[Treatment of inguinal hernia in local anesthesia: our experience with the Shouldice surgical technique]. / Trattamento delle ernie inguinale in anestesia locale: nostra esperienza della plastica sec. Shouldice.

The authors present their personal experience in the surgical treatment of 256 cases of patients suffering from inguinal hernia, using the Shouldice technique in local anaesthesia. Minor incidence intra and postoperative complications compared with other types of anaesthesia, the possibility to converse with the patient during the operation and if necessary to invite him to cough in order to exclude the presence of other associated hernias or to assay the robustness and the resistance of the plastic, minor frequency of relapses compared with other operating techniques (1.5% in the Shouldice against 3% of the Bassini), and last but not least the possibility of early discharge from hospital and more swift resumption of work, confirm the full validity of this hernial plastic surgery.

[Cancer of the rectum and sigmoid. Our experience]. / Il cancro del retto-sigma. Nostra esperienza.

The paper reports the Authors' experience during the period 1989-91 and refers to 80 operated cases of rectum-sigma cancer. Given that data reported in the literature affirm that the limit of oncological safety is 1.5-2 centimetres distal from the tumour, and owing to their use of mechanical staplers, the Authors were able to use the preferred anterior section followed by low or very low colo-rectal anastomosis in 96% of cases. Miles' technique for abdomino-perineal amputation was only resorted to in 4% of cases. Tumours parameters, short- and medium-term complications and the results of a short-term follow-up are all discussed. The Authors compare their experience with that of other researchers reported in the literature.