Monthly Archives: September 2017

The United States has lead the way in developing organ-sharing algorithms with emphasis on reducing waiting-list mortality.1 Allocation based on the Model for End-stage Liver Disease score has been a revolutionary measure, not just for upholding the pr… Continue reading →

The first endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy (EUS-FNA) was performed in 1991 for the diagnosis of mucinous cystadenoma of the pancreas.1 Since then, endoscopic ultrasound imaging has advanced with regard to the diagnosis of panc… Continue reading →

What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet (Act 2, Scene 2, Page 2) Continue reading →

Although the potential for infections to be transmitted between patients due to inadequately reprocessed duodenoscopes was initially identified >30 years ago,1 several recent fatal outbreaks of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae associated with duodenoscope-transmission have brought this issue worldwide attention.2-4 To date, up to 350 patients at 41 facilities may have acquired infections from contaminated duodenoscopes since 2010.5 Unlike previous instances of endoscope-related transmission of infections, no significant breaches in manufacturer-recommended reprocessing protocols were identified at the affected sites when reviewed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the device manufacturers. Continue reading →

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the major funder of research in gastrointestinal (GI) diseases. The National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases’ discretionary appropriation for fiscal 2016 is $1.818 billion of the ove… Continue reading →

Skin tests and measurement of serum levels of immunoglobulin E do not accurately identify foods for elimination from the diets of patients with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). We investigated whether an esophageal prick test (EPT), in which the esophag… Continue reading →

Although the potential for infections to be transmitted between patients due to inadequately reprocessed duodenoscopes was initially identified >30 years ago,1 several recent fatal outbreaks of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae associated with duodenoscope-transmission have brought this issue worldwide attention.2-4 To date, up to 350 patients at 41 facilities may have acquired infections from contaminated duodenoscopes since 2010.5 Unlike previous instances of endoscope-related transmission of infections, no significant breaches in manufacturer-recommended reprocessing protocols were identified at the affected sites when reviewed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the device manufacturers. Continue reading →