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Background and Aims: Chronic appendicitis is a condition with chronic abdominal pain or mild attacks of appendicitis, seriously affecting the patient's quality of life. Endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy (ERAT) has emerged as a promising, non-invasive treatment for acute uncomplicated appendicitis. Here, we aim to assess the safety and efficacy of ERAT for chronic fecalith appendicitis., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of consecutive patients who underwent ERAT for chronic fecalith appendicitis at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China between December 2017 and June 2023. Clinicopathological characteristics, procedure-related parameters, AEs, and follow-up outcomes were analyzed., Results: A total of 60 patients were included. ERAT intubation was successfully performed in all patients (100%). The median procedure time was 15 min (IQR, 12-25 min). The postoperative abdominal pain scores were significantly reduced (P < 0.0001). Short-term adverse events included 5 cases of abdominal pain (8.3%) and 2 cases of fever (3.3%). Long-term adverse events included recurrent abdominal pain in 3 cases (5.0%) and recurrent appendicitis in 2 cases (3.3%). The median time to recurrence was 5 months (IQR, 2-12 months). Logistic regression analysis revealed appendiceal stenosis (OR 25.000, 95% CI 1.114-561.281, P = 0.043) and distorted appendix lumen (OR 12.500, 95% CI 1.373-113.806, P = 0.025) as significant risk factors for long-term adverse events., Conclusions: ERAT may be a safe, effective and minimally invasive alternative approach for chronic fecalith appendicitis. Appendix lumen stenosis and distortion are risk factors of recurrence. Further large-scale prospective studies are necessary to assess the efficacy and safety of ERAT compared with antibiotic therapy and surgery., Competing Interests: Declarations. Disclosures: Drs. Li-Yun Ma, Jian-Wei Hu, Xian-Li Cai, Zu-Qiang Liu, Yun-Shi Zhong, Sheng-Li Lin, Tian-Yin Chen, Si-Lun Cai, Yi-Qun Zhang, Wei-Feng Chen, Li–Li Ma, Ming-Yan Cai, Wen-Zheng Qin, Xiao Ma, Quan-Lin Li, and Ping-Hong Zhou have no conflict of interest or financial ties to disclose., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Transcolonic endoscopic appendectomy (TEA) is rapidly evolving and has been reported as a minimally invasive alternative to appendectomy. We aimed to characterize the feasibility and safety of a novel unassisted single-channel TEA., Method: We retrospectively investigated 23 patients with appendicitis or appendiceal lesions who underwent TEA from February 2016 to December 2022. We collected clinicopathological characteristics, procedure‑related parameters, and follow‑up data and analyzed the impact of previous abdominal surgery and traction technique., Results: The mean age was 56.0 years. Of the 23 patients with appendiceal lesions, fourteen patients underwent TEA and nine underwent traction-assisted TEA (T-TEA). Eight patients (34.8%) had previous abdominal surgery. The En bloc resection rate was 95.7%. The mean procedure duration was 91.1 ± 45.5 min, and the mean wound closure time was 29.4 ± 18.6 min. The wounds after endoscopic appendectomy were closed with clips (21.7%) or a combination of clip closure and endoloop reinforcement (78.3%), and the median number of clips was 7 (range, 3-15). Three patients (13.0%) experienced major adverse events, including two delayed perforations (laparoscopic surgery) and one infection (salvage endoscopic suture). During a median follow-up of 23 months, no residual or recurrent lesions were observed, and no recurrence of abdominal pain occurred. There were no significant differences between TEA and T-TEA groups and between patients with and without abdominal surgery groups in each factor., Conclusion: Unassisted single-channel TEA for patients with appendiceal lesions has favorable short- and long-term outcomes. TEA can safely and effectively treat appendiceal disease in appropriately selected cases., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background and Aim: Endoscopic resection (ER) has been used to remove submucosal tumors (SMTs) in recent years; however, duodenal ER is associated with high rates of immediate or delayed bleeding and perforation. Whether ER can be recommended for the treatment of duodenal SMTs remains controversial. