The value of compression sonography was assessed to reduce the number of phlebographies otherwise necessary when deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is suspected among hospital patients. Compression sonography was used to study 119 prospective hospital patients who were suspected of having DVT of the lower extremity. The results were compared to those by phlebography. There were 44 DVTs detected by phlebography; ten of these were located only in the calf, below the knee. Of the remaining 34 femoropopliteal DVTs 33 were detected by the compression sonography technique. It is concluded that the use of compression sonography for primary investigation of suspected DVT reduces the number of patients who require phlebography to those whose results by compression sonography are negative. In our study, this would have represented a decrease of 28%, corresponding to a reduction of the total diagnostic costs by 10%.

As seen on the lateral chest radiograph, the posterior tracheal band (PTB) is useful in evaluating the retrotracheal area. The anatomical basis of its variations on the lateral chest radiograph were analyzed by comparison with computed tomography (CT). Lack of visualization or occasional thickening of the PTB is explained on an anatomical basis. Such variations are distinguishable from retrotracheal abnormalities on CT.

Late results after colonic anastomoses performed with the biofragmentable anastomosis ring (BAR; Valtrac; Davis & Geck, Wayne, NJ) were evaluated in 30 patients who had undergone a left-sided colonic or rectosigmoid anastomosis a mean of 24.5 (range, 12-38) months earlier. Patients were asked about their late postoperative recovery and their bowel habits. A barium enema was performed, and then a flexible endoscopy was done, during which the anastomotic area was evaluated both in macroscopic terms and histologically. One of the patients had died, and three refused to participate in the investigation. Of the remaining 26 patients, one had been reoperated on 22 months after the primary sigmoid resection. The reason for reoperation was an anastomotic stricture. One of the patients was admitted to the hospital during the study and was operated on for reasons not related to the anastomosis. Twenty-four patients underwent the study scheme. All had recovered uneventfully. Sixteen anastomoses could not be identified radiologically and seven not even during endoscopy. Histologically, there was mild-to-moderate fibrosis and scarring in 17 anastomoses, and, in the seven that could not be identified, only normal colonic mucosa was found. The late results of BAR anastomoses are satisfying, and the rate of complications is acceptable.

No abstract

The posterior tracheal band (PTB) was studied on upright chest radiographs in 43 patients and its appearance and diagnostic usefulness correlated with recurrence of esophageal carcinoma after surgery of radiation therapy. It was seen well enough to be useful in 36 treated patients (83.7%). In 10 of 17 recurrent carcinomas (60%), all or part of the PTB showed progressive thickening up to greater than or equal to 5 mm compared with radiographs taken one month after therapy or later, suggesting recurrence in 6 of 8 cases after resection and in all 4 cases after radiotherapy. Such thickening never occurred in patients without recurrent carcinoma. In 6 of 10 cases, thickening of the PTB preceded the diagnosis of recurrence by two to six months.