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Gastrosplenic fistula is a rare complication of gastric or splenic lymphoma. Here we report the case of a 48 years old man who developed a gastrosplenic fistula secondary to splenic diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, successfully managed with hand-assisted laparoscopic splenectomy and gastric wedge resection. A review of the available literature is also presented, 33 cases of gastrosplenic fistula associated to gastric or splenic lymphoma were found, of which 25 were treated surgically. This case represents the first report of laparoscopic treatment of lymphoma-related gastrosplenic fistula described to our knowledge in the available literature.

Background Minimally invasive Ivor Lewis esophagectomy (MIILE) provides better outcomes than open techniques, particularly in terms of post-operative recovery and pulmonary complications. However, in addition to requiring advanced technical skills, thoracoscopic access makes it hard to perform esophagogastric anastomosis safely, and the reported rates of anastomotic leak vary from 5 to 16%. Several minimally invasive esophago-gastric anastomotic techniques have been described, but to date strong evidence to support one technique over the others is still lacking. We herein report the technical details and preliminary results of a new robot-assisted hand-sewn esophago-gastric anastomosis technique. Methods From January 2018 to December 2020, 12 cases of laparoscopic/thoracoscopic Ivor Lewis esophagectomy with robot-assisted hand-sewn esophago-gastric anastomosis were performed. The gastric conduit was prepared and tailored taking care of vascularization with a complete resection of the gastric fundus. The anastomosis consisted of a robot-assisted, hand-sewn four layers of absorbable monofilament running barbed suture (V-lock). The posterior outer layer incorporated the gastric and esophageal staple lines. Results The post-operative course was uneventful in nine cases. Two patients developed chyloperitoneum, one patient a Sars-Cov-2 infection, and one patient a late anastomotic stricture. In all cases, there were no anastomotic leaks or delayed gastric conduit emptying. The median post-operative stay was 13 days (min 7, max 37 days); the longest in-hospital stay was recorded in patients who developed chyloperitoneum. Conclusion Despite the small series, we believe that our technique looks to be promising, safe, and reproducible. Some key points may be useful to guarantee a low complications rate after MIILE, particularly regarding anastomotic leaks and delayed emptying: the resection of the gastric fundus, the use of robot assistance, the incorporation of the staple lines in the posterior aspect of the anastomosis, and the use of barbed suture. Further cases are needed to validate the preliminary, but very encouraging, results. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00464-021-08715-4.

// Vittorio Perfetti 1, * , Erik Laurini 2, * , Suzana Aulic 2 , Maurizio Fermeglia 2 , Roberta Riboni 3 , Marco Lucioni 3 , Elena Dallera 3 , Sara Delfanti 4 , Luigi Pugliese 5 , Francesco Saverio Latteri 6 , Andrea Pietrabissa 5 and Sabrina Pricl 2 1 Internal Medicine, Ospedale SS Annunziata-ASST Pavia and Department of Molecular Medicine University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy 2 Molecular Simulation Engineering (MOSE) Laboratory, Pharmaceutical and Molecular Biology Division, DEA, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy 3 Department of Molecular Medicine and Anatomic Pathology Section, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy 4 Department of Oncology and Hematology, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy 5 Department of Surgery, General Surgery II, University of Pavia and Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy 6 General Surgery, Ospedale Cannizzaro, 95126 Catania, Italy * These authors contributed equally to this work and are First co-authors Correspondence to: Sabrina Pricl, email: sabrina.pricl@dia.units.it Keywords: KIT, GIST, novel deletion mutation, Imatinib, neoadjuvant treatment Received: April 27, 2017 Accepted: June 28, 2017 Published: July 18, 2017 ABSTRACT Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. GISTs express the receptor tyrosine kinase KIT, and the majority of GISTs present KIT gain-of-function mutations that cluster in the 5' end of the receptor juxtamembrane domain. On the other hand, little information is known about GISTs carrying mutations in the 3′ end of the KIT juxtamembrane domain. Here we report and discuss a clinical case of localized duodenal GIST whose molecular characterization revealed the presence of a new 21 nucleotide/7 amino acid deletion in the 3′ end of KIT juxtamembrane domain (Δ574–580). The patient was treated with Imatinib at standard regimen dose (400 mg/day), and responded well as the original tumor mass reduced, ultimately allowing conservative surgery. In line with these clinical evidences computer simulations, biophysical techniques and in vitro experiments demonstrated that the receptor tyrosine kinase KIT carrying the Δ574–580 mutation displays constitutive phosphorylation, which can be switched-off upon Imatinib treatment. In addition, results from this study showed that a clinical useful procedure, neoadjuvant treatment, can occasionally be of value for the understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of GIST.

