[Clinical experiences with a disposable biopsy set according to Menghini for percutaneous liver biopsy (author's transl)]. / Klinische Erfahrungen mit einem Einmal-Punktionsbestect zur perkutanen Leberbiopsie nach Menghini.

The handling and reliability of a new disposable biopsy set (Hepafix) have been evaluated in 170 percutaneous liver biopsies according to the technique of Menghini. In comparison with the conventional multiple biopsy set the new set provides several advantages discussed in the paper. The wider use of the disposable liver biopsy set may contribute to the prevention of transmission of hepatitis.

[Serum gastrin levels in patients with changes of gastric or duodenal mucosa (author's transl)]. / Serumgastrinspiegel bei Patienten mit Magen- und Duodenalschleimhautveränderungen

The mean concentration of gastrin in serum was determined in healthy fasting persons (n = 27), it amounted to 56.8 pg/ml (SD = 19.8 PG/ML). The values of gastrin in serum of patients, who were grouped by endoscopicbioptic criteria of antral mucosa and who exceptionally showed diffuse inflammation of gastric mucosa, amounted to 73.2 pg/ml in patients with mild superficial gastritis (n = 24), to 73.4 pg/ml in those with severe superficial gastritis (n = 55), to 82.3 pg/ml in patients with chronic atrophic gastritis (n = 11) and to 70.7 pg/ml in those with chronic atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia (n = 17). The concentration of serum gastrin in patients with additional pathological processes of gastric or duodenal mucosa was also determined. Patients with gastric resection according to Billroth II (n = 15) revealed gastrin values of 47.8 pg/ml, those with duodenal ulcer (n = 5) of 58.5 pg/ml, with gastric ulcer (n = 50) of 61.3 pg/ml, with polyps in stomach (n = 10) of 109.6 pg/ml and with neoplasms of the stomach (n = 27) of 77.7 pg/ml. Gastrin values were not correlated to age or sex. The difference between the mean gastrin concentrations of the mentioned groups of patients however is not marked enough and the range of values is too wide to characterize those groups by specific gastrin levels. The determination of gastrin in serum of fasting patients is not helpful for diagnosis of gastritis without antibodies to intrinsic factor or for diagnosis of certain localized pathological conditions in stomach or duodenum obviously.

[Side effects after stimulation of gastric secretion with pentagastrin (author's transl)]. / Nebenwirkungen nach Stimulation der Magensekretion mit Pentagastrin

Application of pentagastrin (by infusion, by intramuscular and subcutaneous injection) in the usual dose of 6 mug/kg/hr revealed a short lasting enhancement in frequency of pulse-rate and a slight rise in blood-pressure (5 to 10 mmHg), which exceeded the alteration of pulserate, in 30 healthy volunteers with normal blood-pressure. The enhancement of pulse-rate is considered as a psychogenic reaction to injection. The reason of the rise in blood-pressure, which immediately occured and was of long standing duration, is a pharmacodynamic effect obviously. An extensive increase in blood-pressure, collaps, bradycardia or tachycardia was not observed during 120 investigations. We were not able to detect any significant changes in a number of components of serum or blood. The influence on the values of SGOT, LAP, urea, the red and white blood cell count as well as on hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit cannot be excluded however.