Impact of Endoscopic Treatment in Severe Duodenal Polyposis: A National Study in Familial Adenomatous Polyposis Patients.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The majority of patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) develop duodenal adenomas with a risk of progression to duodenal cancer. Endoscopic management of FAP duodenal adenomas has been proposed as a less-invasive option than surgery, but available data still are limited. Our aims were to assess the feasibility and safety of endoscopic treatment in duodenal polyposis and to evaluate its long-term efficacy in terms of recurrence and malignant degeneration. METHODS: FAP patients with stage IV duodenal polyposis were enrolled in 5 French centers as part of a national cohort and followed up for a median period of 5.66 years (interquartile range, 6.39 y). Primary outcomes were duodenal surgery-free and cancer-free survival. Two groups of patients were identified according to endoscopic procedures: group 1: resection and or destruction (by argon plasma coagulation) of duodenal polyps, and group 2: papillectomy. RESULTS: Fifty-eight patients were enrolled (29 men; median age, 44 y). Endoscopic therapy was performed in 37 patients in group 1 and in 19 patients in group 2. Duodenal cancer-free and surgery-free survival were 95.8% at 5 years and 92.6% at 10 years. Four patients required surgery and 2 patients developed cancers. In the 58 patients, the calculated Spigelman score decreased from 9.24 points at entry to 6.35 at 5 years and then plateaued. Complications (mostly bleeding and perforation) occurred in 20 patients. CONCLUSIONS: In this long-term cohort follow-up evaluation, endoscopic treatment of patients with severe duodenal polyposis appears relatively safe and effective as an alternative to surgery for the prevention of cancer.

Factors associated with early failure of peroral endoscopic myotomy in achalasia.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Achalasia can be treated very effectively with peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), but factors associated with early failure remain to be determined, especially in European cohorts. METHODS: All consecutive adult patients who underwent a first POEM to treat primary achalasia were included in this multicenter retrospective study. Early failure was defined by an Eckardt score (ES) >3 at 3 months after POEM. When evaluating factors predictive of early failure, 2 cohorts were considered: one consisted of the total population, for whom only basic variables were collected, and the other a cohort built for a case-control study that included matched early-failure and early-success patients (ratio, 1:2). RESULTS: Among 746 patients, the early failure rate was 9.4%. Predictive factors were age ≤45 years (P = .019), achalasia types I and III (P < .001), and the development of a severe adverse event during the procedure (P = .023). In the case-control study, the only additional independent risk factor for early failure was a high pre-POEM ES (P = .001). Only the retrosternal pain subscore was significantly associated with the early failure rate. CONCLUSION: The early failure rate of POEM used to treat primary achalasia is <10%. Younger age, type I/III achalasia, and a high pre-POEM ES were significantly associated with failure.

Success rate of fiducial marker placement for treatment of esophageal or rectal cancers: a prospective multicenter study (FIDECHO study) (with video).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: EUS-guided placement of fiducial markers in patients with esophageal or rectal cancer who have been referred for radiation therapy lacks data regarding its feasibility and safety. The aim of this study was to assess the success rate of EUS-guided fiducial marker placement in these indications. METHODS: This prospective multicenter study enrolled patients with rectal or esophageal tumors who were treated between March 2017 and June 2021. The primary endpoint was the success of fiducial marker placement under EUS guidance utilizing the preloaded 22-gauge EchoTip Ultra Fiducial Needle (Cook Medical, Limerick, Ireland), defined by the ability to release fiducials at least at the proximal and distal ends of the tumor. Secondary endpoints were the adverse events, length of procedure, and fiducial markers remaining throughout radiation therapy. RESULTS: A total of 33 patients were included in this study, with a mean age of 64.2 ± 11.3 years; 66.7% were male. Twenty patients had rectal adenocarcinoma, and 13 had esophageal malignancies. The success rate of fiducial marker placement was 93.9%. Markers could only be released at the proximal end of the tumor in 2 cases. The average procedure time (±SD) was 12.5 ± 4.8 minutes. The number of fiducial markers placed for each patient was 3.8 ± .5. No adverse events were reported. At the end of radiotherapy, markers were still visible on imaging in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: This prospective multicenter study highlights the safety and high success of the placement of fiducial markers under EUS guidance for rectal and esophageal tumors, with no adverse events and with a short procedure time. Fiducial markers remained in place over time during radiation therapy. (Clinical trial registration number: NCT03057288.).

