Performance measures for small-bowel endoscopy: A European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) Quality Improvement Initiative

Water-assisted colonoscopy in inflammatory bowel diseases: From technical implications to diagnostic and therapeutic potentials

Water-assisted colonoscopy (WAC) application in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) endoscopy offers significant technical opportunities. Traditional gas-aided insufflation colonoscopy increases patient discomfort, presenting challenges in the frequent and detailed mucosal assessments required for IBD endoscopy. WAC techniques, including water immersion and exchange, provide superior patient comfort and enhanced endoscopic visualisation. WAC effectively reduces procedural pain, enhances bowel cleanliness, and increases adenoma detection rates, which is crucial for colorectal cancer screening and disease-related evaluations in IBD patients. Additionally, underwater techniques facilitate basic and advanced endoscopic resections, such as polypectomy and endoscopic mucosal and submucosal resections, often required for resecting IBD-associated neoplasia.

The Role of Small-Bowel Capsule Endoscopy in the Diagnostic Algorithm of Complicated Perianal Disease

INTRODUCTION

Complicated perianal disease (cPD) may be the sole presentation of Crohn's disease (CD). The role of small-bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) in the diagnostic algorithm of cPD is unclear. We aimed to evaluate the role of SBCE as a diagnostic tool, in patients with cPD, after a negative standard workup for CD.

METHODS

A multicenter, retrospective, cross-sectional study, in patients with cPD, and negative standard workup for CD (ileocolonoscopy and cross-sectional imaging), who underwent SBCE for suspected CD. Demographics, biomarkers, and the Lewis Score (LS) were recorded and analyzed. An LS ≥ 135 was considered a positive SBCE for diagnosing CD.

RESULTS

Ninety-one patients were included: 65 (71.4%) males; median age: 37 (29-51) years; cPD duration: 25.1 (12.5-66.1) months. Positive SBCE: 24/91 (26.4%) patients. Fecal calprotectin (FC) positively correlated with LS (r = 0.81; p < 0.001). FC levels of 100 µg/g and 50 µg/g had a sensitivity of only 40% and 55% to rule out small-bowel CD, with a negative predictive value (NPV) of only 76% and 80%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

SBCE contributed to CD diagnosis in a quarter of patients with cPD after a negative standard workup. FC levels correlated with the degree of inflammation defined by the LS. However, the NPV of FC was low, suggesting that SBCE should be considered for patients with cPD even after a negative standard workup.

Yield of capsule endoscopy and subsequent device-assisted enteroscopy: experience at an Australian tertiary centre

BACKGROUND

Small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) and device-assisted enteroscopy (DAE) have an established role in the investigation and management of small bowel pathology. Previous studies have reported on the yield of SBCE (60%) and DAE (57%), but none have been in an Australian setting.

AIMS

To determine the yield of SBCE and any DAE performed as a direct consequence of SBCE in an Australian referral centre.

METHODS

A single-centre retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary hospital in Australia, enrolling consecutive patients between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2021 undergoing SBCE. Data were collected with respect to demographics, procedural factors and findings, as well as findings and interventions of any DAE procedures performed after the SBCE.

RESULTS

1214 SBCEs were performed, with a median age of 66 years old (60.8% men). The predominant indications were anaemia (n = 853, 70.2%) and overt gastrointestinal bleeding (n = 320, 26.4%). Of the complete small bowel studies (1132/1214, 93.2%), abnormal findings were detected in 588 cases (51.9%), most commonly angioectasias (266/588, 45.2%), erosions (106/588, 18.0%) and ulcers (97/588, 8.6%). 165 patients underwent a DAE (117 antegrade, 48 retrograde). Antegrade DAE had a higher yield than retrograde DAE (77.8% vs 54.2%; P = 0.002) and a higher rate of intervention (69.2% vs 37.5%; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

In this largest single-centre cohort of patients undergoing SBCE to date, there is a similar yield of abnormal findings compared to existing literature. DAE, especially with an antegrade approach, had high diagnostic and therapeutic yield when pursued after a positive SBCE study.

