Inlet patch: an inconspicuous lesion needs more spotlight.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Chung-Wang Ko.
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Laparoscopic surgery has several advantages over traditional surgery because it has been shown to be less invasive. The next logical step in the evolution of minimally invasive surgery may be to eliminate all abdominal incisions. The natural orifices provide a port of entry via the gastrointestinal tract to the peritoneal cavity. This approach would require the creation of a perforation, which is considered to be a major complication of endoscopy with significant morbidity and mortality. However, there are several recent studies that have described the technical feasibility and safety of a per-oral transgastric approach to the peritoneal cavity using conventional endoscopes. Theoretically, this approach could reduce postoperative abdominal wall pain, wound infection, hernia formation, and adhesions. This article aims to summarize the current status of transgastric surgery, currently referred to as natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES), and to address some of its future challenges.
Acupuncture has been shown to improve the regularity of gastric myoelectric activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether atropine-induced gastric dysrhythmia can be normalized by electroacupuncture. Fifteen healthy male volunteers were enrolled for this study. Each subject was studied for three sessions in a randomized sequence which included electroacupuncture on the Zusanli (St 36) points with or without premedication with atropine and a placebo stimulation on a nonacupoint. Cutaneous EGG was performed for 30 min at the baseline, 30 min during acupuncture, and for an additional 30 min after acupuncture. Serum gastrin, motilin, and human pancreatic polypeptide (hPP) levels were also measured. When applying 2 Hz of electrical stimulation on the Zusnali point, there was a significant increase in the percentage of normal frequency (2-4 cpm) during acupuncture (baseline versus acupuncture, 82.09 +/- 12.37% versus 93.08 +/- 8.17%, P < 0.01). There was a significant decrease in the percentage of bradygastria as well as tachygastria during 2 Hz of electrical stimulation on the Zusnali point. Using intravenous atropine immediately before electroacupuncture, the percentage of normal frequency during acupuncture and postacupuncture periods decreased significantly (baselines versus acupuncture and postacupuncture, 83.86 +/- 13.79% versus 55.07 +/- 29.44% and 56.76 +/- 33.44%, P < 0.01). There was a significant decrease in serum PP after intravenous atropine. This observation indicated that atropine-induced gastric dysrhythmia might be mediated partly via the vagal pathway. However, atropine-induced gastric dysrhythmia is not normalized by electroacupuncture.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: In recent years, gastric slow-wave dysrhythmias induced by transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) have been observed. Enhanced endogenous prostaglandin may be a possible mechanism for the myoelectrical changes. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the gastric slow-wave dysrhythmias induced by TACE may be mediated by ketoprofen, a prostaglandin synthesis inhibitor. METHODS: Twenty-three patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) admitted for TACE were enrolled. A follow-up TACE was scheduled to take place 2 months later. During the next admission for TACE, 50 mg of ketoprofen was given intramuscularly 12 h for 3 days, beginning 48 h before TACE, as premedication. Cutaneous electrogastrography (EGG) was performed before and within 24 h after TACE. RESULTS: The results showed that the change in the fasting EGG parameters after TACE without premedication was not statistically significant. However, the postprandial EGG parameters, including the dominant frequency (DF); the percentages of DF in the normal, bradygastric and tachygastric range; along with the dominant frequency instability coefficient, deteriorated significantly after the procedure (P < 0.01). After the follow-up TACE with ketoprofen premedication, neither the fasting nor postprandial EGG parameters in the control group changed significantly. CONCLUSIONS: Gastric slow-wave dysrhythmias induced by TACE may be mediated by ketoprofen, a prostaglandin synthesis inhibitor, in HCC patients. However, the improvement in the gastric myoelectrical activity does not eliminate the degree of nausea/vomiting after TACE.
BACKGROUND/AIM: Cutaneous electrical stimulation has been reported to be as effective as electroacupuncture. The aim of this study was to test whether cutaneous electrical stimulation had the same effect as electroacupuncture to enhance the regularity of myoelectrical activity. METHODS: Fifteen healthy male volunteers were enrolled for this study. Electrogastrography (EGG) was performed for 30 min at the baseline, 30 min during electroacupuncture or cutaneous electrical stimulation, and for an additional 30 min thereafter. RESULTS: During 3 Hz of electroacupuncture on the Zusanli point, there was a significant increase in the percentage of normal frequency. The percentage of normal frequency in the post-acupuncture period was also increased, but it was not statistically significant when compared to the baseline. There was a significant decrease in the tachygastric and bradygastric rhythm during electroacupuncture on the Zusanli points. There were similar changes of EGG parameters with cutaneous electrical stimulation on the Zusanli points. The percentage of normal frequency during cutaneous electrical stimulation increased significantly. However, the percentage of normal frequency in the post-cutaneous electrical stimulation period was similar to the baseline. There was a significant decrease in the percentage of tachygastric rhythm during cutaneous electrical stimulation on the Zusanli points. However, there was no significant change in the percentage of bradygastric rhythm during and after the cutaneous electrical stimulation periods. CONCLUSIONS: The effect of cutaneous electrical stimulation on the percentage of normal frequency and tachygastria is similar to electroacupuncture. Nonetheless, the changes of the percentage in bradygastria are not significant.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: To study and review the clinical manifestations, microbiology, comorbidity, and diagnosis of liver abscess after transarterial chemoembolization for malignant hepatic tumor. METHODOLOGY: We retrospectively reviewed 1374 patients who underwent 2581 transarterial chemoembolization procedures due to malignant hepatic tumors over an 8-year period. RESULTS: 7 patients had liver abscess after transarterial chemoembolization. The incidence was 0.27% (7/2581). Hepatocellular carcinoma was diagnosed in all 7 patients, whose liver function was classified as stage A by the Child-Pugh criteria. The clinical manifestations were intermittent fever, abdominal pain, and leukocystosis. All the patients had hyperechoic spots with reverberative shadows on sonograms or low attenuation areas with different Hounsfield units on computed tomography scan, which expressed the 100% incidence (7 of 7) of gas-forming abscesses. Percutaneous drainage or aspiration was done in 6 patients. One received laparotomy with local debridement due to suspicious organ rupture. The pus culture showed Gram-negative bacteria in all patients. Blood cultures were positive in only 3 of 7 patients (43%). No patients died of liver abscess after aspiration, drainage, or debridement of abscess combined with parenteral antibiotic treatment. Biliary tract diseases, found in 4 patients, were the most common comorbidity. CONCLUSIONS: Liver abscess after transarterial chemoembolization is a very rare complication, which usually develops in patients with biliary tract disease. Gram-negative bacteria are the main pathogens. The incidence of gas formation is higher after transarterial chemoembolization than in the general population. However, the prognosis is good after adequate clearance of pus and antibiotic treatment.