VAC-Stent in the Treatment of Post-Esophagectomy Anastomotic Leaks: A New "Kid on the Block" Who Marries the Best of Old Techniques-A Review.

Esophagectomy, while a pivotal treatment for esophageal cancer, is not without adverse events. Among these, anastomotic leak (AL) is the most feared complication, threatening patient lives and incurring significant healthcare costs. The management of AL is complex and lacks standardization. Given the high morbidity and mortality rates associated with redo-surgery, which poses risks for already fragile patients, various endoscopic treatments have been developed over time. Self-expandable metallic stents (SEMSs) were the most widely used treatment until the early 2000s. The mechanism of action of SEMSs includes covering the wall defect, protecting it from secretions, and promoting healing. In 2010, endoscopic vacuum therapy (EVT) emerged as a viable alternative for treating ALs, quickly gaining acceptance in clinical practice. EVT involves placing a dedicated sponge under negative pressure inside or adjacent to the wall defect, aiming to clear the leak and promote granulation tissue formation. More recently, the VAC-Stent entered the scenario of endoscopic treatment of post-esophagectomy ALs. This device combines a fully covered SEMS with an integrated EVT sponge, blending the ability of SEMSs to exclude defects and maintain the patency of the esophageal lumen with the capacity of EVT to aspirate secretions and promote the formation of granulation tissue. Although the literature on this new device is not extensive, early results from the application of VAC-Stent have shown promising outcomes. This review aims to synthesize the preliminary efficacy and safety data on the device, thoroughly analyze its advantages over traditional techniques and disadvantages, explore areas for improvement, and propose future directions.

Comparison of EsophyX2.0 and MUSE systems for transoral incisionless fundoplication: Technical aspects and outcomes up to 3 years.

OBJECTIVES: We compared the efficacy and safety of transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) with the EsophyX2.0 and MUSE systems for treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). METHODS: TIF outcomes from prospective protocols (Esophy2.0X: 2007-2012; MUSE: 2015-2019) were retrospectively compared regarding technical success, moderate/severe adverse events, morpho-functional findings up to 1 year, and clinical outcomes up to 3 years. Inclusion criteria were: (i) at least 6-month symptomatic GERD, full/partial response to proton pump inhibitors (PPI), esophagitis, and nonerosive reflux disease/hypersensitive esophagus (both protocols); (ii) hiatal hernia <3 cm (Esophy2.0X) and ≤2.5 cm (MUSE); and (iii) Barrett's esophagus <3 cm (MUSE). RESULTS: In the 50 EsophyX2.0 and 46 MUSE procedures, technical success and adverse event rates were similar, but MUSE-related adverse events (4.4%) were life-threatening. At 12 months, hiatal hernia recurred more frequently after EsophyX2.0 (P = 0.008). At 6 months, significantly fewer total and acid refluxes were reported after both TIF, but not more significantly at 1 year. Symptoms improved after both TIF up to 1 year (P < 0.0001), but to a greater extent in MUSE patients up to 3 years (P < 0.0001 vs. P < 0.01 for EsophyX2.0). The rates of 3-year off-PPI therapy patients were 73.5% in the MUSE and 53.3% in the EsophyX2.0 series (P = 0.069). CONCLUSION: Although no conclusion could be drawn from this limited study, the MUSE technique seemed more effective in the long term in patients with hiatal hernia; however, there were more severe adverse events than with EsophyX2.0.

