[Clinical characteristics of acute pancreatitis in Mexico]. / Características clínicas de la pancreatitis aguda en México.

BACKGROUND: Acute pancreatitis (AP) etiology and frequency vary in relation to geographic region. AIMS: To determine the etiology, frequency, and mortality of AP in a Mexican population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We carried out a prospective study of first episode AP patients over a period of 6 years. RESULTS: A total of 605 patients with a mean age of 40 years were included in the study. Sixty-four percent of them presented with overweight and/or obesity determined through BMI. Etiology was biliary in 66.60%, it was due to alcohol consumption in 15.90%, hypertriglyceridemia in 7.80%, it was post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in 2.10%, and was undetermined in 7.20%. Pancreatic infection was suspected in 70 patients and they underwent CT-guided fine needle aspiration. Thirty-two of those patients were diagnosed with pancreatic infection in which Staphylococcus spp was the most common microorganism. Overall mortality was 5.00% (2.60% < 30 years and 10.00% > 70 years). Necrosis, pancreatic infection, and mortality were more frequent in the cases in which etiology was due to alcohol ingestion. CONCLUSIONS: The most frequent AP etiology was biliary, but that caused by alcohol presented with more complications. Overall mortality was 5.00% and was higher in the elderly patients.

[Resembling peritoneal tuberculois and gastric carcinoma with peritoneal carcinomatosis. Case report.]. / Tuberculosis gástrica y peritoneal semejando carcinoma gástrico con carcinomatosis peritoneal; informe de un caso.

We report the case of a woman with peritoneal and gastric tuberculosis who presented with clinical and radiologic features mimicking an advanced gastric neoplasia. We emphasize the relevance of including tuberculosis in the differential diagnosis of patients with gastric wall thickness.

Silastic band erosion in the bypassed stomach after Fobi-Pouch operation for obesity: Case report.

INTRODUCTION: Worldwide, one of the most commonly performed bariatric surgeries is the laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGP). Access to the bypassed stomach in patients who have undergone this procedure, for evaluation and/or management in different clinical situations remains a challenge for the physician. In order to facilitate the entrance to the gastric remnant, a silastic marker is left in place during the Fobi-Pouch operation, a modified laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery technique. PRESENTATION OF CASE: We present the case of a 56-year old female who presented 10 years after a Fobi-pouch operation, complaining of severe upper gastrointestinal bleeding. An enteroscopy revealed several marginal ulcers and erosion of the silastic ring marker in the excluded stomach. A partial gastric sleeve resection including the silastic ring was performed without any complications, preventing further bleeding due to the eroded ring. DISCUSSION: Physicians must be familiarized with the different bariatric procedures in order to associate the patient's symptomatology and possible surgery-related complications. Gastric ulceration and bleeding related to the presence of a foreign body have been previously described; however, to the best of our knowledge this is the first article reporting the concomitant erosion and bleeding of the silastic marker in the excluded stomach. CONCLUSION: Silastic marker erosion in the bypassed stomach is a rare but possible complication not reported in the literature before. Different approaches for this complication are possible including laparoscopic management, with excellent results.