Impact of surgery after endoscopically resected high-risk T1 colorectal cancer: results of an emulated target trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: We aimed to compare the long-term outcomes of patients with high-risk T1 colorectal cancer (CRC) resected endoscopically who received either additional surgery or surveillance. METHODS: We used data from routine care to emulate a target trial aimed at comparing 2 strategies after endoscopic resection of high-risk T1 CRC: surgery with lymph node dissection (treatment group) versus surveillance alone (control group). All patients from 14 tertiary centers who underwent an endoscopic resection for high-risk T1 CRC between March 2012 and August 2019 were included. The primary outcome was a composite outcome of cancer recurrence or death at 48 months. RESULTS: Of 197 patients included in the analysis, 107 were categorized in the treatment group and 90 were categorized in the control group. From baseline to 48 months, 4 of 107 patients (3.7%) died in the treatment group and 6 of 90 patients (6.7%) died in the control group. Four of 107 patients (3.7%) in the treatment group experienced a cancer recurrence and 4 of 90 patients (4.4%) in the control group experienced a cancer recurrence. After balancing the baseline covariates by inverse probability of treatment weighting, we found no significant difference in the rate of death and cancer recurrence between patients in the 2 groups (weighted hazard ratio, .95; 95% confidence interval, .52-1.75). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that patients with high-risk T1 CRC initially treated with endoscopic resection may not benefit from additional surgery.

Development and validation of artificial neural networks model for detection of Barrett's neoplasia: a multicenter pragmatic nonrandomized trial (with video).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The aim of this study was to develop and externally validate a computer-aided detection (CAD) system for the detection and localization of Barrett's neoplasia and assess its performance compared with that of general endoscopists in a statistically powered multicenter study by using real-time video sequences. METHODS: In phase 1, the hybrid visual geometry group 16-SegNet model was trained by the use of 75,198 images and videos (96 patients) of neoplastic and 1,014,973 images and videos (65 patients) of nonneoplastic Barrett's esophagus. In phase 2, image-based validation was performed on a separate dataset of 107 images (20 patients) of neoplastic and 364 images (14 patients) of nonneoplastic Barrett's esophagus. In phase 3 (video-based external validation) we designed a real-time video-based study with 32 videos (32 patients) of neoplastic and 43 videos (43 patients) of nonneoplastic Barrett's esophagus from 4 European centers to compare the performance of the CAD model with that of 6 nonexpert endoscopists. The primary endpoint was the sensitivity of CAD diagnosis of Barrett's neoplasia. RESULTS: In phase 2, CAD detected Barrett's neoplasia with sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 95.3%, 94.5%, and 94.7%, respectively. In phase 3, the CAD system detected Barrett's neoplasia with sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, and accuracy of 93.8%, 90.7%, 95.1%, and 92.0%, respectively, compared with the endoscopists' performance of 63.5%, 77.9%, 74.2%, and 71.8%, respectively (P < .05 in all parameters). The CAD system localized neoplastic lesions with accuracy, mean precision, and mean intersection over union of 100%, 0.62, and 0.54, respectively, when compared with at least 1 of the expert markings. The processing speed of the CAD detection and localization were 5 ms/image and 33 ms/image, respectively. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first study describing external (multicenter) validation of AI algorithms for the detection of Barrett's neoplasia on real-time endoscopic videos. The CAD system in this study significantly outperformed nonexpert endoscopists on real-time video-based assessment, achieving >90% sensitivity for neoplasia detection. This result needs to be validated during real-time endoscopic assessment.

