The use of bovine pericardial strips on linear stapler to reduce extraluminal bleeding during laparoscopic gastric bypass: prospective randomized clinical trial.

Background: A prospective comparison was conducted of extraluminal bleeding following gastric transection with or without staple-line reinforcement by dehydrated bovine pericardium (Peri-Strips Dry--PSD) during laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGBP).

Methods: From January 2001 to September 2003, 98 consecutive morbidly obese patients underwent LRYGBP. Patients were randomly allocated to 2 groups according to the use (Group A, n= 50) or not (Group B, n= 48) of Peri-Strips Dry.

Hemodynamic effects of isometric exercise in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: comparison with normal subjects.

Background: We assessed the hemodynamic effects of isometric exercise by an ambulatory radionuclide monitoring device (VEST) that measured left ventricular function in patients who had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), with and without significant left ventricular outflow-tract obstruction at rest, compared with control subjects.

Methods And Results: We studied 10 patients with obstructive HCM, 25 patients with nonobstructive HCM, and 11 control subjects. During VEST monitoring, all patients gripped a dynamometer at 75% of maximal strength for up to 5 minutes.

Experience with laparoscopic splenectomy.

Background/purpose: The laparoscopic splenectomy (LS) often is adopted to treat children affected by hematologic diseases. Many of the pitfalls of LS are related to the 2 steps-dissection and extraction. Although various methods have been adopted, the conversion rate still is too high during the learning curve period.