Partial rupture of the distal biceps brachii tendon in elite waterpolo goalkeeper: a case report of conservative treatment.

The aim of this study was to describe a case of a 27-year-old male elite waterpolo goalkeeper, who had a partial rupture of the distal biceps tendon of his dominant arm while he was trying to save a strong outside shot. Pain on the antecubital fossa was the chief complaint. Ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging completed the instrumental set-up. This case had the resolution of the pain and impairment after 3 months of conservative treatment. At 1-year follow-up, the athlete is asymptomatic and the isokinetic test provided almost complete recovery of the strength for elbow flexors and supinators muscles.

Heterotopic ossification of the ulnar collateral ligament: a description of a case in a top level weightlifting athlete.

The purpose of this paper is to describe a case of heterotopic ossification of the ulnar collateral ligament in a 29-year-old top level weightlifter. Plain radiography of the elbow determined the extent and location of heterotopic ossification. Ultrasound and MR imaging completed the instrumental set-up. This symptomatic case had the resolution of pain after 2 months of a supervised rehabilitation program. At one year follow-up the athlete is asymptomatic referring occasional minor pain only in the periods of vigorous training.

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in the treatment of chronic mesenteric ischemia: results and 3 years of follow-up in 23 patients.

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the clinical efficacy of visceral angioplasty in the treatment of chronic mesenteric ischemia. METHODS: Over a 14-year period, we performed percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of 41 occlusive diseases of visceral arteries founded by angiography in 23 patients with chronic mesenteric ischemia. All but one (fibrodysplasic) stenoses were atherosclerotic, and 13 were localized in the ostial tract. Clinical follow-up was evaluated at 2, 6, 12, 24, and 36 months (mean follow-up = 27 months). RESULTS: Angioplasty demonstrated a residual stenosis of 30% or less in 37 procedures, for a technical success rate of 90%. Seventeen of 20 patients had symptom remission after the first treatment, for a short-term clinical success of 77%; two patients needed a reangioplasty after 2 months, and one was referred for aortomesenteric bypass. During a mean follow-up of 27 months (range = 2-36), the clinical success was 88%; 2/15 patients underwent successful repeat angioplasty at 24 and 36 months, for a 100% secondary long-term clinical success. Only two minor complications were encountered. CONCLUSION: Although surgical results are undoubtedly positive, visceral angioplasty is justified in relation to both the high surgical mortality and the low incidence of complications arising from visceral angioplasty.

[Assessment of "occasional" atherosclerotic lesions identified with computerized tomography. Analysis of tomodensitrometric findings and identification of "risk" groups in 1,500 patients]. / Valutazione delle lesioni aterosclerotiche "occasionali" nella Tomografia Computerizzata. Analisi dei reperti tomodensitometrici e individuazione di gruppi "a rischio" in 1500 pazienti.

Atherosclerosis is a disease with a chronic-progressive course. We report on the statistic prevalence of vascular lesions in 1,500 asymptomatic patients with vascular diseases examined with Computed Tomography (CT) for different reasons. The aortoiliac arterial district was involved in 934/1,500 patients (62.3%), with simple or calcified plaques, thrombosis or dilatations. We investigated the involvement of other arterial vessels (47%) whenever feasible (57.7% of cases). The aorta was thrombosed in 107 patients (2.8%) and the thrombus associated with a calcification and a dilated vessel in 45 of them (42.1%). The aorta or the iliac arteries were enlarged in 62 patients (4.1%) and arterial diameter exceeded 4 cm in 20 patients (1.3%). Finally, the statistical significance was analyzed considering risk factors-i.e., smoking, arterial hypertension, diabetes and hypolipoproteinemia. All the patients with 2 or more risk factors had positive CT findings; the prevalence was 75% in cigarette smokers, 83% in hypertensive, 81.3% in dislipidemic and 93.5% in diabetic patients. These data demonstrate that, in agreement with international literature reports, it is possible to single out the groups of patients that, because of their age, risk factors and sex, should be considered for color Doppler screening programs and the selected cases to be submitted to CT.

[Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in the treatment of iliac stenosis. The authors' new guideline for 100 patients]. / L'angioplastica transluminale percutanea nel trattamento delle stenosi iliache. Nuovo orientamento personale negli ultimi 100 pazienti.

This retrospective study was carried out from January, 1990, to September, 1994, after reviewing a series of 100 patients submitted to 143 percutaneous maneuvers (PTA) for aortoiliac revascularization (PTA, PTA and stenting, PTA and bypass). This study was aimed at conforming as much as possible our patients selection criteria and the analysis of the results to the current standards adopted by the major interventional radiology and vascular surgery departments. The Fontaine and the SCVIR classification methods were used for patients selection. Long-term patency was analyzed with clinical and noninvasive diagnostic exams. The results were studied with the Life-table analysis statistical method. The patients were divided into 3 groups: the patients treated only with PTA, those treated with PTA and stenting and finally those submitted to PTA before or after a surgical bypass. The results were analyzed separately. In 95/100 patients the maneuver was technically successful and immediate clinical success was not achieved only in one of them. At the first follow-up we collected data on 87 patients; at 3 years we followed-up 30 patients, but only 5 of them had to be resubmitted to PTA (3 PTA and stenting and 2 PTA alone) because of restenosis. Secondary patency was obtained in 91% and 84% of patients at 1 year and 3 years, respectively. With the Life-table analysis, the cumulative patency rate was 95.44% at 36 months. Few complications were observed (11/100 patients), especially considering that they were classified as "severe" in 3 cases only. To conclude, our results prove PTA to be a highly effective tool in the aortoiliac arteries, whose low mortality and complication rates suggest the use of this percutaneous procedure.