ABSTRACT
Hydatidosis is particularly widespread in some geographic areas. Among these Sardinia presents one of the highest incidences. The authors examine the results obtained of 382 patients submitted to surgery between 1973 and 1989. The average age was 38.9 years. Liver involvement was observed in 215 cases, lung involvement in 167 cases, while localizations in other organs were rare. Forty liver cysts and 54 lung cysts were complicated preoperatively. The patients were submitted predominantly to total or subtotal cysto-pericystectomy (270 cases), parenchymal resection (75 cases), simple cystectomy (40 cases). Total postoperative mortality was 2.35%. Postoperative time was significantly shorter after cysto-pericystectomy and after parenchymal resection than after simple cystectomy. Patients suffering from multiple or complicated cysts were given supplementary chemotherapy.
Subject(s)
Echinococcosis/surgery , Postoperative Complications , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Child , Child, Preschool , Echinococcosis, Hepatic/surgery , Echinococcosis, Pulmonary/surgery , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Postoperative Complications/epidemiology , Postoperative Complications/mortality , Surgical Procedures, Operative/methodsABSTRACT
The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of atenolol, a beta 1-selective blocker, along with flunarizine, a calcium antagonist, in the management of Raynaud's disease. Forty patients with Raynaud's disease were randomized into a trial in which atenolol (50 mg daily) was given with flunarizine (10 mg daily). During the trial all patients were subjected to finger photoplethysmography and were given a diary to note daily the number and duration of the crises and presence or absence of pain and paresthesia. The association of atenolol with flunarizine caused an 80% reduction in the number of vasospastic crises, a significant increase (p less than 0.001) in the photoplethysmographic wave amplitude, and complete disappearance of pain and paresthesia. These results were not observed in patients treated with a placebo. Flunarizine reinforces the action of atenolol in causing a decrease in vasoconstriction in patients with Raynaud's disease, as observed previously by us, in that it acts directly on the beta-presynaptic receptors or on the calcium slow channels connected to the beta-receptors. The present study confirms that the principal role in the physiopathologic progression of Raynaud's disease seems to be played by a modification of the beta-presynaptic receptors in the nerve endings of the peripheral vessels.
Subject(s)
Atenolol/therapeutic use , Flunarizine/therapeutic use , Raynaud Disease/drug therapy , Receptors, Adrenergic, beta/drug effects , Adolescent , Adult , Atenolol/administration & dosage , Clinical Trials as Topic , Drug Therapy, Combination , Female , Flunarizine/administration & dosage , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Plethysmography/methods , Random Allocation , Raynaud Disease/physiopathology , Receptors, Adrenergic, beta/physiologyABSTRACT
The Authors report the results of a study on 204 patients anesthetized with epidural administration of buprenorphine with bupivacaine. The data obtained were compared with a sample of 236 patients treated with local anesthetic alone. On the whole, the first group of patients presented better anesthesia, with a significantly longer anesthetic effect and more effective sedative and postoperative analgesic effects. Side effects observed were of acceptable entity and incidence.