The aim of the study was to compare three different methods of radial artery harvesting with regard to postoperative complications and perioperative stress of the patient. A total of 60 patients admitted for coronary artery bypass surgery were randomized into three groups. Each patient underwent extraction of radial artery, all performed by a single surgeon. The radial artery was harvested by o...

Endoscopic ultrasonography-guided hepaticogastrostomy (EUS-HGS) has recently been developed as an alternative biliary drainage technique for failed endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) [1–3]. A recent review revealed its overall technical success rate to be82% [4], but puncturing the left intrahepatic bile duct (LIBD) is occasionally challenging. Here we present a case in which...

Submucosal tunneling bloc biopsy for submucosal tumors growing inside the gastric wall is a safe and reliable method. However, it is difficult for an endoscopist to perform submucosal tunneling bloc biopsy and detect the demarcation line between the proper muscular layer and the capsule layer of submucosal tumors growing outside the gastric wall. A submucosal tumor in the lesser curvature of th...

BACKGROUND/AIMS In recent years, endoscopic snare papillectomy has been performed to treat tumors of the ampulla of Vater. This procedure requires accurate preoperative evaluation. In this study, we diagnosed the focal extension of such tumors by using endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) and intraductal ultrasonography (IDUS), and examined the indications for endoscopic snare papillectomy. METHO...

BACKGROUND Foveolar gastric metaplasia of the duodenum is a frequent but not as yet considered correlate of endoscopically detected duodenal polyps. The majority of foveolar gastric metaplasias associated with polyps presented a typical benign endoscopic appearance and they were diagnosed by biopsy. Here we report a case of a surgical-resected foveolar gastric metaplasia manifesting as a duoden...

OBJECTIVES We have previously shown that at least 50% of patients with asymptomatic chronic pancreatic hyperenzymemia (ACPH) may develop morphological pancreatic alterations. Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) may detect small lesions, and its sensitivity seems to be higher than other imaging techniques. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether EUS may modify the management of patients havin...

Esophagogastric varices are considered to be the most common complication in patients with portal hypertension. Endoscopic ultrasonography not only visualizes the surface of the varices but also provides detailed information about their internal structure. The direction of blood flow can be determined and its velocity measured only via endoscopic color Doppler ultrasonography (ECDUS). This can ...

Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) has been used in the diagnosis of wall-infiltrative lesions, cancers, and submucosal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. EUS is no longer merely an imaging technique and consequently its applications can therefore be divided into diagnostic and therapeutic categories for pancreatic diseases as well for gastrointestinal diseases. Diagnostic EUS includes convent...

PURPOSE To objectively compare the electronic radial scanning echoendoscope (ER-ES) with the mechanical radial scanning echoendoscope (MR-ES) in the quality of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) images of gastrointestinal tract and pancreaticobiliary lesions. METHODS Studied were 56 patients: 20 with gastric cancer, 20 with gallbladder lesions, and 16 with intraductal papillary-mucinous neoplas...