Outcomes of Endoscopic Sphincteroplasty Using Large Balloon Dilatation for Difficult Common Bile Duct Stone Removal at Dhulikhel Hospital.

Background Endoscopic sphincteroplasty (ESPT) using a large Controlled Radial Expansion (CRE) Wire guided balloon dilatation has gained acceptance in removing a difficult common bile duct (CBD) stones. Objective To evaluate effectiveness and complications of removing large and difficult bile duct stones with sphincterotomy combined with large balloon dilatation. Method A total of 132 patients, from February 2014 to June 2017, who had biliary ductal calculus which was either greater than 15 mm or difficult to remove with standard technique, underwent Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreaticography (ERCP) with Endoscopic sphincteroplasty using a large Controlled radial expansion wire guided balloon dilatation. The success rate of complete stone clearance and post Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreaticography complications were analyzed. Result There were 48 (36.4 %) male and 84 (63.6%) female patients with mean age of 55.48 ± 16.36 years. Stones were removed with sphincteroplasty in first attempt in 90 out of 132 (68.2%) patients, 26 out of 37 (70.27%) patients in second session and in all 7(100%) patients in third attempt. Five (11.90%) patients were lost to follow up and 4 were advised for surgery because of failure to remove stones by sphincteroplasty. Overall success of endoscopic sphincterotomy and large balloon dilatation in our study was 93.18%. Complications were seen in 17 (13.6%) patients; bleeding seen in 9 (6.8%) patients and mild pancreatitis in 8 (6.1%) patients. None of the patients had severe pancreatitis or perforation secondary to the procedure. Conclusion Endoscopic sphincteroplasty after sphincterotomy is an effective and safe technique for a difficult common bile duct stone removal.

The Etiology of Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis in Dhulikhel Hospital.

Background Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding is a serious medical problem in cirrhotic patients. Patients with cirrhosis may develop upper gastrointestinal bleeding from a variety of lesions, including those due to portal hypertension, namely gastroesophageal varices and portal hypertensive gastropathy and other lesions as seen in the general population. Objective To investigate the etiology of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in liver cirrhotic patients. Method A retrospective review of 72 patients with liver cirrhosis and upper gastrointestinal bleeding from January 2013 to March 2016 was carried out at Dhulikhel Hospital. Child Pugh score was used to assess severity. Endoscopic diagnosis was documented. Result Out of 72 patients, 56 (77.8 %) were male and 16 (22.2%) were female. The most common age group was 30-42 years age. Fifty four cases of cirrhosis were associated with alcohol consumption. The Child-Pugh score was A in 20 patients (27.8%), B in 15 patients (20.8%) and C in 37 patients (51.4%). A combination of alcohol consumption and HCV infection was significantly associated with a higher Child-Pugh score (p=0.031). Twenty six (36.11%) patients had esophageal varices as cause of bleeding on endoscopic examination while 29(40.28%) had varices and other lesions identified at endoscopy. Of these 29 patients, 18 were found to have bled from esophageal varices, and 11 were found to have bled from coexisting lesion. Conclusion We found that variceal bleeding was the commonest cause of bleeding in cirrhotic patients, with 55 (78.5%) having varices and 44 (61%) actually bleeding from varices.

Medication Adherence Pattern and Factors affecting Adherence in Helicobacter Pylori Eradication Therapy.

Background Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is the most common chronic bacterial infection worldwide affecting approximately half of the world's population. A number of screening tests as well as complex multi-drug therapies are available for the detection and treatment of H. pylori infection. However, the optimum eradication rates of H. pylori infection can only be achieved if adherence to drug therapy is higher. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to determine the factors leading to poor adherence to obtain successful treatment outcomes. Objective To determine the medication adherence pattern in patients with H. pylori infection and assess the factors associated with non-adherence to the prescribed drug therapy. Method Patients meeting the inclusion criteria who were confirmed as H. pylori positive by rapid urease test (histopathology) and/ or stool antigen test and those under H. pylori eradication therapy were considered. Informed consent was taken from the patients or from the patient party in incapacitated patients. They were then interviewed using structured questionnaire. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 20 and a p-value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Result Among the 70 participants included in this study, 57.10% (n=40) of them were males. The mean (±SD) age of the patients was 42.36 years (±17.93). Higher number (85.70% (n=60)) of the patients were adherent to the recommended medication. Forgetfulness was the reason for missing dose in a majority (80% (n=8)) of the nonadherent patients. A highly significant association (p<0.05) was observed between adherence and absence of symptomatic relief. However, there was no statistically significant association (p>0.05) between patients' adherence to gender, age, literacy, and the prescribed treatment regimen. Conclusion Majority of the patients with H. pylori infection were adherent to medication. Forgetfulness was the major reason for missing dose in the non-adherent patients.

Reflux Symptom Index and Reflux Finding Score in Diagnosis of Laryngopharyngeal Reflux.