Patients on Antithrombotic Agents with Small Bowel Bleeding -Yield of Small Bowel Capsule Endoscopy and Subsequent Management

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Small bowel gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) is associated with multiple blood transfusions, prolonged and/or multiple hospital admissions, utilization of significant healthcare resources, and negative effects on patient quality of life. There is a well-recognized association between antithrombotic medications and small bowel GIB. We aimed to identify the diagnostic yield of small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) in patients on antithrombotic medications and the impact of SBCE on treatment course.

METHODS

The electronic medical records of nineteen hundred eighty-six patients undergoing SBCE were retrospectively reviewed.

RESULTS

The diagnostic yield for detecting stigmata of recent bleeding and/or actively bleeding lesions in SBCE was higher in patients that were on antiplatelet agents (21.6%), patients on anticoagulation (22.5%), and in patients that had their SBCE performed while they were inpatient (21.8%), when compared to the patients not on antiplatelet agents (12.1%), patients not on anticoagulation (13.5%), and with patients that had their SBCE performed in the outpatient setting (12%). Of 318 patients who had stigmata of recent bleeding and/or actively bleeding lesion(s) identified on SBCE, SBCE findings prompted endoscopic evaluation (small bowel enteroscopy, esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), and/or colonoscopy) in 25.2%, with endoscopic hemostasis attempted in 52.5%.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study, the largest conducted to date, emphasizes the importance of performing SBCE as part of the evaluation for suspected small bowel bleeding, particularly in patients taking antithrombotic therapy, and especially during their inpatient hospital stay.

Road map to small bowel endoscopy quality indicators

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Quality indicators for upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy are well established and linked to patient outcomes. However, there is a perceived gap in the development and implementation of quality indicators for small bowel endoscopy. In this review, we aimed to discuss the development of quality indicators in small bowel endoscopy and their implementation in clinical practice.

RECENT FINDINGS

The proposed quality indicators for small bowel endoscopy focus on process measures, which mainly evaluate the procedural aspects, rather than the outcomes or the overall patient experience. These quality indicators have rarely been studied in clinical practice, leading to a limited understanding of their applicability and impact on patient outcomes and experience.

SUMMARY

Real-world studies evaluating the quality indicators of small bowel endoscopy are warranted to establish an evidence-based framework for their practical application and effectiveness. Linking these indicators to relevant patient outcomes is crucial for their broader acceptance and implementation.

More than 20 procedures are necessary to learn small bowel capsule endoscopy: Learning curve pilot study of 535 trainee cases

Background and study aims The number of procedures needed to acquire a sufficient level of skills to perform an unassisted evaluation of small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) is unknown. We aimed to establish learning curves, diagnostic accuracy, and the number of procedures needed for reviewing small bowel capsule endoscopies unassisted. Methods An expert panel developed a 1-day course including lessons (examination, anatomy, and pathology) and hands-on training. After completing the course, participants received 50 cases in a randomized sequence. An interactive questionnaire about landmarks, findings, and diagnosis followed each case. After submitting the questionnaire, participants received feedback. Data are presented using CUSUM (cumulative sum control chart) learning curves and sensitivity/specificity analyses compared with expert opinions. Results We included 22 gastroenterologists from 11 different Danish hospitals. A total of 535 cases were reviewed (mean: 28; range: 11-50). CUSUM plots demonstrated learning progression for diagnosis and findings during the course, but none of the participants reached a learning plateau with sufficient competencies. The sensitivity for all findings was 65% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.51-0.82) for the first 20 procedures and 67% (95% CI 0.58-0.73) from case 21 until completion or dropout. The specificity was 63% (95% CI 0.52-0.74) for the first 20 procedures and 57% (95% CI 0.37-0.77) for the rest. Conclusions Our data indicate that learning SBCE may be more difficult than previously recognized due to low discriminative abilities after 20 cases except for the identification of CD. This indicates that 20 SBCE cases may not be sufficient to achieve competency for reviewing SBCE without supervision.

