Aorto-enteric Fistula following Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms Repair by Endograft

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Management of malignant biliary obstruction: Technical and clinical results using an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene fluorinated ethylene propylene (ePTFE/FEP)-covered metallic stent after 6-year experience

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene- fluorinated ethylene-propylene (ePTFE/FEP)-covered metallic stent in the management of malignant biliary obstruction. Eighty consecutive patients with malignant common bile duct strictures were treated by placement of 83 covered metallic stents. The stent-graft consists of an inner ePTFE/FEP lining and an outer supporting structure of nitinol wire. Clinical evaluation, assessment of serum bilirubin and liver enzyme levels were analyzed before biliary drainage, before stent-graft placement and during the follow-up period at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. Technical success was obtained in all cases. After a mean follow-up of 6.9±4.63 months, the 30-day mortality rate was 14.2%. Survival rates were 40% and 20.2% at 6 and 12 months, respectively. Stent-graft patency rates were 95.5%, 92.6% and 85.7% at 3, 6 and 12 months, respectively. Complications occurred in five patients (6.4%); among these, acute cholecystitis was observed in three patients (3.8%). A stent-graft occlusion rate of 9% was observed. The percentage of patients undergoing lifetime palliation (91%) and the midterm patency rate suggest that placement of this ePTFE/FEP-covered stent-graft is safe and highly effective in achieving biliary drainage in patients with malignant strictures of the common bile duct. © 2008 European Society of Radiology

Upregulation of TH/IL-17 Pathway-Related Genes in Human Coronary Endothelial Cells Stimulated with Serum of Patients with Acute Coronary Syndromes

Inflammation plays an essential role in the development and complications of atherosclerosis plaques, including acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Indeed, previous reports have shown that within the coronary circulation of ACS patients, several soluble mediators are released. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that endothelial dysfunction might play an important role in atherosclerosis as well as ACS pathophysiology. However, the mechanisms by which these soluble mediators might affect endothelial functions are still largely unknown. We have evaluated whether soluble mediators contained in serum from coronary circulation of ACS patients might promote changes of gene profile in human coronary endothelial cells (HCAECs)

Les concessions d'exploitation forestière menacent-elles les tourbières en République démocratique du Congo ?

peer reviewed[No abstract available

Interventional radiology in gastrointestinal neoplasms

Interventional radiology plays a significant role in different fields of gastrointestinal oncology. Percutaneous techniques can be used to diagnose and stage bile duct and pancreatic cancer. Palliation of esophageal tumors and malignant biliary obstruction may be achieved with interventional techniques, whereas curative attempts are directed mainly towards primary and secondary liver tumors. The therapeutic potential of interventional radiology is still expanding, as are all other forms of minimally invasive therapy. This article reviews the relevant contributions on this subject that have appeared in the past year. The introduction of new techniques is described, and the results of clinical studies are discussed

[Comparison of computerized tomography and magnetic resonance with fast sequences with and without paramagnetic contrast media in the assessment of liver metastasis: qualitative and quantitative analysis].

We compared unenhanced and contrast-enhanced fast MRI and CT in the detection of liver metastases. Eleven patients with single or multiple hepatic lesions (42 in all) were submitted to CT and MR studies; T1- and T2-weighted TSE, T2-weighted TSE with fat suppression, unenhanced breath-hold TFE and early or delayed enhanced breath-hold TFE images were acquired with a 1.5 T super-conductive magnet (Philips NT). The quantitative analysis of all MR images was performed for contrast/noise ratio (CNR) and number of detected lesions; MR and CT images were also compared qualitatively for lesion conspicuity, anatomical structure identification and artifacts. The results were compared with Student's t test. Early enhanced breath-hold TFE was statistically superior to T1-weighted TSE (p = .0009), T2-weighted TSE (p = .01) and CT (p = .0004) for lesion conspicuity and to T1-weighted TSE, T2-weighted TSE, unenhanced TFE (p = .0001) and CT (p = .01) for anatomical structure identification. CT was superior to T1- and T2-weighted TSE (p = .0001) and unenhanced TFE (p = .004) for the lack of artifacts. Fat-suppressed T2-weighted TSE images had a statistically higher CNR than T2-weighted TSE (p = .02), T1-weighted TSE (p = .0006) and unenhanced and delayed TFE sequences (p = .007; p = .0001, respectively). To conclude, MRI appears superior to CT in the detection of liver metastases; the examination should include early enhanced breath-hold T1-weighted TFE and T2-weighted fat-suppressed TSE images

The role of angiography in hepatocellular carcinoma.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of combined CT hepatic angiography (CTHA) and CT during arterial portography (CTAP) and angiography in the diagnosis and management of patients with hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC

Nonencapsulated ancient schwannoma of the renal sinus.

We describe a case of nonencapsulated ancient schwannoma of the renal sinus in a patient with obstructive uropath