Endoscopic management of patients with high-risk colorectal colitis-associated neoplasia: a Delphi study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Current guidelines recommend endoscopic resection of visible and endoscopically resectable colorectal colitis-associated neoplasia (CAN) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, patients with high-risk CAN (HR-CAN) are often not amenable to conventional resection techniques, and a consensus approach for the endoscopic management of these lesions is presently lacking. This Delphi study aims to reach consensus among experts on the endoscopic management of these lesions. METHODS: A 3-round modified Delphi process was conducted to reach consensus among worldwide IBD and/or endoscopy experts (n = 18) from 3 continents. Consensus was considered if ≥75% agreed or disagreed. Quality of evidence was assessed by the criteria of the Cochrane Collaboration group. RESULTS: Consensus was reached on all statements (n = 14). Experts agreed on a definition for CAN and HR-CAN. Consensus was reached on the examination of the colon with enhanced endoscopic imaging before resection, the endoscopic resectability of an HR-CAN lesion, and endoscopic assessment and standard report of CAN lesions. In addition, experts agreed on type of resections of HR-CAN (< 20 mm, >20 mm, with or without good lifting), endoscopic success (technical success and outcomes), histologic assessment, and follow-up in HR-CAN. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first step in developing international consensus-based recommendations for endoscopic management of CAN and HR-CAN. Although the quality of available evidence was considered low, consensus was reached on several aspects of the management of CAN and HR-CAN. The present work and proposed standardization might benefit future studies.

Multicenter randomized trial comparing diagnostic sensitivity and cellular abundance with aggressive versus standard biliary brushing for bile duct stenosis without mass syndrome.

BACKGROUND : The diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma in patients with a biliary stricture without mass syndrome can be obtained by biliary brushing with a sensitivity of ~50 %. We performed a multicenter randomized crossover trial comparing the aggressive Infinity brush with the standard RX Cytology Brush. The aims were to compare sensitivity for cholangiocarcinoma diagnosis and cellularity obtained. METHODS : Biliary brushing was performed consecutively with each brush, in a randomized order. Cytological material was studied with blinding to the brush type used and order. The primary end point was sensitivity for cholangiocarcinoma diagnosis; the secondary end point was the abundance of cellularity obtained with each brush, with cellularity quantified in order to determine if one brush strongly outperformed the other. RESULTS : 51 patients were included. Final diagnoses were cholangiocarcinoma (n = 43; 84 %), benign (n = 7; 14 %), and indeterminate (n = 1; 2 %). Sensitivity for cholangiocarcinoma was 79 % (34 /43) for the Infinity brush versus 67 % (29/43) for the RX Cytology Brush (P = 0.10). Cellularity was rich in 31/51 cases (61 %) with the Infinity brush and in 10/51 cases (20 %) with the RX Cytology Brush (P < 0.001). In terms of quantification of cellularity, the Infinity brush strongly outperformed the RX Cytology Brush in 28/51 cases (55 %), while the RX Cytology Brush strongly outperformed the Infinity brush in 4/51 cases (8 %; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS : This randomized crossover trial showed that the Infinity brush is not significantly more effective than the RX Cytology Brush for biliary stenosis without mass syndrome in terms of sensitivity for cholangiocarcinoma diagnosis, but does offer a significantly higher abundance of cellularity.

Endoscopic resection of early esophageal tumors in patients with cirrhosis or portal hypertension: a multicenter observational study.

BACKGROUND: Liver cirrhosis and esophageal cancer share several risk factors, such as alcohol intake and excess weight. Endoscopic resection is the gold standard treatment for superficial tumors. Portal hypertension and coagulopathy may increase the bleeding risk in these patients. This study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of endoscopic resection for early esophageal neoplasia in patients with cirrhosis or portal hypertension. METHODS: This retrospective multicenter international study included consecutive patients with cirrhosis or portal hypertension who underwent endoscopic resection in the esophagus from January 2005 to March 2021. RESULTS: 134 lesions in 112 patients were treated, including by endoscopic submucosal dissection in 101 cases (75 %). Most lesions (128/134, 96 %) were in patients with liver cirrhosis, with esophageal varices in 71 procedures. To prevent bleeding, 7 patients received a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt, 8 underwent endoscopic band ligation (EBL) before resection, 15 received vasoactive drugs, 8 received platelet transfusion, and 9 underwent EBL during the resection procedure. Rates of complete macroscopic resection, en bloc resection, and curative resection were 92 %, 86 %, and 63 %, respectively. Adverse events included 3 perforations, 8 delayed bleedings, 8 sepsis, 6 cirrhosis decompensations within 30 days, and 22 esophageal strictures; none required surgery. In univariate analysis, cap-assisted endoscopic mucosal resection was associated with delayed bleeding (P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with liver cirrhosis or portal hypertension, endoscopic resection of early esophageal neoplasia appeared to be effective and should be considered in expert centers with choice of resection technique, following European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy guidelines to avoid undertreatment.

