The Department CHIR houses the research into experimental and clinical, gastrointestinal, paediatric, cardio-thoracic, vascular, orthopaedic and trauma, plastic and neurosurgery. The main research topics of the department of surgery are: 1. Experimental Surgery: - Physiopathology of reflux esophagitis and of esophageal metaplasia; - Presancerous lesions induced by gastroesophageal reflux. 2. Gastrointestinal Surgery: Laparoscopic pancreatectomy and esophagectomy; Physiopathology of pancreatitis. 3. Paediatric Surgery: Necrotizing enterocolitis in prematures. 4. Vascular Surgery: - The non-invasive diagnosis of disturbed skin microcirculation; - Comparison of different surgical and anesthesiologic techniques for carotid artery endarterectomy. 5. Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery: - The use of carbonated hapatite cements in fracture surgery. Total knee replacement; - Development of a new hip arthroplasty. Prophylaxis of thromboembolism after total hip replacement. 6. Plastic Surgery: Update of Scoog's selective fasciectomy in Dupuytren's contracture. 7. Neurosurgery: - Preoperative treatment of Prolactinomas with Dopamine Agonists and surgical results; - Improvement of preoperative glioma grading using perfusion-MRI.