Feasibility and safety of endoscopic resection for the jejunoileal lesions.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic resection (ER) for jejunoileal lesions (JILs) has been technically challenging. We aimed to characterize the clinicopathologic characteristics, feasibility, and safety of ER for JILs. METHOD: We retrospectively investigated 52 patients with JILs who underwent ER from January 2012 to February 2022. We collected and analyzed clinicopathological characteristics, procedure-related parameters, outcomes, and follow-up data. RESULTS: The mean age was 49.4 years. Of the 52 JILs, 33 ileal tumors within 20 cm from the ileocecal valve were resected with colonoscopy, while 19 tumors in the jejunum or the ileum over 20 cm from the ileocecal valve received enteroscopy resection. The mean procedure duration was 49.0 min. The en bloc resection and en bloc with R0 resection rates were 86.5% and 84.6%, respectively. Adverse events (AEs) included one (1.9%) major AE (delayed bleeding) and five (9.6%) minor AEs. During a median follow-up of 36.5 months, two patients had local recurrence (3.8%), while none had metastases. The 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) were 92.9% and 94.1%, respectively. Compared with the enteroscopy group, overall AEs were significantly lower in the colonoscopy group (P < 0.05), but no statistical differences were observed in RFS (P = 0.412) and DSS (P = 0.579). There were no significant differences in AEs, RFS, and DSS between the endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and the endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) group. CONCLUSIONS: ER of JILs has favorable short-term and long-term outcomes. Both ESD and EMR can safely and effectively resect JILs in appropriately selected cases.

Salvage peroral endoscopic myotomy is a promising treatment for achalasia after myotomy failure.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Reintervention modalities after myotomy failure in achalasia patients have yet to be established. The efficacy and safety of salvage peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) for treatment of achalasia after myotomy failure were evaluated in the study. METHODS: Between August 2011 and August 2021 at the Endoscopy Center of Zhongshan Hospital, 219 achalasia patients who had previously undergone a myotomy underwent a salvage POEM and were thus retrospectively enrolled in this study. After propensity score matching (PSM), operation-related parameters were compared between the salvage POEM group and the naïve POEM group. Subgroup analysis was performed between patients with previous Heller myotomy (HM) and patients with previous POEM. RESULTS: With similar baseline characteristics between both groups after PSM, the salvage POEM group presented with shorter tunnel length (11.8 ± 2.2 cm vs 12.8 ± .9 cm, P < .0001) and myotomy length (9.8 ± 2.0 cm vs 10.4 ± 1.0 cm, P < .0001) than the naïve POEM group. No significant differences were found in procedure-related adverse events between patients of salvage POEM and naïve POEM. The primary outcome of treatment success occurred in 175 of 193 patients (90.7%) in the salvage POEM group versus 362 of 374 patients (96.8%) in the naïve POEM group (P = .0046). At a 2- and 5-year follow-up, significantly higher rates of clinical failures were observed in the previous HM subgroup than in the previous POEM subgroup (P = .0433 and P = .0230, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Salvage POEM after a previous myotomy failure, especially after a POEM failure, is a promising treatment option because it has a durable clinical relief rate.

Muscular injury as an independent risk factor for esophageal stenosis after endoscopic submucosal dissection of esophageal squamous cell cancer.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Stenosis after esophageal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has a high incidence, and muscular injury is an important risk factor for esophageal stenosis. Hence, this study aimed to classify muscular injury degrees and investigate their association with postoperative stenosis. METHODS: This retrospective study included 1033 patients with esophageal mucosal lesions treated with ESD between August 2015 and March 2021. Demographic and clinical parameters were analyzed, and stenosis risk factors were identified using multivariate logistic regression. A novel muscular injury classification system was proposed and used to investigate the association between different muscular injury degrees and postoperative stenosis. Finally, a scoring system was established to predict muscular injury. RESULTS: Of 1033 patients, 118 (11.4%) had esophageal stenosis. The multivariate analysis demonstrated that the history of endoscopic esophageal treatment, circumferential range, and muscular injury were significant risk factors for esophageal stenosis. Patients with type II muscular injuries tended to develop complex stenosis (n = 13 [36.1%], P < .05), and type II muscular injuries were more likely to predispose patients to severe stenosis than type I (73.3% and 92.3%, respectively). The scoring system showed that patients with high scores (3-6) were more likely to have muscular injury. The score model presented good discriminatory power in the internal validation (area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve, .706; 95% confidence interval, .645-.767) and goodness-of-fit in the Hosmer-Lemeshow test (P = .865). CONCLUSIONS: Muscular injury was an independent risk factor for esophageal stenosis. The scoring system demonstrated good performance in predicting muscular injury during ESD.

