Cold and hot snare endoscopic techniques for removal of the Bravo pH monitoring capsule.

BACKGROUND: Currently, use of the Bravo capsule is a very common method for evaluating the gastroesophageal reflux because it has the advantage of being an intraesophageal catheter-free system. However, endoscopic removal of the capsule is necessary when technical problems or severe discomfort are present. Most frequently, endoscopists solve this problem by nudging the device with the tip of the endoscope to dislodge it; others have used a cold snare to produce traction on the capsule, and then tear the probe off. These techniques however are not free of complications. We report here the cold and hot snare techniques used in 4 of our patients, which resulted in the successful removal of the capsule without complications. METHODS: The polypectomy cold snare procedure is a typical polypectomy method. The cold snare loops the mucosal pedicle and tightly closes it until sectioning is achieved. In the hot snare technique, a monopolar coagulating current is added to the previous procedure, making the resection more feasible when the cold snare is not sufficient. Finally, in both situations, the probe is removed from the esophagus with the same snare. CONCLUSIONS: The cold and hot snare techniques are safe and simple endoscopic procedures when the removal of the Bravo capsule is required. We recommend the cold snare method as a first option and the hot snare method in case the former fails.

Use of a stiff guidewire in transjugular liver biopsy in patients with a pronounced angle of the suprahepatic veins.

In the performance of a transvascular liver biopsy, the Trucut-type transjugular liver biopsy set is advance over a multipurpose catheter place in the suprahepatic vein. Occasionally there is a sharp bend between the suprahepatic veins and the inferior vein cava and the multipurpose catheter does not provide sufficient support to track the biopsy access set. To deal with this problem we describe the use of a stiff guidewire for an easy introduction of the biopsy set.

Technical problems produced by the Bravo pH test in nonerosive reflux disease patients.

AIM: To evaluate the technical failures of the Bravo pH test in a population with nonerosive gastroesophageal reflux disease. METHODS: Over the course of a year, we prospectively studied a population of 66 nonerosive reflux disease patients who received a Bravo pH test. The number and frequency of all technical failures were documented, quantified and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 66 patients, with a mean age of 41.7 years, were studied. Technical failures occurred in 15.15% of the sample. The most frequent failures were due to poor data reception (4.5%), early dislodgement (4.5%) and capsule removal (6.1%). CONCLUSION: The Bravo capsule pH test involves a low but non-negligible rate of technical problems, a fact that must always be considered by physicians.

Non-erosive reflux disease manifested exclusively by protracted hiccups.

Hiccups are a benign physiological feature affecting almost everyone at one time or another. They tend to be short-lived and do not affect quality of life; however, there are various pathologies that may present with long-lasting hiccups. These are grouped into 3 categories according to their duration: acute, persistent and intractable or protracted hiccups. Intractable hiccups last longer than 2 months and are usually associated with more severe conditions. The association between intractable hiccups and reflux disease has not been previously documented by objective methods. This report describes the case of a 23-year-old female who presented with protracted hiccups; all other organic pathologies were ruled out, and endoscopy and conventional pH-metry confirmed a diagnosis of non-erosive reflux disease as the unique cause.

Un caso de transaminasas altas por insuficiencia cardiaca congestiva que simulan hepatitis crónica / A case of high transaminases due to cardiac congestive failure mimicking chronic hepatitis

Se presenta a un varón de 20 años de edad que ingresó por alteraciones en el ritmo cardíaco. Se establecieron los diagnósticos de miocardiopatía hipertrófica, síndrome de Wolff-Parkinson-White, hipertensión pulmonar e ICC (insuficiencia cardíaca congestiva). Al mes de su ingreso presentó síndrome ictérico secundario a hepatitis viral A (HVA) y sus niveles de transaminasas persistieron elevadas en forma crónica en un promedio de siete veces su valor normal durante los seis años que precedieron a su muerte por neumonía e insuficiencia cardiaca. Por la posibilidad de otro tipo de hepatopatía por la hipertransaminasemia persistente se realizaron dos biopsias hepáticas que mostraron únicamante daño secundario a hepatopatía por ICC. Este caso ilustra cómo el daño hepático por ICC puede cursar con hipertransaminasemia persistente que semeja hepatopatía crónica de otro tipo