[Multicentre observational study on peristomal skin disorders. A proposal classification]. / Studio osservazionale multicentrico sulle alterazioni cutanee post-enterostomie (SACS) Classificazione delle alterazioni peristonali.

Disorders regarding peristomal skin have been more and more investigated in order to establish the impact on quality of life of ostomy patients. The aim of this classification is to provide an objective, standardized tool for the assessment of peristomal skin complication specifically designed on the description and localization of the lesion.

[Unreliability of the lidocaine test as a prognostic indicator of acute liver failure: an experimental study in swine]. / L'inattendibilità del test alla lidocaina come indice prognostico nell'insufficienza epatica acuta: studio sperimentale nel suino.

It has been reported, in the recent literature, that fifteen minutes lidocaine-MEGX (monoethylglycinexylidide) test can also be used in case of acute hepatic failure because in these conditions the test allows a rapid evaluation of the hepatic damage, uneffected by te infusion of liquid or fresh plasma which can alter conventional laboratory parameters. The Authors have demonstrated, in a experimental model, the unreliability of the lidocaine-MEGX test as measure of functional hepatic damage in the early stages of an acute liver failure. The slight decrease of the rate of the MEGX test in these animals submitted to one-stage hepatic devascularization suggests that the hepatic failure is not so early detected by this specific liver function test. Accordingly, the 15' MEGX test should not be used as isolated discriminatory measure to detect an early hepatic failure following fulminant hepatitis or an early hepatic insufficiency as a result of extensive liver resection.

[A facilitated technique for donor hepatectomy: experimental study in the pig]. / Proposta di una tecnica facilitata per il prelievo di fegato: studio sperimentale nel suino.

A facilitated technique of porcine donor hepatectomy is reported underlying the possibility to make an easy procedure without in situ portal perfusion, so other abdominal organs supplied by superior mesenteric system can be harvested at the same time. The viability of those grafts procured without in situ portal perfusion has been compared with an other group of livers harvested with in situ aortic and portal flushing. The evaluation of the histology and early graft function two hours after riperfusion has shown no differences between both groups.

Epileptic seizures in patients with acute catatonic syndrome.

Acute catatonic syndrome is a condition that can be caused by a variety of metabolic, neurological, psychiatric, and toxic conditions, including neuroleptic malignant syndrome. Although ictal catatonia as a manifestation of non-convulsive status epilepticus has been described, reference to the occurrence of seizures in patients with acute catatonic syndrome is anecdotal. Twenty nine patients with acute catatonic syndrome were reviewed to identify patients with seizures after the onset of acute catatonic syndrome. Patients were divided into four diagnostic groups: affective (15), schizophrenic (eight), toxic (two), and organic (four). Seizures occurred in four patients (13.8%): two patients with dystonic seizures had viral encephalitis and schizophrenic disorder respectively; one patient with complex partial seizures had viral encephalitis and one patient with absence status had neuroleptic malignant syndrome. The results indicate the value of EEG in detection of epileptic activity in patients with acute catatonic syndrome, both at onset and in the course of such disturbance, particularly to provide a differential diagnosis between pseudo-seizures and neuroleptic-induced acute dystonia.