[The pathology of self-destruction. Personal experience. Clinico-statistical aspects]. / Patologia anticonservativa. Esperienza personale. Considerazioni clinico-statistiche.

Personal experience of 165 cases of attempted suicide observed at the resuscitation centre of the Biella Hospital in the period 1983-1987 is reported. The patients are examined from the point of view of their personal status, job, previous pathologies with particular regard to depressive anxiety syndromes. Particularly noteworthy is the high incidence of mortality among patients who had tried suicide previously.

[Experience with regard to the use of plasmapheresis in pathologies of resuscitative importance]. / Esperienza riguardo all'uso della plasmaferesi in patologie di interesse rianimatorio.

After a report on the basic techniques and clinical significance of plasmapheresis, personal experience of the application of the technique on 6 patients with various pathologies is described. The overall results were satisfactory.

[Evaluation of the efficacy of cefoperazone sodium in the treatment of infections in intensive therapy]. / Valutazione dell'efficacia del Cefoperazone sodico nel trattamento delle infezioni in terapia intensiva.

The efficacy and tolerability of Cefoperazone sodium in the treatment of infections primarily of the lower respiratory and/or urinary tract were assessed. The drug was given to 16 intensive care patients encountered over a period of a few months. The results appear to be satisfactory and suggest that the drug is suitable for use in the treatment of intensive care infections.

[Pathology of infections in the resuscitation and intensive care center of the Biella Hospital]. / Studio sulla patologia da infezioni nel centro di rianimazione e terapia intensiva dell'Ospedale di Biella.

A survey was conducted into the problems of infections in intensive care units. After a short report on the survey methodology, the equipment most frequently involved in infection and the germs implicated are described. Results and conclusions agree with data from the literature reported in the introduction.

[Postoperative thromboembolism: preventive use of calcium heparin in low doses]. / Le tromboembolie post-operatorie: impiego preventivo della eparina calcica a bassi dosaggi.

The problem of post-operative thromboembolism is re-examined and the progress made in the prevention of venous stasis and hypercoagulability reviewed. The high incidence of asymptomatic phlebitic phenomena is noted and personal experience of the use of low doses of Calcium heparin in 415 patients undergoing various types of operation is reported. Eight patients had chronic duodenal ulcers. A notable reduction in the incidence of post-operative thromboembolism was confirmed. The value of this preventive method is thus demonstrated, as is the usefulness of analysing haemostatic balance in patients with one or more risk factors for thromboembolism in order to "personalize" the dosage and duration of treatment with Calcium heparin.

[Postoperative pain and methods for its control]. / Studio del dolore post-operatorio e delle modalità di controllo.

Research was conducted into post-operative pain and possible means for its control. A total of 66 patients subdivided into 3 groups were studied. In order to document analgesic effectiveness, pain was measured by two subjective methods--Huskisson's Visual Analogue and the "SCORE" index. Patients' anxiety was assessed pre-operatively by a suitably modified tourniquet test. The groups of patients were subdivided according to the analgesic agent used: 1st group (herniectomies, appendicectomies) Baralgina f. 1; 2nd group (cholecystectomies, hysterectomies) Talwin f. 1; 3rd group (cholecystectomies, hysterectomies) Baralgina f. 1 + Talwin f. 1. The latter combination proved to be satisfactory and guaranteed a sufficiently calm post-operative period. On the basis of the data obtained, it is recommended that anaesthesiological procedures include analgesic cover that exploits the action of Phentanyl as an analgesic agent and neurovegetative stabilizer and is to be used at the start of the operation. For operations lasting more than 60 minutes, a combination of Baralgina and Talwin or Buprenorfina may be administered during the post-operative period.