Placing vacuum sponges in esophageal anastomotic leaks - how we do it.

PURPOSE: Endoluminal vacuum sponge therapy has dramatically improved the treatment of anastomotic leaks in esophageal surgery. However, the blind insertion of vacuum sponge kits like Eso-Sponge® via an overtube and a pusher can be technically difficult. METHODS: We therefore insert our sponges under direct visual control by a nonstandard "piggyback" technique that was initially developed for the self-made sponge systems preceding these commercially available kits. RESULTS: Using this technique, we inserted or changed 56 Eso-Sponges® in seven patients between 2018 and 2023. Apart from one secondary sponge dislocation, no intraprocedural complications were encountered. One patient died due to unrelated reasons. In all others, the defects healed and they were dismissed from the hospital. Long-term follow-up showed three strictures that were successfully treated by dilatation. CONCLUSION: We conclude that sponge placement via piggyback technique is a fast, safe, and successful alternative to the standard method of insertion.

Asymptomatic arbovirus and campylobacter infections in German travelers to Asia.

The true risk for many travel diseases is unknown because most studies do not detect asymptomatic infections. In this study, we performed ELISA for dengue virus (DENV), chikungunya virus (CHIKV), Zika virus (ZIKV), hepatitis E virus (HEV), and Campylobacter jejuni on samples from 81 healthy Germans before and after they traveled to Asia. ELISA found five seroconversions for C. jejuni, two for DENV, one for ZIKV, and zero for HEV. For CHIKV, three subjects were positive before travel and negative afterwards. None had symptoms. These infections would have gone unnoticed by retrospective studies. Therefore, the risk for these infections may be higher than previously estimated.

Insulin-like growth factor 1 and dehydroepiandrosterone levels in alcoholic liver cirrhosis.

Anabolic hormones in liver cirrhosis are suspected to be lower than in healthy individuals. In a group of 22 cirrhosis patients, we found lower levels of insulin-like growth factor 1, but-surprisingly-higher levels of dehydroepiandrosterone.

Psoas muscle index predicts time to rehospitalization in liver cirrhosis: An observational study.

Sarcopenia is frequent in liver cirrhosis (LC) where it is associated with morbidity and mortality. However, prognostic scores such as model for end-stage liver disease (MELD), MELD-sodium (MELD-Na), or Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) do not contain sarcopenia as a variable. For this study, we utilized psoas muscle index (PMI) to objectively determine sarcopenia in hospitalized LC patients, and evaluated it as a predictor of time between discharge and readmission in LC. Abdominal computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans of 65 consecutive LC patients were retrospectively examined to determine PMI. MELD, MELD-Na, and CTP were calculated from clinical data. PMI was then combined with CTP to form an experimental score: CTP sarcopenia (CTPS). For PMI alone and for each score, correlation with time between discharge and readmission for liver-related complications was calculated. PMI was also tested for correlation with sex, body mass index (BMI), MELD, MELD-Na, and CTP. CTPS was most closely correlated with time to readmission (R = 0.730; P < .001), followed by CTP (R = 0.696; P < .001), MELD-Na (R = 0.405; P = .009), and PMI alone (R = 0.388; P = .01). Correlation with MELD (R = 0.354; P = .05) was lowest. Additionally, there were significant differences in PMI between male and female individuals (5.16 vs 4.54 cm2/m2; P = .04) and in BMI between sarcopenic and nonsarcopenic individuals (29.63 vs 25.88 kg/m2; P = .009). Sarcopenia is an independent short-term prognostic factor in LC. By combining data on sarcopenia with CTP, we created an experimental score that predicts time to readmission better than MELD, MELD-Na, or CTP.

Chronic fibrosing esophagitis with diffuse esophageal intramural pseudo-diverticulosis.

