Predictors of clinical outcome of colonic stents in patients with malignant large-bowel obstruction because of extracolonic malignancy.

Background And Aims: Colonic stent placement in patients with large-bowel obstruction (LBO) secondary to extracolonic malignancy (ECM) has been evaluated in small series with heterogeneous results. Our aim is to better characterize the technical and clinical success of colonic stent placement and to identify factors that affect this success in ECM patients.

Methods: All patients at a single high-volume center who presented for colonic stent placement for LBO because of ECM between 2001 and 2012 were retrospectively identified.

Evaluation and management of hepatitis B in pregnancy: a survey of current practices.

Background: Optimal management of hepatitis B (HBV) during pregnancy is unclear. Safety and efficacy data of antiviral therapy are limited. We assessed the practice patterns of hepatologists, gastroenterologists, and other physicians for evaluating and managing pregnant patients with HBV as well as the variation of these practice patterns by primary specialty and practice description.

The potential impact of contemporary developments in the management of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease undergoing an initial gastroscopy.

Background: Recent developments may alter the approach to patients presenting with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)-like symptoms. A newly proposed Montreal consensus definition of Barrett's esophagus includes all types of esophageal columnar metaplasia, with or without intestinal-type metaplasia. There is also increasing recognition of eosinophilic esophagitis (EE) in patients with GERD-like symptoms.