Management of delayed bleeding of upper gastrointestinal endoscopic submucosal tunneling procedures: a retrospective single-center analysis and brief meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Delayed bleeding is a rare but important major adverse event (mAE) after endoscopic submucosal tunneling procedures (ESTP), which is scarcely reported. We aimed to characterize the clinical characteristics of delayed bleeding and provide better management of this mAE. METHOD: From August 2010 to October 2022, we reviewed 3852 patients with achalasia receiving peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) and 1937 patients with upper gastrointestinal tumors receiving submucosal tunneling endoscopic resection (STER). Among these, records of 22 patients (15 POEM, 7 STER) with delayed bleeding were collected. Clinical characteristics, treatment, and outcomes of delayed bleeding were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean age was 43.6 years. Ten patients (45.5%) were intratunnel bleeding, seven (31.8%) were intratunnel bleeding accompanied by mucosal bleeding, and five (22.7%) were mucosal bleeding. The most common accompanied symptoms were hematemesis, fever, and melena. The most common accompanied mAEs were fistula, pulmonary inflammation, and pleural effusion with atelectasis. The mean duration from ESTP to endoscopic intervention was 5.3 ± 4.9 days. Active bleeding was identified in 21 patients (95.5%). The bleeding was successfully controlled by electrocoagulation (19 cases), endoscopic clipping (six cases), and Sengstaken-Blakemore tube insertion (three cases), and no patient required surgical intervention. The mean hemostatic procedure duration was 61.8 ± 45.8 min. The mean post-bleeding hospital stay was 10.0 ± 6.2 days. A brief meta-analysis of previous studies showed the pooled estimate delayed bleeding rate after POEM, STER, and G-POEM was 0.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Delayed bleeding is uncommon and could be effectively managed by timely emergency endoscopic procedures without requiring subsequent surgical interventions.

A prediction model and nomogram for technical difficulty of peroral endoscopic myotomy.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is a promising endoscopic technique for achalasia. We aimed to establish a regression model and develop a simple nomogram to predict the technical difficulty of POEM in a single center with large volume cases. METHODS: 3385 achalasia patients treated with POEM were included, and the technical difficulty was systemically evaluated. All of them were randomized into the training cohort (n = 1693) or internal validation cohort (n = 1692). Then, the prediction model and nomogram were proposed based on multivariate logistic regression analysis in the training cohort and assessed in the validation cohort. RESULTS: Of 3385 patients, technical difficulty happened in 417 (12.32%) cases. In the training stage, six factors were weighted based on the ß coefficient from the regression model, including age, disease duration, sigmoid esophagus, mucosal edema, submucosal fibrosis, and tunnel length. The patients were categorized into low-risk (< 0.1), medium-risk (0.1-0.25), and high-risk (> = 0.25) groups. Our score model performed satisfying discrimination with the areas under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.743 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.701-0.785) and calibration with goodness of fit in the Hosmer-Lemeshow test (P = 0.088) in internal validation. CONCLUSIONS: The prediction model and nomogram demonstrated good performance in predicting the technical difficulty of POEM.

Chinese Consensus Report on Family-Based Helicobacter pylori Infection Control and Management (2021 Edition).

