Is the transnasal access for esophagogastroduodenoscopy in routine use equal to the transoral route? A prospective, randomized trial.

Background And Study Aims: Routine esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) is increasingly performed without sedation. Transoral (TO) and transnasal (TN) EGD offer different patient comfort and complications.

Patients And Methods: For a controlled, randomized, clinical trial comparing TN-EGD with TO-EGD without sedation, patients were assigned to TN-EGD using a thin endoscope (group 1, 93 patients), or TO-EGD using a standard endoscope (group 2, 90 patients).

Detection and treatment of an aneurysma spurium of the arteria hepatica dextra after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Background: Massive upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage can be the dominant symptom of decompensated liver cirrhosis, varices and ulcerations in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Postoperative complications are known to lead to these bleedings. Commonly, emergency endoscopy will be performed.

Restorative restproctectomy as single-port surgery through the ostomy site in a three-stage procedure.

Purpose: Single-port laparoscopic surgery as an alternative to traditional laparoscopic technique is anticipated to be beneficial in the early postoperative course. We describe restorative restproctectomy as single-port surgery through the ostomy site in a three-stage procedure for refractory ulcerative colitis 12 weeks after laparoscopic subtotal colectomy.

Surgical Technique: After release of the terminal ileostomy, creating the ileal J pouch extra-abdominally, a single-port device was placed.

Comparability of localization data in transnasal and transoral esophagogastroduodenoscopy.

Background: Esophagogastroduodenoscopy is an often-used and safe diagnostic method in gastroenterology. Transnasal esophagogastroduodenoscopy is now an established addition to the endoscopic instrumentarium. Although the two examination methods can be used alongside each other, there is a lack of studies on the comparability of the localization data obtained with the transoral and transnasal methods.

Chemical gastritis after chronic bromazepam intake: a case report.

Background: We describe a rare case of diffuse macroscopic discoloration and chemical gastritis due to chronic bromazepam intake. The chemical composition of pharmaceuticals has to be considered at endoscopy and it is evident that some chemical substances damage the epithelial tissue and lead to clinical symptoms.

Case Presentation: Endoscopy was performed in an 82-year-old patient due to gastroesophageal reflux symptoms and epigastric pain.

Computer-aided recording of automatic endoscope washing and disinfection processes as an integral part of medical documentation for quality assurance purposes.

Background: The reprocessing of medical endoscopes is carried out using automatic cleaning and disinfection machines. The documentation and archiving of records of properly conducted reprocessing procedures is the last and increasingly important part of the reprocessing cycle for flexible endoscopes.

Methods: This report describes a new computer program designed to monitor and document the automatic reprocessing of flexible endoscopes and accessories in fully automatic washer-disinfectors; it does not contain nor compensate the manual cleaning step.

Extension injury of the thoracic spine with rupture of the oesophagus and successful conservative therapy of concomitant mediastinitis.

The case of an upper oesophageal perforation as a concomitant injury of an isolated fracture of the upper thoracic spine without neurological compromise has not been described so far. A Case report and review of the literature is presented here. Concomitant oesophageal perforations carry a high risk of being missed initially.

[Uncommon condition of the upper gastrointestinal tract: double pylorus].

Double pylorus and gastroduodenal fistula are uncommon conditions that are either congenital or acquired. Acquired double pylorus in most cases resulted from a penetrating peptic ulcer creating a fistula between the duodenal bulb and the prepyloric antrum. The diagnosis is usually made by endoscopy.

[Characterization of proteinuria in patients with ulcerative colitis and therapy with aminosalicylates].

Background And Purpose: Patients with ulcerative colitis have a higher rate of tubular nephropathies. Data concerning the cause of these lesions is rare and inconsistent, the occurrence may be part of the disease itself or a side effect of 5-aminosalicylates (5-ASA). This study investigated proteinuria and eosinophiluria in patients with moderate ulcerative colitis under treatment with 5-ASA.

