Induction of mucosal healing by intensive granulocyte/monocyte adsorptive apheresis (GMA) without use of corticosteroids in patients with ulcerative colitis: long-term remission maintenance after induction by GMA and efficacy of GMA re-treatment upon relapse.

This study examined the long-term maintenance rate after inducing remission by intensive granulocyte/monocyte adsorptive apheresis (GMA) without use of corticosteroids (CS) and GMA re-treatment efficacy in the same patients upon relapse with ulcerative colitis. Patients who achieved clinical remission and mucosal healing (MH) by first-time intensive GMA (first GMA) without CS were enrolled. The cumulative non-relapse survival rate up to week 156 was calculated. Patients with relapse during the maintenance period underwent second-time intensive GMA (second GMA) without CS. Clinical remission and MH rates following second GMA were compared to those following first GMA in the same patients. Of the 84 patients enrolled, 78 were followed until week 156 and 34 demonstrated relapse. The cumulative non-relapse survival rate by week 156 was 56.4%. Clinical remission and MH rates after second GMA did not differ from those after first GMA in the same patients (week 6: clinical remission, 100% vs 88.4%, p = 0.134; MH, 100% vs 84.8%, p = 0.074). In conclusion, MH induction by intensive GMA without use of CS in ulcerative colitis patients contributes to subsequent long-term clinical remission maintenance. GMA re-treatment efficacy was comparable to that of first GMA in the same patients who had relapse.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration for diagnosing pancreatic mass in patients with surgically altered upper gastrointestinal anatomy.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) has been established as a safe and accurate method for diagnosing a pancreatic mass; however, EUS-FNA for patients with surgically altered upper gastrointestinal (UGI) anatomy has not yet been investigated sufficiently. Therefore, the feasibility and safety of EUS-FNA in these patients were retrospectively investigated. METHODS: Patients in whom EUS-FNA was performed between March 2008 and April 2017 were retrospectively investigated in terms of EUS-FNA technical success, procedure time, diagnostic accuracies of cytology and histology, and procedure-related adverse events. RESULTS: Twenty-five EUS-FNAs were performed for 15 pancreatic body-to-tail and 10 head lesions. All patients underwent EUS-FNA successfully; however, changing of the echoendoscope to a forward-viewing echoendoscope and preplacement of a nasobiliary catheter by balloon-assisted enteroscopy for guidance were needed in one and two cases, respectively. The median procedure time was 26 min (range, 16-70). The diagnostic accuracies were 76%, 84%, and 88% for cytology, histology, and combined use, respectively. Adverse events were not observed. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided FNA is a safe and efficient method for diagnosing a pancreatic mass even in patients with surgically altered UGI anatomy. Nevertheless, some sophisticated techniques are required for pancreatic head lesions if reaching the duodenum after passing through the jejunal limb is required for visualization of the pancreatic mass.

Enteral self-expandable metal stent placement for malignant afferent limb syndrome using single-balloon enteroscope: report of five cases.

Endoscopic enteral self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) placement is a useful alternative treatment option for malignant afferent limb syndrome (ALS). We investigated the safety, efficacy, and follow-up results of enteral SEMS placement using a single-balloon enteroscope for the treatment of malignant ALS.