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the clinical outcomes associated with the ER of duodenal SMTs and to assess possible predictive factors for complications and incomplete resection., Methods: This retrospective study included 141 patients with duodenal SMTs. The therapeutic outcomes from ER and procedure-related complications were analyzed., Results: Of the 141 patients, 78.7% achieved complete resection and nine (6.4%) developed complications. The multivariate analysis suggested that location near the duodenal papilla (P = 0.010) and diameter exceeding 15 mm (P = 0.091) of duodenal SMTs were independent risk factors for complications in ER. Besides, submucosal fibrosis (P = 0.042), location near the duodenal papilla (P = 0.049), and irregular morphology (P = 0.067) were independent risk factors for incomplete resection., Conclusions: ER can be recommended as an effective and minimally invasive treatment for duodenal SMTs., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of endoscopic resection and various suturing methods to treat non-ampullary duodenal submucosal tumors (NAD-SMTs)., Design: We performed a retrospective observational study of patients with NAD-SMTs who underwent endoscopic resection at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, China, between June 2017 and December 2020. Data on patient characteristics, treatments and follow-up results were collected. The association between clinicopathologic characteristics and different suturing methods or adverse events were analyzed., Results: Of 128 patients analyzed, 26 underwent endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), 64 underwent endoscopic submucosal excavation (ESE), and 38 underwent endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR). EMR and ESR are both appropriate for non-full-thickness lesions, whereas ESE is more appropriate for tumors located in the bulb or descending duodenum. Gastric tube drainage is more strongly recommended after ESE. Satisfactory suturing is also vital endoscopic resection of NAD-SMTs. Metallic clips are often used in EMR or ESE of non-full-thickness lesions. The pathological findings revealed that the full-thickness lesions were predominantly gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), Brunner's tumor or lipoma, and the surgeons usually used purse-string sutures to close the wounds. The operation time was longer for purse-string suture closure than metallic clip closure. Eleven patients had complications. Risk factors for adverse events included large-diameter tumor (≥ 2 cm), location in the descending part of the duodenum, involvement of the fourth layer of the duodenal wall, EFTR, and GIST., Conclusions: Endoscopic resection of NAD-SMTs is effective but is associated with a high incidence of complications due to their anatomical peculiarities. Preoperative diagnosis is quite important. Careful selection of treatment and suturing methods are necessary to reduce the risk of adverse effects. Given the increased frequency of severe complications during or following duodenal endoscopic resection, this procedure should be performed by experienced endoscopists., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Backgrounds: Esophageal gastrointestinal stromal tumors (E-GISTs) are extremely rare and surgical resection is the recommended approach. However, surgical resection usually causes severe trauma that may result in significant postoperative morbidity. Endoscopic resection (ER) has developed rapidly in recent years and has been widely used in gastrointestinal lesions. Nevertheless, the feasibility and efficacy of ER in the management of E-GISTs are unknown., Methods: Retrospective data were collected from January 2011 to December 2020 in a large tertiary center of China. Twenty-eight patients with E-GISTs treated by ER were included in the study., Results: Of the 28 patients, there were 21 males and 7 females, with a median age of 55 years (40-70 years). The median tumor size was 15 mm (5-80 mm). The technical success rate was 100% (28/28), while the en bloc resection rate was 96.4% (27/28). The median operation time was 35 min (10-410 min). Sixteen (57.2%) tumors were categorized into very low risk group, six (21.4%) into low risk group, and six (21.4%) into high risk group. Pathologists carefully examined margins of each lesion. There were 11 lesions (39.3%) determined as R0 resection and 17 lesions (60.7%) as R1 resection with positive margins. The median hospital stay was 2 days (range, 1-8 days). One patient suffered from