Ten-year follow-up after operative treatment for intra-articular fractures of the calcaneus.

Our first 16 patients with intra-articular calcaneal fractures that were managed by open reduction and internal fixation were originally reviewed on average 3 years after operation. We looked at the same patients again on average more than 10 years after surgery using the same evaluation system by the same physician. Seventy-five percent of the patients showed an excellent or good functional result. In no case was there an indication for a secondary arthrodesis. In spite of the fact that radiologically most patients showed a slowly progressing posttraumatic subtalar osteoarthritis, the subjective results (pain, capacity to work, and/or sports) at 10 years were clearly better than 3 years after surgery. These results may allow the conclusion that radiologic findings are only of limited value in the assessment of long-term results after operative treatment of calcaneal fractures. From a functional point of view and on the long-term follow-up most patients with intra-articular fractures of the calcaneus seem to profit from open reduction and internal fixation.

[Localized fibrous tumor of the pleura. 2 case reports and differential diagnoses]. / Der lokalisierte fibröse Tumor der Pleura. Zwei Fallvorstellungen und ihre Differentialdiagnosen.

The localized fibrous tumors of the pleura are rare neoplasms, also known as "benign pleural fibromas" or "localized mesotheliomas", but those names are inaccurate. The tumors are composed of undifferentiated mesenchymal cells, intermediate and differentiated fibroblasts and collagenous interstitial tissue. Their origin is normally the submesothelial layer of the visceral pleura. Mesothelial differentiation is not present. The grading of malignancy doesn't correlate with final outcome, adequacy of surgical excision being the most important factor. This neoplasm may recur but retain its basical histologic features. The positive results for vimentin and negative results for cytokeratin antibodies help to distinguish the localized fibrous tumors from the mesothelioma. We present too cases and their diagnostic possibilities.

[The importance of surgical assistants from the viewpoint of the heads of surgery]. / Die Stellung der chirurgischen Assistenten aus der Sicht beamteter Chirurgen.

60 heads of surgical units of non-university hospitals in Switzerland were questioned about their opinion about their assistants. The questionnaire was divided into: general data about hospital size and number of assistants, employment criteria, further education, operative activities and working hours of assistants. The answers are representative for the situation in non-university hospitals in Switzerland.

[Single-photon emission-computed tomography (SPECT) during the first 72 hours after subarachnoid hemorrhage: a study of 45 cases]. / Tomographie d'émission mono-photonique (SPECT) au cours des 72 premières heures suivant l'hémorragie sous-arachnoïdienne (HSA): étude de 45 cas.

Forty five patients suffering by S.A.H., with I-III degree according to Hunt-Hess classification, have been studied with SPECT, performed within 72 hours from the hemorrhage, in order to evaluate early alterations of cerebral blood flow and their prognostic value. The patients with a clinical worsening showed an important diminution of C.B.F. detected by SPECT and a great amount of blood in the sub-arachnoidal spaces at the CT scan (III degree, according to Fischer). If these results will be confirmed with further studies, it could be possible to early identify a group of patients with a high risk of developing a cerebral vasospasm.