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Endoscopic ultrasound-guided liver biopsy is increasingly being performed at several centers. It is also being promoted at endoscopy conferences. The currently available literature does not support the routine use of endoscopic ultrasound-guided liver biopsy as results are either inferior or comparable to percutaneous liver biopsy. We discuss the technical limitations of endoscopic ultrasound-guided liver biopsy when compared to percutaneous liver biopsy and the comparative studies in the current review. The routine use of endoscopic ultrasound-guided liver biopsy should be discouraged as it may get less tissue, the complication rate is similar and it is more costly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metastatic pancreatic leiomyosarcoma is a rare entity. EUS FNA supplemented with cell block and IHC can accurately diagnose metastatic deposits in pancreas and guide patient management. Spindle cell lesions of pancreas are reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Etiology of acute pancreatitis (AP) remains idiopathic in 30% of patients. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has been shown to increase the diagnostic yield in patients with idiopathic AP (IAP). Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of EUS in achieving etiological diagnosis in patients with IAP. Materials and Methods: Consecutive 192 patients with IAP were evaluated prospectively with EUS over a period of 2 years. Patients who had no etiological diagnosis for AP after detailed history, clinical examination, laboratory investigations, and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography were included in the study. Results: The mean age of patients was 34.6 ± 12 and male:female ratio was 2.1:1. Of these, 135 patients had gallbladder intact (Group A) and 57 patients had undergone cholecystectomy (Group B). In Group A, EUS identified a possible cause in 79 (58.5%) patients; microlithiasis (n = 48), chronic pancreatitis (CP) (n = 23), common bile duct (CBD) and gallbladder stone (n = 3), pancreatic divisum (n = 3), small pancreatic tumor (n = 1), and anomalous pancreaticobiliary junction (n = 1). In Group B, EUS yielded diagnosis in 28 (49.1%) patients; CP (n = 22), ascariasis (n = 3), CBD stone (n = 2), and pancreatic divisum (n = 1). Overall EUS helped in achieving etiological diagnosis in 107 (55.1%) of patients with IAP. The presence of intact gallbladder showed a tendency for increased diagnostic yield (P = 0.06). Conclusion: EUS is a useful modality to establish the diagnosis in IAP and this technique should be incorporated in the evaluation of IAP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is very limited literature on results of fine needle aspiration (FNA) of small (defined as ≤1 cm at long and short axis) lymph nodes, particularly in the setting of pyrexia of unknown origin (PUO). Methods: The study was conducted from July 2014 to December 2015 at a tertiary care center. A total of 34 endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided FNAs in 33 patients were done for lymph nodes =1 cm at long and short axis and these were included in the analysis. Results: The study cohort comprised 33 patients; 23 males and 10 females, mean age of 58 ± 12 years. Indication of FNA was to look for malignancy (n = 15), PUO (n = 16), unexplained weight loss (n = 1), and presence of lymphadenopathy in prospective liver donor (n = 1). The FNA was taken from mediastinal nodes (n = 20, 14 subcarinal) and abdominal (n = 14, 8 at porta). The mean size of lymph nodes was 87 ± 11 mm at large axis and 68 ± 17 mm at short axis. A total of 3 (8.8%) FNAs were nondiagnostic (inadequate material). The cytopathologic diagnosis was malignancy in 8 (23.5%), granulomatous change in 8 (23.5%), and reactive lymphadenopathy in 15 (44.1%). Thus, EUS-guided FNA of these small nodes changed the management decisions in 44% of cases (one patient had tubercular lymphadenopathy at two sites). The 22-gauge EUS FNA needle was used in majority of patients (n = 26). There was no significant difference between pathologic (malignant and granulomatous) and reactive lymph nodes regarding size at long or short axis, ratio of long and short axis, hypoechogenicity, and sharply defined borders. Conclusion: EUS-guided FNA of small lymph nodes showed pathological enlargement in 44% of cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 59-year-old male was diagnosed as carcinoma gallbladder around 1 year back and underwent radical cholecystectomy. He also received four cycles of chemotherapy. Now, he complained upper abdominal heaviness; positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) was done which showed PET-avid 8.5 mm sized lymph node at aortocaval region. There was no safe route, so endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) was advised. However, FNA was not possible without crossing inferior vena cava and further management depended on FNA report. The EUS-FNA was done, and cytopathological smears were consistent with metastatic adenocarcinoma. There was no complication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of a 41-year-old man diagnosed with leishmaniasis presented as isolated mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Topics discussed include the medical history of the patient, his medical examination, and treatment options. Information about the disease and the safety of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration is also provided.