The authors report the experience which the have acquired since 1970 in the use of posterior pituitary extract as part of the treatment of gastrointestinal bleeding in cirrhotics. 100 cases have been collected, in 73 patients. These may be divided into two groups: one of 32 patients, who did not receive posterior pituitary extract, with 31 deaths, and one of 41 patients who did receive the extract, with 6 deaths. These figures should be viewed in parallel with the results obtained by other techniques, and it would seem that comparison with other statistics is feasible. In addition, emphasis must be placed upon the simplicity of the administration and surveillance of treatment. Attention is also drawn to the absence of any inherent complication associated with the use of the drug, despite the administration, in certain cases, of high doses.
Two cases of Schwartz-Bartter syndrome are reported. Both were due to malignant anaplasic tumours of the APUD type with multiple abnormal endocrine secretion, and both were accompanied with hypouricaemia of uncertain significance. The authors believe that the association of hypernatraemia with hypouricaemia should alert clinicians to the possibility of a syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) of malignant origin.
Cleavage in the thickness of the internal sphincter and of the circular layer of the rectum is performed. By progressive drawing down, this method makes it possible to obtain complete excision, passing at a distance from the tumour in its different planes.
