Treating an Intractable Jejunocutaneous Fistula by Endoscopic Metallic Stent Placement: A Case Report of Successful Palliative Endoscopic Treatment in a Case Demonstrating Peritoneal Dissemination with Terminal Stage Gastric Cancer.

A 74-year-old woman with recurrent gastric cancer underwent laparotomy for peritoneal dissemination, and the damaged jejunum formed a jejunocutaneous fistula. Because conservative treatment alone could not cure the fistula, we performed an endoscopic placement of a partially covered self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) to cover the fistula. After the procedure, the contrast medium no longer leaked from the intestinal lumen. One month after stent placement, the cutaneous opening had closed. This case report demonstrates the potential for using partially covered SEMS to treat intractable jejunocutaneous fistula in patients with terminal-stage malignant tumors.

Severe Anemia Caused by Gastric Antral Vascular Ectasia and Autoimmune Gastritis.

An 80-year-old man presented to our hospital with general fatigue on exertion that had gradually worsened over 6 months. His blood test revealed severe anemia, and gastroscopy revealed findings consistent with gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) and autoimmune gastritis. We diagnosed the patient with severe anemia caused by GAVE and autoimmune gastritis. The present case suggested that GAVE is triggered by autoimmune gastritis, and the mechanism is likely related to hypergastrinemia. The reporting of this rare case may help elucidate the cause of GAVE, which is currently unknown.

Tannin-phytobezoars with Gastric Outlet Obstruction Treated by Dissolution with Administration and Endoscopic Injection of Coca-Cola®, Endoscopic Crushing, and Removal (with Video).

A 77-year-old man complained of postmeal vomiting and sustained general fatigue. An abdominal computed tomography scan showed massive gastric expansion and fluid storage. Gastroscopy revealed four gastric bezoars that were considered to have caused pyloric ring obstruction. The patient was asked to drink 500 mL per day of Coca-Cola® for 4 days. On the fourth day, we performed endoscopic crushing and removal by injecting Coca-Cola®, cutting the softened bezoar with endoscopic snares, and collecting the pieces with endoscopic nets. We herein report (with a video presentation) a rare case of tannin-phytobezoars endoscopically removed with the administration and injection of Coca-Cola®.

Risk factors for postoperative bleeding and early death in percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy: A multicenter retrospective study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Comprehensive reports on the risk factors for bleeding and early death after percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) are limited. In this multicenter study, we retrospectively investigated the risk factors for bleeding and early death after PEG. METHODS: Patients (n = 1234) who underwent PEG between 2015 and 2020 at Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University and its affiliated hospitals (11 institutions in total) were evaluated for postoperative bleeding and early death (within 60 days) after PEG according to patient characteristics, construction method, medical history, medications, preoperative hematological findings, and perioperative adverse events. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify independent predictors of bleeding and early death after PEG. RESULTS: The risk factors for bleeding after PEG were PEG tube insertion using the modified introducer method (odds ratio [OR], 4.37; P = 0.0003), low platelet count (OR, 0.99; P = 0.014), antiplatelet therapy (OR, 2.11; P = 0.036), and heparinization (OR, 4.50; P = 0.007). Risk factors for early death were low body mass index (BMI) (OR, 0.89; P = 0.015), low serum albumin levels (OR, 0.50; P = 0.035), and comorbidity of active cancer (OR, 4.03; P < 0.0001). There was no significant association between bleeding and early death after PEG. CONCLUSIONS: We identified several risk factors for bleeding and early death after PEG. Risk factors for bleeding were PEG tube insertion using the modified introducer method, low platelet count, antiplatelet therapy, and heparinization. Risk factors for early death were low BMI, low serum albumin levels, and comorbidity of active cancer.

Outcomes of endoscopic submucosal dissection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (ESD-G) for medication-refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease: 35 cases underwent ESD-G including 15 cases followed more than 5 years.

