Endoscopic full thickness resection in the colo-rectum: outcomes from the UK Registry.

Background: Endoscopic full-thickness resection (eFTR) of the colon using the full-thickness resection device (FTRD) is a novel method for removing lesions involving, or tethered to, deeper layers of the colonic wall. The UK FTRD Registry collected data from multiple centres performing this procedure. We describe the technical feasibility, safety and early outcomes of this technique in the UK.

Colorectal stents: do we have enough evidence?

Background: The use of colonic stents has significantly evolved over the last few years. Emergency surgery for colonic obstructions is usually associated with significant mortality, morbidity and often stoma formation. Colonic stents provide an alternative way to relieve colonic obstruction, and hence avoiding the risks associated with emergency surgery.

Use of self-expandable stents for obstructive distal and proximal large bowel cancer: a retrospective study in a single centre.

Aim: The aim of our retrospective study was to determine the effectiveness and safety of self-expandable metal stents in patients presenting with large bowel obstruction secondary to colorectal cancer (regardless of the tumour site), in a district general hospital setting.

Methods: All patients who had endoscopic colonic stents insertion for obstructive colorectal cancer between 2001 and 2005 at our centre were identified retrospectively from patients' discharge database and the unit database. The patients were divided into the 'palliation group' where the stents were inserted to relief symptoms only and the 'bridge group' where patients with resectable cancer underwent colonic stenting as a bridge to improve patient's general condition before definite surgery.

Role of self-expanding metallic stents in the management of malignant obstruction of the proximal colon.

Purpose: Expandable metal stents have been shown to be effective in the management of malignant large-bowel obstruction. However, right colonic lesions account for less than 5% of all reported cases of colonic stenting. This study was performed to determine the outcomes following stenting for lesions proximal to the splenic flexure.

A case report of hepatic and renal dysfunction complicating midgut malrotation in an adult.

A 39-year-old man had an unusual presentation of jaundice and acute renal dysfunction complicating midgut malrotation. Diagnosis by computed tomography scan enabled prompt surgery and functional correction of the malrotation, with a full return to normal life.

Coagulation factor XIII and markers of thrombin generation and fibrinolysis in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Objective: To relate factor XIII levels and other prothrombotic markers to inflammatory bowel disease and investigate the frequency of valine34leucine and its effect on factor XIII cross-linking activity in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Design: Fifty patients with active inflammatory bowel disease but no venous thromboembolism (32 with ulcerative colitis, 18 with Crohn's disease), 50 patients with inactive inflammatory bowel disease but no venous thromboembolism (32 with ulcerative colitis, 18 with Crohn's disease), two age- and gender-matched healthy control groups of 100 subjects each were recruited. To further explore the relationship between valine34leucine and inflammatory bowel disease, 21 patients with the disease (13 with ulcerative colitis and eight with Crohn's disease) and venous thromoembolism (male to female ratio = 7 : 14, median age 59.