Higher detectability of gastric cancer after Helicobacter pylori eradication in texture and color enhancement imaging mode 2 in screening endoscopy

Objectives

The utility of texture and color enhancement imaging (TXI) in detecting gastric cancer (GC) has been investigated. However, few reports exist on TXI mode2 (TXI2) used for detecting GC; this study investigated the efficacy of TXI2 in GC detection during screening endoscopy.

Methods

This study enrolled 13,440 participants with confirmed Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection status who underwent screening endoscopy by 20 endoscopists in our health screening center. The participants were divided into two groups: one group was observed using white light imaging (WLI) only by 17 endoscopists (WLI group, 10,745 participants), and the other group was observed using TXI2 only by the other three endoscopists (TXI2 group, 2695 participants). We analyzed the detection rate and the characteristics of GC. In addition, considering the bias due to the diagnostic ability, we analyzed the subset of the WLI group where the participants were evaluated by the top three endoscopists based on their GC detection rate (Expert-WLI group, 2792 participants) for comparison with the TXI2 group.

Results

Fifty patients were diagnosed with GC. The GC detection rates were 0.68% and 0.71% in the Expert-WLI and TXI2 groups, respectively. In patients who underwent screening endoscopy after H. pylori eradication, the detection rates of differentiated GC, L-region lesions, and surface depressed-type lesions were 0.52%, 0%, and 0.43% in the Expert-WLI group and 1.36%, 0.78%, and 1.36% in the TXI2 group, respectively.

Conclusions

In screening endoscopy, the detectability of differentiated GC and L-region lesions and surface depressed-type lesions after H. pylori eradication was higher in TXI2.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection for colorectal neoplasms: Risk factors for local recurrence and long-term surveillance

Objectives

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is an effective procedure for the en bloc resection of colorectal neoplasms. However, risk factors for local recurrence after ESD have not been identified. This study aimed to evaluate such risk factors after ESD for colorectal neoplasms.

Methods

This retrospective study included 1344 patients with 1539 consecutive colorectal lesions who underwent ESD between September 2003 and December 2019. We investigated various factors associated with local recurrence in these patients. The main outcomes were the incidence of local recurrence and its relationship with clinicopathological factors during long-term surveillance.

Results

The en bloc resection rate was 98.6%, the R0 resection rate was 97.2%, and the histologically complete resection rate was 92.7%. Local recurrence was observed in 7/1344 (0.5%) patients and the median follow-up period was 72 months (range 4-195 months). The incidence of local recurrence was significantly higher in lesions ≥40 mm in diameter (hazard ratio [HR] 15.68 [1.88-130.5]; p = 0.011), piecemeal resection (HR 48.42 [10.7-218.7]; p < 0.001), non-R0 resection (HR 41.05 [9.025-186.7]; p < 0.001), histologically incomplete resection (HR 16.23 [3.627-72.63]; p<0.001), and severe fibrosis (F2; HR 9.523 [1.14-79.3]; p = 0.037).

Conclusions

Five risk factors for local recurrence after ESD were identified. Patients with such factors should undergo careful surveillance colonoscopy.

Endoscopic treatment of a patient with duodenal major papilla adenoma and ansa pancreatica

A 35-year-old female who suffered from recurrent pancreatitis was admitted to our hospital. Her magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography revealed ansa pancreatica. And during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, a major duodenal papilla adenoma was identified. Hybrid endoscopic mucosal resection of this lesion was performed with pancreatic stent placement through the minor papilla to prevent recurrent pancreatitis. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a major papilla adenoma associated with ansa pancreatica. These minimally invasive endoscopic treatments solved a difficult clinical problem and avoided traumatic surgery.

Safety of full bowel preparation and colonoscopy in elderly patients with ulcerative colitis: A real-world multicenter retrospective cohort study

Background

The number of elderly patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) has been increasing worldwide. Complications are common in elderly patients who undergo colonoscopy, raising doubts about whether colonoscopy should be performed in the same way in this age group as in younger patients. The aim of this study was to determine the safety of full bowel preparation and colonoscopy in elderly patients with UC.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed a cohort of patients with UC who had visited any of the 12 hospitals and were registered in our inflammatory bowel disease database. We compared complications associated with colonoscopy and bowel preparation and relapse of UC after colonoscopy in 133 patients aged ≥65 years with UC (the elderly group) and 116 randomly selected patients aged <65 years with UC (the non-elderly group).

Results

Nine elderly patients were not referred for colonoscopy by their physicians because of poor performance status or advanced age. There was no significant between-group difference in the complication rate (p = 0.57) or frequency of relapse of UC after colonoscopy (p = 0.67).

Conclusions

The findings of this study indicate that colonoscopy can be performed as safely in elderly patients with UC as in their younger counterparts. However, our results also indicate that colonoscopy is often avoided in elderly patients, possibly because of concerns about safety.