hydrothorax and required drainage, leading to a major adverse event rate of 3.6% (1/28). There was no conversion to surgery, and no death occurred within 30 days after the procedure. Imatinib was given to two patients after ER under multidisciplinary team surveillance. During follow-up (median of 54 months, 9-122 months), no recurrences or metastasis were observed., Conclusion: ER is safe and effective for E-GISTs and might become an optional choice in the future. Multicenter, prospective, large samples with long-term follow-up studies are still needed., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background and Aims: Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is a promising endoscopic technique for achalasia. We aimed to establish a regression model and develop a simple nomogram to predict the technical difficulty of POEM in a single center with large volume cases., Methods: 3385 achalasia patients treated with POEM were included, and the technical difficulty was systemically evaluated. All of them were randomized into the training cohort (n = 1693) or internal validation cohort (n = 1692). Then, the prediction model and nomogram were proposed based on multivariate logistic regression analysis in the training cohort and assessed in the validation cohort., Results: Of 3385 patients, technical difficulty happened in 417 (12.32%) cases. In the training stage, six factors were weighted based on the β coefficient from the regression model, including age, disease duration, sigmoid esophagus, mucosal edema, submucosal fibrosis, and tunnel length. The patients were categorized into low-risk (< 0.1), medium-risk (0.1-0.25), and high-risk (> = 0.25) groups. Our score model performed satisfying discrimination with the areas under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.743 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.701-0.785) and calibration with goodness of fit in the Hosmer-Lemeshow test (P = 0.088) in internal validation., Conclusions: The prediction model and nomogram demonstrated good performance in predicting the technical difficulty of POEM., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Submucosal tunneling endoscopic resection (STER) has been widely applied for esophageal submucosal tumors. This large volume study aims to provide a standard landscape of STER-related AEs for reference., Methods: 1701 patients with esophageal SMTs undergoing STER were included at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University. Data of clinical characteristics and adverse events were collected and analyzed in depth. Adverse events were recorded by ASGE lexicon and graded by ASGE grading/Clavien-Dindo system. Risk factors for major AEs were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression., Results: Three hundred and twenty (18.8%) patients with 962 cases of adverse events were observed. Accordingly, 84 (5.0%) were classified as major AEs (moderate and severe) by ASGE grading and 37 (2.2%) were classified as major AEs (grades III-V) by Clavien-Dindo grading. First 1 year operation, distance > 6 cm from incision to tumor, piecemeal resection, partially extraluminal location, mucosal injury, and operation time > 60 min were included in the risk score model for major AEs of STER, with 57.1% sensitivity and 87.5% specificity., Conclusions: STER was a safe procedure for diagnosis and treatment of esophageal SMTs with a total 18.8% incidence of AEs, among which only 5.0% were major AEs requiring therapeutic measurements., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background and Aims: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are mostly seen in the stomach. Clinical data on GISTs ≤ 2 cm with > 5 mitosis/50 HPFs are limited. This study aimed to analyze small GISTs with high histological grades to gain a more comprehensive understanding of their clinical characteristics with long-term follow-up., Methods: This was a nested cohort study of patients with gastric GISTs ≤ 2 cm and > 5 mitosis/50 HPFs. Individuals with endoscopically resected gastric specimens diagnosed as GISTs between January 2008 and July 2019 were enrolled. We analyzed baseline clinicopathological characteristics, perioperative characteristics, risk of recurrence, and metastasis during follow-up., Results: A total of 55 patients diagnosed with gastric GISTs ≤ 2 cm and > 5 mitosis/50 HPFs were enrolled. The mean tumor size was 1.6 ± 0.4 cm (median 1.7 cm, range 0.8-2.0 cm). ESD was performed