Efficacy, Feasibility, and Safety of the X-Tack Endoscopic HeliX Tacking System: A Multicenter Experience.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The application of endoscopic suturing has revolutionized defect closures. Conventional over-the-scope suturing necessitates removal of the scope, placement of the device, and reinsertion. A single channel, single sequence, through-the-scope suturing device has been developed to improve this process. This study aims to describe the efficacy, feasibility, and safety of a through-the-scope suturing device for gastrointestinal defect closure. METHODS: This was a retrospective multicenter study involving 9 centers of consecutive adult patients who underwent suturing using the X-Tack Endoscopic HeliX Tacking System (Apollo Endosurgery). The primary outcomes were technical success and long-term clinical success. Secondary outcomes included adverse events, recurrence, and reintervention rates. RESULTS: In all, 56 patients (mean age 53.8, 33 women) were included. Suturing indications included fistula repair (n=22), leak repair (n=7), polypectomy defect closure (n=12), peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) site closure (n=7), perforation repair (n=6), and ulcers (n=2). Patients were followed at a mean duration of 74 days. Overall technical and long-term clinical success rates were 92.9% and 75%, respectively. Both technical and clinical success rates were 100% for polypectomies, POEM-site closures, and ulcers. Success rates were lower for the repair of fistulas (95.5% technical, 54.5% clinical), leaks (57.1%, 28.6%), and perforations (100%, 66.7%). No immediate adverse events were noted. CONCLUSION: This novel, through-the-scope endoscopic suturing system, is a safe and feasible method to repair defects that are ≤3 cm. The efficacy of this device may be better suited for superficial defects as opposed to full-thickness defects. Larger defects will need more sutures and probably a double closure technique to provide a reinforcement layer.

Spontaneous transmural perforation in eosinophilic esophagitis: RARE case presentation and role of esophageal stenting.

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a rare disease of the esophagus that is characterized by eosinophilic infiltrate within the esophageal mucosa resulting in chronic inflammation and stenosis. It typically presents with symptoms of esophageal dysfunction with dysphagia and food impaction being the most common presenting complaints. Herein we describe a rare case presentation of a young patient with spontaneous esophageal perforation in the setting of undiagnosed EoE. We suggest that the placement of a covered esophageal stent can provide full closure of the perforation and restoration of the integrity of the GI tract without the need for more invasive open repair. The patient had a short recovery time with no reported postoperative complications upon 30 months follow up. We believe that it's important to consider and rule out EoE in patients with a history of dysphagia and esophageal perforation.

Liquid Nitrogen Spray Cryotherapy is Associated With Less Postprocedural Pain Than Radiofrequency Ablation in Barrett's Esophagus: A Multicenter Prospective Study.

GOALS AND BACKGROUND: Two common endoscopic therapies for eradication of dysplastic Barrett's esophagus are radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and liquid nitrogen spray cryotherapy (LNC). There is no data comparing postprocedural pain. This study aimed to compare the incidence of postprocedural pain between the 2 ablation modalities. METHODS: This is a multicenter prospective study in which pain intensity scores and the presence of dysphagia were assessed immediately before and after treatment, 48 hours posttreatment and at 3 weeks posttreatment using validated instruments. RESULTS: Of 94 patients, 35 underwent LNC and 59 underwent RFA [36 with focal radiofrequency ablation (RFA-F) and 23 with circumferential radiofrequency ablation (RFA-C)]. Immediately posttreatment, patients in the LNC group reported an average Numeric Pain Scale score that was lower than in the RFA groups [LNC 0.41 vs. RFA-F 1.18 (P=0.026), LNC 0.41 vs. RFA-C 1.38 (P=0.010)]. These differences persisted at 48 hours posttreatment [LNC 0.76 vs. RFA-F 1.77 (P=0.013), LNC 0.76 vs. RFA-C 1.73 (P=0.018)]. The odds of pain after RFA were at least 5 times greater than after LNC [immediately posttreatment odds ratio, 5.26 (95% confidence interval, 1.85-14.29) and 48 h posttreatment odds ratio, 5.56 (95% confidence interval, 2.27-14.29)]. There was no difference in dysphagia after treatment in either group, at any time point (P=0.429). CONCLUSION: LNC was associated with less postprocedural pain when compared with RFA. These results help inform patients and physicians about the expected symptoms after ablative endotherapy.

