[Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography: an advanced technique in the diagnosis of biliopancreatic diseases (the first experience in Panama)]. / Colangiopancreatografia por resonancia magnetica: una tecnica de avanzada en el diagnostico de las patologias biliopancreaticas (Primera experiencia en Panamá).

We evaluated the biliopancreatic pathology by a non invasive method of Choloangiqgraphy by Magnetc Resonance (the first experience in Panamá). We correlated the method with the retrograde cholangiopancreatography, the surgical findings and the clinical evolution. Our conclusion is that the non invasive method allows us to have confidence in the findings for the biliopancreatic pathology.

El papel de la colonoscopia en el dianostico y manejo de la hemorragia digestiva baja / Role of colonoscopy in the diagnosis and management of lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage

The purpose of he study was to analyze the role of the Colonoscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of low intestinal hemorrhages. We studied retrospectively all patients with Hematochezia, seen by the author, from april 1984 to december 1997. We studied the clinical symptoms, causes, localizations of the bleeding and the treatment applied, either endoscopic or surgical. We also reviewed the security and tolerance of the procedure. We could detect without doubt the cause in 74 patients (51.7%), including patients with multiple colon diverticulum, where the bleeding is sometimes very difficult to detect. We concluded that the Colonoscopy is the best method to find the source of bleeding in the lower portion of the colon. The procedure is well tolerated and safe in elderly patients

[Role of colonoscopy in the diagnosis and management of lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage]. / El papel de la colonoscopia en el dianostico y manejo de la hemorragia digestiva baja.

The purpose of he study was to analyze the role of the Colonoscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of low intestinal hemorrhages. We studied retrospectively all patients with Hematochezia, seen by the author, from april 1984 to december 1997. We studied the clinical symptoms, causes, localizations of the bleeding and the treatment applied, either endoscopic or surgical. We also reviewed the security and tolerance of the procedure. We could detect without doubt the cause in 74 patients (51.7%), including patients with multiple colon diverticulum, where the bleeding is sometimes very difficult to detect. We concluded that the Colonoscopy is the best method to find the source of bleeding in the lower portion of the colon. The procedure is well tolerated and safe in elderly patients.

[Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy. An alternative for long-term enteral feeding]. / Gastrostomía endoscópica percutánea. Una alternativa para la alimentación enteral a largo plazo.

This study shows that, in our environment, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy is feasible in most patients who need it, and at the same time it is a fast, safe and inexpensive procedure. The complication rate is low and most can be resolved rapidly medically or endoscopically. It also allows the placement of a permanent means for the administration of nutrients and for drainage of gastroduodenal secretions in those patients who warrant it.

Gastrostomía endoscópica percutánea: una alternativa para la alimentación enteral a largo plazo / Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy: an alternative for long-term enteral feeding

This study shows that, in our environment, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy is feasible in most patients who need it, and at the same time it is a fast, safe and inexpensive procedure. The complication rate is low and most can be resolved rapidly medically or endoscopically. It also allows the placement of a permanent means for the administration of nutrients and for drainage of gastroduodenal secretions in those patients who warrant it

Eficacia y seguridad de ranitidina 150mg vs 300 mg dos veces por día en úlcera duodenal / Effectiveness and safety of ranitidine 150 mg vs 300 mg twice a day in duodenal ulcer

Trescientos noventa y cuatro pacientes con úlcera duodenal diagnosticada endoscópica fueron randomizados para recibir ranitidina 150 mg bid o ranitidina 300 mg bid en un estudio multicéntrico, prospectivo, doble-ciego, llevado a cabo en 7 países latinoamericanos. La endoscopía a las 4 semanas mostró curación completa de las úlceras en 171 de 196 pacientes (87.2%) tratados con ranitidina 150 mg bid y 178 de 198 (89.9%) tratados con ranitidina 300 mg bid. Ambos regímenes de tratamientos fueron igualmente efectivos, reduciendo rápidamente la incidencia de los síntomas ulcerosos. Es probable que el regimen de dosis elevadas con ranitidina sea adecuado en pacientes con enfermedad ulcerosa severa (AU)

