Sequential intraluminal endoscopic and laparoscopic treatment for bile duct stones associated with gallstones.

BACKGROUND: On the basis of a flowchart including prior or current jaundice or pancreatitis, abnormal liver function, ultrasound or IV cholangiography, bile duct (BD) stones were suspected in 71/593 patients referred for gallstones. METHODS: When endoscopic retrograde cholangiography detected BD stones, endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES) and endoscopic BD clearance were attempted, followed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). BD stones were found in 44/71 patients. The sensitivity values of preoperative conditions were: 92% for IV cholangiography, 88% for abnormal liver function, 50% for ultrasound, and 37% for jaundice at admission. RESULTS: Endoscopic clearance succeeded in 37 patients and LC was completed in 33 patients. Conversion to open surgery (9%) was comparable with the rate in patients without BD stones. The median hospital stay for the sequential endoscopic and laparoscopic treatments was 13 days (range 4-54) or 22 days if open surgery was used. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, BD stones can be endoscopically cleared preoperatively in most patients without interfering with LC.

The addition of an air/water button to a flexible bronchoscope (provided with a suction button) for use as a slim operative panendoscope.

Thin-caliber (4.9 and 6.3 mm) flexible bronchoscopes already provided with a suction button have been modified by adding an air/water button for the control of air insufflation and water irrigation; the channel used is the biopsy-suction one. With the aid of this instrument, several pathologies can be studied and treated, under adverse conditions such as esophageal or recto-sigmoidal stenosis, hematuria in polytraumatic patients, residual stones in patients carrying a T-tube, acute respiratory obstructions, etc.

A percussion lithotripter.

A mechanical lithotripter producing a percussion action on biliary stones is described. This device seems to be robust and flexible at the same time. Every biliary stone is easily crushed by this lithotripter. Sixty-seven patients have been endoscopically treated with the aid of this probe.

A comparative evaluation of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and the secretin-cholecystokinin test in the diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis: a multicentre study in 124 patients.

A comparative evaluation of ERCP and the bicarbonate output 30 min after stimulation of the pancreas with secretin and cholecystokinin-pancreozymin, was carried out in 124 patients, of whom 65 were affected by proven chronic pancreatitis (PCP), and 59 by only suspected chronic pancreatitis (SCP). In PCP patients the false negative results were 14.7% and 21.5%, respectively. In 5 of the PCP patients with false negatives on ERCP and functional test a normal result of both the procedures was found. ERCP and bicarbonate output were found to be abnormal in 12% and 40%, respectively of 59 patients with SCP. In 30 SCP subjects both procedures gave a normal result, and only in two cases were results abnormal. A correct classification of the SCP patients with pathological bicarbonate secretion and normal ERCP seems quite impossible. The diagnostic usefulness of ERCP results is preeminent but the of carrying out both types of investigation together may give complementary information in the evaluation of pancreatic disorders.

[Endoscopic treatment of cicatricial and neoplastic esophageal stenosis]. / Trattamento endoscopico delle stenosi esofagee cicatriziale e neoplastiche.

Eder Puestow's dilatation technique in association with fiberendoscopy was used in ten patients with oesophageal scar stricture and in fifteen patients with oesophageal neoplastic stricture. In ten of the latter patients an endoesophageal prosthesis was endoscopically inserted by Nottingham's method. In describing the methods and results obtained the authors stress the absolute reliability and advantages offered by such techniques.

Fibergastroscopic study of early and advanced gastric cancer in a series of 8,000 consecutive patients.

Eight cases of early gastric cancer (EGC) (histological diagnosis on the resected specimens) were detected Type III (excavated; seven out of eight cases). In three endoscopies. They constituted 3.3% of the gastric cancers observed (239 cases). The most frequent type of EGC was Type III (excavated: seven out of eight cases). In three patients the diagnosis was made only at a second examination, since the first had been negative for malignancy; at the follow-up examination in these cases, the lesion seemed to have healed. The operation was therefore carried out only on the basis of the histological interpretation of endoscopic biopsies.

[Contribution of fiberendoscopy to the treatment of nonneoplastic esophageal stenosis]. / Il contributo della fibroendoscopia nel trattamento delle stenosi esofagee non neoplastiche.

Oesophageal dilatation were performed 24 times in 10 patients aged 12 months to 78 years presenting with acquired strictures of non-neoplastic origin. Tre conjunction of EDER PUESTOW'S metallic olives system with systematic use of fiberendoscopy enhances considerably the safety of the procedure and permits better functional results.

Pirenzepine (LS 519) in severe duodenal ulcer and in gastric ulcer. A double-blind clinical trial.

Duodenal ulcer. Forty-five of 49 adult outpatients with active, severe, endoscopically proven duodenal ulcers completed a 4-week double-blind trial comparing two doses of LS 519 (75 and 150 mg/day) with placebo. After 2 weeks, 1 of 15 patients given LS 75 mg and 4 of 15 given LS 150 mg/day had healed (P = 0.09). No patient given placebo had healed. After 4 weeks, 6 of 15 (40%) on placebo, 9 of 15 (60%) on LS 75 mg and 13 of 15 (86.7%) on LS 153 mg had healed (P less than 0.01). Patients given the highest dose of LS had significantly more pain-free days and nights and took fewer antacid tablets than those receiving the lowest dose of LS or placebo. Gastric ulcer. 19 of 20 adult outpatients with endoscopically proven active benign gastric ulcers completed a double-blind 4-week trial with either LS 519 (75 mg/day) or carbenoxolone (300 mg/day). Six of 10 (60%) given LS and 6 of 9 (66.7%) given carbenoxolone had healed after 4 weeks (N.S.). Symptomatic improvement was significantly faster in the LS group than in the carbenoxolone group. Hypokaliemia, increases in alkaline phosphatase and SGOT were observed in the carbenoxolone group.