BACKGROUND: Although some kinds of endoluminal surgery for patients with proton pump inhibitor (PPI)-refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have been reported, there are few reports on their long-term outcomes. In 2014, we reported the effectiveness of endoscopic surgery for PPI-refractory GERD, which we invented and named endoscopic submucosal dissection for GERD (ESD-G) in 2008. Thereafter, we accumulated more cases and monitored the patients' condition postoperatively and describe the outcomes herein. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This single-center, single-arm trial was conducted at the Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University Hospital. We compared outcomes between before and 3-6 months after ESD-G. Additionally, we investigated the outcomes of patients 5 or more years after ESD-G. RESULTS: We performed 42 ESD-G procedures in 35 patients between 2008 and 2020. In seven patients, ESD-G was performed twice for various reasons. The frequency scale for the symptoms of GERD score was significantly improved 3-6 months after ESD-G (22 → 10, p < 0.0001); the Los Angeles classification for reflux esophagitis was clearly improved after ESD-G (p = 0.0423). The number of reflux episodes was not decreased by ESD-G. There was a significant difference in the potency unit of gastric acid secretion suppressants for controlling GERD-related symptoms between baseline and 3-6 months after ESD-G (p = 0.0009). In patients without a history of distal gastrectomy who underwent ESD-G, the potency unit of gastric acid secretion suppressants significantly decreased 5 or more years after ESD-G (p = 0.0121). CONCLUSION: ESD-G may be effective in patients with refractory GERD-related symptoms without a history of distal gastrectomy.

Administration of a standard dose of vonoprazan fumarate delays gastric emptying in Japanese healthy adults: a prospective clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: There is no established view of how gastric acid suppression affects the time for gastric emptying. Vonoprazan fumarate shows potent and durable gastric acid inhibitory effects, but its effects on gastric emptying have not been studied widely. We investigated the effects of vonoprazan fumarate on gastric emptying and measured serum gastrin and plasma ghrelin levels in healthy adults. METHODS: Ten participants were administered 10 mg vonoprazan fumarate daily for 14 days, then 20 mg vonoprazan fumarate daily for 14 days. The gastric emptying breath test was performed and serum gastrin levels were measured at baseline and after each medication administration period. The protocol was then repeated, with the gastric emptying breath test and serum gastrin and plasma desacyl-ghrelin levels measured at baseline and the end of the medication trial. RESULTS: Mean serum gastrin levels increased in a dose-dependent manner [baseline: 104.7 ± 50.4, after 10 mg protocol: 328 ± 123.8, after 20 mg protocol: 555 ± 378.8 (pg/mL, mean ± standard deviation), p = 0.0008]. There was a significant difference between the gastric emptying breath test Tmax at baseline and just after the 20 mg protocol (baseline: 45.5 ± 15.3, after 20 mg protocol: 60.5 ± 19.6 min, p = 0.0418). Plasma desacyl-ghrelin levels increased significantly just after the 20 mg protocol compared to those at baseline [baseline: 222.3 ± 106.4, after 20 mg protocol: 366.2 ± 178.6 (fmol/mL), p = 0.0008]. CONCLUSIONS: In healthy adults, 14 days of vonoprazan fumarate administration at 20 mg/day delayed gastric emptying. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This clinical trial was registered in the University hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trial Registry (Trial No. UMIN000039199 and UMIN000042969).

Investigation of the clinical significance and pathological features of lanthanum deposition in the gastric mucosa.