in 33 patients (60.0%) and EFTR in 22 patients (40.0%). Mean mitotic figures were 8.9/50 HPFs. Postoperative bleeding in one patient (1.8%) was the only severe adverse event. The mean follow-up period was 61.2 ± 33.9 months (median 53 months, range 13-133 months). Five patients (5/55, 9.1%) received additional therapies, including partial gastrectomy and adjuvant Imatinib. Only two patients (2/55, 3.6%) showed signs of recurrence. We observed no significant difference regarding baseline clinical characteristics and recurrence among GISTs with mitosis < 10/50 HPF and ≥ 10/50 HPF. No patient had signs of metastasis during follow-up., Conclusion: Endoscopic resection of gastric GISTs ≤ 2 cm with > 5 mitosis/50 HPFs has a low risk of recurrence and metastasis in the long term. Endoscopic resection of GISTs is safe and feasible., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a prominent minimally invasive operative technique for treating early gastrointestinal tumors but can result in postoperative bleeding. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to determine whether increasing blood pressure under hemostasis during gastric ESD to identify potential bleeding spots reduces the risk of post-ESD bleeding., Methods: In this randomized, controlled, single-blinded clinical trial, 309 patients with early gastric cancer who were admitted to a hospital to undergo ESD were recruited from March 2017 to February 2018 and were randomized into intervention and control groups. In the control group, patients underwent normal ESD. In the intervention group, we increased patients' blood pressure to 150 mmHg for 5 min using a norepinephrine pump (0.05 μg/kg/min initial dose) after the specimen was extracted during the ESD operation to identify and coagulate potential bleeding spots with hot biopsy forceps. Our primary outcome was the incidence of postoperative bleeding over 60-day follow-up., Results: The incidence of post-ESD bleeding was lower in the intervention group (1.3%, 2/151) than in the control group (10.1%, 16/158, p = 0.01). Deeper tumor invasion was associated with a higher risk of post-ESD bleeding (5.3% in mucosal/submucosal layer 1 group vs. 12.5% in submucosal layer 2/muscularis propria group, p < 0.001). Multi-factor but not univariate analysis showed that proton pump inhibitor administration three times per day may be a better choice than twice per day., Conclusion: Increasing blood pressure under hemostasis during ESD to identify and coagulate potential bleeding spots could reduce the risk of delayed bleeding after gastric ESD., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC part of Springer Nature.)

Background: The surgery for esophageal cancer arising after prior gastrectomy is technically difficult with high morbidity and mortality. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a minimally invasive endoscopic treatment for superficial SCC with high curative resection rate. But few studies are concerned about ESD under these circumstances. The aim of this study was to elucidate the short- and long-term outcomes of ESD for superficial esophageal squamous cell cancer (SCC) in patients with prior gastrectomy., Methods: From January 2009 to January 2019, 37 patients with prior gastrectomy who underwent ESD for superficial esophageal SCC were retrospectively enrolled at the Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University in Shanghai, China. Rates of en bloc resection, complete resection, curative resection, incidence of postoperative bleeding, perforation and postoperative stricture were evaluated as short-term outcomes. Overall survival, and local recurrence-free survival were evaluated as long-term outcomes., Results: The rate of en bloc resection, complete resection and curative resection were 94.6%, 86.5% and 78.4%, respectively. No perforation was observed. 1 (2.7%) patient experienced postoperative bleeding. During the median observation of 43 months, 3 (8.6%) patients experienced esophageal stricture, successfully managed by balloon dilation. 3(8.6%) patients had local recurrence after ESD with 5-year local recurrence-free survival rate of 91.4%. During the observation period, 4 patients died of other reasons. The 1, 3, 5-year overall survival rates were 97.1%, 97.1% and 91.4%., Conclusions: The short-term outcomes indicate ESD is technically difficult with lower resection completeness in patients after gastrectomy, while the long-term outcomes are rather favorable.

