PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

B Mondello

Publications and source records attributed to B Mondello.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[Percutaneous radio frequency thermal ablation of non-resectable lung cancer: state of the art].

BACKGROUND: Unfortunately, as of yet, most lung cancers are not operable as soon as diagnosis is available; in these situations chemo- and radio-therapy still play a key role, albeit palliative, improving survival rate moderately, but are not lacking in toxic effects, especially in case of concurrent pathology, reduced cardio-respiratory functionality or being advanced in years. Therefore thermal ablation mini-invasive techniques, already employed as ancillary treatments of hepatic cancer or in place of surgery, have been performed for these pathologies. AIM: Aim of this work is to define the current state of the art for Radio-Frequency Ablation (RFA) to be performed on non-resectable lung cancer, also by means of a thorough review of international literature, from which to infer purposes, suggestions, methodologies, effectiveness, safety, complications and achievements, also in terms of the possible improvement of life quality and/or survival expectancy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients have been carefully selected. Pulmonary nodules have been treated with TC or echo-guided percutaneous thermal ablation and, afterwards, evaluated by radiological and clinical (sometimes histopathological) follow-up. RESULTS: The size of the RFA-treated nodules is necessary in order to evaluate full or partial necrosis extent and, therefore, average survival rate. CONCLUSIONS: Availability of more extensive and homogeneous case histories, as well as standard follow-up (TC and/or histopathological sampling) methodologies, is required. Nevertheless several authors agree that RFA is a safe and effective technique within the framework of a substitutive or complementary treatment of non-operable lung cancer. The best results can be achieved for cancers less than 3 cm wide; RFA, performed before chemo- and/or radio-therapy, plays a neoadjuvant role for larger cancers, decreasing cancer volume and weakening the symptoms.

Catheter Ablation↗

[Bronchial arteries: anatomical and clinical studies and strategies in surgical approach].

One of the most important and controversial aspects of thoracic surgery is due to the topographical and surgical anatomy of the vascular structures involving the mediastinum. The knowledge of the so-called "vascular time", in fact, allows to face more complicated surgical situations, typical of the most specialistic thoracic surgery. The bronchial arteries represent a paradigm of what we have just stated. The study of their anatomy (number, position, origin, distribution and relationships with the mediastinal structures) is of relevant importance, not only for the interest the bronchial vascular tree arises in tracheo-bronchial surgery and in pulmonary transplantology, but also for the knowledge of the pathogenesis of some processes regarding pulmonary and pleural pathologies. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the real clinical interest of bronchial arteries, with an analytic study of the anatomy of vessels, and with the possibility to show the most frequent and characteristic anomalies involving the origin and course of these arteries.

Bronchial Arteries↗

[Combined video-thoracoscopic, surgical and endovascular treatment in a case of ascites and recurrent bilateral pleural effusion].

Among recurrent pleural effusions a role of remarkable importance is held by those combined with ascitis due to the difficulty of their treatment, even using widely tested techniques. The incidence of such pathology varies from 4% to 6% of patients suffering from cirrhotic pathology, reaching 10% in cases with advanced illnesses. Pleural effusions involve the right emithorax more frequently than the left one, but it can show up bilaterally too. Its etiopathogenesis is tied up to the direct passage of ascitic liquid into the chest and, during the past years, numerous theories have been described to explain this migration. The Authors report the case of a patient with interesting considerations for the diagnostic difficulties and the peculiarity of the treatment performed.

Adult↗

[Surgical treatment of celomic cysts].

Celomic cysts (pericardiopleural or serous cysts) are rare, as they account for about 30% of all the homoplastic disembryogenetic lesions of the mediastinum. There is not usually a characteristic symptomatology associated with this anomaly, which is, however, easily diagnosed by means of the most common radiologic techniques. The TC together with the MRI provides all the necessary data for an appropriate management of the patient. The Authors report on their five year experience of the surgical treatment of celomic cysts, pointing out that surgery must be aimed at preserving pulmonary function as much as possible. They finally maintain that the first surgical approach should be video-thoracoscopic with the aid of a minithoracotomy, if necessary.

Adolescent↗

[Intraoperative pleural lavage for restaging of bronchogenic carcinoma].

