POEM from A to Z: current perspectives.

The "third space endoscopy" or also called "submucosal endoscopy" is a reality we can transfer to our patients since 2010. Various modifications of the submucosal tunneling technique allow access to the submucosa or deeper layers of the gastrointestinal tract. In addition to peroral endoscopic myotomy for the treatment of achalasia, also called esophageal POEM, other variants have emerged that make it possible to treat different esophageal motility disorders, esophageal diverticula, subepithelial tumors of various locations, gastroparesis, reconnection of complete esophageal strictures or even thanks to exceptional endoscopists, pediatric disorders such as Hirschsprung's disease. Although some technical aspects are yet to be standardized, these procedures are becoming widespread worldwide and will likely become the standard treatment of these pathologies soon.

Spanish Intragastric Balloon Consensus Statement (SIBC): practical guidelines based on experience of over 20 000 cases.

BACKGROUND: intragastric balloons (IGBs) are a minimally invasive, increasingly popular option for obesity treatment. However, there is only one worldwide guideline standardizing the technical aspects of the procedure (BIBC, SOARD 2018). OBJECTIVES: to construct a practical guideline for IGB usage by reproducing and expanding the BIBC survey among the Spanish Bariatric Endoscopy Group (GETTEMO). METHODS: a 140-question survey was submitted to all GETTEMO members. Twenty-one Spanish experienced endoscopists in IGBs answered back. Eight topics on patient selection, indications/contraindications, technique, multidisciplinary follow-up, results, safety, and financial/legal aspects were discussed. Consensus was defined as consensus ≥ 70 %. RESULTS: overall data included 20 680 IGBs including 12 different models. Mean age was 42.0 years-old, 79.9 % were women, and the mean preoperative body mass index (BMI) was 34.05 kg/m². Indication in BMI > 25 kg/m², 10 absolute contraindications, and nutritional and medication measures at follow-up were settled. A mean %TBWL (total body weight loss) of 17.66 % ± 2.5 % was observed. Early removal rate due to intolerance was 3.62 %. Adverse event rate was 0.70 % and 6.37 % for major and minor complications with consensual management. A single case of mortality occurred. IGBs were placed in private health, prior contract, and with full and single payment at the beginning. Seven lawsuits (0.034 %) were received, all ran through civil proceeding, and with favorable final resolution. CONCLUSIONS: this consensus based on more than 20 000 cases represents practical recommendations to perform IGB procedures. This experience shows that the device leads to satisfactory weight loss with a low rate of adverse events. Most results are reproducible compared to those obtained by the BIBC.

Factors associated with pancreatic cancer in Spain. What can we learn from epidemiological studies?

The incidence of pancreatic cancer (PC) in Spain has progressively increased over the past 6 decades. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma represents over 80 % of all pancreatic neoplasms. The study by Enrique Gili-Ortiz on pancreatic cancer-related mortality trends in Spain revealed a significant increase in death rates in our country, which may be partly attributed to population ageing and increased smoking, obesity, and diabetes rates. Other known factors, including chronic pancreatitis, seem to play a less significant role from a quantitative perspective.

Spanish consensus document on bariatric endoscopy. Part 2: specific endoscopic treatments.

During the last years we have been witnessing a significant increase in the number and type of bariatric endoscopic techniques: we have different types of balloons, suture systems, injection of substances and malabsorptive prosthesis, etc. Also, some endoscopic revisional procedures for patients with weight regain after bariatric surgery have been incorporated. This makes it necessary to protocolize, position and regularize all these techniques, through a consensus that allows their clinical application with the maximum medical rigor and scientific evidence available.

Spanish Consensus Document on Bariatric Endoscopy. Part 1. General considerations.

Obesity is a chronic multifactorial, incurable, recurrent, and progressive disease associated with significant physical and psychological complications, and considerable morbidity and mortality. For this reason, the assessment, management, and follow-up of obese patients should take place in the setting of a multidisciplinary unit equipped with adequate human and structural resources. Medical treatment using hygienic-dietary measures, while indispensable, may be insufficient, and surgery, which is reserved for severe or morbid obesity, is not exempt from complications neither is to the liking of many patients. In this context three situations may be considered where endoscopic treatment, used as a supplementary strategy with few complications, contributes to benefit obese patients: first, in a subgroup of patients with grade-II overweight or non-morbid obesity where medical therapy alone failed or needs supplementation. Second, in patients with morbid obesity when surgery is rejected, is contraindicated, or entails excessive risk. Finally, in patients with superobesity who need to lose weight before bariatric surgery in order to reduce surgery-related morbidity and mortality. In this regard, the Spanish Task Force on Bariatric Endoscopy (Grupo Español de Trabajo para el Tratamiento Endoscópico del Metabolismo y la Obesidad, GETTEMO) have developed this Consensus Document to serve as practical guidance for all professionals involved in the endoscopic management of obesity, and to facilitate establishing a minimum set of requirements for the proper functioning of a bariatric endoscopy unit.

