[The descending necrotizing mediastinitis]. / La mediastinite discendente necrotizzante.

Descending necrotizing mediastinitis (DNM) is a primary complication of cervical or odontoiatric infections that can spread to the mediastinum through the anatomic cervical spaces. The delay of the diagnosis or under assessment of the disease, with no adequate draining techniques, results in high mortality up to 20%. We report our experience about 9 clinical cases of DNM observed and surgically treated in our unit from 2000 to 2006; five of these patients were admitted in the last two years. We stress the differences of management of this affection that needs a close cooperation between surgeon, intensive care unit and infectious disease specialist.

[Hemoptysis in a patient with acquired anomaly of the arterial vascularization of the lung]. / Emoftoe in paziente con anomalia acquisita della vascolarizzazione arteriosa del polmone.

An anomalous systemic pulmonary supply may be acquired and present only one symptom: hemoptysis. The incidence of this pathology is unknown. A case of acquired systemic pulmonary arterialization was observed after surgical intervention of myocardium vascularization with the left mammary artery. The diagnosis was obtained through an arteriography of the left mammary artery. In this case, the therapy consists in ablating the affected parenchyma followed by the interposition of a bovine pericardium patch between the mammary artery and the remaining pulmonary tissue.

[Hemorrhage caused by rupture into the duodenum of aneurysm of a branch of the pancreaticoduodenal artery (posterior superior or retroduodenal pancreaticoduodenal artery)]. / Emorragia da rottura in duodeno di aneurisma di un ramo dell'arteria pancreatico-duodenale (pancreatico-duodenale superoposteriore o retroduodenale).

A case of serious haemorragic shock caused by the rupture into the duodenum of a septic aneurysm of the pancreatic-duodenal artery is reported. The diagnostic difficulties and the need to carry on "blind" laparotomies, in these cases, are underlined.

[Spontaneous hemoperitoneum caused by gallbladder rupture: description of a case and review of the literature]. / Emoperitoneo spontaneo da rottura della colecisti: descrizione di un caso e revisione della letteratura.

The Authors report a case of spontaneous haemoperitoneum following the rupture of the gallbladder. After a review of the literature, clinical, pathogenetic, diagnostic and therapeutic problems are discussed. It is stressed that, although this condition is rare, its incidence is increasing due to the widespread use of anticoagulant therapy.

[Prolactin in pathology of the breast. Clinical study ]. / La prolattina nella patologia della mammella. Contributo clinico.

In the last years many Authors on the grounds of clinical and experimental studies have assumed the possibility of a connection between the prolactin and the breast pathology especially the carcionoma. In the present work the Authors give the results of the doses of the prolactin plasmatic basal levels, performed on 122 subjects belonging to 4 different groups: 1) patients with carcinoma of the breast; 2) patients with benign tumors of the breast; 3) patients with fibrocystic breast disease; 4) subjects of control. In patients who have undergone an operation further doses of blood prolactin have been carried out on 5th, 10th, 30th day after operation. On the grounds of such results the Authors propose new hypothesis of work wich will help to clear this problem.