Mesoatrial Shunt for Budd-Chiari Syndrome.

Background: The long-term efficacy of mesoatrial shunt (MAS) for Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) is not well studied. The purpose of our study was to investigate the long-term outcome and efficacy of MAS for BCS.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 11 patients who underwent MAS for BCS from April 1986 to November 1995.

Experimental study on the construction of small three-dimensional tissue engineered grafts of electrospun poly-ε-caprolactone.

Studies on three-dimensional tissue engineered graft (3DTEG) have attracted great interest among researchers as they present a means to meet the pressing clinical demand for tissue engineering scaffolds. To explore the feasibility of 3DTEG, high porosity poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) was obtained via the co-electrospinning of polyethylene glycol and PCL, and used to construct small-diameter poly-ε-caprolactone-lysine (PCL-LYS-H) scaffolds, whereby heparin was anchored to the scaffold surface by lysine groups. A variety of small-diameter 3DTEG models were constructed with different PCL layers and the mechanical properties of the resulting constructs were evaluated in order to select the best model for 3DTEGs.

Long-term outcomes of patients with refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease following a minimally invasive endoscopic procedure: a prospective observational study.

Background: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the most common digestive disease, affecting one third of the world's population. The minimally invasive endoscopic Stretta procedure is being increasingly used as an alternative strategy to manage refractory GERD. However, long-term benefits of this procedure have to be further evaluated in clinical settings.

Gastroesophageal reflux in chronic cough and cough syncope and the effect of antireflux treatment: case report and literature review.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of antireflux treatment on gastroesophageal reflux (GER)-related cough syncope.

Methods: The method used was a retrospective review of the outcomes of antireflux treatment with proton pump inhibitor (PPI), Stretta radiofrequency (SRF), or laparoscopic fundoplication (LF) of 8 patients with chronic cough and cough syncope that was clinically evaluated to be GER related over a period of 2 to 5 years.

Results: In the 8 selected cases, the typical GER symptoms disappeared in 7 cases and were significantly eased in 1 case.

Meso-cavo-jugular shunt for complicated portal hypertension: a case report with 8 years of follow-up.

Background: The treatment of portal hypertension caused by an occlusive lesion in the retrohepatic inferior vena cava and terminal portal venules is complicated because both portal and system venous flow are compromised.

Methods: A 47-year-old woman presented with this issue, and we reasoned that the only way to achieve successful management was to create a meso-cavo-jugular shunt. This patient was referred to us after undergoing a splenectomy for hypersplenism, which made her ascites intractable.

Gastroesophageal reflux in bronchiectasis and the effect of anti-reflux treatment.

Background: Bronchiectasis is a progressive and fatal disease despite the available treatment regimens. Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) may play an important role in the progression of bronchiectasis. However, active anti-reflux intervention such as Stretta radiofrequency (SRF) and/or laparoscopic fundoplication (LF) have rarely been used to treat Bronchiectasis.

Aortic deceleration injury treated by endograft: a case report with 11-year followup.

Aortic deceleration injury is a common and critical condition following automobile accident with high fatality. The survivors complicated with associated serious injuries are even rare and definitive treatment is required. A 37-year-old male patient had both aortic blunt injury and coronary artery injury after a frontal car collision.