Inconsistencies in Colonic Tattooing Practice: Differences in Reported and Actual Practices at a Tertiary Medical Center.

OBJECTIVES: Accurate localization of a colonic lesion is crucial to successful resection. Although colonic tattooing is a widely accepted technique to mark lesions for future identification surgery or repeat colonoscopy, no consensus guidelines exist. The objective of this study was to determine whether the current tattooing practice at a tertiary medical center differs from recommendations in the literature and self-reported provider practice. METHODS: The study consisted of an observational retrospective chart review of patients who received colonic tattoos, as well as a provider survey of reported tattooing practices at a tertiary academic medical center. A total of 747 patients older than 18 years of age who underwent colonoscopy with tattoo were included. Forty-four gastroenterologists performing endoscopy were surveyed on tattooing techniques. RESULTS: In the majority of cases, neither the number of tattoos, location of the tattoo nor the distance from the lesion was specified within the report. Following the index procedure, a tattoo was detected in 75% of surgical resections and 73% of endoscopies. At the time of surgery, however, the tattoo and/or the lesion was detected approximately 94% of the time. Twenty-five endoscopists (56.8%) completed the survey. Differences were seen the between the chart review and reported practice. Most providers report placing ≥2 marks (87.2%); however, chart review revealed that only 56.2 % were tattooed with ≥2 marks. CONCLUSIONS: Variation exists between the reported tattooing practice and actual practice. Despite this, most tattoos are identified at the time of surgery or repeat endoscopy. Further research is needed to determine whether a standardized approach to tattooing and reporting could improve localization at repeat endoscopy.

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) vs. argon plasma coagulation (APC) for the management of gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) in patients with and without cirrhosis: results from a retrospective analysis of a large cohort of patients treated at a single center.

INTRODUCTION AND STUDY AIMS: Gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) is a mucosal abnormality associated with multiple conditions, most notably cirrhosis and systemic sclerosis, that causes indolent gastrointestinal bleeding. It is primarily managed with endoscopic therapy. Traditionally, GAVE is endoscopically ablated using argon plasma coagulation (APC) but radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is emerging as an alternative modality. No prior comparison of the 2 modalities has been published. PATIENTS AND METHODS: After receiving IRB approval, we reviewed our electronic health records to identify all patients who underwent endoscopic evaluation for GAVE between January, 2011 and October, 2016. We compared important variables between APC and RFA, as well as between cirrhosis and non-cirrhosis, using the Chi-square test and the Wilcoxon two-sample test as appropriate. RESULTS: During our study period, 81 patients were endoscopically evaluated for GAVE. 24 patients were treated with APC alone, 28 with RFA alone and 25 patients received both treatment modalities. CONCLUSIONS: RFA and APC were both effective in treating bleeding from GAVE. Though we found subtle differences, patients underwent a similar number of treatment sessions and had similar procedure times and a similar time between sessions no matter the treatment modality used.

Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma as Solitary Subcentimeter Polypoid Gastric Mucosal Lesions: Clinicopathologic Analysis of Five Cases.

BACKGROUND: The stomach is an uncommon site for metastatic carcinoma. Approximately 6% of renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) may metastasize to the stomach. The majority of the reported metastatic RCCs in the stomach presented as large masses or ulcers greater than a centimeter in size. It is very rare to encounter metastatic RCC as a solitary small polypoid gastric mucosal lesion. METHODS: In this study, we collected surgical pathology cases of gastric metastasis from RCC that measured 1.0 cm or less at the time of endoscopy. The clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed. RESULTS: Five patients with subcentimeter metastatic RCC involving the gastric mucosa were identified. The clinical presentation for upper endoscopic examination was non-specific. Two of the five patients did not have a known history of RCC. In the three patients with a previous history of RCC, the interval from primary RCC diagnosis to the detection of gastric mucosal metastasis was 5, 6, and 10 years, respectively. Endoscopically, all the lesions were solitary, ranging in size from 0.4 to 1 cm. Histologically, all five cases were of the clear cell type consisting of a bland clear cell proliferation within the lamina propria. Although the tumor cells were relatively bland, the presence of clear cytoplasm, nuclear membrane irregularity, occasional enlarged hyperchromatic atypical nuclei, and destructive growth in the center of the lesion should promote immunohistochemical workup. Immunohistochemically, the RCC cells exhibited at least patchy immunoreactivity for cytokeratin and RCC markers. In two cases, there were many CD68 positive foamy histiocytes intermingled with the tumor cells. CONCLUSION: Metastatic RCC can rarely present as subcentimeter polypoid gastric mucosal lesions. The remote or unknown history of RCC, the non-specific endoscopic appearance, and the bland histological features may lead to a potential diagnostic pitfall. It is of importance to raise the awareness of such an unusual presentation of metastatic RCC in the stomach and to include metastatic RCC in the differential diagnosis for gastric mucosal polyps with clear cell morphology.

