Journal of digestive diseases
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This meta-analysis aimed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) and fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) or FDG-PET/computed tomography (CT) in evaluating and predicting pathological response to preoperative neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCRT) in patients with rectal cancer. ⋯ DW-MRI is superior to FDG-PET or FDG-PET/CT in predicting and evaluating pathological responses to preoperative NCRT in patients with rectal cancer. However, its relatively low specificity and PPV limit its application in clinic, making it currently inappropriate to monitor such patients, especially those with mucinous-type rectal adenocarcinomas.
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Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is an increasingly common and severe international health problem. Customary treatment of this infection, usually with antibiotics, is often ineffective and its recurrence is common. ⋯ Practical methods for the administration of the transplantation have been described. This review summarizes the current reported experiences with fecal microbiota transplantation in the treatment for CDI.
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Advances in surgery, anesthesia and intensive care have led to a dramatic increase in the number of patients who spend time in our intensive care units (ICU). Gastrointestinal (GI) motility disorders are common complications in the intensive care setting and are predictors of increased mortality and length of the stay in the ICU. Several risk factors for developing GI motility problems in the ICU setting have been identified and include sepsis, being on mechanical ventilation and the use of vasopressors, opioids or anticholinergic medications. Our focus is on the most common clinical manifestations of GI motor dysfunction in the ICU patient: gastroesophageal reflux, gastroparesis, ileus and acute pseudo-obstruction of the colon.
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To investigate the outcomes of Chinese Han patients who underwent peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) for achalasia. ⋯ POEM is an effective approach for treating achalasia, which can relieve the symptoms of achalasia by improving esophageal emptying and lowering LES pressure.