Surgery as primary prophylaxis from variceal bleeding in patients with extrahepatic portal venous obstruction.

Background And Aim: In patients with extrahepatic portal venous obstruction (EHO), death is usually due to variceal bleeding. This is more so in developing countries where there is a lack of tertiary health-care facilities and blood banks. Prophylactic operations in cirrhotics have been found to be deleterious.

Liver resection: a regional hospital experience.

Background: Liver resection is a significant operation usually limited to large metropolitan hospitals. Liver resections were first performed at the Launceston General Hospital (LGH), a regional centre (bed capacity 280), in May 2000. This is a summary of liver resection at LGH.

Association of extent and infection of pancreatic necrosis with organ failure and death in acute necrotizing pancreatitis.

Background & Aims: Organ failure is the usual cause of death in acute necrotizing pancreatitis. Our objective was to study whether the extent and infection of pancreatic necrosis correlate with organ failure and mortality.

Methods: All consecutive patients with acute pancreatitis were prospectively studied.

Gallbladder cancer in India: a dismal picture.

Background: Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is one of the most common gastrointestinal malignancies. The data regarding GBC are, however, limited.

Methods: Records of 634 patients with GBC over a 10-year period were examined with regard to the clinical presentation, investigative findings, treatment, operative findings and outcome.

Three-dimensional helical computed tomography cholangiography with minimum intensity projection in gallbladder carcinoma patients with obstructive jaundice: comparison with magnetic resonance cholangiography and percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography.

Objective: Computed tomography (CT) is traditionally used for evaluation and staging of gallbladder carcinoma (GC). However, in the subgroup of patients with obstructive jaundice, magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRC) is generally required to assess the level of biliary obstruction. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the diagnostic potential of three-dimensional helical CT cholangiography (3-D CTC) with minimum intensity projection (minIP), to determine the presence and level of biliary obstruction.

Spectrum of hemostatic derangements, in Budd-Chiari syndrome.

Background: Hemostatic abnormalities have been reported in various hepatocellular diseases. We evaluated the hemostatic functions in patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome.

Methods: Biochemical liver function tests, and measurement of prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, and plasma levels of anti-thrombin III (antigen) and activity of protein C were done in 36 patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome.