BackgroundAtrial fibrillation is associated with higher mortality. Identification of causes of death and contemporary risk factors for all‐cause mortality may guide interventions.Methods and ResultsIn the Rivaroxaban Once Daily Oral Direct Factor Xa Inhibition Compared with Vitamin K Antagonism for Prevention of Stroke and Embolism Trial in Atrial Fibrillation (ROCKET AF) study, patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation were randomized to rivaroxaban or dose‐adjusted warfarin. Cox proportional hazards regression with backward elimination identified factors at randomization that were independently associated with all‐cause mortality in the 14 171 participants in the intention‐to‐treat population. The median age was 73 years, and the mean CHADS 2 score was 3.5. Over 1.9 years of median follow‐up, 1214 (8.6%) patients died. Kaplan–Meier mortality rates were 4.2% at 1 year and 8.9% at 2 years. The majority of classified deaths (1081) were cardiovascular (72%), whereas only 6% were nonhemorrhagic stroke or systemic embolism. No significant difference in all‐cause mortality was observed between the rivaroxaban and warfarin arms (P=0.15). Heart failure (hazard ratio 1.51, 95% CI 1.33–1.70, P<0.0001) and age ≥75 years (hazard ratio 1.69, 95% CI 1.51–1.90, P<0.0001) were associated with higher all‐cause mortality. Multiple additional characteristics were independently associated with higher mortality, with decreasing creatinine clearance, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, male sex, peripheral vascular disease, and diabetes being among the most strongly associated (model C‐index 0.677).ConclusionsIn a large population of patients anticoagulated for nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, ≈7 in 10 deaths were cardiovascular, whereas <1 in 10 deaths were caused by nonhemorrhagic stroke or systemic embolism. Optimal prevention and treatment of heart failure, renal impairment, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and diabetes may improve survival.Clinical Trial Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/. Unique identifier: NCT00403767.

A tripanossomíase americana descrita por Carlos Chagas em 1909 constitui, ainda hoje, um problema sócio-econômico nacional e regional que aflige, principalmente, os países do cone sul da América, prevalentemente. O nível endêmico decorreu, principalmente, devido à domiciliação dos vetores motivada por más condições de habitação, esgotamento de fontes alimentares ABSTRACTMegaesophagus is one of the manifestations of Chagas disease and surgical treatment is the approach that presents the best results. In this retrospective study, the epidemiological profile of patients operated in the Clinical Hospital of University of Campinas between 1989 and 2005 was evaluated with regard to: place of birth, place of residence, probable place of infection, age, degree of megaesophagus, etiology, duration and evolution of dysphagia, other diseases in association and the type of surgery chosen. The method used was to analyze the 390 medical files of these patients, at the hospital's medical archive service. The results made it possible to establish the endemic regions, place of birth and place of residence of the patients with Chagas disease attended at our clinic, and to characterize the group. After detailed analysis, it was found that the mean age was 47 years and the mean duration of dysphagia was 9.47 years. It was observed that: a) in 84.4% of the patients, dysphagia took hold progressively; b) 306 (78.5%) patients presented Chagas disease etiology; c) grade 2 was prevalent in 48%; d) 89.8% of the patients underwent cardiomyotomy; and e) there were frequent associations with gastritis, esophagitis, megacolon, arterial hypertension and cardiopathy. Key-words:Megaesophagus. Chagas disease. Cardiomyotomy. Idiopathic achalasia of the esophagus. Esophagus.originais (ação antrópica destrutiva) e características dos vetores (fototropismo e hematofagia) 13 .O Banco Mundial (World Development Report, 1993) estudou o peso relativo da doença de Chagas, comparado ao de outras enfermidades transmissíveis endêmicas na América Latina e Caribe, e avaliou os pacientes chagásicos quanto aos anos de

The Rapunzel syndrome is an unusual form of trichobezoar found in patients with a history of psychiatric disorders, trichotillomania (habit of hair pulling) and trichophagia (morbid habit of chewing the hair), consequently developing gastric bezoars. The principal symptoms are vomiting and epigastric pain. In this case report, we describe this syndrome in a young girl.

Surgical gastrostomy, while considered a smaller procedure, is not without complications and mortality. The Stamm technique, despite the complications reported, is easy to perform and to handle, as well as safe.

-Background -A total gastrectomy is considered a procedure with a high level of complexity, has high complication rates, both local and general, because patients are mostly with clinical conditions and nutritional compromised by disease. ). Conclusões -A gastrectomia total é um procedimento que requer experiência do cirurgião, de sua equipe, empregando técnica cirúrgica aprimorada para minimizar as complicações pós-operatórias. As complicações pós-operatórias requerem cuidados no controle das infecções, das vias aéreas e cuidados nutricionais, diminuindo a mortalidade, aumentando a sobrevida e contribuindo para a qualidade de vida do doente.

