Mechanical ileus induces surgical intervention due to gastric balloon: a case report and review of the literature.

A temporary non-surgical approach for treatment of obesity is the gastric balloon that serves as an alternative procedure for many patients with frustrated diet attempts. Deflation and displacement of the balloon resulting in acute intestinal obstruction and subsequent surgical intervention is a rare complication. A BioEnterics Intragastric Balloon was endoscopically implanted in a 35-year-old female with a body mass index (BMI) of 28 kg/m(2).

Endovascular treatment of venous graft stenosis in the inferior vena cava and the left hepatic vein after complex liver tumor resection.

Endovascular treatment has been reported for a variety of conditions that result in venous obstruction in the iliocaval territory. The present report describes a patient who underwent a complex resection of a tumor that infiltrated the retrohepatic segment of the inferior vena cava (IVC), necessitating replacement of the IVC with a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) graft. Postoperatively, symptomatic venous obstruction occurred in the graft and the left hepatic vein.

Cholecystokinin-58 is more potent in inhibiting food intake than cholecystokinin-8 in rats.

Introduction: Several cholecystokinin (CCK) forms have been detected in plasma, but most studies on food intake investigated the effects of CCK-8 only. Recently, it has been demonstrated that CCK-58 is the only endocrine-active form of CCK in rats.

Methods: CCK-58 was synthesized with a peptide synthesizer using FMOC chemistry and CCK-58 effects on food intake were compared to CCK-8 in rats.