The acute and long-term effect of balloon sphincteroplasty on papillary structure in pigs.

Background: Balloon dilation or sphincteroplasty is emerging as a potentially safe and effective alternative to sphincterotomy in the management of bile duct stones. However, concerns related to the possible development of fibrosis or papillary stenosis led us to investigate the acute and long-term effects of balloon sphincteroplasty on papillary structure.

Methods: Sixteen pigs (45 to 50 kg) underwent transduodenal cannulation of the bile duct while under general anesthesia.

Magnetic resonance cholangiography: comparison with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.

Background & Aims: Magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRC) is a noninvasive diagnostic modality capable of producing high-quality images of the biliary tree. The purpose of this study was to determine in a prospective, blinded fashion the sensitivity and specificity of three-dimensional fast spin-echo (3D FSE) MRC for the evaluation of biliary tract abnormalities.

Methods: Forty-six patients referred for elective direct cholangiography (45 endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and 1 percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography) were studied prospectively with 3D FSE MRC during a 1-year period.

Pancreatic duct: MR cholangiopancreatography with a three-dimensional fast spin-echo technique.

Purpose: To determine the role of three-dimensional fast spin-echo magnetic resonance (MR) cholangiopancreatography in the evaluation of the normal and abnormal pancreatic duct.

Materials And Methods: A non-breath-hold MR cholangiopancreatographic technique with use of a body coil was compared with direct pancreatography performed with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in 37 patients.

Results: MR cholangiopancreatograms of satisfactory quality were obtained in 92% of patients.

IL-8 secretion and neutrophil activation by HT-29 colonic epithelial cells.

This study examines the ability of HT-29 human colonic epithelial cells to stimulate neutrophil migration and adhesion. Interleukin-8 (IL-8), a potent neutrophil chemoattractant, was detected in conditioned media from both unstimulated (1.1 ng/ml) and IL-1 beta-stimulated (16.

Ascorbic acid prevents the dose-dependent inhibitory effects of polyphenols and phytates on nonheme-iron absorption.

The effects of maize-bran phytate and of a polyphenol (tannic acid) on iron absorption from a white-bread meal were tested in 199 subjects. The phytate content was varied by adding different concentrations of phytate-free and ordinary maize bran. Iron absorption decreased progressively when maize bran containing increasing amounts of phytate phosphorous (phytate P) (from 10 to 58 mg) was given.