Surgical and per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) for the treatment of primary esophageal motility disorders: A systematic analysis of current trends in Germany between 2011 and 2019.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: While surgery remains a standard treatment for primary esophageal motility disorders (PEMDs), per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) has recently evolved as an alternative. Systematic data on current trends of invasive procedures for PEMDs in Germany are missing. METHODS: Hospital discharge data were used to evaluate trends and mortality of invasive treatment options for PEMDs in Germany between 2011 and 2019. RESULTS: 4543 cases of PEMDs (achalasia: n = 4349, dyskinesia of the esophagus: n = 194) receiving open surgery (n = 200), minimal invasive surgery (n = 2366), or POEM (n = 1977) were identified. The relative proportion of POEM significantly increased from 10.9% (2011) to 65.7% (2019). Hospital mortality was 0.2%. The median duration of mechanical ventilation was significantly lower in POEM patients (29.4 hours) compared to open (274.0 hours) or minimal invasive (91.9 hours) surgery. The duration of hospitalization was lowest among POEM patients (5.7 days) compared to surgical procedures (13.7 and 7.7 days). CONCLUSION: While the low in-hospital mortality of all procedures combined confirms the solid safety profile of invasive procedures in general, our findings show that POEM has the lowest duration of mechanical ventilation and hospitalization compared to invasive surgical options.

Editorial for Special Issue: The Chorioallantoic Membrane (CAM) Model-Traditional and State-of-the Art Applications: The 1st International CAM Conference.

In 1959, Russell and Burch published the "Principles of Humane Experimental Technique" [...].

[Acute Abdominal Pain in the Emergency Department]. / Vom Leitsymptom zur Diagnose: abdominelle Beschwerden.

Abdominal pain is a common leading symptom in emergency medicine. This symptom complex includes a variety of different causes, ranging from intra-abdominal to extra-abdominal and retroperitoneal pathologies, which can affect all age groups. Abdominal complaints can include diseases ranging from trivialities to life-threatening emergencies. The acute abdominal condition is an interdisciplinary emergency in which interdisciplinary teamwork is mandatory. A rapid initial assessment and risk stratification is necessary in order to detect critically ill patients with an acute need for intervention at an early stage and to provide them with a suitable emergency therapy. A structured approach can identify the most important differential diagnoses.

The "impossible" rectal anastomosis: a novel use for endoluminal vacuum-assisted therapy.

PURPOSE: Low rectal anastomoses can safely be performed, usually secured by a diverting ostomy. However, in cases of inflammation, extensive scarring, after extensive radiation, or after severe stapler dysfunction the risk for an anastomotic leak may become prohibitively high. We present a novel use for endoluminal vacuum-assisted therapy (EVAT) for otherwise "impossible" low rectal anastomoses. METHODS: Our initial series consisted of 14 consecutive patients who underwent prophylactic EVAT treatment due to unsafe low colorectal anastomosis. The vacuum sponge was placed intraoperatively in cases otherwise calling for a Hartmann's procedure. An open-pored polyurethane sponge was placed prophylactically transanally for a mean duration of 11 days. Patient characteristics, complications, and risk factors were prospectively collected from medical records and analyzed. RESULTS: Between March 2017 and September 2019, we performed this novel technique in 14 patients enabling us to perform an anastomosis. Our collective consisted of 4 female (29%) and 10 male (71%) patients with a medium age of 59 years. Underlying disease was colorectal cancer in 10 patients, ovarian cancer, perforated sigmoid diverticulitis, ischemic colitis and sarcoma in one patient each. Dominant factors putting the anastomosis at extremely high risk were acute inflammation (n = 2), frozen pelvis (n = 2), intraoperative local chemotherapy (n = 2), stapler dysfunction (n = 2), non-closable rectal stump (n = 2), empty pelvis (n = 1) and ultra-low anastomosis (n = 3). Prophylactic EVAT was successful in 92% and gastrointestinal continuity was preserved in all patients. CONCLUSION: This is the first description of prophylactic EVAT treatment. It seems to be a simple and safe method to enforce the high-risk low rectal anastomosis.

Magnetic-Based Enrichment of Rare Cells from High Concentrated Blood Samples.

Here, we tested two magnetic-bead based systems for the enrichment and detection of rare tumor cells in concentrated blood products. For that, the defined numbers of cells from three pancreatic cancer cell lines were spiked in 108 peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs) concentrated in 1 mL, mimicking diagnostic leukapheresis (DLA) samples, and samples were processed for circulating tumor cells (CTC) enrichment with the IsoFlux or the KingFisher systems, using different types of magnetic beads from the respective technology providers. Beads were conjugated with different anti-EpCAM and MUC-1 antibodies. Recovered cells were enumerated and documented by fluorescent microscopy. For the IsoFlux system, best performance was obtained with IsoFlux CTC enrichment kit, but these beads compromised the subsequent immunofluorescence staining. For the KingFisher system, best recoveries were obtained using Dynabeads Biotin Binder beads. These beads also allowed one to capture CTCs with different antibodies and the subsequent immunofluorescence staining. KingFisher instrument allowed a single and streamlined protocol for the enrichment and staining of CTCs that further prevented cell loss at the enrichment/staining interface. Both IsoFlux and KingFisher systems allowed the enrichment of cell line cells from the mimicked-DLA samples. However, in this particular experimental setting, the recovery rates obtained with the KingFisher system were globally higher, the system was more cost-effective, and it allowed higher throughput.

Circulating biomarkers for early detection and clinical management of colorectal cancer.

New non-invasive approaches that can complement and improve on current strategies for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening and management are urgently needed. A growing number of publications have documented that components of tumors, which are shed into the circulation, can be detected in the form of liquid biopsies and can be used to detect CRC at early stages, to predict response to certain therapies and to detect CRC recurrence in a minimally invasive way. The analysis of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), tumor-derived cells (CTC, circulating tumor cells) or circulating microRNA (miRNA) in blood and other body fluids, have a great potential to improve different aspects of CRC management. The challenge now is to find which types of components, biofluids and detection methods would be the most suitable to be applied in the different steps of CRC detection and treatment. This chapter will provide an up to date review on ctDNA, CTCs and circulating miRNAs as new biomarkers for CRC, either for clinical management or early detection, highlighting their advantages and limitations.