Use of endoscopic submucosal dissection or full-thickness resection device to treat residual colorectal neoplasia after endoscopic resection: a multicenter historical cohort study.

INTRODUCTION : Residual colorectal neoplasia (RCN) after previous endoscopic mucosal resection is a frequent challenge. Different management techniques are feasible including endoscopic full-thickness resection using the full-thickness resection device (FTRD) system and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of these two techniques for the treatment of such lesions. METHODS : All consecutive patients with RCN treated either using the FTRD or by ESD were retrospectively included in this multicenter study. The primary outcome was the R0 resection rate, defined as an en bloc resection with histologically tumor-free lateral and deep margins. RESULTS : 275 patients (median age 70 years; 160 men) who underwent 177 ESD and 98 FTRD procedures for RCN were included. R0 resection was achieved in 83.3 % and 77.6 % for ESD and FTRD, respectively (P = 0.25). Lesions treated by ESD were however larger than those treated by FTRD (P < 0.001). The R0 rates for lesions of 20-30 mm were 83.9 % and 57.1 % in the ESD and FTRD groups, respectively, and for lesions of 30-40 mm were 93.6 % and 33.3 %, respectively. On multivariable analysis, ESD procedures were associated with statistically higher en bloc and R0 resection rates after adjustment for lesion size (P = 0.02 and P < 0.001, respectively). The adverse event rate was higher in the ESD group (16.3 % vs. 5.1 %), mostly owing to intraoperative perforations. CONCLUSION: ESD is effective in achieving R0 resection for RCN whatever the size and location of the lesions. When residual lesions are smaller than 20 mm, the FTRD is an effective alternative.

Diagnosis and management of Barrett esophagus: European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) Guideline.

MR1 : ESGE recommends the following standards for Barrett esophagus (BE) surveillance:- a minimum of 1-minute inspection time per cm of BE length during a surveillance endoscopy- photodocumentation of landmarks, the BE segment including one picture per cm of BE length, and the esophagogastric junction in retroflexed position, and any visible lesions- use of the Prague and (for visible lesions) Paris classification- collection of biopsies from all visible abnormalities (if present), followed by random four-quadrant biopsies for every 2-cm BE length.Strong recommendation, weak quality of evidence. MR2: ESGE suggests varying surveillance intervals for different BE lengths. For BE with a maximum extent of ≥ 1 cm and < 3 cm, BE surveillance should be repeated every 5 years. For BE with a maximum extent of ≥ 3 cm and < 10 cm, the interval for endoscopic surveillance should be 3 years. Patients with BE with a maximum extent of ≥ 10 cm should be referred to a BE expert center for surveillance endoscopies. For patients with an irregular Z-line/columnar-lined esophagus of < 1 cm, no routine biopsies or endoscopic surveillance are advised.Weak recommendation, low quality of evidence. MR3: ESGE suggests that, if a patient has reached 75 years of age at the time of the last surveillance endoscopy and/or the patient's life expectancy is less than 5 years, the discontinuation of further surveillance endoscopies can be considered. Weak recommendation, very low quality of evidence. MR4: ESGE recommends offering endoscopic eradication therapy using ablation to patients with BE and low grade dysplasia (LGD) on at least two separate endoscopies, both confirmed by a second experienced pathologist.Strong recommendation, high level of evidence. MR5: ESGE recommends endoscopic ablation treatment for BE with confirmed high grade dysplasia (HGD) without visible lesions, to prevent progression to invasive cancer.Strong recommendation, high level of evidence. MR6: ESGE recommends offering complete eradication of all remaining Barrett epithelium by ablation after endoscopic resection of visible abnormalities containing any degree of dysplasia or esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC).Strong recommendation, moderate quality of evidence. MR7: ESGE recommends endoscopic resection as curative treatment for T1a Barrett's cancer with well/moderate differentiation and no signs of lymphovascular invasion.Strong recommendation, high level of evidence. MR8: ESGE suggests that low risk submucosal (T1b) EAC (i. e. submucosal invasion depth ≤ 500 µm AND no [lympho]vascular invasion AND no poor tumor differentiation) can be treated by endoscopic resection, provided that adequate follow-up with gastroscopy, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), and computed tomography (CT)/positrion emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) is performed in expert centers.Weak recommendation, low quality of evidence. MR9: ESGE suggests that submucosal (T1b) esophageal adenocarcinoma with deep submucosal invasion (tumor invasion > 500 µm into the submucosa), and/or (lympho)vascular invasion, and/or a poor tumor differentiation should be considered high risk. Complete staging and consideration of additional treatments (chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy and/or surgery) or strict endoscopic follow-up should be undertaken on an individual basis in a multidisciplinary discussion.Strong recommendation, low quality of evidence. MR10 A: ESGE recommends that the first endoscopic follow-up after successful endoscopic eradication therapy (EET) of BE is performed in an expert center.Strong recommendation, very low quality of evidence. B: ESGE recommends careful inspection of the neo-squamocolumnar junction and neo-squamous epithelium with high definition white-light endoscopy and virtual chromoendoscopy during post-EET surveillance, to detect recurrent dysplasia.Strong recommendation, very low level of evidence. C: ESGE recommends against routine four-quadrant biopsies of neo-squamous epithelium after successful EET of BE.Strong recommendation, low level of evidence. D: ESGE suggests, after successful EET, obtaining four-quadrant random biopsies just distal to a normal-appearing neo-squamocolumnar junction to detect dysplasia in the absence of visible lesions.Weak recommendation, low level of evidence. E: ESGE recommends targeted biopsies are obtained where there is a suspicion of recurrent BE in the tubular esophagus, or where there are visible lesions suspicious for dysplasia.Strong recommendation, very low level of evidence. MR11: After successful EET, ESGE recommends the following surveillance intervals:- For patients with a baseline diagnosis of HGD or EAC:at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 10 years after last treatment, after which surveillance may be stopped.- For patients with a baseline diagnosis of LGD:at 1, 3, and 5 years after last treatment, after which surveillance may be stopped.Strong recommendation, low quality of evidence.