A comprehensive examination of small-bowel capsule endoscopy in Spanish centers to meet European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy standards

Background and study aims In 2019, the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) created a working group to develop technical and quality standards for small-bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) to improve the daily practice of endoscopy services. They developed 10 quality parameters, which have yet to be tested in a real-life setting. Our study aimed to evaluate the accomplishment of the quality standards in SBCE established by the ESGE in several Spanish centers. Materials and methods An online survey of 11 multiple-choice questions related to the ESGE performance measures was sent to Spanish centers with experience in SBCE. In order to participate and obtain reliable data, at least 100 questionnaires had to be answered per center because that is the minimum number established by ESGE. Results 20 centers participated in the study, compiling 2049 SBCEs for the analysis. Only one of 10 performance measures (cecal visualization) reached the minimum standard established by the ESGE. In five of 10 performance measures (Indication, lesion detection rate, terminology, and retention rate) the minimum standard was nearly achieved. Conclusions Our study is the first multicenter study regarding SBCE quality performance measures in a real setting. Our results show that the minimum standard is hardly reached in most procedures, which calls into question their clinical applicability in real life. We suggest performing similar studies in other countries to evaluate whether there is a need for quality improvement programs or a need to reevaluate the minimum and target values published so far.

Device-assisted enteroscopy performance measures in the United Kingdom: DEEP-UK quality improvement project

BACKGROUND

Device-assisted enteroscopy (DAE) has become a well-established diagnostic and therapeutic tool for the management of small-bowel pathology. We aimed to evaluate the performance measures for DAE across the UK against the quality benchmarks proposed by the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE).

METHODS

We retrospectively collected data on patient demographics and DAE performance measures from electronic endoscopy records of consecutive patients who underwent DAE for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes across 12 enteroscopy centers in the UK between January 2017 and December 2022.

RESULTS

A total of 2005 DAE procedures were performed in 1663 patients (median age 60 years; 53% men). Almost all procedures (98.1%) were performed for appropriate indications. Double-balloon enteroscopy was used for most procedures (82.0%), followed by single-balloon enteroscopy (17.2%) and spiral enteroscopy (0.7%). The estimated depth of insertion was documented in 73.4% of procedures. The overall diagnostic yield was 70.0%. Therapeutic interventions were performed in 42.6% of procedures, with a success rate of 96.6%. Overall, 78.0% of detected lesions were marked with a tattoo. Patient comfort was significantly better with the use of deep sedation compared with conscious sedation (99.7% vs. 68.5%; P<0.001). Major adverse events occurred in only 0.6% of procedures.

CONCLUSIONS

Performance measures for DAE in the UK meet the ESGE quality benchmarks, with high diagnostic and therapeutic yields, and a low incidence of major adverse events. However, there is room for improvement in optimizing sedation practices, standardizing the depth of insertion documentation, and adopting marking techniques to aid in the follow-up of detected lesions.

The Future of Minimally Invasive Capsule Panendoscopy: Robotic Precision, Wireless Imaging and AI-Driven Insights

In the early 2000s, the introduction of single-camera wireless capsule endoscopy (CE) redefined small bowel study. Progress continued with the development of double-camera devices, first for the colon and rectum, and then, for panenteric assessment. Advancements continued with magnetic capsule endoscopy (MCE), particularly when assisted by a robotic arm, designed to enhance gastric evaluation. Indeed, as CE provides full visualization of the entire gastrointestinal (GI) tract, a minimally invasive capsule panendoscopy (CPE) could be a feasible alternative, despite its time-consuming nature and learning curve, assuming appropriate bowel cleansing has been carried out. Recent progress in artificial intelligence (AI), particularly in the development of convolutional neural networks (CNN) for CE auxiliary reading (detecting and diagnosing), may provide the missing link in fulfilling the goal of establishing the use of panendoscopy, although prospective studies are still needed to validate these models in actual clinical scenarios. Recent CE advancements will be discussed, focusing on the current evidence on CNN developments, and their real-life implementation potential and associated ethical challenges.