Safety and tolerability outcomes of nonanesthesiologist-administered propofol using target-controlled infusion in routine GI endoscopy.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Nonanesthesiologist-administered propofol (NAAP) is increasingly accepted, but data are limited on drug administration using target-controlled infusion (TCI) in clinical practice. TCI adjusts the drug infusion based on patient-specific parameters, maintaining a constant drug dose to reduce the risk of adverse events (AEs) because of drug overdosing and to enhance patient comfort. The aims of this study were to assess the rate of AEs and to evaluate patient satisfaction with NAAP using TCI in a retrospective cohort of 18,302 procedures. METHODS: Low-risk patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists score I and II) undergoing outpatient GI endoscopic procedures, including EGDs and colonoscopies, were sequentially enrolled at IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital (Milan, Italy) between May 2019 and November 2021. RESULTS: Data from 7162 EGDs and 11,140 colonoscopies were analyzed. Mean patient age was 59.1 ± 14.8 years, and mean body mass index was 24.9 ± 3.7 kg/m2. The male-to-female ratio was equal at 8798 (48.1%):9486 (51.9%). AEs occurred in 240 procedures (1.3%) out of the total cohort, with no differences between EGDs and colonoscopies (100 [1.4%] and 140 [1.2%], respectively; P = .418). Most patients (15,875 [98.9%]) indicated they would likely repeat the procedure with the same sedation protocol. Age (odds ratio, 1.02; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.03; P < .008) was the only independent factor associated with overall AEs. CONCLUSIONS: NAAP using TCI is an effective and safe sedation method for routine endoscopy. The proper propofol dosage based on individual patients and the presence of trained operators are crucial for NAAP sedation management.

Endoscopic vacuum therapy versus self-expandable metal stent for treatment of anastomotic leaks < 30 mm following oncologic Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy: a matched case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Management of anastomotic leaks after Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy remains a challenge. Although intracavitary endoscopic vacuum therapy (EVT) has shown great efficacy for large dehiscences, the optimal management of smaller leaks has not been standardized. This study aims to compare EVT versus self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) in the treatment of leaks < 30 mm in size, due to the lack of current data on this topic. METHODS: Patients undergoing EVT (cases) or SEMS (controls) between May 2017 and July 2022 for anastomotic leaks < 3 cm following oncologic Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy were enrolled. Controls were matched in a 1:1 ratio based on age (± 3 years), BMI (± 3 kg/m2) and leak size (± 4 mm). RESULTS: Cases (n = 22) and controls (n = 22) showed no difference in baseline characteristics and leak size, as per matching at enrollment. No differences were detected between the two groups in terms of time from surgery to endoscopic treatment (p = 0.11) or total number of procedures per patient (p = 0.05). Remarkably, the two groups showed comparable results in terms of leaks resolution (90.9% vs. 72.7%, p = 0.11). The number of procedures per patient was not significant between the two cohorts (p = 0.05). The most frequent complication in the SEMS group was migration (15.3% of procedures). CONCLUSION: EVT and SEMS seem to have similar efficacy outcomes in the treatment of anastomotic defects < 30 mm after Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy. However, larger studies are needed to corroborate these findings.

Serrated polyps <10 mm cannot reliably be characterized by i-Scan without magnification at routine colonoscopy.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal lesions (CRLs) <10 mm found at colonoscopy tend towards "diagnose-and-leave" or "resect-and-discard" strategies based on real-time Kudo glandular pit-pattern's assessment using i-Scan. However, i-Scan has not yet been validated for Kudo's classification. We aimed to assess whether, in routine colonoscopy, i-Scan without magnification and optical enhancement (M-OE) reliably differentiates hyperplastic polyps (HPs) from other serrated lesions (SLs) and conventional adenomas (CAs), and, among SLs, HPs from sessile serrated lesions (SSLs) and traditional or unknown serrated adenomas (TSAs, USAs), in Kudo type II CRLs<10 mm, according to ASGE Preservation and Incorporation of Valuable endoscopic Innovations (PIVI) recommended negative predictive value (NPV) threshold for adenomas. METHODS: Prospectively recorded CRLs over 12 months, classified according to Kudo pit-pattern using i-Scan, were retrospectively compared with histology. RESULTS: Overall, 898 ≤5-mm and 704 6- to 9-mm CRLs were included. Type II pit-pattern was found in 76.6% and 38.7% of HPs and SSLs-TSAs/CAs (P<0.000001), and in 84.1% and 26.6% of SLs and CAs (P<0.000001). Among SLs, it was found in 81.9% and 86.6% of HPs and SSLs-TSAs. In CRLs≤5 mm, HPs were prevalent over other SLs (P=0.00001); in CRLs 6-9 mm, CAs were prevalent (P<0.000001). About 77% of SLs in right colon were SSLs-TSAs; 82% in left colon were HPs. PIVI ≥90% NPV threshold for adenomas was reached for CRLs 6-9mm (92.1%), nearly achieved for CRLs≤5 mm (88.2%), and not reached for SLs independently on the size. CONCLUSIONS: A strategy of "diagnose-and-leave" or "resect-and-discard" cannot be recommended for SLs<10 mm with Kudo type II pit-pattern using i-Scan, especially in right colon, if M-OE unavailable.

