Efficacy of endoscopic vacuum therapy in esophageal luminal defects: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background/Aim: Endoscopic vacuum-assisted closure (EVAC) is a novel technique used to repair esophageal perforation and leaks. Varying data have been reported on the overall success rate of EVAC. We aimed to conduct a metanalysis of the available data on the clinical success rate of EVAC. Methods: Electronic databases were searched for publications addressing the efficacy of EVAC in esophageal luminal defects. Pooling was conducted using both fixed and random-effects models. The overall clinical success of EVAC therapy was considered the primary outcome, whereas, overall complication rates, need for adjunct therapy, and mortality were considered secondary outcomes. Results: In total, 366 patients were included in the study. On pooled analysis, the mean age was 66 years with 68.32% of patients being men. Overall pooled clinical success rate of EVAC therapy was 87.95%. Upon subgroup analysis, the pooled clinical success rate of postsurgical anastomotic leak and transmural esophageal perforation were found to be 86.57% and 88.89%, respectively. The all-cause hospital mortality was 14% and 4.2% in patients with esophageal perforation and EVAC, respectively. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that EVAC therapy has a high overall clinical success rate, with low mortality. EVAC therapy seems to be a promising procedure with excellent outcomes in patients with luminal esophageal defects.

Short-term outcome of endoscopic submucosal dissection using a clutch cutter for subepithelial lesions within the esophagogastric submucosa: a Japanese prospective observational study.

Background/Aims: The efficacy and safety of endoscopic submucosal dissection using a clutch cutter (ESD-CC) for subepithelial lesions within the esophagogastric submucosa (SELEGSM) has not been investigated. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of ESD-CC for the treatment of SELEGSM. Methods: This prospective study included 15 consecutive patients with 18 SELEGSMs diagnosed by endoscopic ultrasonography. The primary outcomes were short-term outcomes including en bloc resection rate, R0 resection rate, procedure time, and complication rate. The secondary outcome was final histological diagnosis. Results: Among the participants, 18 lesions were identified: 12 in the stomach (nine patients) and six in the esophagus (six patients). The en bloc resection rate was 94.4% (17/18). The R0 resection rate was 88.9% (16/18). The median operating time was 39 min, and no instances of perforation or bleeding were observed. The final diagnoses of SELEGSM included six neuroendocrine tumors (33.3%), six granular cell tumors (33.3%), two ectopic pancreases (11.1%), one inflammatory fibroid polyp (5.6%), one leiomyoma (5.6%), one lipoma (5.6%), and one leiomyosarcoma (5.6%). Conclusions: ESD-CC appears to be a technically efficient and safe approach for SELEGSM resection, suggesting its potential as a valuable treatment option.

Cost-effective identification of Barrett's esophagus in the community: A first step towards screening.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The first step towards developing a screening strategy for Barrett's esophagus (BE) is the identification of individuals in the community. Currently available tools include endoscopy, less-invasive non-endoscopic devices, and non-invasive risk stratification models. We evaluated the cost of potential strategies for identification of BE as a first step towards screening. METHODS: Two hypothetical cohorts of the general population aged ≥ 50 years with BE prevalence rates of 1.9% and 6.8% were modeled. Four potential screening tools were evaluated: (i) risk stratification based on non-weighted clinical factors according to US/European guidelines, (ii) weighted risk stratification using algorithmic models, (iii) less-invasive devices such as Cytosponge + trefoil factor 3 (TFF3), and (iv) endoscopy. Using a decision-analytic model, the cost per BE case identified and the cost-effectiveness were compared for six potential BE screening strategies based on combinations of the four screening tools; (i) + (iv), (ii) + (iv), (iii) + (iv), (i) + (iii) + (iv), (ii) + (iii) + (iv), and only (iv). RESULTS: The cost per BE case identified was lowest for the weighted risk stratification followed by Cytosponge-TFF3 then endoscopy strategy at both 1.9% and 6.8% BE prevalences (US$9282 and US$3406, respectively) although it was sensitive to the cost of less-invasive devices. This strategy was also most cost-effective for a BE prevalence of 1.9%. At BE prevalence of 6.8%, the Cytosponge-TFF3 followed by endoscopy strategy was most cost-effective. CONCLUSIONS: Incorporating weighted risk stratification and less-invasive devices such as Cytosponge-TFF3 into BE screening strategies has a potential to cost-effectively identify BE in the community although device cost and the community prevalence of BE will impact the optimal strategy.