Endoscopic tube implantations were carried out in 40 patients with malignant stenosis of the esophagus and gastric cardia using self-expanding metallic stents. The indications for endoscopic intubation were the advanced stage of the tumor in 27 cases and risk factors that made resection inadvisable in 13 cases. In three patients, it proved impossible to implant a stent endoscopically because we were not able to pass the guide wire through the stenosis, whereas correct stent placement was achieved in 37 cases. Functional results were good in 33 patients, but four patients did not show any improvement of symptoms. Complications occurred in nine patients (24.3%): two bleedings, three neoplastic obstructions, one food obstruction, and three distal dislodgements of the prosthesis were observed, but could be readily corrected. No deaths occurred. The median survival time was 151 days (range 25-545 days). This study suggests that endoscopic placement of metallic self-expanding stents is safe and is to be preferred to plastic stents for easier implantation and lower morbidity.

The Authors report on a patient admitted several times for the occurrence of five multiple metachronous primary malignancies (laryngeal carcinoma, endometrial adenocarcinoma, rectal cancerous polyp, Vaterpapilla carcinoma and transverse colon cancer). All five carcinomas were independent primary cancers and the lenghty time intervals between the onsets of each individual tumours confirm their independent non-metastatic origin. Classification, pathogenesis, genetic and environmental interactions of these tumours are discussed; in the case reported a family history of colon cancer was present, while no genetic markers abnormalities or chronic exposure to carcinogens were found. The case report suggests that an aggressive, appropriate surgical approach together with a through follow-up monitoring offers a chance of long-term survival for patients with metachronous malignant primary tumours.

Historical writings have described abnormalities of the thyroid gland for more than 3500 years. The relationship between the thyroid gland and goiter has been unknown until the XX century. Originally, what we know today as goiter was described as bronchocele. It was Wharton who in 1656 named the gland "thyroid", not because of the shape of the gland but because of the proximity to the thyroid cartilage. Rare attempts at thyroidectomy were made early on primarily for prevention of suffocation secondary to goiter with little success and a mortality rate as high as 40%. In 1791, Desault performed the first successful partial thyroidectomy. The most notable surgeon of 20th-century was Emil Theodore Kocher, who is considered the father of thyroid surgery. Christian Albert Theodor Billroth also made significant contributions to thyroid surgery.

Two cases of adult male patients with symptomatic duodenal duplication cysts are reported. The clinical manifestations were vomiting and epigastric pain in the first case and recurrent pancreatitis with a palpable mass in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen in the second. In both cases the diagnosis was only histological and the patients recovered after local excision of the duplication and duodenopancreatectomy, respectively. These two cases prompted an evaluation of the diagnostic features and surgical treatment of duodenal duplication cysts.

