Clinical characteristics, treatments, and outcomes of difficult biliary stones in a reference hospital in Colombia.

The local experience and the success rate of different available treatments for difficult biliary stones in Colombia are poorly described. We made an observational study reporting patients treated for difficult biliary stones, at Hospital Universitario San Ignacio in Bogotá, Colombia between January 2015, and November 2021. Clinical characteristics, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) findings, and outcomes are presented. Additionally, the success rates of Endoscopic Sphincterotomy Plus Large Balloon Dilation (ESLBD), Mechanical Lithotripsy (ML), temporary stenting (TS), cholangioscopy-guided laser lithotripsy (CGLL), and surgery are described. A total of 146 patients were included (median age 69 years, IQR 58.5-78.5, 33.8% men). The median stone diameter was 15 mm (IQR 10 - 18 mm). One stone was presented in 39.9%, two stones in 18.2%, and ≥3 stones in the remaining stone. A 67.6% disproportion rate was observed between the stone and distal common bile duct. Successful stone extraction was achieved in 56.2% in the first procedure, 22.6% in the second, 17.1% in the third, 3.4% in the fourth, and 0.7% in the fifth procedures. The successful extraction rates were 56.8% for ESLBD, 75% for ML, 23.4% for TS, 57.7% for CGLL, and 100% for surgery. Endoscopic management of difficult stones is usually successful, although it usually requires 2 or more ERCPs procedures. The surgical requirements were low. ESLBD is an effective technique unlike TS. Few patients required advanced techniques such as ML or CGLL. Endoscopic procedures are associated with a low rate of complications.

Clinical characteristics, treatments, and outcomes of dificult biliary stones in a reference hospital in Colombia

The local experience and the success rate of different available treatments for dificult biliary stones in Colombia are poorly described. We made an observational study reporting patients treated for dificult biliary stones, at Hospital Universitario San Ignacio in Bogotá, Colombia between January 2015, and November 2021. Clinical characteristics, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) findings, and outcomes are presented. Additionally, the success rates of Endoscopic Sphincterotomy Plus Large Balloon Dilation (ESLBD), Mechanical Lithotripsy (ML), temporary stenting (TS), cholangioscopy-guided laser lithotripsy (CGLL), and surgery are described. A total of 146 patients were included (median age 69 years, IQR 58.5-78.5, 33.8% men). The median stone diameter was 15 mm (IQR 10 - 18 mm). One stone was presented in 39.9%, two stones in 18.2%, and ≥3 stones in the remaining stone. A 67.6% disproportion rate was observed between the stone and distal common bile duct. Successful stone extraction was achieved in 56.2% in the first procedure, 22.6% in the second, 17.1% in the third, 3.4% in the fourth, and 0.7% in the fifth procedures. The successful extraction rates were 56.8% for ESLBD, 75% for ML, 23.4% for TS, 57.7% for CGLL, and 100% for surgery. Endoscopic management of dificult stones is usually successful, although it usually requires 2 or more ERCPs procedures. The surgical requirements were low. ESLBD is an effective technique unlike TS. Few patients required advanced techniques such as ML or CGLL. Endoscopic procedures are associated with a low rate of complications.

