Protection of the gastroduodenal mucosa from the effects of diclofenac sodium: role of highly selective vagotomy and misoprostol.

The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of highly selective vagotomy (HSV) or misoprostol, a prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) analog, for protecting the gastroduodenal mucosa (GDM) from the effects of diclofenac sodium (DS). Fifty mongrel dogs were randomly allocated to five groups. HSV alone was performed in group I dogs (controls) to standardize the operation.

Role of the spleen in lipid metabolism.

The frequency of ischaemic heart disease observed after splenectomy for trauma and the low cholesterol levels found in patients with hypersplenism are observations that suggest a possible role for the spleen in lipid metabolism and in the aetiology of atherosclerosis. The present study was designed to examine this role in experimental animals. Serum levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol were determined in 32 rats.

Phosphatidylcholine and intraperitoneal adhesions.

Phosphatidylcholine (PC), which has successfully been used in the past to increase ultrafiltration in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients, has recently been found to prevent experimental adhesion formation after intraperitoneal irrigation with warm saline. The aim of this study was to determine the most effective route(s) of PC administration in the aforementioned model. Eighty Wistar rats underwent laparotomy and intraperitoneal irrigation with saline at 40 degrees C, which in 20 rats was followed by closure of the abdomen (control group, GC).

Short- and long-term evaluation of arteriovenous fistulas for chronic hemodialysis.

One hundred ninety-three internal arteriovenous (A-V) fistulas were performed on patients with renal failure in the last eleven years. The A-V fistulas were divided on the basis of the following: side-to-side between the radial artery and cephalic vein (157 cases); end-to-side between the cephalic vein and radial artery (11 cases); end-to-end between the radial artery and cephalic vein (5 cases); A-V fistulas between the brachial artery and the cephalic, basilic or medial cubital vein (20 cases). The side-to-side A-V fistulas achieved an immediate patency in 88% of cases, lower than each of the other groups.