Background: Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is a safe and effective approach for achalasia. However, the safety, feasibility, perioperative and long-term efficacy in treating geriatric patients has not been well evaluated., Methods: Data of 2367 patients diagnosed with achalasia and treated with POEM in the Endoscopy Center, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University from August 2010 to December 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Last follow-up was in December 2018. Propensity score matching based on baseline characteristics was used to adjust for confounding. With a caliper of 0.01 in propensity scoring, 139 patients aged ≥ 65 years were matched at a 1:2 ratio with 275 patients aged < 65 years. Perioperative complications and long-term outcomes were compared between the two groups., Results: After propensity score matching, the two groups had similar baseline clinical characteristics and distribution of propensity scores. The mean age was 70.22 years in geriatric patients and 42.02 in younger patients. Technical failure occurred in one geriatric and one non-geriatric patients (p = 0.485). The procedural time in geriatric patients was similar to younger patients [50 (interquartile range (IQR) 36-76) vs. 50 (IQR 36-70) min, p = 0.398]. There were also no significant differences in major perioperative adverse events (2.88% vs. 2.18%, p = 0.663) and hospitalization length (median 3 vs. 3 days, p = 0.488). During a median follow-up period of 41 months (IQR 26-60), mean decrease in Eckardt score and pressure of the LES were 6.63 and 11.9 mmHg in geriatric patients, which were similar to the change in non-geriatric patients (6.49 and 11.6 mmHg, p = 0.652 and 0.872, respectively). Clinical reflux occurred in 23.53% geriatric patients and 21.59% non-geriatric patients (p = 0.724). 5-year success rate of 92.94% was achieved in geriatric patients and 92.61% in younger patients (log-rank p = 0.737)., Conclusions: POEM is a safe and reliable treatment in geriatric achalasia patients with confirmed short-term and long-term efficacy compared with those in non-geriatric patients.

Background: The endoscopic resection of gastrointestinal mesenchymal tumors (GIMTs) is widely accepted because of its minimal invasiveness. However, one major concern is the high rate of positive microscopic margins remaining following endoscopic resection, which was thought to be related to a higher risk of recurrence. This study aimed to determine whether positive margins affect the recurrence rate of gastric GIMTs and the factors associated with positive margins., Methods: Patients with gastric GIMTs were recruited retrospectively from January 2008 to December 2013. Clinical and pathological features, endoscopic procedure information, and follow-up data were collected and analyzed., Results: The study included 777 patients. All tumors were removed along with the pseudocapsule without macroscopic residual (ER0), and the median tumor size was 15.2 mm (range 3-100 mm). Pathological evaluation revealed 371(47.7%) GISTs. The rate of microscopic R1 resection rate was 47.0% (443/777). In a stepwise multivariate analysis, a significantly increased incidence of R1 resection was recorded for the GISTs (OR 11.13, 95% CI 3.00-41.37). In a subgroup analysis of GISTs, a univariate analysis revealed that EFTR achieved a higher rate of R0 resection (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.31-1.00), but it was proven insignificant in a stepwise multivariate analysis. Local recurrence occurred in two patients (0.3%) during a mean follow-up time of 34.2 months. Differences in the recurrence rates between the R0 and R1 groups were statistically insignificant (P = 0.841)., Conclusions: R1 resection for gastric GIMTs is not related to a higher recurrence rate than R0 resection, and ER0 resection is sufficient for gastric GIMTs.

Background: Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is a minimally invasive yet challenging procedure for achalasia. Additional technological innovations and improvements are important for simplifying the procedure., Methods: We report the successful use of a modified POEM procedure, which utilized a "Push and Pull" technique, on a patient with achalasia., Results: Our modifications resulted in a short operation time of only 35 min. No complications arose during or after the procedure, up to a follow-up period of 6 months, and symptoms were significantly and quickly improved., Conclusions: This modified procedure shortens operation time and lowers the difficulty of the operation, while leaving the safety and efficacy uncompromised.

Background: Endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR) is a minimally invasive method for en bloc resection of gastrointestinal (GI) lesions originating from the muscularis propria layer. Successful closure of the wall defect is a critical step., Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of a novel and simplified endoscopic grasp-and-loop (GAL) closure method using an endo-loop assisted with grasping forceps for defect closure., Methods: From January 2015 to March 2016, 13 patients with submucosal tumors (SMTs) originating from the muscularis propria (MP) layer underwent EFTR and were enrolled in this study. After successful tumor resection, an endo-loop was anchored onto the circumferential margin of the gastric defect with grasping forceps assistance and tightened gently. Patient characteristics, tumor size, en bloc resection, and postoperative complications were evaluated., Results: Of the 13 lesions in the stomach, two were located in the greater curvature of the mid-upper body, 11 were located in the fundus. The endoscopic GAL closure method was successfully performed after EFTR in all the 13 patients without laparoscopic assistance. The mean procedure time was 43.5 min (range 20-80 min), while the GAL closure procedure took a mean of 9.4 min (range 3-18 min). The mean resected lesion size was 1.5 cm (range 0.5-3.5 cm). Pathological diagnoses of these lesions were 11 gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) and two leiomyomas. No major adverse events occurred during or after the procedure. All the patients were discharged after a mean time of 2.4 days (range 1-4 days). No residual lesion or tumor recurrence was found during the follow-up period (median, 5 months; range, 1-15 months)., Conclusions: The endoscopic GAL closure method is feasible, effective, and safe for closing the gastric defect after EFTR in patients.

