Percutaneous gastrostomy for enteral nutrition: long-term follow-up of 176 procedures.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of percutaneous gastrostomy (PG), using small catheters without gastropexy, to deliver enteral nutrition.

Methods: We reviewed the records of 176 consecutive patients in whom PG was attempted for enteral nutrition. Of these cases, 172 catheters were inserted by the Seldinger technique under fluoroscopic guidance alone, 2 were inserted under computed tomographic guidance, and 2 procedures failed.

[Angiographic identification of spinal cord arteries before bronchial artery embolization].

Ischemic spinal cord injury is the major risk of bronchial artery embolization. The spinal artery may be overlooked on initial intercostobronchial trunk arteriography, as a result of reverse flow within the intercostal branch. Its identification, conversely, is easier on postembolization angiography.

Thoracoabdominal pattern of breathing in neuromuscular disorders.

Study Objective: To assess abnormalities in thoracoabdominal pattern of breathing (TAPB) in neuromuscular disorders during spontaneous breathing, intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV) with and without abdominal (AB) binder, and immediately after IPPV.

Design: Repeated measures design: Pre-IPPV spontaneous breathing, IPPV, IPPV with AB binder, and post-IPPV spontaneous breathing. In protocol 1, ventilator pressure was held constant at the individual value habitually adopted in sessions of IPPV.

[Failures and complications of bronchial artery embolization].

Bronchial artery embolization (BAE) is well accepted and widely used for management of massive and recurrent hemoptysis. Recurrent hemoptysis occurs in 20% of cases. It may be due to partial embolization, recruitment of other systemic collaterals, recanalization of an embolized artery, or progression of primary disease.