The authors carry out a retrospective review of 30 patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) who underwent surgical treatment over the period from 1974 to 2001. Sixteen were male and 14 female, with an average age of 60.9 years. Histologically, 19 tumours showed evidence of differentiation towards smooth muscle elements (10 benign and 9 malignant), 9 towards neural elements (3 benign and 6 malignant) and 2 iacked differentiation towards either cell type. Twenty-one tumours were located in the stomach, 1 in the duodenum, 3 in the jejunum and 5 in the ileum. The main symptoms were abdominal pain and abdominal masses, and the most sensitive diagnostic techniques were abdominal CT scan and endoscopy in gastroduodenal locations. In 21 gastric GISTs, the surgical procedures were local resection (15 cases), partial gastric resection (3 cases), subtotal gastrectomy (2 cases) and total gastrectomy (1 case). In 8 small bowel GISTs, we performed a typical intestinal resection while duodenal undifferentiated GIST was managed by pancreatico-duodenectomy. There was no operative mortality or morbidity. Among the 13 patients with benign GISTs, 1 died of causes unrelated to the disease, while 12 patients are still alive and in good health after a mean follow-up of 148.5 months (range: 6-262). Among patients with malignant muscular GISTs (6 gastric and 3 ileal), 3 with gastric tumours were lost to follow-up, 3 with gastric and 1 with ileal neoplasms are alive and free from disease after a median follow-up of 58 months (range 3-108), while 2 patients with ileal neoplasms died of metastatic disease 39 and 29 months after the surgical procedure. Among 6 patients with malignant neural GISTs (2 gastric, 2 jejunal and 2 ileal) 1 with a gastric tumour and 1 with a jejunal tumour were lost to follow-up, while 3 are still alive and in good health after a median follow-up of 67.6 months (range 19 to 94); another with jejunal disease developed liver metastases 14 months after small bowel resection and died 12 months later. The two patients with undifferentiated GIST both died of liver metastasis 38 months after pancreatico-duodenectomy and 43 months after total gastrectomy. The most frequent symptoms were abdominal pain and a palpable mass, but no specific signs were detected. In gastroduodenal lesions endoscopy plays a very important diagnostic role and CT scan is the most sensitive diagnostic technique in the evaluation of location, size, invasion of adjacent organs and metastases. Prognostic prediction on the basis of histological findings is difficult and in our experience undifferentiated tumours are always malignant.

Endoscopic tube implantations were carried out in 40 patients with malignant stenosis of the esophagus and gastric cardia using self-expanding metallic stents. The indications for endoscopic intubation were the advanced stage of the tumor in 27 cases and risk factors that made resection inadvisable in 13 cases. In three patients, it proved impossible to implant a stent endoscopically because we were not able to pass the guide wire through the stenosis, whereas correct stent placement was achieved in 37 cases. Functional results were good in 33 patients, but four patients did not show any improvement of symptoms. Complications occurred in nine patients (24.3%): two bleedings, three neoplastic obstructions, one food obstruction, and three distal dislodgements of the prosthesis were observed, but could be readily corrected. No deaths occurred. The median survival time was 151 days (range 25-545 days). This study suggests that endoscopic placement of metallic self-expanding stents is safe and is to be preferred to plastic stents for easier implantation and lower morbidity.

The Authors report on a patient admitted several times for the occurrence of five multiple metachronous primary malignancies (laryngeal carcinoma, endometrial adenocarcinoma, rectal cancerous polyp, ampulla of Vater carcinoma and transverse colon cancer). All five carcinomas were independent primary cancers, and the lengthy time intervals between the onsets of the individual tumours supports their independent non-metastatic origin. Classification, pathogenesis, genetic and environmental interactions of multiple tumours are discussed. In the case reported, a family history of colon cancer was present, while no genetic marker abnormalities or chronic exposure to carcinogens were found. The case report shows that an aggressive, appropriate surgical approach together with thorough follow-up monitoring offers a chance of long-term survival for patients with metachronous malignant primary tumours.

The Authors report two cases of transposed colon redundancy occurring after surgical treatment in 37 patients with caustic oesophageal strictures by retrosternal oesophagoplasty. Surgical management was required because of persistent dysphagia and weight loss in both patients. The technique performed was a resection of the redundant loop with a termino-terminal colo-colonic anastomosis via a right thoracic approach.