Multicenter Evaluation of Octreotide as Secondary Prophylaxis in Patients With Left Ventricular Assist Devices and Gastrointestinal Bleeding.

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is one of the most common complications after continuous-flow left ventricular assist device implantation. More than one third of patients with incident bleed go on to develop recurrent GI bleeding. Octreotide, a somatostatin analog, is proposed to reduce the risk of recurrent GI bleeding in this population. METHODS AND RESULTS: This multicenter, retrospective analysis evaluated 51 continuous-flow left ventricular assist device patients who received secondary prophylaxis with octreotide after their index GI bleed from 2009 to 2015. All patients had a hospitalization for GI bleed and received octreotide after discharge. Patient demographics, medical and medication history, and clinical characteristics of patients who rebled after receiving octreotide were compared with non-rebleeders. These data were also compared with matched historical control patients previously enrolled in the HMII (HeartMate II) clinical trials, none of whom received octreotide, to provide a context for the bleeding rates. Twelve patients (24%) who received secondary octreotide prophylaxis developed another GI bleed, whereas 39 (76%) did not. There were similar intergroup demographics; however, significantly more bleeders had a previous GI bleeding history before left ventricular assist device placement (33% versus 5%; P=0.02) and greater frequency of angiodysplasia confirmed during endoscopy (58% versus 23%; P=0.03). Fewer patients in this study experienced a recurrent GI bleed compared with a matched historical control group that did not receive octreotide (24% versus 43%; P=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with continuous-flow left ventricular assist device receiving secondary prophylaxis with octreotide had a significantly lower GI bleed recurrence compared with historical controls not treated with octreotide. Additional prospective studies are needed to confirm these data.

Endoscopic Cyanoacrylate Injection with Post-injection Audible Doppler Assessment of Gastric Varices: A Single-Institution Experience.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Gastric varices (GV) have higher rates of morbidity and mortality from hemorrhage than esophageal varices. Several studies have shown the safety and efficacy of cyanoacrylate (CA) injection for acute gastric variceal hemorrhage. We report data from our experience with CA injection for GV before and after routine use of post-injection audible Doppler assessment (ADA) for GV obturation and describe long-term outcomes after this therapy. METHODS: We retrospectively identified patients who had documented GV, underwent CA injection, and had at least 2 weeks of follow-up. We recorded and analyzed the survival and rebleeding rates with patient demographics, clinical data, and endoscopy findings between two groups of patients who were categorized by CA injection prior to and after inception of the ADA technique. RESULTS: Seventy-one patients were identified with 16 patients analyzed in a group where ADA was not used (Pre-ADA) and 55 analyzed where ADA was used (Post-ADA). No rebleeding events were observed within 1 week of initial CA injection. No embolic events were reported after any initial CA injection within 4 weeks. The rate of bleed-free survival at 1 year was 69.6% in the Pre-ADA group and 85.8% in the Post-ADA without statistical significance. The all-cause 1-year mortality was 13.8% in the Pre-ADA group and 10.7% in the Post-ADA group without statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: ADA of CA-injected GV does not appear to significantly affect adverse events or clinical outcomes; however, our findings are limited by small sample size and cohort proportions allowing for significant type II statistical error. Further prospective investigation is required to determine the impact of ADA on clinical outcomes after GV obturation.

Laparotomy-Assisted Endoscopic Injection of Jejunal Varices for Overt Small Bowel Bleeding.

A 54-year old male liver transplant recipient with Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomy was admitted for symptomatic anemia. Despite endoscopies and a bleeding scan, active bleeding was not visualized. Angiography and abdominal computed tomography demonstrated possible jejunal varices at the choledochojejunal anastomosis. Double-balloon enteroscopy demonstrated varices with overlying clots in the Roux limb at the anastomosis. Due to the extensive loop formation and unstable position of the endoscope, therapeutic intervention could not be performed. Operative enterotomy and intraoperative endoscopy were subsequently required. A varix in the jejunum with venous flow on Doppler was injected twice with cyanoacrylate and successfully obturated.