Mediastinal extension of pancreatic pseudocyst through the esophagus hiatus: A case report.

Pancreatic pseudocysts have a high amylase concentration and are surrounded by a fibrous capsule without a true epithelial lining. They are most frequently located in the peripancreatic region, and rarely extend into the mediastinum. We report a case of a 46-year-old male patient with a history of pancreatitis due to eat and drink too much presented with nausea and vomiting, MRI of the abdominal demonstrated a cystic mass connecting the abdominal cavity to posterior mediastinum and compressing the heart and stomach, ultrasound-guided aspiration of the cystic mass revealed high levels of amylase, conffrming that the mass was a rare pancreatic pseudocyst extending into the mediastinum. He was admitted for expectant management and was successfully treated with cystojejunostomy. This case aims to illustrate the possibility of rare pancreatic pseudocysts when a cystic mass is found that penetrates the abdominal and thoracic cavities.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Esophagus in an Adolescent: A Case Report.

Esophageal cancer is more common with increasing age and rarely seen below the age of 45. The current case report is a case of squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus in a 17-year-old male patient who presented with progressive dysphagia and significant weight loss. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) neck, chest, and abdomen showed a lesion involving the middle and lower third of the esophagus with contiguous involvement of the gastroesophageal junction (GEJ), extending from D7 to D11 vertebral segments and completely occluding the lumen. He was managed with chemoradiation, in which three cycles of chemotherapy (Carboplatin 220 mg and Paclitaxel 80 mg) were given, followed by 18 fractions of 40Gy radiotherapy. After this period of chemoradiation, he developed weakness and breathlessness; he was not able to ambulate and became completely bedridden. He underwent a feeding jejunostomy for nutrition, then neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NACRT) and oncological resection with thoracoscopy-assisted transhiatal esophagectomy. The patient had bubbles in the intercostal tube drain while doing incentive spirometry and basal crepitations, so on the next day, a gastric Conray was done, which showed a suspected contrast leak into bilateral lung fields. CECT neck, chest, and abdomen confirmed the minor leak and was managed conservatively. The abdominal wound developed erythema on the seventh day and was opened showing a small amount of sanguinopurulent discharge, for which daily dressing was done along with antibiotic cefuroxime. On the seventh and eighth days, the patient experienced hoarseness in their voice, a condition managed with supportive care. The patient was successfully discharged after completing all management protocols. The report clearly highlights the need to suspect malignancy in young adults presenting with dysphagia.

Congenital and Iatrogenic Esophageal Diverticula in Infants and Children: A Case Series of Four Patients.

In pediatric patients, esophageal diverticulum (ED) is rare and can be severe, especially when involving the cervical esophagus. Diagnosis and treatment typically start after birth, with some cases managed conservatively. This series presents four ED cases from Jose Marti y Perez Pediatric Teaching Hospital in Cuba (2003-2020). Symptoms included difficulty swallowing, regurgitation, and breathing problems. Three cases required surgery: a five-month-old post-esophageal-coloplasty (managed conservatively), a four-year-old post-esophageal atresia repair (diverticulum partially used to fix a narrow spot), and a 16-year-old with Zenker's diverticulum (requiring surgical removal). A 35-day-old baby with ED post-type C esophageal atresia surgery died from a pre-existing condition. Surviving patients lived healthy lives. ED in pediatrics can be congenital or iatrogenic post-esophageal repair. Reflux symptoms, respiratory distress, or a cervical mass should prompt suspicion of ED.

Distal contractile integral and other key predictors of mean nocturnal baseline impedance: The role of esophageal peristaltic vigor in mucosal permeability.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the relationship between distal contractile integral (DCI) and mean nocturnal baseline impedance (MNBI) could shed light on new diagnostic and treatment strategies, specifically concerning nocturnal reflux. This study aimed to assess this relationship to enhance our comprehension of the interplay between esophageal contractility and mucosal permeability. METHODS: We identified adult patients who had high resolution esophageal manometry and pH-impedance tests performed within a 30-day period between December 2018 and March 2022. A random forest model was used to identify significant predictors of MNBI, assisting with variable selection for a following regression analysis. Subsequently, both univariable and multivariable regression models were utilized to measure the association between predictors and MNBI. KEY RESULTS: Our study included 188 patients, primarily referred for testing due to reflux. The most common motility diagnoses were normal (62%) followed by possible esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction (22%). The mean DCI was 2020 mmHg∙s∙cm and MNBI was 3.05 kΩ. The random forest model identified 12 significant predictors for MNBI, key variables being acid exposure time (AET), total proximal reflux events, intraabdominal lower esophageal sphincter length, hiatal hernia presence, and DCI. Subsequent multivariable regression analyses demonstrated log AET (ß = -0.69, p = <0.001), total proximal reflux events (ß = -0.16, p = 0.008), hiatal hernia presence (ß = -0.82, p = 0.014), log DCI (ß = 1.26, p < 0.001), and age (ß = -0.13, p = 0.036) as being significantly associated with MNBI. CONCLUSIONS AND INFERENCES: DCI is a key manometric predictor of MNBI emphasizing the role of manometry in detecting reflux risk and the need for its consideration in reflux management.

