Midazolam with meperidine and dexmedetomidine vs. midazolam with meperidine for sedation during ERCP: prospective, randomized, double-blinded trial.

Background And Study Aim: The combination of midazolam and opioid has been widely used as a standard sedative regimen for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Following recent evidence that dexmedetomidine may exert a synergistic effect in combination with midazolam, this study compared the sedative effect and adverse events of midazolam - meperidine - dexmedetomidine (MMD) and midazolam - meperidine during ERCP.

Patients And Methods: A total of 110 patients who were scheduled for ERCP were prospectively enrolled and randomly assigned, in a double-blind manner, to the MMD (n = 53) or midazolam - meperidine (n = 57) groups.

Presence of coronary artery disease increases the risk of biliary events in patients with asymptomatic gallstones.

Background And Aim: Propensity score indicates a probability of having a confounding factor. It is used to match each patient with the closest propensity score between two groups, which is known as propensity score matching. This study aimed to evaluate the gallstone-related biliary events, defined as biliary colic and acute cholecystitis between coronary artery disease (CAD) and non-CAD patients using propensity score matching.

Preventive saline irrigation of the bile duct after the endoscopic removal of common bile duct stones.

Background: Small stone fragments after an endoscopic stone extraction for choledocholithiasis may act as the nidus for recurrent choledocholithiasis. Therefore, efforts to eliminate the nidus might reduce the recurrence of choledocholithiasis and cholangitis related to choledocholithiasis.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to determine whether an additional preventive saline irrigation of the bile duct after the endoscopic removal of common bile duct stones would decrease residual stones and the recurrence of cholangitis.

Management for CBD stone-related mild to moderate acute cholangitis: urgent versus elective ERCP.

Background: There is no doubt that urgent biliary decompression needs to be done in case of severe acute cholangitis. However, it remains to be determined how early biliary decompression should be performed and elective intervention would be comparable to urgent intervention, in case of mild to moderate choledocholithiasis associated cholangitis.

Methods: One hundred ninety-five patients were enrolled who were diagnosed with mild to moderate cholangitis with common bile duct (CBD) stones between January 2006 and August 2010.

Risk factors of organ failure in patients with bacteremic cholangitis.

Background: Bacteremic cholangitis carries a high mortality rate of up to 10 % in relation to organ failure (OF), including septic shock.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to elucidate predictive factors for OF in bacteremic cholangitis.

Methods: A retrospective review of all patients diagnosed with acute cholangitis and proven bacteremia from 2003 to 2011 was performed.

[Comparison among conventional 4 L polyethylene glycol, split method of 4 L polyethylene glycol and combination of 2 L polyethylene glycol and sodium phosphate solution for colonoscopy preparation].

Background/aims: The aim of this study was to compare polyethylene glycol (PEG) 4 L, split method of PEG 4 L and PEG 2 L plus sodium phosphate (NaP) in the aspect of bowel preparation quality, safety, patients' compliance and preference.

Methods: Total 249 subjects were prospectively enrolled and received bowel preparation for colonoscopy from August to October in 2010; PEG 4 L (93 subjects), split method of 4 L PEG (74 subjects) and PEG 2 L plus NaP 90 mL group (82 subjects). To investigate the completion, preference for bowel preparation and safety, a questionnaire survey was conducted before colonoscopy.