A VENTRICULAR septal defect either as an isolated malformation or as part of nmany developmental complexes is the most common single developmental lesion of the heart. In an overwhelming percentage of cases, hearts bearing a ventricular septal defect whether or not other conditions are associated have no additional intracardiae lesion that causes obstruction to the normal egress of blood from t...

BACKGROUND/AIMS To asses the usefulness of flexible metallic stents in the palliation of malignant obstruction of gastric outlet and duodenum. METHODS Retrospective review was performed between January 2006 and December 2011 in 30 patients. Thirty consecutive patients with obstruction of the gastric outlet underwent palliative treatment with self-expandable flexible metallic stents. Complicat...

OBJECTIVE Delayed gastric emptying (DGE) in patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) can be caused by gastroparesis or gastric outlet obstruction, which may occur when pancreatic pseudocyst (PP) or walled-off necrosis (WON) compresses the stomach. The aim of the study was to explore a proper surgical treatment. METHODS From June 2010 to June 2013, 25 of 148 patients with AP suffered DGE. Among t...

Phenotypic modulation of smooth muscle cells is a hallmark of disease. The associated expansion of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) volume remains unexplained. Thrombospondin-4 was recently found to promote ATF6α activation leading to ER expansion. Using bladder outlet obstruction as a paradigm for phenotypic modulation, we tested if thrombospondin-4 is induced in association with ATF6α activation an...

INTRODUCTION Spilled gallstones from a laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be a source of significant morbidity, most commonly causing abscesses and fistulae. Preventative measures for loss, careful removal during the initial surgery, and good documentation of any concern for remaining intraperitoneal stones needs to be performed with the initial surgery. CASE REPORT An 80-year-old male with a h...