Hybrid and Conventional Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Early Gastric Neoplasms: A Multi-Center Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Hybrid endoscopic submucosal dissection (H-ESD), which incorporates endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) with endoscopic mucosal resection, has been developed to make ESD technically easier. This study aimed to determine if H-ESD is superior to conventional ESD (C-ESD) for small early gastric neoplasms (EGNs). METHODS: We conducted a multi-center, prospective, open-label, randomized controlled trial to compare the treatment outcomes of H-ESD and C-ESD (Hybrid-G Trial). Patients with differentiated type intramucosal EGN ≤20 mm in diameter and without ulceration were randomly assigned (1:1) to groups that underwent H-ESD or C-ESD. A single multi-functional snare, SOUTEN (ST1850-20, Kaneka, Medix, Tokyo, Japan), was used for H-ESD. The primary outcome was procedure time. Secondary outcomes included mucosal incision time, time and speed of submucosal dissection, curability, and endoscopic procedural adverse events. RESULTS: A total of 39 and 40 patients underwent H-ESD and C-ESD, respectively. The procedure time of H-ESD was significantly shorter than that of C-ESD (33.16 min vs 62.46 min; H-ESD/C-ESD ratio: 0.53; 95% confidence interval, 0.41-0.69; P < .0001). There was no significant difference in mucosal incision time between the 2 groups; the time and speed of submucosal dissection of H-ESD were significantly shorter than those of C-ESD. No difference was observed between the 2 groups in other outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: H-ESD has significantly shorter procedure time than C-ESD, with high and comparable curability and safety for both H-ESD and C-ESD. H-ESD can be a good option for the endoscopic treatment of small EGNs. (UMIN Clinical Trials Registry, Numbers: UMIN000041244).

Long-term Risks of Recurrence After Hospital Discharge for Acute Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding: A Large Nationwide Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Currently, large, nationwide, long-term follow-up data on acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding (ALGIB) are scarce. We investigated long-term risks of recurrence after hospital discharge for ALGIB using a large multicenter dataset. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 5048 patients who were urgently hospitalized for ALGIB at 49 hospitals across Japan (CODE BLUE-J study). Risk factors for the long-term recurrence of ALGIB were analyzed by using competing risk analysis, treating death without rebleeding as a competing risk. RESULTS: Rebleeding occurred in 1304 patients (25.8%) during a mean follow-up period of 31 months. The cumulative incidences of rebleeding at 1 and 5 years were 15.1% and 25.1%, respectively. The mortality risk was significantly higher in patients with out-of-hospital rebleeding episodes than in those without (hazard ratio, 1.42). Of the 30 factors, multivariate analysis showed that shock index ≥1 (subdistribution hazard ratio [SHR], 1.25), blood transfusion (SHR, 1.26), in-hospital rebleeding (SHR, 1.26), colonic diverticular bleeding (SHR, 2.38), and thienopyridine use (SHR, 1.24) were significantly associated with increased rebleeding risk. Multivariate analysis of colonic diverticular bleeding patients showed that blood transfusion (SHR, 1.20), in-hospital rebleeding (SHR, 1.30), and thienopyridine use (SHR, 1.32) were significantly associated with increased rebleeding risk, whereas endoscopic hemostasis (SHR, 0.83) significantly decreased the risk. CONCLUSIONS: These large, nationwide follow-up data highlighted the importance of endoscopic diagnosis and treatment during hospitalization and the assessment of the need for ongoing thienopyridine use to reduce the risk of out-of-hospital rebleeding. This information also aids in the identification of patients at high risk of rebleeding.

Outcomes and recurrent bleeding risks of detachable snare and band ligation for colonic diverticular bleeding: a multicenter retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Ligation therapy, including endoscopic detachable snare ligation (EDSL) and endoscopic band ligation (EBL), has emerged as an endoscopic treatment for colonic diverticular bleeding (CDB); its comparative effectiveness and risk of recurrent bleeding remain unclear, however. Our goal was to compare the outcomes of EDSL and EBL in treating CDB and identify risk factors for recurrent bleeding after ligation therapy. METHODS: We reviewed data of 518 patients with CDB who underwent EDSL (n = 77) or EBL (n = 441) in a multicenter cohort study named the Colonic Diverticular Bleeding Leaders Update Evidence From Multicenter Japanese Study (CODE BLUE-J Study). Outcomes were compared by using propensity score matching. Logistic and Cox regression analyses were performed for recurrent bleeding risk, and a competing risk analysis was used to treat death without recurrent bleeding as a competing risk. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the 2 groups in terms of initial hemostasis, 30-day recurrent bleeding, interventional radiology or surgery requirements, 30-day mortality, blood transfusion volume, length of hospital stay, and adverse events. Sigmoid colon involvement was an independent risk factor for 30-day recurrent bleeding (odds ratio, 1.87; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-3.40; P = .042). History of acute lower GI bleeding (ALGIB) was a significant long-term recurrent bleeding risk factor on Cox regression analysis. A performance status score of 3/4 and history of ALGIB were long-term recurrent bleeding factors on competing risk regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: There were no significant differences in outcomes between EDSL and EBL for CDB. After ligation therapy, careful follow-up is required, especially in the treatment of sigmoid diverticular bleeding during admission. History of ALGIB and performance status at admission are important risk factors for long-term recurrent bleeding after discharge.

Timing of colonoscopy in acute lower GI bleeding: a multicenter retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: We aimed to determine the optimal timing of colonoscopy and factors that benefit patients who undergo early colonoscopy for acute lower GI bleeding. METHODS: We identified 10,342 patients with acute hematochezia (CODE BLUE-J study) admitted to 49 hospitals in Japan. Of these, 6270 patients who underwent a colonoscopy within 120 hours were included in this study. The inverse probability of treatment weighting method was used to adjust for baseline characteristics among early (≤24 hours, n = 4133), elective (24-48 hours, n = 1137), and late (48-120 hours, n = 1000) colonoscopy. The average treatment effect was evaluated for outcomes. The primary outcome was 30-day rebleeding rate. RESULTS: The early group had a significantly higher rate of stigmata of recent hemorrhage (SRH) identification and a shorter length of stay than the elective and late groups. However, the 30-day rebleeding rate was significantly higher in the early group than in the elective and late groups. Interventional radiology (IVR) or surgery requirement and 30-day mortality did not significantly differ among groups. The interaction with heterogeneity of effects was observed between early and late colonoscopy and shock index (shock index <1, odds ratio [OR], 2.097; shock index ≥1, OR, 1.095; P for interaction = .038) and performance status (0-2, OR, 2.481; ≥3, OR, .458; P for interaction = .022) for 30-day rebleeding. Early colonoscopy had a significantly lower IVR or surgery requirement in the shock index ≥1 cohort (OR, .267; 95% confidence interval, .099-.721) compared with late colonoscopy. CONCLUSIONS: Early colonoscopy increased the rate of SRH identification and shortened the length of stay but involved an increased risk of rebleeding and did not improve mortality and IVR or surgery requirement. Early colonoscopy particularly benefited patients with a shock index ≥1 or performance status ≥3 at presentation.

Importance of preoperative total colonoscopy and endoscopic resection after self-expandable metallic stent placement for obstructive colorectal cancer as a bridge-to-surgery.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Colonic self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) placement enables preoperative total colonoscopy (TCS) in patients with obstructive colorectal cancer. Following SEMS placement, it is possible to assess the presence or absence of synchronous proximal colon cancers and perform preoperative endoscopic resection (ER) for neoplastic lesions proximal to the primary lesion. The objective of this study was to determine the usefulness and safety of preoperative TCS and ER after SEMS placement in patients with obstructive colorectal cancer. METHODS: From April 2016 to March 2022, we enrolled 100 patients with obstructive colorectal cancer who underwent SEMS placement, including 86 patients who underwent preoperative TCS after SEMS placement. Complications associated with preoperative TCS and ER after SEMS placement and the characteristics of the neoplastic lesions were assessed. RESULTS: The success rate of SEMS placement as bridge-to-surgery was 98.0%; six patients had associated complications. Preoperative TCS was performed 8 (range: 1-30) days after SEMS placement. Four patients had synchronous advanced cancers. Nine non-advanced synchronous cancers, 116 adenomas, and 18 sessile-serrated lesions were treated by preoperative TCS and ER after SEMS placement. No procedure-related complications, namely stent migration, bleeding, and perforation were observed. Forty-five patients underwent follow-up TCS 1 year after surgery. Only one patient with submucosal invasive cancer required a second surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative TCS and ER after SEMS placement was performed with no complications. This approach allows preoperative evaluation of the entire colon and the treatment of precancerous lesions. (240 words).

