[Laparoscopic or open appendectomy. Critical review of the literature and personal experience]. / Appendicectomia laparoscopica o a cielo aperto. Revisione critica della letteratura ed esperienza personale.

UNLABELLED: In the era of video-laparoscopic surgery there are a lot of surgeons that still continue to perform open appendectomy. This choice is the consequence of the good results of open appendectomy (clinical, cosmetic, hospital stays and hospital costs). Published trials on laparoscopic appendectomy don't show that it is superior to the open approach. The aim of this study is to critically review the literature on laparoscopic and traditional appendectomies and to report a clinical experience on 86 consecutive patients that underwent open appendectomy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From September 2000 to March 2001, in the Department of Emergency Surgery of Villa Scassi Hospital in Genoa, 86 patients underwent open appendectomy (32 men; mean age 29.8 years; range 15-54 years/54 women; mean age 22.4 years; range 13-80 years). All the patients underwent blood examinations, abdomino-pelvic ultrasonographys and the women gynecological evaluation. The Authors used, almost always, the Stropeni way of access (cutaneous Mac Burney and right para-rectal incision of the muscles). Discharge has been done as soon as possible. Removed appendices were submitted to histological examination and were classified as normal or pathologic according to the severity of the lesion. Review of articles has been done on Medline. RESULTS: Suspected appendicitis have been confirmed by histological examination that documented 1 normal appendix, 7 chronic appendicitis, 45 acute catharralis, 22 acute suppurative and 11 gangrenous or perforated appendicitis. The specificity of open appendectomy has been 97.6% (100% for men). Post-operative complications were: 2 wound infections and 1 recurrence of an abscess (2.58%). Open appendectomy did carry an hospital bill of 2,500,000 IT liras (1,200 USA dollars) for non complicated appendicitis and 2,000 USA dollars for perforated appendicitis. The early discharge allowed us to spend 119 millions IT liras less in 7 months (99,600 USA dollars in a year). DISCUSSION: The role of laparoscopic appendectomy isn't still established. After a critical review of the literature we can suggest that: 1) laparoscopic appendectomy increase operative time (63 vs 43 minutes: p < 0.0001); 2) laparoscopic approach can reduce the length of post-operative stay in hospital; 3) hospital bill is strongly reduced by open appendectomy (4,274 vs 7,923 USA dollars). On our experience the cost of the hospital for uncomplicated appendicitis is 2,500,000 IT liras (1,200 USA dollars). Otherwise it has been suggested that laparoscopic appendectomy has a better diagnostic accuracy respect to open appendectomy. Some Authors report a percentage of "negative" appendices of 16-50%. In Authors experience the percentage of "negative" appendices is 1.3% and so the diagnostic accuracy is 96% in women and 100% in men, probably because we systematically performed a preoperative abdomino-pelvic ultrasonography and, for the women, a gynecological evaluation. In conclusion, laparoscopic appendectomy should be done in case of suspected appendicitis in women. In the other cases, when there is a strong clinical suspect of appendicitis and, in particular, in case of suppurative appendicitis, the Authors recommend to perform an open appendectomy using the Stropeni approach. In case of perforated appendicitis with abdominal abscess they recommend to perform an open appendectomy using the right para-rectal approach or the median umbilical-pubis approach.

[Tracheobronchial reconstructive surgery: protection of the tracheal anastomosis. Our experience]. / Chirurgia ricostruttiva tracheobronchiale: protezione dell'anastomosi tracheale. Nostra esperienza.

In line with data reported in the literature, the authors consider that the careful protection of the tracheal suture with abundant vital tissue is of fundamental importance in the prevention of complications in tracheal resective-reconstructive surgery. This procedure in fact reduces the risk of necrosis and subsequent fistulization of tracheal tissue and prevents decubitus of the suture on the innominate arterial wall, avoiding possible ulceration with fistulization and tracheal hemorrhage.

[Thoracic surgery with a video endoscopic technic. The authors' own experience]. / Chirurgia toracica con tecnica video-endoscopica. Esperienza personale.

The authors illustrate the current possibilities and limitations of a leading-edge technique, thoracoscopic surgery, made possible by the enormous technical progress which has led to the creation of specific visual and surgical instruments. On the strength of their personal experience, they list the different diseases which may be treated using video thoracoscopic surgery.

[Use of minitracheotomy in high-risk pulmonary resection surgery. Results of a comparative study]. / L'uso della minitracheotomia nella chirurgia resettiva polmonare a rischio. Risultati di uno studio comparativo.

Twenty patients undergoing lung resections were randomized into two groups: group 1 (n = 10) received mini-tracheotomy postoperatively and group 2 (n = 10) were control patients. The two groups were similarly matched in pulmonary functions (FEV1 < 1.8 1), performance status and surgical procedures (major pulmonary resections). All patients were monitored by serial chest X-ray examinations, arterial blood gases, clinical assessment and response to chest physiotherapy. Postoperative pulmonary complications of atelectasis/bronchopneumonia developed in 1 patient in group A and 4 patients in group B. Two patients of this last group required mini-tracheotomy to treat the pneumonia. The mean overall duration of mini-tracheotomy was 6.3 days. Five patients presented minor temporary symptoms related to mini-tracheotomy, including voice changes, discomfort and stridor. No long term morbidity was observed. We concluded that the use of mini-tracheotomy is safe and effective in decreasing postoperative respiratory morbidity in high risk patients.

[Diverticulitis of the appendix: a rare cause of acute abdomen]. / La diverticolite dell'appendice vermiforme: rara causa di addome acuto chirurgico.

Diverticulosis of the vermiform appendix, either single or multiple, congenital or acquired, is rather infrequent and usually asymptomatic. However, it may be complicated by flogosis configuring an acute abdomen hardly recognizable from an acute appendicitis not related to the diverticular disease. The Authors report a case of acute appendicular diverticulitis surgically treated. A brief review of the literature is also reported.

[The surgical therapy of pulmonary aspergilloma. Our experience]. / La terapia chirurgica dell'aspergilloma polmonare. Nostra esperienza.

Between 1971 and 1986 11 patients suffering from pulmonary aspergilloma were seen in the thoracic surgery service at Genova-Sampierdarena Hospital. Nine patients underwent thoracotomy. Lobectomy was the most frequent operation. Complications occurred in 3 patients (33%). There were no recurrent symptoms in any of them over a mean follow-up of 4 years. The remaining two patients were treated by instillation of antifungal agents into the aspergilloma cavity. There was no systemic toxicity and in one patient the mycetoma resolved. The authors conclude that pulmonary resection can provide effective long-term treatment, while intracavity infusion of antifungal agent can be a successful nonoperative method in critically ill patients.

[Surgery in the treatment of pulmonary carcinoma with mediastinal lymph node metastasis (N2)]. / La chirurgia nel trattamento del carcinoma polmonare con metastasi linfonodali mediastiniche (N2).

This study is based on the analysis of the survival data in patients with N2 disease reported by Martini, Pearson, Shields et al. Many factors appear to influence survival of this group of patients. We made a retrospective analysis of a series of 91 patients with N2 disease between January 1980 and March 1985. Sixty-nine patients (71.5%) presented clinically N2 disease; 44 patients (63.7%) were treated with complete resection and postoperative irradiation, the actuarial five year survival was 11%. Twenty-two patients (24.2%) were discovered to have N2 disease at thoracotomy. Twenty-one patients underwent resection and the actuarial five year survival was 29%. We conclude that surgery can be effective in a highly selective group of patients.