Disease-Based Risk Stratification of Postendoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography Pancreatitis for Common Bile Duct Stones.

BACKGROUND: Risk stratification of postendoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) pancreatitis (PEP) for common bile duct (CBD) stones is needed for clinicians to adequately explain to patients regarding the risk of PEP in advance of ERCP and to proactively take preventive measures in high-risk patients. AIMS: To stratify the risk of PEP for CBD stones based on CBD-related diseases. METHODS: A total of 1551 patients with naïve papilla who underwent ERCP for CBD stones were divided into three groups: Group A: asymptomatic CBD stones, Group B: obstructive jaundice and elevated liver test values without cholangitis, and Group C: mild, moderate, and severe cholangitis. We stratified the risk of PEP by comparing its incidence among the three groups using the Holm's method. Furthermore, we performed one-to-one propensity score matching between Group A and the other groups to examine the risk of PEP in Group A. RESULTS: The incidence rates in Groups A, B, and C were 13.7%, 7.3%, and 1.8%, respectively. The Holm-adjusted p values between Groups A and B, Groups A and C, and Groups B and C were 0.023, < 0.001, and < 0.001, respectively. Propensity score matching revealed that the incidence of PEP was significantly more in Group A than in the other groups (13.3% vs. 1.5%; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The risk of PEP for CBD stones was stratified into low risk (Group C), intermediate risk (Group B), and high risk (Group A). This simple disease-based risk stratification may be useful to predict the risk of PEP in advance of ERCP.

Post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis in single-stage endoscopic common bile duct stone removal.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Papillary treatment, such as endoscopic sphincterotomy or endoscopic papillary balloon dilation, and subsequent single-stage endoscopic stone removal are often performed for choledocholithiasis; however, the incidence of postendoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis (PEP) is unclear. This study aimed to compare the overall incidence of PEP between single- and two-stage stone removal groups and the incidence of PEP between these two groups based on cannulation time. METHODS: We included 897 patients with native papilla who underwent papillary treatment and stone removal for choledocholithiasis with no inflammation or mild-to-moderate acute cholangitis at three institutions between April 2012 and March 2018 in Japan. We performed a propensity-matched analysis and regression adjustment by propensity score to adjust for potential confounding factors. RESULTS: In the propensity-matched analysis with 234 pairs, there was no significant difference in the overall incidence of PEP between single- and two-stage stone removal procedures (15/234, 6.4% vs 6/234, 2.6%, P = 0.072, respectively). Although single-stage stone removal after a cannulation time of ≤15 min was not a significant risk factor of PEP, the procedure after a cannulation time of >15 min was a significant risk factor of PEP as estimated by regression adjustment by propensity score (P = 0.014, 95% CI = 1.4-19.4, odds ratio = 5.2). CONCLUSIONS: Single-stage endoscopic stone removal after a long cannulation time of >15 min increased the incidence of PEP compared with the two-stage stone removal procedure. Thus, single-stage stone removal should be performed in patients with a cannulation time ≤ 15 min.

Safety and Efficacy of Endoscopic Removal of Common Bile Duct Stones in Elderly Patients ≥90 Years of Age.

Objective We examined the safety and efficacy of endoscopic stone removal for choledocholithiasis in elderly patients ≥90 years of age with native papilla and compared the outcomes with those in patients 75-89 years of age. Methods This multicenter retrospective study included 569 patients 75-89 years of age and 126 patients ≥90 years of age who had native papilla and underwent therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for choledocholithiasis at 3 institutions in Japan between April 2012 and March 2018. The main outcomes assessed were the incidence of post-ERCP complications during hospitalization and outcomes of ERCP in patients ≥90 years of age. Results Biliary cannulation and subsequent endoscopic sphincterotomy, endoscopic balloon dilation, and endoscopic large balloon dilation were successful in 97.7% of patients 75-89 years of age and in 98.4% of patients ≥90 years of age. There was no significant difference in the incidence of post-ERCP complications between patients 75-89 years of age and those ≥90 years of age (7.7% vs. 9.5%, respectively; p=0.47). Although the rate of use of mechanical lithotripter was not significantly different, the rate of complete stone removal in patients ≥90 years of age was lower than that in patients 75-89 years of age (81.0% vs. 94.9%, respectively; p<0.001). In all cases with incomplete stone removal in both groups, permanent biliary stent placement was successful. Conclusion ERCP for choledocholithiasis in elderly patients ≥90 years of age is a safe and effective procedure; however, endoscopists should select appropriate strategies after considering each patient's medical condition and background.

Surgery for Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor G3 and Carcinoma G3 Should be Considered Separately.

