The Inflammatory Bowel Disease-Disk Tool for Assessing Disability in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients: Validation of the Greek Version.

Background: The Inflammatory Bowel Disease-Disk (IBD-Disk) is a physician-administered tool that evaluates the functional status of patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). The aim of our study was to validate the content of the IBD-Disk in a Greek cohort of IBD patients.

Methods: Two questionnaires [the IBD Disk and the IBD-Disability Index (IBD-DI)] were translated into Greek and administered to IBD patients at baseline visit, after 4 weeks and 6 months.

The histological and immunohistochemical aspects of bile reflux in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Introduction. The pathogenesis of GERD is strongly related with mixed acid and bile reflux. Benign and malignant esophageal and gastric lesions have been associated with synergetic activity between those parameters.

Malignant esophageal dysphagia palliation using insertion of a covered Ultraflex stent without fluoroscopy: a prospective observational study.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of placing self-expandable metal stents (SEMSs) without fluoroscopy for palliation of malignant esophageal or esophagogastric strictures.

Methods: From January 2003 to June 2008, a prospective observational study investigated the placement of covered proximal-release Ultraflex stents without fluoroscopy in nonoperable malignant esophageal and esophagogastric strictures. The technical success as well as the early and late complications (perforation, migration, severe gastroesophageal reflux, hematemesis, and reobstruction due to tissue ingrowth or overgrowth) were recorded.

Endoscopic resection of giant lipoma mimicking colonic neoplasm initially presenting with massive haemorrhage: a case report.

Lipomas of the colon are benign tumors that rarely occur. Their size ranges from 2 mm to several cm. They are usually asymptomatic but occasionally they present with clinical manifestations depending on tumor size, localization and complications, which often lead to diagnostic difficulty.

Simultaneous occurrence of hyperthyroidism and fistulizing Crohn's disease complicated with intra-abdominal fistulas and abscess: a case report and review of the literature.

Introduction: Fistula formation in patients with Crohn's disease is a common complication during the course of the disease. Perianal and enteroenteric are the most common forms of fistulas, whereas the involvement of the upper gastrointestinal tract with gastrocolic and duodenocolic fistulas represents an extremely unusual condition. Moreover, hyperthyroidism in association with Crohn's disease has been rarely described.

The significance of histological evidence of bile reflux gastropathy in patients with gastro-esophageal reflux disease.

Background: Synergetic activity between acid and bile has been associated with extensive esophageal mucosal damage in patients with gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD). Reflux of bile causes injury to gastric mucosa evaluated with an established histological index (bile reflux index, BRI). The aim of the study was to investigate the role of bile reflux in patients with GERD using the BRI.

A rare case of multiple myeloma initially presenting with pseudoachalasia.

Pseudoachalasia is a rare clinical entity with clinical, radiographic, and manometric features often indistinguishable from achalasia. Primary adenocarcinomas arising at the gastroesophageal junction or a tumor of the distal esophagus are the most frequent causes of pseudoachalasia. Rarely, processes other than esophagogastric cancers including chronic idiopathic intestinal pseudo-obstruction, amyloidosis, sarcoidosis, Chagas' disease, vagotomy, antireflux surgery, pancreatic pseudocysts, von Recklinghausen's neuroinomatosis, gastrointestinal stromal tumor, and other malignancies and rare genetic syndromes, may lead to the development of pseudoachalasia.