Neopterin--a potential factor for differentiation between pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis.

Background/aims: Pancreatic cancer constitutes a difficult diagnostic and therapeutic problem. It remains the fourth cause of death among gastrointestinal malignancies. The present study aimed to investigate whether neopterin can be used as a significant marker in pancreatic cancer and to establish any possible relationships between serum neopterin levels and the differentiation between chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, and acute pancreatitis.

Liver regeneration following portal blood arterialization and splenectomy in acute hepatic failure.

Background/aims: The purpose of the experiment was to estimate an influence of portal blood arterialization in animals with tetrachloromethane-induced acute hepatic failure.

Methodology: Thirty-five pigs were divided into four groups: three groups of 10 and a control group of 5 animals. On day 1 of the experiment an intraperitoneal dose of 477 mg CCl4//kg body wt.

Endovascular gamma irradiation of the iliac arteries: 1-year results from a clinical safety and feasibility study.

Purpose: To estimate safety and feasibility of vascular brachytherapy in iliac arteries.

Methods: Fourteen patients (11 men; mean age 56.7+/-9.

[Analysis of causes of mechanical jaundice and treatment methods in a group of 103 hospitalized patients].

103 consecutive hospitalized patients at the age from 23 to 87 years with mechanical jaundice are presented in this study. In 58 patients, a cause of the jaundice was ductal calculosis, in four, a damage to bile duct after cholecystectomy. In 43 patients (74%), a calculus was removed through endoscopy, in 2 patients (4%) through Kehr's drain, 13 patients required an operation, in 41 patients, jaundice resulted from a neoplasm including 22 patients with a tumor of the head of pancreas, in 9 neoplasm of gall bladder, in 4 tumor of liver invagination, in 4 tumor of distal part of bile duct, in 2 neoplasm of Vater's papilla.

Vascular brachytherapy after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of superficial femoral arteries-Polish pilot group.

Purpose: The article presents the results of treatment with vascular brachytherapy (VBT) in superficial femoral arteries. This method aims to minimize frequency of restenosis after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA).

Method: Treatment was carried out in 20 cases.