Endoscopic fenestration of a duodenal duplication cyst to resolve recurrent pancreatitis.

Non-invasive tools such as endoscopic ultrasound and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography have assisted the diagnosis of unexplained or recurrent acute pancreatitis prior to endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). The majority of these patients are improved by endoscopic therapy with ERCP. Duodenal duplication cyst is a known but rare cause of recurrent acute pancreatitis that is also amenable to ERCP. We document the diagnosis and treatment of a 26-year-old man who had six episodes of pancreatitis that were found to be due to a duodenal duplication cyst. The pancreatico-biliary tree emptied into the cyst, which caused episodic obstruction and reflux contaminated juice resulting in pancreatitis. The patient also complained of persistent epigastric discomfort between attacks. Video demonstration of the technique for fenestration of the cyst is presented. Free emptying of bile and pancreatic juice from the cyst has resulted in elimination of the patient's persistent epigastric discomfort and attacks of pancreatitis.

Is obesity a predictor of mortality, morbidity and readmission after cardiac surgery?

INTRODUCTION: Obesity has been described as a risk factor for the development of coronary artery disease, but it has not been determined whether obesity is associated with adverse outcomes after cardiac surgery. Therefore, we analyzed a large cohort of patients who had undergone cardiac surgery to determine whether obesity is a predictor of mortality, morbidity or early readmission to hospital. METHODS: At the London Health Sciences Centre, an academic tertiary care centre, we prospectively entered data from the cardiac surgical database from July 1999 to April 2002. We collected data on 1310 consecutive, unselected patients who underwent cardiac surgery during that time. We assessed the degree of obesity using the body mass index (BMI), and we prospectively documented the occurrence of 10 major complications after surgery. They included stroke, reoperation for bleeding, life-threatening cardiac arrest or arrhythmia, new renal failure requiring dialysis, septicemia, mediastinitis, sternal dehiscence, respiratory failure, postoperative myocardial infarction and low cardiac output necessitating intra-aortic balloon pump use. Univariable and multivariable analyses were conducted to determine the factors associated with and predictive of postoperative death and major complications. RESULTS: An increased BMI did not increase the risk of early postoperative death. Furthermore, increased BMI was not a predictor of a patient experiencing any of the major complications, except sternal dehiscence. An increased BMI was associated with a higher likelihood of readmission to hospital within 30 days of discharge. CONCLUSION: Obesity was not associated with adverse outcomes after cardiac operations, aside from the increased risks of sternal dehiscence and early hospital readmission.