Background: An increasing number of studies have been conducted on the use of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided needle sampling for upper gastrointestinal subepithelial lesions (SEL). However, reported diagnostic efficacy varies greatly., Objective: To summarize up current evidences on the diagnostic efficacy of EUS-guided needle sampling for upper GI SEL., Method: A reproducible strategy was used to search four databases. Search results were evaluated for eligibility, and the quality of eligible studies was assessed by QUADAS-2. Pooled efficacy of EUS-guided needle sampling in upper GI SEL was calculated. Procedure-related complications, diagnostic errors, and independent factors related to a higher success rate were also recorded and analyzed., Results: Seventeen studies, comprising 978 attempts of EUS-guided needle sampling, were included in a meta-analysis. Pooled diagnostic rate of EUS-guided needle sampling was 59.9 %, with a heterogeneity I (2) of 55.2 %. Subgroup analysis showed no difference in diagnostic rate among fine needle aspiration (FNA), trucut needle biopsy (TCB), and fine needle biopsy (FNB), or among 19-, 22-, and 25-G needles. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression suggested that the cell block method might be correlated with a higher diagnostic rate. Few severe complications were reported. Diagnosis errors were rare., Conclusion: EUS-guided needle sampling is a safe, but only moderately effective method for pathology diagnosis of upper GI SEL. Choice of FNA/TCB/FNB, or 19 G/22 G/25 G does not seem to alter the overall diagnostic rate.

Background: Submucosal tunneling endoscopic resection (STER) can be adequately adopted as an effective treatment for submucosal tumors (SMTs) originating from the muscularis propria (MP) layer at the esophagus and cardia. However, it has been seldom used for gastric SMTs. Our purpose was to evaluate the clinical impact of STER for gastric SMTs arising from the MP layer., Methods: Thirty-two patients with gastric SMTs from the MP layer were retrospectively included. The main outcome measurements were complete resection rate, adverse events, local recurrence, and distant metastases during follow-up., Results: Of the 32 lesions, 12 were located in the gastric corpus close to the cardia, 3 in the gastric fundus close to the cardia, 6 in the lesser curvature of the gastric corpus, and 11 in the greater curvature of the gastric antrum. STER was successfully performed in all patients with en bloc resection of tumors. The mean tumor size was 2.3 cm (range 1.0-5.0 cm). The complete resection rate was 100%. The operation time ranged from 25 to 125 min (mean 51.8 min). All complications related to STER were successfully managed with conservative treatments. Local recurrence or distant metastasis did not occur during a follow-up period of 6-32 months., Conclusion: STER is a safe and effective therapeutic strategy for eligible gastric SMTs originating from the MP layer. Submucosal tunneling in the stomach may be more challenging than that in the esophagus, but does not increase procedure-related adverse events or prevent successful STER for eligible gastric SMTs.

