Dialysis treatment in schizophrenia: two years experience

The authors summarize two years trial of dialysis treatment of schizophrenia. Twenty-five schizophrenic patients were treated with hemodialysis using PAN membranes. The dialysis schedule was: dialyzer; RP 610; blood flow: 250 ml/min; dialysate flow: 500 ml/min; time: 3 hr; vascular access: arteriovenous fistula, femoral vein, antebrachial veins. Dialysis was first performed for three days, repeated after one week, two weeks, three weeks, and one month, and then performed once a month. The drug regimen was never modified or interrupted. The results were evaluated with the Overall and Lorr scale. Nine patients interrupted the treatment early and were not considered; nine patients showed disappearance of psychiatric symptomatology (Overall and Lorr index decreased to 21.8 at 2); non-significant modifications of the main schizophrenic symptoms were observed in seven patients. According to our trial, dialysis with polyacrylonitrile membranes can modify the psychotic attitude in a group of schizophrenic "dialysis responders".

[Ileo-ileo-colic invagination due to pure fibroma of the small intestine. Personal observation (author's transl)]

Starting from a case of pure fibroma of the small intestine, which led to ileo-ileo-colic invagination, the Authors review the literature on the subject. The great rarity both of the type of neoplastic pathology found and the type of induced intestinal invagination is stressed. It is concluded by asserting that correct diagnosis, adequate selection of the type of surgery and its efficient performance allow a favourable prognosis in the overwhelming majority of cases.