Malignant Gastric Outlet Obstruction Caused by Duodenal Cervix Metastasis in a Young Woman: Rendezvous Technique.

Background: Malignant gastric outlet obstruction (MGOD) is an extremely rare expression of advanced extra-gastrointestinal cancer, such as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the cervix, and only sixcases are described in the literature.Because of the short life expectancyand the high surgical risk involving these patients, less invasive approaches have been developed over time, such asthe use of an enteral stent or less invasive surgical techniques (i.e., laparoscopic gastrojejunostomy). However, MGOD could make it difficult to perform an endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP) for standard endoscopic drainage, so in this case a combined endoscopic-percutaneous technique may be performed. This article, therefore, aims to highlight the presence in the doctor's armamentarium of the "rendezvous technique", few case reports of whichare described in the literature, and, moreover, this article aims to underline the technique'sfeasibility. Case Presentation: The case is that of a 38-year-old woman who presented with MGOD three years after the diagnosis of SCC of the cervix, who successfully underwent the rendezvous technique with the resolution of duodenal obstruction. Endoscopic enteral stenting treatment with the placement of a metal stent (SEMSs) represents the mainstay of MGOD treatment compared withsurgery due to its lower morbidity, mortality, shorter hospitalization and earlier symptom relief. However, in patients with both duodenal and biliary obstruction, a combined endoscopic-percutaneous approach may be necessary because of the difficulty in passing the duodenal stricture or in accessing the papilla through the mesh of the duodenal SEMS. Conclusion: The rendezvous procedure is a technicallyfeasible and minimally invasive approach to the double stenting of biliary and duodenal strictures. It achieves the desired therapeutic result while avoiding the need to perform more invasive procedures that could have a negative impact on the patient'sprognosis.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage of malignant stenosis, not treatable with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography: a single-center, prospective observational study.

Background and study aims The therapeutic role of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) evolved in recent decade,s opening a new chapter in the field of endoscopic biliary drainage (BD). EUS-BD has emerged as a new mini-invasive technique for neoplastic jaundice not amenable to endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). The primary study aims were to assess the clinical efficacy of EUS-BD using an electrocautery-enhanced lumen apposing metal stent (ECE-LAMS) in patients with malignant biliary obstruction with failed\unfeasible ERCP and the adverse event (AE) rate. The secondary aims were to evaluate the technical success and incidence of jaundice recurrence. Patients and methods Data from All patients referred to our tertiary-care Institute with obstructive jaundice due to unresectable malignant distal biliary stricture and unfeasible\failed ERCP, were prospectively recorded from January 2015 to February 2018. The procedures were performed by a single-step ECE-LAMS (AXIOS-EC, Boston Scientific) placement, from the upper gut lumen to the biliary tree, for definitive biliary decompression. Results Twenty-one patients were consecutively enrolled. Mean pre-procedure common bile duct diameter was 16 mm and the bilirubin level was 13.9 mg/dL (range 3.8-29.5). LAMS was positioned from the duodenal bulb (n = 19) to gastric antrum (n = 2). We registered a 100 % of technical and clinical success. No AEs occurred. We observed a single case of delayed AE consisting of a buried LAMS, which was successfully resolved endoscopically. Conclusions Despite the limits of being non-comparative, our study shows outcomes in a homogeneous population in terms of indications and technique. EUS-BD with dedicated ECE-LAMS is associated with extremely good clinical efficacy and safety and can be considered as an alternative in cases of failed/unfeasible ERCP.

Sequential multistenting protocol in biliary stenosis after liver transplantation: a prospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: Biliary complications are a serious source of morbidity after orthotopic and living-related liver transplantation. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC) is the gold standard for patients with duct-to-duct anastomosis because it allows a direct approach for interventional procedures. A retrospective study showed results of a sequential multistenting protocol, without stent removal/exchange, with promising results. We conducted a prospective analysis to assess the clinical success, recurrence rate, and adverse event rate related to this protocol. METHODS: From May 2012 to April 2018, all consecutive patients with a diagnosis of anastomotic stenosis following liver transplantation were enrolled in the study, and were followed for a period of at least 6 months after the last ERC. During the first ERC, a maximum number of plastic stents (10 Fr) were placed. In subsequent ERCs, scheduled every 3 months up to a maximum of 1 year, additional stents were inserted, as many as possible, without removing the previously placed stents. RESULTS: From May 2012 to May 2018, 87 patients were included in the study and treated with a sequential multistenting protocol. The mean number of stents placed was 3.7 (SD 1.0). Clinical success (stricture resolution and normalization of cholestasis) was achieved in 86 patients (98.9 %). Seven patients (8.0 %) developed complications. Recurrence was recorded in seven patients (8.0 %) after a mean of 992.7 days (SD 622.1). CONCLUSIONS: This study represents the first prospective demonstration of the efficacy and safety of a sequential multistenting protocol. A key limitation of the study is the lack of a comparative group treated according to the traditional stent exchange approach.

Erratum: Endoscopist's occupational dose evaluation related to correct wearing of dosimeter during X-ray-guided procedures.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1055/a-0841-3350.].

What Is the Best Endoscopic Strategy in Acute Non-variceal Gastrointestinal Bleeding?

