Endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage with a combined internal and external drainage tubes for acute cholecystitis.

Background And Aim: Lumen-apposing metal stent is widely used for endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage (EUS-GBD) nowadays but not approved in many countries and might be unsuitable for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) because of its large enterocholecysto fistula. A combination of double pigtail plastic stent (DPPS) and naso-cystic tube (NCT) could overcome these problems. The aim of this study was to estimate the efficacy and safety of this method in patients with acute cholecystitis unfit for urgent cholecystectomy both as bridge to surgery and palliation.

Craniocervical paraganglioma with numerous pulmonary metastases--case report.

A 28-year-old man presented with a rare craniocervical paraganglioma with multiple pulmonary metastases manifesting as hearing disturbance, hoarseness, and dysphagia in February 2003. Magnetic resonance imaging depicted a large jugular foramen tumor extending to the deep cervical region. Chest computed tomography revealed numerous small pulmonary nodules.

Characterization of alkali-treated collagen gels prepared by different crosslinkers.

We have developed a naturally-derived crosslinker named malic acid derivative (MAD). In the present study, we prepared alkali-treated collagen (AlCol) gels with different crosslinkers including MAD and commercially available crosslinkers such as 1-ethyl-3-(3('-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) and glutaraldehyde (GA). There are named as AlCol-MAD, AlCol-EDC, and AlCol-GA.

Unusual cell adhesion and antithrombogenic behavior of citric acid-cross-linked collagen matrices.

We have developed a novel biodegradable matrix that has unusual cell adhesion and antithrombogenic properties. The prepared biodegradable matrix was alkali-treated collagen (AlCol) cross-linked with citric acid derivative (CAD), named as AlCol-CAD. The swelling ratio of AlCol-CAD decreased with increasing CAD concentration, but with a further increase of the CAD concentration, the swelling ratio of AlCol-CAD also began to increase; this behavior showed a point where the swelling ratio reached a minimum value before increasing.

pH-responsive swelling behavior of collagen gels prepared by novel crosslinkers based on naturally derived di- or tricarboxylic acids.

The aim of this study was to compare the physicochemical properties of alkali-treated collagen (AlCol) gels prepared using two kinds of naturally derived crosslinkers made from citric and malic acids (CAD and MAD, respectively) that we have developed. From the crosslinking reaction between active ester groups and amino groups of AlCol, we successfully obtained AlCol gels, named AlCol-CAD and AlCol-MAD, prepared using CAD and MAD, respectively. The gelation time of the AlCol solution containing CAD initially decreased with increasing CAD concentration up to 70 mM, and then increased as the CAD concentration increased further.