BACKGROUND: Although lung cancer staging has been recently reviewed, a significant number of recurrences and an increased incidence of mortality is common also in the initial stages of the disease. All that is probably due to disease staging underestimation and emphasizes that an exact system of staging cannot be considered a stand-alone prognostic and therapeutic index. METHODS: Between October 2000 and November 2001, 37 patients have undergone surgical intervention for NSCLC in our Surgical Unit; 28 of them were male (75.7%), 9 female (24.3%), aged between 55 and 70. Neither cancer-related pleural effusion, nor mediastinal lymphoadenopathy had been detected under Rx and TC inspection in any patient. RESULTS: Pre-surgical pleural washing (PLC), which defines the positiveness of the cytological result (D+), in 17 patients (45.9%) was positive, in the remaining 20 (54.1%) negative. The positiveness of PLC was 35.3% (6/17) and 64.7% (11/17) in the initial stage of T (T1 and T2) and in the advanced stage (T3 and T4) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of personal experience, the authors, suggest that pre-surgical resection pleural washing searching premature microscopic pleural disseminations in NSCLC-affected patients should become an important prognostic factor for the disease outcome. Moreover, they emphasize how this procedure is easy, with a small increase in the surgical intervention time, and nearly costless.

Aged↗

[Evaluation of lung function as a prognostic index before and after surgical resection due to NSCLC].

BACKGROUND: Although there were several studies on survival, death and morbidity rates after lung resection, considering both limited and extended resections, lung exercise capacity has been quite seldom taken into account as an index for prognosis. The aim of this study compare the consequences of three kinds of lung resections (pneumonectomy, lobectomy and wedge resection), to test pre- and post-surgery exercise capacity for patients affected by NSCLC in order to obtain more detailed prognostic indices. METHODS: All the patients were studied by means of thorough lung static function and hemogas analytical tests before and after surgical resection, from 15 days to 12 twelve months' time past surgery. RESULTS: In fact, in relation to lung resection due to neoplasms, several studies pointed out that zone-limited resections show an obvious anatomical benefit in terms of parenchyma spair compared to lobectomy; however, it is underlined that the functional benefits of small resections don't really prevail over post-lobectomy anatomical advantages. Furthermore local relapses are more common after small resections rather than after lobectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Neither limited lung resection nor lobectomy alone, therefore, in accordance with nearly all the recent and still ongoing studies in this huge research field, has a significant effect on exercise capacity. Only pneumonectomy is associated with impaired exercise performance, and, nevertheless, quite below our expectations.

Carbon Dioxide↗

Primary aortoduodenal fistula including the afferent loop of a Billroth II anastomosis. A case report.

Primary aortoenteric fistula is a very rare consequence of the evolution of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). The 3rd and 4th portion of the duodenum are involved in up to 80% of all cases. Frequently, gastrointestinal bleeding represents the first symptom, and diagnosis is difficult because of the aspecific clinical presentation and course, characterized by alternating remission and relapse; this is the reason why surgical treatment is usually delayed and therefore such events are managed as emergencies with a preoperative and intraoperative high death rate. We report the case of a 76-year-old man with a primary aortoduodenal fistula, who was submitted to gastric resection according to Billroth II 20 years before. This case could be interesting for its anatomical peculiarities favourable to the formation of the fistula.

Aged↗

[Treatment of bleeding esophageal varices: sclerotherapy or surgery?].

To evaluate therapeutic options to improve the prognosis of haemorrhage from oesophageal varices, a study was performed on 422 patients observed from 1983 to 1998. Patients were classified according Child-Campbell method after improvement of general conditions (class A: 7%; B: 68%; C: 25%). Thirty-two patients (7.8%) died during emergently pharmacologic treatment in the first 24 hours; 182 patients (44.6%) because of persistent haemorrhage underwent endoscopic sclerotherapy. In 164 (90.1%) bleeding stopped and 14 cases (7.6%) underwent emergency surgical treatment (9 splenectomies and splenorenal shunts, 5 mesenterico-caval shunts). Teu other patients (with rebleeding 3-7 days after sclerotherapy) underwent emergency surgical treatment (7 azygos-portal thoracotomic deconnections, 3 splenectomies and spleno-renal shunts). The rates of therapeutic success were respectively 80% for surgical treatment and 90% after sclerotherapy. Factors of prognostic improvement of these emergently disease are examined. The advantages of both endoscopic and surgical treatment are outlined.

Esophageal and Gastric Varices↗

[Endoscopic obstruction treatment].

The Authors reported the last year personal experience of disobstruction endoscopic therapy; they described therefore an examination of the several techniques proposed from the international literature and in particular dwell upon laser-therapy and airway stents implantation. They emphasized the treatment importance, mostly palliative, but the effective symptomatology improvement due to airway obstruction, bleeding, pain and secretions retenction. They emphasize finally the necessity of a careful and scrupulous patients selection for disobstruction endoscopic therapy.

Aged↗

[Reconstruction of the thoracic wall].

