Hyperplastic polyps of the gastric antrum in patients with gastrointestinal blood loss.

The significance of hyperplastic polyps of the gastric antrum in anemic patients with suspected gastrointestinal bleeding has not been determined. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence and prognosis of such polyps in this patient group. Clinical records of patients referred to our endoscopy lab from November 1999 to February 2003 for the evaluation of iron deficiency anemia or suspected gastrointestinal bleeding were reviewed.

Glucagon for the relief of esophageal food impaction does it really work?

We sought to evaluate our experience with glucagon used in the emergency department setting to relieve esophageal food impaction (EFI). We reviewed the records of patients with food impaction who received glucagon between January 1998 and May 2003 and recorded patient demographics, medical history, symptoms following glucagon administration, and endoscopic findings. There were 92 episodes of food impaction in 85 patients.

Barrett's esophagus is common in older men and women undergoing screening colonoscopy regardless of reflux symptoms.

Background: Although Barrett's esophagus (BE) is the precursor of esophageal adenocarcinoma (ACA), most patients with ACA present outside of a BE surveillance program. This could be due to undiagnosed symptomatic GER and BE or BE/ACA occurring in patients without reflux symptoms. We have, therefore, studied the prevalence of BE and symptom status in older patients referred for colonoscopy.

Prevalence and natural history of gastric antral vascular ectasia in patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation.

Goals: To describe the prevalence and natural history of gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) in patients with end-stage liver disease undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT).

Background: GAVE is a well-recognized cause of gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Although 30% of patients with GAVE have liver disease, the prevalence of GAVE in patients with cirrhosis is not known.

Pharmacological management of Cronkhite-Canada syndrome.

Cronkhite-Canada syndrome (CCS) is a rare, non-inherited gastrointestinal polyposis syndrome associated with characteristic ectodermal abnormalities. A number of potentially life-threatening complications including malnutrition, gastrointestinal bleeding and infection may occur in affected patients and CCS is fatal in many cases. The optimal therapy for CCS is not known but several treatment options have been described.