No influence of age and gastric acid secretion on serum vitamin B12 concentration.

Serum vitamin B12 concentration, parietal cell antibodies (PCA), peak acid output vitamin B12 resorption capacity were determined in 76 patients (age 23 to 82 years). Gastroscopy was performed on all of these patients; guided biopsy was taken from 70 of them. No influence of the inflammatory changes in the gastric mucosa, sex or the presence of PCA on the serum vitamin B12 concentration were demonstrable in our patients, who all revealed a vitamin B12 resorption in the normal range. In particular we were unable to confirm the observation of Döscherholmen et al. (5) of a fall in serum vitamin B12 concentration with increasing age or decreasing PAO. Hence the estimation of the serum vitamin B12 concentration cannot be used as a screening test for selecting those patients suffering from chronic atrophic gastritis and achlorhydria, who should be monitored by gastroscopy and biopsy because of an increased risk of gastric cancer.

Cimetidine for anastomotic ulcers after partial gastrectomy. A randomized controlled trial.

In a randomized double-blind multicenter trial, 15 outpatients with endoscopically proved anastomotic ulceration after Billroth I or Billroth II partial gastrectomy received cimetidine, 1 g daily over eight weeks, or a placebo. All patients also received antiacid. The ulcer healed completely in all seven cimetidine-treated patients and in one of the eight placebo-treated patients (P less than 0.01). Ulcers not healed during the double-blind phase of the trial were all subsequently healed on open cimetidine treatment. There was a trend toward improvement of daytime symptoms in favor of cimetidine (P = 0.06), and nighttime symptoms were significantly relieved during the initial four weeks of cimetidine treatment P = 0.02). We conclude that cimetidine, 1 g daily, promotes healing of anastomotic ulcers after partial gastrectomy.

[Animal experiments with 99mTc-diethyl-HIDA in acute complete bile duct occlusion (author's transl)]. / Tierexperimentelle Untersuchungen mit 99mTc-Diäthyl-HIDA bei akutem komplettem Gallengangsverschluss..

In order to establish whether a complete obstructive jaundice can abolish the accumulation of diethyl-HIDA (EHIDA) in the liver parenchyma, the common bile duct was ligated in 14 mongrel dogs. Before as well as at regular intervals after ligature of the common bile duct, a sequence scintigraphy was performed with 2 mCi 99mTc-EHIDA. For evaluation, time-activity curves (Tmax, T1/2), and analogue scintigrams as well as laboratory parameters were used for assessment. Up to seven weeks after ligation of the common bile duct, there was a marked accumulation of EHIDA in the liver parenchyma. The relative liver uptake (liver/background ratio) fell from 8.9 to 2.7, whereas conversely the cholestasis indicators aP and bilirubine rose markedly. Tmax did not show any significant alterations, whereas T1/2 was prolonged from about one week after ligation. Because of the duct ligation, there was no excretion of activity into the intestines. Immediately after ligation of the common bile duct, the gallbladder was shown up as a "hot" area in which the majority of the applied activity appeared from about one hour p.i. Begining with the fifth to the seventh day after ligation, the gallbladder was seen as a "cold" area in the liver paraenchyma. Bilirubine and aP were raised by about 50 times the initial value. With longer lasting cholestasis, the scintigram no longer altered whereas bilirubine and aP rose further. Histological examination after ligation for more than five weeks showed slight alterations as a whole. Gamma-GT and in particular GPT were likewise slightly raised compared to bilirubine and aP. The conclusion was drawn from this that the good accumulation of EHIDA in the liver parenchyma which is to be observed without exception even in cholestasis lasting for several weeks could be explained by a relatively slight hepatocellular damage. Only when there is a consecutive parenchymal damage in extrahepatic jaundice, accumulation of EHIDA in the liver can be abolished.

Efficient treatment of gastric ulcer with proglumide (Milid) in outpatients (double blind trial).

Eleven male and five female gastric ulcer outpatients as well as twenty eight male and seven female duodenal ulcer outpatients received Proglumide (1200 mg/day) or magnesiumtrisilicate (1320 mg/day) in a prospective double blind study. The sizes of the ulcers were assessed by endoscopy before and after 4 weeks therapy. A complete healing of gastric ulcers was observed in 75% (n = 8) of the patients receiving Proglumide and 25% (n = 8) of the antacid treated controls (p less than 0.05; x2 test). The healed area was significantly (p less than 0.05) larger in the Proglumide 91 mm2) than in the anticida group (23 mm2). In addition, the half time of the ulcer-healing was significantly (p less than 0.05) shorter in the Proglumide treated patients (18 days and 26 days respectively). There was no significant effect of the drug on the duodenal ulcers. The spontaneous healing rate was 61% in the antacid (n = 18) and 59% in the Proglumide treated (n = 17) patients. The drug does not effect the basal and pentagastrin stimulated gastric secretion nor the serum gastrin concentration. No side effects on blood pressure, blood cell count, transaminases or blood glucose concentrations could be observed.