BACKGROUND: There are often specific endoscopic findings caused by deposition of lanthanum (La) in the gastric mucosa of patients taking lanthanum carbonate (LaC), a novel phosphate binder for patients on hemodialysis. We conducted a retrospective study to investigate the clinical significance of La deposition in the gastric mucosa, and the association between endoscopic features and histologic findings in the same population. METHODS: We compared background factors in patients taking LaC with and without La deposition in their gastroscopic biopsy specimen. We also investigated the relationship between gastric endoscopic biopsy specimens with La deposition and the concurrent endoscopic images. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in the total dose of LaC between the La-positive and La-negative groups (990 g [180-3150 g] vs. 480 g [225-1328 g]; p = 0.013). In 27 biopsy specimens with specific whitish mucosa, 10 showed mild histiocytic infiltration and 17 showed severe infiltration. In contrast, among 24 specimens with non-whitish mucosa, 5 showed no histiocytic infiltration, 10 showed mild infiltration, and 9 showed severe infiltration. There was a significant relationship between endoscopic features and the degree of histiocytic infiltration (p = 0.026). CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that La deposition in the gastric mucosa depended on the total dose of LaC and was not affected by background factors. The specific endoscopic features of La deposition are associated with the infiltration of histiocytes, which represents the body's normal response to foreign bodies. Trial registry The protocol was registered in the University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trial Registry (UMIN000038929, https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000044393 ).

Risk factors for perioperative bleeding in percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy construction: A case series and retrospective preliminary investigation.

OBJECTIVES: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is one of the methods of tube feeding in patients who are incapable of oral intake. There are no reports on risk factors for bleeding at PEG construction. Our main objective was to investigate the risks and predictors of bleeding associated with PEG construction. METHODS: This retrospective, observational study included patients who had undergone PEG construction at our institution. To investigate the risks of bleeding associated with PEG construction, we compared the baseline characteristics between bleeding and non-bleeding patients. In terms of early predictors of post-PEG bleeding, we evaluated whether there had been a decrease from baseline of >10% in hemoglobin levels on the day after the procedure. RESULTS: The median preoperative albumin levels were 22.5 g/L (range 20-29 g/L) and 30 g/L (range 18-40 g/L) in the bleeding and non-bleeding groups, respectively (P = 0.014, Mann-Whitney U-test). The median preoperative platelet counts were 177 500 (range 87 000-265 000) and 271 000 (83 000-749 000) in the bleeding and non-bleeding groups, respectively (P = 0.043, Mann-Whitney U-test). The number of patients for whom hemoglobin levels decreased >10% from baseline on the day after the procedure differed significantly between the bleeding and non-bleeding groups (2/4, 50% and 3/58, 5.45%), respectively (P = 0.002, Pearson's χ2 -test). CONCLUSIONS: Low serum albumin and preoperative platelet counts might be risk factors for bleeding. Rigorous follow up is necessary for patients showing a decrease in hemoglobin level ≥10% of their baseline the day after the procedure. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20: 932-937.

Improved diagnosis of common bile duct stone with single-shot balanced turbo field-echo sequence in MRCP.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the value of adding single-shot balanced turbo field-echo (b-TFE) sequence to conventional magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) for the detection of common bile duct (CBD) stone. METHODS: One hundred thirty-seven consecutive patients with suspected CBD stone underwent MRCP including single-shot b-TFE sequence. Twenty-five patients were confirmed with CBD stone by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography or ultrasonography. Two radiologists reviewed two image protocols: protocol A (conventional MRCP protocol: unenhanced T1-, T2-, and respiratory-triggered three-dimensional fat-suppressed single-shot turbo spin-echo MRCP sequence) and protocol B (protocol A plus single-shot b-TFE sequence). The sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV), and area under the receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) for the detection of CBD stone were compared. RESULTS: The sensitivity (72%) and NPV (94%) were the same between the two protocols. However, protocol B was greater in the specificity (99%) and PPV (94%) than protocol A (92% and 67%, respectively) (P = 0.0078 and 0.031, respectively). The AUC was significantly greater for protocol B (0.93) than for protocol A (0.86) (P = 0.026). CONCLUSIONS: Inclusion of single-shot b-TFE sequence to conventional MRCP significantly improved the specificity and PPV for the detection of CBD stone.

Usefulness of T2*-weighted MRI in the detection of adnexal torsion.