Small bowel capsule endoscopy and deep enteroscopy procedure load in France: a nationwide population-based study over 7 years

Background and study aims Capsule endoscopy (CE) is a diagnostic tool mainly used to explore the small bowel (SB), whereas device-assisted enteroscopy (DAE) is preferred for therapeutics. We aimed to describe the procedure load of SB endoscopy in France from 2015 to 2021. Patients and methods Using the French national health data system and the French national hospital discharge database, we identified all SBCEs and DAEs reported between January 2015 and December 2021. Information on DAEs was crosschecked with data on purchase or maintenance from manufacturers. Centers and procedures were described by type, year, type of practice, and according to the 13 French administrative regions in the mainland and in those overseas. Results A total of 151,096 SBCEs and 6,802 for DAEs were considered over the study period. SBCE service was offered in all regions, in both public and private settings, and the case load increased from 18,956 to 24,183 (+27.6%). The number of DAEs decreased nationwide, from 1,030 to 932 (-9.5%). Eighty-seven percent of all DAEs were performed in public university hospitals. Retrograde route varied between 18.8% and 22.8% of all DAEs yearly. The number of centers offering DAE varied from 0 to 5, over regions and years. DAE caseloads increased in five regions but ended, decreased or the procedure was not yet used in the nine remaining regions. Conclusions SB endoscopy in France is marked by a 22-fold unbalanced procedure load in CE (nationwide coverage) and in DAE (absent in some regions). This gap has widened over the years from 2015 to 2021.

Effectiveness and safety of novel motorized spiral enteroscopy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Motorized spiral enteroscopy (MSE) is a novel advance in small bowel examination that is characterized as fast with a deep insertion. The aim of this study was to elucidate the effectiveness and safety of MSE.

METHODS

Relevant articles that were published before November 1, 2022 were identified by searching PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, and the Web of Science. The technical success rate (TSR), total (pan)-enteroscopy rate (TER), depth of maximum insertion (DMI), diagnostic yield, and adverse events were extracted and analyzed. Forest plots were graphed based on random effects models.

RESULTS

A total of 876 patients from 8 studies were eligible for analysis. The pooled results of the TSR were 95.0% [95% confidence interval (CI) 91.0-98.0%, I2 = 78%, p < 0.01] and the pooled outcome of the TER was 43.1% (95% CI 24.7-62.5%, I2 = 95%, p < 0.01). The pooled results of the diagnostic and therapeutic yields were 77.2% (95% CI 69.0-84.5%, I2 = 84%, p < 0.01) and 49.0% (95% CI 38.0-60.1%, I2 = 89%, p < 0.01), respectively. The pooled estimates of adverse and severe adverse events were 17.2% (95% CI 11.9-23.2%, I2 = 75%, p < 0.01) and 0.7% (95% CI 0.0-2.1%, I2 = 37%, p = 0.13), respectively.

CONCLUSION

MSE is a novel alternative approach for small bowel examination that can achieve high TER and diagnostic and therapeutic yields, and relatively low rates of severe adverse events. Head-to-head studies comparing MSE and other device-assisted enteroscopies are warranted.

Predictive value of patency capsule and magnetic resonance enterography for capsule endoscopy retention in patients with established Crohn's disease

INTRODUCTION

retention is the most common adverse event of the small bowel capsule endoscopy procedure. Patency capsule (Medtronic, Dublin, Ireland) and magnetic resonance enterography are two diagnostic methods that can prevent small bowel capsule endoscopy retention. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of these two diagnostic methods.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

a prospective, comparative and observational study was performed in patients with established Crohn's disease. All patients had undergone magnetic resonance enterography and patency capsule procedures. If the patency capsule was not retained, the patient underwent a small bowel capsule endoscopy; otherwise, double balloon enteroscopy was performed to locate the stenosis. Magnetic resonance enterography predictive criteria for retention were analyzed in all cases. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the patency capsule and magnetic resonance enterography compared to small bowel capsule endoscopy or double balloon enteroscopy were calculated.

