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Background: Anxiety disorders significantly reduce patients' quality of life. Current pharmacological treatments, primarily benzodiazepines and antidepressants, are associated with numerous side effects. Consequently, there is a continual search for alternative methods to traditional therapies that are less burdensome for patients and broaden their therapeutic options. Our objective was to determine the role of selected alternative methods in the treatment of anxiety disorders., Methods: In this review, we examined recent evidence on alternative treatments for anxiety disorders, including physical activity, mindfulness, virtual reality (VR) technology, biofeedback, herbal remedies, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), cryotherapy, hyperbaric therapy, vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. For this purpose we reviewed PubMed and after initial search, we excluded works unrelated to our aim, non-orginal data and animal studies. We conducted second search to cover all minor methods., Results: We included 116 studies, which data is presented in Tables. We have investigated which methods can support treatment and which can be used as a stand-alone treatment. We assessed the risks to benefits of using alternative treatments., Conclusion: Alternative treatments significantly expand the options available to patients and clinicians, with many serving as adjuncts to traditional therapies. Among the methods presented, mindfulness has the most significant therapeutic potential.

Background: It has been established that the removal of adenomatous colon polyps drastically reduces the incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC), but polypectomy is not without risk. The aim was to determine the correlation between the results of an optical biopsy system and the histopathology report of the physical biopsy specimens of the same polyps removed at colonoscopy., Patients and Methods: Paired optical and physical biopsies were performed on 55 polyps with complete polypectomy of the same tissue., Results: Fifty-three adenomatous polyps and two hyperplastic polyps were identified by the hospital pathologist. The optical biopsy system identified 52 polyps as suspect (adenomatous) and 2 as non-suspect (hyperplastic). One villous adenoma could not be optically analyzed due to friability., Conclusion: The WavSTAT Optical Biopsy System provides accurate information to the gastroenterologist to assist in distinguishing between hyperplastic and adenomatous polyps. It is safe for the patient and does not unduly increase the time required for an endoscopic examination.

A number of new endoscopic methods have been developed recently, which aim to allow the most accurate possible viewing of the mucosa of the digestive tract. These procedures include endoscopic cytoscopy, which together with confocal endoscopy is a technique of so-called endoscopic microscopy. By means of enodcytoscopy it is possible to view "in vivo" the morphological details of the surface of the mucosa of the digestive tract. The mucosa must, however, be thoroughly cleaned and stained with methylene blue. The paper presents our own initial experience of this method, which may lead to faster and more accurate diagnosis of pre-tumorous or tumourous inflammation processes in the mucosa of the digestive tract.

Aim of the Study: The aim was to assess significance of colonoscopy in detection of inguinal hernias - dislocation of the mesh into the lumen of the large intestine, following inguinal hernia laparoscopic procedures (TAPP)., Material, Methodology and Results: From 01-01-2004 to 31-12-2006, the authors performed 3 colonoscopies in 3 subjects after TAPP inguinal hernia laparoscopic procedures. The subjects included 2 males and 1 female, 4 to 9 months after the laparoscopic procedure, colonoscopy was performed, which was indicated for the lower abdominal pain and enterorrhagia. However, no signs of a relapsing hernia were recorded. Endoscopy detected irritation and bleeding of the sigmoid, and a mesh, which passed through the intestinal wall was detec ted in the sigmoid lumen. The subjects were then reoperated and the mesh was removed. In one subject, resection of the sigmoid had to be performed as well. The subject recovered., Conclusion: The postoperative complications of the TAPP procedure included dislocation of the mesh into the intestinal lumen. Detection of the mesh dislocation into the lumen of the large intestine facilitates indication for surgical management.

The authors examined a group of 30 young people aged 19-23 years who suffered from chronic algic dyspeptic complaints of the upper type persisting for 3-36 months. The prerequisite for inclusion into the group were normal results of endoscopy, the physical finding and standard biochemical examinations. In all these patients dynamic scintigraphy of the oesophagus was made. A quite normal finding was recorded only in three patients (10%). In the remaining 27 (90%) major or minor abnormalities were recorded. This is in marked contrast with the results of dynamic scintigraphy of the oesophagus in 19 healthy volunteers of the same age. In the latter a normal finding was obtained in 15 (79%) and deviations from it only in four subjects (21%). Dynamic scintigraphy of the oesophagus is a simple easily performed method which in a selected group of patients has become an objective criterion of their chronic complaints.

The authors describe the case of a 72-year-old man who suffered from marked digestive complaints for almost 50 years. They depended on the amount of food and the composition of the diet and during the last six years they led to attacks of severe epigastrial pain and backache associated with subileous conditions. Only enteroclysis led to a diagnostic solution. It revealed a parapapillary diverticulum of the duodenum and multiple diverticulosis of the upper jejunum. CT and scintigraphy, using autologous leucocytes labelled with 99mTc indicated the possible diverticulitis. Simple dietetic and therapeutic provisions eliminated completely the painful attacks and the patient's complaints were reduced to occasional slight flatulence.

The authors present their own experience with percutaneous alcohol block of the coeliac plexus. Between April 1988 and December 1991 they used it in 22 patients. Except one patient the others suffered from severe pain of abdominal organs associated with carcinoma of the pancreas. The first four operations were made using angiography, the remainder under CT control. During evaluation of results two weeks after the intervention complete regression of pain was recorded in six patients. A partial effect was achieved in 11 patients, and the intervention failed in five patients. The intervention was repeated in four patients. The authors emphasize that the procedure is relatively simple and safe, and if successful, makes it possible to reduce or even eliminate opiates. It improves the quality of the remaining life of the patient.

The authors discuss the importance of enteroclysis in Crohn's disease. In a group of 22 patients the finding was negative only in four where the primary localization of the disease was beyond the small intestine. In the remaining patients enteroclysis either confirmed the extent of the affection assessed during irrigoscopy or more frequently revealed a more extensive affection of the small intestine than was originally assumed, provided evidence of an affection not revealed by other methods, drew attention to imminent obstruction or another serious complication and in two instances established the diagnosis. Enteroclysis in Crohn's disease is a valuable method which cannot be replaced by another examination.