Interferon-beta-1a for the treatment of steroid-refractory ulcerative colitis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Background & Aims: We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial to investigate the efficacy and safety of recombinant interferon-beta-1a (rIFN-beta-1a) in outpatients with active steroid-refractory ulcerative colitis.

Methods: Ninety-one randomized patients subcutaneously received 3 MIU rIFN-beta-1a (group A, n = 32), 1 MIU rIFN-beta-1a (group B, n = 30), or placebo (group C, n = 29) 3 times a week over a period of 8 weeks in addition to standard therapy. An intention-to-treat analysis was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of treatment.

[Requirements and recommendations for performing endosonographies].

For improvement of quality the working group of the Society of Gastroenterology in Nordrhein-Westfalen (Germany) was engaged with the questions, which apparative, personal and training conditions for endoscopic ultrasound are useful. The following proposals were preliminarily presented at the annual Congress of the DGVS (German Society of Digestive and Metabolic Diseases) 2001. They are thought to be subject of discussion for guidelines to be elaborated by this national society.

[Prospective study comparing conventional and transnasal esophagogastroduodenoscopy for routine diagnosis].

Introduction: Transnasal gastroscopy (TNG) is the result of ongoing improvements in endoscopic device development. These ultrathin endoscopes are planned to improve patient satisfaction with the endoscopic procedure.

Aim: The aim of the current study was to prospectively evaluate the performance and patient acceptance of transnasal gastroscopy.

[Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) of the upper gastrointestinal tract - prospective multicenter study to evaluate time and staff requirements].

Background And Aims: Endoscopic ultrasonography is an important procedure in the diagnostic work-up of gastrointestinal and mediastinal masses. To evaluate the time and staff requirements for the examination, a prospective multicenter study was carried out.

Methods: 27 centers were asked to document their endoscopic ultrasonographic procedures over a 4-month period, using a standardized protocol comprising several parameters: time and staff requirements (overall and related to organs), time spent on informing the patients, preparation, performance and monitoring of the examination and subsequent care of patient as well as of endoscopic equipment.

Positron emission tomography reveals a leiomyosarcoma causing proteinuria.

Obstruction of the renal veins may result in proteinuria and is frequently caused by thrombosis or tumorous processes. Since thrombosis and malignancy may occur simultaneously in the venous outflow of the kidneys, search for an underlying intraluminal tumor may be impeded by extensive thrombosis in the lumen of renal and caval veins. We report the case of a 30-year-old man with moderate proteinuria which was caused by an obstructing process of the vena cava inferior and the renal veins.

Low dose balsalazide (1.5 g twice daily) and mesalazine (0.5 g three times daily) maintained remission of ulcerative colitis but high dose balsalazide (3.0 g twice daily) was superior in preventing relapses.

Background: Balsalazide is a new 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) containing prodrug. Its efficacy in comparison with standard mesalazine therapy and the optimum dose for maintaining remission of ulcerative colitis are still unclear.

Aims: To compare the relapse preventing effect and safety profile of two doses of balsalazide and a standard dose of Eudragit coated mesalazine.

[Preparation for colonoscopy: A comparison between 3 commercially available Golytely solutions].

The preparation for colonoscopy is essential for the results of the examination. The effectiveness of 3 commercially available Golytely solutions for colonoscopy (Original-Golytely-salt, Oralav and Delcoprep) were compared in a randomized prospective study. 310 outpatients were randomized into 3 groups.

Olsalazine versus mesalazine in the treatment of mild to moderate ulcerative colitis.

Aim: To compare the efficacy and tolerability of olsalazine sodium with enteric-coated mesalazine in inducing endoscopic remission in patients with mild to moderate active ulcerative colitis.

Patients And Methods: Patients with mild to moderate active ulcerative colitis were randomized to receive either olsalazine sodium, 3 g/day (n = 88), or mesalazine, 3 g/day (n = 80), for up to 12 weeks.

Results: Of the patients treated with olsalazine sodium, 52.