Diffuse esophageal intramural pseudo-diverticulosis (DEIPD) is a chronic fibrosing inflammation of the esophagus of unknown origin. Its name derives from the characteristic pseudo-diverticula formed by dilated ducts of submucosal glands. With an assumed prevalence of approximately 5-50/100 000, DEIPD is more frequent than previously estimated. It preferentially affects men between 50 and 70 years of age with a history of alcohol and tobacco abuse. Key symptoms are chronic dysphagia and food impactions. Typical endoscopic findings are multiple small, longitudinally aligned pseudo-diverticle openings and trachealization of the esophagus. Additionally, the usually gray mucosa may show a fine-grained pattern of very small red dots that merge into a pink tint, called "faux uni pattern." Once established, clinical symptoms and endoscopic changes persist throughout life. Although there is no known causal therapy, complications like bolus impactions, candida infections, or reflux can and should be treated.

[Removal of an Uncovered Metal Stent from the Common Bile Duct Six Years after Implantation in Chronic Calcifying Pancreatitis]. / Entfernen eines unbeschichteten Metallstents aus den Gallenwegen 6 Jahre nach Implantation bei chronisch kalzifizierender Pankreatitis.

Standard therapy for benign stenoses of the biliary tract are coated metal stents or multi-stenting with plastic stents. Uncoated metal stents are not recommended because tissue ingrowth and overgrowth may render them impossible to remove with acceptable risk.We report a patient with chronic calcifying pancreatitis and cholestasis who, after unsuccessful multistenting with a total of 15 stent changes, was implanted with an uncoated metal stent in the common bile duct as second-line therapy. After this stent had been in place for six years and had to be balloon-cleaned 19 times during this time, the indication for removal came up. A fully coated metal stent of the same diameter but 2 cm longer was inserted into the lumen of the uncoated stent. It was left in place for 9 months and cleaned once during this time. Then, via ERCP, both stents were extended in a telescope-like manner, mobilized using a forceps and finally removed from the bile duct. Afterwards, the patient remained symptomless and free from cholestasis.The stent-in-stent technique for removing uncoated stents was first described for the esophagus. Our case shows that it can also be used in the biliary tract and even after an extended period of time.

Clinical and endoscopic characteristics of diffuse esophageal intramural pseudo-diverticulosis.

INTRODUCTION: With 250 published cases worldwide, diffuse esophageal intramural pseudo-diverticulosis (DEIPD) is a poorly understood disease. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of DEIPD in our own population, identify risk factors and clinical symptoms, and characterize its typical endoscopic signs. METHODS: Retrospective search in our center's endoscopic and clinical database. Reviewing of all cases by re-examining stored endoscopic photographs. Reviewing of all cases regarding age, sex, risk factors, comorbidities, histology, and clinical symptoms. RESULTS: In a population of 150.000 we found 21 cases of DEIPD. Mean age was 56 ± 10 years. 86% were males, 76% had alcohol abuse, 57% had nicotine abuse, 38% had arteriosclerosis, 33% had COPD, 29% had malignancies, 24% had liver cirrhosis, 19% had impaired kidney function, and 15% had diabetes. Dysphagia was present in 62% and food bolus impaction (single or repeated) in 48%. Endoscopically, 95% of patients had multiple (> 4), small (0.25-2.5 mm) pseudodiverticle openings in the esophageal wall. In 62%, openings were aligned longitudinally. 86% showed edematous swelling of mucosa ("frosted glass look"), 76% showed a fine-grained pattern of small (10-100 µm) red dots ("faux uni pattern"), and 76% had a rigid, narrow lumen with multiple rings ("trachealization"). CONCLUSION: With a prevalence of approximately 5 to 50/100.000, DEIPD may be more frequent than previously estimated. It preferably affects middle-aged male alcoholics. Key symptoms are chronic dysphagia and food impaction. Typical endoscopic findings are multiple, small, longitudinally aligned pseudodiverticle openings, frosted glass look, faux uni pattern, and trachealization of the esophagus.

[Secondary cholangitis of the critically ill]. / Sekundär sklerosierende Cholangitis bei kritisch Kranken.

