Comparative study of strategies to prevent esophageal and periesophageal injury during atrial fibrillation ablation.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the prevalence of esophageal and periesophageal thermal injury in patients undergoing radiofrequency (RF) atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation using 8 mm tip catheters during three different esophageal protection strategies. METHODS: Forty-five consecutive patients with paroxysmal or persistent AF underwent first ablation procedure, besides esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) combined with radial endosonography (EUS) performed before and after the pulmonary vein (PV) isolation. Before the procedure, patients were randomly assigned to one of three esophageal lesion protection strategies: group I-without any protective or monitoring dispositive and limiting RF applications to 30 W for 20 seconds, in left atrium posterior wall (LAPW); group II-power and time of RF delivery, up to 50 W for 20 seconds at LAPW, limited by esophageal temperature monitoring; group III-applications of RF in LAPW with fixed power application of 50 W for 20 seconds during continuous esophageal cooling. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics of patients were similar in all groups. The four PVs were isolated in 14 (93.3%), 13 (86.7%), and 15 (100%) patients, respectively in groups I, II, and III. The mean RF power was significantly higher (P < .001) in the posterior side of PVs in group III. Post-AF ablation EGD and EUS revealed two esophageal wall ulcerations and two periesophageal mediastinal edemas only in the esophageal cooling group (P = .008). CONCLUSION: Esophageal cooling balloon strategy resulted in a higher RF power energy delivery when ablating at the LA posterior wall, using 8 mm nonirrigated tip catheters under temperature mode control. Despite that, patients presented a relatively low incidence of esophageal and periesophaeal injuries.

Suction versus slow-pull for endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration of pancreatic tumors: a prospective randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: Suction (S) is commonly used to improve cell acquisition during endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA). Slow-pull (SP) sampling is another technique that might procure good quality specimens with less bloodiness. We aimed to determine if SP improves the diagnostic yield of EUS-FNA of pancreatic masses. METHODS: Patients with pancreatic solid masses were randomized to four needle passes with both techniques in an alternate fashion. Sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive values were calculated. Cellularity and bloodiness of cytological samples were assessed and compared according to the technique. RESULTS: Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of suction vs. SP were 95.2% vs. 92.3%; 100% vs. 100; 95.7% vs. 93%, respectively. As to the association of methods, they were 95.6, 100 and 96%, respectively. Positive predictive values for S and SP were 100%. There was no difference in diagnostic yield between S and SP (p = 0.344). Cellularity of samples obtained with SP and Suction were equivalent in both smear evaluation (p = 0.119) and cell-block (0.980). Bloodiness of SP and suction techniques were similar as well. CONCLUSIONS: S and SP techniques provide equivalent sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. Association of methods seems to improve diagnostic yield. Suction does not increase the bloodiness of samples compared to slow-pull.

Gastric per-oral endoscopic myotomy for refractory gastroparesis: results from the first multicenter study on endoscopic pyloromyotomy (with video).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Gastric per-oral endoscopic myotomy (G-POEM) recently has been reported as minimally invasive therapy for gastroparesis. The aims of this study were to report on the first multicenter experience with G-POEM and to assess the efficacy and safety of this novel procedure for patients with gastroparesis with symptoms refractory to medical therapy. METHODS: All patients with gastroparesis who underwent endoscopic pyloromyotomy (G-POEM) at 5 medical centers were included. Procedures were performed following the same principles as esophageal POEM. Clinical response was defined as improvement in gastroparetic symptoms with absence of recurrent hospitalization. Adverse events were graded according to the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy lexicon. RESULTS: A total of 30 patients with refractory gastroparesis (11 diabetic, 12 postsurgical, 7 idiopathic) underwent G-POEM. Previous therapies included Botox injection in 12, transpyloric stenting in 3, and PEG with jejunal extension (PEGJ) in 1. Nausea/vomiting were the predominant symptoms in 25 patients. Weight loss was present in 27 patients with an average of 10% loss of body weight. G-POEM was completed successfully in all 30 (100%) patients with a mean procedure time of 72 minutes (range, 35-223 min). The mean myotomy length was 2.6 ± 2.3 cm. The mean length of hospital stay was 3.3 days (range, 1-12 days). Two adverse events occurred in 2 (6.7%) patients, including 1 capnoperitoneum and 1 prepyloric ulcer, rated as mild and severe, respectively. Clinical response was observed in 26 (86%) patients during a median follow-up of 5.5 months. Four patients (2 diabetic, 1 postsurgical, 1 idiopathic cause) did not respond to G-POEM. Repeat gastric emptying scan was obtained in 17 patients, normalized in 8 (47%), and improved in 6 (35%) patients. CONCLUSION: G-POEM is a technically feasible procedure. This small non-randomized study suggests the effectiveness of G-POEM for the treatment of patients with gastroparesis refractory to medical therapy. It concomitantly results in normalization of GES in a significant proportion of treated patients.