Preexisting Immunity Drives the Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Esophageal Adenocarcinoma.

Current treatment for patients with locally advanced esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is neoadjuvant chemotherapy (nCT), alone or combined with radiotherapy, before surgery. However, fewer than 30% of treated patients show a pathologic complete response to nCT, which correlates with increased 5-year survival compared with nonresponders. Understanding the mechanisms of response to nCT is pivotal to better stratify patients and inform more efficacious therapies. Here, we investigated the immune mechanisms involved in nCT response by multidimensional profiling of pretreatment tumor biopsies and blood from 68 patients with EAC (34 prospectively and 34 retrospectively collected), comparing complete responders versus nonresponders to nCT. At the tumor level, complete response to nCT was associated with molecular signatures of immune response and proliferation, increased putative antitumor tissue-resident memory CD39+ CD103+ CD8+ T cells, and reduced immunosuppressive T regulatory cells (Treg) and M2-like macrophages. Systemically, complete responders showed higher frequencies of immunostimulatory CD14+ CD11c+ HLA-DRhigh cells, and reduced programmed cell death ligand 1-positive (PD-L1+) monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells, along with high plasma GM-CSF (proinflammatory) and low IL4, CXCL10, C3a, and C5a (suppressive). Plasma proinflammatory and suppressive cytokines correlated directly and inversely, respectively, with the frequency of tumor-infiltrating CD39+ CD103+ CD8+ T cells. These results suggest that preexisting immunity in baseline tumor drives the clinical activity of nCT in locally advanced EAC. Furthermore, it may be possible to stratify patients based on predictive immune signatures, enabling tailored neoadjuvant and/or adjuvant regimens. SIGNIFICANCE: Multidimensional profiling of pretreatment esophageal adenocarcinoma shows patient response to nCT is correlated with active preexisting immunity and indicates molecular pathways of resistance that may be targeted to improve clinical outcomes.

Endoscopic Vacuum Therapy (EVT) versus Self-Expandable Metal Stent (SEMS) for Anastomotic Leaks after Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic treatment of post-esophagectomy/gastrectomy anastomotic dehiscence includes Self-Expandable Metal Stents (SEMS), which have represented the "gold standard" for many years, and Endoscopic Vacuum Therapy (EVT), which was recently introduced, showing promising results. The aim of the study was to compare outcomes of SEMS and EVT in the treatment of post-esophagectomy/gastrectomy anastomotic leaks, focusing on oncologic surgery. METHODS: A systematic search was performed on Pubmed and Embase, identifying studies comparing EVT versus SEMS for the treatment of leaks after upper gastro-intestinal surgery for malignant or benign pathologies. The primary outcome was the rate of successful leak closure. A meta-analysis was conducted, performing an a priori-defined subgroup analysis for the oncologic surgery group. RESULTS: Eight retrospective studies with 357 patients were eligible. Overall, the EVT group showed a higher success rate (odd ratio [OR] 2.58, 95% CI 1.43-4.66), a lower number of devices (pooled mean difference [pmd] 4.90, 95% CI 3.08-6.71), shorter treatment duration (pmd -9.18, 95% CI -17.05--1.32), lower short-term complication (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.18-0.71) and mortality rates (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.24-0.92) compared to stenting. In the oncologic surgery subgroup analysis, no differences in the success rate were found (OR 1.59, 95% CI 0.74-3.40, I2 = 0%). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, EVT has been revealed to be more effective and less burdened by complications compared to stenting. In the oncologic surgery subgroup analysis, efficacy rates were similar between the two groups. Further prospective data need to define a unique management algorithm for anastomotic leaks.

