Ten year evaluation of posterior fundoplasty in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux: long-term and comparative study of 135 patients

Results over a 5 to 10 year period in 135 patients with hiatal hernia treated surgically by posterior fundoplasty were compared with results in a similar group of 40 patients undergoing Nissen fundoplication. The final results demonstrate the effectiveness of both procedures to relieve gastroesophageal reflux. However, the collateral effects with posterior fundoplasty are considerably less than those with the Nissen fundoplication. The lower esophageal sphincter was longer with fundoplasty than with the Nissen procedure.

Cystadenoma of the pancreas. An ultrastructural study

A case of cystadenoma of the pancreas was studied at the light (LM) and the ultrastructural (EM) levels. The observation made under LM that the flattened epithelial cells lining the cystic spaces were similar to the centroacinar cells of a normal pancreas was supported by EM findings. Numerous glycogen granules were demonstrated in the cells, a feature characteristic of fetal but not adult centroacinar cells. A few epithelial cells contained occasional membrane bound dense granules of unknown nature. This observation and the finding of normally appearing islets of Langerhans raise the possibility that this may be an example of a mixed insular-duct cystadenoma. However, if the islets of Langerhans were considered entrapped structures, this tumor should be labelled as a simple serous cystadenoma.