Exploring vision transformers for classifying early Barrett's dysplasia in endoscopic images: A pilot study on white-light and narrow-band imaging.

Background and Aim: Various deep learning models, based on convolutional neural network (CNN), have been shown to improve the detection of early esophageal neoplasia in Barrett's esophagus. Vision transformer (ViT), derived from natural language processing, has emerged as the new state-of-the-art for image recognition, outperforming predecessors such as CNN. This pilot study explores the use of ViT to classify the presence or absence of early esophageal neoplasia in endoscopic images of Barrett's esophagus. Methods: A BO dataset of 1918 images of Barrett's esophagus from 267 unique patients was used. The images were classified as dysplastic (D-BO) or non-dysplastic (ND-BO). A pretrained vision transformer model, ViTBase16, was used to develop our classifier models. Three ViT models were developed for comparison based on imaging modality: white-light imaging (WLI), narrow-band imaging (NBI), and combined modalities. Performance of each model was evaluated based on accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, confusion matrices, and receiver operating characteristic curves. Results: The ViT models demonstrated the following performance: WLI-ViT (Accuracy: 92%, Sensitivity: 82%, Specificity: 95%), NBI-ViT (Accuracy: 99%, Sensitivity: 97%, Specificity: 99%), and combined modalities-ViT (Accuracy: 93%, Sensitivity: 87%, Specificity: 95%). Combined modalities-ViT showed greater accuracy (94% vs 90%) and sensitivity (80% vs 70%) compared with WLI-ViT when classifying WLI images on a subgroup testing set. Conclusion: ViT exhibited high accuracy in classifying the presence or absence of EON in endoscopic images of Barrett's esophagus. ViT has the potential to be widely applicable to other endoscopic diagnoses of gastrointestinal diseases.

Shining Light on Rarity: Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma of the Esophagus with Absence of MAML2 Gene Rearrangement.

Primary mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the esophagus is a rare condition characterized by a combination of squamous and mucin-secreting glandular malignant cells. Its clinical recognition is often challenging, pre-operative diagnosis is difficult, and there is a lack of standardized treatment protocols. Here, we present the clinicopathological characteristics of a previously underreported esophageal malignancy found in the distal esophagus of a 58-year-old woman. The initial endoscopic biopsy posed diagnostic challenges due to its small size and inadequate representation of glandular differentiation components making a final diagnosis of poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. Recognizing the resectability of the tumor prompted surgical removal, revealing islands of squamous cells along with intermediate cells and mucin pools. Additionally, MECs in majority of the cases show MAML2 gene rearrangement; contrarily, the present case showed negative results. Enhanced clinicopathological awareness of esophageal MEC facilitated a definitive diagnosis and better patient management. It is imperative to increase awareness and globally document cases of esophageal MEC to enhance understanding, diagnosis, and management guidelines for this malignancy in this anatomical location.

Analytical Validation of Esopredict, an Epigenetic Prognostic Assay for Patients with Barrett's Esophagus.

EsopredictTM is a prognostic assay that risk-stratifies Barrett's esophagus patients to predict future progression to high-grade dysplasia (HGD) or esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Established based on foundational studies at Johns Hopkins University, a risk algorithm was developed and clinically validated in two independent studies (n = 320). EsopredictTM is currently offered as a clinical test under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) guidelines. Here we present the analytical validation by repeated testing of FFPE tissues (n = 26 patients), cell lines, and contrived DNA controls to determine assay performance regarding analytical sensitivity (as defined by the limit of detection (LOD)), analytical specificity (as defined by the limit of blank (LOB)), accuracy as determined from the average positive and negative agreement, repeatability, and reproducibility. The LOD for the assay at 1.5% DNA methylation was significantly higher than the LOB, as determined by an unmethylated DNA control (0% methylated DNA). Inter- and intra-assay average positive agreement (APA) were 88% and 94%, respectively, while average negative agreement (ANA) values were 90% and 94%, respectively. Average inter- and intra-assay precision were <9% and <5% coefficient of variation (CV), respectively. These results confirm that EsopredictTM is a highly reproducible, sensitive, and specific risk categorization assay for the prediction of progression to HGD or EAC within 5 years.