Endoscopic vacuum therapy for post-esophagectomy anastomotic dehiscence as rescue treatment: a single center case series.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic vacuum therapy (EVT) represents an effective endoscopic technique for the treatment of post-esophagectomy leaks and can be used after failure of primary treatment. We aimed to investigate endoscopic data and success rate of EVT for post-esophagectomy anastomotic leaks, after failed redo surgery or previous endoscopic treatment. METHODS: We retrospectively recruited 12 patients from January 2018 to October 2020. Success was defined as dehiscence closure at radiological and/or endoscopic evaluation. Ethical Committee of our institution approved the study. RESULTS: Twelve patients (66.7% male, mean age 65.08 ± 16.7 years) affected by esophago-gastric (n = 10) or esophago-jejunal (n = 2) anastomosis dehiscences after oncologic surgery were treated with EVT, after failure of previous redo-surgical (n = 3, 25%) or endoscopic management (n = 9, 75%). Technical success rate was 100% (60/60 procedures) and dehiscence closure was achieved in three quarters of patients (9/12, 75%). Regarding complications, one case of sponge dislocation (1/60 = 1.7%) and another case of delayed stricture after post-EVT stent placement (1/60 = 1.7%) were recorded, during a mean follow up of 182.3 days. CONCLUSIONS: EVT is a promising option in the treatment of the most complicated anastomotic dehiscences. Its use could be also considered after failure of previous endoscopic or surgical management.

Diet and Lifestyle Habits in Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer: A Pilot Case-Control Study.

BACKGROUND: Early-onset colorectal cancer (eoCRC), defined as a colorectal cancer (CRC) in patients younger than 50 years old, shows an increasing incidence worldwide in the latest years. The role of exogenous factors associated with CRC has been largely overlooked in eoCRC. Here, we conducted a case-control study to evaluate the diet and the lifestyle habits in an Italian population of patients with eoCRC, compared to age-matched healthy controls (HCs). METHODS: We enrolled 118 subjects (47 cases, 71 controls) in a third-level academic hospital. We analyzed epidemiological features (age, sex, body mass index), lifestyle behaviors (smoking habits, physical activity, type of diet, use of dietary supplements), and eating habits (semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire) in eoCRCs and HCs, covering the previous 5 years. RESULTS: In our cohort, positive family history of CRC was significantly associated with the development of eoCRC (p = 0.004). Fresh meat (p = 0.003), processed meat (p < 0.001), dairy products (p = 0.013), and smoking (p = 0.0001) were significantly associated with eoCRC compared to controls. Other variables did not differ significantly between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Fresh and processed meat, dairy products, and smoking could be considered significant risk factors for eoCRC, although further confirmation by international multicenter studies is desirable. Diet and smoking could be the main areas of future interventions for eoCRC primary prevention.

Transoral incisionless fundoplication with Medigus ultrasonic surgical endostapler (MUSE) for the treatment of gastro-esophageal reflux disease: outcomes up to 3 years.

