Neoplasia Diagnosis After Multi-target Stool DNA Is Enhanced Among Lowest Baseline Detectors.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Variation in colorectal neoplasia detection limits the effectiveness of screening colonoscopy. By evaluating neoplasia detection rates of individual colonoscopists, we aimed to quantify the effects of pre-procedural knowledge of a positive (+) multi-target stool DNA (mt-sDNA) on colonoscopy quality metrics. METHODS: We retrospectively identified physicians who performed a high volume of + mt-sDNA colonoscopies; colorectal neoplasia at post-mt-sDNA colonoscopy was recorded. These colonoscopists were stratified into quartiles based on baseline adenoma detection rates. Baseline colonoscopy adenoma detection rates and sessile serrated lesion detection rates were compared to post-mt-sDNA colonoscopy neoplasia diagnosis rates among each quartile. Withdrawal times were measured from negative exams. RESULTS: During the study period (2014-17) the highest quartile of physicians by volume of post-mt-sDNA colonoscopies were evaluated. Among thirty-five gastroenterologists, their median screening colonoscopy adenoma detection rate was 32% (IQR, 28-39%) and serrated lesion detection rate was 13% (8-15%). After + mt-sDNA, adenoma diagnosis increased to 47% (36-56%) and serrated lesion diagnosis increased to 31% (17-42%) (both p < 0.0001). Median withdrawal time increased from 10 (7-13) to 12 (10-17) minutes (p < 0.0001) and was proportionate across quartiles. After + mt-sDNA, lower baseline detectors had disproportionately higher rates of adenoma diagnosis in female versus male patients (p = 0.048) and higher serrated neoplasia diagnosis rates among all patients (p = 0.0092). CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge of + mt-sDNA enriches neoplasia diagnosis compared to average risk screening exams. Adenomatous and serrated lesion diagnosis was magnified among those with lower adenoma detection rates. Awareness of the mt-sDNA result may increase physician attention during colonoscopy. Pre-procedure knowledge of a positive mt-sDNA test improves neoplasia diagnosis rates among colonoscopists with lower baseline adenoma detection rates, independent of withdrawal time.

Retained Food During Esophagogastroduodenoscopy Is a Risk Factor for Gastric-to-Pulmonary Aspiration.

BACKGROUND: Residual food (RF) during esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) is thought, but not proven, to be a risk factor for gastric-to-pulmonary aspiration. AIMS: The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of RF during EGD, to investigate whether RF was associated with an increased risk of aspiration, especially when monitored anesthesia care (MAC) or general anesthesia (GA) were administered, and to determine whether aspiration associated with RF led to a more severe clinical outcome. METHODS: Patients undergoing EGD between October 2012 and September 2018 were identified. Patient age, sex, aspiration events, RF, sedation type, structural foregut abnormalities, and diagnoses associated with impaired esophageal or gastric motility were noted. The clinical course after an aspiration event was evaluated. RESULTS: RF was identified during 4% of 81,367 EGDs. Aspiration events occurred during 41 (5/10,000) procedures. Aspiration was more likely to occur in patients with RF (odds ratio [OR] 15.1) or those receiving MAC or GA (OR 9.6 and 16.8 relative to conscious sedation, respectively). RF and MAC/GA were synergistically associated with increased odds of aspiration. In a multivariate nominal logistic regression model, older age (OR 2.6), MAC (OR 3.8), GA (OR 4.4), vagotomy (OR 5.2), achalasia (OR 3.8), and RF (OR 10.0) were risk factors for aspiration. Aspiration events in the presence or absence of RF led to similar clinical outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: While aspiration events are rare in patients undergoing EGD, RF and the use of MAC or GA were associated with substantially increased odds of aspiration.