Multicenter evaluation of the clinical utility of laparoscopy-assisted ERCP in patients with Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The obesity epidemic has led to increased use of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). These patients have an increased incidence of pancreaticobiliary diseases, yet standard ERCP is not possible because of surgically altered gastroduodenal anatomy. Laparoscopy-assisted ERCP (LA-ERCP) has been proposed as an option, but supporting data are derived from single-center small case series. Therefore, we conducted a large multicenter study to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and outcomes of LA-ERCP. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of adult patients with RYGB who underwent LA-ERCP in 34 centers. Data on demographics, indications, procedure success, and adverse events were collected. Procedure success was defined when all the following were achieved: reaching the papilla, cannulating the desired duct, and providing endoscopic therapy as clinically indicated. RESULTS: A total of 579 patients (median age, 51; 84% women) were included. Indication for LA-ERCP was biliary in 89%, pancreatic in 8%, and both in 3%. Procedure success was achieved in 98%. Median total procedure time was 152 minutes (interquartile range [IQR], 109-210), with a median ERCP time of 40 minutes (IQR, 28-56). Median hospital stay was 2 days (IQR, 1-3). Adverse events were 18% (laparoscopy related, 10%; ERCP related, 7%; both, 1%) with the clear majority (92%) classified as mild/moderate, whereas 8% were severe and 1 death occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Our large multicenter study indicates that LA-ERCP in patients with RYGB is feasible with a high procedure success rate comparable with that of standard ERCP in patients with normal anatomy. The ERCP-related adverse events rate is comparable with conventional ERCP, but the overall adverse event rate was higher because of the added laparoscopy-related events.

Pancreatic Fungal Ball Presenting as Pseudomass.

Fungal infections of the pancreas have been shown to occur most commonly in the setting of necrotizing pancreatitis, pancreatic cysts, or pancreatic abscesses. Pancreatic fungal infections are rare without these predisposing factors, and may present similarly to pancreatic neoplasm. We report the case of a 48-year-old man who presented with epigastric abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and weight loss, with a potential mass in the head of the pancreas. The mass was resected via the Whipple procedure and was found to be a fungal collection with inflammatory cells and no malignancy. The patient's clinical course improved after the resection.

Does ampullary adenoma size predict invasion on EUS? Does invasion on EUS predict presence of malignancy?

Background and study aims: It is common practice to perform ampullectomy without endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) for ampullary lesions < 1 cm but no data exists to support it. No studies have explored whether EUS findings of invasion correlate with malignancy or high-grade dysplasia (HGD) on pathology. We explored the association between adenoma size, pathology results, and invasion on EUS.  Patients and methods: This was a single-center retrospective cohort study at a large tertiary care academic hospital. Chart review was performed for 161 patients with benign ampullary lesions on endoscopic biopsy (identified by pathology records). The primary outcomes were mean size (mm) of adenomas and pathology findings with and without intraductal and/or duodenal wall invasion on EUS.  Results: Invasion was identified by EUS in 41 (34.1 %) of 120 patients who underwent EUS. The mean size of the lesion in these patients was 20.9 mm (±â€Š11.6 mm) compared to 13.9 mm (±â€Š11.3 mm, P = 0.0001) in patients without invasion. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC 0.73, 95 % CI 0.63 - 0.83) revealed 100 % sensitivity for absence of invasion on EUS in lesions less than 6.5 mm. Invasion on EUS had sensitivity of 63.0 % (95 % CI 47.0 % - 77.0 %) and specificity 88.0 % (95 % CI 78.0 % - 95.0 %) for presence of malignancy, HGD or invasion on pathology. Conclusions: EUS should be considered for ampullary lesions > 6.5 mm. This study provides evidence to support the practice of ampullectomy without EUS for smaller adenomas. EUS evidence of invasion is highly specific for pathologic malignancy, HGD, or invasion (which preclude endoscopic ampullectomy).