Baseline CT radiomics features to predict pathological complete response of advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy using paclitaxel and cisplatin.

PURPOSE: To develop a CT radiomics model to predict pathological complete response (pCR) of advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) toneoadjuvant chemotherapy using paclitaxel and cisplatin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 326 consecutive patients with advanced ESCC from two hospitals undergoing baseline contrast-enhanced CT followed by neoadjuvant chemotherapy using paclitaxel and cisplatin were enrolled, including 115 patients achieving pCR and 211 patients without pCR. Of the 271 cases from 1st hospital, 188 and 83 cases were randomly allocated to the training and test cohorts, respectively. The 55 patients from a second hospital were assigned as an external validation cohort. Region of interest was segmented on the baseline thoracic contrast-enhanced CT. Useful radiomics features were generated by dimension reduction using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator. The optimal radiomics features were chosen using support vector machine (SVM). Discriminating performance was assessed with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and F-1score. The calibration curves and Brier score were used to evaluate the predictive accuracy. RESULTS: Eight radiomics features were selected to create radiomics models related to pCR of advanced ESCC (P-values < 0.01 for both the training and test cohorts). SVM model showed the best performance (AUCs = 0.929, 0.868 and 0.866, F-1scores = 0.857, 0.847 and 0.737 in the training, test and external validation cohorts, respectively). The calibration curves and Brier scores indicated goodness-of-fit and its great predictive accuracy. CONCLUSION: CT radiomics models could well help predict pCR of advanced ESCC, and SVM model could be a suitable predictive model.

Esophageal involvement in Bullous pemphigoid: Case report.

Bullous pemphigoid is a rare chronic autoimmune dermatologic blistering disease that usually affects elderly patients. Mucosal lesions are present in about 10%-35% of cases and affects most frequently the mucous membranes of the eye or the mouth. Esophageal involvement is possible but is rare (4% of cases). It could be asymptomatic, or presents with dysphagia, odynophagia, chest pain, or upper gastro-intestinal bleeding. We report the case of a recently diagnosed bullous pemphigoid in a 73-years-old female with normochromic normocytic anemia due to vitamin B12 deficiency who was referred to our unity for esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Our endoscopic examination revealed two bullae filled with blood at upper esophagus with linear ulcerations and membrane detachment upon withdrawal of the endoscope. Although bullous pemphigoid is mainly a skin disease, invasion of esophagus needs to be considered especially when symptoms are present or when no cause was found for blood loss or anemia.

Correlation of deglutitive striated esophagus motor function and pharyngeal phase swallowing biomechanical events.

BACKGROUND: The functional relationship of striated esophagus (St.Eso) motor function with pharyngeal deglutitive biomechanical events has not been systematically studied. The aim of this study was to determine the spatio-temporal characteristics of St.Eso function and its correlation with pharyngeal biomechanics and bolus transport. METHODS: We studied 50 healthy volunteer subjects (age range: 21-82 years, 31 female) by digital videofluoroscopy. All subjects were studied in a seated, upright position. Thirteen of these 50 volunteers also underwent high-resolution manometry (HRM) concurrent with fluoroscopy. We used laryngeal excursion as a surrogate for St.Eso excursion. KEY RESULTS: Median duration of St.Eso excursion was 2.35 [1.93,2.85, 5th and 95th percentile] seconds. Mean maximum extent of St.Eso excursion was 2.84 ± 0.72 cm. We identified four distinct periods in deglutitive St.Eso motor function: P1. Anterosuperior ascent without bolus or peristaltic activity, P2. Non-peristaltic bolus receiving at the apogee of St.Eso excursion concurrent with UES opening and pharyngeal peristalsis P3. Peristaltic bolus transport as St.Eso descends and P4. Continued peristalsis in resting position. CONCLUSIONS AND INFERENCES: 1. St.Eso motor function spans both pharyngeal and esophageal phases of swallowing for receiving and transporting the bolus, 2. Pressure signatures in HRM recordings currently attributed to St.Eso deglutitive motor activity does not represent the entirety of St.Eso peristalsis, only the part that occurs in its resting position. St.Eso peristalsis that occurs during its descent is recorded by pressure sensors initially in the pharynx. This finding needs to be considered when interpreting HRM recordings of the pharynx and proximal esophagus.