La tasa de éxito de diferentes tratamientos de Cálculo Biliar Difícil (CBD) en Colombia no está descrita. Hemos realizado un estudio descriptivo observacional sobre el tratamiento de CBD en el Hospital Universitario San Ignacio en Bogotá, Colombia entre enero 2015 y noviembre 2021. Se presentan las características clínicas, hallazgos en la Colangiopancreatografía Retrógrada Endoscópica (CPRE) y desenlaces asociados. Adicionalmente, se describe la tasa de éxito de los pacientes tratados mediante esfinterotomía asociada a dilatación endoscópica con balón grande (EDEBG), litotripsia mecánica (LM), stent temporal (ST), litotripsia con láser guiada por colangioscopia (LLGC) y cirugía. 146 pacientes fueron incluidos (Mediana de edad 69 años, RIC 58,6-78,5). 33,8% eran hombres. La mediana del tamaño del CBD fue de 15 mm (RIC 10-18 mm). 39,9% tenían un solo cálculo, 18,2% tenían 2 y el resto ≥3 cálculos. 67,6% tenían desproporción entre el cálculo y el colédoco distal. La extracción exitosa se logró en 56,2% en el primer procedimiento, 22,6% en el segundo, 17,1% en el tercero, 3,4% en el cuarto y 0,7% en el quinto procedimiento. La tasa de extracción exitosa fue de 56,8% con EDEBG, 75% con LM, 23,4% con ST, 57,7% con LLGC y 100% con cirugía. El manejo endoscópico del CBD es usualmente exitoso. Sin embargo, requiere usualmente ≥2 CPRE. El tratamiento quirúrgico no es común. EDEBG es una técnica efectiva a diferencia del ST. Pocos pacientes requirieron técnicas avanzadas como LM o LLGC. Los métodos endoscópicos presentan una baja tasa de complicaciones.

Validation of the PESI Scale to Predict in-Hospital Mortality in Patients with Pulmonary Thromboembolism Secondary to SARS CoV - 2 Infection.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the discriminative ability and the calibration of the Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index (PESI) to predict in-hospital mortality in patients with Pulmonary Embolism (PE) secondary to COVID 19 in two hospitals in Bogotá. METHODS: External validation study of a prediction model based on a retrospective cohort of patients with PE secondary to COVID-19 treated at Hospital Universitario San Ignacio and Hospital universitario La Samaritana, between March 2020 and August 2021. Calibration of the scale was evaluated using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test and a calibration belt diagram. Discrimination ability was evaluated using a ROC curve. RESULTS: 272 patients were included (median age 61.5 years, male 58.8%). PE was diagnosed in 45.6% of the patients at the time of admission. Of the remaining 54.4%, 95.9% received thromboprophylaxis until the time of diagnosis.17.6% of the patients died. Regarding calibration, the scale systematically underestimates risk in all classes of PESI. For class I, the ratio of observed/expected events was 4.4 vs 0.8%, class II 4.8 vs 1.8%, class III 15.2 vs 4.2%, class IV 14.3 vs 5.9% and class V 46.7 vs 5.8%. The calibration test rejected the adequate calibration hypothesis (p < 0.001). The discriminatory ability was adequate (AUC = 0.7128, 95% CI 0.63-0.79). CONCLUSIONS: The PESI scale in patients with PE secondary to COVID 19 underestimates the risk of in-hospital mortality, while maintaining adequate discrimination. It is suggested not to use the PESI scale until it is recalibrated in this context.

SaO2 as a predictor of exercise-induced hypoxemia in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at moderate altitude.

Background: Given the high prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Bogota (2630 m above the sea), screening methods are required for COPD patients who develop exercise-induced hypoxemia (EIH). Objective: The objective was to measure the productive capacity of basal oxygen saturation for the detection of EIH during the 6-min walking test (6MWT) in patients diagnosed with COPD in a hospital in Bogotá. Design: This was a cross-sectional, retrospective study. Population: Patients diagnosed with COPD with SaO2≥88% who attended the Pneumology Section of the FSFB for a 6MWT between 2013 and 2017 were included in the study. Measurements: Age, sex, anthropometric data, SaO2, SaO2 during 6MWT, and spirometry were evaluated. Results: Ninety-two patients with EIH and 32 patients without EIH were studied. Statistically significant differences were found in SaO2, minimum SaO2 during 6MWT, and BMI (90.8% vs 93%, 80.3% vs 88.9%, and 26.7 kg/m2 vs 23.8 kg/m2, respectively). FEV1 was without statistically significant differences (74.1% vs 78.6%). The ROC curve showed a better cut-off point for detecting EIH with basal SaO2≤92% (sensitivity 76.1%, specificity 62.5%, NPV 47.6%, and PPV 85.4%) and SaO2≤94% as the best sensitivity point (sensitivity 94.6%, specificity 15.6%, NPV 76.3%, and PPV 50%). Conclusion: SaO2 is not a good screening test for EIH in COPD patients at moderate altitude.