Laparoscopic versus open distal gastrectomy for elderly patients with advanced gastric cancer: a retrospective comparative study.

Background: Laparoscopic radical distal gastrectomy (LDG) has been more frequently performed for locally advanced distal gastric cancer (AGC) than open distal gastrectomy (ODG). However, the benefits of LDG for elderly AGC patients (AGC-lap) remain unclear.

Methods: Patients aged ≥ 70 years who underwent D2 distal gastrectomy from July 2014 to July 2021 were enrolled consecutively.

Oncological outcomes of large gastrointestinal stromal tumors treated by laparoscopic resection.

Background: The resection of large gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) by laparoscopic has been controversial. Extending from our prior study, the long-term oncological outcome of laparoscopic resection of large (5-8 cm) gastric GISTs was reported.

Methods: From 2002 to 2018, a consecutive 66 patients with gastric GISTs of 5-8 cm were treated at National Taiwan University Hospital.

Adjuvant tegafur-uracil (UFT) or S-1 monotherapy for advanced gastric cancer: a single center experience.

Background: Adjuvant tegafur-gimeracil-oteracil (S-1) is commonly used for gastric cancer in Asia, and tegafur-uracil (UFT) is another oral fluoropyrimidine when S-1 is unavailable. The real-world data of adjuvant UFT has less been investigated.

Methods: Patients with pathological stage II-IIIB (except T1) gastric cancer receiving adjuvant UFT or S-1 monotherapy after D2 gastrectomy were included.

Percutaneous embolization for a subacute gastric fistula following laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: a case report and literature review.

Background: The management for subacute or chronic fistula after bariatric surgery is very complicated and with no standard protocol yet. It is also an Achilles' heel of all bariatric surgery. The aim of this case report is to describe our experience in managing this complication by percutaneous embolization, a less commonly used method.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection comparing with surgical resection in patients with early gastric cancer - A single center experience in Taiwan.

Background/purpose: The choice of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) as first line treatment for selected early gastric cancer (EGC) patients was proved as effective as surgical treatment in studies over many countries. Yet there is no such cohort comparison in Taiwan. This study is aimed to describe our experience in ESD treated EGC and to compare the outcomes with those underwent surgical treatment.

Derangement of esophageal anatomy and motility in morbidly obese patients: a prospective study based on high-resolution impedance manometry.

Background: Morbidly obese patients often suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). High-resolution impedance manometry (HRIM) allows a comprehensive evaluation of esophageal motility and esophagogastric junction (EGJ) morphology and helps to clarify GERD pathophysiology.

Objective: To evaluate the esophageal function and EGJ anatomy in morbid obesity by HRIM.

Circulating Diabetic Candidate Neurotrophic Factors, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Fibroblast Growth Factor 21, in Sleeve Gastrectomy.

Recent studies show brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) are neurotrophic factors associated with obesity and diabetes mellitus (DM). Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) can significantly reduce weight and improve DM. In this study, we enrolled 78 patients with obesity and evaluated the change of BDNF and FGF21 6 months after LSG.

The effect of performing two pancreatoduodenectomies by a single surgical team in one day on surgeons and patient outcomes.

Background: The centralization of pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) has been shown to improve patient outcomes. The scheduling of two PDs in one day is one option to shorten the waiting time for patients referred to high volume centers. The effect on the surgical team or patient outcomes of such an approach have not previously been explored.

Endoscopic Retrograde Biliary Drainage Causes Intra-Abdominal Abscess in Pancreaticoduodenectomy Patients: An Important But Neglected Risk Factor.

Background: Patients with periampullary cancer frequently suffer obstructive jaundice and commonly require preoperative biliary drainage (PBD) for relief and to avoid related complications. Although research has established a correlation between PBD and surgical wound infection, the impact of PBD on major infectious complications (intra-abdominal abscess [IAA]) and overall mortality remains debatable. We hypothesized that PBD could lead to IAA and mortality, and evaluated their correlation in patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD).

Late acute pancreatitis after pancreaticoduodenectomy: incidence, outcome, and risk factors.

Background: The pancreatoenteric anastomotic stricture (PEAS) is a common long-term complication after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD), some of which present as acute pancreatitis requiring emergency care. This important topic has never been reported. In this study, we focus on the incidence, radiological features, clinical outcome, and risk factors of late-occurring acute pancreatitis (LAP) after PD.

Laparoscopic distal gastrectomy for clinical stage I gastric adenocarcinoma: Techniques evolution and oncological outcomes of the first 100 cases.

Background/purpose: While gaining more acceptance, the use of laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (LDG) to treat gastric cancer were still limited in Taiwan. This study reviewed our experience about the technique evolution and outcome of using LDG for the patients with clinical stage (c-stage) I gastric cancers.

Methods: A retrospective review of the patients undergoing LDG for c-stage I gastric cancers at a medical center of Taiwan was performed.

An Effective Occipitomental View Enhancement Based on Adaptive Morphological Texture Analysis.

This paper aims to present an algorithm that specifically enhances maxillary sinuses using a novel contrast enhancement technique based on the adaptive morphological texture analysis for occipitomental view radiographs. First, the skull X-ray (SXR) is decomposed into rotational blocks (RBs). Second, each RB is rotated into various directions and processed using morphological kernels to obtain the dark and bright features.