Peroral endoscopic myotomy: is it better to perform it in naive patients or as second-line therapy? Results of an open-label-controlled study in 105 patients.

BACKGROUND: Whether Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM) can be proposed as a second-line treatment in patients with achalasia remains to be confirmed in real-life series. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the efficacy, feasibility and safety of POEM between treatment-naïve patients and patients who had prior endoscopic or surgical therapies for achalasia. METHODS: All consecutive patients who underwent a POEM procedure for achalasia in our centre from June 2015 to September 2018 were included in this retrospective study. They were classified into treatment-naïve patients (POEM1) and patients who had at least one previous endoscopic and/or surgical treatment for achalasia (POEM2). RESULTS: A total of 105 patients were included, 52 in the POEM1 group and 53 in the POEM2 group. Clinical success (defined as an Eckardt score ≤ 3) at 6 months was observed in 93% of POEM1 patients and 84% of POEM2 patients (p = 0.18). Technical success rate was not significantly different between the two groups (100% vs 96%, respectively; p = 0.50). No significant difference was noted in terms of adverse event rate (19% vs 19%, respectively; p = 1.00). Post-procedure pain occurred in 12% of treatment-naive and 9% of non-naïve patients (p = 0.76). The median length of hospital stay was 3 days in both groups (p = 0.17). Symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux occurred in 25% of POEM1 patients and 16% of POEM2 patients (p = 0.24). CONCLUSION: Efficacy, feasibility and safety of POEM are not different between treatment-naïve and non-naïve patients. POEM is a valuable second-line approach in patients with persistent symptoms of achalasia after surgical or endoscopic treatments.

[Screening for preneoplastic lesions of the upper gastrointestinal tract]. / Dépistage des lésions prénéoplasiques du tube digestif haut.

Preneoplastic lesions of the esophagus and stomach are cellular abnormalities that have the potential to develop into cancer over time. They are detected during endoscopy and can be classified according to their specific cellular characteristics. Their treatment depends on the severity of the lesion and the individual factors of each patient. Treatment options may include regular endoscopic monitoring, treatment to reduce the risk of progression to cancer (anti-reflux therapy, antibiotics for H. pylori eradication), or endoscopic removal of the lesion. It is important to discuss any concerns about these lesions with a gastroenterologist and to follow recommendations for proper screening and treatment.

