0000000001070864
AUTHOR
A. Buttmann
Diagnosis of Liver Cirrhosis
Background/goals Liver cirrhosis, the final stage of chronic liver disease, is characterized by an unfavorable prognosis and an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma and also requires an appropriate management. Laparoscopy, the gold standard in the diagnosis of cirrhosis, is hampered by its invasiveness. Therefore, a noninvasive method for diagnosing liver cirrhosis would be of great benefit. Study A consecutive series of 100 patients, sent to our gastroenterological unit for diagnostic laparoscopy, underwent a standardized ultrasonographic examination prior to laparoscopy. Results Conventional ultrasonographic examination revealed a sensitivity of 55% and a specificity of 86% in the d…
Impact of Gallbladder Status on the Outcome in Patients with Retained Bile Duct Stones Treated with Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy
BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS The use of endoscopic therapy in combination with lithotripsy techniques has become increasingly common in patients with complicated common bile duct stones. In many units, although this is controversial, cholecystectomy is then performed, because of possible subsequent cholecystitis and recurrence of choledocholithiasis. The aim of this study was to investigate whether gallbladder status influences the long-term outcome in patients after extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) of common bile duct stones. PATIENTS AND METHODS Recruited for the study were 120 patients with an average age of 68 years (range 28 - 86). They were selected from 137 consecutive patien…
Long term follow up of patients with chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic stones treated with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy
BACKGROUNDThere have been conflicting reports as to whether pancreatic ductal drainage achieved by endoscopy and lithotripsy improves the clinical outcome of patients with chronic pancreatitis.AIMSTo determine the clinical outcome in patients with chronic pancreatitis who received extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), and were followed up for two to eight years.METHODSEighty patients with severe chronic pancreatitis and endoscopically unretrievable obstructive stones underwent ESWL with a piezoelectric lithotripter between 1989 and 1996. Clinical status, relief of symptoms, further endoscopic or surgical interventions, and mortality were defined.RESULTSForty three (54%) patients wer…
Clinical comparison of extracorporeal piezoelectric lithotripsy (EPL) and intracorporeal electrohydraulic lithotripsy (EHL) in difficult bile duct stones. A prospective randomized trial.
Today, nearly 90% of common bile duct stones are extracted endoscopically. Problems are encountered if there are large stones or a duct stenosis. Extracorporeal piezoelectric lithotripsy (EPL) as well as intracorporeal electrohydraulic lithotripsy (EHL) serve as an alternative to surgical intervention for those few patients in whom endoscopic measures have failed. A total of 35 patients with common bile duct stones in whom conventional endoscopic treatment had failed were selected on the condition that stone visualization through ultrasound was possible and that the papilla was within easy reach of the endoscope. Patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were randomly treated either by EPL…