Procedural and anthropometric factors associated with musculoskeletal injuries among gastroenterology endoscopists.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries among gastroenterologists are common. Our study describes risk factors and consequences of injury by comparing provider-specific anthropometric and objective procedural data to self-reported injury patterns. METHODS: A validated MSK symptom survey was sent to gastroenterologists to gauge prevalence, distribution, and severity of active injury. Respondents' procedural activities over 7 years were collected via an endoscopic database. RESULTS: 64 surveys were completed. 54 respondents had active pain; 53.1% reported activity-limiting injury. Activity-limiting injuries lead to longer colonoscopy times (25.3 vs. 22.1 min, P = 0.03) and lower procedural volumes (532 vs. 807, P = 0.01). Hand/wrist injuries yielded longer colonoscopy insertion times (9.35 vs. 8.21 min, P = 0.03) and less hands-on scope hours (81.2 vs. 111.7 h, P = 0.04). Higher esophagogastroduodenoscopy volume corelated with shoulder injury (336.5 vs. 243.1 EGDs/year, P = 0.04). Females had more foot injuries (P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Activity-limiting MSK symptoms/injuries affect over 50% of endoscopists with negative impact on procedural volume and efficiency.

Defining the learning curves of colorectal surgical trainees in colonoscopy using the Assessment of Competency in Endoscopy tool.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Gastroenterology fellows require on average 250 to 275 colonoscopies to achieve competency. For surgical trainees, 50 colonoscopies is deemed adequate. Two training pathways using different assessment methods make any direct comparison impossible. At the Mayo Clinic colonoscopy training of gastroenterology and colorectal surgery (CRS) fellows were merged in 2017, providing a unique opportunity to define the learning curves of CRS trainees using the Assessment of Competency in Endoscopy (ACE) evaluation tool. METHODS: In a single-center retrospective descriptive study, ACE scores were collected on colonoscopies performed by CRS fellows over a period of 4 academic years. By calculating the average scores at every 25 procedures of experience, the CRS colonoscopy learning curves were described for each core cognitive and motor skill. RESULTS: Twelve CRS fellows (men, 8; women, 4) had an average prior experience of 123 colonoscopies (range, 50-266) during the general surgical residency. During CRS fellowship, an average of 136 colonoscopies (range, 116-173) were graded per fellow. Although the competency goals for a few metrics were met earlier, most motor and cognitive ACE metrics reached the minimum competency thresholds at 275 to 300 procedures. CONCLUSIONS: CRS fellows reached competency in colonoscopy at around 275 to 300 procedures of experience, a trajectory similar to previously reported data for gastroenterology fellows, suggesting little difference in the learning curves between these 2 groups. In addition, no trainee was deemed competent at the onset of training despite an average experience well over the 50 colonoscopies required during residency.

Food Residue During Esophagogastroduodenoscopy Is Commonly Encountered and Is Not Pathognomonic of Delayed Gastric Emptying.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Retained gastric food (RGF) identified during esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) is often attributed to gastroparesis. This retrospective study evaluated the prevalence of RGF, risk factors for RGF, and the association between RGF and delayed gastric emptying (GE). METHODS: The prevalence and odds ratios for RGF in patients with structural foregut abnormalities or medical risk factors for delayed GE were determined from 85,116 EGDs performed between 2012 and 2018. The associations between RGF, delayed GE, and medical comorbidities were evaluated in 2991 patients without structural abnormalities who had undergone EGD and gastric emptying scintigraphy. The relationship between medication use and RGF was evaluated in 249 patients without structural or medical risk factors for RGF. RESULTS: RGF was identified during 3% of EGDs. The odds of RGF were increased in patients with type 1 diabetes (12%, OR 1.7, P ≤ 0.001), type 2 diabetes (6%, OR 1.4, P ≤ 0.001), gastroparesis (14%, OR 4.8, P ≤ 0.001), amyloidosis (5%, OR 1.7, P ≤ 0.001), and structural foregut abnormalities (6%, OR 2.6, P ≤ 0.001). Overall, the PPV of RGF for delayed GE was 55%. However, the PPV varied from 32% in patients without risk factors to 79% in patients with type 1 diabetes. Opioids, cardiovascular medications, and acid suppressants were associated with RGF. CONCLUSIONS: RGF is common during EGD. The PPV of RGF for delayed GE varies depending on underlying risk factors (type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, gastroparesis, and amyloidosis). Acid suppressants or antacids, cardiovascular medications, and opioids are associated with RGF independent of delayed GE.