The resection of the thoracic wall for cancer, traumas or results of radiotherapy could require a reconstruction of the same wall with prosthetic material of different nature to the purpose of protect the important intrathoracic structures, avoid the flail chest and maintain a ventilation adjusted with aesthetically acceptable results. Numerous and varied they have been and they are the materials used to such aim, but the more numerous experiences concern the reconstructions of the wall with the employment of nets of Marlex or the patch of Gore-Tex. In the complete two years eight patients have arrived at our observation in which a prosthetic reconstruction has been performed with heterologous material. In three of them has been used the net of Marlex, in five the patch of Gore-Tex of two millimeters of thickness. The prostheses have stayed well you bear and in all the patients the authors have gotten a good stabilization of the thoracic wall.

Adult↗

[Elective and emergency minimally invasive surgery in pleural diseases].

In the last years the video-assisted thoracic surgery (V.A.T.S.) assumed an important order for the diagnosis and treatment of the pleural disease. In this particular field, the procedure allows obtaining almost the same outcomes of traditional surgery and is very safety. V.A.T.S. reduces hospital time and trauma with a fast return to the working life. The Authors describe their experience and outline the diagnostic and therapeutic indications for the treatment of choice and emergency.

Elective Surgical Procedures↗

[Open-window surgery of pleural empyema].

Thoracoscopic is performed for treatment of pleuric empiema with 65% of recovery. In the old patients the Authors achieved high grade of recovery with open window (OW) procedure. In the last two years, 7 patients with pleuric empiema underwent this treatment. In two patients the origin was tuberculosis, in 4 empiema was post-pneumonitic; in one case the cause was broncho-pleuric fistula after pneumonectomy. All the operations were performed under general anesthesia. The Authors began with thoracoscopy, drainage of cavity and then they performed the resection of one or more ribs and a pleuro-cutaneous flap: 5 patients recovered without complications. OW seems to be very useful in the case in which more radical approach is impossible. Continuous irrigations of the cavity, with rapid pulmonary expansion, permits recovery without the use of myocutaneous flaps.

Aged↗

[The surgical treatment of Zenker's diverticula by stapler diverticulectomy and myotomy under local anesthesia].

From 1990 to 1997, 12 patients with Zenker's diverticulum underwent TA 30-stapler diverticulectomy and cricopharyngeal myotomy. All patients were operated on under local anaesthesia. No death was observed. In two cases subcutaneous infection was drained with recovery. No post-operative fistulas were observed with radiologic control. At 6 months follow-up all patients were well. Advantages of both stapler diverticulectomy and local anesthesia are outlined.

Aged↗

[Thyroid surgery in assisted local anesthesia].

To evaluate the advantages of thyroidectomy under assisted local anesthesia, 35 cases operated on from January 1998 to February 1999 were reviewed. The patients were studied in ambulatory setting and adequately informed on the program of thyroid operation under local anesthesia. Multinodular goitre was present in all the cases. In 12 cases, it was intrathoracic. The morning of operation, all the patients underwent to pre-operative sedation and, in operative room, to local anesthesia with Mepivacaine 1% and adrenaline 1,200,000 U. The operations were performed with a mean of 30 cc of local anesthetic. During operation, in none case the conversion to general anesthesia was necessary. No mortality and morbility were registered. In the majority of cases, an analgesic was necessary meanly 4 hours after operation. The evening of operation in all the patient oral nutrition was restored. Twenty-nine patients were discharged from the hospital 48 hours after surgery. Eight days after operation, surgical recovery was evident in all the patients reviewed in the out patients setting. The advantages of thyroid surgery under assisted local anesthesia are outlined.

Adult↗

[Surgical treatment of arterial hypertension: experience and results].

Hypertension is a wide spread disease. In a small percentage of cases (nephrosclerosis, renovascular hypertension, endocrine hypertension) surgical treatment could be resolutive. The Authors describe their experience of the last five years about the subject, emphasize the technical detail taken and the results achieved; they outline the necessity to give the indications for surgery in wise manner considering clinical, laboratory and instrumental findings.

Humans↗

[Surgical indications in pulmonary tuberculosis].

Since the begin of the century, the surgery for treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis showed an important evolution. The procedure has proved to be useful in the 20% of patients. It appears that the percentage is drug-resistant or complicated. The authors describe their experience in the years from 1992 to 1997 and, in accordance with the literature in this field, outline the good prognosis to 5 years, with a percentage of 90-96% of non-infected patients. Very important is the time of surgical intervention, the compliance of the medical treatment in the previous 6 months, excepting in the emergency, and the perfect obliteration of pleural cavity to avoid next reinfection and the development of broncopleural fistulas.

Humans↗