Sclerosing Cholangitis of the Critically Ill (SC-CIP) is a relatively new entity within the spectrum of secondary cholangitis that develops in the wake of intensive care therapy with mechanical ventilation and catecholamine treatment. It is caused by ischemic or immunologic injury to small bile ducts that becomes self-aggravating and persists beyond the end of the intensive care stay. Early clinical and laboratory findings show acute cholangitis with elevated CRP, gamma GT, AP, and bilirubin. ERCP shows damaged intrahepatic bile ducts with irregular calibers and biliary casts. The following phase is chronic and oligosymptomatic. Still, all laboratory parameters will stay mildly elevated and ERCP and MRCP will show progressive loss of small bile ducts. Long-term prognosis is poor. Even with UDCA therapy, most patients will develop liver cirrhosis within months or years.

[Rare inflammatory diseases of the esophagus]. / Seltene Entzündungen des Ösophagus.

Because of its high incidence gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is at the forefront of medical attention. On the other hand, vigilance for rare inflammatory diseases of the esophagus, such as herpes esophagitis, radiation-induced esophagitis, eosinophilic esophagitis, pseudodiverticulosis and Crohn's disease is low. Moreover, these entities are rarely distinguishable from GERD by clinical features alone. For all atypical and treatment refractory supposedly reflux diseases, the diagnosis should therefore be questioned and re-evaluated by endoscopy. When the macroscopic findings of esophagoscopy are ambiguous biopsies can be performed and histological examination then often leads to a definitive diagnosis. This is particularly important because the required treatment of rare forms of esophagitis often significantly differs from that of GERD.

[Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disorders]. / Eosinophile Erkrankungen des Gastrointestinaltrakts.

The global incidence and prevalence of eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases is rising. Clinically, acute eosinophilic esophagitis cannot be distinguished from other causes of esophagitis. Endoscopic findings like rings, webs or furrows have a lower sensitivity than previously assumed. An improvement of symptoms by proton-pump inhibitors also doesn't rule out the diagnosis - it has to be confirmed histologically. Early therapy will prevent later complications like strictures and motility disorders. The presentation of eosinophilic gastroenteritris/colitis is even less specific. Common cause seems to be a Th2-mediated food allergy. Successful therapies include allergen-free diets and topic steroids. Additionally, in the case of proton-pump inhibitor-responsive eosinophilic esophagitis, proton pump inhibitors do not only block gastral acid production, but may also have a direct inhibitory effect on Th2-immunity. Therefore, Th2-specific biologicals have theoretical advantages, but they could not really convince in first clinical studies.

Eosinophil Counts in Mucosal Biopsies of the Ileum and Colon: Interobserver Variance Affects Diagnostic Accuracy.

Primary eosinophilic gastroenteritis and colitis (EGE) is a rare entity with unspecific clinical and endoscopic findings. Validated histopathologic criteria for confirming the diagnosis are lacking, because numeric values for normal or elevated concentrations of eosinophils in mucosal biopsies are varying between observers. To quantify this interobserver variance, we had the same set of 30 slides of eosinophilic-rich mucosal biopsies from the ileum and colon systematically reviewed by a panel of six independent pathologists, each with more than a ten-year experience in the field. Using a highly standardized biopsy and slide preparation protocol, we ruled out any influence by the preparation, the patient, the endoscopist, the endoscopes and calipers used, the sampling site, the fixation and staining method, and the microscopic field sizes. Still, all numeric results differed between pathologists up to a factor greater than 30. Calculated positive or negative diagnosis of EGE differed up to a factor greater than 8. A theoretical incidence for EGE calculated from these numbers differed by a factor greater than 1500. We conclude that eosinophil counts in mucosal biopsies from the lower gastrointestinal tract are subject to a very high interobserver variance. Until further research provides objective and validated methods for standardization, all epidemiologic numbers derived from histopathologic findings may have to be questioned. When diagnosing individual patients with EGE, overall morphologic picture together with clinical and endoscopic findings is more important than numeric eosinophil count.