Primary adenosquamous cell carcinoma of the pancreas: the use of endoscopic ultrasound guided - fine needle aspiration to establish a definitive cytologic diagnosis.

Pancreatic cancer is the second most common malignancy of the gastrointestinal tract in the US, and adenocarcinoma has been identified as the most common type of pancreatic cancer. Different types of pancreatic cancers have been classified: adenocarcinoma, ductal adenosquamous carcinoma, solid pseudopapillary tumors, endocrine neoplasms, acinar cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, cystic tumors, primary lymphoma of the pancreas, and metastatic lesions of the pancreas. Adenosquamous carcinoma is extremely rare, behave in a very aggressive way and is responsible for the 1 to 4% of the pancreatic exocrine neoplastic lesions. We describe the case of an 82-years-old African American female, presenting to our institution with quantifiable weight loss (12 kg in 3 months), jaundice and abdominal pain. On admission, laboratory tests were obtained: total bilirubin: 11.07 mg/dl with a direct fraction of 10.32 mg/dl. Cross-sectional abdominal CT scan with contrast, showed a lesion localized in the pancreatic head (hypodense on T1, measuring 3.5 x 3.5 x 2.5 cm), with vascular invasion of the portal vein. EUS showed a solid, hypoechoic, not well-defined lesion (measuring 3.98 x 3.80 cm), localized between the head and neck of the pancreas. EUS-FNA was performed with a 22G needle using the fanning technique. The cytological specimens demonstrated components of both squamous carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. The patient underwent ERCP procedure, and biliary drainage was performed with an entirely covered metallic stent placement. After a month from the procedures, the patient died due to the severity of the disease. Endoscopic ultrasound has proven to be the best method to diagnose solid pancreatic lesions, including rare and aggressive type of tumors like primary adenosquamous cell carcinoma that we described in this very interesting case report.

EUS-guided percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy for enteral feeding tube placement.

BACKGROUND: Patients without adequate abdominal-wall transillumination are at a high risk of developing complications after PEG. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the feasibility and utility of EUS to guide PEG in patients lacking abdominal-wall transillumination. DESIGN: Single-center case series. SETTING: Tertiary-referral center. PATIENTS: Six patients who lacked adequate abdominal-wall transillumination and 2 patients with a large laparotomy scar deemed to be at high risk of developing complications after PEG. INTERVENTIONS: Patients underwent EUS-guided PEG and deployment of a standard enteral feeding tube. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Technical success and complication rates. RESULTS: PEG was successful under EUS guidance in 5 of 8 patients. Causes of failure included an inadequate EUS window because of a prior Billroth 1 gastrectomy in one and suspected bowel interposition in 2 patients. There were no complications. LIMITATIONS: A small number of patients, uncontrolled study, and short follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: This technique may facilitate deployment of PEG in patients who lack adequate abdominal-wall transillumination.

Watermelon stomach: clinical aspects and treatment with argon plasma coagulation.

BACKGROUND: Gastric antral vascular ectasia is a disorder whose pathogenetic mechanism is unknown. The endoscopic treatment with argon plasma coagulation has been considered one of the best endoscopic therapeutic options. AIM: To analyze the endoscopic and clinical features of gastric antral vascular ectasia and its response to the argon plasma coagulation treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighteen patients were studied and classified into two groups: group 1--whose endoscopic aspect was striped (watermelon) or of the diffuse confluent type; group 2--diffuse spotty nonconfluent endoscopic aspect. RESULTS: Group 1 with eight patients, all having autoimmune antibodies, but one, whose antibodies were not searched for. Three were cirrhotic and three had hypothyroidism. All had gastric mucosa atrophy. In group 2, with 10 patients, all had non-immune liver disease, with platelet levels below 90,000. Ten patients were submitted to argon plasma coagulation treatment, with 2 to 36 months of follow-up. Lesions recurred in all patients who remained in the follow-up program and one did not respond to treatment for acute bleeding control. CONCLUSION: There seem to be two distinct groups of patients with gastric antral vascular ectasia: one related to immunologic disorders and other to non-immune chronic liver disease and low platelets. The endoscopic treatment using argon plasma coagulation had a high recurrence in the long-term evaluation.

