[Low rectal cancer treatment in frail elderly patients. A personal series]. / Il trattamento del carcinoma del retto basso nel paziente anziano fragile. Contributo casistico.

Rectal cancer predominantly affects elderly people, who are however more likely to have concomitant medical diseases and, therefore, are at higer surgical risk. After a careful selection of the patients, some surgical procedures can be performed safely. We studied a series of 149 patients affected by low rectal cancer; of these, 46 were aged 75 or older and comprise the elderly group; 94 curative resections, 19 palliative surgical treatments, 31 local excisions were performed. This approach demonstrated to be safe and effective among older patients too; therefore we may conclude that it is associated with a good control of surgical risk and of cancer in selected patients.

[Fibrin sealant in tension free hernioplasty: our experience]. / La colla di fibrina nelle ernioplastiche tension-free: nostra esperienza.

The aim of this study was to prove that it is possible to fix mesh sutureless with Tissucol in the Lichtenstein procedure. The mesh fixation with Tissucol was done in 28 patients. Respect the traditional Lichtenstein technique, which was done in the remaining 28 patients, the advantages of using Tissucol are: no surgical trauma, total mesh fixation, no pain, reduced morbidity and reduced costs. Furthermore it is a safe and reproducible method. The results are promising, even if the verification goes more carried out with consisting casuistics and longer follow-up.