[Interventional methods in the treatment of malignant conditions of the liver]. / Intervencní metody v lécbe maligních procesu jater.

The article overviews vascular and percutaneous interventional methods used in the locoregional chemotherapy of liver tumors. It is based on experience from the treatment of 248 patients on the Radiodiagnostic clinic of the Teaching hospital in Brno (Bohunice department). Chemoembolization includes precisely aimed administration of cytostatics and a total ischaemization of the malignant tissue. Another method of locoregional chemotherapy is the administration of high doses of cytostatics into the afferent artery. Positive effect can be achieved only when the cytostatic perfuses all liver segments. Preoperative embolization of the portal vein represents an effective preliminary treatment of patients before the liver ablation. Percutaneous thermal ablation and the use of percutaneous ethanol injections are limited by the costs of treatment, by the number, size and location of tumors. Percutaneous ethanol injections are indicated in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma in the cirrhotic tissue. Percutaneous thermal ablation can effectively destroy foci in the liver up to the size of 5 cm without impairment of the surrounding tissue. Locoregional and percutaneous therapy of malignant liver processes represent alternative methods and individual approaches should be combined. Indication has to be carefully thought about by an interdisciplinary committee. It is necessary to realise that the aim is not to perform "technically precise operation" gut the lengths and quality of the patient's life.

[Acute hemorrhage of the upper digestive tract--personal experience]. / Akutní krvácení z horní cásti trávicí trubice--nase zkusenosti.

The authors submit a retrospective investigation of 50 patients hospitalized at the intensive care unit of the Medical gastroenterological department, Faculty Hospital Brno treated in 1999 with the diagnosis of acute haemorrhage into the upper digestive tract. In the investigated group the most frequent cause of haemorrhage was portal hypertension (21 patients, 32.8%) and a peptic gastroduodenal lesion (15 patients, 23.4%). During the investigation period 12 patients died (18.8%), 6 developed haemorrhage as a complication of a serious condition (decompensated cirrhosis of the liver). In haemorrhage from oesophageal and gastric varicosities pharmacotherapy is equally important as endoscopic intervention.

[Personal experience with intra-arterial locoregional chemotherapy of liver metastases from colorectal carcinoma]. / Nase zkusenosti s intraarteriální lokoregionální chemoterapií metastatického kolorektálního karcinomu do jater.

Locoregional chemotherapy is one of the possible ways of treatment of inoperable metastatic affection of the liver by colorectal carcinoma. The advantage of regional administration of the cytostatic is the possibility to achieve a higher local concentration of the cytostatic associated with a higher percentage of therapeutic responses. In our department we preferred combined locoregional intraarterial chemotherapy (5-fluorouracil/Mitmycin C/Doxorubicin) combined with systemic intravenous chemotherapy (5-fluorouracil/leukovirin). Locoregional cghemotherapy was administered in the majority as chemotherapy of series 2 or 3 with a very good tolerance. In 2/19 patients we observed marked diminution of liver metastases and subsequent operability and with a duration of complete response for 13 and 18 months. In 7/19 patients a partial therapeutic response was achieved. The total therapeutic response (complete and partial) was 47%. Locoregional chemotherapy attains a higher therapeutic response as compared with systemic chemotherapy and is associated with an acceptable toxicity.

[A case of high-flow priapism successfully treated with percutaneous selective embolization of the internal pudendal artery]. / Prípad vysokoprutokového priapismu úspesne vyreseného perkutánní selektivní embolizací a. pudendalis interna.

Relatively rare high-flow priapism is most frequently caused by contusion or direct injury of the cavernous artery with a subsequent uncontrolled inflow of arterial blood into the cavernous bodies. Knowledge of this pathophysiology and the development of intervention radiology made a more selective therapeutic approach possible. The authors present a report on a case of arterial or high-flow priapism which was successfully resolved by a minimally invasive approach--percutaneous superselective transcatheter embolization of the internal pudendal artery.

[Present possibilities and the role of imaging methods in the diagnosis of acute abdomen, particularly ileus]. / Soucasné moznosti a postavení zobrazovacích metod v diagnostice náhlých príhod brisních se zamerením na ileus.

The authors compare the importance of modern imaging methods and simple X-rays of the abdomen for the accurate diagnosis of ileus conditions. They discuss the possibilities of different methods and emphasize the importance of series of simple X-rays of the abdomen in different positions. The objective of the recommended procedures is to examine as well as possible a group of patients with an obstruction in the small or large intestine, to localize the obstruction, assess its etiology and not merely state that on the simple X-ray the horizontal beam reveals levels.