Peptic Ulcer-related Stenosis

Peptic ulcer disease involves breakdown of the epithelial lining of the stomach or duodenum. Stenosis and associated gastric outlet obstruction is the least frequent complication of peptic ulcer disease. Most cases of stenosis occur because of duodenal or pyloric cannel ulceration. Although etiologies of peptic ulcer disease and the affected patient populations have changed, the most common etiologic factors remain Helicobacter pylori infection and use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. In recent years, eradication of H. pylori and the use of proton pump inhibitors have reduced the incidence of complications. Because the predominant cause of gastric outlet obstruction has increasingly been attributed to malignant cancer in recent years, endoscopic examination is important to differentiate benign peptic stenosis from malignant stenosis. Medical treatment such as acid-reducing drugs or H. pylori eradication is the mainstay of treatment. Endoscopic dilation or surgical management may be considered in cases of refractory or recurrent stenosis despite medical treatment. Among the major complications of peptic ulcer disease, this report will provide an overview of peptic ulcer-related stenosis

Transmural Migration of Surgical Sponge Evacuated by Defecation: Mimicking an Intraperitoneal Gossypiboma

The spontaneous defecation of the surpical retained sponge is very rare. Here, we report a case of migrating surgical sponge that was retained in the colon and it was evacuated by defecation

Antitumor activity of sorafenib-incorporated nanoparticles of dextran/poly(dl-lactide-co-glycolide) block copolymer

Sorafenib-incoporated nanoparticles were prepared using a block copolymer that is composed of dextran and poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) [DexbLG] for antitumor drug delivery. Sorafenib-incorporated nanoparticles were prepared by a nanoprecipitation-dialysis method. Sorafenib-incorporated DexbLG nanoparticles were uniformly distributed in an aqueous solution regardless of the content of sorafenib. Transmission electron microscopy of the sorafenib-incorporated DexbLG nanoparticles revealed a spherical shape with a diameter < 300 nm. Sorafenib-incorporated DexbLG nanoparticles at a polymer/drug weight ratio of 40:5 showed a relatively uniform size and morphology. Higher initial drug feeding was associated with increased drug content in nanoparticles and in nanoparticle size. A drug release study revealed a decreased drug release rate with increasing drug content. In an in vitro anti-proliferation assay using human cholangiocarcinoma cells, sorafenib-incorporated DexbLG nanoparticles showed a similar antitumor activity as sorafenib. Sorafenib-incorporated DexbLG nanoparticles are promising candidates as vehicles for antitumor drug targeting