Intentional foreign object ingestions: need for endoscopy and surgery.

Background: Intentional ingestion of foreign objects (IIFO) is common in the incarcerated population. This study was undertaken in order to better define clinical patterns of IIFO among prisoners. We sought to determine factors associated with the need for endoscopic and surgical therapy for IIFO.

A survey on patient educational needs in irritable bowel syndrome and attitudes toward participation in clinical research.

Background: The educational needs of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are poorly understood and rarely studied.

Aim: To determine the educational needs of IBS patients, regarding content, presentation format, and expectations from healthcare providers.

Methods: Fifteen functional GI clinic patients were asked open-ended questions to generate items for a questionnaire addressing the study aim.