Major Esophageal Dilation After Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding in Symptomatic Patients: Does It Prevent Effective Weight Loss and How Should It be Treated?

Introduction: Esophageal dilation (ED) has been described as a long-term complication following laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) with an incidence of 0.5-50%. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of major ED on weight loss and find methods to diagnose ED and possible treatment strategies based on a classification.

Influence of immunosuppression on alloresponse, inflammation and contractile function of graft after intestinal transplantation.

In small bowel transplantation (SBTx), graft manipulation, ischemia/reperfusion injury and acute rejection initiate a severe cellular and molecular inflammatory response in the muscularis propria leading to impaired motility of the graft. This study examined and compared the effect of tacrolimus and sirolimus on inflammation in graft muscularis. After allogeneic orthotopic SBTx, recipient rats were treated with tacrolimus or sirolimus.

Pancreatogastrostomy after pancreatoduodenectomy: a safe, feasible reconstruction method?

Pancreatogastrostomy is a safe reconstructive technique after pancreatoduodenectomy, even when performed as an educational operation in the hands of relatively inexperienced surgeons in a high-volume hospital. Sixteen surgeons with various case volumes operated on 190 consecutive patients and performed pancreatogastrostomy after pancreatoduodenectomy within the last 15 years in a university teaching hospital. Resections were performed for tumors localized in the head of the pancreas, the ampulla of Vater, or the distal common bile duct or duodenum (n = 169); for chronic pancreatitis (n = 16); and for miscellaneous reasons in five cases.

Mild hypothermia during hemorrhagic shock in rats improves survival without significant effects on inflammatory responses.

Objective: To explore the hypothesis that the survival benefit of mild, therapeutic hypothermia during hemorrhagic shock is associated with inhibition of lipid peroxidation and the acute inflammatory response.

Design: Prospective and randomized.

Setting: Animal research facility.