Flexible endoscopy assisted by Ligasure™ for treatment of Zenker's diverticulum: an effective and safe procedure.

Background: Flexible endoscopy allows use of the vessel-tissue sealer Ligasure™ (Covidien, Massachusetts, USA) to perform diverticulotomy. Few studies have used this endoscopic approach in the uncommon disorder Zenker's diverticulum. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of flexible endoscopy treatment assisted by Ligasure™.

Short- and long-term clinical outcomes of self-expandable metal stents inserted for colorectal obstruction and efficacy of different insertion techniques.

Objectives: (1) To evaluate the short- and long-term clinical outcomes of patients after colorectal stent placement and (2) to assess the safety and efficacy of the stents for the resolution of colorectal obstruction according to the insertion technique.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study which included 177 patients with colonic obstruction who underwent insertion of a stent.

Results: A total of 196 stents were implanted in 177 patients.

Accuracy of the Ultra-Rapid Urease Test for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection.

Background: Rapid Urease Test (RUT) is a simple, cheap and relatively fast method for diagnosing Helicobacter pylori infection. It is therefore the preferred method used for patients undergoing gastroscopy. Most kits require 24h to give results.

Randomised clinical trial comparing sequential and concomitant therapies for Helicobacter pylori eradication in routine clinical practice.

Objectives: No trial has compared non-bismuth quadruple 'sequential' and 'concomitant' regimens in settings with increasing clarithromycin rates. The study aims to compare the effectiveness and safety of these therapies for Helicobacter pylori treatment.

Design: Prospective randomised clinical trial in 11 Spanish hospitals.

Use of self-expanding metal stents to treat malignant colorectal obstruction in general endoscopic practice (with videos).

Background: Self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) are being increasingly used to solve malignant colorectal obstruction (MCRO). Patients can then either undergo scheduled surgery or have the stent left in place as a definitive palliative treatment. The majority of reports on the use of SEMS in MCRO come from single centers; therefore, its use in general endoscopic practice is not clearly known.

Third-line rescue therapy with levofloxacin after two H. pylori treatment failures.

Aim: Eradication therapy with proton pump inhibitor, clarithromycin and amoxicillin fails in a considerable number of cases. A rescue therapy still fails in more than 20% of the cases. Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of a third-line levofloxacin-based regimen in patients with two consecutive Helicobacter pylori eradication failures.

Comparison of two management strategies for Helicobacter pylori treatment: clinical study and cost-effectiveness analysis.

Background: First-line proton pump inhibitor-based triple and quadruple therapies for Helicobacter pylori eradication present similar levels of efficacy. Cross-over treatment (quadruple following triple failure, and triple following quadruple failure) seems the most sensible approach to treatment failures, but the two strategies -'quadruple first' versus 'triple first'- have not been previously compared. The aims of our study were to assess the usefulness and the cost-effectiveness of the two treatment strategies.

[Helicobacter pylori resistance to metronidazole and clarythromicin: descriptive analysis 1997-2000].

Background And Objective: We aimed to assess the resistance of H. pylori to clarithromycin and metronidazole, in patients with and without previous eradication treatment, in a geographic area from the north of Spain. We also analyzed the evolution of resistance rates and its relationships with annual antibiotic consumption.