OBJECTIVE: Helicobacter pylori infection is mostly a family-based infectious disease. To facilitate its prevention and management, a national consensus meeting was held to review current evidence and propose strategies for population-wide and family-based H. pylori infection control and management to reduce the related disease burden. METHODS: Fifty-seven experts from 41 major universities and institutions in 20 provinces/regions of mainland China were invited to review evidence and modify statements using Delphi process and grading of recommendations assessment, development and evaluation system. The consensus level was defined as ≥80% for agreement on the proposed statements. RESULTS: Experts discussed and modified the original 23 statements on family-based H. pylori infection transmission, control and management, and reached consensus on 16 statements. The final report consists of three parts: (1) H. pylori infection and transmission among family members, (2) prevention and management of H. pylori infection in children and elderly people within households, and (3) strategies for prevention and management of H. pylori infection for family members. In addition to the 'test-and-treat' and 'screen-and-treat' strategies, this consensus also introduced a novel third 'family-based H. pylori infection control and management' strategy to prevent its intrafamilial transmission and development of related diseases. CONCLUSION: H. pylori is transmissible from person to person, and among family members. A family-based H. pylori prevention and eradication strategy would be a suitable approach to prevent its intra-familial transmission and related diseases. The notion and practice would be beneficial not only for Chinese residents but also valuable as a reference for other highly infected areas.

Endoscopic resection of upper GI extraluminal tumors (with videos).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Endoscopic resection is a feasible treatment for GI extraluminal tumors but remains a challenging procedure with limited data. In this study, we assessed the safety and efficacy of endoscopic resection for extraluminal tumors in the upper GI tract. METHODS: From May 2016 to December 2021, 109 patients undergoing endoscopic resection for extraluminal tumors in the upper GI tract were retrospectively included. Clinicopathologic characteristics, procedure-related parameters, adverse events (AEs), and follow-up outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: The en-bloc tumor resection rate was 94.5% and en-bloc retrieval rate 86.2%. Statistical analysis revealed tumor size ≥3.0 cm and irregular shape as significant risk factors for piecemeal extraction. Resection time and suture time were 46.8 ± 33.6 minutes and 20.6 ± 20.1 minutes, respectively. Large tumor size was significantly associated with a longer procedure duration. Five patients (4.6%) experienced major AEs, including recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, hydrothorax, major bleeding, local peritonitis, duodenal leakage, and repeat endoscopic surgery for tumor extraction. Minor AEs occurred in 13 patients (11.9%). Irregular tumor shape and tumor location (duodenum) were significantly associated with AE occurrence. Mean postoperative hospital stay was 4.7 ± 3.3 days. No recurrence or metastasis was observed during the mean follow-up period of 31.8 ± 15.2 months. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic resection is a safe and feasible therapeutic approach for upper GI extraluminal tumors. Tumor size, shape, and location impact the difficulty and safety of the procedure. Endoscopic resection of duodenal tumors is also feasible but associated with an increased risk of AEs compared with tumors in other locations.

Submucosal tunneling endoscopic septum division for esophageal diverticulum with a median follow-up of 39 months: a multicenter cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Submucosal tunneling endoscopic septum division (STESD) is an endoscopic minimally invasive technique for treating esophageal diverticulum. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the safety and efficacy of STESD and its impact on patients' quality of life. METHODS: This study included consecutive patients who underwent STESD for esophageal diverticulum from April 2016 to August 2020 in 2 centers (Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University and Tianjin First Central Hospital). Esophagogram and endoscopic examination were performed before STESD and 30 days after STESD. Patients completed the 36-item Short Form survey (SF-36) before STESD and 1 year after surgery. Clinical symptoms were assessed via telehealth every 6 months until August 2021. Costamagna and Eckardt scores were used to evaluate changes in symptoms. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients were included. Mucosal injury 1 to 2 cm below the septum occurred in 2 patients. No severe surgical adverse events were observed. Median duration of follow-up was 39 months (range, 12-63). Total SF-36 scores increased from 118.7 ± 18.6 before STESD to 132.4 ± 9.1 at 1 year after the procedure (P = .007). SF-36 subscales of general health (P = .002), vitality (P = .004), social functioning (P = .030), and mental health (P = .020) improved significantly after STESD. The mean Costamagna score decreased from 3.83 ± 1.33 to 1.67 ± 1.51 (P = .010), whereas the mean Eckardt score decreased from 3.50 ± .90 to 1.25 ± 1.76 (P = .002). One patient developed symptom recurrence at 10 months after STESD. CONCLUSIONS: STESD is a safe and valid endoscopic minimally invasive surgery for esophageal diverticulum, which can reduce symptoms and improve quality of life.