The Authors report a rare case of undifferentiated duodenal malignant stromal tumour in a 69-years-old man radically managed by pancreaticoduodenectomy and resection of a liver metastasis. Several preoperative tests were performed (barium meal, endoscopy, ultrasonography and CT scan) but failed to yield a differential diagnosis between a tumour of the pancreatic head and a retroperitoneal neoplasm. The diagnosis was only histological. The tumour was considered to be high-grade due to its large size, high mitotic index, and the presence of necrosis and liver metastasis. Thorough surveillance revealed several hepatic metastases 29 months after resection, and chemotherapy performed at this stage proved completely ineffective. The patient died 38 months after surgery.

Sixty-one patients with substernal goiter--42 women and 9 men (female:male ratio 2.2:1), mean age 57.5 years--underwent surgical resection in the General and Thoracic Surgery Division of the Surgery Department of the University of Catania from January 1980 to March 1999. Six patients (9.8%) had previously undergone cervicotomy. Forty-nine patients (80.3%) had symptoms (2 with acute respiratory failure); 22.9% had metabolic symptoms. Fifty-one patients (83.6%) had cervicomediastinal goiter, 8 (13.1%) migrated mediastinal goiter and 2 (3.3%) ectopic goiter. Forty-one cases (69.5%) were prevascular and 18 (30.5%) retrovascular; of the latter 5 were pre-visceral and 13 retrovisceral. Fifty-one thyroidectomies (6 subtotal) were performed, as well as 5 mediastinal excisions to complete removal and 4 resections confined to the mediastinal component. The 51 patients with cervicomediastinal goiter underwent cervicotomy in 42 cases (82.4%), cervicosternotomy in 7 cases (13.7%) and cervicosternothoracotomy in 2 cases (3.9%). The 8 migrated mediastinal goiters were removed via sternotomy in 6 cases, cervico thoracotomy in 1 and thoracotomy in 1. This latter approach was also used for the 2 ectopic goiters. The goiter presented signs of neoplastic degeneration in 2 cases (3.2%). Postoperative complications were: recurrent nerve palsy in 5 cases (1 bilateral definitive, 1 monolateral definitive, 3 monolateral transient), respiratory failure in 2, mediastinal hematoma in 1 and hypocalcemia in 8 (transient in 6). There was one postoperative death due to cardiorespiratory failure after cervicosternotomy. Surgical excision of substernal goiters is the best choice of treatment in view of the very low postoperative mortality and morbidity.

During a twenty-six year period from 1973 to 1999 a total of 78 patients with severe esophago-gastric lesions after caustic ingestion were referred to and managed at our unit. Hydrochloric acid was the most frequently involved caustic agent and the lesions were located in the esophagus (52.6%), in the stomach (19.2%) and in both the esophagus and stomach (28.2%). Thirty-seven patients were managed by endoscopic dilation of esophageal stricture that gave permanent relief of dysphagia in 13 cases only. Twelve patients are still managed with endoscopic dilation and in another 12 we performed bypass surgery. Two perforations developed and spontaneously sealed after T.P.N. for 6-8 weeks. No death occurred. Fifty-three patients were operated on in emergency or during survey period or for stenotic lesions. Surgical procedures were: in esophageal strictures a substernal esophago or pharyngocologastroplasty without esophagectomy; in esophago-gastric strictures, after an esophago-gastrectomy, an esophago or pharyngocolojejunoplasty in one or two steps; in total gastric stenosis without esophageal involvement a total gastrectomy followed by a Roux-en-Y esophago-jejunal anastomosis and in antropyloric strictures a Billroth I or II partial gastrectomy. The morbidity rate was 32% with a 5.6% mortality rate.

The Authors report their experience on 76 patients managed for oesophageal achalasia from 1973-1997. 65 patients have been surgically treated with Heller miotomy (19 cases) or miotomy with antireflux procedures (46 cases); 11 patients underwent an endoscopic pneumatic dilation. 54 patients, 43 surgically and 11 endoscopically treated, have been followed for a mean length of time of 6 years and 6 months. Complete cure or significant improvement of symptoms have been noted in 86% and 72.7% of patients treated respectively with surgery or pneumatic dilatation. The results have been evaluated according to the recent data from the literature and diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of primitive achalasia are discussed.

