No abstract

Reparative surgery of the abdominal wall, to date uniquely characterized by the use of the mesh, should be considered an additional risk factor for the occurrence of incisional hernia. However, the low incarceration risk, the risk of recurrence, the relevant rate of postoperative pain and discomfort and complications associated with mesh repair, as small bowel obstruction, mesh infection, and entero-cutaneous fistula, suggest that the general indication for surgical treatment of incisional hernias, in a symptomatic or oligosymptomatic elderly patients, should be critically reconsidered in order to avoid unnecessary surgery.

Cystic neuroendocrine tumor in the pancreas underlines the clinical impact of endoscopic ultrasound in the work-up of patients with unclear lesions in the pancreas. EUS-FNA cytology and cyst fluid analysis is a useful adjunct to abdominal imaging for the diagnosis of pancreatic cystic lesions. Due to the evident diagnostic difficulties, we hypothesize that cyst fluid characteristics, including cytomorphological features, is the most accurate test to achieve a preoperative diagnosis and to provide a basis for prognostic prediction.

Laparoscopy and its safety in the elderly patients remains a challenge and the evaluation of this approach is therefore mandatory. Although many studies have demonstrated the applicability and advantages of the laparoscopy also in the geriatric population, with low rates of morbidity and mortality, in elderly patients undergoing general surgical procedures the physiologic demands of laparoscopy should be carefully considered.

The number of elderly patients with breast cancer is increasing. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcome of treatment of elderly women with breast cancer. We have explored the clinical and biologic characteristics of a group of patients aged 65 years and over affected with breast cancer. We have also identified specific subsets of elderly patients with breast cancer who have survival similar to that expected in the general population irrespective of disease status.