Management of colorectal obstruction by using metallic stents was effective and safe, although colonic perforation is a potential complication. In cases of palliation, the method may obviate palliative colostomy.

No abstract

Urgent TIPS is an effective alternative for the treatment of acute variceal bleeding refractory to endoscopic and pharmacological therapy, but sometimes is associated with major complications. Because of the high operative mortality rate in patients with severe liver failure, careful selection of patients is required before TIPS.

Transanal SEMS placement is an appealing method for the relief of obstruction in selected patients, obviating the need for palliative colostomy.

Fibrinolytic treatment with urokinase may be an effective alternative to surgical embolectomy in patients with SMA embolism without clinical or radiologic signs of intestinal infarction. In this small series, abatement of abdominal pain in the 1st hour of fibrinolytic treatment was the best indicator of clinical success. Pain persisted in patients with intestinal infarction.