Atrophic gastritis after Billroth I gastrectomy.

The gastric mucosa of a stomach resected according to Billroth I operation is subject to a process of aging twice as intense as that of a non-resected one. Atrophy after Billroth I gastrectomy increased by 3% on an average per annum. As a result, a typical distribution of degrees of inflammation in the region of the greater curvature became evident. Atrophic gastritis occurres especially near the anastomosis and decreases in the direction of the fornix. The possibility is discussed that resected patients--in contrast to non-resected--are afflicted with stomach cancer primarily on account of the more intense and earlier mucosal atrophy.

[Effective out-patient treatment of gastric ulcer with proglumide: preliminary results (author's transl)]. / Wirksame ambulante Therapie des Ulcus ventriculi mit Proglumid. Vorläufige Mitteilung.

In a double-blind trial 16 persons with gastric ulcer and 35 with duodenal ulcer were treated as out-patients with 1200 mg proglumide daily or 1320 mg magnesium tricilicate daily (as an "active placebo") for four weeks. The ulcers were assessed by endoscopy before and after treatment. The gastric ulcers disappeared in 75% of patients receiving proglumide (six of eight subjects) but in only 25% of those on the placebo (two of eight). There was no significant effect of proglumide on duodenal ulcers (17 in the proglumide and 18 in the placebo groups). Proglumide failed to affect either basal or maximally stimulated acid secretion, nor was there any change in the serum gastrin level. There were no side effects during proglumide administration. This underlines its therapeutic value in the treatment of gastric ulcer, in comparison with cimetidine or carbenoxolone.

Experiences and problems in the disinfection of fibre endoscopes.

The problem of the disinfection of fibre endoscopes is to achieve a good efficiency together with easy handling. There is not yet a disinfectant which shows a sufficient germicidal effect after a short time of contact with the fibre endoscope and which is harmless to the patient and medical staff. This paper deals with a two-stage disinfecting procedure in which the instrument undergoes a short intermediate disinfection using polyvidoneiodine (Betaisodona) between two investigations and a main disinfection at the end of a series of investigations using glutardialdehyde (Cidex). The measures lead to a sufficient reduction of the number of germs. The importance of the disinfection of all parts of the endoscopes, especially the channels and the accessories (water bottles etc.) is pointed out.

[Endoscopic transpapillary splitting of a choledochocele (author's transl)]. / Endoskopische transpapilläre Spaltung einer Choledochocele.

A choledochocele with obstruction to outflow from the biliary and pancreatic duct systems was diagnosed by endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography in a 67-year-old man with radiating upper-abdominal pain and constantly elevated gamma-glutamyl transferase. After distension of the choledochocele with contrast medium a papillotome was introduced across the papilla and the choledochocele was split open. There were no complications and flow from both systems became normal. The symptoms disappeared and the patient required neither anaesthesia nor an abdominal operation.

[Intramural pseudo-diverticulosis of the oesophagus (author's transl)]. / Intranurale Pseudodivertikulose des Osophagus.

A 58-year old patient with intramural pseudo-diverticulosis of the oesophagus was observed for three and a half years. The case is described and illustrated. The pathogenesis of the disease is discussed with reference to the literature. The radiological appearances permit a definite diagnosis. The oesophagus had a stricture at the level of the bifurcation of the trachea, but in addition there were multiple intramural, sharply demarkated mucosal herniations measuring 3 x 1 mm. These could be verified endoscopically. Histologically, non-specific oesophagitis was found.

[The use of the liver-spleen-scan for the diagnosis of congenital Intrahepatic cysts of the bile duct (M. Caroli) (authors transl)]. / Das Leber-Milzszintigramm bei kongenitalen intrahepatischen Gallengangszysten (M. Caroli)

After the short review of the pathogenesis, diagnosis and therapy for congenital intrahepatic cysts of the bile-duct (morbus Caroli), reference was made to the diagnostic significance of liver scintigraphy on the basis of two casuistic reports. Liver scintigraphy permits an exact localization of intrahepatic cysts as well as information regarding the course of the hepatopathy connected with morbus Caroli. In addition, 131-J-bromsulfon scintigraphy of the liver is a simple method for controlling the patency of the bile ducts. Our observations tend to indicate that preoperative and postoperative scintigraphic controls of the liver are practical for this disease.

[Antral morphology and serum-gastrin levels in achlorhydria]. / Antrummorphologie und Serumgastrinspiegel bei Achlorhydrie

38 patients were found to have achlorhydria after maximal stimulation with pentagastrin and on multiple biopsies (atrophy of gastric mucosa). It was demonstrated that the sequence pH-antroreceptors-G cells-parietal cells-pH antroreceptors was interrupted already in mild or moderately severe superficial gastritis of the antral mucosa involving more than half of the antral surface. Reduction of specific functional epithelium is unlikely in this form of inflammation so that it is probably an effect of the pH receptors.