OPINION STATEMENT: PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Upper non-variceal gastrointestinal bleeding (UNVGIB) remains an important clinical challenge for endoscopists, requiring skill and expertise for correct management. In this paper, we suggest the best strategy for an effective treatment of this complex category of patients. RECENT FINDINGS: Early endoscopic examination, the increasingly widespread use of endoscopic hemostasis methods, and the most powerful antisecretory agents that induce clot stabilization have radically modified the clinical scenario for treating this pathology. While hospitalization for digestive hemorrhage is decreasing, the incidence of bleeding seems to be increasing, especially in the elderly for whom a greater use of gastrolesive drugs and the presence of comorbidities are more common. A multidisciplinary approach for initial patient evaluation and hemodynamic resuscitation prior to endoscopic treatment is crucial for correct management, prevention of rebleeding, and reduction of morbidity and mortality rates and hospital stays. Appropriate operator technical expertise, together with the availability of a wide range of endoscopes and devices, is mandatory. Newer endoscopic techniques may improve patient outcomes for difficult-to-treat lesions. Today, endoscopic hemostasis can be achieved in over 95% of patients.

Improved characterization of visible vessels in bleeding ulcers by using magnification endoscopy: results of a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Not all exposed vessels carry the same risk of recurrent bleeding, and sometimes endoscopic therapy may not be warranted in the setting of profound acid inhibition therapy. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of magnification endoscopy (ME) in improving the characterization of exposed vessels in ulcer hemorrhage. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Single-center teaching hospital. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Diagnostic accuracy and safety of ME in patients with bleeding peptic ulcers. RESULTS: A total of 43 patients were studied. Exposed vessels were initially categorized as high risk (protuberant, translucent, or pale) in 25 and low risk (nonprotruding through the ulcer floor, pigmented, or dark red) in 18 cases. ME was subsequently performed, and the operator was asked to reclassify the vessel into 1 of these 2 categories. A magnified view provided a clear image of the vessel and allowed visualization of the artery, the site of rupture, and the presence of a clot plugging the hole. In 6 cases previously categorized as low risk, ME clearly showed the 2 ends of the vessel, the longitudinal tear in the vessel wall, and a protuberant aspect that was not seen with standard view. The lesion was then reclassified as high risk (diagnostic gain 33%). The mean procedure time for ME inspection was 7 +/- 4 minutes. No complications occurred. LIMITATIONS: Absence of controls. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with peptic ulcer bleeding and exposed vessels, ME allows clear visualization of the vessel wall and provides detailed clues to further characterize the lesion.

Self-assembled hydro-jet system for submucosal elevation before endoscopic resection of nonpolypoid colorectal lesions (with video).

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic resection of colorectal nonpolypoid lesions requires adequate submucosal lifting of the lesion. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a self-assembled hydro-jet system for tissue elevation to improve endoscopic resection of colorectal nonpolypoid lesions. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Single-center teaching hospital. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Efficacy and safety of the hydro-jet system and rate of complete resection. RESULTS: The system was clinically applied in 31 patients to remove a total of 34 lesions throughout the colon. An adequate submucosal fluid cushion was achieved in all but 1 case without any lifting-associated complications. Complete endoscopic resection was possible in all 33 lifted lesions by using a snare. The size of the resected lesions ranged from 7 to 60 mm. Major intraprocedure bleeding occurred in only 1 case. No perforation or late bleeding was recorded. Histological examination showed a selective accumulation of fluid in the submucosa with edema and dissociation of submucosal structures, with no damage to the muscularis mucosa and very limited "burn effect" hampering assessment of radial margins. LIMITATIONS: Lack of controls. CONCLUSIONS: This inexpensive system allows safe and rapid submucosal lifting of colorectal nonpolypoid lesions to assist endoscopic resection.

Oral contrast-enhanced sonography for the diagnosis and grading of postsurgical recurrence of Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND: Postsurgical recurrence (PSR) is very common in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and previous surgery. Endoscopy is crucial for the diagnosis of PSR, also showing high prognostic value. Bowel sonography (BS) with or without oral contrast enhancement (OCBS) is accurate for CD diagnosis but its role in PSR detection and grading is poorly investigated. The aim was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of BS and OCBS for PSR compared to the endoscopical Rutgeerts's grading system. METHODS: We prospectively performed endoscopy, BS, and OCBS in 40 CD patients with previous bowel resection to provide evidence of possible PSR. Endoscopy, BS, and OCBS were executed 1 year after surgery, with PSR diagnosis and grading made in accordance with Rutgeerts. BS and OCBS were considered suggestive for PSR in the presence of bowel wall thickness (BWT) >3 mm. OCBS was performed after ingestion of 750 mL of polyethylene glycol (PEG). Also, a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed in order to define the best cutoff of BWT to discriminate mild from severe PSR (grade 0-2 versus 3-4 of Rutgeerts) for both BS and OCBS. RESULTS: In all, 22 out of the 40 CD showed an endoscopic evidence of PSR (55%). A severe PSR was present in 14 patients (64%). Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were 77%, 94%, 93%, and 80% for BS, and 82%, 94%, 93%, and 84% for OCBS. On the ROC curve a BWT >5 mm showed sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of 93%, 96%, 88%, and 97% for the diagnosis of severe PSR at BS, while a BWT >4 mm was the best cutoff differentiating the mild from the severe CD recurrence for OCBS, with a sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of 86%, 96%, 97%, and 79%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Both BS and OCBS show good sensitivity and high specificity for the diagnosis of PSR in CD, with a BWT >5 mm for BS and BWT >4 mm for OCBS strongly indicative of severe endoscopic PSR. Accordingly, these techniques could replace endoscopy for the diagnosis and grading of PSR in many cases.

Localized amyloidosis of the stomach: a case report.

We report an unusual case of primary amyloidosis of the stomach in a patient complaining of dyspeptic symptoms. The diagnosis was confirmed histologically and other gastrointestinal site or systemic involvement was ruled out. Uncharacteristic dyspeptic symptoms may hide this rare metabolic disease.