BACKGROUND: Transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) with Medigus Ultrasonic Surgical Endostapler (MUSE) is a new intervention for treatment of gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD). We aimed at assessing the clinical, functional, and endoscopic effects of TIF by MUSE. METHODS: Forty-six patients underwent TIF. Proton pump inhibitor (PPI) consumption, GERD-health-related quality of life (HRQL) and reflux symptom index (RSI) questionnaires, upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy, esophageal 24-h pH-impedance recording, and high-resolution manometry (HRM) were done before TIF and scheduled 6 and 12 months later (HRM only at 6-month). PPI consumption and symptoms were then assessed yearly. Data up to 3 years are reported in this study (PP- and ITT-analysis). RESULTS: TIF was successfully performed in 45/46 patients; in one patient esophageal intubation was impossible. Perforation occurred in two cases. One patient required surgery within 6 months. Clinical follow-up was available for 42 patients at 6 months and 1 year, 35 patients at 2 years, and 31 patients at 3 years. At 1, 2, and 3 years, PPI consumption was stopped, respectively, in 64.3%, 62.9%, and 74.2% of cases (ITT-analysis: 58.7%, 56.4%, and 65.7%). GERD-HRQL and RSI scores decreased at least 50%, respectively, in 71.5% and 76.2%, 71.4% and 68.6%, and 67.7% of cases (ITT-analysis: 65.2% and 69.6%, 64.1% and 61.5%, and 60%). A significant improvement of both scores was observed up to 3 years. 6-month and 1-year functional follow-up were possible in 31 and 20 patients. HRM showed significant increase of the median lower esophageal sphincter length and rate of peristaltic waves. Esophageal pH-impedance recording found significantly fewer acid, proximal and total refluxes, and percentage of esophageal pH < 4 total time at 6 months, but not at 1 year. CONCLUSION: TIF by MUSE significantly improved symptoms and PPIs consumption up to 3 years. However, esophagitis still persisted in one-third of cases at 1 year and functional improvement at 6 months was not confirmed at 1 year. Severe complications requiring surgery occurred in two cases. CLINICALTRIALS: GOV: ID: NCT03669874.

Double layer stent for the treatment of leaks and fistula after upper gastrointestinal oncologic surgery: a retrospective study.

Anastomotic dehiscence is one of the most morbidity related and deadly complication after foregut oncologic surgery. The aim of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of double layer stents (Niti-S™ Beta™ Esophageal Stent) in the management of dehiscences after upper gastrointestinal oncologic surgery. We retrospectively studied consecutive patients who underwent Niti-S™ Beta™ esophageal stent placement from June 2014 to September 2019 for the treatment of anastomotic leaks/fistula following esophagectomy or gastrectomy for cancer. Univariate two-sided logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate possible predictors of successful anastomotic leak/fistula closure. A total of 37 patients were studied and 75 stents were positioned in these patients during the endoscopic procedures. Effective leak/fistula closure was obtained in 23/37 (62.2%). No technical endoscopic failure or complications ensued during the placing of the devices. Regarding delayed complications, migration was observed in 17/75 (22.7%) procedures and stent leaking in 29/75 (38.6%). Three variables significantly favoured stent treatment failure, namely previous neoadjuvant therapy (OR 9.3, P = 0.01), fistula (instead of leak) (OR 6.5, P = 0.01), and stent leak (OR 17.0, P = 0.01). Placement of Beta Niti-S esophageal stent is a safe and effective method that could be considered for the management of leaks and fistula after upper gastrointestinal cancer. Crucial points in the management of post-surgical leaks with this technique are the prompt recognition of leaks and fistula, the prompt endoscopic/radiologic drain of collection and the choice of adequate size of the stent.

Long-term outcomes of transoral incisionless fundoplication for gastro-esophageal reflux disease: systematic-review and meta-analysis.

Background and study aims Few reports exist about long-term outcomes of transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) for treating refractory gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD). Methods A literature search of four major scientific databases was performed up to May 2020 for studies reporting on more than 3-year outcomes of TIF. Data on atient satisfaction, proton pump inhibitor (PPI) daily consumption, PPI use reduction, GERD health-related quality-of-life (GERD-HRQL) score, and normalization of heartburn and regurgitation scores were pooled and summarized with forest plots. Publication bias and heterogeneity were explored. Results Overall, eight studies (418 patients, 232 men; 55.5 %) with a mean follow-up of 5.3 years (range: 3-10 years) were included. The pooled proportion of patient-reported satisfaction before and after TIF was 12.3 % (95 % CI:12.3-35.1 %, I 2  = 87.4 %) and 70.6 % (95 % CI:51.2-84.6, I 2  = 80 %), respectively, corresponding to an odds ratio of 21.4 (95 % CI:3.27-140.5). Pooled rates of patients completely off PPIs and on occasional PPIs were 53.8 % (95 %CI: 42.0 %-65.1 %) and 75.8 % (95 %CI: 67.6-82.6), respectively. The pooled estimated mean GERD-HRQL scores off PPI before and after TIF werey 26.1 (95 %CI: 21.5-30.7; range: 20.0-35.5) and 5.9, respectively (95 %CI:0.35.1-11.4; range: 5.3-9.8; P  < 0.001). The overall pooled rates of heartburn and regurgitation scores normalization were 73.0 % (95 %CI: 0.62-0.82) and 86 %, respectively (95 %CI: 75.0-91.0 %). Conclusion Our study shows that TIF appears to offer a long-term safe therapeutic option for selected patients with GERD who refuse life-long medical therapy or surgery, are intolerant to PPIs, or are at increased surgical risk.

