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This is an interim report of a randomized clinical trial on esophagojejunostomy (E J) versusHunt-Lawrence-Rodino (HLR) pouch as reconstruction techniques following total gastrectomy and systematic lymphadenectomy for gastric cancer treatment. The randomized trial preceded a pilot study comparing the Longmire-Gutgemann interposition ant/ the HLR. The pilot study included 7 patients, the randomized trial 38 patients (60 planned). The main outcome variables in the pilot study were food resorption, caloric intake, and body weight. Survival probability and general well-being (quality of life) were measured in the randomized trial. A score was composed of diseasespecific and socio-personal variables with well-being ranging from 0 (worst) to 14 (best) points.Concerning food resorption in the pilot study, no relevant advantage of the duodenal passage was found. The main postoperative disorder was insufficient food intake. Despite a radical operation, a hospital mortality rate of 16%, and a complication rate of 37%, gastric cancer still has a poor prognosis. In the randomized trial only 15 (39%) of 38 patients were alive 1 year after operation, but the survival probability was higher (58%) after HLR than after EJ (24%) (p < 0.05). Hunger and appetite were strongly reduced during the first 6 months after operation. Food intake was less than half of the preoperative values, which was reflected by an average decrease in body weight of 7 kg.Patients dying within the first year after total gastrectomy suffered an irreversible loss of quality of life (scoring 7 points). They had no objective benefit from the operation. Patients surviving this period regained quality of life and exceeded preoperative values, especially after HLR.We conclude that HLR-operated patients who have a chance of surviving for at least 1 year benefit from total gastrectomy in regard to quality of life.

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Following intravenous administration, moxifloxacin penetrated peritoneal exudate in patients with peritonitis, achieving and maintaining concentrations that exceed the MICs for pathogens commonly isolated in cIAIs. These findings support the clinical use of moxifloxacin as treatment for cIAIs.

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The feasibility and safety, conversion and complication profile demonstrated here provides guidance for patient selection.

Surgeons are increasingly using endoscopy to place transabdominal feeding tubes for enteral nutrition or gastric decompression. A possible extension for the application of this new technique is the direct placement of the feeding tube into the duodenal bulb. Two patients are presented in whom percutaneous endoscopic duodenostomy was successfully performed, although percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy was not possible. It shows that this new method is technically possible. In both patients the positive influence of this technique on the patient's quality of life could be shown using the Spitzer Quality of Life Index and the Karnofsky Performance Status. Enteral nutrition was maintained for more than 6 weeks.