Primary liposarcoma of the omentum: a rare intra-abdominal tumour.

Two cases of primary omental liposarcoma are described, each presenting in a different manner, thus emphasising the spectrum of clinical features associated with this condition. Treatment guidelines are laid down based upon a review of the world literature. The role of radical surgical excision in the management of this often well-encapsulated but highly malignant tumour is emphasised.

A review of the practice of fibreoptic endoscopic dilatation of oesophageal stricture.

Over a 5-year period 82 patients underwent 244 fibreoptic endoscopic dilatations for oesophageal stricture. A total of 55 patients had benign peptic oesophageal stricture caused by reflux oesophagitis. Two-thirds of these patients had good symptomatic relief with dilatation combined with medical treatment of reflux, whereas one-third had an unsatisfactory result. The practice of endoscopic dilatation in benign stricture proved to be safe and was cost-effective as the procedure was carried out under intravenous sedation on a day-care basis. Three patients underwent dilatation for achalasia with good results in two cases. There were 16 patients with malignant oesophageal stricture and, in this group, fibreoptic endoscopic dilatation had little role to play in relieving dysphagia and its practice was associated with a substantial morbidity and mortality. Dilatation of malignant strictures facilitated biopsy and was used prior to oesophageal intubation. The virtues of the Atkinson or Celestin tube put in with the Nottingham introducer are summarised. Eight patients developed anastomotic stricture after resection of carcinoma of the oesophagus and dilatation provided only very transient relief of dysphagia in this group. Most anastomotic strictures represented recurrent malignancy and the difficulty in gaining biopsy proof endoscopically is emphasised. We advocate the early use of a CT scan in this situation to make the diagnosis of recurrent malignancy so that, if appropriate, palliative treatment can be instituted while the patient's general condition is good enough to benefit from it.

Pyeloduodenal fistula: a case report and review of the literature.

A case of the rare condition of pyeloduodenal fistula is presented--the thirty-second case so far recorded in the literature. The authors consider that this instance shows some of the features typical of the cases so far reported. The literature is reviewed and the aetiology, presentation, diagnostic methods and treatment are briefly discussed.

Nature of hyperacute (accelerated second set) rejection in dog renal allografts and effects of heparin on rejection process.

Renal allografts were exchanged between unrelated mongrel dogs after previous sensitization with skin and kidney grafts from the same donors. Rapid rejection of the renal allografts was associated with the accumulation of platelets and leucocytes in the peritubular and glomerular capillaries but fibrin deposition was not demonstrated.Heparin infusion delayed but did not prevent the rejection process.