Factors Affecting the Learning Curve in the Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Sampling of Solid Pancreatic Lesions: A Prospective Study.

Background/Aims: Endosonography is associated with a long learning curve. We aimed to assess variables that may influence the diagnostic outcomes in endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration/biopsy (EUS-FNA/B) of solid pancreatic tumors regarding the level of endoscopists' experience. Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing EUS-guided puncture of solid pancreatic tumors (eight endosonographers, including six trainees) were prospectively enrolled. An experienced endosonographer was defined as having performed at least 250 EUS examinations, including 75 FNA/Bs. The final diagnosis was determined by cytopathology, histopathology, or clinical follow-up. Results: In total, 283 EUS-FNA/Bs of solid pancreatic tumors (75.6% malignant) in 239 patients (median age 69 years, 57.6% males) were enrolled. Trainees performed 149/283 (52.7%) of the interventions. Accuracy and sensitivity for detecting malignancy were significantly higher in the expert group than in the trainee group (85.8% vs 73.2%, p=0.01 and 82.5% vs 68.4%, p=0.02). Solid lesions evaluated by an expert using FNB needles showed the best odds for a correct diagnosis (odds ratio, 3.07; 95% confidence interval, 1.15 to 8.23; p=0.02). More experienced endoscopists achieved better accuracy in sampling via the transduodenal approach (86.7% vs 68.5%, p<0.001), in the sampling of malignant lesions (82.5 vs 68.4, p=0.02), and in the sampling of lesions located in the pancreatic head (86.1 vs 69.1, p=0.02). In cases involving these factors, we observed a moderate improvement in the diagnostic accuracy after 40 attempts. Conclusions: Transduodenal approach, pancreatic head lesions, and malignancy were recognized as the most important clinical factors affecting the learning curve in EUS-FNA/B of solid pancreatic lesions.

Impact of endoscopist experience, patient age and comorbidities on dose of sedation and sedation-related complications by endoscopic ultrasound.

AIM: The aim of the study is to investigate the influence of endosonographer experience and patient-related factors on the dose of sedation and sedation-related complications during endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). METHODS: Our retrospective analysis included EUS investigations performed between 2015 and 2018 at our institution. Sedation-related complications were defined as cardiorespiratory instability with oxygen saturation drop below 90% or prolonged low blood pressure or bradycardia. RESULTS: In total, 537 EUS examinations were analyzed (37.3% interventional). The median dose of propofol and midazolam were: 140 (30-570) and 3(1-7) mg, respectively. Sedation-related complications were documented in 1.8% of cases. All patients had transient, nonfatal respiratory insufficiency. Totally, 60% of the patients who developed complications were >75 years and 70% were male. The presence of cardiac and/or pulmonary comorbidities was associated with an OR = 8.77 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.8-41.7] and American Society of Anesthesiologists class III with an OR = 7.64 (95% CI, 1.60-36.3) for the occurrence of sedation-related complications. Endosonographer experience did not influence the rate of sedation-related complications. In both diagnostic and interventional EUS, patients with comorbidities and older age received significantly less sedation. Experienced endosonographers used less sedation than trainees. CONCLUSION: Endosonographer experience, patient age and the presence of comorbidities had a significant influence on sedation dose. Sedation-related complications occurred only in 1.8% of cases.

The bleeding risk after endoscopic ultrasound-guided puncture of pancreatic masses.

BACKGROUND: Although EUS-fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is considered to be safe, there are limited studies on adverse events of fine-needle biopsy (FNB). AIM: To compare the bleeding rate of EUS-FNA and EUS-FNB of solid and cystic pancreatic masses. METHODS: Our retrospective study included EUS-FNA/FNB of solid and cystic pancreatic masses performed between 02/2017-03/2019 in Klinikum Klagenfurt and 11/2018-03/2019 in University Hospital St. Pölten, Austria. Minor bleeding was defined as an event with a duration of more than 1 min, no need for intervention, large coagulum on the puncture site, or decrease in hemoglobin ≥1.5 g/dL (but <2 g/dL). Major bleeding was defined as a reduction in hemoglobin level ≥2 g/dL, need for red cell transfusions, or interventional hemostasis. RESULTS: About 202 patients were biopsied in that period (141 solid, 61cystic pancreatic masses). FNA needle was used in 54.6% of cases with solid pancreatic masses and 73.7% of cysts. Bleeding with hemodynamic instability was not observed in our cohort. In pancreatic cysts, minor bleeding was observed in 8.2% of cases and was associated with the use of FNB needles and lower platelet count. In solid tumors, one major bleeding (0.7%) from a duodenal vessel occurred and was immediately treated with hemoclip. In this group, minor bleeding was observed in 15.6% of cases. Overall, the bleeding rate correlates with the use of FNB needles. CONCLUSION: Use of EUS-FNB needles increases the rate of minor bleeding for both solid and cystic pancreatic tumors, while major bleeding is a rare occurrence, irrespective of the needle type.