Periesophageal Pseudoaneurysms: Rare Cause of Refractory Bleeding Treated with Transarterial Embolization.

A 43-year-old female with history of systemic lupus erythematosus, prior cytomegalovirus esophagitis treated with ganciclovir, and long segment Barrett's esophagus (Prague class C8 M9) with high grade dysplasia treated with radiofrequency ablation presented to the hospital with hematemesis. An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy showed multiple esophageal ulcers with active arterial spurting which could not be controlled with endoscopic interventions including placement of hemostatic clips. An emergent angiogram demonstrated actively bleeding saccular dilations (pseudoaneurysms) in the esophageal branches of the lower thoracic aorta as well as left gastric artery for which gelfoam and coil embolization was initially successful. Due to recurrence of massive bleeding, she subsequently underwent emergent esophagectomy and bipolar exclusion. Pathology demonstrated submucosal hemorrhage, esophagitis with dysplastic Barrett's mucosa, and an ulcer containing cytomegaloviral inclusions. We report the first case of arterial bleeding from periesophageal pseudoaneurysms as well as use of angiographic embolization for arterial bleeding in the esophagus.

Gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with ventricular assist devices is highest immediately after implantation.

Ventricular assist device implantation is associated with gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB); however, outcomes in terms of initial and repeat GIB risk, severity, location of lesions, and endoscopic interventions need to be better defined. Consecutive patients from a database of adult patients with ventricular assist devices (VADs) implanted between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2010, at a single center were reviewed and followed through May 31, 2011, in a retrospective manner. The GIB events were further classified by severity, lesion location, and lesion type. Hazard analysis models were calculated for the time to GIB events. Of 166 patients with a VAD, 38 patients experienced 84 GIB events. Seventeen patients experienced ≥2 GIB events. Maximal hazard for the first bleeding event was 2.23 events/patient-year at 21 days and declined to the constant hazard by 71 days postimplantation. The hazard for recurrent GIB was greatest immediately after the first GIB event. When considering all GIB events, most lesions (68%) were located in the proximal bowel. Angiodysplasia was the most common lesion type (17.5%) seen on endoscopy when all GIB events were considered, whereas ulcers were the most common type (13.8%) seen in initial GIB events. The actuarial risk of initial GIB events peaks in the first 3 months after VAD implantation followed by a stable lower risk of bleeding. The hazard for recurrent GIB events is substantially increased immediately after the initial GIB.

Prospective evaluation of quality of life in patients with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (ZES) is associated with complicated ulcer disease of the upper gastrointestinal tract. While management of ZES has dramatically improved with proton pump inhibitor therapy, quality of life in medically treated patients has not been evaluated. METHODS: Over a 3-year period, 52 patients with ZES were prospectively evaluated at 6-month intervals with upper endoscopy and gastric acid analysis to evaluate the efficacy of current drug therapy and completion of SF36v2 forms. At each 6-month visit, patients' medication and problem lists were reviewed, comorbidities assessed, and any gastrointestinal symptoms recorded. Co-morbidity was represented as a simple illness count for the main analysis. The chronic disease score and the Charlson index were used for sensitivity analyses. RESULTS: The unadjusted norm-based estimate of mental component score (MCS) for 52 patients with ZES (mean age 58, 65% male) was 49.8 (95% CI 46.4, 53.1). The unadjusted estimate of the physical component score (PCS) was 42.3 (95% CI 38.9, 45.7). As the number of illnesses or number of medications increased, there was a monotonic decrease in PCS scores. With multivariable adjustment, the coefficient for number of medications became non-significant. An increase in each of the co-morbidity indexes was associated with a decrease in PCS. Results did not vary by representation of co-morbidity. MCS was not significantly different from the general population. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with medically managed ZES have norm-based estimates of the mental component scores as measured by the SF-36v2 that approximate normal values, while the physical component scores were decreased with this reduction largely explained by co-morbid illness.