Weekend Effect on Clinical Outcomes of Acute Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding: A Large Multicenter Cohort Study in Japan.

INTRODUCTION: Weekend admissions showed increased mortality in several medical conditions. This study aimed to examine the weekend effect on acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding (ALGIB) and its mortality and other outcomes. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study (CODE BLUE-J Study) was conducted at 49 Japanese hospitals between January 2010 and December 2019. In total, 8,120 outpatients with acute hematochezia were enrolled and divided into weekend admissions and weekday admissions groups. Multiple imputation (MI) was used to handle missing values, followed by propensity score matching (PSM) to compare outcomes. The primary outcome was mortality; the secondary outcomes were rebleeding, length of stay (LOS), blood transfusion, thromboembolism, endoscopic treatment, the need for interventional radiology, and the need for surgery. Colonoscopy and computed tomography (CT) management were also evaluated. RESULTS: Before PSM, there was no significant difference in mortality (1.3% vs. 0.9%, p = 0.133) between weekend and weekday admissions. After PSM with MI, 1,976 cases were matched for each admission. Mortality was not significantly different for weekend admissions compared with weekday admissions (odds ratio [OR] 1.437, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.785-2.630; p = 0.340). No significant difference was found with other secondary outcomes in weekend admissions except for blood transfusion (OR 1.239, 95% CI 1.084-1.417; p = 0.006). Weekend admission had a negative effect on early colonoscopy (OR 0.536, 95% CI 0.471-0.609; p < 0.001). Meanwhile, urgent CT remained significantly higher in weekend admissions (OR 1.466, 95% CI 1.295-1.660; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Weekend admissions decrease early colonoscopy and increase urgent CT but do not affect mortality or other outcomes except transfusion.

Early feeding reduces length of hospital stay in patients with acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding: A large multicentre cohort study.

AIM: No studies have compared the clinical outcomes of early and delayed feeding in patients with acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding (ALGIB). This study aimed to evaluate the benefits and risks of early feeding in a nationwide cohort of patients with ALGIB in whom haemostasis was achieved. METHODS: We reviewed data for 5910 patients with ALGIB in whom haemostasis was achieved and feeding was resumed within 3 days after colonoscopy at 49 hospitals across Japan (CODE BLUE-J Study). Patients were divided into an early feeding group (≤1 day, n = 3324) and a delayed feeding group (2-3 days, n = 2586). Clinical outcomes were compared between the groups by propensity matching analysis of 1508 pairs. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the early and delayed feeding groups in the rebleeding rate within 7 days after colonoscopy (9.4% vs. 8.0%; p = 0.196) or in the rebleeding rate within 30 days (11.4% vs. 11.5%; p = 0.909). There was also no significant between-group difference in the need for interventional radiology or surgery or in mortality. However, the median length of hospital stay after colonoscopy was significantly shorter in the early feeding group (5 vs. 7 days; p < 0.001). These results were unchanged when subgroups of presumptive and definitive colonic diverticular bleeding were compared. CONCLUSION: The findings of this nationwide study suggest that early feeding after haemostasis can shorten the hospital stay in patients with ALGIB without increasing the risk of rebleeding.

LONG-HOSP Score: A Novel Predictive Score for Length of Hospital Stay in Acute Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding - A Multicenter Nationwide Study.