Resolution of Sigmoid Esophagus After Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Band Removal.

Pseudoachalasia is a known complication following a gastric band placement that is reversible with band removal. However, the development of a sigmoid esophagus is uncommon. Sigmoid esophagus is considered late-stage achalasia and is associated with worse outcomes with myotomy compared to earlier-stage achalasia. A 53-year-old male with a laparoscopic adjustable gastric band (LAGB) placed 15 years ago presented to the clinic with persistent dysphagia after the band was deflated for symptoms of dysphagia. The upper gastrointestinal series showed a 6.6-cm-diameter, tortuous, sigmoid-shaped esophagus. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy confirmed a diagnosis of sigmoid esophagus proven via the presence of inflamed mucosa, tortuous esophagus, and high lower esophagus sphincter pressure consistent with pseudoachalasia, all secondary to LAGB. The patient then underwent band removal, resulting in rapid resolution of his symptoms. The postoperative barium study showed improvement in dilatation. At the three-month postoperative follow-up, manometry demonstrated normal motility, indicating resolution of the pseudoachalasia and sigmoid esophagus. This case demonstrated band removal as an effective treatment option despite late-stage pseudoachalasia with a sigmoid esophagus.

A case of primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus.

Primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus (PMME) is an extremely rare esophageal malignancy that is often misdiagnosed or overlooked due to its atypical symptoms. We report a case of a 75-year-old male patient who presented with progressive dysphagia. Endoscopic examination revealed a black mass located 25 cm from the incisors. Further imaging studies, including computed tomography (CT) and emission computed tomography (ECT), showed significant thickening of the mid-esophageal wall with localized soft tissue mass formation and heterogeneous enhancement on contrast scans. Multiple lymph nodes around the lesion were visible, leading to an initial misdiagnosis of esophageal cancer. Additionally, metabolic abnormalities in the left scapula suggested possible bone metastasis of the tumor. The final pathological diagnosis was esophageal melanoma. After thorough evaluation of the patient's medical history and additional relevant tests, the primary origin was considered. Diagnosing primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus is a challenging task. This case, through the combination of endoscopic examination, imaging, and pathology, illustrates the characteristics of PMME, providing important insights for clinicians and emphasizing the necessity of comprehensive early evaluation to improve diagnostic accuracy and treatment outcomes.

Optimization of saliva sampling methods for analysis of bile acids by UHPLC-MS.

This study investigated methods for sampling bile acids in saliva, a potential non-invasive diagnostic biofluid. Bile acids have been implicated in causing damage and permanent changes to the esophageal mucosa and increasing the risk of developing Barrett's esophagus, a condition that can potentially progress to esophageal cancer. Three saliva collection methods were compared: spitting, Salivette® swabs, and Salivette Cortisol® swabs. Spitting emerged as the superior method with the highest recoveries and the least interference, likely due to Salivette swabs retaining bile acids or introducing unknown interferences. All saliva samples were analyzed by UHPLC-MS/MS using the Zorbax RRHD Eclipse Plus C18 column (3 × 50 mm, 1.8 µm) in gradient elution of 0.1 % formic acid in water and methanol. Saliva sample stability was assessed over 14 days, reflecting typical storage times. The levels of detected bile acids were stable for the measured period (RSD ≤ 22 %) and no degradation was observed. Bile acid levels in saliva fluctuated throughout the day, with the greatest changes observed for glycine-conjugated bile acids after meals. To minimize sampling variability, saliva collection by spitting after overnight fasting is recommended for future studies. Our findings are applicable for standardized bile acid sampling and are currently applied in a large clinical study evaluating bile acids as potential susceptibility markers for Barrett's esophagus diagnostics.

Esophageal dedifferentiated liposarcoma resected by the cervical approach: a case report.

