Biliary stents are forgotten more frequently in elderly patients

Background/aim: Plastic biliary stents that remain in situ for more than 12 months, called forgotten biliary stents (FBSs), can cause complications such as cholangitis, stent migration, stent occlusion, and perforation. Materials and methods: The medical records of patients who underwent ERCP procedures from December 2016 to December 2020 were analysed retrospectively. Data on patient characteristics, indications for ERCP and stenting, stent types, stenting duration, complications, and causes of FBSs were obtained from the hospital's database. Results: A total of 48 cases with FBSs were analysed. The mean age (SD) of the patients was 71.23 years (±12.165), the male-to-female ratio was 23/25 (0.92), and the mean stenting duration was 27.12 months (range: 12­84 months). The most common indication for biliary stenting was irretrievable choledochal stones (40/48). Stone formation (79%) and proximal stent migration (26.4%) were the most frequent complications. The patients in the FBS group were significantly older than those from whom stents were removed in a timely manner (71.23 vs. 62.43 years, p < 0.001). Endoscopic treatment was possible in all cases; surgery was not required in any case. The most common cause of FBSs cited by patients was not having been informed about the need for long-term management of their stents (n = 14, 29.2%) Conclusion: FBSs are potentially problematic particularly in elderly patients. Communication with the patient to remind them of the need for stent management is important for preventing FBSs.

The Relationship between Ocular Vascular Changes and the Levels of Malondialdehyde and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Background: We evaluated ocular hemodynamic changes, malondialdehyde(MDA) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels in patients with IBD.Methods: We used ocular color Doppler ultrasonography to analyze 56 eyes with Crohn's disease (CD), 62 eyes with ulcerative colitis (UC), 68 eyes of healthy volunteers. We measured peak systolic velocity (PSV),end-diastolic velocity (EDV),and the resistivity index (RI) of ophthalmic artery (OA) and central retinal artery (CRA). MDA and VEGF levels were measured in the plasma samples.Results: MDA levels were significantly higher in both UC and CD patients, whereas VEGF levels were only higher in the CD group (p = .003,p < .001,p = .01).The PSV and EDV of the OA were significantly lower in CD patients (p = .017,p = .001). The EDV of the CRA was significantly lower in CD patients than UC patients and controls (p = .014,p < .001).Conclusions: CD patients exhibited decreased blood flow in both the OA and CRA. Ocular vascular flow was only affected in CD patients. We found that ocular ischemia may occur in CD patients even in the absence of any clinical finding.

Use of SpyGlass for peroral cholangioscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of hepatobiliary diseases in over five years follow-up: A single centre experience.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The use of cholangioscopy for the diagnosis and treatment of hepatobiliary diseases is gradually becoming more common. We aimed to review our peroral cholangioscopy interventions, using the first-generation SpyGlass Direct Visualization System (SDVS) and summarize our experience in terms of procedures and results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-one patients who underwent this procedure at our Gastroenterology Clinic between February 2010 and October 2014 were included in this study. Patients were monitored for a median (IQR) of 44 (range 38-72) months. Demographic characteristics of these patients, results of the radiological and biochemical evaluation performed prior to the procedure, cholangioscopy findings together with the data relating to the procedure, histopathological diagnosis, clinical findings and results, and their effects on patient prognosis were assessed. RESULTS: In total, 41 patients underwent 46 cholangioscopy procedures. Of them, 21 (51.2%) were male. The most frequent clinical indications for cholangioscopy was the need to further investigate indeterminate stricture (n=16; 39%) and indeterminate filling defect (n=7; 17.1%). The procedure was considered successful in 39 patients with 41 (95.1%) receiving diagnostic and 33 (80.5%) receiving therapeutic benefits. The sensitivity and specificity for SVDS-guided biopsies and brush cytology were 80% and 87.5%; 26.6% and 75%, respectively. Complications related to the procedure occurred in a total of three patients (7.3%), two with cholangitis and one with perforation of gall bladder. CONCLUSION: Our experience shows that cholangioscopy procedures, performed with SDVS, are clinically applicable and safe in the diagnosis and treatment of hepatobiliary diseases.