Eficacia y seguridad de ranitidina 150mg vs 300 mg dos veces por día en úlcera duodenal / Effectiveness and safety of ranitidine 150 mg vs 300 mg twice a day in duodenal ulcer

Trescientos noventa y cuatro pacientes con úlcera duodenal diagnosticada endoscópica fueron randomizados para recibir ranitidina 150 mg bid o ranitidina 300 mg bid en un estudio multicéntrico, prospectivo, doble-ciego, llevado a cabo en 7 países latinoamericanos. La endoscopía a las 4 semanas mostró curación completa de las úlceras en 171 de 196 pacientes (87.2%) tratados con ranitidina 150 mg bid y 178 de 198 (89.9%) tratados con ranitidina 300 mg bid. Ambos regímenes de tratamientos fueron igualmente efectivos, reduciendo rápidamente la incidencia de los síntomas ulcerosos. Es probable que el regimen de dosis elevadas con ranitidina sea adecuado en pacientes con enfermedad ulcerosa severa

[Effectiveness and safety of 150 mg vs 300 mg ranitidine twice a day in duodenal ulcer]. / Eficacia y seguridad de Ranitidina 150 mg vs 300 mg dos veces por día en ulcera duodenal.

394 patients with endoscopically diagnosed duodenal ulcer were randomly allocated to treatment with ranitidine 150 bid o ranitidine 300 mg bid in a prospective double-blind multicenter trial conducted in seven LatinoAmerican countries. Endoscopy at 4 weeks showed complete ulcer healing en 171 of 196 patients (87.2%) treated with ranitidine 150 mg bid and 178 of 198 (89.9%) treated with ranitidine 300 mg bid. Both treatment regimens were equally effective at rapidly reducing the incidence of ulcer-related symptoms. It is possible that higher dosage regimen of ranitidine would be useful in patients with more severe duodenal ulcer disease.

Eficacia y seguridad de Ranitidina 150 mg vs 300 mg dos veces por día en ulcera duodenal. / [Effectiveness and safety of 150 mg vs 300 mg ranitidine twice a day in duodenal ulcer]

394 patients with endoscopically diagnosed duodenal ulcer were randomly allocated to treatment with ranitidine 150 bid o ranitidine 300 mg bid in a prospective double-blind multicenter trial conducted in seven LatinoAmerican countries. Endoscopy at 4 weeks showed complete ulcer healing en 171 of 196 patients (87.2

) treated with ranitidine 150 mg bid and 178 of 198 (89.9

) treated with ranitidine 300 mg bid. Both treatment regimens were equally effective at rapidly reducing the incidence of ulcer-related symptoms. It is possible that higher dosage regimen of ranitidine would be useful in patients with more severe duodenal ulcer disease.

[Endoscopic management in biliary problems. 4 years' experience]. / Manejo endoscópico de los problemas biliares. Experiencia de 4 años.

We studied the clinical records of 81 patients referred for endoscopic sphincterotomy in the period of June 1985 to December 1989, 54 were females and 27 males. Indication for the procedure were stones in the choledochus in 68 (84%) patients, malignant neoplasm that affected the biliary tree in 9 (11.1%), "sump syndrome" in 2 (2.5%), intrahepatic papillary stenosis and stones in 1 case, respectively. In 13 of the 81 patients the procedure was accompanied by treatment with the use of biliary prosthesis. We used the endoscopic sphincterotomy in 73 of the 81 (90.1%) patients, observing acute complications in 6.2% due to bleeding at the point of tubal insertion, pancreatitis, or acute cholecystitis. In 10 (76%) of 13 patients, in which the biliary prosthesis was used, the procedure was successful; in only one, acute cholangitis. There was no mortality associated with the procedure.

Evaluación de una nueva enema de limpieza para la práctica de la protosigmoidoscopia / Evaluation of a new cleansing enema for the proctosigmoidoscopy practice

Se comparó la efectividad de un nuevo enema a base de dioctisulfosulfosuccinato sódico-sorbitol para la preparación pre-endoscópica del rectosigmoides con la que usamos actualmente a base de fosfatasa en un estudio doble-ciego y no se halló diferencia estadísticamente significativa