Repeat endoscopic submucosal dissection as salvage treatment for local recurrence of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma after initial endoscopic submucosal dissection.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Local recurrence of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) after endoscopic resection does not have an established treatment. The efficacy and safety of repeat endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for recurrent ESCC were determined in the study. METHODS: Forty-three consecutive patients with 45 locally recurrent superficial ESCC lesions undergoing repeat ESD and 909 first ESD lesions for propensity score matching (PSM) at Zhongshan Hospital between January 2011 and January 2020 were retrospectively enrolled. After PSM (1:2), operation-related parameters were compared between repeat ESD and first ESD. In the repeat ESD group, the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank tests were used for identification of risk factors for local recurrence after repeat ESD. RESULTS: As compared with propensity score-matched first ESD, rates of complete resection (86.7% vs 97.8%, P = .02) and curative resection (86.7% vs 96.7%, P = .06) were lower and procedure duration (54.8 ± 21.7 minutes vs 46.2 ± 20.6 minutes, P = .67) and hospital stay (4.3 ± 1.8 days vs 2.9 ± 1.4 days, P = .25) were longer in the repeat ESD group. The en-bloc resection rate (93.3% vs 98.8%, P > .11) remained comparable. Adverse events including bleeding (4.4% vs 0%, P = .11), perforation (.0% vs .0%, P > .99), and stricture (6.7% vs 2.2%, P = .33) presented with no difference. The 5-year overall survival rate and recurrence-free survival rate for repeat ESD was 100% and 86.0%, respectively. Multiplicity was significantly associated with recurrence after repeat ESD (P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: Repeat esophageal ESD showed favorable short- and long-term outcomes and thus provides an alternative choice for recurrent superficial ESCC.

Endoscopic radial incision versus endoscopic balloon dilation as initial treatments of benign esophageal anastomotic stricture.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: We aim to evaluate the efficacy and safety of endoscopic radial incision (ERI) versus endoscopic balloon dilation (EBD) treatment of naïve, recurrent, and refractory benign esophageal anastomotic strictures. METHODS: One hundred and one ERI, 145 EBD, and 42 ERI combined with EBD sessions were performed in 136 consecutive patients with benign esophageal anastomotic stricture after esophagectomy at Zhongshan Hospital from January 2016 to August 2021. Baseline characteristics, operational procedures, and clinical outcomes data were retrospectively evaluated. Parameters and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were compared between ERI and EBD in patients with naïve or recurrent or refractory strictures. Risk factors for re-stricture after ERI were identified using univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Twenty-nine ERI versus 68 EBD sessions were performed for naïve stricture, 26 ERI versus 60 EBD for recurrent strictures, and 46 ERI versus 17 EBD for refractory stricture. With comparable baseline characteristics, RFS was greater in the ERI than the EBD group for naïve strictures (P = 0.0449). The ERI group had a lower 12-month re-stricture rate than the EBD group (37.9% vs 61.8%, P = 0.0309) and a more prolonged patency time (181.5 ± 263.1 vs 74.5 ± 82.0, P = 0.0233). Between the two interventions, recurrent and refractory strictures had similar RFS (P = 0.0598; P = 0.7668). Multivariate analysis revealed initial ERI treatment was an independent predictive factor for lower re-stricture risk after ERI intervention (odds ratio = 0.047, P = 0.001). Few adverse events were observed after ERI or EBD (3.0% vs 2.1%, P = 0.6918). CONCLUSIONS: ERI is associated with lower re-stricture rates with better patency and RFS compared with EBD for naive strictures.

Landscape of esophageal submucosal tunneling endoscopic resection-related adverse events in a standardized lexicon: a large volume of 1701 cases.

