Anticoagulation with rivaroxaban in a hematology unit: clinical profile, events and discontinuation rates in real-life patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.

AIM: To assess the clinical profile and thromboembolic and bleeding events in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF) who were attended in a hematology unit. METHODS: Retrospective study of AF patients that started treatment with rivaroxaban between February 2012 and June 2016 in a hematology unit from a tertiary hospital in Spain. RESULTS: Overall, 243 patients (mean age 78.4 ± 10.1 years; 47.5% women, CHA2DS2-VASc 3.7 ± 1.5) were included. After a mean follow-up of 16.5 ± 12.7 months, rivaroxaban was discontinued in only 2.4% of patients. During the follow-up, seven (2.0 events/100 patient-years) patients had a thromboembolic event and six patients (1.7 events/100 patient-years) a major bleeding. CONCLUSION: Rivaroxaban was effective and safe among AF patients treated in a hematology unit, with very low discontinuation rates.

Pancreatic stent insertion after an unintentional guidewire cannulation of the pancreatic duct during ERCP.

INTRODUCTION: the guidewire (GW) may enter the pancreatic duct during common bile duct (CBD) cannulation attempts in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). After GW passage into the pancreas, the most effective maneuver for CBD cannulation and pancreatitis prevention has not been determined. AIM: to study CBD cannulation and post-ERCP pancreatitis rates when a pancreatic stent is inserted after an unintentional GW cannulation of the pancreatic duct. MATERIAL AND METHODS: a retrospective analysis of patients undergoing ERCP for biliary drainage that were included prospectively into a database. After unintentional GW cannulation of the pancreatic duct, a straight 5-Fr and 4-cm long plastic stent was inserted. The stents had no internal flaps to facilitate expulsion. CBD cannulation attempts were made above the stent. A pancreatic sphincterotomy was performed in patients older than 60 years before stent insertion. RESULTS: a total of 46 pancreatic stents were inserted during 154 ERCP (29.8%) procedures. In the stent group, CBD cannulation was accomplished in 44/46 (95.6%) subjects. A total of 21/46 (45.6%) pancreatic sphincterotomies were performed. Only 1/46 (2.17%) mild pancreatitis cases were observed and most stents were spontaneously expelled. CONCLUSIONS: in this study, the CBD was eventually reached with the insertion of a plastic pancreatic stent after an unintentional GW passage into the pancreatic duct while attempting a CBD cannulation. No adverse events were observed following pancreatic stent insertion.

Fully covered self-expanding metal stents in the management of difficult common bile duct stones.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: plastic biliary stents are often used after an ERCP session without complete common bile duct stones (CBDS) extraction. Sometimes, the volume of biliary drainage with these stents may be insufficient. We present our experience with the use of fully covered self-expanding metal stents (FCSEMS) in the setting of incomplete CBDS extraction. PATIENTS AND METHODS: after an ERCP session with difficult CBDS not completely removed, biliary FCSEMS (Wallflex) were inserted in some patients when it was deemed that biliary sphincterotomy and a single plastic stent would not provide an adequate drainage. RESULTS: a retrospective study was performed. Biliary FCSEMS were inserted in 29 patients, mean age 81 years. CBDS could not be extracted through a biliary sphincterotomy due to its large size (n = 18) or because of the presence of inflammatory distal strictures (n = 11). The greatest biliary drainage with shortest ERCP time was considered mandatory due to clinical instability of patients and/or poor tolerance to conscious sedation administered by the endoscopist. Successful biliary drainage was obtained in all cases. FCSEMS were removed after a median of 199.5 days in 16 patients with a complete CBDS extraction in 15 (93.7%). FCSEMS were not removed in the remaining 13 patients due to their clinical condition, and a wait-and-see strategy was undertaken. CONCLUSIONS: in selected cases, utilization of removable FCSEMS can be a good option for a quick and adequate biliary drainage in the setting of difficult CBDS. Because of the higher cost of these stents its use needs to be individualized.

Standard criteria versus Rosemont classification for EUS-diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis.

AIM: to study the possible differences in the final diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis by using standard classification described by Wiersema et al. and the new classification proposed recently by Rosemont. MATERIAL AND METHODS: forty-seven patients with the diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis were included in this study. The parenchymal and ductal criteria were studied, the patients were divided in two groups for Wiersema criteria: < 4 criteria, non-diagnostic for chronic pancreatitis and ≥ 4 criteria, diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis. The same patients were divided in four groups according to Rosemont classification: normal pancreas, indeterminate, suggestive and consistent with chronic pancreatitis. We analyzed these data with Chisquare test reported with 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: in patients with chronic pancreatitis the most frequent criteria observed were lobularity in 66% of cases and pancreatic duct dilatation and calcifications in 57.4% of cases each. We found a significant statistical association between the results of both classifications (p < 0.05). The highest association is found in patients with more than 4 standard criteria and definitive diagnostic of chronic pancreatitis according to Rosemont classification. In patients who have less than 4 standard criteria the diagnosis is suggestive of chronic pancreatitis by using the Rosemont classification in 27.66% (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: these results show that no significant statistical differences are found for patients with > 4 criteria diagnosis by standard criteria. But 27.66% patients with less than 4 standard criteria would be suggestive according to Rosemont classification (p < 0.05). Hence, the new classification would be useful in patients with high suspicion of chronic pancreatitis with < 4 standard criteria but with more significance such as parenchymal lithiasis, lobularity or ductal calcifications.