[Gastric and duodenal secretory and motor-evacuatory activity in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease associated with different types of reflux]

Hepatobiliary scintigraphy in the assessment of bile outflow in patients with biliodigestive anastomosis

Aim. To determine the character of bile outflow in patients who underwent biliary tract reconstructive surgery without any clinical and instrumental evidence of the stricture of biliodigestive anastomosis.

Materials and methods. The authors analyzed the findings of radionuclide biliary tract studies conducted in 102 patients with biliodigestive anastomosis from 2016 to 2020. The significant relationship between clinical data and hepatobiliary scintigraphy results was confirmed using Fisher’s exact test.

Results. In 75 patients (73.5%), bile outflow disturbance was attributed to the efferent loop motility. Of these cases, 3 (4%) involved paresis of the efferent loop, while 70 (93.3%) exhibited multiple episodes of reflux from the efferent loop into the biliodigestive anastomosis and the intrahepatic bile ducts. In 2 patients (2.6%) showing no clinical signs of chronic cholangitis, a rare reflux from the efferent loop into the biliodigestive anastomosis and the intrahepatic bile ducts was noted.

Conclusions. Efferent loop dysfunction can greatly disturb bile outflow following the formation of a biliodigestive anastomosis, thus creating conditions for the development of complications.

Low back pain and gastroesophageal reflux in patients with COPD: the disease in the breath

COPD is a worsening condition that leads to a pathologic degeneration of the respiratory system. It represents one of the most important causes of mortality and morbidity in the world, and it is characterized by the presence of associated comorbidity. This article analyzes gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and low back pain (LBP) in patients with COPD and tries to produce anatomo-clinical considerations on the reasons of the presence of these comorbidities. The considerations of the authors are based on the anatomic functions and characteristics of the respiratory diaphragm that are not always considered, from which elements useful to comprehend the symptomatic status of the patient can be deduced, finally improving the therapeutic approach. The information contained in the article can be of help to the clinician and for physiotherapy, and to all health professionals who gravitate around the patient’s care, improving the approach to the diaphragm muscle.