A case report of splenic injury related to colonoscopy: Fortunately treated with conservative treatment

Colonoscopy is a common procedure for screening of colon cancer. Although complications are rare, recently there have been reports of splenic injury associated with colonoscopy. Its causes are not clear. Herein, we report an 84-year-old man who underwent a colonoscopy for an annual routine examination. The colonoscopy was performed with moderate difficulty due to loop formation and took about 50 min. After the examination, he developed syncope, sweating, and abdominal distention with low blood pressure. Plain computed tomography revealed ascites, and the patient was hospitalized with close monitoring. The following day, his hemoglobin level was decreased by about 3.0 g/dL. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed the splenic injury. The patient was hemodynamically stable and was treated conservatively. Splenic injury is an uncommon complication of colonoscopy; however, it may cause hemodynamic instability. Physicians performing colonoscopies should be aware of this potential complication.

A case of a stuck mesh in the rectum after pelvic surgery

A 67-year-old woman was referred to our hospital for further evaluation of a positive fecal occult blood test. Colonoscopy revealed an elevated rectal lesion (10 mm in size) with a central depression. A rod-like object was noted in the center of the lesion. Magnifying endoscopy with narrow-band imaging showed obscure surface structures and dilated vessels. Magnifying endoscopy with crystal violet staining showed that the pit pattern had disappeared. These endoscopic findings suggested that the lesion was comprised of granulation tissue. A detailed medical history revealed that she had undergone a total hysterectomy with mesh placement for bladder prolapse. We reasoned that the mesh used during pelvic surgery might have penetrated the rectum. She underwent subsequent surgery to remove the mesh. Although most foreign bodies in the rectum are swallowed or self-inserted, pelvic surgery is another source of foreign bodies in the rectum.

Successful endoscopic sclerotherapy for anastomotic tumor hemorrhage: A case report

A 71-year-old male developed anastomotic tumor bleeding after subtotal gastrectomy (Billroth II), and the surgery was refused due to coronary atherosclerotic heart disease. Endoscopic sclerotherapy (ES) in the treatment of esophagogastric variceal bleeding has been commonly reported, but few in non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding. As far as we know, endoscopic sclerotherapy for malignant tumor hemorrhage has not been reported. Here a valuable case is presented: endoscopic sclerotherapy was performed on the anastomotic tumor bleeding, which is an effective try in a particular period.

Population effectiveness of endoscopy screening for mortality reduction in gastric cancer

Objectives

No randomized controlled trials have compared endoscopic screening with no screening for gastric cancer on an intention-to-screen basis, and the population-based evidence is insufficient. This study aimed to identify factors contributing to the population effectiveness of cancer screening, estimate the number needed to screen (NNS) to reduce one gastric cancer-related death, and evaluate the expected mortality-rate reduction in endoscopic screening for gastric cancer in 184 countries.

Methods

Factors contributing to the attributable risk, NNS, and mortality-rate reduction were identified. A rapid review was performed in PubMed to estimate the pooled relative risk of endoscopic screening compared to that of no screening for mortality reduction. NNSs and mortality-rate reduction were estimated using the pooled relative risk and GLOBOCAN data.

Results

The crude mortality rate, the effectiveness of the screening modality, and the screened rate contributed to the attributable risk, NNS, and mortality-rate reduction in cancer screening. The pooled relative risk was 0.58 in endoscopy screening compared to that in no screening. NNSs and expected mortality-rate reduction differed across countries and ranged from 2522 to 91,575 and 0.2 to 7.9 (per 100,000 individuals) for the screened rate of 20%, respectively.

Conclusions

In addition to the effectiveness of the used modality, the disease burden and screened rate were important in the population effectiveness of cancer screening. Regarding the high NNSs and the low expected mortality-rate reduction, population-based endoscopic screening seems not to be effective in many countries, and these results are meaningful in decision-making regarding the introduction of endoscopic screening.

Endoscopic papillary large balloon dilatation-assisted retrieval of a proximally migrated double pigtail stent from the bile duct: A case report

Double-pigtail stents are commonly used for drainage in cholangitis to prevent stent migration. We report a case in which a double pigtail stent had migrated proximally into the bile duct and was successfully retrieved after endoscopic papillary large balloon dilatation (EPLBD). An 86-year-old man underwent endoscopic papillary sphincterotomy for cholangitis due to common bile duct stones and had a double-pigtail stent placed in the common bile duct. The patient presented a week later for endoscopic biliary stone removal, but the stent had migrated proximally and could not be visualized during the endoscopy. Endoscopic papillary large balloon dilatation was performed to dilate the papilla to a diameter of 12 mm, following which the stent was grasped and removed. The biliary calculi were subsequently extracted, and the procedure was completed without any complications. This case highlights the potential usefulness of endoscopic papillary large balloon dilatation for retrieving a double-pigtail stent that has migrated to the bile duct.

A case of idiopathic gastroesophageal submucosal hematoma in a patient with no predisposition to bleeding

Gastroesophageal submucosal hematoma is a disease in which blood vessels in the gastroesophageal submucosa rupture and form a hematoma. In this report, we describe a case of gastroesophageal submucosal hematoma that developed due to vomiting in a patient with no history of bleeding and resolved with conservative treatment. A 69-year-old man presented with precordial pain and hematemesis after vomiting. A diagnosis of idiopathic gastroesophageal submucosal hematoma was made by computed tomography scan, magnetic resonance imaging, and esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Healing was achieved by conservative treatment with fasting, rehydration, and acid suppression. When a patient presents with sudden chest pain, hematemesis, and dysphagia, the possibility of this disease should be considered.