Background Although laryngopharyngeal reflux is a common condition encountered in otolaryngological practice, its diagnosis is not very easy because of its indistinct symptoms Objective To assess the efficacy of proton pump inhibitors versus proton pump inhibitors with lifestyle modification in patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux. Method Prospective, analytical study conducted in Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery at Dhulikhel Hospital, Kathmandu University Hospital between January 2015 to January 2016. Eighty two patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux having Reflux symptom index > 13 and Reflux finding score > 7 were included. Patients were divided into 2 groups. Group A comprised of patients treated with proton pump inhibitors alone and Group B with Proton pump inhibitors with lifestyle modification. Pre and post therapeutic reflux finding score and reflux symptom index were compared. Result The mean reflux symptom index score difference before and after treatment in group A was 16.70 and group B was 14.58. Similarly, mean reflux finding score difference before and after treatment in group A was 8.68 and group B was 9.92. Comparison of reflux finding score and reflux symptom index scores before and after treatment revealed improvement in both groups and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.001). However, comparison of pre and post therapeutic and scores between group A and B, showed no statistical significance. Conclusion The extent of symptomatic improvement correlated positively with both proton pump inhibitor therapy alone as well as with proton pump inhibitor therapy along with lifestyle modification. Although addition of lifestyle modification offered incremental benefit for treating laryngopharyngeal reflux, it was not found to be statistically significant.

Correlation between Endoscopic and Histopathological Findings in Gastric Lesions.

Background Stomach is a common site for wide variety of lesions. The visualisation of the site with biopsy leads to the early detection of the pathologic process and appropriate therapy. Objectives The objective of this study is to correlate the histopathological pattern of endoscopic biopsies with distribution of gastric lesions according to age and sex. Method The retrospective study was carried out among 50 cases with endoscopic biopsies and histopathological assessment, received at Department of Pathology, Dhulikhel Hospital- Kathmandu University Hospital. Result Out of 50 cases majority of cases were of male gender with male: female ratio was 1.3:1. Our study showed a poor correlation between endoscopic and histopathological evidence of inflammation in the stomach. Two cases were diagnosed as intestinal metaplasia which were diagnosed as ulcer and erosion endoscopically. Out of 32% of cases diagnosed endoscopically as ulcer, only one case was confirmed histopathologically. Our study showed good correlation in the cases of carcinoma. Out of 17 cases diagnosed endoscopically as gastric carcinoma correlated histopathologically as gastric adenocarcinoma. Majority of carcinoma cases showed ulcerating fungating growth followed by ulcero-proliferative growth. Conclusion Endoscopy is incomplete without biopsy and histopathology is the gold standard for the diagnosis of endoscopically detected lesions. Endoscopic examination and histopathological examination of suspected gastric lesions should go parallel and neither should be a substitute of each other.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography at Dhulikhel Hospital: outcome analysis.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is an important but potentially invasive therapeutic procedure in treating various pancreatobiliary conditions. In Nepal, the ERCP services is limited to a few tertiary care centers mostly in the capital, Kathmandu. Dhulikhel hospital has started ERCP since 2011 providing services to patients from all over the country. The study analyzes the outcome from data since August 2011 to 2013 August. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the results of ERCP done in Dhulikhel hospital, Kathmandu University hospital. METHOD: This is a retrospective study. The ERCP records of all the patients done since August 2011 to August 2013 were retrieved. A total of 516 attempts of ERCP were done since August 2011 to August 2013. Out of these, 423 were included for the analysis. The repeat ERCP for the same patient due to failed cannulation or patients undergone ERCP but incomplete documentation were excluded. The demographic data, indications, the findings, the outcome in terms of success or failure to cannulation, success or failure of stone extraction, stenting and complications were all derived and analyzed. SPSS 16 version was employed for data management and analysis. RESULT: The female: male ratio was found to be 1.7 : 1. The mean age of patients were 50.57±17.8 Years. The most common indication for ERCP were: choledocholithiasis 208(49.17%); followed by: obstructive jaundice 69(16.3%) of undetermined cause, acute biliary pancreatitis 26(6.4%), suspected bile duct injury during cholecystectomy 18(4.2%), periampullary growth 21( 4.96%), Cholangiocarcinoma 12(2.8%), chronic pancreatitis 10( 2.3%), CBD stent exchange 23(5.43%), dilated cbd 21(4.96%) , acute cholangitis 14(3.3%).The most common finding was CBD stone in 308(72.81%), normal in 51(12.1% ), bile duct stricture in 45(10.63%). Bile duct injury during cholecystectomy was found in 13(3.1%), biliary obstruction due to ampullary growth and pancreatic head mass was found in 21(4.96%) and 6(1.41%) respectively. Choledochal cyst was found in 5(1.2%), chronic pancreatitis in 7(1.7%). Biliary fascioliasis was found in one (0.24%); and roundworm in 1(0.24).The most common complication was acute pancreatitis in 17(4%), post-ERCP cholangitis 6(1.4%), bleeding 6(1.4%), duodenal perforation in 1(0.2%), arrhythmia in 1(0.2%) and one death (0.2%). CONCLUSION: ERCP has been a potentially emerging therapeutic tool for various pancreato-biliary disorders in Nepal.