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Background: Motorized Spiral Enteroscopy (MSE) reduces procedure time and increases insertion depth into the small bowel; however, there is scarce evidence on factors affecting MSE efficacy., Aims: To evaluate diagnostic yield and adverse events of MSE including patients with prior major abdominal surgery., Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted on patients undergoing MSE from June 2019 to December 2021. Demographic characteristics, procedure time, depth of maximum insertion (DMI), technical success, diagnostic yield, and adverse events were collected., Results: Seventy-four anterograde (54.4%) and 62 retrograde (45.6%) enteroscopies were performed in 117 patients (64 males, median age 67 years). Fifty patients (42.7%) had prior major abdominal surgery. Technical success was 91.9% for anterograde and 90.3% for retrograde route. Diagnostic yield was 71.6% and 61.3%, respectively. The median DMI was 415 cm (264-585) for anterograde and 120 cm (37-225) for retrograde enteroscopy. In patients with prior major abdominal surgery, MSE showed significantly longer small bowel insertion time (38 vs 29 min, p = 0.004), with similar diagnostic yield (61 vs 71.4%, p = 0.201) and DMI (315 vs 204 cm, p = 0.226). The overall adverse event rate was 10.3% (SAE 1.5%), with no differences related to prior abdominal surgery (p = 0.598). Patients with prior surgeries directly involving the gastrointestinal tract showed lower DMI (189 vs 374 cm, p = 0.019) with equal exploration time (37.5 vs 38 min, p = 0.642) compared to those with other abdominal surgeries., Conclusions: MSE is effective and safe in patients with major abdominal surgery, although longer procedure times were observed. A lower depth of insertion was detected in patients with gastrointestinal surgery., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Laparoscopic resection is considered the treatment of choice for gastric subepithelial tumors. Occasionally, it is necessary to perform an intraoperative gastroscopy to localize the lesion. There are no data in the literature addressing the factors that can predict when a combined laparoscopic-endoscopic approach will be needed., Methods: A retrospective cohort study using a prospectively collected database was conducted. From January 2005 to December 2013, all the patients undergoing a laparoscopic gastric resection for subepithelial tumors irresectable by endoscopy were reviewed. Potential predictive factors for the need of an intraoperative endoscopy were analyzed., Results: Thirty-eight consecutive patients (22 men and 16 women) with a mean age of 67 (41-86) years underwent laparoscopic gastric resection for subepithelial tumors. Fourteen (36.8%) patients required intraoperative endoscopic assessment. The only significant factors related to the need of endoscopic assessment during surgery were tumor growth pattern (P = 0.002) and size (P = 0.001)., Conclusions: An accurate description of tumor growth pattern and size by EUS is recommended in the preoperative assessment of gastric subepithelial tumors. Small tumors (≤18 mm) with an intraluminal growth may need a combined endoscopic-assisted laparoscopic management.

Aim: To evaluate the long-term results of conventional chemoradiotherapy and laparoscopic mesorectal excision in rectal adenocarcinoma patients without adjuvant therapy., Methods: Patients with biopsy-proven adenocarcinoma of the rectum staged cT3-T4 by endoscopic ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging received neoadjuvant continuous infusion of 5-fluorouracil for five weeks and concomitant radiotherapy. Laparoscopic surgery was planned after 5-8 wk. Patients diagnosed with ypT0N0 stage cancer were not treated with adjuvant therapy according to the protocol. Patients with ypT1-2N0 or ypT3-4 or N+ were offered 5-fluorouracil-based adjuvant treatment on an individual basis. An external cohort was used as a reference for the findings., Results: One hundred and seventy six patients were treated with induction chemoradiotherapy and 170 underwent total mesorectal excision. Cancer staging of ypT0N0 was achieved in 26/170 (15.3%) patients. After a median follow-up of 58.3 mo, patients with ypT0N0 had five-year disease-free and overall survival rates of 96% (95%CI: 77-99) and 100%, respectively. We provide evidence about the natural history of patients with localized rectal cancer achieving a complete response after preoperative chemoradiation. The inherent good prognosis of these patients will have implications for clinical trial design and care of patients., Conclusion: Withholding adjuvant chemotherapy after complete response following standard neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and laparoscopic mesorectal excision might be safe within an experienced multidisciplinary team.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the restoration of gastrointestinal motility after NOTES using capsule endoscopy (CE)., Materials and Methods: Twenty adult Yorkshire pigs were randomly assigned to four groups: transgastric NOTES (gNOTES), transrectal NOTES (rNOTES), transvaginal NOTES (vNOTES), and laparoscopy (LAP). At the end of a 30-min peritoneoscopy with identification of seven predetermined organs, an array of eight receivers and the recorder were attached to the abdominal wall. The CE was delivered into the antrum with the help of an endoscope and a polypectomy snare. Animals were kept alive for 14 d., Results: Median time for surgery was longer in gNOTES (56 min, range 47-63) and vNOTES (54 min, range 44-79) than in LAP (32 min, range 32-33; P < 0.05 and P < 0.01) and in rNOTES (45.5 min, range 33-56) (P = ns). This increase was related to a larger incision and longer closure times. Images from the CE were successfully retrieved in 19 cases. The CE was retained in the stomach in all animals in gNOTES (459 min; range 360-600), but only in one animal in rNOTES and vNOTES and in none in the LAP group. Failure of passage of the CE beyond the stomach was associated with gNOTES and longer closure