Benign inflammatory pseudotumour of the biliary tract masquerading as a Klatskin tumour.

Background: In the presence of obstructive jaundice, irregular strictures high in the common hepatic duct are usually due to bile duct cancer or to metastatic infiltration from other malignant tumours. Postoperative strictures and a variety of benign tumours also occur in this region but usually have a distinctive appearance on retrograde cholangiography. Obstruction of the bile duct due to an impacted calculus in Hartmann's pouch (Mirizzi syndrome) and sclerosing cholangitis also have characteristic radiological appearances and are supported by the coexistence of gallstones and inflammatory bowel disease respectively.

Brachylaima cribbi (Digenea: Brachylaimidae): scanning electron microscopical observations of the life-cycle stages.

Brachylaima cribbi is a recently described species of terrestrial trematode that infects mammals and birds with helicid land snails as its first and second intermediate hosts. The adult worm is 2.5-6.

The role of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, intestinal permeability, endotoxaemia, and tumour necrosis factor alpha in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

Background: Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth may contribute to the development of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, perhaps by increasing intestinal permeability and promoting the absorption of endotoxin or other enteric bacterial products.

Aims: To investigate the prevalence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, increased intestinal permeability, elevated endotoxin, and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) levels in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and in control subjects.

Patients And Methods: Twenty two patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and 23 control subjects were studied.

Effect of packing on nasal mucosa of sheep.

The effects of packing with ribbon gauze and neuropatties on the nasal mucosa was assessed using sheep as an animal model. Fourteen sheep either underwent ribbon gauze or neuropattie nasal packing. Trauma to nasal mucosa caused by ribbon gauze and neuropatties was compared to mucosa on the lateral aspect of the middle turbinate which was not in contact with any packing.

A randomized controlled trial to determine the effects of humidified carbon dioxide insufflation during thoracoscopy.

Background: The humidification of gas insufflated during laparoscopy can reduce the degree of postoperative hypothermia and may result in less peritoneal reaction and less postoperative pain. The present study was designed to determine whether the beneficial effects of humidified gas insufflation also applied to thoracoscopy.

Methods: Six pigs were each studied on three separate occasions with insufflation into the right thoracic cavity of either humidified gas, standard dry gas, or with no insufflation (control procedure).