Endoscopic ultrasound versus magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography in suspected choledocholithiasis: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: There is a lack of consensus about the optimal noninvasive strategy for patients with suspected choledocholithiasis. Two previous systematic reviews used different methodologies not based on pretest probabilities that demonstrated no statistically significant difference between Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) for the detection of choledocholithiasis. In this article, we made a comparison of the diagnostic ability of EUS and MRCP to detect choledocholithiasis in suspected patients. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) recommendations with all published randomized prospective trials. We performed the systemic review using MedLine, EMBASE, Cochrane, LILACS, and Scopus reviews through May 2015. We identified eight randomized, prospective, blinded trials comparing EUS and MRCP. All the patients were submitted to a gold standard method. We calculated the study-specific variables and performed analyses using aggregated variables such as sensitivity, specificity, prevalence, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy. RESULTS: Five hundred and thirty eight patients were included in the analysis. The pretest probability for choledocholithiasis was 38.7. The mean sensitivity of EUS and MRCP for detection of choledocholithiasis was 93.7 and 83.5, respectively; the specificity was 88.5 and 91.5, respectively. Regarding EUS and MRCP, PPV was 89 and 87.8, respectively, and NPV was 96.9 and 87.8, respectively. The accuracy of EUS and MRCP was 93.3 and 89.7, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: For the same pretest probability of choledocholithiasis, EUS has higher posttest probability when the result is positive and a lower posttest probability when the result is negative compared with MRCP.

A new technique for performing endoscopic pyloromyotomy by gastric submucosal tunnel dissection.

AIM: To investigate the feasibility of a new endoscopic pyloromyotomy technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Endoscopic pyloromyotomy through a gastric submucosal tunnel was performed in 6 pigs. At the greater curvature, 2 cm proximal to the pylorus, we incised the mucosa and dissected the submucosal tunnel up to the pyloric ring. The pyloric muscular ring was sectioned, and then the gastric mucosal incision was closed with metallic clips. The pigs were then euthanized and necropsies were performed. RESULTS: Section of the pyloric ring was successful in all 6 pigs. Small perforations occurred in 2 of the pigs, and there was limited bleeding in 1 pig. Necropsy and histologic evaluation confirmed the pyloric section. CONCLUSIONS: This technique is feasible, easy to perform, and maybe alternative to pyloroplasty in selected cases. Experimental comparative studies with other techniques still must be performed.

Primary adenosquamous cell carcinoma of the pancreas: the use of endoscopic ultrasound guided - fine needle aspiration to establish a definitive cytologic diagnosis / Carcinoma adenoescamoso primario de páncreas: uso de la técnica de biopsia por aspiración con aguja fina guiada por ultrasonido endoscópico para establecer un diagnóstico citológico definitivo

Pancreatic cancer is the second most common malignancy of the gastrointestinal tract in the US, and adenocarcinoma has been identified as the most common type of pancreatic cancer. Different types of pancreatic cancers have been classified: adenocarcinoma, ductal adenosquamous carcinoma, solid pseudopapillary tumors, endocrine neoplasms, acinar cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, cystic tumors, primary lymphoma of the pancreas, and metastatic lesions of the pancreas. Adenosquamous carcinoma is extremely rare, behave in a very aggressive way and is responsible for the 1 to 4% of the pancreatic exocrine neoplastic lesions. We describe the case of an 82-years-old African American female, presenting to our institution with quantifiable weight loss (12 kg in 3 months), jaundice and abdominal pain. On admission, laboratory tests were obtained: total bilirubin: 11.07 mg/dl with a direct fraction of 10.32 mg/dl. Cross-sectional abdominal CT scan with contrast, showed a lesion localized in the pancreatic head (hypodense on T1, measuring 3.5 x 3.5 x 2.5 cm), with vascular invasion of the portal vein. EUS showed a solid, hypoechoic, not well-defined lesion (measuring 3.98 x 3.80 cm), localized between the head and neck of the pancreas. EUS-FNA was performed with a 22G needle using the fanning technique. The cytological specimens demonstrated components of both squamous carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. The patient underwent ERCP procedure, and biliary drainage was performed with an entirely covered metallic stent placement. After a month from the procedures, the patient died due to the severity of the disease. Endoscopic ultrasound has proven to be the best method to diagnose solid pancreatic lesions, including rare and aggressive type of tumors like primary adenosquamous cell carcinoma that we described in this very interesting case report