Background: The sigmoid-shaped esophagus is considered to be the advanced stage of achalasia, in which the esophageal lumen is significantly dilated, swerved, and rotated. In consideration of the efficacy of peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) for early achalasia, it may also offer another option for the treatment of advanced achalasia with sigmoid-shaped esophagus. Our purpose was to evaluate the feasibility and long-term efficacy of POEM for patients with sigmoid-type achalasia., Methods: 32 consecutive patients with sigmoid-type achalasia (S1 type in 29 patients and S2 type in 3 patients) were prospectively included. Primary outcome was symptom relief during follow-up, defined as an Eckardt score ≤3. Secondary outcomes were procedure-related adverse events, the resting lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure, clinical reflux complications, and procedure-related parameters., Results: All cases received POEM successfully. The mean operation time was 63.7 min (range 22-130 min). No serious complications related to POEM were encountered. During a mean follow-up period of 30.0 months (range 24-44 months), treatment success was achieved e in 96.8% of cases (mean score pre- vs. post-treatment 7.8 vs. 1.4; P < 0.001). Mean LES pressure also decreased from a mean of 37.9 to 12.9 mmHg after POEM (P < 0.001). One patient experienced only partial symptom relief and additional balloon dilations were carried out to relief the symptoms twice. The overall clinical reflux complication rate of POEM for sigmoid-type achalasia was 25.8%., Conclusion: The 2-year outcomes of POEM for advanced achalasia with sigmoid-shaped esophagus were excellent, resulting in long-term symptom relief in over 96% cases and without serious complications. The morphological changes of esophagus may make subsequent endoscopic tunneling more challenging and time-consuming, but do not prevent successful POEM.

The main cause of death in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) patients is tumor metastasis; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. In the present study, a novel metastasis-related gene, fibrinogen-like protein 2 (FGL2), was characterized for its role in CRC metastasis and underlying molecular mechanisms. The clinical significance of FGL2 was investigated using tissue microarray analysis of samples from 82 patients with CRC. The molecular effects of FGL2 in CRC cells were determined using RNA interference and ectopic expression of FGL2. The overexpression of FGL2 was examined by immunohistochemistry in 82 CRC patients, and it was determined to be an independent predictor of overall survival (P < 0.05). The depletion of FGL2 expression inhibited tumor progression and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in vitro and in vivo, while ectopic overexpression of FGL2 enhanced cell invasion and induced EMT in vitro. Our results suggest that FGL2 plays an important oncogenic role in CRC aggressiveness by inducing EMT, and FGL2 could be employed as a novel prognostic marker and effective therapeutic target for CRC.

Background: The esophagogastric junction (EGJ) is a difficult location for endoscopic resection due to its narrow lumen and sharp angle. Potential increased risks of perforation and mediastinal infection exist, especially for submucosal tumors (SMTs) originating from the muscularis propria (MP) layer. We previously demonstrated the safety and efficacy of submucosal tunneling endoscopic resection (STER) for upper gastrointestinal SMTs, but the feasibility of STER for the removal of SMTs at the EGJ requires systematic investigation. The aim of the investigation was to evaluate the clinical impact of STER on the removal of SMTs at the EGJ., Methods: A prospective study was carried out which included a consecutive cohort of 57 patients who underwent STER for 57 SMTs of the EGJ originating from the MP layer between July 2010 and August 2012 in a single academic medical center. Adverse events, en bloc resection rate, and local recurrence were evaluated., Results: The average maximum diameter of the lesions was 21.5 mm (range 6-35 mm). The en bloc resection rate was 100 % (57/57). No delayed hemorrhage or severe adverse events occurred in any of the 57 patients following STER. No local recurrence and distant metastasis occurred during 24 months' follow-up. Less subcutaneous emphysema and pneumomediastinum absorption time (p = 0.005) occurred with CO2 versus air insufflations., Conclusions: Our study showed that STER was safe and effective, provided accurate histopathologic evaluation, and was curative for SMTs of the deep MP layers at the EGJ. CO2 gas insufflation is recommended.

