A group of 78 severe head injury patients showing computerized tomography (CT) findings of the so-called "diffuse axonal injury" is analyzed. These patients represent 20% of the authors' series of severe head injury. Twenty-three patients showed small intraparenchymal haemorrhages in the CT scan study, 15 intraventricular haemorrhage and 40 patients had both intraparenchymal and intraventricular haemorrhages. Signs of brainstem haemorrhagic contusion were seen in 29 (38%) patients. Generalized brain swelling superimposed on the above findings was present in 75% of the cases. Raised intracranial pressure, which was found in 50% of the patients, correlated with the presence of ventriculocisternal collapse in the CT scan and an unfavourable outcome. Only 4 patients in this series made a good recovery, 13 developed a moderate disability, 11 a severe disability, 12 became vegetative and 38 (49%) died. The prognosis with this post-traumatic lesion is the worst in the authors' severe head injury series after excluding cases with subdural haematoma.

Benign multicystic peritoneal mesothelioma (BMPM) is a rare tumor of slow growth, with low malignant potential and which is part of the differential diagnosis of pelvic cysts. We described a case report: 55 years old woman, asymptomatic, with ultrasonographic findings of multicystic pelvic image, submitted to exploratory laparotomy and, at the inventory of the cavity, multiple cysts were present, adhered to the omentum. Omentectomy and resection of the cysts was performed followed by complete hysterectomy and bilateral oophorectomy and salpingectomy. Macroscopic examination of the surgical specimen revealed a cystic lesion with translucent content and histological features compatible with BMPM. In the immediate postoperative period, the patient developed vasomotor symptoms secondary to hypoestrogenism, which ceased spontaneously. She underwent a new surgical approach for recurrence after two years. Since the pathogenesis and etiology of BMPM are not well defined, it is very important to describe clinical practices, to better understand the diagnosis, prognosis and management of this disease.