Spleen-preserving pancreatectomy for cystic pancreatic neoplasms.

Cystic neoplasms of the pancreas are an uncommon entity comprising fewer than 1 per cent of all pancreatic neoplasms. The guidelines for management of these tumors, specifically, the extent of resection, are unclear. Formerly, a distal pancreatectomy including the spleen was performed for tumors in the tail of the pancreas. The importance of preserving the spleen has been well documented; however, there are few reports of spleen-preserving pancreatectomy for cystic neoplasms of the distal pancreas. We report two patients who underwent spleen-preserving pancreatectomy for mucinous cystic neoplasms in the tail of the pancreas. Both patients were female, ages 39 and 65 years. Preoperative preparation included administration of vaccinations and subcutaneous somatostatin. Operative technique emphasized division of the splenic artery and vein beyond the tip of the distal pancreas without mobilization of the spleen. The pancreas was transected with a vascular stapler. Fibrin glue was applied to the margin of the pancreas. The operative blood loss, duration of operation, and postoperative hospital stay were 150 and 250 mL, 150 and 180 minutes, and 7 and 9 days, respectively. The pathology revealed both lesions to be mucinous cystic neoplasms. The patients recovered and at 6-month follow-up were without complaints and in good health. Spleen-preserving pancreatectomy is rapid and associated with minimal morbidity. This procedure should be considered in the surgical management of cystic neoplasms in the tail of the pancreas.

Psychophysiology of analysis of connotative decodification: the role of thermic and somesthetic systems in decodification of chromatic stimuli.

We hypothesized that in the decodification of connotative aspects of visual chromatic stimuli the periphery of the body plays an important role. In particular we hypothesized that the decodification process of so called "warm" and "cold" colours is related to a real modification of the temperature of the body which is the basis of the "subjective feeling" and of the attribution of the "emotional meaning" to the stimulus. So we have measured the temperature of the body of 36 female psychology students while they were looking at a luminous screen through spectacles in which filters (coloured lenses) of different colours were placed. Analysis indicated that during the perception of so called "warm" colours a statistically significant increase in the temperature of the body appeared. We observed an enhancement of temperature on the left side of the body during the perception with red and yellow filters and a small increase in temperature on the right side of the body with orange and yellow filters. In the discussion of the results we considered also the role of the cerebral dominance in decodification process of the connotative components of stimuli.