The proportion of obese individuals continues to increase worldwide. Bariatric surgery remains the only evidence-based treatment strategy to produce marked weight loss. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is an effective and common bariatric surgical procedure offered to obese patients. However, a small percentage of individuals can develop narrowing or stricture formation of the gastrojejunal anastomosis...

Balloon dilatation is a widely accepted technique in the management of esophageal and other types of gastrointestinal strictures, but it is rarely used for the treatment of pharyngeal dysphagia. Therefore, the aim of our prospective study was to evaluate the use of videofluoroscopy-guided balloon dilatation (VGBD) for the treatment of severe pharyngeal dysphagia. The study included 32 stroke pa...

Twenty two children (age range 4 months-20 years) with pulmonary valve stenosis and ten children (age range 1 month-11 years) with coarctation of the aorta underwent balloon dilatation in the 29 month period between October 1983 and February 1986. Number 5-9 French catheters with 5-20 mm balloons were used according to the size of the angiographically measured pulmonary valve annulus or coarcte...

Several theories on the etiology and pathophysiology of achalasia have been reported but, to date, it is widely accepted that loss of peristalsis and absence of swallow-induced relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter are the main functional abnormalities. Treatment of achalasia often aims to alleviate the symptoms of achalasia and not to correct the underlying disorder. Medical therapy has...

BACKGROUND In the treatment of achalasia, surgery has been traditionally reserved for patients with residual dysphagia after pneumatic dilatation. The results of laparoscopic Heller myotomy have proven to be so good, however, that most experts now consider surgery the primary treatment. HYPOTHESIS The outcome of laparoscopic myotomy and fundoplication for achalasia is dictated by technical fa...

Restenosis after balloon dilatation of stenosed coronary arteries is a major clinical problem. Because T lymphocytes occur in neointima and because cyclosporine inhibits T-lymphocyte proliferation, we tested the hypothesis that cyclosporine would attenuate neointimal proliferation after balloon dilation injury. Rabbits with a balloon-injured aorta, randomized to cyclosporine in the human therap...

BACKGROUND Dysphagia results from impeded transport of liquids, solids, or both from the pharynx to the stomach. Among the malignant lesions, carcinoma of oesophagus is the commonest cause. Our objective was to find out the frequency of different endoscopic lesions and outcome of the endoscopic therapeutic interventions in patients presenting with dysphagia. METHODS This descriptive study was...

BACKGROUND Balloon dilatation of the pulmonary valve remains controversial as a palliative procedure in tetralogy of Fallot. AIMS To determine the clinical outcome, growth of the pulmonary vascular tree and findings at surgery of balloon dilatation of the pulmonary valve performed as a palliation in infants with tetralogy of Fallot. METHODS AND RESULTS Thirty-three severely cyanosed infants...