O divertículo de Zenker (DZ) é uma doença muito pouco freqüente, cujo sintoma mais importante é a disfagia cervical. Os aspectos de sua etiopatogenia ainda são motivos de várias pesquisas na literatura, através de estudos manométricos e cinerradiográficos. O tratamento mais empregado é o cirúrgico, favorecendo quase a totalidade dos doentes, com índices de recidiva muito baixos. Porém, algumas publicações enfatizam as vantagens do tratamento endoscópico. Foram revisados 39 doentes, tratados no Serviço nos últimos 15 anos, sendo que 28 foram do sexo masculino (71,8%). A idade do grupo variou de 18 a 86 anos (média 54,5 anos). Os principais sintomas foram a disfagia cervical (89,8%), a regurgitação alimentar (71,8%), a tosse repetitiva (30.7%) e o emagrecimento importante (25,6%). Dois pacientes apresentaram diverticulite aguda e perfuração (5,1 %). O diagnóstico foi estabelecido através de radiografias contrastadas em 37 pacientes (94,8%) e de endoscopia digestiva em 28 (71,7%). A eletromanometria foi realizada em 13 casos (33,3%). O tratamento consistiu de diverticulectomia seguida de miotomia do esfincter do músculo cricofaríngeo em 24 pacientes (61,5%) e diverticulopexia seguida da mesma miotomia em 15 pacientes (38,5%). No seguimento a longo prazo de 35 pacientes (89,8%), variando de cinco meses a 12 anos (média 4,5 anos), ocorreu melhora importante com desaparecimento da disfagia em todos os casos. Três pacientes (7,7%) persistiram sintomas disfágicos leves e inconstantes. Um paciente faleceu em decorrência de complicações cardíacas e pulmonares. Os estudos histopatológicos dos divertículos ressecados mostraram a presença de tumor maligno neuroendócrino em um paciente (2,5%). Os doentes submetidos a diverticulopexia receberam alta hospitalar mais precocemente. Os autores discutem os aspectos atuais da fisiopatologia do DZ, analisam as opções de tratamento e os resultados da literatura, comparando com os obtidos neste estudo. Concluindo, os resultados mostram que tanto a diverticulectomia como a diverticulopexia podem ser utilizadas, ambas seguidas de miotomia do músculo cricofaríngeo. A diverticulopexia mostrou ser uma opção muito satisfatória para os divertículos de tamanhos pequenos e médios.

INTRODUCTION:Dysphagia is the important symptom in achalasia, and surgery is the most common treatment. The Heller–Pinotti technique is the method preferred by Brazilian surgeons. For many years, this technique was performed by laparotomy, and now the laparoscopic method has been introduced. The objective was to evaluate the immediate and long‐term results of patients submitted to surgery by either laparotomy or laparoscopy.MATERIALS AND METHODS:A total of 67 patients submitted to surgery between 1994 and 2001 with at least 5 years of follow‐up were evaluated retrospectively and divided into two groups: laparotomy (41 patients) and laparoscopy (26 patients). Chagas was the etiology in 76.12% of cases. Dysphagia was evaluated according to the classification defined by Saeed et al.RESULTS:There were no cases of conversion to open surgery. The mean duration of hospitalization was 3.32 days for laparotomy and 2.54 days for laparoscopy (p<0.05). An improvement in dysphagia occurred with both groups reporting good or excellent results (laparotomy: 73.17% and laparoscopy: 73.08%). Mean duration of follow‐up was 8 years.CONCLUSIONS:There was no difference between the two groups with respect to relief from dysphagia, thereby confirming the safety and effectiveness of the Heller–Pinotti technique, which can be performed by laparotomy or laparoscopy, depending on the surgeon's experience.

ABSTRACT ABSTRACTObjectives: Objectives: Objectives: Objectives: Objectives: To verify some possible factors, which would be associated with better or worse results for surgical treatment of megaesophagus. Methods Methods Methods Methods Methods: There were 417 patients operated on for megaesophagus, but only 390 medical charts were analyzed between 1989 and 2005. The presence of intraoperative and postoperative complications and the maintenance of severe dysphagia complaints were evaluated in a directed questionnaire, studying association with: the surgical approach chosen, megaesophagus degree, etiology and presence of other digestive alterations. Results Results ResultsResults Results: There were 360 cardiomiotomies, 20 esophagectomies and 11 mucosectomies. The results indicate that the cardiomiotomy is the safest surgery and the esophagectomy has more complications. The degree of megaesophagus is directed related with the results; more advanced megaesophagus has the worse results. The presence of digestive alterations has also a direct influence with worse results. Conclusion Conclusion Conclusion Conclusion Conclusion: The most important factor considering the results is the surgery chosen, and the best one were seen with cardiomiotomy. The degree of megaesophagus has also influenced the results. The etiology suggests better results with Chagas disease patients, maybe for the chronic course of this disease. The presence of digestive alteration is a factor which causes worse results, especially if associated with gastritis, esophagitis, megacolon and others.