Prevalence of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in patients with chronic pancreatitis without follow-up. PANCR-EVOL Study.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) is an important complication of chronic pancreatitis (CP). Guidelines recommend to rule out EPI in CP, to detect those patients who would benefit from pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of EPI in patients with CP without follow-up in the last 2 years and to describe their nutritional status and quality of life (QoL). METHODS: This was a cross-sectional, multicenter Spanish study. CP patients without follow-up by a gastroenterologist or surgeon in at least 2 years were included. EPI was defined as fecal elastase test <200mcg/g. For nutritional assessment, laboratory and anthropometric data were obtained. QoL was investigated using the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire. RESULTS: 64 patients (mean age 58.8±10.3 years, 85.9% men) from 10 centers were included. Median time since diagnosis of CP was 58.7 months [37.7-95.4]. Forty-one patients (64.1%) had EPI. Regarding nutritional status, the following differences were observed (EPI vs. Non-EPI): BMI (23.9±3.5kg/m2 vs. 25.7±2.5, p=0.03); glucose (121 [96-189] mg/dL vs. 98 [90-116], p=0.006); HbA1c 6.6% [6.0-8.4] vs. 5.5 [5.3-6.0], p=0.0005); Vitamin A (0.44mg/L [0.35-0.57] vs. 0.53 [0.47-0.63], p=0.048) and Vitamin E (11.2±5.0µg/ml vs. 14.4±4.3, p=0.03). EPI group showed a worse EORTC QLQ-C30 score on physical (93.3 [66.7-100] vs. 100 [93.3-100], p=0.048) and cognitive function (100 [83.3-100] vs. 100 [100-100], p=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of EPI is high in patients with CP without follow-up. EPI group had higher levels of glucose, lower levels of vitamins A and E and worse QoL.

Multicenter study on the safety of bariatric endoscopy.

INTRODUCTION: Bariatric endoscopy includes a series of specific techniques focused on the management of obese patients. As a quality criterion, safety as expressed by a minimal incidence of serious complications is required in addition to efficacy. METHODS: A descriptive, retrospective, multicenter review of the experience recorded at seven hospitals included in the Grupo Español de Endoscopia Bariátrica (GETTEMO) in order to document the incidence, cause, and resolution (including legal consequences) of serious complications reported for each bariatric technique, and according to endoscopist expertise. RESULTS: In all, 6,771 bariatric endoscopic procedures were collected, wherein 57 serious complications (0.84%) were identified. Balloons: Orbera®-Medsil®, 5/5,589; Spatz2® (older model): 44/225; Heliosphere®: 1/70; Obalon®: 0/107. Sutures: POSE®, 5/679; sleeve gastroplasty with Apollo® system: 0/55. Prostheses: Endobarrier®: 2/46. All complications were resolved with medical/endoscopic management except for five cases (0.07%) that required surgery. A single lawsuit occurred (esophageal perforation with Spatz2® balloon), which had a favorable outcome. There was no mortality, and apparently no differences were found according to endoscopist expertise level. CONCLUSIONS: In our multicenter experience, bariatric endoscopy may be considered as a safe procedure (0.84% of serious complications in all). However, some devices may induce a higher proportion of complications, such as 19.55% for Spatz2® balloons (already replaced) or 4.34% for Endobarrier® sleeves (at the upper limit of accepted safety), although our experience with the latter is limited. All complications were resolved with conservative medical management, and only exceptionally required surgery (0.07%). No technique-related mortality was seen, and only one lawsuit occurred. Further evolutionary studies are required on the novel endoscopic techniques presently emerging to authenticate our results.

Sprue-like enteropathy linked to olmesartan.

Olmesartan is a therapy used for the management of hypertension available since 2002. A sprue like enteropathy associated with olmesartan has been first described in 2012. Endoscopic and histopathological findings are partial or total villous atrophy, mimicking a Celiac Disease. We explain two cases diagnosed in our hospital. Both patients took more than one year of treatment with olmesartan. In both cases, the biopsy showed duodenal villous atrophy, negative serology for celiac disease and they improved after stopping treatment with olmesartan. Olmesartan associate sprue-like enteropathy should be included in the differential diagnosis of seronegative villous atrophy. After the discontinuation of olmesartan, clinical remission usually occurs in every patients.