Triple therapy with ursodeoxycholic acid, budesonide and mycophenolate mofetil in patients with features of severe primary biliary cirrhosis not responding to ursodeoxycholic acid alone.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To assess the benefit of the UDCA-budesonide combination in association with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) at high risk of developing cirrhosis or liver failure. METHODS: Inclusion criteria for this three-year open study were: 1) suboptimal biochemical response to one-year UDCA therapy at 13-15 mg/kg/d; 2) significant interface hepatitis without cirrhosis at liver biopsy. Treatment regimen included UDCA (13-15 mg/kg/d), budesonide (6 mg/d) and MMF (1.5 g/d). All patients underwent a control biopsy at three years. RESULTS: Fifteen patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Six patients (41%) normalized biochemistries and seven (47%) had a partial but significant biochemical response, as defined by a serum bilirubin less than 17 micromol/L, alanine aminotransferase less than 70 UI/L and alkaline phosphatase less than 250 UI/L. Histological activity and fibrosis were markedly improved. Side effects were minimal or absent. CONCLUSIONS: Triple therapy with UDCA, budesonide and MMF may provide benefit in non-cirrhotic PBC patients with features of severe disease not responding to UDCA.

Stapled haemorrhoidopexy: 6 years' experience of a referral centre.

AIM: To prospectively evaluate the long-term results and assess patient satisfaction after stapled haemorrhoidopexy (HS). METHOD: A total of 150 patients (121 male patients) with symptomatic grade II (n = 50) or III (n = 100) haemorrhoids underwent stapled HS. Patients were followed up during consultations at regular intervals, allowing prospective data collection. A final telephone follow up was also undertaken. RESULTS: Follow up data were obtained for 130 of 150 patients (86.6%). After a median follow up of 39 months (range, 12-72), 90% of the patients were fully satisfied and 92% were free of haemorrhoidal symptoms. There were no intraoperative complications. Postoperative bleeding that required operation was observed in five patients (3.3%). Most late postoperative complications were benign and easily resolved: unexplained pain for over a month (n = 1), external haemorrhoidal thrombosis (n = 2), anal fissure (n = 6) one with hypertrophic papilla, anal fistula (n = 1), rectal stenosis (n = 1), anal incontinence for (n = 1). Eight patients needed rubber band ligation to treat persistent or recurrent symptomatic prolapse. Four patients (2.6%) were reoperated on during the follow up period but none for haemorrhoidal pathology. CONCLUSION: Stapled HS procedure is effective and has low morbidity, high patient satisfaction and provided good long-term control of haemorrhoidal symptoms in the treatment of second and third-degree haemorrhoids.

Fibrin glue sealing in the treatment of a recto-urethral fistula in Crohn's disease: a case report.

Recto-urethral fistulas in Crohn's disease are rare, and managing them is difficult. The various surgical techniques are not reliably effective and are associated with a significant risk of morbidity. The rectal mucosal transposition flap technique, which is used most frequently, requires the rectal mucosa to be in a healthy condition. We report here on a case where treatment was by injecting fibrin glue into a complex fistula with a single anorectal point of origin but combining a median recto-urethrocutaneous tract with two deep lateral rectoperineal tracts. The patient had presented with active rectal Crohn's disease. This treatment produced complete closure, verified by MRI, of all the fistula tracts, which was still maintained after three years, and with normal anal continence. When confronted with this type of fistula, and particularly when the condition of the rectal mucosa is poor, the specialist should be encouraged by this good result to consider the injection of fibrin glue, a technique without risk of morbidity, as a first course of action.