Les lésions prénéoplasiques de l'œsophage et de l'estomac sont des anomalies cellulaires ayant le potentiel de se développer en cancer au fil du temps. Elles sont détectées lors d'une endoscopie et peuvent être classées en fonction de leurs caractéristiques cellulaires spécifiques. Leur traitement dépend de la gravité de la lésion et des facteurs individuels de chaque patient. Les options de traitement peuvent inclure la surveillance endoscopique régulière, la prise de traitement permettant de réduire le risque de progression vers le cancer (traitement antireflux, antibiotique pour l'éradication de H. pylori) ou l'ablation endoscopique de la lésion afin de prévenir sa progression vers un cancer. Il est important de discuter avec un gastroentérologue de toute préoccupation concernant ces lésions et de suivre les recommandations de dépistage et de traitement appropriées.

[Colorectal cancer: technological revolution]. / Cancer colorectal : révolution technologique.

Colorectal cancer represents 4500 incidental cases in Switzerland per year, with an incidence increasing among the youngest patients. Technological innovation guides the management of colorectal cancer. Artificial intelligence in endoscopy optimizes the detection of small colonic lesions. Submucosal dissection allows treating extensive lesions at an early stage of the disease. The improvement of surgical techniques, notably robotic surgery, allows limiting complications and optimizing organ preservation. Molecular tools are leading to the development of promising targeted therapies for localized or advanced disease. The development of reference centers tends to bring together this expertise.

Le cancer colorectal représente 4500 nouveaux cas par an en Suisse. Son incidence chez les sujets de plus de 50 ans semble se stabiliser, mais chez les plus jeunes elle est en augmentation. La révolution technologique guide sa prise en charge. L'intelligence artificielle en endoscopie optimise la détection de petites lésions coliques. La dissection sous-muqueuse permet de traiter des lésions parfois étendues à un stade précoce de la maladie. L'amélioration des techniques chirurgicales, notamment par robot, vise à limiter les complications et à optimiser la conservation d'organes. Les outils moléculaires aboutissent au développement de thérapies ciblées prometteuses pour les maladies localisées ou celles avancées. Le développement des centres de référence tend à rassembler cette expertise.

Endoscopic sigmoidopexy for recurrent sigmoid volvulus in inoperable patients: a retrospective series of 15 patients.

BACKGROUND: Recurrent sigmoid volvulus is frequent and sometimes occurs in frail patients with contraindications to surgical sigmoidectomy. Percutaneous endoscopic sigmoidopexy (PES) has recently been proposed as an alternative to elective sigmoidectomy. We aimed to describe the efficacy and safety of PES. METHODS: All consecutive patients who underwent PES for recurrent sigmoid volvulus at two French centers between January 2017 and March 2021 were included in this retrospective case series. Recurrent sigmoid volvulus was defined as at least two symptomatic episodes treated by endoscopic decompression. Under endoscopic guidance, anchors were placed to attach the sigmoid to the anterior abdominal wall, allowing the placement of pigtail Chait catheters. RESULTS: 15 patients (60 % female; median age 74 years [range 49-96]) were included. Median number of previous sigmoid volvulus episodes was 3 (range 2-6). Procedures were technically successful with no intraprocedural adverse events for 14 patients (93 %). Peritonitis occurred at Day 2 in one patient (serious adverse event rate 7 %). Median follow-up time was 10 months (range 1-30). No sigmoid volvulus recurrence occurred during follow-up. CONCLUSION: PES using Chait catheters was feasible and effective for recurrent sigmoid volvulus and should be considered as an alternative to sigmoidectomy in inoperable patients.

Definition of competence standards for optical diagnosis of diminutive colorectal polyps: European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) Position Statement.

