G. Benassi

Chemically Assisted Dissection of Tissues in Laparoscopic Excision of Endometriotic Cysts

STUDY OBJECTIVE To evaluate the capacity of chemical dissection of tissues using a mucolytic substance, Mesna, in improving laparoscopic excision of endometriotic cysts. DESIGN Randomized, double-blind, controlled trial (Canadian Task Force classification I). SETTING University-affiliated training hospital. PATIENTS Forty-four women with symptomatic ovarian endometriotic cysts. Intervention. Laparoscopic excision of endometriotic cysts in 22 women with the aid of Mesna solution and in 22 with the aid of saline solution. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS In comparison with saline solution, Mesna as a chemical dissector resulted in significant reductions in operating time, in difficulty encountered by the surgeon to enucleate the cysts, and in less bleeding. No differences were found in length of hospital stay, costs of surgeries, analgesic requirement, and fever. Postoperatively, patients treated with Mesna achieved more pregnancies than those treated with saline. CONCLUSION Chemical dissection of tissues with Mesna proved to be a safe and suitable support in laparoscopic surgery for ovarian endometriotic cysts.

Live-monitoring of Te inclusions laser-induced thermo-diffusion and annealing in CdZnTe crystals

The presence of Te inclusions is one of the main factors limiting performances of CdZnTe crystals as X-ray detectors. We show that by means of infrared laser radiation it is possible to move and anneal tellurium inclusions exploiting a thermo-diffusion mechanism. The process is studied live during irradiation by means of an optical microscope equipment. Experimental conditions, and, in particular, energy laser fluence, for annealing inclusions of different dimensions are determined.

Development of a CZT spectroscopic 3D imager prototype for hard X ray astronomy

The development of focusing optics based on wide band Laue lenses operating from ~60 keV up to several hundreds of keV is particularly challenging. This type of hard X-ray or gamma ray optics requires a high performance focal plane detector in order to exploit to the best its intrinsic capabilities. We describe a three dimensional (3D) position sensitive detector prototype suitable for use as the basic module for a high efficiency Laue lens focal plane detector. This detector configuration is currently under study for use in a balloon payload dedicated to performing a high significance measurement of the polarization status of the Crab nebula/pulsar between 100 and 500 keV. The prototype is made by packing 8 linear modules, each composed of one basic sensitive unit bonded onto a thin supporting ceramic layer. Each unit is a drift strip detector based on a CZT crystal, irradiated transversally to the electric field direction. The anode is segmented into 8 detection cells, each comprising one collecting strip and 8 surrounding drift strips. The drift strips are biased by a voltage divider. The cathode is divided into 4 horizontal strips for the reconstruction of the Z interaction position. The detector readout electronics is based on three RENA-3 ASICs and the data handling system uses custom electronics based on an FPGA to provide the ASIC setting, the event handling logic and the data acquisition. We will describe the components and the status of the ongoing activities for the assembling of the proposed 3D CZT prototype and the result of the first performance tests on the CZT linear modules.