BACKGROUND: The usefulness of T2*-weighted (T2*W) imaging for the detection of adnexal torsion has yet to be determined. PURPOSE: To assess the usefulness of T2*W imaging for detecting and differentiating adnexal torsion. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Eight patients with eight ovaries with torsion and 44 patients with 72 ovaries without torsion were included in this study. All patients underwent 1.5-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) including T2*W images. The frequency and distribution of hypointensity on T2*W images were compared between ovaries with torsion and ovaries without torsion. RESULTS: Hypointensity on T2*W images was significantly more frequent in ovaries with torsion than in ovaries without torsion (75% vs. 36%; P < 0.05). Among patients with hypointensity on T2*W images, the frequency of diffuse hypointensity was significantly higher in ovaries with torsion than in ovaries without torsion (83% vs. 0%; P < 0.01); whereas the frequency of focal hypointensity was significantly lower in ovaries with torsion than in ovaries without torsion (17% vs. 100%; P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The presence and distribution of hypointensity on T2*W images may play a supplementary role in the detection of adnexal torsion.

Differentiation of extranodal non-Hodgkins lymphoma from squamous cell carcinoma of the maxillary sinus: a multimodality imaging approach.

This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a multimodality imaging approach for differentiating between primary extranodal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the maxillary sinus. Twelve NHLs and 29 SCCs of the maxillary sinus were included. CT findings, MR signal intensities, apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs), and maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) were correlated with two pathologies. On CT, permeative growth frequency was greater among NHLs than among SCCs (50 % vs. 10 %; p < 0.01), whereas destructive growth frequency was greater among SCCs than among NHLs (83 % vs. 33 %; p < 0.01). On CT, remaining sinus wall within the tumor was more frequent with NHLs than with SCCs (92 % vs. 34 %; p < 0.01), whereas intratumoral necrosis was more frequent with SCCs than with NHLs (86 % vs. 17 %; p < 0.01). ADCs were lower for NHLs than for SCCs (0.61 vs. 0.95 × 10(-3) mm(2)/s; p < 0.01). No significant differences in MR signal intensities and SUVmax were observed. Tumor growth pattern, remaining sinus wall within the tumor, and intratumoral necrosis were useful CT findings for differentiating between NHLs and SCCs. ADC measurements could assist the differentiation of NHL from SCC.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the maxillary sinus: CT and MR imaging findings.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether adenoid cystic carcinomas (ACCs) of the maxillary sinus have features on CT and MR imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine patients with histopathologically proved maxillary sinus ACCs were included. The growth pattern was classified as expansile or destructive types on the basis of CT images. CT images were also reviewed for adjacent bony defects and MR images were reviewed for tumor extension. Fluid accumulation in the ipsilateral maxillary sinus was also assessed. RESULTS: The tumors had caused adjacent bony expansion with minimal bony defects in 4 patients whereas those in the remaining 5 patients had caused extensive destruction of adjacent bones comprising the maxillary sinus walls. Nasal cavity invasion was observed in 7 patients, retroantral fat pad invasion in 5, pterygopalatine fossa invasion in 4, and orbital invasion in 3. All 4 expansile ACCs were accompanied by accumulation of a small amount of fluid in the surroundings of the tumors, which was revealed as hyperintensity on T1-weighted images. CONCLUSION: The growth pattern of maxillary sinus ACCs can be classified into an expansile type with minimal bony defects and a destructive type with extensive bony defects.

Evaluation of imaging findings differentiating extranodal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma from squamous cell carcinoma in naso- and oropharynx.

OBJECTIVE: To reveal morphological differences between extranodal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and squamous cell carcinoma of the naso- and oropharynx, and to evaluate the usefulness of diffusion-weighted (DW) and (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT imaging. METHODS: Imaging findings, signal intensities, apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs), and maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) were assessed. RESULTS: Wall-thickening type, bilateral symmetry, and absence of nodal necrosis were more frequently seen with NHL. In NHL, signal intensities on DW images were higher, and ADCs was lower. No significant difference in SUVmax was found. CONCLUSION: Only magnetic resonance imaging including DW imaging produced helpful data, eliminating the need for multimodality imaging.