Results: Cannulation of the desired duct was successful in 89.2% of 825 ERCPs with no earlier sphincterotomy. Complete stone removal was achieved in 91.3% of procedures. standard biliary sphincterotomy was performed in 73.8% and precut sphincterotomy in 12.0 % of cases. Cholangitis developed in 2.1%, bleeding in 1.9%, pancreatitis in 1.9%, perforation in 1.0% and cardio-pulmonary or miscellaneous complications in 4.2% of cases. the majority of complications could be managed conservatively. in procedures with no earlier sphincterotomy ERCP-related 30-day mortality was 0.2% (n = 2) and overall 30-day mortality was 3.3% (n = 27).Conclusions: ERCP indications and success rates, as well as morbidity and mortality were comparable to those reported earlier. although the success rate of cannulation and thereby ERCP procedures seem to be somewhat lower than in tertiary referral centres, ERCP procedures can be safely performed in a low-volume ERCP unit by concentrating procedures on a few experienced endoscopists. the success rates may be further improved with the latest cannulation techniques, used selectively in the last years of the study period.

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Small bowel transplantation (SBT) has recently been apOur major aim was to investigate the consequences plied to clinical use among patients with short bowel synof ileal autotransplantation in pigs with proximal small drome or end-stage intestinal failure. 1 Despite advances in intestinal resection on biliary lipids and metabolism of immunosuppression and patient survival, 1 the effects of SBT bile acids. Biliary lipid secretion rates and bile acid abon many aspects of enteric and hepatic physiology remain sorption were assessed by measuring dietary and biliary unknown. 2 Although SBT impairs intestinal absorption and lipids, fractional cholesterol absorption, and fecal excremotility, 2,3 even segmental grafts may provide adequate abtion of cholesterol and bile acids. In addition, serum bile sorptive function in adult recipients. 1,4 Furthermore, a signifacids and cholesterol, biliary and fecal bile acid species, icant component of the potential patient population for SBT and ileal villus height were determined after resection is comprised of children, 1,5 and segmental grafts harvested of the proximal 75% of the jejunoileum (n Å 15) and autofrom living, related adult donors could, in theory, be transtransplantation of the remaining ileum with systemic planted to pediatric recipients. For this reason, and because venous drainage (n Å 15) or transection (n Å 5). Autoileum possesses unique absorptive functions such as active transplantation further increased fecal excretion of neuuptake of bile acids, cobalamin, and sodium, we have develtral and acidic steroids and serum concentration of bile oped a model of autotransplantation in growing pigs to assess acids after proximal resection (P õ .05 for all); autotranschanges in enteric and hepatic function after resection of the plantation significantly decreased serum cholesterol, ilproximal 75% of the jejunoileum and autotransplantation of eal villus height, fractional bile acid and cholesterol abthe remaining ileum.6 sorption, and biliary molar percentage of total and Normally, conjugated bile acids solubilize products of lipid primary bile acids, whereas biliary secretion of bile digestion along the proximal small bowel, but these are not acids, enriched by secondary bile acids, and cholesterol efficiently absorbed until in the distal ileum. The absorbed remained unchanged. At 14 weeks, ileal villus height, bile acids are readily extracted from portal venous and hefractional bile acid and cholesterol absorption, biliary patic arterial blood by hepatocytes, where they exert negative molar percentage of bile acids, and proportion of secondfeedback on their own synthesis. Biliary secretion completes ary biliary bile acids were altered by transplantation enterohepatic circulation of bile acids and also induces secrefrom the respective postresection values of 864 { 22 mm, tion of cholesterol and phospholipids. During enterohepatic 97.9 { 0.6%, 26.9 { 3.9%, 91.8 { 1.2% and 9.2 { 1.3% to 428 circulation, bile acids undergo bacterial modifications that { 21 mm, 91.1 { 1.5%,...