Epidemiology and clinical and pathologic characteristics of cutaneous malignant melanoma in Abruzzo (Italy)

Background  Malignant melanoma incidence has increased worldwide in recent decades. Cancer registry-derived epidemiologic data on malignant melanoma in Italy are available only in some northern regions of the country.
Aim  To report the number and characteristics of incident cases of cutaneous malignant melanoma in Abruzzo, a central-southern Italian region.
Methods  Screening of the archives of the pathology departments of regional hospitals from 2002 to 2005 was performed. For each patient, clinical and pathologic data were collected. Cases of metastatic, multiple, or relapsing melanoma were excluded.
Results  Six hundred and seventy-two cases of primary melanoma were recorded, with an incidence rate of 14.1 per 100,000 inhabitants per year. Differences related to gender (41.1% males and 58.9% females) and age (35% in the 50–70-year age group) were found. The trunk (30.7%) and lower limbs (25.94%) were the most frequent sites observed. The superficial spreading histiotype and thin melanoma (≤ 1.00 mm) were more often recorded (44.8% and 62%, respectively).
Conclusions  Despite the bias present in this study, linked to the nature and source of the data, we believe that the figures found in this report are comparable with those obtained in the international literature from other Mediterranean countries.     

Pulmonary glomus tumor

Glomus tumor, also known as glomangioma, is a neoplasm derived from cells of the neuromyoarterial glomus or glomus body. We report a case of glomus tumor of the lung arising in the left lower lobe, incidentally found in a patient who underwent right bilobectomy for a carcinoma localized in the right upper lobe.     

Two-phase surgical treatment of anteromedial knee injuries

The treatment of severe anteromedial knee injuries over the years has undergone various types of approach, changing from proposals, such as combined surgical repair of the anterior cruciate ligament and medial compartment, to the more current protocol which involves conservative treatment of the peripheral injury and later reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament. However, in serious ruptures of the medial ligament compartment, conservative treatment does not make it possible to recover peripheral stability, thus transferring abnormal forces onto the anterior cruciate pro-ligament graft which can gradually deteriorate the transplant itself. Thus in severe anteromedial injuries a treatment with two distinct surgical phases is proposed, using direct immediate suture of the peripheral compartment and, after a period of rehabilitation, later replacement of the anterior cruciate ligament by arthroscope graft. Given the obtained results and the few complications observed in 25 cases, it is probable that this therapeutic scheme can be proposed in selected cases of severe ligament laxity of the medial compartment associated with rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament.     

Endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm: helical CT findings]

Endovascular repair of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms is currently widely diffuse. Imaging plays a major role in the preprocedural patient evaluation, implantation of stent-graft, and patient follow-up. The aim of this paper is to describe the more frequent findings that can be seen in CT examinations after endovascular repair of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm. We discuss CT findings related to the aneurysm (size, exclusion with complete perigraft thrombosis, back-filling of aneurysm sac via branch vessels) and to the device (dislocation, rotation, kinking, device expansion, patency/thrombosis, device disruption). We also show some examples of incorrect assembly of the modular components of the stent-graft.     

TrkA, TrkB and p75 mRNA expression is developmentally regulated in the rat retina

We examined the cellular distribution of mRNAs coding for the neurotrophin receptors TrkA, TrkB and p75 in the rat retina during early postnatal development. At PO (postnatal day 0), mRNAs coding for each of the three receptors were detected in the ganglion cell layer (GCL) and in the inner plexiform layer (IPL), the latter structure essentially containing retinal ganglion cell processes at this developmental stage. At P5, the innermost part of the inner nuclear layer (INL) also expressed TrkA, TrkB and p75 mRNAs. Finally, the GCL, IPL and the whole INL of P10 retinae were labeled by the three probes. The developmentally regulated expression of these receptors underlies a possible role for neurotrophins in the differentiation and survival of retinal cells.     

The pelvic digit: five new examples of an unusual anomaly

 Five new cases of a rare congenital anomaly known as the ”pelvic digit”, were each discovered incidentally on a radiographic examination of the pelvis. The features are described, using tomograms in some cases to show the most important and typical radiographic signs of this anomaly. We review the cases previously reported in the literature and discuss the features in the differential diagnosis between the pelvic digit, myositis ossificans, avulsion injury of the pelvis and the pelvic rib.