INTRODUCTION: Length of stay (LOS) in hospital affects cost, patient quality of life, and hospital management; however, existing gastrointestinal bleeding models applicable at hospital admission have not focused on LOS. We aimed to construct a predictive model for LOS in acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding (ALGIB). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the records of 8,547 patients emergently hospitalized for ALGIB at 49 hospitals (the CODE BLUE-J Study). A predictive model for prolonged hospital stay was developed using the baseline characteristics of 7,107 patients and externally validated in 1,440 patients. Furthermore, a multivariate analysis assessed the impact of additional variables during hospitalization on LOS. RESULTS: Focusing on baseline characteristics, a predictive model for prolonged hospital stay was developed, the LONG-HOSP score, which consisted of low body mass index, laboratory data, old age, nondrinker status, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use, facility with ≥800 beds, heart rate, oral antithrombotic agent use, symptoms, systolic blood pressure, performance status, and past medical history. The score showed relatively high performance in predicting prolonged hospital stay and high hospitalization costs (area under the curve: 0.70 and 0.73 for derivation, respectively, and 0.66 and 0.71 for external validation, respectively). Next, we focused on in-hospital management. Diagnosis of colitis or colorectal cancer, rebleeding, and the need for blood transfusion, interventional radiology, and surgery prolonged LOS, regardless of the LONG-HOSP score. By contrast, early colonoscopy and endoscopic treatment shortened LOS. CONCLUSIONS: At hospital admission for ALGIB, our novel predictive model stratified patients by their risk of prolonged hospital stay. During hospitalization, early colonoscopy and endoscopic treatment shortened LOS.

Negligible procedure-related dissemination risk of mucosal incision-assisted biopsy for gastrointestinal stromal tumors versus endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration/biopsy.

BACKGROUND: Mucosal incision-assisted biopsy (MIAB) is a valuable alternative to endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration/biopsy (EUS-FNAB) for sampling gastric subepithelial lesions (SELs). This study aimed to evaluate the potential risk of dissemination and impact on postoperative prognosis associated with MIAB, which has not yet been investigated. METHODS: Study 1: A prospective observational study was conducted to examine the presence or absence and growth rate of tumor cells in gastric juice before and after the procedure in patients with SELs who underwent MIAB (n = 25) or EUS-FNAB (n = 22) between September 2018 and August 2021. Study 2: A retrospective study was conducted to examine the impact of MIAB on postoperative prognosis in 107 patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors diagnosed using MIAB (n = 39) or EUS-FNAB (n = 68) who underwent surgery between January 2001 and July 2020. RESULTS: In study 1, although no tumor cells were observed in gastric juice in MIAB before the procedure, they were observed in 64% of patients after obtaining samples (P < 0.001). In contrast, no tumor cells were observed in the gastric juice in EUS-FNAB before and after the procedure. In study 2, there was no significant difference in 5-year disease-free survival between MIAB (100%) and EUS-FNAB (97.1%) (P = 0.27). CONCLUSION: MIAB is safe, with little impact on postoperative prognosis, although the procedure releases some tumor cells after damaging the SEL's pseudocapsule.

Clip stopper closure method using a detachable snare in combination with ZEOCLIP for endoscopic submucosal dissection-induced mucosal defects.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is globally performed to treat early epithelial tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, but delayed perforation is a problematic procedure-related complication. To address this problem, closure of ESD-induced mucosal defects with a detachable snare has been reported. However, one problem is that this method usually requires some degree of skill and replacing a single-channel scope with a two-channel scope. We developed the clip stopper closure (CSC) method using a detachable snare in combination with the ZEOCLIP, which can be easily performed with a single-channel scope, for ESD-induced mucosal defects. Six consecutive cases were treated with this closure method for colonic ESD-induced mucosal defects. The median closure time was 12.5 (10-24) min, and the success rate of this procedure was 100%. Our CSC method was able to be performed in any part of the colon. In conclusion, the CSC method using a detachable snare in combination with the ZEOCLIP is a simple but promising closure technique for ESD-induced mucosal defects.

Randomized controlled trial comparing conventional and traction endoscopic submucosal dissection for early colon tumor (CONNECT-C trial).

