Intraduodenal hematoma complicating intestinal biopsy: case reports and review of the literature.

We report two cases of postbiopsy duodenal hematoma and review 14 additional cases. Duodenal hematoma predominantly occurs in children and presents with abdominal pain, vomiting, and pancreatitis. Upper gastrointestinal series, abdominal ultrasound, and CT scan are useful in visualizing the hematoma.

Schatzki ring in children and young adults: clinical and radiologic findings.

Background: The Schatzki ring is a well-known clinical and radiologic entity in adults, but is thought to be rare in childhood. Objective. To review the clinical presentations and radiologic findings of children and young adults with Schatzki rings.

Benefit of uncooked cornstarch in the management of children with dumping syndrome fed exclusively by gastrostomy.

Objectives: Children with dumping syndrome fed exclusively by gastrostomy are difficult to manage because liquid diets are given directly into the antrum. The gastric contents are emptied rapidly into the small intestine, with consequent hyperglycemia followed by a delayed hypoglycemia and multiple, often debilitating, symptoms. Uncooked cornstarch is a complex carbohydrate that provides a slow and continuous glucose source and may delay gastric emptying.

Successful use of a chicken-based diet for the treatment of severely malnourished children with persistent diarrhea: a prospective, randomized study.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of a chicken-based diet for the treatment of persistent diarrhea in severely malnourished children.

Study Design: Prospective, randomized, double-blind study that compared a chicken-based diet with elemental (Vivonex) and soy (Nursoy) diets. Hospitalized children with third-degree malnutrition and persistent diarrhea, aged 3 to 36 months, were included.

Hyperhomocysteinemia: detection, risk assessment, and treatment.

Homocysteine is formed by the demethylation of methionine in the course of its normal metabolism. Hyperhomocysteinemia is an independent risk factor for vascular disease. It develops most commonly from folate deficiency, genetic abnormalities, and chronic renal failure.

Calcium dependence of integrity of the actin cytoskeleton of proximal tubule cell microvilli.

To better define the role of Ca2+ in pathophysiological alterations of the proximal tubule microvillus actin cytoskeleton, we studied freshly isolated tubules in which intracellular free Ca2+ was equilibrated with highly buffered, precisely defined medium Ca2+ levels using a combination of the metabolic inhibitor, antimycin, and the ionophore, ionomycin, in the presence of glycine, to prevent lethal membrane damage and resulting nonspecific changes. Increases of Ca2+ to > or = 10 microM were sufficient to initiate concurrent actin depolymerization, fragmentation of F-actin into forms requiring high-speed centrifugation for recovery, redistribution of villin to sedimentable fractions, and structural microvillar damage consisting of severe swelling and fragmentation of actin cores. These observations implicate Ca(2+)-dependent, villin-mediated actin cytoskeletal disruption in tubule cell microvillar damage under conditions conceivably present during pathophysiological states.

Treatment of intractable constipation in children: experience with cisapride.

To establish whether cisapride is beneficial in children with intractable constipation, an open trial was performed. Chronically constipated children who had failed at least 12 weeks of medical therapy received cisapride at a dose of 0.2 mg/kg/dose TID for 12 weeks.

Contribution of actin cytoskeletal alterations to ATP depletion and calcium-induced proximal tubule cell injury.

The actin cytoskeleton of rabbit proximal tubules was assessed by deoxyribonuclease (DNase) binding, sedimentability of detergent-insoluble actin, laser-scanning confocal microscopy, and ultrastructure during exposure to hypoxia, antimycin, or antimycin plus ionomycin. One-third of total actin was DNase reactive in control cells prior to deliberate depolymerization, and a similar proportion was unsedimentable from detergent lysates during 2.5 h at 100,000 g.

Anorectal function in children after ileoanal pull-through.

Mucosal proctectomy and ileoanal pull-through is increasingly used in children requiring total colectomy for ulcerative colitis or familial polyposis. Excellent continence can be achieved with this procedure, and it avoids proctocolectomy and permanent ileostomy. We have evaluated prospectively anorectal function in nine consecutively treated children who underwent ileoanal pull-through.

Role of neuropeptide Y in opossum internal anal sphincter.

The present investigation was undertaken to examine the effects and role of neuropeptide Y (NPY) on the internal anal sphincter (IAS). The studies were performed in alpha-chloralose-anesthetized opossums. Resting pressure in the IAS (IASP) was recorded using low-compliant continuously perfused catheters.

Peptide histidine isoleucine and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide cause relaxation of opossum internal anal sphincter via two distinct receptors.

The purpose of this investigation was to characterize the nature of peptide histidine isoleucine (PHI) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) receptors, and to examine the role of PHI in internal anal sphincter (IAS) relaxation. The studies were performed on opossums anesthetized with alpha-chloralose. The pressures in the IAS were recorded using continuously perfused catheters.

Role of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide in the internal anal sphincter relaxation of the opossum.

The nature of the inhibitory neurotransmitter responsible for internal anal sphincter (IAS) relaxation in response to rectoanal reflex is not known. The objective of the present investigation was to examine the role of VIP in IAS relaxation in response to the rectoanal reflex in intact opossums with the use of VIP antagonists, [4CI-D-Phe6,Leu17] VIP and (N-AC-Tyr1,D-Phe2)-GRF (1-29)-NH2. Intraluminal pressures from the sphincter were monitored using low-compliance, continuously perfused catheters.

Pectus carinatum and pectus excavatum: are they the same disease?

Eighty cases of anterior chest wall deformities were reviewed. The group consisted of 47 patients with pectus carinatum and 33 patients with pectus excavatum. This 1.