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E Cigna

Publications and source records attributed to E Cigna.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

A new technique for substernal colon transposition with a breast dissector: report of 39 cases.

This paper investigates the effectiveness of the breast dissector to create a substernal space for oesophageal reconstruction. The surgeon must be extremely careful while dissecting the tissue below the sternum in order to avoid pneumothorax. The endoscopically assisted preparation of the substernal route is safe but it requires appropriate training. A retrospective study on 68 patients who underwent oesophageal reconstruction was done analysing the patients' records. In 39 cases, the breast dissector was used. In 29 cases, the substernal tunnel was created with hand dissection only. All 68 colon segments were successfully transferred in the two groups of patients. In all 39 the cases where the breast dissector was used no pneumothorax followed. In 10 (34%) patients of the control group pneumothorax occurred. Concluding, no more pneumothorax has occurred during the substernal oesophageal reconstruction since we started using the breast dissector.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Detection of melanoma cells in sentinel lymph nodes by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction: prognostic significance.

BACKGROUND: Recently reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) has been proposed as a new sensitive method for the detection of submicroscopic melanoma nodal metastases. Sentinel lymph node (SLN) status is considered the most important prognostic factor for melanoma patients. Thus, in recent years, melanoma research has been focused on identifying new molecular markers of micrometastases. METHODS: In this study, 129 SLNs were collected and analyzed by RT-PCR for tyrosinase and melanoma inhibitory activity (MIA) messenger RNA (mRNA) expression. RESULTS from PCR analysis were then compared with those obtained by hematoxylin and eosin and immunohistochemistry and related to progression of disease. RESULTS: MIA gene expression was positive by RT-PCR in 27% of the tyrosinase-positive SLNs. When the correlation between tyrosinase and/or MIA mRNA expression and disease-free survival was evaluated by the Kaplan-Meier exact test, there was a statistically significant correlation between simultaneous tyrosinase and MIA gene expression in SLNs and progression of disease. CONCLUSIONS: RT-PCR analysis for both MIA and tyrosinase mRNA may identify a subset of melanoma patients with a worse prognosis whom the routine methods, such as histology and immunohistochemistry, fail to identify because of the poor sensitivity of these methods.

Disease-Free Survival↗
PubMed2003

[Free anterolateral thigh flap for reconstruction of head and neck defects: preliminary results and a comparison with the radial forearm flap].

BACKGROUND: The authors present their personal preliminary experience with the free anterolateral thigh flap in the reconstruction of head and neck defects and compare these first cases with the radial forearm flaps. METHODS: Seventeen patients undergoing free flap reconstruction between December 1998 and September 2001 have been selected for this retrospective study and evaluated. In fourteeen patients reconstruction was performed with a radial forearm flap. In three patients an anterolateral thigh flap was used. Six dissections on cadavers have also been performed in order to study the anatomical variations of the perforators of the lateral circumflex femoral system. RESULTS: All flaps survived, without any major vascular impairment. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a laborious dissection of the pedicle the anterolateral thigh is a versatile flap, with a minimal morbidity of the donor area. Even if the radial forearm is overall accepted as the gold standard for head and neck reconstruction, the anterolateral thigh flap is suggested as a good and safe surgical option, especially when a large flap is requested or in female patients concerned with the cosmetic result in the forearm donor area.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

Use of vein grafts in emergency in peripheral nerve defect.

Peripheral nerve defects represent a frequent lesion in emergency. The vein graft is the alternative to nerve graft in cases where the nerve defect does not allow a direct approximation. Our experience on the use of venous graft has brought about excellent functional results that, together with a simple execution of the methodology, are at the bottom of our study. During the last 6 months we have treated 3 cases of peripheral nerve defect with nerve gap >2 cm; 1 lesion of ulnar nerve, 1 lesion of median nerve treated with vein graft and in 1 case an association of the median and ulnar nerve treated with reversed vein graft. An immediate resolution of the pain was observed in all patients already during the first 36/48 hrs. The clinical and electrophysiological evaluations at 3 and 6 months have demonstrated encouraging data regarding functional reparation and re-innervation. Even in consideration of the limited number of cases, comparison with data related to the autologous nerve graft shows a slightly slower recovery, but certainly overlapping to the classical methodology; moreover, excellent clinical results appear from the use of reversed vein graft. The advantage of vein grafts are multiple. There is an overlapping of the functional recovery, that represents the condition sine qua non of each new surgical experimental procedure. The simplicity of the technical execution and the possibility to cover missing nerves without sensory damage is advantageous both for the patient and for the structure, reducing operating time and related costs.

Humans↗
PubMed2000

[Nonprogressive, late-onset atrophy of the cheek].

Lipodystrophies are rare conditions in which the most remarkable feature is an atrophy of the subcutaneous tissues. Until two decades ago, they were all considered under the name of "lipoatrophic diabetes", and only recently they have been properly classified. Currently four syndromes are recognized: congenital total lipodystrophy, late onset or acquired lipodystrophy, cephalothoracic or partial progressive lipodystrophy and partial face-sparing lipodystrophy. We report the case of a 73-year-old patient, long distance bus driver, who presented to our clinic for the correction of a malar atrophy located on the left side of his face. Until he was 48 years old his appearance was normal, but at the time he reports the slow onset of a facial atrophy which was confined to the cheek. The atrophy was very slowly progressing, so that at this moment at 73 years of age he presented to our observation for the correction of the asymmetry. Clinical examination and history oriented us towards a variation of Parry-Romberg's syndrome characterized by a non progressive late onset hemifacial atrophy. No muscle or bony involvement is present. No other important abnormalities, excluding a moderate hyperglycemia have been observed. A biopsy of the region shows a marked elastosis and a complete atrophy of the subcutaneous fat. Correction of the deformity was achieved with autologous fat injection and was still satisfactory after one year.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Glomus tumor and neovascular syndrome of the arm: a clinical case].

Glomus tumour represents a benign tumor which originates from myoepithelial cells of arteriovenous anastomosis that has a preference for subungual localization with painful and multiform symptomatology. A fifty-year-old female presented a vasospastic symptom with hyperalgesia and cold hypersensitivity in the fourth finger of the right hand. There was a little palpable tumefaction and after an echography, we decided for surgical revision. Differential diagnosis with Raynaud's phenomenon is very important but not simple. The diagnosis is often late. MRI and angio-MR with its typical symptomatology could give the accurate diagnosis. The therapy is only surgical. The excision must be very careful making sure to spare the nervous structures.

Arm↗