Gastrointestinal mucosal damage in patients with COVID-19 undergoing endoscopy: an international multicentre study.

BACKGROUND: Although evidence suggests frequent gastrointestinal (GI) involvement during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), endoscopic findings are scarcely reported. AIMS: We aimed at registering endoscopic abnormalities and potentially associated risk factors among patients with COVID-19. METHODS: All consecutive patients with COVID-19 undergoing endoscopy in 16 institutions from high-prevalence regions were enrolled. Mann-Whitney U, χ2 or Fisher's exact test were used to compare patients with major abnormalities to those with negative procedures, and multivariate logistic regression to identify independent predictors. RESULTS: Between February and May 2020, during the first pandemic outbreak with severely restricted endoscopy activity, 114 endoscopies on 106 patients with COVID-19 were performed in 16 institutions (men=70.8%, median age=68 (58-74); 33% admitted in intensive care unit; 44.4% reporting GI symptoms). 66.7% endoscopies were urgent, mainly for overt GI bleeding. 52 (45.6%) patients had major abnormalities, whereas 13 bled from previous conditions. The most prevalent upper GI abnormalities were ulcers (25.3%), erosive/ulcerative gastro-duodenopathy (16.1%) and petechial/haemorrhagic gastropathy (9.2%). Among lower GI endoscopies, 33.3% showed an ischaemic-like colitis.Receiver operating curve analysis identified D-dimers >1850 ng/mL as predicting major abnormalities. Only D-dimers >1850 ng/mL (OR=12.12 (1.69-86.87)) and presence of GI symptoms (OR=6.17 (1.13-33.67)) were independently associated with major abnormalities at multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: In this highly selected cohort of hospitalised patients with COVID-19 requiring endoscopy, almost half showed acute mucosal injuries and more than one-third of lower GI endoscopies had features of ischaemic colitis. Among the hospitalisation-related and patient-related variables evaluated in this study, D-dimers above 1850 ng/mL was the most useful at predicting major mucosal abnormalities at endoscopy. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ClinicalTrial.gov (ID: NCT04318366).

Infection Control Practices and Outcomes of Endoscopy Units in the Lombardy Region of Italy: A Survey From the Italian Society of Digestive Endoscopy During COVID-19 Spread.

GOALS: The present survey from the Italian Society of Digestive Endoscopy (SIED-Società Italiana di Endoscopia Digestiva) was aimed at reporting infection control practice and outcomes at Digestive Endoscopy Units in a high-incidence area. BACKGROUND: Lombardy was the Italian region with the highest coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) prevalence, at the end of March 2020 accounting for 20% of all worldwide deaths. Joint Gastro-Intestinal societies released recommendations for Endoscopy Units to reduce the risk of the contagion. However, there are few data from high-prevalence areas on adherence to these recommendations and on their efficacy. METHODS: A survey was designed by the Lombardy section of SIED to analyze (a) changes in activity and organization, (b) adherence to recommendations, (c) rate of health care professionals' (HCP) infection during the COVID-19 outbreak. RESULTS: In total, 35/61 invited centers (57.4%) participated; most modified activities were according to recommendations and had filtering face piece 2/filtering face piece 3 and water-repellent gowns available, but few had negative-pressure rooms or provided telephonic follow-up; 15% of HCPs called in sick and 6% had confirmed COVID-19. There was a trend (P=0.07) toward different confirmed COVID-19 rates among endoscopists (7.9%), nurses (6.6%), intermediate-care technicians (3.4%), and administrative personnel (2.2%). There was no correlation between the rate of sick HCPs and COVID-19 incidence in the provinces and personal protective equipment availability and use, whereas an inverse correlation with hospital volume was found. CONCLUSIONS: Adherence to recommendations was rather good, though a minority were able to follow all recommendations. Confirmed COVID-19 seemed higher among endoscopists and nurses, suggesting that activities in the endoscopy rooms are at considerable viral spread risk.

