Endoscopic drainage of pancreatic pseudocysts.

Enlarging pancreatic pseudocysts, as well as those that develop complications such as bleeding, leak, infection, and intestinal or biliary obstruction, require treatment. This treatment is usually surgical and consists of internal or external drainage or, less commonly, excision. Transcutaneous aspiration with or without drain placement has also been reported.

Evaluation of Angelchik antireflux prosthesis. Long-term results.

Fifteen patients with intractable reflux or its complications were sequentially studied after the placement of the Angelchik antireflux prosthesis. In all, 16 devices were inserted. Parameters were measured before and 3, 12, 24, and 36 months after prosthesis placement and included symptom scoring, esophageal manometry with Tuttle test, endoscopy, suction biopsy, barium swallow, and gastroesophageal scintigraphy.

Pancreatic pseudocyst with hemorrhage into the gastrointestinal tract through the duct of Santorini.

Hemorrhage into a pancreatic pseudocyst frequently goes unrecognized. This catastrophic event can be heralded by intermittent bleeding, or may present as massive gastrointestinal hemorrhage. A high index of suspicion, proper diagnostic workup, and prompt surgical management afford the patient the best chance for survival.

Bacteremia during esophageal variceal sclerotherapy: its cause and prevention.

Eleven consecutive patients underwent a total of 34 esophageal variceal sclerotherapy (EVS) sessions for bleeding esophageal varices. Blood cultures were drawn pre-, intra-, and post-EVS. All pre- and post-EVS blood cultures were negative.

Diverticular rupture during colonoscopy. Fact or fancy?

Uncomplicated colonic diverticula have been regarded as weak points in the bowel wall which have a predisposition to rupture during colonoscopy. We attempted to prove or disprove this assumption. Eleven segments of diverticula-containing sigmoid colon were insufflated via a colonoscope and the rupture pressure manometrically recorded.