BACKGROUND: Submucosal tunneling endoscopic resection (STER) has been widely applied for esophageal submucosal tumors. This large volume study aims to provide a standard landscape of STER-related AEs for reference. METHODS: 1701 patients with esophageal SMTs undergoing STER were included at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University. Data of clinical characteristics and adverse events were collected and analyzed in depth. Adverse events were recorded by ASGE lexicon and graded by ASGE grading/Clavien-Dindo system. Risk factors for major AEs were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Three hundred and twenty (18.8%) patients with 962 cases of adverse events were observed. Accordingly, 84 (5.0%) were classified as major AEs (moderate and severe) by ASGE grading and 37 (2.2%) were classified as major AEs (grades III-V) by Clavien-Dindo grading. First 1 year operation, distance > 6 cm from incision to tumor, piecemeal resection, partially extraluminal location, mucosal injury, and operation time > 60 min were included in the risk score model for major AEs of STER, with 57.1% sensitivity and 87.5% specificity. CONCLUSIONS: STER was a safe procedure for diagnosis and treatment of esophageal SMTs with a total 18.8% incidence of AEs, among which only 5.0% were major AEs requiring therapeutic measurements.

A magnetic resonance imaging modality for non-invasively distinguishing progression of liver fibrosis by visualizing hepatic platelet-derived growth factor receptor-beta expression in mice.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the most critical cells responsible for liver fibrosis, and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is the most prominent mitogen for HSCs in fibrogenesis. This study aimed to explore the potential of gadolinium (Gd)-labeled cyclic peptides (pPB) targeting PDGF receptor-ß (PDGFR-ß) as a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radiotracer to identify the progression of liver fibrosis by imaging hepatic PDGFR-ß expression. METHODS: Mice treated with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4 ) were used to mimic hepatic fibrosis in vivo. The binding activity of FITC-labeled pPB to PDGFR-ß was assessed in cultured human HSCs (HSC-LX2). MRI was performed to visualize hepatic PDGFR-ß expression in mice with different degrees of liver fibrosis after Gd-labeled pPB was injected. RESULTS: Hepatic PDGFR-ß expression level was correlated with the severity of liver fibrosis, and the majority of cells expressing PDGFR-ß were found to be activated HSCs in fibrotic livers. Culture-activated human HSCs expressed abundant PDGFR-ß, and FITC-labeled pPB could bind to these cells in a concentration-dependent and time-dependent manner. With Gd-labeled pPB as a tracer, an MRI modality demonstrated that the relative hepatic T1-weighted MRI signal value progressively increased with the severity of hepatic fibrosis and reduced with remission. CONCLUSIONS: Hepatic PDGFR-ß expression reflects the progression of hepatic fibrosis, and MRI using Gd-labeled pPB as a tracer exhibits potential for distinguishing liver fibrosis staging in mice.

Short- and long-term outcomes of endoscopic submucosal dissection for superficial esophageal squamous cell cancer in patients with prior gastrectomy.

BACKGROUND: The surgery for esophageal cancer arising after prior gastrectomy is technically difficult with high morbidity and mortality. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a minimally invasive endoscopic treatment for superficial SCC with high curative resection rate. But few studies are concerned about ESD under these circumstances. The aim of this study was to elucidate the short- and long-term outcomes of ESD for superficial esophageal squamous cell cancer (SCC) in patients with prior gastrectomy. METHODS: From January 2009 to January 2019, 37 patients with prior gastrectomy who underwent ESD for superficial esophageal SCC were retrospectively enrolled at the Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University in Shanghai, China. Rates of en bloc resection, complete resection, curative resection, incidence of postoperative bleeding, perforation and postoperative stricture were evaluated as short-term outcomes. Overall survival, and local recurrence-free survival were evaluated as long-term outcomes. RESULTS: The rate of en bloc resection, complete resection and curative resection were 94.6%, 86.5% and 78.4%, respectively. No perforation was observed. 1 (2.7%) patient experienced postoperative bleeding. During the median observation of 43 months, 3 (8.6%) patients experienced esophageal stricture, successfully managed by balloon dilation. 3(8.6%) patients had local recurrence after ESD with 5-year local recurrence-free survival rate of 91.4%. During the observation period, 4 patients died of other reasons. The 1, 3, 5-year overall survival rates were 97.1%, 97.1% and 91.4%. CONCLUSIONS: The short-term outcomes indicate ESD is technically difficult with lower resection completeness in patients after gastrectomy, while the long-term outcomes are rather favorable.

