Dissolution of gallbladder stones with methyl tert-butyl ether and stone recurrence: a European survey.

Since there are now several ways to treat symptomatic gallstone disease, one is able to select treatment on the basis of the patient's comfort, the practicability, effectiveness, and side effects of the technique, and the relative costs. In order to assess the present status of contact dissolution with methyl tert-butyl ether with regard to these aspects, the present enquiry reports the data of 21 European hospitals. Eight hundred three patients were selected for contact litholysis of cholesterol gallbladder stones using methyl tert-butyl ether.

[Hypertrophy of Hoffa's fat pad - an arthrographic diagnosis? (author's transl)].

The wide spectrum of conditions, ranging from normal variants over early posttraumatic swelling to Hoffa's classical syndrome with hypertrophy of the fat pad can be demonstrated in double-contrast arthrography with high reliability, demonstrated after review of 1566 arthrographies in comparison with results of surgery and histology. Following post-mortem studies in 50 knee joints statements are made about normal size and shape, physiological variants and pathological enlargement of Hoffa's fat pad in arthrography. Since post-traumatic changes of menisci, cartilage and Hoffa body often cannot be differentiated by clinical examination, double-contrast arthrography should be performed routinely before surgery, since this technique provides the surgeon with a maximum of preoperative information about the internal structures of the knee joint and may modify the planned surgical procedure considerably.