The aim of this investigation has been to find a safe and suitable contrast medium for radiological evaluation of the gastrointestinal tract in cases where leakage outside the GIT can be suspected. Leakage outside the gastro-intestinal tract lumen can occur in many ways eg., spontaneously, due to a disease process, iatrogenically or postoperatively at the site of anastomosis. The contrast medium used for the radiological evaluation of such patients could leak outside the lumen of the GIT and enter the mediastinum, pleura, peritoneum or bronchi and lungs. It is therefore essential to use a contrast medium, which would be safe should it leak into one or more of the regions mentioned. An experimental study was carried out to evaluate the reactions of various available CM in the bronchi and lungs, mediastinum, pleura and peritoneum of rats. The CM evaluated in the experimental study were, pure barium sulphate (without any additives), commercial barium sulphate (Micropaque, with additives), Dionosil, Hytrast, Gastrografin, Amipaque (in pleura Omnipaque) and Hexabrix. The results of all the experiments taken together show that lower osmolality contrast media Hexabrix, Amipaque and Omnipaque are safer than all other CM examined experimentally, for radiological evaluation of leakage from the GIT. The clinical use of Hexabrix was started ± 4 years ago for the examination of suspected UGIT leakage and has, so far, shown no untoward or negative effects. The aim and introduction in Chapter 1 are followed by various aspects of the contrast media in chapters 2 and 3. Chapter 4 deals with the aetiology of leakage, experimental investigation, clinical experience and method of radiological evaluation of gastrointestinal tract leakage. Chapters 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 deal comprehensively with the experimental study. The clinical use of Hexabrix in the UGIT is described in chapter 10. The general discussion and conclusions are given in chapter 11.

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Erasmus University Rotterdam
K. Hoornstra Prof. , R.O. van der Heul
hdl.handle.net/1765/51176
Erasmus MC: University Medical Center Rotterdam

Ginai, A. (1987, May 15). Contrast media for radiological examination in gastrointestinal tract leakage. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1765/51176