Controlled hypertension under hemostasis prevents post-gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection bleeding: a prospective randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a prominent minimally invasive operative technique for treating early gastrointestinal tumors but can result in postoperative bleeding. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to determine whether increasing blood pressure under hemostasis during gastric ESD to identify potential bleeding spots reduces the risk of post-ESD bleeding. METHODS: In this randomized, controlled, single-blinded clinical trial, 309 patients with early gastric cancer who were admitted to a hospital to undergo ESD were recruited from March 2017 to February 2018 and were randomized into intervention and control groups. In the control group, patients underwent normal ESD. In the intervention group, we increased patients' blood pressure to 150 mmHg for 5 min using a norepinephrine pump (0.05 µg/kg/min initial dose) after the specimen was extracted during the ESD operation to identify and coagulate potential bleeding spots with hot biopsy forceps. Our primary outcome was the incidence of postoperative bleeding over 60-day follow-up. RESULTS: The incidence of post-ESD bleeding was lower in the intervention group (1.3%, 2/151) than in the control group (10.1%, 16/158, p = 0.01). Deeper tumor invasion was associated with a higher risk of post-ESD bleeding (5.3% in mucosal/submucosal layer 1 group vs. 12.5% in submucosal layer 2/muscularis propria group, p < 0.001). Multi-factor but not univariate analysis showed that proton pump inhibitor administration three times per day may be a better choice than twice per day. CONCLUSION: Increasing blood pressure under hemostasis during ESD to identify and coagulate potential bleeding spots could reduce the risk of delayed bleeding after gastric ESD.

A risk-scoring system to predict clinical failure for patients with achalasia after peroral endoscopic myotomy.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: We aimed to establish a predictive model and develop a simple risk-scoring system (Zhongshan POEM Score) to help clinicians to characterize high-risk patients for clinical failure after peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM). METHODS: A total of 1538 patients with achalasia treated with POEM with available follow-up data were included in this study and were randomly classified to the training cohort (n = 769) or internal validation cohort (n = 769). A risk-scoring system was developed using multivariate Cox regression analysis in the training cohort. The system was then internally validated by survival analysis in the validation cohort. RESULTS: During a median follow-up time of 42 months, 109 patients had clinical failure. In the training stage, 3 risk factors for clinical failure were weighted with point values: previous treatment (2 points), intraprocedural mucosal injury (2 points for type I and 6 points for type II), and clinical reflux (3 points). The patients were categorized into low-risk and high-risk groups. In the validation stage, Kaplan-Meier curves differed significantly between the 2 groups. Patients in the high-risk group had a significantly higher risk of clinical failure than those in the low-risk group (hazard ratio, 3.99; 95% confidence interval, 2.31-6.91; P < .001). Satisfactory discrimination and calibration were shown. CONCLUSIONS: This risk-scoring system demonstrated good performance in predicting clinical failure in patients who underwent POEM.

Effect of peroral endoscopic myotomy in geriatric patients: a propensity score matching study.