RESULTS

forty patients were included (24 female, 55 ± 13 years old). Retention criteria with capsule endoscopy or double balloon enteroscopy were found in six patients, agreeing in five cases with patency capsule and in three cases with magnetic resonance enterography. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and Kappa coefficient for predicting retention with the patency capsule were 83 %, 100 %, 100 % and 97 %, respectively, and 50 %, 91 %, 50 % and 91 %, respectively, with magnetic resonance enterography.

CONCLUSIONS

patency capsule has a higher sensitivity and positive predictive value than magnetic resonance enterography for preventing small bowel capsule endoscopy retention in Crohn's disease patients.

Colon capsule retention in a patient with large bowel stenosis due to diverticulosis - a case report

Capsule retention is a rare complication to capsule endoscopy. It is often asymptomatic and resolves itself spontaneously. In some cases, endoscopy or surgery is necessary to remove the capsule. Cases of capsule retention in the colon are not reported very often and precautions in subsequent investigations must be considered. We present a case of a 74-year-old woman who underwent colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) due to a positive fecal immunochemical test. The CCE was incomplete, and the patient was referred to conventional colonoscopy, which was complicated by perforation of the large bowel during the procedure. This lead to a CT scan showing the capsule proximal to a stenotic colon segment which was subsequently surgically removed. In patients who report lack of capsule excretion and stenosis is not verified, colonoscopy can be carried out, but with caution.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is not independently associated with Helicobacter pylori in a central European screening cohort

BACKGROUND

The association between Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is subject of a contentious debate. Data mainly stem from Asian cohorts whereas European data are scarce. We, therefore, investigated an Austrian colorectal cancer screening cohort for an association between Hp and NAFLD.

METHODS

In total, 5338 consecutive participants undergoing screening colonoscopy at a single center in Austria were evaluated in this cross-sectional study. The primary risk factor was being Hp negative or positive. The primary endpoint was the presence of NAFLD defined by ultrasound (NAFLD; primary endpoint). Uni- and multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to obtain odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). Finally, this association was analyzed in a subgroup of 1128 patients in whom NAFLD was diagnosed by transient elastography (TE, secondary endpoint).

RESULTS

NAFLD prevalence defined by ultrasound did not differ between Hp positive (48%) and negative patients (45%, P=0.097). Accordingly, in uni- (OR 1.12 95% CI 0.98-1.29; P=0.098) and multivariable analysis adjusting for different risk factors (aOR 0.96 95%CI 0.82-1.13; P=0.601) no independent association was found. On subgroup analysis, NAFLD diagnosed by TE was more prevalent in the Hp positive compared to the Hp negative group (49% vs. 38%, P=0.004) and these patients also had higher steatosis grades. However, after adjustment for risk factors, no independent association between Hp positivity and NAFLD diagnosed by TE (aOR 1.26 95%CI 0.89-1.78; P=0.194) was confirmed.

CONCLUSIONS

In this Central European cohort, Hp-positivity was not associated with the diagnosis of NAFLD. Although Hp positive patients seem to be more likely to have a concomitant NAFLD diagnosis, this association might rather relate to a cardiometabolic risk phenotype than causality.

Clinical utility of purgative bowel preparation before capsule endoscopy: a multicenter, blinded, randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Optimal bowel preparation before capsule endoscopy (CE) is currently unknown. In this multicenter, blinded, randomized controlled trial, we assessed clinical effectiveness of 2 types of purgative regimen and a control arm of clear fluid only.

