[Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in children and adolescents].

Nineteen children and adolescents, mean age 9.6 +/- 1.2 years, underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).

[Treatment of achalasia by pneumatic dilatation].

Between 1979 and 1988, 60 patients with achalasia were treated by pneumatic dilatation under general anaesthesia, using the Rider-Moeller apparatus. The diagnosis rested on clinical, radiological, manometric and endoscopic criteria. These 60 patients underwent a total of 99 dilatations: 63.

Treatment of external gastrointestinal fistulas by a combination of total parenteral nutrition and somatostatin.

Thirty-seven patients with external gastrointestinal fistulas were treated with a combination of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) and somatostatin (ST). There was a significant fall in fistula output within the first day of treatment (p less than 0.001).

Pneumatic dilatation in the treatment of achalasia.

The results of a European survey on pneumatic dilatation in the treatment of achalasia have been compiled from a questionnaire completed by 18 different surgical teams. The total number of patients investigated was 2,161. Surgical treatment was prescribed by 94% of teams, whereas pneumatic dilatation was only prescribed by 56%.

[Retrograde endoscopic cholangiography after biliary surgery].

Retrograde cholangiography was conducted in 310 patients early or late after biliary system surgery. Principal indications for the investigation were angiocholitis (37% of cases), isolated jaundice (30%) or acute hepatic colic (17%). Biliary tract lesions were excluded in 7% of patients while in the remaining 93% it was possible to determine the precise cause of the disorder.

Early papillary stenosis following successful endoscopic sphincterotomy for residual common bile duct stone.

We report a case of early papillary stenosis following successful endoscopic sphincterotomy for residual common bile duct stone which needed surgical revision. In this rare and unexpected complication the importance of early diagnosis is stressed.

[Prevention of gastroduodenal complications in coronary surgery. Usefulness of preoperative fiberoscopy].

Fiberoscopic examination of the oesophagus, stomach and duodenum was carried out in 60 coronary disease patients prior to aorto-coronary bypass. Lesions of the upper digestive tract were detected in one-third of the patients; half of them were asymptomatic. The management of these cases depended upon the urgency of the cardiovascular operation.

[Peptic esophageal strictures. Dilatation with the Eder-Puestow's olives system (author's transl)].

Esophageal dilatations under topical pharyngeal anesthesia with the Eder-Puestow's metallic olives system were performed 101 times on 30 patients presenting peptic strictures. This method uses first a metallic wire introduced into the esophagus and the stomach under endoscopic control. Then, the wire allows to guide dilatating olives through very tight strictures.