BACKGROUND: Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is a safe and effective approach for achalasia. However, the safety, feasibility, perioperative and long-term efficacy in treating geriatric patients has not been well evaluated. METHODS: Data of 2367 patients diagnosed with achalasia and treated with POEM in the Endoscopy Center, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University from August 2010 to December 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Last follow-up was in December 2018. Propensity score matching based on baseline characteristics was used to adjust for confounding. With a caliper of 0.01 in propensity scoring, 139 patients aged ≥ 65 years were matched at a 1:2 ratio with 275 patients aged < 65 years. Perioperative complications and long-term outcomes were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: After propensity score matching, the two groups had similar baseline clinical characteristics and distribution of propensity scores. The mean age was 70.22 years in geriatric patients and 42.02 in younger patients. Technical failure occurred in one geriatric and one non-geriatric patients (p = 0.485). The procedural time in geriatric patients was similar to younger patients [50 (interquartile range (IQR) 36-76) vs. 50 (IQR 36-70) min, p = 0.398]. There were also no significant differences in major perioperative adverse events (2.88% vs. 2.18%, p = 0.663) and hospitalization length (median 3 vs. 3 days, p = 0.488). During a median follow-up period of 41 months (IQR 26-60), mean decrease in Eckardt score and pressure of the LES were 6.63 and 11.9 mmHg in geriatric patients, which were similar to the change in non-geriatric patients (6.49 and 11.6 mmHg, p = 0.652 and 0.872, respectively). Clinical reflux occurred in 23.53% geriatric patients and 21.59% non-geriatric patients (p = 0.724). 5-year success rate of 92.94% was achieved in geriatric patients and 92.61% in younger patients (log-rank p = 0.737). CONCLUSIONS: POEM is a safe and reliable treatment in geriatric achalasia patients with confirmed short-term and long-term efficacy compared with those in non-geriatric patients.

Microscopic positive tumor margin does not increase the rate of recurrence in endoscopic resected gastric mesenchymal tumors compared to negative tumor margin.

BACKGROUND: The endoscopic resection of gastrointestinal mesenchymal tumors (GIMTs) is widely accepted because of its minimal invasiveness. However, one major concern is the high rate of positive microscopic margins remaining following endoscopic resection, which was thought to be related to a higher risk of recurrence. This study aimed to determine whether positive margins affect the recurrence rate of gastric GIMTs and the factors associated with positive margins. METHODS: Patients with gastric GIMTs were recruited retrospectively from January 2008 to December 2013. Clinical and pathological features, endoscopic procedure information, and follow-up data were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: The study included 777 patients. All tumors were removed along with the pseudocapsule without macroscopic residual (ER0), and the median tumor size was 15.2 mm (range 3-100 mm). Pathological evaluation revealed 371(47.7%) GISTs. The rate of microscopic R1 resection rate was 47.0% (443/777). In a stepwise multivariate analysis, a significantly increased incidence of R1 resection was recorded for the GISTs (OR 11.13, 95% CI 3.00-41.37). In a subgroup analysis of GISTs, a univariate analysis revealed that EFTR achieved a higher rate of R0 resection (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.31-1.00), but it was proven insignificant in a stepwise multivariate analysis. Local recurrence occurred in two patients (0.3%) during a mean follow-up time of 34.2 months. Differences in the recurrence rates between the R0 and R1 groups were statistically insignificant (P = 0.841). CONCLUSIONS: R1 resection for gastric GIMTs is not related to a higher recurrence rate than R0 resection, and ER0 resection is sufficient for gastric GIMTs.

Clinical and endoscopic predictors for intraprocedural mucosal injury during per-oral endoscopic myotomy.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Mucosal injury (MI) is one of the most common perioperative adverse events of per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM). Severe undertreated MI may lead to contamination of the tunnel and even mediastinitis. This study explored the characteristics, predictors, and management approaches of intraoperative MI. METHODS: A retrospective review of the prospectively collected database at a large tertiary referral endoscopy unit was conducted for all patients undergoing POEM between August 2010 and March 2016. MI was graded according to the difficulty of repair (I, easy to repair; II, difficult to repair). The primary outcomes were the incidence and predictors of intraoperative MI. Secondary outcomes were MI details and the corresponding treatment. RESULTS: POEM was successfully performed in 1912 patients. A total of 338 patients experienced 387 MIs, for an overall frequency of 17.7% (338/1912). Type II MI was rare, with a frequency of 1.7% (39/1912). Major adverse events were more common in patients with MI than in those without MI (6.2% vs 2.5%, P < .001). On multivariable analysis, MI was independently associated with previous Heller myotomy (odds ratio [OR], 2.094; P = .026), previous POEM (OR, 2.441; P = .033), submucosal fibrosis (OR, 4.530; P < .001), mucosal edema (OR, 1.834; P = .001), and tunnel length ≥13 cm (OR, 2.699; P < .001). Previous POEM (OR, 5.005; P = .030) and submucosal fibrosis (OR, 12.074; P < .001) were significant predictors of type II MI. POEM experience >1 year was a protective factor for MI (OR, .614; P = .042) and type II MI (OR, .297; P = .042). CONCLUSIONS: MI during POEM is common, but type II injury is rare. Previous POEM and submucosal fibrosis were significant predictors of type II mucosal injury. POEM experience after the learning curve reduces the risk of MI.

