Patient with percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy.

Introduction: Since 1980, when percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy was described and performed for the first time, the number of patients with this way of nutrition has been growing. At present, however, these patients are treated not only in intensive care units, but also in follow-up care institutions or in home care.

Aim: We want to explain the problems of nutrition via endoscopic gastrostomy to those physicians who take long-term care of these patients.

[Emergency ERCP and acute biliary pancreatitis].

In the period from 1992 to 1997, a total of 130 urgent therapeutic ERCPs were performed at the 2nd Department of Surgery of the Faculty of Medicine in Brno. The examination was indicated because of acute pancreatitis, acute septic cholangitis, and papillary ileus. Fifty nine patients with proven acute biliary pancreatitis and successful endoscopic papillosphincterotomy were followed up subsequently.