BACKGROUND Use of endoscopic therapies for esophageal varices has resulted in increased prevalence of fundal varices and severe portal hypertensive gastropathy. This study was meant to compare the effect of band ligation and sclerotherapy on development of fundal varices and portal hypertensive gastropathy. METHODS Patients with esophageal varices presenting in the endoscopy unit of Shiakh Za...

Gastrointestinal bleeding related to portal hypertension is a serious complication in patients with liver cirrhosis. Most patients bleed from esophageal or gastric varices, but bleeding from ectopic varices or portal hypertensive gastropathy is also possible. The management of acute bleeding has changed over the last years. Patients are managed with a combination of endoscopic and pharmacologic...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS The transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is a new therapeutic modality for variceal bleeding. In this study we compared the two year survival and rebleeding rates in cirrhotic patients treated by either variceal band ligation or TIPS for variceal bleeding. METHODS Eighty cirrhotic patients (Pugh score 7-12) with variceal bleeding were randomly allocated to ...

Chronic penile strangulation is exceedingly rare with only 5 cases previously reported. We report an additional case of progressive penile lymphedema due to chronic intermittent strangulation caused by a rubber band applied to the penile base for 6 years. A 49-year-old man presented incapacity to exteriorize the glans penis. For erotic purposes, he had been using a rubber-enlarging band placed ...

We present a system for treatment by controlled motion after repair of flexor tendons in the hand. This Washington regimen incorporates both controlled active extension against passive flexion by rubber band and the use of controlled passive extension and flexion. We utilise the Brooke Army Hospital modification of the rubber band passive flexion splint; this provides for maximal excursion of t...

INTRODUCTION Endoscopic band ligation (EBL) is superior to endoscopic injection sclerotherapy (EIS) of oesophageal varices, however, EBL is associated with a higher rate of variceal recurrences. OBJECTIVE To examine whether the reduction of recurrent varices can be achieved by additional sclerotherapy of remnant little varices after ligation. METHODS Forty-eight patients with liver cirrhosi...

We consider simple cube-curves in the orthogonal 3D grid of cells. The union of all cells contained in such a curve (also called the tube of this curve) is a polyhedrally bounded set. The curve’s length is defined to be that of the minimum-length polygonal curve (MLP) fully contained and complete in the tube of the curve. So far, only a ”rubber-band algorithm” is known to compute such a curve a...

We introduce some new voting rules based on a spatial version of the median in R known as the mediancentre, or Fermat-Weber point. Voting rules based on the mean include many that are familiar: the Borda Count, Kemeny rule, approval voting, etc. (see [35], [36]). These mean rules can be implemented by “voting machines” (interactive simulations of physical mechanisms) that use ideal rubber bands...

Rubber band syndrome aka Dhaga is a rare entity mostly seen in young population communities where rubber bands/mauli dhaga are worn over the wrist for decorative or religious purposes. If long duration, then it produces constrictive features burrowing through skin and subcutaneous tissue.