Search

Acute recurrent pancreatitis (ARP) is a rare manifestation of Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasms (IPMN) of the pancreas; ARP is a relative indication for pancreatic surgery in the setting of IPMN. Endoscopic pancreatic sphincterotomy (EPS) has been described as a minimal invasive treatment to reduce the episodes of ARP secondary to mucus migration in IPMN. patients with IPMN-related ARP treated with ESP from January 2004 to December 2020 were retrospectively selected. Clinical and technical data were recorded. A clinical follow-up (minimum 12 months) was performed to assess the number of episodes of AP occurring after EPS. 25 patients were included. The mean follow-up after ESP was 93.4 months (SD± 56.6). The mean number of AP before and after EPS were respectively 3.29 (SD ± 1.04) and 0.51 (SD ± 0.71). A complete response (no further episodes of AP) and a partial response (>50% reduction of AP episodes) were obtained in 64% and 24% of the cases, respectively, with an overall response rate of 88%. One post-EPS bleeding and one minor-papilla stenosis were reported and were endoscopically managed. Two patients underwent pancreatic resection for the occurrence of high-risk stigmata for cancer progression. EPS is a safe and effective treatment to reduce the number of episodes of AP in selected patients with IPMNs-related ARP. Prospective trials are needed to confirm these data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background and aim Endoscopic full-thickness resection(EFTR) with FTRD® in colo-rectum may be useful for several indications.The aim was to assess its efficacy and safety. Material and methods In this retrospective multicenter study 114 patients were screened; 110 (61M/49F, mean age 68 ± 11 years, range 20–90) underwent EFTR using FTRD®. Indications were:residual/recurrent adenoma (39), incomplete resection at histology (R1 resection) (26), non-lifting lesion (12), adenoma involving the appendix (2) or diverticulum (2), subepithelial lesions(10), suspected T1 carcinoma (16), diagnostic resection (3). Technical success (TS: lesion reached and resected), R0 resection (negative lateral and deep margins),EFTR rate(all layers documented in the specimen) and safety have been evaluated. Results TS was achieved in 94.4% of cases. EFTR was achieved in 91% with lateral and deep R0 resection in 90% and 92%. Mean size of specimens was 20 mm (range 6–42). In residual/recurrent adenomas, final analysis revealed: low-risk T1 (11), adenoma with low-grade dysplasia (LGD) (24) and high-grade dysplasia (HGD) (3), scar tissue (1). Histology reports of R1 resections were: adenoma with LGD (6), with HGD (1), low-risk (6) and high-risk (1) T1, scar tissue (12). Non-lifting lesions were diagnosed as: adenoma with HGD (3), low-risk (7) and high risk (2) T1. Adverse clinical events occurred in 12 patients (11%),while adverse technical events in11%. Three-months follow-up was available in 100 cases and residual disease was evident in only seven patients. Conclusions EFTR using FTRD® seems to be a feasible, effective and safe technique for treating selected colo-rectal lesions. Comparative prospective studies are needed to confirm these promising results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Unsedated transnasal oesogastroduodenoscopy significantly improves patient tolerance compared to unsedated conventional peroral oesogastroduodenoscopy. Aims: To assess the adoption of transnasal oesogastroduodenoscopy among endoscopists from various European countries and its determinants. Methods: A survey was distributed to 624 endoscopists attending a live course on digestive endoscopy; a poll was also performed immediately before and after live video retransmission of a transnasal oesogastroduodenoscopy. Results: Answer rate was 48%; transnasal oesogastroduodenoscopy was practised by 31% of respondents. In multivariate analysis, practice of transnasal oesogastroduodenoscopy was associated with location in France and Netherlands (P <0.0001), availability of many gastroscopes (P <0.0001) and less frequent use of sedation (P =0.006). Endoscopists who did not practise transnasal oesogastroduodenoscopy cited doubts about its advantages over conventional oesogastroduodenoscopy and lack of training (34% each) as barriers to adoption. Seventy-four percent of endoscopists practicing transnasal oesogastroduodenoscopy did actually use it in <20% of eligible cases. Live video retransmission of a transnasal oesogastroduodenoscopy increased the proportion of endoscopists interested in this technique (P =0.006). Conclusions: Adoption of transnasal oesogastroduodenoscopy largely varies between European countries; endoscopists practicing this technique use it in a minority of eligible cases. Live case demonstration may decrease barriers to the adoption of this technique. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Aims: A multicentric observational study was performed to update the available information on reflux oesophagitis in Italy. Methods: In phase I, the number and severity of reflux oesophagitis diagnosed in 1 year (2003) were reported together with the associated endoscopic findings. In phase II, oesophagitis patients consecutively referred in a 3-month period were analysed. A multivariate analysis was used to identify the risk factors for severe oesophagitis. Results: 253,992 upper endoscopies were collected. The overall prevalence of oesophagitis was 14.8% and the endoscopic findings associated with oesophagitis were hiatus hernia (46.3%), duodenal ulcer (10.7%), gastric ulcer (3.6%) and Barrett''s oesophagus (2.9%). In phase II, 1542 reflux oesophagitis patients were analysed (60.3% males; mean age 50.7±16.6 years). Only 53.4% of patients reported heartburn and/or regurgitation as main complaint. Severe symptoms, age >50 years, hiatus hernia and male gender were identified as independent predictors of severe oesophagitis. Conclusions: Oesophagitis is the most frequent among the peptic diseases of the upper gastro-intestinal tract. Only half of the oesophagitis patients reported typical reflux symptoms as dominant. Advanced age, male gender, severe symptoms and hiatus hernia were independent risk factors for severe disease. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A 46-year-old female patient, with mild cholestasis by a large papillary cholangiocarcinoma involving the left hepatic duct, received intraluminal brachytherapy (50Gy at 1cm from the source axis) with the aim to relieve biliary obstruction without stent positioning. The patient presented with haemobilia and vegetant lesions in the left main biliary duct, and thus she had a high risk of early stent obstruction. Eighteen months after the treatment the patient presented tumour progression in the controlateral hepatic lobe, but had a patent left hepatic duct, without signs of cholestasis and/or cholangitis. Based on this and other published reports, intraluminal brachytherapy may be tested in a setting different from standard setting with the aim to safely palliate jaundice in patients with intraductal tumour growth in the biliary tract. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: It has been suggested that the occurrence of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms in association with pancreatic endocrine tumours is more frequent than expected [Goh BK, Ooi LL, Kumarasinghe MP, Tan YM, Cheow PC, Chow PK, et al. Clinicopathological features of patients with concomitant intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas and pancreatic endocrine neoplasm. Pancreatology 2006;6:520–6]. Up to now, 10 patients with concomitant intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms and pancreatic endocrine tumours have been reported [Goh BK, Ooi LL, Kumarasinghe MP, Tan YM, Cheow PC, Chow PK, et al. Clinicopathological features of patients with concomitant intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas and pancreatic endocrine neoplasm. Pancreatology 2006;6:520–6; Zhao X, Stabile BE, Mo J, Wang J, French SW. Nesidioblastosis coexisting with islet cell tumor and intraductal papillary mucinous hyperplasia. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2001;125:1344–7; Marrache F, Cazals-Hatem D, Kianmanesh R, Palazzo L, Couvelard A, O’Toole D, et al. Endocrine tumor and intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas: a fortuitous association? Pancreas 2005;31:79–83]. In most cases the synchronous existence of both tumours was incidentally discovered after the examination of the surgical specimen. We report two additional patients with intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms and pancreatic endocrine tumours, in whom both tumours were diagnosed before surgery. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: Patients with chronic abdominal pain consult gastroenterologists frequently, requiring a large number of examinations. Aim: To assess the diagnostic yield of capsule endoscopy in patients with chronic abdominal pain of unknown origin and negative diagnostic work-up. Patients: From January 2002 to September 2004, 16 patients (10 female; mean age 42.7 years) who complained of chronic abdominal pain were referred to our unit for capsule endoscopy. Methods: Chronic abdominal pain was defined as continuous or almost continuous, for at least 3 months and without criteria for other gastrointestinal disorders. All patients had a previous diagnostic work-up including abdominal ultrasonography, oesophagogastroduodenoscopy, colonoscopy and small bowel follow through, performed within 2 months. Results: Capsule endoscopy was normal in 12 patients (75%). Small bowel abnormalities were found in three patients, but were considered irrelevant. In one patient (6.3%), capsule endoscopy revealed ileal erosions and inflammation and was retained in a stricture undetected by radiology. This patient underwent elective surgery which revealed an ileal carcinoid neoplasm. Conclusions: Capsule endoscopy identified a specific cause of chronic abdominal pain in only one patient. Capsule endoscopy is a safe procedure but does not seem to play an important role in the evaluation of patients with chronic abdominal pain of unknown origin. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]