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Abstract: Bariatric surgery is the most effective method to achieve weight loss in obese subjects. The aim of this study was to evaluate some adipocytokines and insulin, as well as parameters of metabolic syndrome of the obese patients, for three and six months after vertical banded gastroplasty, in the time of dynamic weight loss. Seven males and two females aged 28 to 49 years, with long lasting simple obesity and the presence of metabolic syndrome, were studied. After surgical treatment the values of the body mass index, waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood concentrations of leptin decreased significantly. Before surgical operation of all obese patients no statistically significant correlations between studied parameters were noted. Three and six months later a lot of correlations between studied parameters appeared. In conclusion, (a) vertical-banded gastroplasty is a valuable method in treatment of obese subjects, leading to a significant decrease in body weight and improvement in some parameters of metabolic syndrome in a few months after surgery, (b) adipocytokines, together with an unknown gastric factor, may be key factors in the control of some features of the metabolic syndrome.

An esophageal atresia is a rare congenital malformation of gastrointestinal tract. Its estimated incidence is 1–2 cases per 5000 live births. An esophageal atresia is more frequent in Caucasians and in children from twin pregnancy. However, it is extremely rare to observe this malformation in both twins. In 70% of cases an esophageal atresia is accompanied by other congenital malformations. The authors present a case of preterm twins in both of which isolated esophageal atresia with distal tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) was diagnosed.

We describe a 50-year-old woman with an incident of systemic and pulmonary embolism in whom transoesophageal examination (TEE) with the aid of contrast echocardiography (CE) identified a patent foramen ovale (PFO) with a residual thrombus between atrial septum and PFO valve suggesting paradoxical systemic embolization. The patient was diagnosed as heterozygous for prothrombin G20210A mutation. Control TEE performed after fibrinolysis, 2 months of heparin treatment followed by oral anticoagulation did not show any embolic material within the PFO.