114,005 cases from 40 United States series of laparoscopic cholecystectomies (LC) were reviewed. Indications, conversion rates, rates of intra-operative cholangiography (IOC), and incidence of bile duct stone and iatrogenic bile duct injuries were assessed. Indications included acute cholecystitis in 11.6% and gallstone pancreatitis in 2.1% of reported cases. Conversion rate was to be primarily related to inflammation. Unsuspected bile duct stones were detected intra-operatively in 7.8% of cases. 561 major bile duct injuries (BDI) and 401 bile leaks (BL) were recorded and acute or chronic inflammation was their most important potential predisposing factor. In series with a high rate of IOC performed during LC, BDJ and BL were slightly lower and lesions recognized intra-operatively were much higher than in series with low rate of IOC. BDJ occurred in the first 50 patients of the surgeon's experience in about 91% of the cases.

The authors reviewed 23 surgical cases of symptomatic oesophageal diverticula. In Zenker's diverticula (7 cases) the surgical treatment consisted of extramucosal cricopharyngeal myotomy and diverticulectomy (6 patients) or diverticulum suspension (1 patient). The operations in epiphrenic (15 patients) and mid-thoracic (1 patient) diverticula were as follows: diverticulectomy, longitudinal extramucosal myotomy and antireflux surgery (11 cases); myotomy and antireflux surgery (4 cases); myotomy alone (1 patient). There was no operative mortality. Postoperative complications occurred in 3 patients (13%). 15 patients were followed for an average time of 60 months. None of them developed postoperative dysphagia. Pathogenesis, diagnostic methods and surgical options are discussed.

Pathogenetic, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of postoperative bile duct injuries are reviewed. Treatment options are discussed in relation to the time of diagnosis. Lesions detected during the same operation must be immediately repaired through an end-to-end biliary anastomosis or a bilioenteric anastomosis. In limited lesions of the bile duct a T-tube placement should be sufficient. Bile duct lesions recognized postoperatively can be managed through a multimodal surgical, endoscopic, and radiologic approach. In the early postoperative period, surgery is indicated when a complete section of the biliary tract or a severe peritonitis is recognized, or when endoscopic and radiologic treatment has failed. Surgery is also the treatment of choice in the late complete stenosis of the bile duct. Roux-en-Y hepatico-jejunostomy is the most common surgical procedure for the treatment of bile duct lesions and strictures. However, in high bile duct lesions, especially if the risk of anastomotic dehiscence is increased the Authors emphasize the Rodney-Smith technique for the reconstruction of the biliary tract.

Pancreatoblastoma is a very rare tumor of the pancreas, affecting children in the first decade of life. Ultrasound and CT scan may be useful but pre-operative diagnosis is often quite difficult. High level of seric alpha-fetoprotein could be suggestive of pancreatoblastoma. The definitive diagnosis is however made by histologists when an organoid structure, well encapsulated, consisting of acinar cells with zymogen-like granules and squamoid corpuscle is demonstrated, sometimes associated with mesenchymal tissue (mixed-type pancreatoblastoma). Immunohistochemical studies may help in differentiating pancreatoblastoma from papillary cystic tumors, acinar cell carcinomas and endocrine pancreatic tumors of the pancreas. We report a case of mixed-type pancreatoblastoma in a 12-year-old female patient, located in the head of the pancreas. The treatment has been surgical, consisting of a duodeno-cephalo-pancreasectomy. Neither radiotherapy nor chemotherapy has been performed. The patient is alive, without recurrence, four months after the operation. Diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic aspects are discussed.