Differential diagnosis of Crohn's disease using antibodies to glycoprotein 2 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Glycoprotein 2 (GP2), the major autoantigen of Crohn's disease (CD)-specific pancreatic autoantibodies, is reportedly correlated with several characteristics of CD. We investigated this serological marker in Turkish patients with CD and assessed its utility in combination with anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies (ASCAs) for differential diagnosis of CD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 60 patients with CD, 62 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), and 46 healthy controls with a definite diagnosis who were similar in age and sex were enrolled in the study conducted from November 2011 to October 2012. ASCA and anti-GP2 levels were measured using commercially available kits. RESULTS: Anti-GP2 IgA and IgG levels were higher in patients with CD (25%) than in those with UC (5%) and controls (2%). The seroprevalence of anti-GP2 IgA was markedly higher than that of IgG in patients with CD in contrast to previous studies. The specificity and positive predictive value of seropositivity for both ASCA and anti-GP2 were 100%. ASCA IgA seropositivity was correlated with a complicated disease course and a history of surgery. There was no correlation between anti-GP2 seropositivity and disease location, disease behavior, or a history of surgery. CONCLUSION: The combination of ASCA and anti-GP2 may enable differentiation of CD from UC. As ASCA seropositivity is associated with a more complicated disease course, patients seropositive for ASCA at the initial diagnosis should undergo more intense therapy.

TAFRO Syndrome: A Case Report from Turkey and Review of the Literature.

TAFRO syndrome is a rare subtype of the Castleman's disease which has been described over the last years. The name of TAFRO syndrome comes from thrombocytopenia, anasarca, myelofibrosis, renal dysfunction, and organomegaly. We report a young Turkish male patient presented with fever, night sweats, fatigue, nausea, bilateral pretibial pitting edema, abdominal pain and watery diarrhea. PET/CT revealed multiple lymphadenopathies in cervical, axillary, mediastinal, paraaortic, mesenteric and inguinal lymph nodes. Excisional lymph node biopsy showed atretic germinal centers and expanded interfollicular areas, containing sheets of plasma cells. The R-CHOP regimen was started, and his signs and symptoms improved after the treatment. The current case confirms the unique presentation of this syndrome, helping to understand its clinical course and treatment strategy.

Treatment of pregnant women with a diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease.

The frequency of diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has increased in younger populations. For this reason, pregnancy in patients with IBD is a topic of interest, warranting additional focus on disease management during this period. The main objective of this article is to summarize the latest findings and guidelines on the management of potential problems from pregnancy to the breastfeeding stage. Fertility is decreased in patients with active IBD. Disease remission prior to conception will likely decrease the rate of pregnancy-related complications. Most of the drugs used for IBD treatment are safe during both pregnancy and breastfeeding. Two exceptions are methotrexate and thalidomide, which are contraindicated in pregnancy. Anti-tumor necrosis factor agents are not advised during the third trimester as they exhibit increased transplacental transmission and potentially cause immunosuppression in the fetus. Radiological and endoscopic examinations and surgical interventions should be performed only when absolutely necessary. Surgery increases the fetal mortality rate. The delivery method should be determined with consideration of the disease site and presence of progression or flare up. Treatment planning should be a collaborative effort among the gastroenterologist, obstetrician, colorectal surgeon and patient.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection for colorectal laterally spreading tumors.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Colorectal laterally spreading tumors are superficial tumors classified into two groups as granular (G-laterally spreading tumor) and non-granular (non-granular-laterally spreading tumor) types. In this study, we aimed to investigate the efficacy and feasibility of endoscopic submucosal dissection in the treatment of laterally spreading tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-four laterally spreading tumors in 40 patients were treated with endoscopic submucosal dissection at a tertiary referral hospital. Patient data were collected retrospectively. In this study, we evaluated tumor size, macroscopic type, lesion location, histology, curative resection, and complications. RESULTS: Of the 44 laterally spreading tumors excised by endoscopic submucosal dissection, 29 (65.9%) were G-laterally spreading tumor and 15 (34.1%) were non-granular-laterally spreading tumor. Most of the non-granular-laterally spreading tumors were localized in the right colon, while most G-laterally spreading tumors were localized in the left colon (p<0.001). There was also no difference between G-laterally spreading tumors (6/29) and non-granular-laterally spreading tumors (2/15) with regard to exhibiting malignant features (p=0.69). Although median size (40 mm vs. 27.5 mm) and procedure time (115 minutes vs. 60 minutes) for G-laterally spreading tumors were bigger and longer respectively, procedure time per cm2 was not different (8.9 minutes vs. 8.2 minutes) between the two groups. Curative resection rates for laterally spreading tumors were quite high (95.5%), while en bloc resection rates were low (77.3%). The rates of endoscopic submucosal dissection-related complications such as perforation, major and minor bleeding were low (4.5%, 2.3%, 6.8%, respectively). CONCLUSION: Endoscopic submucosal dissection is an effective and safe therapeutic option with high curative rates for early-stage malignant and pre-malignant laterally spreading tumors not having an absolute indication for surgery, regardless of the lesion type and size.