METHODS

Patients with suspected small intestinal bleeding were randomized into 3 arms: arm A, clear fluids only for 18 hours before CE and simethicone 200 mg in 150 mL water immediately before CE; arm B, same as A + 2 L of polyethylene glycol (PEG) 12 hours before CE; and arm C, same as A + 1 L PEG + sodium ascorbate 3 hours before CE. To assess diagnostic yield, lesions were classified either as highly relevant (P2) or less relevant (P0 or P1) lesions. Small-bowel visualization quality (SBVQ) was assessed using the Brotz score. Patient tolerability was assessed using the visual analog scale (0-10, with lower scores indicating better tolerability).

RESULTS

Two hundred twenty-nine patients completed the study. The mean age was 58.7 years (95% confidence interval, 29.3-87.9), and 47.2% were men. There was no significant difference in diagnosis of P2 lesions in arms A, B, and C (48.7%, 48.0%, and 45.9%, respectively; P = .94). Overall SBVQ and distal SBVQ were similar across the 3 arms (P = .94 and P = .68, respectively). Patients reported better tolerability in arm A (mean score, 1.5) compared with arms B and C (mean score, 3.5 and 2.6, respectively; P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

The use of a purgative bowel preparation before CE does not improve diagnostic yield or small-bowel visualization and is associated with lower patient tolerance. (Clinical trial registration number: ACTRN 12614000883617.).

Inter/Intra-Observer Agreement in Video-Capsule Endoscopy: Are We Getting It All Wrong? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Video-capsule endoscopy (VCE) reading is a time- and energy-consuming task. Agreement on findings between readers (either different or the same) is a crucial point for increasing performance and providing valid reports. The aim of this systematic review with meta-analysis is to provide an evaluation of inter/intra-observer agreement in VCE reading. A systematic literature search in PubMed, Embase and Web of Science was performed throughout September 2022. The degree of observer agreement, expressed with different test statistics, was extracted. As different statistics are not directly comparable, our analyses were stratified by type of test statistics, dividing them in groups of "None/Poor/Minimal", "Moderate/Weak/Fair", "Good/Excellent/Strong" and "Perfect/Almost perfect" to report the proportions of each. In total, 60 studies were included in the analysis, with a total of 579 comparisons. The quality of included studies, assessed with the MINORS score, was sufficient in 52/60 studies. The most common test statistics were the Kappa statistics for categorical outcomes (424 comparisons) and the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) for continuous outcomes (73 comparisons). In the overall comparison of inter-observer agreement, only 23% were evaluated as "good" or "perfect"; for intra-observer agreement, this was the case in 36%. Sources of heterogeneity (high, I2 81.8-98.1%) were investigated with meta-regressions, showing a possible role of country, capsule type and year of publication in Kappa inter-observer agreement. VCE reading suffers from substantial heterogeneity and sub-optimal agreement in both inter- and intra-observer evaluation. Artificial-intelligence-based tools and the adoption of a unified terminology may progressively enhance levels of agreement in VCE reading.

Score reproducibility and reliability in differentiating small bowel subepithelial masses from innocent bulges

AIMS

The primary aim of this study was to assess the reliability, intra- and inter-observer variation of the SPICE, Mucosal protrusion angle (MPA) and SHYUNG scores in differentiating a subepithelial mass (SEM) from a bulge.

METHODS

This retrospective multicentre study analysed the 3 scores, radiological studies, enteroscopy and/or surgical findings.