BACKGROUND : The European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) has developed a core curriculum for high quality optical diagnosis training for practice across Europe. The development of easy-to-measure competence standards for optical diagnosis can optimize clinical decision-making in endoscopy. This manuscript represents an official Position Statement of the ESGE aiming to define simple, safe, and easy-to-measure competence standards for endoscopists and artificial intelligence systems performing optical diagnosis of diminutive colorectal polyps (1 - 5 mm). METHODS : A panel of European experts in optical diagnosis participated in a modified Delphi process to reach consensus on Simple Optical Diagnosis Accuracy (SODA) competence standards for implementation of the optical diagnosis strategy for diminutive colorectal polyps. In order to assess the clinical benefits and harms of implementing optical diagnosis with different competence standards, a systematic literature search was performed. This was complemented with the results from a recently performed simulation study that provides guidance for setting alternative competence standards for optical diagnosis. Proposed competence standards were based on literature search and simulation study results. Competence standards were accepted if at least 80 % agreement was reached after a maximum of three voting rounds. RECOMMENDATION 1: In order to implement the leave-in-situ strategy for diminutive colorectal lesions (1-5 mm), it is clinically acceptable if, during real-time colonoscopy, at least 90 % sensitivity and 80 % specificity is achieved for high confidence endoscopic characterization of colorectal neoplasia of 1-5 mm in the rectosigmoid. Histopathology is used as the gold standard.Level of agreement 95 %. RECOMMENDATION 2: In order to implement the resect-and-discard strategy for diminutive colorectal lesions (1-5 mm), it is clinically acceptable if, during real-time colonoscopy, at least 80 % sensitivity and 80 % specificity is achieved for high confidence endoscopic characterization of colorectal neoplasia of 1-5 mm. Histopathology is used as the gold standard.Level of agreement 100 %. CONCLUSION : The developed SODA competence standards define diagnostic performance thresholds in relation to clinical consequences, for training and for use when auditing the optical diagnosis of diminutive colorectal polyps.

Impact of antibiotic prophylaxis and conditioning modalities in per-oral endoscopic myotomy for esophageal motor disorders.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: No recommendation regarding antibiotic prophylaxis and preparation modalities are available for patients with esophageal motor disorders who benefit from Per-Oral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM). The aim of our study was to evaluate their impact on the POEM's safety. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study was a comparative and multicentric retrospective analysis of a database prospectively collected. Patients over 18 years old with esophageal motor disorders confirmed by prior manometry, who underwent POEM were included. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of adverse events, as classified by Cotton, based on whether or not antibiotic prophylaxis was administered. RESULTS: A total of 226 patients (median age 52.9 ± 19.12 years [18-105], 116 women [51.3%]) were included. The indication for POEM was mainly type 2 achalasia (n = 135, 60.3%). Antibiotic prophylaxis was administered to 170 patients (75.2%) during 3.93 ± 3.46 days [1-21]. The overall adverse events rate was 9.3% (n = 21). Antibiotic prophylaxis was associated with the occurrence of adverse events (p = .003), but had no impact on their severity (p = .238). Antibiotic prophylaxis didn't influence the effectiveness of POEM (1 [0-4] vs 1 [0-9], p = .231). The use of a liquid diet in the 48 h prior to the procedure was significantly associated with a lower adverse events rate (3.1% vs 6.19%, p = .0002). CONCLUSION: The antibiotic prophylaxis during POEM does not prevent adverse events, had no impact on their severity and the efficacy of the procedure. A liquid diet before the procedure should be systematically proposed.

[Endoscopic submucosal dissection: advances and perspectives]. / Dissection sous-muqueuse endoscopique : avancées et perspectives.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a mini-invasive technique allowing to resect superficial lesions of the digestive tract and maintaining organ function. High technical expertise is required as well as a network approach with referring physicians, pathologists, radiologists, surgeons and oncologists. Rigorous selection of cases as well as endoscopic management of potential complications (hemorrhage, perforation) is mandatory. Therefore, ESD should preferably be performed in expert centers with high volumes of cases, in order to maintain competency and offer optimal patient's management. Most frequent indications in the Western world are early cancers of the esophagus, stomach and colon as well as non-non-lifting polyps and gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST).

La dissection sous-muqueuse (DSM) est une technique permettant la résection des lésions superficielles du tube digestif, de façon mini-invasive, afin de conserver la fonction de l'organe atteint. L'expertise technique aboutissant à ce geste doit s'accompagner d'un travail en réseau associant médecins référents, pathologistes, radiologues, chirurgiens et oncologues. Elle nécessite une sélection rigoureuse des indications, ainsi que la maîtrise des complications éventuelles (hémorragie, perforation) et doit préférablement être réalisée en centre expert, avec un volume suffisant de cas afin de maintenir la compétence. Les indications les plus fréquentes en Occident concernent les cancers super­ficiels de l'œsophage, de l'estomac et du côlon ainsi que les polypes ne se soulevant pas lors de l'injection sous-muqueuse et les tumeurs stromales gastro-intestinales (GIST).