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) in pancreatic masses with inconclusive radiologic workup - a case series and short review of the literature.

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is a very sensitive examination to detect pancreatic masses and can provide useful information in cases where conventional radiologic workup remains inconclusive. We present three cases in which EUS was decisive in establishing the correct diagnosis. Case 1: A 74-year-old female was hospitalized because of acute pancreatitis. Medical history, CT and MRI gave no clue to etiology, but EUS diagnosed a small pancreatic tumor. Case 2: A female patient was admitted because of abdominal pain and weight loss. While MRI suspected a pancreatic tumor, EUS showed typical features of autoimmune pancreatitis. Case 3: A 50-year-old patient was hospitalized with cachexia, ascites and pulmonary embolism. At first, a pancreatic tumor was suspected, but EUS showed a cystic lesion with a solid component (pancreatic pseudocyst).

Photodynamic therapy with polyhematoporphyrin for malignant biliary obstruction: A nationwide retrospective study of 150 consecutive applications.

BACKGROUND: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a palliative treatment for malignant biliary obstruction. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this article is to assess the feasibility and safety of this technique. METHODS: In this nationwide, retrospective study of prospectively collected clinical data, all patients treated with PDT using polyhematoporphyrin in Austria from March 2004 to May 2013 were included. Feasibility, adverse events, stent patency and mortality rates were investigated. RESULTS: Eighty-eight patients (54 male, 34 female, median age 69 years) underwent 150 PDT procedures at seven Austrian referral centers for biliary endoscopy. The predominant underlying disease was Klatskin tumor (79/88). All PDT procedures were feasible without technical issues. Cholangitis was the most frequent adverse event (21/88). Stent patency was 246 days (95% CI 203-289) median and was significantly longer for metal than for plastic stents (269 vs. 62 days, p < 0.01). The median survival was 12.4 months (95% CI 9.7-14.9 m) calculated from first PDT and 15.6 months (95% CI 12.3-18.7 m) calculated from initial diagnosis. In patients suffering from biliary tract cancer, Cox regression revealed the number of PDT treatment sessions as the only independent predictor of survival at a multivariate analysis (p = 0.048). CONCLUSION: PDT using polyhematoporphyrin was feasible and safe in this nationwide analysis. Survival data suggest a benefit of PDT in this unselected real-life patient population. Prospective trials comparing PDT to other palliative treatments will help to define its role in the management of malignant biliary obstruction. The study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT02504957.

Cancer prevention in ulcerative colitis: long-term outcome following fluorescence-guided colonoscopy.

BACKGROUND: Patients with long-standing ulcerative colitis require repeated endoscopies for early detection of neoplasias, which, however, are frequently missed by standard colonoscopy. Fluorescence-guided colonoscopy is known to improve the detection rate but the long-term effects of fluorescence-guided colonoscopy are unknown. METHODS: Colitis patients with negative findings at index fluorescence-guided colonoscopy entered a prospective long-term study with conventional colonoscopies at 2-year intervals. Risk and time to progression were evaluated. The positive predictive value was assessed in patients with neoplasias at index fluorescence-guided colonoscopy who underwent immediate total colectomy. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients with negative fluorescence-guided colonoscopy were surveyed for a mean of 7.8 ± 0.9 years. Neoplasia was observed in only two of them (6%) after 7 and 8 years of follow-up, respectively. Neoplasia at index fluorescence-guided colonoscopy was observed in 10 patients. In all of them, multiple flat low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia was diagnosed. At immediate colectomy performed in eight of them, the diagnosis of flat low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia was confirmed, corresponding to a positive predictive value of 100%. However, synchronous more advanced neoplasia was detected in three of the eight patients (38%). All patients, those with and those without neoplasia, were alive at the end of the study. CONCLUSIONS: Fluorescence-guided colonoscopy misses, in contrast to standard colonoscopy, few, if any, patients with neoplasia. Most neoplasia-negative patients remain negative during prolonged follow-up. However, when low-grade dysplasia is diagnosed by fluorescence-guided colonoscopy, colectomy is recommended because more than a third of the patients harbor synchronous, more advanced neoplasia.