The authors report 32 patients admitted to the hospital with iatrogenic bile duct stricture. Cholecystectomy with or without bile duct exploration was the most frequent (84.3%) surgical procedure responsible for the lesion, followed by BII gastric resection. Six patients had undergone one previous attempt at repair in another institution. Most patients had undergone a hepatojejunostomy, which has the procedure of choice in the last cases. Mortality and morbidity rates were 0 and 15%, respectively. The complications reported were a biliary fistula and 2 post-repair bile strictures that required one or more re-operations. During the follow-up 2 other patients developed episodes of cholangitis, treated medically. Clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of iatrogenic bile duct strictures are reviewed.

Sixty-four patients with achalasia of the esophagus were surgically treated during the period 1973-1990. They were analyzed a late follow-up (mean = 78 months) by means of subjective and objective parameters. The Authors emphasize the efficiency of the diagnostic approach so that surgical treatment offers better results. The surgical technique of choice consists of an anterior esophagomyotomy (extending from 6 cm above the esophagogastric junction down to 1-2 cm below it) with the addition of an anterior Dor antireflux procedure through a laparotomy. The other therapeutic approach to achalasia is pneumatic dilatation of lower esophageal sphincter. A retrospective comparison of two different treatments is made through the analysis of the literature (medlars 1986-1990). Relief of dysphagia is reported in 92.78% of patients treated by myotomy and in 78.71% of those treated by forceful dilatation. The morbidity rate is greater after pneumatic dilatation (6% vs 5%) and the mortality rate is 1.1% after myotomy and 0.2% after dilatation. There are not rigorous criteria of choice between the two treatment methods but the Authors indicate that Heller's myotomy with an antireflux procedure achieve better and lasting results.

The role of an early multidisciplinary approach to the management of upper digestive tract caustic lesions in the acute phase is stressed. The accurate evaluation of the lesions through early endoscopy, performed within 24-48 hours of ingestion, is the best means of assessing the degree of injury after caustic ingestion. Massive gastric and/or oesophageal necrosis, tracheoesophageal fistula, massive gastric haemorrhage, gastric and/or duodenal perforation are indications for emergency surgery. Management techniques of acute lesions are controversial because results of the different surgical procedures proposed are not satisfactory. Surgery of complications is mandatory, but up to date morbidity and mortality rates are still high.

The Authors report their experience on ileal-anal anastomosis with a J-pouch. A videotape illustrates the surgical technique. At last functional results are shown.

Morphine concentrations in plasma and CSF after i.m. and epidural morphine administration were assayed in patients undergoing surgery of the low abdomen. Morphine concentration in CSF after i.m. administration of this drug is remarkably lower than morphine concentration in plasma. The highest value is attained in CSF after about 90' and is followed by a slow downsloping to lowest values, which were observed 4 hours after drug administration. Kinetics of morphine passage into plasma after epidural administration is similar to that found after i.m. administration. In the latter experimental condition (epidural administration), concentrations of morphine in CSF 30' after administration are markedly lower than those found in plasma. However, 60 min. after epidural administration plasma and CSF morphine concentrations are similar, in particular CSF concentrations are 4 to 8 times higher than those obtained after i.m. administration. Such high levels persists for a long time.

Summary Groups of male rats were treated with antihypertensive drugs (alpha-methyl-dopa, clonidine, propranolol, reserpine, diazoxide) which were administered under conditions causing the onset of high plasma renin activity (PRA) and high plasma and urine aldosterone levels, i.e. together with distilled water load (5% of body weight). Alpha-methyl-dopa and propranolol, which fail to significantly alter PRA and plasma aldosterone levels when administered without distilled water load, cause a marked decrease of plasma and urine aldosterone levels and of PRA when administered together with distilled water load, while diazoxide, and reserpine cause a marked increase of these values. Clonidine causes significant decreases of PRA and plasma aldosterone levels in both experimental situations. Increases of PRA and of plasma aldosterone levels occur also in rats treated with diazoxide associated with propranolol and in those treated with an association of reserpine and propranolol. The highest values of plasma aldosterone levels were found in rats treated with reserpine for two days and receiving a further dose of reserpine associated with propranolol on the third day, which fact was ascribed to the reduction of peripheral vascular resistance and of plasma flow in the kidney (as shown by decreased diuresis) brought about by propranolol and followed by a marked compensatory activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Moreover there is no apparent correlation between the antihypertensive effect and the variations of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.