Portal hypertension in hepatitis B-related cirrhosis: Diagnostic accuracy of liver and spleen stiffness by 2-D shear-wave elastography.

AIM: To assess the diagnostic accuracy of liver and spleen stiffness measured by 2-D shear-wave elastography (SWE) in evaluation of clinically significant and severe portal hypertension (CSPH and SPH, respectively). METHODS: Clinical data of 155 hepatitis B-related cirrhosis patients and their liver and spleen stiffness (L-SWE and S-SWE, respectively) were collected. The diagnostic performances of L-SWE, S-SWE, the liver stiffness-spleen diameter to platelet ratio score (LSPS) and portal hypertension risk score were evaluated. RESULTS: One hundred and four patients were eligible for analysis. Clinically significant and severe PH were detected in 84 and 74 patients, respectively. Liver and spleen stiffness were significantly correlated with hepatic venous pressure gradient in overall, CSPH, and SPH groups (rL = 0.607, 0.554, and 0.412; rS = 0.665, 0.566, and 0.467, respectively; all P < 0.05). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves of L-SWE, S-SWE, LSPS, and PH risk score were 0.72 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.49-0.95), 0.81 (95% CI, 0.55-0.97), 0.76 (95% CI, 0.51-0.96), and 0.73 (95% CI, 0.55-0.88) for CSPH, and 0.77 (95% CI, 0.51-0.93), 0.85 (95% CI, 0.59-0.96), 0.80 (95% CI, 0.58-0.98), and 0.80 (95% CI, 0.59-0.93) for SPH. The best cut-off of L-SWE for determining CSPH and SPH were 16.1 kPa (sensitivity, 78%; specificity, 72%) and 23.5 kPa (sensitivity, 81%; specificity, 79%). For S-SWE, the best cut-offs were 25.3 kPa (sensitivity, 85%; specificity, 79%) and 33.4 kPa (sensitivity, 74%; specificity, 70%). A cut-off of L-SWE <13.2 kPa or S-SWE <23.2 kPa was able to rule out CSPH, whereas a cut-off of L-SWE >24.9 kPa or S-SWE >34.2 kPa was able to rule in CSPH. CONCLUSIONS: Liver and spleen stiffness measured by 2-D SWE are reliable and promising non-invasive parameters to assess CSPH and SPH.

Outcomes of per-oral endoscopic myotomy for treatment of esophageal achalasia with a median follow-up of 49 months.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) has received wide acceptance as a highly effective and safe treatment for esophageal achalasia. Short-term and small-scale studies are ample, but long-term large-scale studies are few. The aim of the study was to systematically analyze our long-term results of POEM, with particular emphasis on POEM failures and associated risk factors. METHODS: In this single-center study, consecutive patients treated with POEM between August 2010 and December 2012 were included. The Kaplan-Meier survival function was used to estimate clinical success rate at each year. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze risk factors related to recurrence. RESULTS: A total of 564 patients were included. Major perioperative adverse events occurred in 36 patients (6.4%). After a median follow-up of 49 months (range, 3-68), the Eckardt score and lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure were significantly decreased (median Eckardt score, 8 to 2 [P < .05]; median LES pressure, 29.7 mm Hg to 11.9 mm Hg [P < .05]). Fifteen failures occurred within 3 months, 23 between 3 months and 3 years, and 10 after 3 years. The estimated clinical success rates at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years were 94.2%, 92.2%, 91.1%, 88.6%, and 87.1%, respectively. Multivariate Cox regression revealed long disease duration (≥10 years) and history of prior interventions to be risk factors for recurrence. Clinical reflux occurred in 37.3% of patients (155/ 416). CONCLUSIONS: POEM is a highly safe and effective treatment for esophageal achalasia with favorable long-term outcomes.