OBJECTIVES: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a widely used treatment for early gastrointestinal cancer. However, colon ESD remains challenging. Previous studies on colon ESD using the traction method used a small sample, single-center design, providing insufficient evidence of this procedure's efficacy. We thus aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of the traction method in colon ESD in this multicenter randomized trial. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, multicenter, randomized, two-arm controlled trial at 10 facilities in Japan. A 1:1 allocation was conducted for the conventional ESD (C-ESD) and traction ESD (T-ESD) groups. The primary end-point was ESD procedure time. RESULTS: We included 128 C-ESD and 123 T-ESD cases from April 2020 to August 2021. The median procedure times for C-ESD and T-ESD were 61 (40-100) and 53 (40-76) min (P = 0.18), respectively, and no significant differences were observed between the groups. Subgroup analysis showed that the median procedure times for patients with a lesion diameter of ≥30 mm in the C-ESD and T-ESD groups were 89 (57-80) and 69 (50-104) min (P = 0.05), respectively, and for nonexpert operators were 81 (62-120) and 64 (52-109) min (P = 0.07), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The traction method did not contribute to a significantly shortened ESD procedure time. However, this method may be useful when the tumor diameter is large or if the procedure is conducted by nonexpert endoscopists.

Treatment strategies for reducing early and late recurrence of colonic diverticular bleeding based on stigmata of recent hemorrhage: a large multicenter study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Treatment strategies for colonic diverticular bleeding (CDB) based on stigmata of recent hemorrhage (SRH) remain unstandardized, and no large studies have evaluated their effectiveness. We sought to identify the best strategy among combinations of SRH identification and endoscopic treatment strategies. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 5823 CDB patients who underwent colonoscopy at 49 hospitals throughout Japan (CODE-BLUE J-Study). Three strategies were compared: find SRH (definitive CDB) and treat endoscopically, find SRH (definitive CDB) and treat conservatively, and without finding SRH (presumptive CDB) treat conservatively. In conducting pairwise comparisons of outcomes in these groups, we used propensity score-matching analysis to balance baseline characteristics between the groups being compared. RESULTS: Both early and late recurrent bleeding rates were significantly lower in patients with definitive CDB treated endoscopically than in those with presumptive CDB treated conservatively (<30 days, 19.6% vs 26.0% [P < .001]; <365 days, 33.7% vs 41.6% [P < .001], respectively). In patients with definitive CDB, the early recurrent bleeding rate was significantly lower in those treated endoscopically than in those treated conservatively (17.4% vs 26.7% [P = .038] for a single test of hypothesis; however, correction for multiple testing of data removed this significance). The late recurrent bleeding rate was also lower, but not significantly, in those treated endoscopically (32.0% vs 36.1%, P = .426). Definitive CDB treated endoscopically showed significantly lower early and late recurrent bleeding rates than when treated conservatively in cases of SRH with active bleeding, nonactive bleeding, and in the right-sided colon but not left-sided colon. CONCLUSIONS: Treating definitive CDB endoscopically was most effective in reducing recurrent bleeding over the short and long term, compared with not treating definitive CDB or presumptive CDB. Physicians should endeavor to find and treat SRH for suspected CDB.

Over-the-catheter endoscope replacement for stenting in patients with inaccessible malignant colonic obstruction with coexisting peritoneal carcinomatosis.

Although a large-caliber endoscope (LCE) is indispensable for through-the-scope placement of a self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) in patients with malignant colonic obstruction (MCO), inaccessibility of the target obstructing lesion (TOL) by the endoscope is a significant cause of unsuccessful procedures. We herein present a novel salvage procedure when the TOL is not directly accessible by an LCE in conditions such as coexisting peritoneal carcinomatosis involving the colon. The salvage procedure, termed over-the-catheter endoscope replacement (OCER), starts with an ultraslim endoscope suitable for deep insertion beyond a tortuous colon for traversing a guidewire through the TOL. The ultraslim endoscope is then withdrawn and replaced by an LCE through the following steps. An endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography catheter is preloaded in the LCE, the catheter alone is passed over the guidewire already traversed through the TOL, and the LCE is navigated over the catheter as far as possible toward the TOL to deliver the SEMS delivery system in a standard through-the-scope manner or further in an over-the-wire manner even if LCE insertion is incomplete. Among the 165 patients with MCO who underwent stenting during our study period, OCER led to successful procedures in all nine patients whose TOLs were initially inaccessible because of colon-involving peritoneal carcinomatosis. By utilizing the functions of distinctive endoscopes in a unique and complementary way, OCER can be a practical salvage option for challenging cases of MCO that are highly prone to unsuccessful palliation by conventional SEMS placement.