Nonresponsive celiac disease due to Strongyloides stercoralis infestation.

Celiac disease (CD) is treated by eliminating all gluten from the diet. A 49-year-old man with CD was admitted to our clinic with complaints of recurrent diarrhea and abdominal pain despite strict adherence to a gluten-free diet. The duodenum was seen to be edematous on gastroduodenoscopic examination. Histological examination of the biopsy specimen taken from the duodenum showed multiple round shaped Strongyloides stercoralis (S. stercoralis) larvae within the crypts. He was successfully treated with albendazole. This case emphasizes the importance of duodenal biopsy in CD. To our knowledge, this is the first case in the literature showing CD and S. stercoralis together.

Severe jaundice due to coexistence of Dubin-Johnson syndrome and hereditary spherocytosis: a case report.

Dubin-Johnson syndrome is a chronic, benign, intermittent jaundice, mostly of conjugated hyperbilirubinemia. The level of bilirubin is not expected to be more than 20 mg/dl in this syndrome. In this article, we report a patient who was evaluated for hyperbilirubinemia and liver function test abnormalities and diagnosed with Dubin-Johnson syndrome coexisting with hereditary spherocytosis. We suggest that other diseases should be investigated if patients with Dubin-Johnson syndrome present with severe hyperbilirubinemia. Dubin-Johnson syndrome accompanied by hemolytic diseases might also have high coproporphyrin levels (as in Rotor's syndrome) than expected in pure Dubin-Johnson syndrome.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection for premalignant lesions and noninvasive early gastrointestinal cancers.

AIM: To investigate the indication, feasibility, safety, and clinical utility of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) in the management of various gastrointestinal pathologies. METHODS: The medical records of 60 consecutive patients (34 female, 26 male) who underwent ESD at the gastroenterology department of Kocaeli University from 2006-2010 were examined. Patients selected for ESD had premalignant lesions or non-invasive early cancers of the gastrointestinal tract and had endoscopic and histological diagnoses. Early cancers were considered to be confined to the submucosa, with no lymph node involvement by means of computed tomography and endosonography. RESULTS: Sixty ESD procedures were performed. The indications were epithelial lesions (n = 39) (33/39 adenoma with high grade dysplasia, 6/39 adenoma with low grade dysplasia), neuroendocrine tumor (n = 7), cancer (n = 7) (5/7 early colorectal cancer, 2/7 early gastric cancer), granular cell tumor (n = 3), gastrointestinal stromal tumor (n = 2), and leiomyoma (n = 2). En bloc and piecemeal resection rates were 91.6% (55/60) and 8.3% (5/60), respectively. Complete and incomplete resection rates were 96.6% (58/60) and 3.3% (2/60), respectively. Complications were major bleeding [n = 3 (5%)] and perforations [n = 5 (8.3%)] (4 colon, 1 stomach). Two patients with colonic perforations and two patients with submucosal lymphatic and microvasculature invasion (1 gastric carcinoid tumor, 1 colonic adenocarcinoma) were referred to surgery. During a mean follow-up of 12 mo, 1 patient with adenoma with high grade dysplasia underwent a second ESD procedure to resect a local recurrence. CONCLUSION: ESD is a feasible and safe method for treatment of premalignant lesions and early malignant gastrointestinal epithelial and subepithelial lesions. Successful en bloc and complete resection of lesions yield high cure rates with low recurrence.