El cáncer de páncreas es la segunda neoplasia maligna más común del tracto gastrointestinal en los EE.UU. y el adenocarcinoma ha sido identificado como el tipo más común de cáncer de páncreas. Se han clasificado diferentes tipos de cáncer de páncreas: adenocarcinoma, carcinoma adenoescamoso ductal, tumores pseudopapilares sólidos, neoplasias endocrinas, carcinoma de células acinares, carcinoma de células escamosas, tumores quísticos, linfoma primario del páncreas y lesiones metastásicas del páncreas. El carcinoma adenoescamoso es extremadamente raro y se comporta de manera muy agresiva, es responsable del 1 al 4% de las lesiones pancreáticas exocrinas neoplásicas. Presentamos el caso de una mujer afroamericana de 82 años de edad, que fue admitida a nuestra institución con pérdida de peso cuantificable (12 kg en 3 meses), ictericia y dolor abdominal. Al momento de la admisión, se obtuvieron pruebas de laboratorio: bilirrubina total: 11,07 mg/dl con una fracción directa de 10,32 mg/dl. La tomografía computarizada abdominal transversal con contraste mostró una lesión localizada en la cabeza pancreática (hipodensa en T1, 5 x 3,5 x 2,5 cm) con invasión vascular de la vena porta. El ultrasonido endoscópico mostró una lesión sólida, hipoecoica, no bien definida de 3,98 x 3,80 cm, localizada entre la cabeza y el cuello del páncreas. La biopsia por aspiración con aguja fina guiada por ultrasonido endoscópico se realizó con una aguja 22G utilizando la técnica de ventilación (Fanning). Los especímenes citológicos demostraron componentes de carcinoma escamoso y adenocarcinoma. El paciente se sometió a CPRE y el drenaje biliar se realizó con una prótesis metálica completamente cubierta. Después de un mes de los procedimientos, el paciente falleció debido a la gravedad de la enfermedad. El ultrasonido endoscópico ha demostrado ser el mejor método para diagnosticar lesiones pancreáticas sólidas, incluyendo tumores raros y agresivos como el carcinoma primario de células adenoescamosas que describimos en este interesante relato de caso

Watermelon stomach: clinical aspects and treatment with argon plasma coagulation / Ectasia vascular do antro gástrico ("watermelon stomach"): aspectos clínicos e tratamento com coagulação com plasma de argônio

BACKGROUND: Gastric antral vascular ectasia is a disorder whose pathogenetic mechanism is unknown. The endoscopic treatment with argon plasma coagulation has been considered one of the best endoscopic therapeutic options. AIM: To analyze the endoscopic and clinical features of gastric antral vascular ectasia and its response to the argon plasma coagulation treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighteen patients were studied and classified into two groups: group 1 - whose endoscopic aspect was striped (watermelon) or of the diffuse confluent type; group 2 - diffuse spotty nonconfluent endoscopic aspect. RESULTS: Group 1 with eight patients, all having autoimmune antibodies, but one, whose antibodies were not searched for. Three were cirrhotic and three had hypothyroidism. All had gastric mucosa atrophy. In group 2, with 10 patients, all had non-immune liver disease, with platelet levels below 90.000. Ten patients were submitted to argon plasma coagulation treatment, with 2 to 36 months of follow-up. Lesions recurred in all patients who remained in the follow-up program and one did not respond to treatment for acute bleeding control. CONCLUSION: There seem to be two distinct groups of patients with gastric antral vascular ectasia: one related to immunologic disorders and other to non-immune chronic liver disease and low platelets. The endoscopic treatment using argon plasma coagulation had a high recurrence in the long-term evaluation.