The data reported in the present paper refer to quantitative variations of plasma renin activity (PRA.) and of plasma aldosterone levels in rats after adiministration of saline, chrystalloid and colloid solutions. In our experimental conditions PRA and plasma aldosterone levels were shown to increase significantly after administration of distilled water and glucose solution. Variations of PRA and plasma aldosterone levels were only slight when plasma volume was made to increase due to administration of polyvinylpirrolidone solution. PRA, instead, was significantly lower in rats having received saline salution.

Resume Dans le contexte de la reaction endocrinienne et metabolique a l'anesthesie et a la chirurgie, les effets de l'isoflurane sur l'axe hypothalamohypophysocorticosurrenalien et le systeme hypothalamothyroidien ont ete etudies. L'ACTH, le cortisol, la TSH, la T3, la T4 et la prolactine ont ete doses chez 16 patients avant et au cours de l'intervention chirurgicale sous anesthesie avec isoflurane. Les resultats objectivent une augmentation significative des valeurs de la prolactine, du cortisol et de T4, permettant de conclure que l'isoflurane ne bloque pas l'augmentation du taux plasmatique de ces hormones au cours du stress chirurgical et se comporte donc a ce point de vue comme l'enflurane.

The present day evidence of innervation of the vascular tree of the lower extremity and the adverse effects of vasospasm accompanying vascular injury is presented. A method of overcoming vasospasm by continuous spinal anesthesia is suggested. More recently we have adopted continuous epidural block as a safer and more controllable method for attaining this end. No deleterious effects from spinal anesthesia prolonged for eleven days were observed in this patient.

An immunologic study was undertaken on 89 lung cancer patients and on the basis of results obtained so far, a protocol of active, aspecific immunotherapy by living bacterial vaccines (BCG) and/or synthetic immunopotentiator (methisoprinol) was carried out. First results obtained in patients undergoing immunostimulation are reported together with the observation that while positive humoral effects seem present in stage I and II patients, in cases of spread of the disease results are substantially negative.

PRA, plasma and urine aldosterone levels and plasma digoxin were measured in rats in which digoxin had been administered under conditions of high PRA and high aldosterone levels experimentally induced by administering distilled water load and in rats in which digoxin had been administered without distilled water load. Results show that under conditions of high PRA and high aldosterone levels, plasma digoxin concentrations as measured 6 h after treatment were higher (45,3%) than in rats having received digoxin without water load. In assays carried out on rats sacrificed 12 h after digoxin treatment (with or without water load) all values approach basic levels again, thus suggesting that in rats too aldosterone might compete with digoxin at the level of tubular excretion.

Summary The data reported in the present paper refer to quantitative variations of plasma renin activity and plasma aldosterone levels after administration of alpha-blocking agents, i.e. phentolamine, phenoxybenzamine and gihydroergotoxin derivatives, either to rats kept on a standard diet with water ad libitum or to rats receiving distilled water load, the latter treatment causing an increase of both plasma renin activity and plasma aldosterone levels if compared to control values. No strict correlation between (a) drug-induced modifications of plasma renin activity and plasma aldosterone levels and (b) blood pressure drop caused by the same drugs was shown to occur under either experimental condition. Infact phentolamine and dihydroergotoxin derivatives exert all a more or less marked hypotensive action, which may be associated with relatively high plasma renin activita and plasma aldosterone levels, as is the case with phentolamine and phenoxybenzamine, or with low PRA and low plasma aldosterone levels, as is the case with dihydroergotoxin derivatives.

Summary Groups of 10 rats were treated with diuretics (furosemide, hydrochlorotiazide, spironolactone, triamterene) under conditions of high or low plasma renin activity (PRA) brought about by administering distilled water or saline load, respectively. PRA, plasma aldosterone levels, urine aldosterone concentration as well as diuresis and Na+ and K+ excretion were