Identifying Bleeding Etiologies by Endoscopy Affected Outcomes in 10,342 Cases With Hematochezia: CODE BLUE-J Study.

INTRODUCTION: The bleeding source of hematochezia is unknown without performing colonoscopy. We sought to identify whether colonoscopy is a risk-stratifying tool to identify etiology and predict outcomes and whether presenting symptoms can differentiate the etiologies in patients with hematochezia. METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study conducted at 49 hospitals across Japan analyzed 10,342 patients admitted for outpatient-onset acute hematochezia. RESULTS: Patients were mostly elderly population, and 29.5% had hemodynamic instability. Computed tomography was performed in 69.1% and colonoscopy in 87.7%. Diagnostic yield of colonoscopy reached 94.9%, most frequently diverticular bleeding. Thirty-day rebleeding rates were significantly higher with diverticulosis and small bowel bleeding than with other etiologies. In-hospital mortality was significantly higher with angioectasia, malignancy, rectal ulcer, and upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Colonoscopic treatment rates were significantly higher with diverticulosis, radiation colitis, angioectasia, rectal ulcer, and postendoscopy bleeding. More interventional radiology procedures were needed for diverticulosis and small bowel bleeding. Etiologies with favorable outcomes and low procedure rates were ischemic colitis and infectious colitis. Higher rates of painless hematochezia at presentation were significantly associated with multiple diseases, such as rectal ulcer, hemorrhoids, angioectasia, radiation colitis, and diverticulosis. The same was true in cases of hematochezia with diarrhea, fever, and hemodynamic instability. DISCUSSION: This nationwide data set of acute hematochezia highlights the importance of colonoscopy in accurately detecting bleeding etiologies that stratify patients at high or low risk of adverse outcomes and those who will likely require more procedures. Predicting different bleeding etiologies based on initial presentation would be challenging.

Superiority of mucosal incision-assisted biopsy over ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy in diagnosing small gastric subepithelial lesions: a propensity score matching analysis.

BACKGROUND: Gastric subepithelial lesions, including gastrointestinal stromal tumors, are often found during routine gastroscopy. While endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (EUS-FNAB) has been the gold standard for diagnosing gastric subepithelial lesions, alternative open biopsy procedures, such as mucosal incision-assisted biopsy (MIAB) has been reported useful. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of MIAB for the diagnosis of gastric SELs compared with EUS-FNAB. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed medical records of 177 consecutive patients with gastric SELs who underwent either MIAB or EUS-FNAB at five hospitals in Japan between January 2010 and January 2018. Diagnostic yield, procedural time, and adverse event rates for the two procedures were evaluated before and after propensity-score matching. RESULTS: No major procedure-related adverse events were observed in either group. Both procedures yielded highly-accurate diagnoses once large enough samples were obtained; however, such successful sampling was more often accomplished by MIAB than by EUS-FNAB, especially for small SELs. As a result, MIAB provided better diagnostic yields for SELs smaller than 20-mm diameter. The diagnostic yields of both procedures were comparable for SELs larger than 20-mm diameter; however, MIAB required significantly longer procedural time (approximately 13 min) compared with EUS-FNAB. CONCLUSIONS: Although MIAB required longer procedural time, it outperformed EUS-FNAB when diagnosing gastric SELs smaller than 20-mm diameter.

[A case of swallow syncope with transient congestive liver caused by esophageal dilatation associated with huge hiatal hernia].

A 76-year-old woman suffered from repeated postprandial syncope of unknown cause. Computed tomography scanning revealed an enlarged hiatal hernia sac with food residues that compressed both the left atrium and inferior vena cava. As soon as the hernia cavity expanded during an upper gastrointestinal X-ray examination, she experienced a deterioration of her level of consciousness. Therefore, we diagnosed her of a swallow syncope due to left atrium compression by the huge hernia sac. The sac also compressed the inferior vena cava, and she experienced a transient elevation of her hepatobiliary enzyme level probably due to the influence of the congestive liver. Thus, clinicians should always keep this condition in mind when encountering patients with post-meal syncope.