Confusion with the definition and diagnostic criteria for acute on chronic pancreatitis: review and recommendations.

OBJECTIVES: Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a fibroinflammatory disease complicated by episodes of acute inflammation (acute on chronic pancreatitis (ACP)). This entity is common, variably defined and can reflect different pathological mechanisms that requires different interventions. The aim of this study is to conduct a systematic review of how ACP is described, defined and diagnosed in the literature. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted from January 1993 to June 2020. All articles that used a term to describe ACP in adults were reviewed and definitions and diagnostic criteria were sought. RESULTS: After reviewing 2271 abstracts, 848 articles included a term to describe ACP. The most common descriptions were 'acute on/in CP' (374), 'acute exacerbation of CP' (345) and 'flare(-up) of CP' (43). Among the 848 articles, 14 included a pragmatic definition of ACP, and only 2 papers stated diagnostic criteria. These covered both acute inflammation and acute exacerbation of chronic abdominal pain. CONCLUSION: There is no universally accepted term, definition or diagnostic criteria for ACP. A consensus definition is needed to improve quality and comparability of future articles as well as clinical management.

Gastrocutaneous fistula and gastrointestinal bleeding due to left superior epigastric artery haemorrhage as a rare complication of anterior gastropexy.

A woman in her 70s was referred to our institution with upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding 3 months after a Toupet fundoplication with anterior gastropexy, performed due to gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and a large paraoesophageal hernia. Clinical investigation revealed two ulcers, with one of them at the gastropexy site. A couple of weeks later, the patient presented with a gastrocutaneous fistula. Failure of conservative and endoscopic treatment of the fistula and GI bleeding demanded surgical treatment. The gastropexy tissue was excised and bleeding from the left superior epigastric artery, involved at the ulcerated gastropexy site, was identified; a definitive surgical repair was performed at a second stage. This is an extremely rare complication of anterior gastropexy and bleeding from the gastropexy site, especially when refractory to endoscopic treatment, should raise suspicion for involvement of superior left epigastric artery. The timing of the definitive surgical repair might be of major relevance.

New Perspectives Regarding Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma Approach Improvement.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma is rare, but represents the deadliest type of thyroid cancer that is characterised by a rapid course. Diagnosis is usually made at a late stage, when more than half of the patients have distant metastasis. Our main purpose is to review the current information on anaplastic thyroid aetiology and risk factors that might contribute to an earlier diagnosis as well as to give new perspectives regarding the most recent treatment options and future directions. RESULTS: The treatment options are mainly palliative and lack efficacy. In particular, the multikinase inhibitors, BRAF inhibitors and other directed agents aim to stabilize the tumour growth and might enable a radical surgery with curative intent. CONCLUSION: With the mutational landscape investigation and the discovery of new targets, new directed treatments are being tried. Considering the current tendency to be more conservative regarding the multinodular goiter approach and some differentiated thyroid carcinomas treatment, it is vital to understand that it might evolve to anaplastic cancers.