ≤ 3 cm each) who had received PLA in nine Italian centers. Results Single tumors were seen in 344 (80%) of 432 patients, and two to three nodules were seen in 88 patients (20%), for a total of 548 tumors. An initial complete response after PLA was observed in 338 patients (78%). Median overall survival time was 47 months (95% CI, 41 to 53 months). The 3- and 5-year cumulative survival rates were 61% and 34%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, independent predictors of survival were serum albumin levels more than 3.5 g/dL (P = .002; risk ratio [RR] = 0.580; 95% CI, 0.409 to 0.821), the achievement of a complete tumor ablation (P = .001; RR = 0.517; 95% CI, 0.346 to 0.771), and age less than 73 years (P < .001; RR = 0.466; 95% CI, 0.320 to 0.681). Child-Turcotte-Pugh class A patients had a 5-year cumulative survival rate of 41%; this figure increased up to 60% with a median survival time of 63 months (95% CI, 48 to 78 months) in patients with tumors ≤ 2.0 cm. Conclusion This analysis confirms that a complete tumor ablation results in improved survival in patients with nonsurgical HCC. Ideal candidates for PLA are younger patients with normal serum albumin levels and tumor size ≤ 2 cm.

To retrospectively and prospectively determine the rate and type of complications and their association with clinical or technical factors after percutaneous laser ablation (LA) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).The institutional research board of each center approved the study and all patients provided informed consent. By using an Internet liver tumor database of nine Italian centers, 520 patients were included with HCC nodules of any size (small, 0-3 cm; intermediate,3-5 cm; large,5 cm). Postprocedural complications were related to clinical or percutaneous LA factors by using the Student t and chi(2) tests. Follow-up was carried out with computed tomography (CT) at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months, and primary effectiveness rate was defined as the percentage of HCCs completely ablated after percutaneous LA.A total of 353 men and 147 women (age range, 24-86 years; Child-Pugh score A = 63.4%, B = 30.8%, C = 5.9%) with 647 nodules (mean diameter, 3.2 cm +/- 1.7) were treated by 1004 percutaneous LA sessions. There were four (0.8%) deaths in 520 patients; 15 (1.5%) of 1004 sessions presented major complications without any seeding. Major complications were associated with excess energy (10 520 J +/- 7073 vs 7474 J +/- 3803; P = .001) and high-risk location (P = .05). Sixty-two (6.2%) sessions resulted in minor complications associated with excess energy (P = .001), high bilirubin level (1.74 mg/dL +/- 1.10), and low prothrombin time (P = .01). Primary effectiveness rates were 60% in all HCCs and 81% in HCCs smaller than 3 cm.Percutaneous LA may be considered a safe treatment for small HCCs.

Objective To report the outcome of surgery for chronic recalcitrant Achilles tendinopathy in nonathletic and athletic subjects. Design Case-control study. Setting University teaching hospitals. Patients We matched each of the 61 nonathletic patients with a diagnosis of tendinopathy of the Achilles tendon with an athletic patient with tendinopathy of the main body of the Achilles tendon of the same sex and age (±2 years). A match was possible for 56 patients (23 males and 33 females). Forty-eight nonathletic subjects and 45 athletic subjects agreed to participate. Interventions Open surgery for Achilles tendinopathy. Main Outcome Measure Outcome of surgery, return to sport, complication rate. Results Nonathletic patients were shorter and heavier than athletic patients. They had greater body mass index, calf circumference, side-to-side calf circumference differences, and subcutaneous body fat than athletic patients. Of the 48 nonathletic patients, 9 underwent further surgery during the study period, and only 25 reported an excellent or good result. Of the 45 athletic subjects, 4 underwent further surgery during the study period, and 36 reported an excellent or good result. The remaining patients could not return to their normal levels of activity. In all of them, pain significantly interfered with daily activities. Conclusions Nonathletic subjects experience more prolonged recovery, more complications, and a greater risk of further surgery than athletic subjects with recalcitrant Achilles tendinopathy.

Purpose: LTA has been demonstrated a safe and effective image guided ablation technique for HCC only in small series and in selected centers. Aim of this multicentric study was to assess the incidence of LTA complications and associated risk factors in a large population of HCC. Methods and Materials: Retrospective observational study from march 1996 to march 2005 on consecutive HCC patients (9 centers of radiology, internal medicine, gastroenterology) with different experience in LTA and other ablation techniques. An internet based public registry for liver tumor treatments was setup on march 2004 with the collaboration of all the participating centers under the management of one coordinating author (V.A.). Inclusion criteria for this study were: diagnosis of HCC (non surgical), HCC of anynumber and size, ablation treatments with LTA (Pacella CM, Radiology 2001). Demographic characteristics and items related to the patient (Child, prothrombin time, and platelet count,portal hypertension), to HCC nodule (size, site and ease of approach), to LTA procedure (n. of needles/fibers introduced, total energy delivered, necrosis induced) together with the number and type of complications were recorded. Complications were classified as major (death or any condition requiring surgery, interventional procedure or intensive care to be resolved) and minor. Fisher exact, Chi square or Mann-Whitney tests were used for statistic evaluation of association between complications and centers, patients/nodule or LTA characteristics. Results: A total of 520 patients (males 68%, mean age 67.2±7.9% range 24–86yrs; Child score A: 63.4%, B: 30.7%, C: 5.9%) with 652 nodules (single: 69.8%, two: 18.7%, three: 8.6%, four or more: 2.9%; mean diameter 32,3±16.9mm range 6–99mm) were tyreated by 1011 LTA sessions. Major complications were 10/1011 (0.99% with 4 (0.34%) deaths: 3 liver failure and 1 intestinal perforation) not associated with center experience, patient characteristics, nodule features or LTA procedure. Minor complications were 519/1011 (53.1%) LTA sessions and the most frequent were pleural effusion (32.6%), fever (4.9%), pain (4%) and ascites (3.9%). Conclusions: LTA is a safe ablative technique for HCC with low incidence of major complications.