-
Clinics in Colon and Rectal Surgery Jul 2021Obstruction from stricturing Crohn's disease remains one of the most common reasons for intervention. Acute inflammation is often responsive to medications, but chronic... (Review)
Review
Obstruction from stricturing Crohn's disease remains one of the most common reasons for intervention. Acute inflammation is often responsive to medications, but chronic fibrosis is unlikely to respond and will generally go on to require additional treatment. Newer methods, such as endoscopic balloon dilation, are gaining grounds in strictures that are amenable, but with high recurrence and strictures that may not be endoscopically accessible, surgery still plays a key role in the treatment of obstructing Crohn's disease.
PubMed: 34305471
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1729926 -
International Journal of Chronic... 2006
Topics: Airway Obstruction; Diagnosis, Differential; Humans; Prevalence; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive
PubMed: 18044090
DOI: 10.2147/copd.2006.1.4.343 -
International Journal of Chronic... 2017It is increasingly acknowledged that delays in the diagnosis of chronic inflammatory lung conditions have hampered our understanding of pathogenesis and thus our ability... (Review)
Review
It is increasingly acknowledged that delays in the diagnosis of chronic inflammatory lung conditions have hampered our understanding of pathogenesis and thus our ability to design efficacious therapies. This is particularly true for COPD, where most patients are diagnosed with moderate-to-severe airflow obstruction and little is known about the inflammatory processes present in early disease. There is great interest in developing screening tests that can identify those most at risk of developing COPD before airflow obstruction has developed for the purpose of research and clinical care. Landmark pathology studies have suggested that damage to the small airways precedes the development of airflow obstruction and emphysema and, thus, presents an opportunity to identify those at risk of COPD. However, despite a number of physiological tests being available to assess small airways function, none have been adopted into routine care in COPD. The reasons that tests of small airways have not been utilized widely include variability in test results and a lack of validated reference ranges from which to compare results for some methodologies. Furthermore, population studies have not consistently demonstrated their ability to diagnose disease. However, the landscape may be changing. As the equipment that delivers tests of small airways become more widely available, reference ranges are emerging and newer methodologies specifically seek to address variability and difficulty in test performance. Moreover, there is evidence that while tests of small airways may not be helpful across the full range of established disease severity, there may be specific groups (particularly those with early disease) where they might be informative. In this review, commonly utilized tests of small airways are critically appraised to highlight why these tests may be important, how they can be used and what knowledge gaps remain for their use in COPD.
Topics: Airway Obstruction; Disease Progression; Humans; Lung; Predictive Value of Tests; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; Pulmonary Emphysema; Respiratory Function Tests; Risk Factors
PubMed: 28848335
DOI: 10.2147/COPD.S138540 -
Clinics in Colon and Rectal Surgery May 2022Despite an increase in screening colonoscopy, with the objective to decrease the incidence of colorectal cancer, a third of patients will present with an obstructing... (Review)
Review
Despite an increase in screening colonoscopy, with the objective to decrease the incidence of colorectal cancer, a third of patients will present with an obstructing cancer. Malignant large bowel obstructions (MLBO) pose a challenging workup and treatment paradigm where an oncologic primary tumor resection must be balanced with relieving the obstruction, functional outcomes, palliation, and consideration for adjuvant therapy. A thorough work up with cross-sectional imaging and medical optimization should be attempted; however, patients may present and require emergent intervention. The onset of MLBO can be insidious, but result in electrolyte derangements, perforation, small bowel obstruction, hemorrhage, and ischemia. Self-expandable metallic stents have been used as palliation or as a bridge to surgery and have allowed for minimally invasive surgical options as well as a decrease in stoma rates. Patients with signs of colon ischemia or perforation require emergent surgery, which is associated with an increase in stoma formation, morbidity, mortality, and a decrease in overall survival.
PubMed: 35966387
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1742589 -
Circulation Research Apr 2021Aortic stenosis (AS) remains one of the most common forms of valve disease, with significant impact on patient survival. The disease is characterized by left ventricular... (Review)
Review
Aortic stenosis (AS) remains one of the most common forms of valve disease, with significant impact on patient survival. The disease is characterized by left ventricular outflow obstruction and encompasses a series of stenotic lesions starting from the left ventricular outflow tract to the descending aorta. Obstructions may be subvalvar, valvar, or supravalvar and can be present at birth (congenital) or acquired later in life. Bicuspid aortic valve, whereby the aortic valve forms with two instead of three cusps, is the most common cause of AS in younger patients due to primary anatomic narrowing of the valve. In addition, the secondary onset of premature calcification, likely induced by altered hemodynamics, further obstructs left ventricular outflow in bicuspid aortic valve patients. In adults, degenerative AS involves progressive calcification of an anatomically normal, tricuspid aortic valve and is attributed to lifelong exposure to multifactoral risk factors and physiological wear-and-tear that negatively impacts valve structure-function relationships. AS continues to be the most frequent valvular disease that requires intervention, and aortic valve replacement is the standard treatment for patients with severe or symptomatic AS. While the positive impacts of surgical interventions are well documented, the financial burden, the potential need for repeated procedures, and operative risks are substantial. In addition, the clinical management of asymptomatic patients remains controversial. Therefore, there is a critical need to develop alternative approaches to prevent the progression of left ventricular outflow obstruction, especially in valvar lesions. This review summarizes our current understandings of AS cause; beginning with developmental origins of congenital valve disease, and leading into the multifactorial nature of AS in the adult population.
Topics: Age Factors; Animals; Aortic Valve; Aortic Valve Stenosis; Calcinosis; Disease Progression; Humans; Medical Illustration; Mice; Risk Factors; Ventricular Outflow Obstruction
PubMed: 33914609
DOI: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.120.317978