BACKGROUND: The role of surgery in pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasm grade 3 (pNEN-G3) treatment remains unclear. We aimed to clarify the role of surgery for pNEN-G3, which has recently been reclassified as pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor-G3 (pNET-G3) and pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma-G3 (pNEC-G3), with and without metastases, respectively. METHODS: We analyzed a subgroup of patients from the Japanese pancreatic NEC study, a Japanese multicenter case-series study of pNEN-G3. Pathologists subclassified 67 patients as having pNET-G3 or pNEC-G3 based on morphological features. We compared the overall survival (OS) rates among patients who were grouped according to whether they had undergone tumor-targeted surgery for tumors without (SwoM) or with (SwM) metastases, or non-surgical procedures (NS). RESULTS: Data from 21 patients with pNET-G3 (SwoM, n = 6; SwM, n = 5; NS, n = 10) and 46 patients with pNEC-G3 (SwoM, n = 8; SwM, n = 5; NS, n = 33) were analyzed. OS of patients with pNET-G3 was significantly longer after SwoM and SwM than with NS (p = 0.018 and p = 0.022). In contrast, OS did not significantly differ between either SwoM or SwM and NS (p = 0.093 and p = 0.489) among patients with pNEC-G3. CONCLUSION: The role of surgery should be considered separately for pNET-G3 and pNEC-G3. Although SwoM and SwM can be considered for pNET-G3, caution is advised before considering SwM and SwoM for pNEC-G3.

Post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis in patients with asymptomatic common bile duct stones.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: For asymptomatic common bile duct (CBD) stones, removal by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is recommended in available guidelines. However, few studies have reported the risk of post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP), which is the most common and serious ERCP-related complication for asymptomatic CBD stones. We performed a propensity score matching analysis to examine the risk of PEP in therapeutic ERCP for asymptomatic CBD stones. METHODS: Information from medical databases of three institutions in Japan was collected over 6 years to identify 1113 patients with native papilla who underwent therapeutic ERCP for choledocholithiasis (excluding biliary pancreatitis). We compared the risk of PEP between asymptomatic and symptomatic groups by performing one-to-one propensity score matching. RESULTS: PEP was present in 52 (4.7%) of the 1113 patients overall. Of the 949 symptomatic patients, 28 (3.0%) had PEP, and of the 164 asymptomatic patients, 24 (14.6%) had PEP. The incidence of PEP was significantly higher in the asymptomatic group than in the symptomatic group (3.0% vs 14.6%; P < 0.001, odds ratio = 5.6). Of the 158 propensity score-matched symptomatic patients, five (3.2%) had PEP. In contrast, of the 158 propensity score-matched asymptomatic patients, 24 (15.2%) had PEP. Propensity score matching analysis revealed that the risk of PEP increased significantly in the asymptomatic group compared with the symptomatic group (3.2% vs 15.2%; P < 0.001, odds ratio = 5.5). CONCLUSIONS: ERCP for asymptomatic CBD stones had a high risk of PEP. Endoscopists should explain in detail the risk of PEP to patients, especially those with asymptomatic CBD stones.

Ring-enhancement pattern on contrast-enhanced CT predicts adenosquamous carcinoma of the pancreas: a matched case-control study.

OBJECTIVES: Adenosquamous carcinoma of the pancreas (ASC) is a rare malignant neoplasm of the pancreas, exhibiting both glandular and squamous differentiation. However, little is known about its imaging features. This study examined the imaging features of pancreatic ASC. METHODS: We evaluated images of contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS). As controls, solid pancreatic neoplasms matched in a 2:1 ratio to ASC cases for age, sex and tumor location were also evaluated. RESULTS: Twenty-three ASC cases were examined, and 46 solid pancreatic neoplasms (43 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas, two pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors and one acinar cell carcinoma) were matched as controls. Univariate analysis demonstrated significant differences in the outline and vascularity of tumors on contrast-enhanced CT in the ASC and control groups (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). A smooth outline, cystic changes, and the ring-enhancement pattern on contrast-enhanced CT were seen to have significant predictive powers by stepwise forward logistic regression analysis (P = 0.044, P = 0.010, and P = 0.001, respectively). Of the three, the ring-enhancement pattern was the most useful, and its predictive diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value for diagnosis of ASC were 65.2%, 89.6%, 75.0% and 84.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that presence of the ring-enhancement pattern on contrast-enhanced CT is the most useful predictive factor for ASC.

Dilithioplumbole: a lead-bearing aromatic cyclopentadienyl analog.

Although the concept of aromaticity has long played an important role in carbon chemistry, it has been unclear how applicable the stabilizing framework is to the heaviest elements. Here we report the synthesis of dilithiotetraphenylplumbole by reduction of hexaphenylplumbole. X-ray crystallography revealed a planar structure with no alternation of carbon-carbon bond lengths in the five-membered ring core. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectra and relativistic theoretical calculations show considerable aromatic character in the molecule, thus extending aromaticity to carbon's heaviest congener.