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The frequency of the "acute abdomen" has increased with the ageing of the population. In this chapter, we have examined syndromes of primary vascular origin, caused by vascular dysfunction, such as alterations in the vascular walls or haemodynamic disorders. We have left aside secondary vascular problems such as strangulation, obstruction or compression of vessels by tumours, which are easier to treat and diagnose and have a better prognosis. The symptoms of acute ischaemia caused by intrinsic vascular deficiency are not specific and clinical tests are untrustworthy. Despite progress in our knowledge of splanchnic haemodynamics, in radiology, vascular surgery and endoscopy, the prognosis remains poor. In view of the cataclysmic nature of the haemorrhage or the damage to the intestinal walls which evolves swiftly towards gangrenous necrosis, very rapid diagnosis of any of these various syndromes is essential if the patient is to be saved.

Three cases of bronchopulmonary lipomas are reported, two sub pleural and one endobronchial. They represent 2,8% of all so-called benign bronchopulmonary tumours in our statistic. The two subpleural and asymptomatic lipomas were treated by thoracotomy and enucleation, the third, the endobronchial lipoma required lobectomy because of irreversible pulmonary damage.

Cases of colorectal cancer operated on at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) during the past 26 years have been reviewed retrospectively. Emphasis has been placed on surgical treatment and changes in prognosis over this period, with the aim of analysing, on the one hand, factors which remained constant and, on the other hand, progress that has been made over the last 26 years.

It seems established, and unanimously accepted, that oral contraceptives with a high synthetic oestrogen content are responsible for an increased incidence of hepatobiliary problems (benign tumours, gallbladder stones, icterus) [18,19,41,44,48, 53]. Pathology of the mesenteric vessels (arterial and venous thromboses), another complication of this contraceptive method, is not yet widely recognized as such. While it is less frequent than the hepatobiliary problems, and perhaps in regression since the introduction of pills with lower doses of oestrogens, this complication is often more serious because it is associated with a higher mortality.