Background: Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) has recently been introduced as a promising alternative to laparoscopic Heller myotomy for idiopathic achalasia. Several proposed technical modifications are yet to be tested in randomized trials., Objective: The objective of our study was to evaluate efficacy and safety of water-jet (WJ) assisted POEM versus the conventional (C) technique. The clinical trial registration number is NCT01742494., Methods: A prospective randomized trial was carried out in Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University (Shanghai, China), in 100 consenting achalasia patients between August 2011 and April 2012. Patients eligible for POEM were randomized to use of either the HybridKnife (WJ group) or the conventional technique using injection and triangle tip knife interchangeably (C group)., Results: A total of 100 patients with comparable characteristics between groups were included. Procedure time was significantly shorter for the WJ group (22.9 ± 6.7 vs. 35.9 ± 11.7 min; p < 0.0001), mostly due to less replacement of accessories (2.0 ± 2.4 vs. 19.2 ± 7.6; p < 0.0001). Injection volume was larger in the WJ group (45.3 ± 10.2 vs. 35.2 ± 9.5 ml; p < 0.0001) and was associated with fewer minor bleeding episodes (3.6 ± 1.8 vs. 6.8 ± 5.2; p < 0.0001). No severe complications occurred; one case of cutaneous emphysema occurred in the WJ group, and four cases occurred in the C group (p = 0.17), three cases of pneumonia were encountered in the C group and none in the WJ group (p = 0.24). Treatment success (Eckardt score ≤3) was achieved in 96.5 % of patients, with no significant differences between groups., Conclusions: The use of the HybridKnife leads to a significant decrease in POEM procedure time and facilitates reinjection, possibly contributing to a lower rate of minor intra-procedural bleeding.

Background: This study was designed to evaluate the clinical efficacy, safety, and feasibility of endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFR) for gastric submucosal tumors (SMTs) originated from the muscularis propria., Methods: Twenty-six patients with gastric SMTs originated from the muscularis propria were treated by EFR between July 2007 and January 2009. EFR technique consists of five major procedures: (1) injecting normal saline into the submucosa and precutting the mucosal and submucosal layer around the lesion; (2) a circumferential incision as deep as muscularis propria around the lesion by the endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) technique; (3) incision into serosal layer around the lesion with Hook knife; (4) completion of full-thickness incision to the tumor including the serosal layer with Hook, IT, or snare by gastroscopy without laparoscopic assistance; (5) closure of the gastric-wall defect with metallic clips., Results: EFR was successfully performed in all 26 patients without laparoscopic assistance. The complete resection rate was 100%, and the mean operation time was 105 (range, 60-145) min. The mean resected lesion size was 2.8 (range, 1.2-4.5) cm. Pathological diagnosis of these lesions included gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) (16/26), leiomyomas (6/26), glomus tumors (3/26), and Schwannoma (1/26). No gastric bleeding, peritonitis sign, or abdominal abscess occurred after EFR. No lesion residual or recurrence was found during the follow-up period (mean, 8 months; range, 6-24 months)., Conclusions: EFR seems to be an efficacious, safe, and minimally invasive treatment for patients with gastric SMT, which makes it possible to resect deep gastric lesion and provide precise pathological diagnosis of it. With the development of EFR, the indication of endoscopic resection may be expanded.

Background: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a new, widely accepted method for the treatment of early gastric cancer and was developed to increase the en bloc resection rate. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ESD compared with conventional endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) for small rectal carcinoid tumors., Methods: A retrospective study was carried out that included 43 patients with small rectal carcinoid tumors (< 10 mm). The cohort comprised two groups: Group A (N = 23) underwent conventional EMR from January 2004 to August 2005, while group B (N = 20) underwent ESD with needle-knife from September 2005 to December 2006. The rate of curative en bloc resection, the procedure time, and the incidence of complications were evaluated., Results: The en bloc resection rate and the rate of completeness of resection of group B were higher than those of group A (100 vs. 87%, 100 vs. 52.5%, respectively). The average operation time required for resection was significantly longer in group B (28.4 ± 17.2 min) compared with group A (12.3 ± 15.4 min) (p < 0.05). None of the patients had immediate or delayed bleeding during the procedure. Perforation occurred in one case of group B and the patient recovered after several days of conservative treatment. Three patients had local recurrence after EMR, while no patient experienced recurrence after ESD., Conclusion: ESD, compared with conventional EMR, increased en bloc and histologically complete resection rates and may reduce local recurrence rate for small rectal carcinoid tumors. Increased operation time and complication risks with ESD remain problematic. Further technique and investigation are required to confirm the safety and to assess the long-term prognosis of ESD.