The effect of osmolarity and caloric load on small bowel motility.

Background: Although there is profound knowledge about cyclic fasting motility, the postprandial intestinal motor response is not well investigated. It is intriguing to speculate that nutrient composition alters small bowel motility significantly and, in a clinical setting, may account for adverse gastrointestinal symptoms in enteral nutrition (EN). We aimed to assess the impact of different caloric loads and osmolarities of EN on human jejunal motility.

Comparison of small-bowel motility of the human jejunum and ileum.

Background: Knowledge about human cyclic fasting motility (MMC) and the postprandial response is mostly based on manometric findings in the upper small intestine. Hardly any data exist on human ileal motility, as the acquisition of data has been limited by methodological concerns. The aim was to study human jejunal and ileal motility in an optimized manometric setting.

Prospective, randomized, single-center trial comparing 3 different 10F plastic stents in malignant mid and distal bile duct strictures.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine whether patency rates differ with respect to the material, design, and surface texture of 3 different plastic stents.

Methods: A total of 120 patients (median age 70.5 years; interquartile range 62-78 years) with malignant mid or distal bile duct strictures, seen between March 1996 and May 1999, were prospectively randomized to receive a 10F polyurethane stent, a Teflon Tannenbaum stent, or a hydrophilic hydromer-coated polyurethane stent.

Long-term follow-up of patients with iron deficiency anemia after a close endoscopic examination of the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract.

Background: In patients with Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA) occult gastrointestinal bleeding is generally investigated by bidirectional endoscopy. The aim of our study was to examine the long-term follow-up of patients with IDA where the sources of bleeding couldn't be detected despite close endoscopic and radiologic examination of the GI tract.

Methods: Based on the endoscopic data base we examined consecutive patients who were referred for gastrointestinal endoscopy due to IDA with a negative endoscopic (upper GI endoscopy and colonoscopy) evaluation.