Risk factors and clinical characteristics of early-onset colorectal cancer vs. late-onset colorectal cancer: a case-case study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Early-onset colorectal cancer (eoCRC), defined as colorectal cancer (CRC) before the age of 50 is increasing in incidence. We evaluated exogenous and endogenous risk factors, and clinical features of eoCRC, compared to late-onset CRC (loCRC). METHODS: In this retrospective case-case study, patients were prospectively enrolled from 2015 to 2018. We collected clinical features (age, sex, time from symptom onset to diagnosis, symptoms, family history, smoking and alcohol habits, diabetes, BMI, and genetic analysis) and tumor characteristics. Independent risk factors for eoCRC and odds ratios (ORs) were identified. RESULTS: Fifty-four eoCRCs and 494 loCRCs were enrolled. Patients with eoCRC experienced longer delay time from symptom onset to diagnosis: 40.7% were diagnosed within 6 months from symptoms onset, compared to 85.6% of patients with loCRC (P < 0.0001). They differed for sex, presence of symptoms, family history, smoking habit, alcohol intake, and BMI. Rectal localization was more closely associated with eoCRC (64.8%) than loCRC (34.5%, P < 0.0001). Family history of CRC was associated with eoCRC (OR = 8.8). When family history occurred with hereditary cancer syndromes, the OR for eoCRC increased to 21. CONCLUSION: In young adults with alarming symptoms, CRC must be suspected to avoid delay time from symptom onset to diagnosis and genetic risk assessment has to be evaluated. Smoking habits, alcohol intake, and BMI are not associated with eoCRC.

A large anastomotic leakage after esophageal surgery treated with endoluminal vacuum-assisted closure: a case report.

The treatment of anastomotic post-esophagectomy leaks and fistula is challenging. Endoluminal vacuum-assisted closure (EVAC) is an emerging technique that employs negative pressure wound therapy to treat anastomotic leaks endoscopically. Esosponge is specifically designed for esophageal EVAC therapy. We report on a 49-year-old woman who underwent a totally mini-invasive Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy and developed a giant postoperative leak with a complex pleural collection, but she was not fit for surgical re-intervention. The patient healed almost completely after 14 exchange sessions of Esosponge over 35 days.

Transoral incisionless fundoplication with an ultrasonic surgical endostapler for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease: 12-month outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) with the Medigus ultrasonic surgical endostapler (MUSE) is a new intervention for the treatment of the gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The aim of this study was to assess the 12-month clinical, functional, and endoscopic effects of TIF by MUSE. METHODS: Patients undergoing MUSE completed the GERD-Health Related Quality of Life (GERD-HRQL) and Reflux Symptom Index (RSI) questionnaires, and underwent endoscopy, esophageal 24-hour pH-impedance recording, and high resolution manometry (HRM) before the TIF procedure and 12 months later, or after 6 months for HRM. RESULTS: Among the 37 patients treated, esophageal intubation was not possible in one and esophageal perforation occurred in another. Clinical and endoscopic follow-up at 12 months was completed in 20 patients, with significant improvements in GERD-HRQL, RSI, heartburn, regurgitation scores, and proton pump inhibitor (PPI) consumption observed. One patient required surgery for persisting symptoms. Functional follow-up was possible in 13 patients and showed no significant improvements in the analyzed parameters. CONCLUSIONS: TIF with MUSE significantly improved symptoms at 1-year follow-up, allowing the consumption of PPIs to be stopped or halved in 90 % of patients.