Usefulness of over-the-scope clipping system for closing digestive fistulas.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Therapeutic endoscopy has recently evolved into the treatment of complex gastrointestinal (GI) postoperative leakage, especially with over-the-scope clips (OTSC). We describe our 2-year experience of 30 patients treated for digestive fistulas using the OTSC device. METHODS: This was a retrospective study conducted on patients referred for GI fistulas in two French hospitals. Technical aspects, clinical outcomes and closure rates were recorded. RESULTS: Thirty patients were treated for GI leaks: 19 (63%) had a gastric fistula after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG); the others had rectovaginal, urethrorectal, rectovesical, gastrogastric, gastrocutaneous, esophagojejunal fistulas and colorectal anastomotic leak. Average follow up was 10.4 months. Eighteen (60%) had undergone previous endoscopic or surgical treatment. Orifice size was 3-20 mm (average 7.2 mm). Successful OTSC placement was achieved in 30 out of 34 attempts. There were four intraoperative undesired events (13.3%) but these were successfully managed. Overall success rate was 71.4% and 16 patients (53%) recovered with primary efficacy. Six patients (20%) required a subsequent endoscopic treatment. Eight patients (26.7%) required surgery for failure. In nine cases, we used one or more additional endoscopic procedures concomitantly with the OTSC combining self-expandable metal stents, standard clips and glue injection. Healing rate after LSG fistula was 88.9%, which was significantly higher than the overall rate (P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: OTSC placement seems to be safe and effective for the treatment of GI fistulas. Better results were seen in leaks after LSG.

Evaluation of bacterial contamination after "pure" (totally) transvaginal NOTES diagnostic peritoneoscopy with biopsies in swine: a comparative study with laparoscopy.

INTRODUCTION: Bacterial contamination from viscerotomy is a barrier to natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES). The aim of this survival study is to evaluate pure (totally) transvaginal NOTES bacterial contamination compared with laparoscopy in pigs. METHODS: Twelve adult female pigs underwent peritoneoscopy with liver and peritoneal biopsies, using either laparoscopy (Glap, six animals) or pure transvaginal (GNOTES) access, and were maintained alive for 7 days. In all animals, blood cultures were taken at baseline, and after 24 h and 7 days postoperatively. Swab cultures from vagina (GNOTES) and skin (Glap) were obtained pre- and post-antisepsis. Peritoneal fluid culture was obtained at necropsy. For statistical analysis, Glap and GNOTES were compared for presence of positive bacterial cultures (qualitative bacterial analysis) using Fisher's test, with level of significance set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: All animals had good postoperative outcome. One animal had transient perioperative bleeding from a transvaginal access. Two animals in Glap and one in GNOTES had positive blood cultures after the procedure. All animals from GNOTES and Glap presented with mixed flora pre-antisepsis. After antisepsis, one animal (GNOTES) presented with a positive vaginal swab culture (a single bacterial strain was identified). There was no positive skin swab culture in Glap. There were no signs of intra-abdominal infection at necropsy. In two animals, one from Glap and another from GNOTES, intra-abdominal culture was positive for Corynebacterium spp. and Escherichia coli, respectively. There was no correlation between the bacterial flora found at the access site and in the peritoneal cultures. CONCLUSIONS: Pure transvaginal peritoneoscopy with liver and peritoneal biopsy in swine is feasible and associated with bacterial contamination comparable to laparoscopy. Peritoneal bacterial contamination was clinically insignificant after 1 week postoperatively. Preoperative antisepsis provided significant reduction of bacterial load prior to transvaginal and laparoscopic procedures.

Endoscopic full-thickness biopsy of the gastric wall with defect closure by using an endoscopic suturing device: survival porcine study.

BACKGROUND: The pathogenesis of several common gastric motility diseases and functional GI disorders remains essentially unexplained. Gastric wall biopsies that include the muscularis propria to evaluate the enteric nervous system, interstitial cells of Cajal, and immune cells can provide important insights for our understanding of the etiology of these disorders. OBJECTIVES: To determine the technical feasibility, reproducibility, and safety of performing a full-thickness gastric biopsy (FTGB) by using a submucosal endoscopy with mucosal flap (SEMF) technique; the technical feasibility, reproducibility, and safety of tissue closure by using an endoscopic suturing device; the ability to identify myenteric ganglia in resected specimens; and the long-term safety. DESIGN: Single center, preclinical survival study. SETTING: Animal research laboratory, developmental endoscopy unit. SUBJECTS: Twelve domestic pigs. INTERVENTIONS: Animals underwent an SEMF procedure with gastric muscularis propria resection. The resultant offset mucosal entry site was closed by using an endoscopic suturing device. Animals were kept alive for 2 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: The technical feasibility, reproducibility, and safety of the procedure; the clinical course of the animals; the histological and immunochemical evaluation of the resected specimen to determine whether myenteric ganglia were present in the sample. RESULTS: FTGB was performed by using the SEMF technique in all 12 animals. The offset mucosal entry site was successfully closed by using the suturing device in all animals. The mean resected tissue specimen size was 11 mm. Mean total procedure time was 61 minutes with 2 to 4 interrupted sutures placed per animal. Histology showed muscularis propria and serosa, confirming full-thickness resections in all animals. Myenteric ganglia were visualized in 11 of 12 animals. The clinical course was uneventful. Repeat endoscopy and necropsy at 2 weeks showed absence of ulceration at both the mucosal entry sites and overlying the more distal muscularis propria resection sites. There was complete healing of the serosa in all animals with minimal single-band adhesions in 5 of 12 animals. Retained sutures were present in 10 of 12 animals. LIMITATIONS: Animal experiment. CONCLUSIONS: FTGB by using the SEMF technique and an endoscopic suturing device is technically feasible, reproducible, and safe. Larger tissue specimens will allow improved analysis of multiple cell types.