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Biomedical subjects

O Haluszka

Publications and source records attributed to O Haluszka.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Unsedated esophagoscopy for the diagnosis of esophageal varices in patients with cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Unsedated endoscopy with ultrathin endoscopes has been shown to be an alternative to conventional endoscopy. This technique would appear to be an ideal way to screen for varices, but there is scant data for unsedated endoscopy in patients with cirrhosis. The aims of this pilot study were to evaluate whether unsedated endoscopy can be used to screen for varices and to determine how well it is tolerated in patients with hepatic dysfunction. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We prospectively evaluated unsedated esophagoscopy in 15 patients with cirrhosis who were candidates for beta-adrenergic-antagonist therapy. Patients with cirrhosis without gastrointestinal bleeding or contraindications to beta-adrenergic-antagonist therapy gave consent to the procedure. The presence and size of varices and the procedure time were recorded. After the procedure, patient tolerance, as gauged by questionnaire and willingness to repeat, was assessed. RESULTS: All patients tolerated the procedure without significant discomfort. The mean time of the procedure was 2 minutes. Esophageal varices were found in nine of 15 patients. Of these, one patient with Child-Pugh class C cirrhosis had large varices and was started on propranolol. CONCLUSIONS: Unsedated esophagoscopy in patients with cirrhosis appears to be well tolerated. Given both potential safety and cost benefits over conventional endoscopy, this could be a useful method for screening for varices. A randomized trial comparing this method with standard endoscopy is warranted.

Procedural Sedation↗

Postoperative endoscopic retrograde high dose-rate brachytherapy for cholangiocarcinoma.

Cholangiocarcinoma typically presents with disease unlikely to be completely resected, and prognosis remains poor. Improvements in imaging, endoscopy, and stenting have given rise to renewed interest in brachytherapy. Several recent retrospective series suggest a benefit to intraluminal brachytherapy, most commonly delivered by the transhepatic route. We describe a case in which brachytherapy was delivered via the nasobiliary route to address positive margins at the common bile duct stump. A custom catheter was manufactured to make the procedure feasible. Pertinent literature is reviewed, which supports the view that these malignancies benefit from high doses of radiation, if this can be achieved respecting normal tissue tolerance.

Aged↗

Steatohepatitis and fatal hepatic failure after biliopancreatic diversion.

Steatohepatitis and hepatic failure are well known complications of jejunoileal bypass, an operation that has been abandoned as a treatment for severe obesity because of its potential for adverse metabolic consequences. Biliopancreatic diversion is a novel operation designed to avoid the harmful effects of jejunoileal bypass. Although it has not gained wide acceptance, this procedure is being advocated by some surgeons as a safe and effective treatment for severe obesity. Published reports indicate that liver histology generally remains stable or improves after biliopancreatic diversion. We present a patient who developed steatohepatitis and subsequently died in hepatic failure after this operation. Severe liver disease should be added to the list of complications that may follow biliopancreatic diversion.

Adult↗