of the incision. Animals in the gNOTES group gained less weight than the others and this change was statistical significant when compared with vNOTES animals (1.7 kg, range -1.98 to 4.5 versus 8.4 kg, range 5.8 to 11.45; P < 0.01)., Conclusion: Gastric emptying is delayed after gNOTES peritoneoscopy compared with rNOTES, vNOTES, and LAP and this effect is associated with less weight gain., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Inflammatory changes of different NOTES approaches remain unknown. The aim of this study was to compare the inflammatory effects of NOTES and laparoscopy., Methods: Forty female pigs were assigned to transgastric, transrectal, and transvaginal NOTES and laparoscopic peritoneoscopy groups. Antiseptic technique was utilized for NOTES whereas laparoscopy was performed sterile. Intraperitoneal pressures were monitored and maintained below 15 mmH(2)O. Pneumoperitoneum was maintained with CO(2) in all groups. Pre- and postoperative blood samples of IL-6, Il-1β, and TNFα, and peritoneal fluid collected at surgery were analyzed. Animals were followed daily for 14 days. At necropsy, peritoneal fluid was collected for cytokine analysis., Results: Thirty-nine peritoneoscopies were successfully completed. The median procedure time was longer in the NOTES groups (57 min, range = 33-109) than in the laparoscopy group (33 min, range 32-36; P < 0.001); this was related to longer incision time and closure time. All 39 completed follow-up. Severe bleeding in the post-transrectal approach required early sacrifice of the remaining animal. Besides this, complications were similar among groups. At necropsy, adhesions were seen in four animals in the gastric group, five in the rectal group, two in the vaginal group, and two in the laparoscopic group (P = ns). There were no statistical differences in serum levels of TNFα among the groups. When serum TNFα values were expressed as the difference from the baseline, in the transvaginal group they were significantly lower than in the transrectal at 2 h [0.5 pg/ml (range = -14 to 59) vs. 60 pg/ml (range = -8 to 303); P = 0.041] and at 8 h [-5.5 pg/ml (range = -86 to 55] vs. 37 pg/ml (range = -30 to 62); P = 0.031]. The limitations of this study were that the analyses of IL-6 and Il-1β were not possible because most of the samples were below detectable levels, it was an animal model, and the sample size was small., Conclusion: Inflammatory parameters are similar between NOTES and laparoscopic peritoneoscopy despite longer surgery time in the NOTES group. The vaginal route seems to reduce the inflammatory stress.

Background: Infection in natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) remains controversial., Objective: To estimate the frequency of infection during NOTES peritoneoscopy with different routes of access and to compare with laparoscopy., Design: Prospective randomized controlled study (Canadian Classification type I)., Methods: Forty female pigs were randomly assigned to 3 NOTES (transgastric, transrectal, and transvaginal) and laparoscopic groups. Antiseptic technique was used for NOTES, whereas laparoscopy was performed in a sterile environment. Preoperative and postoperative intravenous antibiotics were administered. Closure of the transluminal access site was performed in all animals. Peritoneal fluid was collected for culture at the end of surgery and at necropsy at day 14., Results: Thirty-nine peritoneoscopies were successfully completed. Necropsy confirmed complete healing of NOTES incisions, but 2 animals in the laparoscopy group had small abscesses in the abdominal incisions. There were no statistical differences in the presence of peritoneal adhesions. Positive culture results were seen in all groups at the end of the procedure and in all animals at necropsy, but this did not lead to clinical signs of gross infection. The most common organisms that colonized the peritoneum were gram-positive cocci and gram-negative bacilli from the normal swine gastrointestinal flora., Limitations: Animal model and small sample size., Conclusions: In these small series of animals and with the careful lavage and preparation used, NOTES appeared to be comparable to laparoscopy in terms of peritoneal contamination and clinical infection. Despite the adherence to a strict antiseptic protocol, peritoneal contamination occurs but does not lead to septic complications in the swine., (Copyright © 2011 AAGL. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Many patients who undergo bariatric surgery develop postoperative gastrointestinal complications that can require upper gastrointestinal endoscopy., Objective: To prospectively describe the gastrointestinal complications diagnosed by endoscopy after bariatric surgery., Patients and Methods: We followed up patients undergoing laparoscopic bariatric surgery between January 1998 and December 2006. The following data were recorded: age, sex, body mass index, comorbidity, type and duration of bariatric surgery, clinical presentation of complications, time of presentation, endoscopic treatment and follow-up., Results: A total of 474 patients underwent surgery (74% women, 26% men) with a mean age of 44±11 years (range, 15-66) and a mean BMI of 47±7 (range, 33-82). The most frequent surgical procedure was Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (90%). We identified 68 complications (14%) requiring upper gastrointestinal endoscopy: anastomotic stenosis (21 cases, 5%), upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage (16 cases, 3.6%), epigastric pain (12 cases, 2.5%), vomiting (7 cases, 1.5%), heartburn (6 cases, 1.3%) and other (6 cases, 1.3%). No prognostic factor for the development of complications requiring postsurgical endoscopy was identified., Conclusions: Anastomotic stenosis is the most common complication requiring endoscopic treatment after bariatric surgery. Upper gastrointestinal bleeding in the immediate and late postoperative period can be safely and effectively treated with endoscopic techniques., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.)