Living donor SPK can represent a successful alternative to cadaveric donor SPK. The procedure can be performed safely in the donor and with low morbidity in the recipient.

We review our experience with enteric conversion of previously bladder-drained pancreas transplants (PTx) using a short perioperative course of octreotide (OCT). Between July 1994 and December 2001, 45 consecutive primary bladder-drained PTx were performed. Immunosuppression consisted of a combination of tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil and steroids after induction with monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies. A total of 16 patients underwent enteric conversion at an average of 3 months after the initial transplant. Each patient received OCT perioperatively. We report no technical complications with the exception of one superficial wound infection and good early and late PTx survival rates. Perioperative treatment with octreotide is well tolerated and may reduce technical complications while performing enteric conversion of previously bladder-drained PTx.

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Chronic venous disease is one of the biggest health problems of today's word. The consequences of the progression of venous disorders can lead to severe acute complications like superficial venous thrombosis, deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism, as well as chronic venous ulcers. The costs of the treatment of these conditions are still growing. The development of minimally invasive techniques has led to huge progress in the treatment of chronic venous disease. There are many modalities in the phlebological armamentarium, which can be chosen to eliminate axial reflux that is responsible for the progression of disease in the majority of cases. Various groups of techniques can be used: thermal and tumescent procedures, non-thermal tumescent options, or non-thermal non-tumescent treatment. In recent years special interest has been directed towards non-thermal, non-tumescent modalities, following suggestions that these procedures would create the same effects as thermal-tumescent ones, but are less invasive and give the patient a better outcome and quality of life. The review of recently published studies did not confirm this theory in general; however, some superiority of these options is present. Thus, further investigations and trials on this issue are highly recommended. Currently there is not enough strong evidence to promote non-thermal, non-tumescent techniques over other endovenous modalities.