The volume of ERCP per endoscopist is associated with a higher technical success and a lower post-ERCP pancreatitis rate. A prospective analysis.

INTRODUCTION: conflicting results have been reported regarding the influence of the annual volume of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) on outcome. OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the influence of case volume on ERCP outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: an analysis of a prospective database was performed, comparing the outcomes of ERCP in three consecutive periods defined by the number of endoscopists performing ERCP: five endoscopists in period I (P1), four in period II (P2) and three in period III (P3). Only patients with biliary ERCP in accessible and naïve papilla were included. Primary variables were cannulation rates and adverse effects (AE). The American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) complexity grades III and IV were considered as highly complex procedures. RESULTS: a total of 2,561 patients were included: 727 (P1), 972 (P2) and 862 (P3). There were no differences in age and sex between groups (p > 0.05). The cannulation rate was significantly higher in P2 and P3: 92.4 % vs 93.3 % vs 93 % (p = 0.037). The AE rate was 13.8 %, 12.6 % and 10.3 % (p > 0.05), respectively. The rate of post-ERCP pancreatitis was significantly lower in P3: 8.5 %, 7.3 % and 5 % (p = 0.01). The rate of complex procedures was 12 %, 14.8 % and 27 % (p < 0.0001), respectively. Two endoscopists participated in all periods and only one had significantly improved outcomes. Cannulation and post-ERCP pancreatitis rates remained significantly better in P3 after adjusting for sex, complexity and endoscopist. CONCLUSION: a higher annual volume of ERCP per endoscopist was associated with a higher rate of cannulation and a lower rate of post-ERCP pancreatitis, despite the greater complexity of the procedures. These beneficial effects seem to differ between endoscopists.

Primary adenocarcinoma of the fourth portion of the duodenum, an unsuspected diagnosis.

Small bowel adenocarcinoma is a rare tumor accounting for only 0.3-0.4% of all gastrointestinal tumors, with duodenal adenocarcinoma being the most common subtype. In most patients, it presents with nonspecific signs and symptoms, often leading to a delay in diagnosis. Therefore, it is essential to establish an adequate initial clinical suspicion to carry out an adequate diagnostic approach, being necessary to perform both radiological and endoscopic diagnostic techniques.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection of colonic anisakiasis.

A 61-year-old male with no relevant past medical history underwent a colonoscopy for routine screening of colorectal cancer. Colonoscopy revealed a pearly and hard submucosal lesion of less than 10 mm in diameter in the ascending colon, with normal mucosa. An abdominopelvic computed tomography (CT) scan was performed, which was normal. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) was performed and the lesion appeared to originate from the muscularis propia. Thus, the muscularis propia and part of the serosa of the colonic wall were cut and the perforation was finally closed with hemoclips.