Percutaneous biliary drainage catheter insertion in patients with extensive hepatic metastatic tumor burden.

BACKGROUND: Patients with metastatic disease of the liver can have hyperbilirubinemia due to a number of reasons, including biliary obstruction. The purpose of this study was to analyze patient outcomes after percutaneous biliary drainage (PBD) catheter insertion in patients with extensive hepatic metastatic tumor burden. METHODS: Out of 746 PBD insertions, 44 patients (24 males, 20 females, mean age 57.4 years, range, 34-80 years) had metastatic malignancy with a hepatic tumor burden of greater than 20% parenchymal volume based on pre-procedure computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Laboratory data before and after PBD insertion were compared. Survival and outcomes analysis performed. A subanalysis was performed on patients with CT-demonstrated catheter traversal of tumoral tissue. RESULTS: A PBD catheter was successfully inserted in all patients. The mean serum bilirubin level decreased significantly from 10.9±6.4 mg/dL immediately prior to PBD insertion to 7.1±5.6 mg/dL (P<0.001) within one month post PBD insertion. Four patients (11%) demonstrated normalization of bilirubin levels to less than 1.6 mg/dL. Of the 14 patients with a post-procedure CT or MRI, the PBD catheter traversed a tumor in 11 (79%). One of these patients required a transfusion after the procedure and one had recurrent catheter exchanges due to pericatheter leakage. The 30-day overall survival was 41% with a median survival of 19 days. The percentage decrease in serum bilirubin after PBD insertion and pre-procedure international normalized ratio (INR) were correlated with improved survival (OR =3.7, P=0.010 and OR =4.9, P=0.028 respectively). The PBD-associated major complication rate was 16%. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with hyperbilirubinemia and extensive hepatic metastatic disease burden, survival was dismal after PBD catheter insertion. Serum bilirubin level normalization occurred rarely.

Review of complications associated with endoscopic pancreatic cyst-gastrostomy: a single-institution experience.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic fluid collections can form after episodes of pancreatitis, either acute or chronic. The majority will resolve spontaneously but when decompression is mandated, endoscopic drainage is the method of choice. However, it is not void of complications. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 65 patients who underwent endoscopic drainage of pancreatic fluid collections in our institution. The primary outcomes examined included the incidence and type of complications associated with the endoscopic approach. RESULTS: Endoscopic ultrasound was utilized in 86.2% and transgastric approach was used in 81.5% of the cases. The complication rate was 17%. Specifically, complications recorded were infection (6%), perforation and acute abdomen necessitating surgical intervention (4.6%), pneumoperitoneum that was managed nonoperatively (3%), upper gastrointestinal bleed in the knife puncture site that resolved spontaneously (1.5%), and stent migration (1.5%). One patient died remotely to the endoscopic drainage after paracentesis of ascites that resulted in hemorrhagic shock. CONCLUSIONS: This study is one of the largest studies reporting the associated morbidity and mortality after endoscopic cyst-gastrostomy. Major and minor complications occurred at a rate of 17% in our study. Endoscopic approach is a safe draining method and should remain the approach of choice for pancreatic fluid collection decompression.

Extramedullary plasmacytoma of the gallbladder diagnosed by endoscopic ultrasound fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA).

Extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP) is a rare entity that can exist independently or in conjunction with underlying plasma cell myeloma (PCM). When there is underlying multiple myeloma, the presence of EMP portends a poor prognosis. The most common locations for an EMP include the gastrointestinal tract, pleura, testis, skin, peritoneum, liver, endocrine glands and lymph nodes; involvement of the gallbladder is exceedingly rare with only five other cases reported and only one of which was associated with PCM. EMP of the gallbladder can manifest as acute cholecystitis, biliary obstruction, or may be asymptomatic. Treatment is traditionally surgical resection plus adjuvant chemotherapy or autologous stem cell transplant. We present a case of a 53-year-old man with PCM who was found to have a gallbladder mass on imaging and underwent endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) of the mass, which was diagnostic of a plasma cell neoplasm.

Rotational assisted endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in patients with reconstructive gastrointestinal surgical anatomy.

AIM: To evaluate the success rates of performing therapy utilizing a rotational assisted enteroscopy device in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in surgically altered anatomy patients. METHODS: Between June 1, 2009 and November 8, 2012, we performed 42 ERCPs with the use of rotational enteroscopy for patients with altered anatomy (39 with gastric bypass Roux-en-Y, 2 with Billroth II gastrectomy, and 1 with hepaticojejunostomy associated with liver transplant). The indications for ERCP were: choledocholithiasis: 13 of 42 (30.9%), biliary obstruction suggested on imaging: 20 of 42 (47.6%), suspected sphincter of Oddi dysfunction: 4 of 42 (9.5%), abnormal liver enzymes: 1 of 42 (2.4%), ascending cholangitis: 2 of 42 (4.8%), and bile leak: 2 of 42 (4.8%). All procedures were completed with the Olympus SIF-Q180 enteroscope and the Endo-Ease Discovery SB overtube produced by Spirus Medical. RESULTS: Successful visualization of the major ampulla was accomplished in 32 of 42 procedures (76.2%). Cannulation of the bile duct was successful in 26 of 32 procedures reaching the major ampulla (81.3%). Successful therapeutic intervention was completed in 24 of 26 procedures in which the bile duct was cannulated (92.3%). The overall intention to treat success rate was 64.3%. In terms of cannulation success, the intention to treat success rate was 61.5%. Ten out of forty two patients (23.8%) required admission to the hospital after procedure for abdominal pain and nausea, and 3 of those 10 patients (7.1%) had a diagnosis of post-ERCP pancreatitis. The average hospital stay was 3 d. CONCLUSION: It is reasonable to consider an attempt at rotational assisted ERCP prior to a surgical intervention to alleviate biliary complications in patients with altered surgical anatomy.

Variation in Aptitude of Trainees in Endoscopic Ultrasonography, Based on Cumulative Sum Analysis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Studies have reported substantial variation in the competency of advanced endoscopy trainees, indicating a need for more supervised training in endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). We used a standardized, validated, data collection tool to evaluate learning curves and measure competency in EUS among trainees at multiple centers. METHODS: In a prospective study performed at 15 centers, 17 trainees with no prior EUS experience were evaluated by experienced attending endosonographers at the 25th and then every 10th upper EUS examination, over a 12-month training period. A standardized data collection form was used (using a 5-point scoring system) to grade the EUS examination. Cumulative sum analysis was applied to produce a learning curve for each trainee; it tracked the overall performance based on median scores at different stations and also at each station. Competency was defined by a median score of 1, with acceptable and unacceptable failure rates of 10% and 20%, respectively. RESULTS: Twelve trainees were included in the final analysis. Each of the trainees performed 265 to 540 EUS examinations (total, 4257 examinations). There was a large amount of variation in their learning curves: 2 trainees crossed the threshold for acceptable performance (at cases 225 and 245), 2 trainees had a trend toward acceptable performance (after 289 and 355 cases) but required continued observation, and 8 trainees needed additional training and observation. Similar results were observed at individual stations. CONCLUSIONS: A specific case load does not ensure competency in EUS; 225 cases should be considered the minimum caseload for training because we found that no trainee achieved competency before this point. Ongoing training should be provided for trainees until competency is confirmed using objective measures.

Endoscopic approaches for early-stage esophageal cancer: current options.