RACIONAL: "Watermelon stomach" ou ectasia vascular do antro gástrico é uma doença de etiopatogenia desconhecida. O tratamento endoscópico através da coagulação com plasma de argônio é considerado uma das melhores opções terapêuticas. OBJETIVO: Analisar os aspectos clínicos e endoscópicos da ectasia vascular do antro gástrico e a resposta ao tratamento com coagulação com plasma de argônio. PACIENTES E MÉTODOS: Dezoito pacientes foram estudados e classificados em dois grupos: grupo I - oito pacientes que exibiam ectasia vascular do antro gástrico de aspecto difuso confluente ou estriado. Grupo II - 10 pacientes que apresentavam aspecto difuso pontilhado não-confluente. RESULTADOS: Todos os pacientes do grupo I apresentavam auto-anticorpos, exceto um paciente no qual não foi pesquisado. Três eram cirróticos, três tinham hipotireoidismo e todos apresentavam gastrite atrófica. No grupo II, todos tinham doença hepática não-autoimune, com plaquetas menores que 90.000. Dez pacientes foram submetidos a tratamento com coagulação com plasma de argônio, com 2 a 36 meses de seguimento. A ectasia vascular do antro gástrico recorreu em todos os pacientes que continuaram em acompanhamento e um paciente não respondeu ao tratamento para controle de sangramento agudo. CONCLUSÃO: Observou-se a existência de dois grupos distintos de pacientes com ectasia vascular do antro gástrico: um grupo associado a distúrbios imunológicos e outro com doença hepática não auto-imune e plaquetopenia. O tratamento com coagulação com plasma de argônio apresentou alta recurrência das ectasias vasculares.

Ecopunção endoscópica no diagnóstico das massas mediastinais: análise de 25 casos / Echoendoscopy in the diagnosis of mediastinal masses: analysis of 25 cases

Introdução: A maioria das massas mediastinais é assintomática. Pela importância das estruturas vasculares e linfáticas da região, bem como o difícil acesso, a ecoendoscopia tornou-se importante aliado na caracterização de massas e obtenção de material para estudo histopatológico. Métodos: Realizou-se análise retrospectiva de ecoendoscopias do mediastino realizadas em 2005, no Serviço de Endoscopia do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, e que apresentavam o diagnóstico de massa ou presença de linfonodos mediastinais. Em todos os pacientes procedeu-se a ecopunção com obtenção de microfragmentos. Resultados: Foram avaliados 25 pacientes, 10 (40%) homens e 15 (60%) mulheres, com idade média de 51,72 anos. Do total de exames, em 21 (84%) obteve-se diagnóstico histológico, diagnosticando-se neoplasia em 12 (48%), com seis (24%) lesões inflamatórias, das quais uma linfadenopatia reativa, em dois, antracose, uma necrase inespecífica e duas granulomatosas. Foram observados três (12%) casos com tecido normal. Em quatro (16%) casos o material foi insuficiente para o diagnóstico. Conclusão: A ecoendoscopia apresentou-se como método satisfatório na obtenção de material para análise histopatológica de massas mediastinais.

Tratamento endoscópico da fístula pancreatopleural: relato de casa e revisão de literatura / Endoscopic treatment of pancreaticopleural fistula: report of case and literature review

A pancreatite alcoólica é a causa mais frequente da fístula pancreatopleural, porém ocorre em apenas 1por cento dos pacientes com pancreatite crônica. Os sintomas respiratórios predominam na maioria dos pacientes e deve-se sempre suspeitar dessa afecção nos casos com pancreatite alcoólica e derrame pleural. O diagnsotico baseia-se na dosagem da amilase no líquido pleural, tomografia abdominal e pancreatografia endoscópica. O tratamento clássico consiste em jejum prolongado, redução da secreção pancreática com somatostatina e cirurgia na falha do tratamento clínico. O caso relatado neste estudo teve o diagnóstico confirmado por pancreatografia endoscócpica, sendo tratado com colocação de prótese transpapilar. Alguns estudos têm mostrado que o tratamento endoscópico é uma alternativa viável, evitando cirurgia na maioria dos pacientes