Gastrointestinal endoscopy
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Gastrointest. Endosc. · Dec 1999
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialEndoscopy-based triage significantly reduces hospitalization rates and costs of treating upper GI bleeding: a randomized controlled trial.
Many patients with upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding have a benign outcome and could receive less intensive and costly care if accurately identified. We sought to determine whether early endoscopy performed shortly after admission in the emergency department could significantly reduce the health care use and costs of caring for patients with nonvariceal upper GI bleeding without adversely affecting the clinical outcome. ⋯ Early endoscopy performed shortly after admission in the emergency department safely triaged 46% of patients with nonvariceal upper GI bleeding to outpatient care, which significantly reduced hospital stay and costs.
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Gastrointest. Endosc. · Dec 1999
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialSelective cannulation of the common bile duct: a prospective randomized trial comparing standard catheters with sphincterotomes.
Current recommendations for the use of standard catheters or sphincterotomes for the initial attempt at selective common bile duct cannulation have been made in the absence of prospective comparative data. ⋯ The use of standard/wire-guided sphincterotome was superior to that of standard catheter for the initial attempt at cannulation of the common bile duct. The number of attempts required may bear clinical significance with regard to the development of post-ERCP pancreatitis and warrants further study.