Primary Pancreatic Secretinoma: Further Evidence Supporting Secretin as a Diarrheogenic Hormone.

Objectives: To document the existence of primary pancreatic secretinoma in patients with watery diarrhea syndrome (WDS) and achlorhydria and establish secretin as a diarrheogenic hormone.

Background: Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) has been widely accepted as the main mediator of WDS. However, in 1968, Zollinger et al reported 2 female patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, WDS, and achlorhydria.

Surgical research publication in a selection of research and surgical specialty journals.

Background: A prior study revealed a paucity of surgical research in the 5 top-rated general surgery journals for 1998. The hypothesis of the current study was that a large amount of surgical research was published in other journals.

Methods: In all, 15 research journals and 9 surgery specialty journals were reviewed for basic research, funded clinical studies, randomized clinical trials, and drug trials.

The surgical journal of the future: how will it appear?

Not since the invention of the printing press in 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg has there been such a revolution in the methods of dissemination of knowledge as is now being seen in the electronic media. The time-honored printed journal is becoming obsolete and open-access electronic journals and other technological innovations are rapidly reshaping the field of scientific publication. This paper will explore some of the forces driving these changes and what lies in store for the surgical journal of the future.

Improved survival for adenocarcinoma of the ampulla of Vater: fifty-five consecutive resections.

Hypothesis: After resection of an adenocarcinoma of the ampulla of Vater, certain clinical and pathologic characteristics influence long-term survival.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Setting: Major academic medical and pancreatic surgical center.

The treatment of retained gallstones.

Various techniques are available to evaluate patients suspected of having common duct stones before an operation on the biliary tract. In patients without jaundice, intravenous cholangiography with tomography may provide satisfactory visualization of the biliary system and its contents. Sonography and computerized axial tomography are useful noninvasive methods.