ABSTRACT
Primary breast tuberculosis is an uncommon disease, especially in nonendemic areas. Its presentation could mimic a cancer or an abscess, but this entity must be considered for differential diagnosis in women coming from endemic countries.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Hemorrhoidal disease is a widespread problem in healthy working patients. The traditional surgical approaches cause a loss of several working days related to the post-- operative course that is often painful. To avoid these problems while offering a symptoms resolution in patients with low degrees hemorrhoids, the non-surgical treatments are nowadays largely proposed in proctological clinics. METHODS: We resume the recent literature on the issue to offer a practical and easy to use guide for clinicians. RESULTS: Rubber band ligation, injection sclerotherapy and infrared coagulation are cost effective, safe and effective treatments for patients with II- and III-degree hemorrhoids. Relapses are commons even if the procedures can be repeated until symptoms resolution. IV-degree hemorrhoids are not suitable of these treatments. CONCLUSION: The proctological clinics must evaluate the quality of life offered to patients and discuss with them the appropriate treatment in order to select the most appropriate one for symptoms resolution and disease cure. Less is not always the best but can be an alternative to be offered.
Subject(s)
Hemorrhoids , Hemorrhoids/therapy , Humans , Ligation , Outpatients , Quality of Life , Sclerotherapy , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Perforated peptic ulcers (PPU) remain one of the most frequent causes of death. Their incidence are largely unchanged accounting for 2-4% of peptic ulcers and remain the second most frequent abdominal cause of perforation and of indication for gastric emergency surgery. The minimally invasive approach has been proposed to treat PPU however some concerns on the offered advantages remain. METHODS: Data on 184 consecutive patients undergoing surgery for PPU were collected. Likewise, perioperative data including shock at admission and interval between admission and surgery to evaluate the Boey's score. It was recorded the laparoscopic or open treatments, the type of surgical procedure, the length of the operation, the intensive care needed, and the length of hospital stay. Post-operative morbidity and mortality relation with patient's age, surgical technique and Boey's score were evaluated. RESULTS: The relationship between laparoscopic or open treatment and the Boey's score was statistically significant (p = 0.000) being the open technique used for the low-mid group in 41.1% and high score group in 100% and laparoscopy in 58.6% and 0%, respectively. Postoperative complications occurred in 9.7% of patients which were related to the patients' Boey's score, 4.7% in the low-mid score group and 21.4% in the high risk score group (p = 0.000). In contrast morbidity was not related to the chosen technique being 12.8% in open technique and 5.3% in laparoscopic one (p = 0.092, p > 0.05). 30-day post-operative mortality was 3.8% and occurred in the 0.8% of low-mid Boey's score group and in the 10.7% of the high Boey's score group (p = 0.001). In respect to the surgical technique it occurred in 6.4% of open procedures and in any case in the Lap one (p = 0.043). Finally, there was a statistically significant difference in morbidity and mortality between patients < 70 and > 70 years old (p = 0.000; p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopy tends to be an alternative method to open surgery in the treatment of perforated peptic ulcer. Morbidity and mortality were essentially related to Boey's score. In our series laparoscopy was not used in high risk Boey's score patients and it will be interesting to evaluate its usefulness in high risk patients in large randomized controlled trials.
