Benign Gallbladder Tumors Benign tumors of the gallbladder are relatively common, with up to 5% of patients undergoing abdominal ultrasonography being found to harbor gallbladder polyps. Benign gallbladder tumors can be broadly categorized as epithelial (adenomas), mesenchymal (fibromas, lipomas, hemangiomas),…
Since the first endoscopic visualization and cannulation of the major papilla with cholangiopancreatogram was completed in 1968, rapid advances in the field of endoscopy have increased the capabilities of physicians to detect, classify, and more recently, provide therapy to disease…
Biliary dyskinesia and sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD) are functional disorders of the pancreas and biliary tract that challenge the practicing surgeon. Both disease entities are characterized by pancreatobiliary pain syndromes and are fraught with controversy over their definition, diagnosis,…
Choledocholithiasis is a common condition that often requires a procedural intervention in order to treat. There are a number of different treatment strategies used when managing patients who present with common bile duct (CBD) stones. As such, the debate about…
With an annual rate of greater than a quarter of a million hospital admissions and an associated cost of greater than two billion dollars, cholelithiasis and cholecystitis have a tremendous impact on the health care system. Their diagnosis and associated…
This chapter includes a review of both imaging and percutaneous intervention of the biliary system. A thorough evaluation of a patient with obstructive jaundice includes detailed medical and surgical history, physical examination, laboratory data, and evaluation of pertinent imaging. A…
Cholelithiasis represents a significant problem for the health system in both developed and developing societies, affecting 10% to 15% of the adult population, corresponding to 20 to 25 million Americans who have or will have cholelithiasis. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the…
Mortality after pancreatic resection has greatly decreased in comparison with historical series, from 33% following Whipple's initial reports to currently less than 2% in most high-volume centers, resulting in the recognition that assessment of surgical quality for these high-acuity patients…
In 1993 the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial Research Group reported that patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) treated with intensive insulin therapy showed a reduced risk of developing retinopathy, albuminuria or microalbuminuria, and clinical neuropathy, when compared with patients…
There is much about the pediatric pancreas that can be informative to the adult surgical specialist. Problems that are commonly seen in infants and children, such as annular pancreas, may remain occult until adulthood. Pediatric management strategies, such as the…