Time-gated fluorescence spectroscopy improves endoscopic detection of low-grade dysplasia in ulcerative colitis.

BACKGROUND: Dysplasia in ulcerative colitis is frequently missed with 4-quadrant biopsies. An experimental setup recording delayed fluorescence spectra simultaneously with white light endoscopy was recently developed. OBJECTIVE: We compared detection of invisible flat intraepithelial neoplasia with protoporphyrin IX fluorescence and standard 4-quadrant biopsies. DESIGN: Prospective, crossover design without randomization of the order of procedures. SETTING: Gastroenterology Department, Humboldt University, Charité, Berlin, Germany. PATIENTS: Forty-two patients with extensive ulcerative colitis of more than 10 years' duration were included. INTERVENTIONS: Colonoscopy with 4-quadrant biopsies and targeted biopsies of macroscopic lesions and time-gated fluorescence-guided colonoscopy were performed 2 weeks apart by 2 blinded endoscopists. Three independent pathologists examined the biopsy specimens. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome criterion was detection rate of invisible flat intraepithelial neoplasia. RESULTS: Invisible flat intraepithelial neoplasia was detected in 3 (7%) patients by white light 4-quadrant biopsies and in 10 (24%) patients by fluorescence-guided endoscopy (P = .02). The sensitivity and specificity for differentiating patients with and without dysplasia were 100% and 81%, respectively. Dysplastic and nondysplastic mucosa could be discriminated with a sensitivity and specificity of 73% and 81%, respectively. LIMITATIONS: The trial was not randomized. CONCLUSION: The detection rate of intraepithelial neoplasia in patients with ulcerative colitis can be improved by fluorescence-guided colonoscopy.

Altered intestinal function in patients with chronic heart failure.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated morphology and function of the gut in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). BACKGROUND: Intestinal translocation of bacterial endotoxin may contribute to the inflammatory state observed in patients with CHF. The morphology and function of the gut may be abnormal. METHODS: We studied 22 patients with CHF (age 67 +/- 2 years, left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] 31 +/- 1%, New York Heart Association functional class 2.3 +/- 0.1, peak VO2 15.0 +/- 1.0 ml/kg/min) and 22 control subjects (62 +/- 1 years, LVEF 68 +/- 2%, peak VO2 24.7 +/- 1.3 ml/kg/min). Bowel wall thickness was assessed by transcutaneous sonography, small intestinal permeability by the lactulose-mannitol test, passive carrier-mediated transport by D-xylose test, large intestinal permeability by sucralose test (5- and 26-h urine collection, high-performance liquid chromatography), and mucosal bacterial biofilm by fluorescence in situ hybridization in biopsies taken during sigmoidoscopy. RESULTS: Chronic heart failure patients, compared with control patients, showed increased bowel wall thickness in the terminal ileum (1.48 +/- 0.16 mm vs. 1.04 +/- 0.08 mm), ascending colon (2.32 +/- 0.18 mm vs. 1.31 +/- 0.14 mm), transverse colon (2.19 +/- 0.20 vs. 1.27 +/- 0.08 mm), descending colon (2.59 +/- 0.18 mm vs. 1.43 +/- 0.13 mm), and sigmoid (2.97 +/- 0.27 mm vs. 1.64 +/- 0.14 mm) (all p < 0.01). Chronic heart failure patients had a 35% increase of small intestinal permeability (lactulose/mannitol ratio: 0.023 +/- 0.001 vs. 0.017 +/- 0.001, p = 0.006), a 210% increase of large intestinal permeability (sucralose excretion: 0.62 +/- 0.17% vs. 0.20 +/- 0.06%, p = 0.03), and a 29% decrease of D-xylose absorption, indicating bowel ischemia (26.7 +/- 3.0% vs. 37.4 +/- 1.4%, p = 0.003). Higher concentrations of adherent bacteria were found within mucus of CHF patients compared with control subjects (p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Chronic heart failure is a multisystem disorder in which intestinal morphology, permeability, and absorption are modified. Increased intestinal permeability and an augmented bacterial biofilm may contribute to the origin of both chronic inflammation and malnutrition.