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Lucía C Fry

Publications and source records attributed to Lucía C Fry.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Factors contributing to patient nonattendance at open-access endoscopy.

Patients who miss endoscopy appointments cause inefficient utilization of medical resources. Because national nonattendance rates are as high as 27% and reasons for nonattendance have not been well studied, we sought to quantitate nonattendance at our tertiary care institution. We conducted a retrospective records review of the institutional database to identify patients who did not attend a scheduled endoscopy appointment between January 2000 and December 2003. Nonattendance was defined as either not showing up for an appointment or canceling it on the day it was scheduled. At our institution, patient care assistants contact such patients to document their reasons in the database. Of 36,480 patients scheduled for outpatient endoscopy, 1,490 (4.1%) did not show up because of either facility-related (44.3%; e.g., scheduling errors) or patient-related (55.7%; e.g., noncancellation, illness, or hospitalization) reasons. Our 4.1% nonattendance rate over 4 years is considerably lower than that reported by other endoscopy centers.

Ambulatory Care Facilities↗
PubMed2006

Diagnostic quality of: polyps resected by snare polypectomy: does the type of electrosurgical current used matter?

BACKGROUND: Traditionally, snare polypectomy is performed using blended, coagulation, or pure cutting electrical current (EC). The aim of this study was to assess and compare the diagnostic quality of polyps obtained by snare polypectomy using two different electrosurgical currents. METHODS: Consecutive patients undergoing colonoscopy underwent polypectomy using either blended EC with a conventional electrosurgical generator (ESG) or using an ESG with a microprocessor that automatically controls cutting and coagulation (Endocut). An experienced blinded gastrointestinal (GI) pathologist evaluated the specimens for diameter, cautery damage (amount and degree), margin evaluability, architecture, and general histologic diagnostic quality. RESULTS: One hundred sixteen patients (69% men, mean age 63.8 +/- 15 yr) underwent 148 polypectomies (78 using blended current and 70 using Endocut). We found that the cautery degree was less with the Endocut than with the blended current (p < 0.02). Cautery amount was also higher in polyps resected using blended current (56%) than Endocut (51%) but this difference did not reach statistical significance (p= 0.1). Polyps resected using Endocut had better margin evaluability (75.7% to 60.3%, p= 0.046). The overall tissue architecture was similar in both groups. Polyps removed with blended current had less overall quality as compared to polyps removed by Endocut (p= 0.024). CONCLUSIONS: More extensive tissue damage occurred using blended EC with the conventional ESG than when using Endocut. The quality of the polypectomy specimens was overall better using Endocut. Finally, the ability to evaluate resected polyp margins and overall tissue histology was better with the microprocessor-controlled ESG than with the conventional ESG.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

Whipple's Disease.

Whipple's disease (WD) is a chronic debilitating disease caused by the bacillus Tropheryma whippleii. WD classically presents with the main clinical symptoms of polyarthralgias, chronic diarrhea, weight loss, and abdominal pain. Given its systemic involvement, it is common for WD to present with a multitude of other clinical scenarios--sometimes with predominant neurologic, cardiac, and dermatologic manifestations. WD can occur at any age, but it generally occurs during the fifth decade and predominantly in men. The diagnosis of WD is established by demonstrating the organism on biopsies from the involved system, by histology, electron microscopy, polymerase chain reaction, and more recently, by culture of bacteria. The histologic features include a coarse granular cytoplasm and foamy macrophages that stain strongly with the period-acid Schiff reagent. Current therapy includes an initial 2-week course of intravenous cephalosporins followed by 1-year oral trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2005

Comparison of 13C- urea blood test to 13C-breath test and rapid urease test for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection.

At present, the available methods to diagnose active H. pylori infection are endoscopy with biopsy for histology, culture, rapid urease tests, 13C or 14C urea breath test, urine antibody and the stool antigen test. The aims of this study were to simplify the 13C urea test by measuring 13C in blood rather than breath, and to evaluate the usefulness of the 13C urea blood test for the diagnosis of H. pylori infection. Patients who underwent upper endoscopy for standard clinical indications (e.g. dyspepsia, abdominal pain) were enrolled. A total of 161 patients (93F, 68M, mean age 47 +/- 14.2) were evaluated; 50 (31%) of them were H. pylori positive, and 111(69%) were H. pylori negative. H. pylori infection was diagnosed with a rapid urease test (CLO-test) and 13C urea breath test (UBT). Performance characteristics for the 13C urea blood test for diagnosis and evaluation of H. pylori eradication were calculated using UBT and CLO as gold standards. The fifty H. pylori-positive patients were treated with triple antibiotic therapy for two weeks. Four weeks after finishing antibiotic therapy patients were retested with a commercial UBT and urea blood test. The 13C blood test had sensitivities of 92 and 98% and specificities of 96 and 100% as compared with urea breath test and CLO, respectively. We conclude that the 13C urea blood test is highly sensitive and specific for the initial diagnosis and control of eradication of H. pylori infection.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

[Crohn's disease associated with Takayasu's arteritis].

A 26-year-old woman with Crohn's disease presented with increase of her abdominal pain, abdominal fremitus and decrease in peripheral pulses. The CT scan and the angiography revealed occlusive stenosis of several arteries: left subclavian, celiac, renal, superior mesenteric and abdominal aorta. This findings were consistent with Takayasu's arteritis. The patient underwent surgical revascularization to bypass the occlusive lesions in celiac and superior mesenteric arteries, and the stenosis in abdominal aorta. Subsequent controls showed that she remains free of cardiovascular symptoms three years after surgery but presents progression of her inflammatory bowel disease.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Whipple's disease.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal↗
PubMed2004

The spectrum of GI strongyloidiasis: an endoscopic-pathologic study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was a detailed endoscopic-pathologic assessment of patients with various forms of GI strongyloidiasis. METHODS: Six patients with a diagnosis of GI strongyloidiasis who underwent endoscopic evaluation during a 3-year period (January 1998-January 2001) were included. Published information was reviewed in detail, focusing on the endoscopic features and the diagnostic approach to this parasitosis. OBSERVATIONS: Strongyloidiasis has a broad range of endoscopic features. In the duodenum, the findings included edema, brown discoloration of the mucosa, erythematous spots, subepithelial hemorrhages, and megaduodenum. In the colon, the findings included loss of vascular pattern, edema, aphthous ulcers, erosions, serpiginous ulcerations, and xanthoma-like lesions, and, in the stomach, thickened folds and mucosal erosions. A histopathologic diagnosis of strongyloidiasis was made in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: Strongyloidiasis can involve any segment of the GI tract. EGD with procurement of biopsy specimens from the duodenum was the most accurate method of diagnosis in this case series.

Adult↗