[Management of a cystic lesion of the pancreas discovered incidentally]. / Prise en charge d'une lésion kystique du pancréas de découverte fortuite.

Pancreatic cysts (PC) are common and often discovered incidentally. The distinction between PC is essential, because of the potential malignancy of some lesions requiring surgical resection. The clinical orientation will depend on the clinical history and the radiological characteristics. Indeed, in front of all PCs, it is essential to characterize them using cross-sectional imaging (MRI) in order to highlight the worrisome features requiring further examinations by endoscopic ultrasonography and fine needle aspiration of the cysts to guide the diagnosis. Referral to an expert center will allow to propose to each patient an adequate approach: surgical resection, surveillance according to the recommendations or therapeutic abstention.

Les lésions kystiques du pancréas (LKP) sont fréquentes et souvent découvertes de manière fortuite. La distinction entre les différentes LKP est primordiale, en raison du potentiel dégénératif de certaines lésions. L'orientation clinique dépendra des antécédents personnels, du profil clinique et des caractéristiques radiologiques. Devant tout kyste du pancréas, il est primordial de caractériser les LKP à l'aide d'une imagerie en coupe (IRM) afin de mettre en évidence les signes péjoratifs nécessitant un complément d'examen par écho-endoscopie digestive (EED) avec ponction du liquide intrakystique afin de guider le diagnostic. L'orientation vers un centre expert permettra de proposer une attitude adaptée à la lésion et au patient : résection chirurgicale, surveillance selon les recommandations ou abstention thérapeutique.

Full-field optical coherence tomography: novel imaging technique for extemporaneous high-resolution analysis of mucosal architecture in human gut biopsies.

Full-field optical coherence tomography (FFOCT) is an imaging technique of biological tissue based on tissue light reflectance analysis. We evaluated the feasibility of imaging fresh digestive mucosal biopsies after a quick mounting procedure (5 min) using two distinct modalities of FFOCT. In static FFOCT mode, we gained high-resolution images of general gut tissue-specific architecture, such as oesophageal papillae, gastric pits, duodenal villi and colonic crypts. In dynamic FFOCT mode, we imaged individual epithelial cells of the mucosal lining with a cellular or subcellular resolution and identified cellular components of the lamina propria. FFOCT represents a promising dye-free imaging tool for on-site analysis of gut tissue remodelling.

Endoscopic radiofrequency ablation or surveillance in patients with Barrett's oesophagus with confirmed low-grade dysplasia: a multicentre randomised trial.

OBJECTIVE: Due to an annual progression rate of Barrett's oesophagus (BO) with low-grade dysplasia (LGD) between 9% and 13% per year endoscopic ablation therapy is preferred to surveillance. Since this recommendation is based on only one randomised trial, we aimed at checking these results by another multicentre randomised trial with a similar design. DESIGN: A prospective randomised study was performed in 14 centres comparing radiofrequency ablation (RFA) (maximum of 4 sessions) to annual endoscopic surveillance, including patients with a confirmed diagnosis of BO with LGD. Primary outcome was the prevalence of LGD at 3 years. Secondary outcomes were the prevalence of LGD at 1 year, the complete eradication of intestinal metaplasia (CE-IM) at 3 years, the rate of neoplastic progression at 3 years and the treatment-related morbidity. RESULTS: 125 patients were initially included, of whom 82 with confirmed LGD (76 men, mean age 62.3 years) were finally randomised, 40 patients in the RFA and 42 in the surveillance group. At 3 years, CE-IM rates were 35% vs 0% in the RFA and surveillance groups, respectively (p<0.001). At the same time, the prevalence LGD was 34.3% (95% CI 18.6 to 50.0) in the RFA group vs 58.1% (95% CI 40.7 to 75.4) in the surveillance group (OR=0.38 (95% CI 0.14 to 1.02), p=0.05). Neoplastic progression was found in 12.5% (RFA) vs 26.2% (surveillance; p=0.15). The complication rate was maximal after the first RFA treatment (16.9%). CONCLUSION: RFA modestly reduced the prevalence of LGD as well as progression risk at 3 years. The risk-benefit balance of endoscopic ablation therapy should therefore be carefully weighted against surveillance in patients with BO with confirmed LGD. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT01360541.