A randomised clinical trial of transnasal endoscopy versus fluoroscopy for the placement of nasojejunal feeding tubes in patients with severe acute pancreatitis.

OBJECTIVES: To compare transnasal endoscopy with fluoroscopy for the placement of nasojejunal feeding tubes (NJTs) in patients with severe acute pancreatitis. METHODS: 100 patients were randomised to receive NJTs by transnasal endoscopy or fluoroscopy. Successful placement was confirmed by abdominal radiograph. RESULTS: The success rate was 96% using transnasal endoscopy and 94% using fluoroscopy (p>0.05). The mean (SEM) time to perform a successful procedure was 12.7 (5.1) min for transnasal endoscopy and 7.9 (5.9) min for fluoroscopy (p<0.05). No complications were reported using fluoroscopy, whereas there was one case of tachypnoea and four cases of abdominal distension related to transnasal endoscopy (p<0.05). For transnasal endoscopy, the mean (SEM) visual analogue scale comfort score was 3.2 (1.3) before, 8.7 (1.5) during, and 3.6 (1.3) after a successful procedure. The corresponding values for fluoroscopy were 3.1 (1.2), 5.4 (1.6) and 3.7 (1.4). The difference in scores during the procedure was significant (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Transnasal endoscopic and fluoroscopic placement of NJTs can safely and accurately be performed in patients with severe acute pancreatitis. The results of this study show no significant difference in success and complication rates between the two procedures. However, the procedure time for fluoroscopic placement was shorter than for transnasal endoscopic placement, and patients experienced less discomfort.

Combined pancreaticoduodenal-kidney transplantation in rats.

The objective of this work was to establish a stable and simple simultaneous pancreaticoduodenal-kidney transplantation model in rats. The methods involved harvesting a pancreaticoduodenal-kidney (left) (PDK) and 1-cm inferior vena cava (IVC) with a 0.5-cm left and right iliac communis vein from donors and to "cuff" anastomose between portal vein and right iliac communis vein, left kidney vein, and left iliac communis vein, converging donor portal vein and left kidney vein into IVC together. Next, we performed an anastomosis of the donor arterial segment and recipient abdominal aorta and a "cuff" anastomosis between donor IVC and recipient left kidney vein. Of 67 transplanted rats in which diabetes was induced, 57 survived >7 days, 55 survived 1 month, 54 rats have survived >4 months. In 51 rats, nonfasting plasma glucose levels were euglycemic. We performed three "cuff" anastomoses to simplify the surgical procedure and to shorten the ischemia time of the graft; the recipient vein system has an integrated endovenous membrane to avoid venous thrombi in venous anastomosis sites.

Simultaneous pancreaticoduodenal-kidney transplantation in rats.

AIMS: To establish a stable and simple simultaneous pancreaticoduodenal-kidney transplantation model in rats. METHODS: Pancreaticoduodenal-kidney (left) and 1 cm of the inferior vena cava (IVC) with 0.5 cm left and right iliac communis vein were harvested from donors. We performed 'cuff' anastomoses between (1) portal vein and right iliac communis vein and (2) left kidney vein and left iliac communis vein, converging donor portal vein and left kidney vein into IVC together. Next, we performed an anastomosis of donor arterial segment and recipient abdominal aorta and a 'cuff' anastomosis between donor IVC and recipient left kidney vein. RESULTS: Of 40 transplanted rats in which diabetes was induced, 33 survived over 7 days, and 31 rats have survived over 4 months. 30 rats' nonfasting plasma glucose levels were euglycemic. CONCLUSIONS: We performed three 'cuff' anastomoses to simplify the surgical procedure and to shorten the ischemic period of the graft. The recipient vein system has an integrated membrane to avoid thrombi in venous anastomosis sites, enhancing the transplantation success rate.