EUS-guided versus percutaneous liver abscess drainage: A multicenter collaborative study.

Background and Objectives: Management of hepatic abscesses has traditionally been performed by image-guided percutaneous techniques. More recently, EUS drainage has been shown to be efficacious and safe. The aim of this study is to compare EUS-guided versus percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) of hepatic abscesses. Methods: Patients who underwent EUS-guided drainage or PCD of hepatic abscesses from January 2018 through November 2021 from 4 international academic centers were included in a dedicated registry. Demographics, clinical data preprocedure and postprocedure, abscess characteristics, procedural data, adverse events, and postprocedure care were collected. Results: Seventy-four patients were included (mean age, 63.9 years; 45% male): EUS-guided (n = 30), PCD (n = 44). Preprocedure Charlson Comorbidity Index scores were 4.3 for the EUS group and 4.3 for the PCD group. The median abscess size was 8.45 × 6 cm (length × width) in the EUS group versus 7.3 × 5.5 cm in the PCD group. All of the abscesses in the EUS group were left-sided, whereas the PCD group contained both left- and right-sided abscesses (29 and 15, respectively). Technical success was 100% in both groups. Ten-millimeter-diameter stents were used in most cases in the EUS group, and 10F catheters were used in the PCD group. The duration to resolution of symptoms from the initial procedure was 10.9 days less in the EUS group compared with the PCD group (P < 0.00001). Hospital length of stay was shorter in the EUS group by 5.2 days (P = 0.000126). The EUS group had significantly fewer number of repeat sessions: mean of 2 versus 7.7 (P < 0.00001) and trended toward fewer number of procedure-related readmissions: 10% versus 34%. The PCD group had a significantly higher number of adverse events (n = 27 [61%]) when compared with the EUS group (n = 5 [17%]; P = 0.0001). Conclusions: EUS-guided drainage is an efficacious and safe intervention for the management of hepatic abscesses. EUS-guided drainage allows for quicker resolution of symptoms, shorter length of hospital stay, fewer adverse events, and fewer procedural sessions needed when compared with the PCD technique. However, EUS-guided drainage may not be feasible in right-sided lesions.

Safety and efficacy of endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty for obesity management in new bariatric endoscopy programs: a multicenter international study.

Background: Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) is an incisionless procedure that reduces the size of the gastric cavity. In prior studies, it has been proven to be a safe and effective treatment for obesity. In this study, we performed a collaborative study to evaluate the effectiveness of ESG among new endobariatric programs. Methods: This was an international, multicenter study reviewing the outcomes of ESG in centers starting ESG programs. Total body weight loss, change of body mass index (BMI), excess body weight loss (EBWL), technical success, duration of hospitalization, and immediate and delayed adverse events and complications at 24 h, 1 week, and 1, 3, and 6 months post-procedure were evaluated. Results: A total of 91 patients (35 males) from six centers were included. The patients' mean BMI before the procedure was 38.7 kg/m2. BMI reduction at 3 months was 7.3 (p < 0.000), at 6 months 9.3 (p < 0.000), and at 12 months 8.6 (p < 0.000) from baseline. EBWL was 17.3% at 1 month (p < 0.000), 29.2% at 3 months (p < 0.000), and 35.6% at 6 months (p < 0.000). The mean procedure duration was 85.1 min. The mean length of hospital stay post-procedure was 27 h. Conclusion: ESG provides EBWL percentage sustained up to 12 months. These results are equivalent among the new ESG centers compared to previous studies by expert centers. Lay title: Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty in new bariatric endoscopy programs. Plain Language Summary: This article is the result of a collaborative international study on new endoscopic programs offering endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty.The minimally invasiveness and increasing accessibility of this technique makes it very attractive for patients with obesity while being poor candidate for surgery or refusing surgery.This study will also provide valuable information regarding this rising technique of endobariatric treatment.

The Learning Curve for Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy in Latin America: A Slide to the Right?

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) has been increasingly used for achalasia in Latin America, where Chagas disease is prevalent, and this makes POEM more challenging. The aim of this study was to determine the learning curve for POEM in Latin America. METHODS: Patients undergoing POEM in Latin America with a single operator were included from a prospective registry over 4 years. Non-linear regression and cumulative sum control chart (CUSUM) analyses were conducted for the learning curve. RESULTS: A total of 125 patients were included (52% male; mean age, 59 years), of which 80 had type II achalasia (64%), and 38 had Chagas disease (30%). The average pre-procedure and post-procedure Eckardt scores were 6.79 and 1.87, respectively. Technical success was achieved in 93.5% of patients, and clinical success was achieved in 88.8%. Adverse events occurred in 27 patients (22%) and included bleeding (4 patients), pneumothorax (4 patients), mucosal perforation (13 patients), mediastinitis (2 patients), and leakage (4 patients).
The CUSUM chart showed a median procedure time of 97 min (range, 45-196 min), which was achieved at the 61st procedure. Procedure duration progressively decreased, with the last 10 procedures under 50 min approaching a plateau (p-value <0.01). CONCLUSION: Mastering POEM in Latin America requires approximately 61 procedures for both POEM efficiency and to accomplish the procedure within 97 minutes.

How does per-oral endoscopic myotomy compare to Heller myotomy? The Latin American perspective.

Background and study aims Both Heller myotomy (HM) and per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) are efficacious therapies for achalasia. The efficacy and safety of POEM vs HM in Latin America and specifically in patients with Chagas disease is unknown. Patients and methods Consecutive patients undergoing either HM or POEM for achalasia were included from nine Latin American centers in a prospective registry over 5 years. Technical success was defined as undergoing a successful myotomy. Clinical success was defined as achieving an Eckardt score < 3. Data on demographics, procedure info, Eckardt score, and adverse events (AEs) were collected. Student's t test, Chi squared, and logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results One hundred thirty-three patients were included (59 male; 44 %; mean age 47). POEM was performed in 69 patients, HM in 64 patients. A total of 35 patients had Chagas disease, 17 of 69 in the POEM group, 18 of 64 in the HM group. Both groups had significant reduction in Eckardt scores ( P  < 0.00001), but successful initial therapy was significantly higher in the POEM group compared to the HM group ( P  = 0.01304). AEs were similar in both group (17 % vs 14 %) and consisted of pneumothorax (n = 3 vs 2), bleeding requiring transfusion (n = 3 vs 2), and mediastinitis (n = 3 vs 1). Hospital stay was longer in the HM group than in the POEM group ( P  < 0.00001). In the Chagas subgroup, post-procedure Eckardt score in the POEM group was significantly reduced by 5.71 points ( P  < 0.00001) versus 1.56 points in the HM group ( P  = 0.042793). Conclusion Both HM and POEM are efficacious for achalasia, but POEM was associated with higher initial therapy success and shorter hospital stay in Latin America. In Chagas patients with achalasia, POEM was significantly more effective than HM.