ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: In many patients, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) can be limited by digestive tract stenosis. PEG placement using an introducer is the safest alternative for this group of patients, but the available devices are difficult to implement and require smaller-caliber tubes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the modification of an introducer technique device for PEG placement with regard to the following: procedure feasibility, possibility of using a 20-Fr balloon gastrostomy tube, tube-related function and problems, complications, procedure safety, and mortality. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between March 2007 and February 2008, 30 consecutive patients with head and neck malignancies underwent introducer PEG placement with the modified device and gastropexy. Each patient was evaluated for 60 days after the procedure for the success of the procedure, infection, pain, complications, mortality, and problems with the procedure. RESULTS: The procedure was successful in all cases with no perioperative complications. No signs of stomal infection were observed using the combined infection score. The majority of patients experienced mild-to-moderate pain both in the immediate postoperative period and at 72 hours. One major early complication (3.3%) and two minor complications (6.7%) were observed. No procedure-related deaths occurred during the first 60 days after the procedure. CONCLUSION: The device modification for PEG using the introducer technique is feasible, safe, and efficient in outpatients with obstructive head and neck cancer. In this series, it allowed the use of a larger-caliber tube with low complication rates and no procedure-related mortality.
Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/complications , Gastrostomy/instrumentation , Head and Neck Neoplasms/complications , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Constriction, Pathologic/etiology , Enteral Nutrition , Esophageal Stenosis/etiology , Female , Gastrostomy/adverse effects , Gastrostomy/methods , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pain, Postoperative/etiology , Pharynx/pathology , Time Factors , Trismus/etiologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Despite the recognized efficacy of sclerotherapy and elastic band ligation in controlling variceal hemorrhage, the results of endoscopic treatment in Child-Pugh class C patients remain poor. The aim of this prospective, controlled, and randomized study was to compare conventional sclerotherapy with injection of the tissue adhesive N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate in controlling the first episode of rupturing of esophageal varices. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From January 1994 to June 1997, 36 consecutive Child-Pugh class C cirrhotic patients were admitted with an initial episode of esophageal variceal bleeding. They were randomly assigned to receive sclerotherapy with a 3% ethanolamine oleate solution (group 1, 18 patients) or injection of tissue adhesive (group 2, 18 patients). Episodes of recurrent bleeding were managed after the randomization procedure. After bleeding had been controlled, patients in both groups received weekly sessions of conventional sclerotherapy to eradicate any remaining esophageal veins. RESULTS: The patients in the two treatment groups had similar characteristics on entry into the study. More than 80% of the patients were admitted with moderate or severe hemorrhage. Approximately half of them presented with active bleeding during the index endoscopy. Early recurrent bleeding was observed in ten of the 18 patients in group 1 (55.6%) and in two of the 18 in group 2 (11.1%; P = 0.01). The hospital mortality rates were 72.2% in group I and 33.3% in group II (P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: These findings support the view that cyanoacrylate injection is superior to conventional sclerosis for controlling esophageal variceal bleeding in Child-Pugh class C patients. It is also highly probable that the better bleeding control achieved using the cyanoacrylate tissue adhesive treatment led to a lower hospital mortality rate.
Subject(s)
Cyanoacrylates/administration & dosage , Cyanoacrylates/therapeutic use , Esophageal and Gastric Varices/drug therapy , Esophagoscopy , Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/drug therapy , Liver Cirrhosis/complications , Sclerotherapy , Adult , Aged , Esophageal and Gastric Varices/etiology , Esophageal and Gastric Varices/mortality , Female , Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/etiology , Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/mortality , Hospital Mortality , Humans , Liver Cirrhosis/mortality , Male , Middle Aged , Prospective Studies , Recurrence , Sclerosing Solutions/therapeutic useABSTRACT
After a long symptom period of 19 years a submucosal tumor was suspected on endoscopy to account for the patient's intermittent nausea and abdominal pain. Duodenal waterfilling during endoscopic ultrasound led to the endosonographic diagnosis of an intraluminal duodenal diverticulum which was removed surgically. The patient became completely asymptomatic.
