Benefits of Retroperitoneoscopic Surgery in Pediatric Urology.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The aim of this review is to find out the benefits of retroperitoneoscopy for the most common urological diseases in children. RECENT FINDINGS: The emergence of minimally invasive surgery about 20 years ago revolutionized pediatric urology. In this context, laparoscopy and later retroperitoneoscopy were developed and applied to a wide spectrum of urological diseases. Both approaches have since presented benefits and disadvantages that have been documented in various series. The main indications of retroperitoneoscopy are presented, from the classical ablative surgery, like total or partial nephrectomy, to more advanced reconstructive surgery. The success rate is similar to open surgery. However, few comparative studies have been conducted. According to the most recent findings, retroperitoneoscopic surgery in children is feasible and safe if performed by well-trained surgeons. A pediatric urologist would favor the retroperitoneoscopic access to reach the upper urinary tract and the kidney because this is the "natural" way to treat the most common urological pediatric diseases.

A rare case of 'histiocytoid haemangioma' of the hand.

Histiocytoid haemangioma has been identified by Rosai in 1979 as a group of vascular tumour-like lesions. This lesion can occur in a wide variety of sites. Surgical excision is the treatment of choice. We present the case of a 35-year-old man with a swelling in the thenar region of his right hand. Preoperative X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and angio-computed tomography (angio-CT) demonstrated a lesion invading the radial digital artery to the index finger without any bone erosion. It was excised 'en bloc' with the artery itself. The radial digital nerve to the index finger and the main digital artery to the thumb were preserved. No local recurrence was observed at the 3-year follow-up. Histiocytoid haemangioma of the hand is a rare disease, and patients should undergo early surgical treatment to achieve complete excision of the lesion without any functional deficit.

[Study of several proteins of the acute phase of surgical intervention]. / Indagine su alcune proteine della fase acuta nell'intervento chirurgico.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the behaviour of some proteins of acute phase (C reactive protein, alpha 1 acid glycoprotein, fibrinogen) in patients undergoing surgical operation. C reactive protein seems to be the most responsive to surgical trauma; alpha 1 acid glycoprotein reveals complications post-operation.

[The serum fructosamine test in the control plan of glucose homeostasis]. / Il test della fruttosamina sierica nello schema di controllo dell'omeostasi glicidica.

A new method to measure serum glycosylated proteins as index of diabetic control is evaluated. Precision, recovery and interference tests have been evaluated. A good correlation of fructosamine values with glycosylated haemoglobin and glucose in normal and diabetic patients was found. The analytical performance and its simple application to automated instruments make this test suitable for monitoring diabetes mellitus and for assessing intermediate-term control of blood glucose.