The role of low fat diets in the management of gall-bladder disease

Full text of this article is not available in the UHRAThis paper presents the results obtained from 87 questionnaires completed by dietitians about the dietary management of gall-biadder disease. Of the patients referred to the dietitians, 86% were referred by surgeons. Of the dietitians that responded 77% thought that there was a role for low fat diets in the management of these patients; 92% would advise a low fat diet to help avoid pain, and 11% would advise a low fat diet to patients with gall-bladder disease who did not have pain, steatorrhoea or obesity. The paper reviews the available evidence concerning the effect of dietary fat on the gall-bladder; it is concluded that, at present, there is little data to support the therapeutic use of a low fat diet for individuals with gall-stones.Peer reviewe

Barrett's Esophagus and the Increasing Role of Endoluminal Therapy

Barrett's esophagus, or the presence of specialized intestinal mucosa in the esophagus that has a malignant potential, has experienced a rapid increase in diagnosis and prevalence over the past few decades. Once thought to progress to adenocarcinoma in an orderly sequence of increasing dysplasia, recent data suggest the process can be more random. In combination with targeted surveillance endoscopy, recent improvements in technology have aided endoluminal therapy in becoming a cost-effective adjunct to medication. When used in combination, in particular, these ablative therapies have become suitable, if not preferable, alternatives to surgery in many patients