Early esophageal cancer is confined to the mucosa or submucosa of the esophagus. While most esophageal cancer is detected at an advanced stage (requiring surgical resection, chemotherapy, and radiation), early-stage mucosal lesions may be detected through Barrett's surveillance programs or incidentally on diagnostic upper endoscopies performed for other reasons. These early-stage cancers are often amenable to endoscopic therapies, including mucosal resection, ablation, and cryotherapy. Studies suggest equivalent survival rates and reduced morbidity but higher recurrence rates with endoscopic removal of early-stage cancers compared to surgical resection. There is emerging data regarding the efficacy and long-term outcomes of endoscopic therapy for early esophageal cancer that is promising, and further research is needed to better define the role of endoscopic therapy in the management of early esophageal cancer.

Pancreatitis Secondary to Celiac Trunk Dissection.

Dissection of the visceral arteries happens infrequently, with the superior mesenteric artery being the most commonly affected. Isolated dissection of the celiac trunk is rare, and only a few cases have been reported in the medical literature. We report the case of a 51-year-old male who presented with abdominal pain and was subsequently diagnosed with a celiac trunk dissection with secondary pancreatitis and pancreatic infarction. The patient's symptoms improved with conservative medical management. We review the current literature involving celiac trunk dissection and its management, and provide discussion regarding this unrecognized complication of pancreatitis.

Groove Pancreatitis: Four Cases from a Single Center and Brief Review of the Literature.

Groove pancreatitis is a rare form of chronic pancreatitis that affects the groove anatomical area between the head of the pancreas, duodenum, and common bile duct. We provide a summary of the clinical findings of 4 groove pancreatitis cases diagnosed at a tertiary academic medical center over a 5-year period. A detailed review of the current literature surrounding this clinical entity is also provided. Although rare, groove pancreatitis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with pancreatic head mass lesions, as appropriate diagnosis can help avoid unnecessary surgical procedures.

Retroperitoneal cystic lymphangioma diagnosed by endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration.

Retroperitoneal cystic lymphangiomas are rare tumors of the lymphatic system. These tumors usually present in childhood and are often diagnosed incidentally with imaging procedures. Although benign, they can grow to large sizes and become symptomatic due to their compressive effects. They can cause diagnostic dilemmas with other retroperitoneal cystic tumors including those arising from the liver, kidney, and pancreas. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has become an invaluable tool in the assessment of cystic lesions in the region of the pancreas. This case describes a 66-year-old female who presented with 3 months of abdominal pain. Radiographic imaging was suggestive of a cystic lesion in the region of the pancreas. EUS was performed confirming a cystic lesion adjacent to the tail of the pancreas with subsequent fine needle aspiration fluid analysis consistent with a cystic lymphangioma.

Endoscopic versus surgical ampullectomy: an algorithm to treat disease of the ampulla of Vater.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness, morbidity, and mortality associated with endoscopic ampullectomy (EA) and surgical ampullectomy (SA). BACKGROUND: The proposed management of benign ampullary lesions includes local resection (EA or SA) and en bloc resection (pancreaticoduodenectomy). Most agree that en bloc resection entails a significant morbidity and mortality. No study has previously compared EA and SA for the treatment of benign ampullary lesions. METHODS: Medical records of patients selected for ampullectomy at Duke University Medical Center from 1991 to 2010 were reviewed. RESULTS: After review, 109 patients were confirmed to have undergone ampullectomy for a suspected benign ampullary lesion. Sixty-eight patients underwent EA, whereas 41 patients underwent SA. Patients in each group were identical in terms of age, sex, race, and comorbid conditions, except that EA had a higher rate of severe obesity (body mass index >35). Endoscopic ampullectomy was found to have a significantly reduced length of stay, lower morbidity, and readmission rates, but it had similar rates of mortality, margin-positive excisions, and reinterventions. CONCLUSIONS: In patients selected for ampullectomy for benign ampullary lesions, EA was found to have equivalent efficacy when compared with SA. Moreover, EA had lower morbidity and identical mortality. These findings suggest that patients would likely benefit from an aggressive endoscopic approach before consideration for surgery.