BACKGROUND: While liposarcomas tend to mainly occur in the soft tissues of the extremities and retroperitoneum, esophageal liposarcoma is rare. Herein, we report a case of a patient who underwent complete resection of an esophageal dedifferentiated liposarcoma via the cervical approach, leading to the preservation of the esophagus. CASE PRESENTATION: A 69-year-old man underwent an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, as a result of which a submucosal-like tumor was observed. Upper gastrointestinal imaging showed a 12-cm tumor with a stalk arising from the esophageal entrance, extending to the middle intrathoracic esophagus, with a normal surface mucosa. Endoscopic ultrasound-fine needle aspiration biopsy showed that the nuclei of tumors cells were positive for murine double minute (MDM) and weakly positive for cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4). We diagnosed the tumor as the esophageal dedifferentiated liposarcoma, and planed tumor resection via the cervical approach. The tumor was successfully resected and the postoperative course was uneventful. CONCLUSION: This case report highlights the use of tumor resection via the cervical approach as a good option for esophageal liposarcoma.

Laparoscopic Collis-Nissen Procedure in a Patient With Type IV Hiatal Hernia: Relevance of a Short Esophagus.

A short esophagus is generally diagnosed during antireflux surgery and is defined as a distance of less than 2 cm between the gastroesophageal junction and the apex of the hiatus. We present a female patient with a CT diagnosis of type IV hiatal hernia who was scheduled for antireflux surgery, showed a short esophagus during the procedure, opted to perform Collis gastroplasty, and discharged without complications. A short esophagus remains a controversial topic. Some authors argue that it is more common than suspected and responsible for high recurrences in specific patient groups.

Narrow band imaging: Important tool for early diagnosis, management, and improved outcomes in gastrointestinal lesions.

BACKGROUND: Narrow band imaging-magnifying endoscopy (NBI-ME) is used to identify changes in mucosal or vascular pattern observed on GI endoscopy in real time on the basis of optical image enhancement.It has a significant role in early detection of dysplasia, premalignant, and Malignant lesions along with its depth of invasion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Upper and lower GI endoscopy performed in 1742 patients who presented with gastrointestinal symptoms at this tertiary center over 5 years out of which 1623 were evaluated with both NBI-ME and histopathology. Real time endoscopic assessment was performed. Targeted biopsies were taken for comparative analysis. RESULTS: Of the 1742 patients, 119 were excluded from the study. 807 underwent upper GI endoscopy and 816 underwent lower GI endoscopy. Mean age of presentation was 38 +/- 2.7 years. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of NBI-ME for neoplastic esophageal lesions were 96.3%, 90.6%, 91.1%, 96.03%, respectively. For Barrett's esophagus it was 95.4%, 90.7%, 86.1%, and 90.7%; For gastric neoplastic lesions the values were 96.1%, 91.04%, 83.8%, and 97.9%. For colorectal it was 96.7%, 91.3%, 88.0%, and 97.7%. Overall sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of NBI-ME for neoplastic lesions (both upper and lower GI) were 96.2%, 91.0%, 96.2%, and 97.2%. Of the 1623 patients, 951 received medical management with regular surveillance and 672 patients with high-grade dysplasia, premalignant, and malignant conditions underwent interventions in form of either endoscopy or surgery. CONCLUSION: NBI-ME has a greater role and can be considered as an effective tool in making early diagnosis and guiding optimum treatment.

Phase concept: Novel dynamic endoscopic assessment of intramural antireflux mechanisms (with video).

OBJECTIVES: The gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) consists of various anatomical components that together form a barrier to prevent reflux of gastric content. This study introduces a novel phase concept to dynamically evaluate the antireflux barrier (ARB) during endoscopy and analyzes its functionality. METHODS: We reviewed previously the recorded endoscopic videos of subjects who underwent the endoscopic pressure study integrated system (EPSIS) from February to April 2024 for indications other than gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms. This device was used as an auxiliary tool to measure intragastric pressure (IGP) during endoscopy with a retroflex view. The ARB dynamic was divided into three phases: Phase I (gastric phase), Phase II (lower esophageal sphincter phase), and Phase III (esophageal clearance phase). We evaluated the morphological changes in the ARB during insufflation using EPSIS. RESULTS: The median age of the 30 subjects was 58 years (interquartile range [IQR] 46.5-68.8), including 20 men and 10 women. Endoscopic findings and IGPs were recorded during the three phases. In Phase I, at low IGP (median 6.75 mmHg), the gastroesophageal flap valve and longitudinal folds were observed in 80% of cases. In Phase II, at moderate IGP (median 11.8 mmHg), the scope holding sign was observed in 86.7%. In Phase III, at high IGP (median 19 mmHg) inducing belching, peristalsis was observed in 80% of cases with median recovery time of 5 s. CONCLUSION: The phase concept provides a valuable framework for understanding the antireflux mechanism. Further research is needed to validate these findings in GEJ disorders and explore correlations with other modalities.