RESULTS

100 patients with a potential SEM (mean age 57.6years) were recruited with 75 patients having pathology. In patients with a SEM the mean SPICE score was 2.04 (95% CI 1.82-2.26) as compared to 1.16 (95% CI 0.81-1.51) without any pathology (AUC 0.74, p<0.001), with a fair intra-observer agreement (Kappa 0.3, p<0.001) and slight inter-observer agreement (Kappa 0.14, p<0.05). SPICE had a 37.3% sensitivity and 92.0% specificity in distinguishing between a SEM and bulge, whereas MPA<90˚ had 58.7% and 76.0% respectively, with poor intra-observer(p = 0.05) and interobserver agreement (p = 0.64). The SHYUNG demonstrated a moderate intra-observer (Kappa 0.44, p<0.001) and slight inter-observer reliability (Kappa 0.18, p<0.001). The sensitivity of an elevated SHYUNG score (≥4) in identifying a SEM was 18.7% with a specificity of 92.0% (AUC 0.71, p = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

Though these scores are easy to use, they have, at best, slight to moderate intra and inter-observer agreement. Their overall diagnostic performances are limited.

Motorized Spiral Enteroscopy Is Effective in Patients with Prior Abdominal Surgery

BACKGROUND

Motorized Spiral Enteroscopy (MSE) reduces procedure time and increases insertion depth into the small bowel; however, there is scarce evidence on factors affecting MSE efficacy.

AIMS

To evaluate diagnostic yield and adverse events of MSE including patients with prior major abdominal surgery.

METHODS

A prospective observational study was conducted on patients undergoing MSE from June 2019 to December 2021. Demographic characteristics, procedure time, depth of maximum insertion (DMI), technical success, diagnostic yield, and adverse events were collected.

RESULTS

Seventy-four anterograde (54.4%) and 62 retrograde (45.6%) enteroscopies were performed in 117 patients (64 males, median age 67 years). Fifty patients (42.7%) had prior major abdominal surgery. Technical success was 91.9% for anterograde and 90.3% for retrograde route. Diagnostic yield was 71.6% and 61.3%, respectively. The median DMI was 415 cm (264-585) for anterograde and 120 cm (37-225) for retrograde enteroscopy. In patients with prior major abdominal surgery, MSE showed significantly longer small bowel insertion time (38 vs 29 min, p = 0.004), with similar diagnostic yield (61 vs 71.4%, p = 0.201) and DMI (315 vs 204 cm, p = 0.226). The overall adverse event rate was 10.3% (SAE 1.5%), with no differences related to prior abdominal surgery (p = 0.598). Patients with prior surgeries directly involving the gastrointestinal tract showed lower DMI (189 vs 374 cm, p = 0.019) with equal exploration time (37.5 vs 38 min, p = 0.642) compared to those with other abdominal surgeries.

CONCLUSIONS

MSE is effective and safe in patients with major abdominal surgery, although longer procedure times were observed. A lower depth of insertion was detected in patients with gastrointestinal surgery.

Efficacy of Early Video Capsule Endoscopy for Acute Overt Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding with Colonic Diverticulosis: A Prospective Observational Study

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Although most patients with presumptive colonic diverticular bleeding (CDB) do not undergo a small bowel investigation in clinical practice, no prospective study supports this management. We evaluated the utility of early small bowel capsule endoscopy (CE) after negative colonoscopy results.

METHODS

This prospective study evaluated the diagnostic yield of early small bowel CE (≤3 days from visit) for consecutive patients with acute-onset hematochezia, when colonoscopy found colonic diverticulosis but did not identify the definite bleeding source (n = 51; presumptive CDB). As a matched control for comparing clinical outcomes, presumptive CDB patients without CE (n = 51) were retrospectively extracted.

RESULTS

On CE for the prospective cohort, the rates of total positive findings, P2 findings (high bleeding potential according to the P classification), and blood pooling in the colon were 57%, 12% (ulceration, 8%; angioectasia, 4%), and 24%, respectively. The rates of rebleeding within 30 and 365 days were 16% and 29% in the prospective cohort with CE, respectively, and were not significantly different from those in the retrospective cohort without CE (10% and 25%, respectively). In addition, thromboembolism and mortality within 30 and 365 days were not significantly different between those with and without CE.

CONCLUSION

Early CE detected a suspected small bowel bleeding source in 12% of acute-onset presumptive CDB patients but did not significantly improve major clinical outcomes. Therefore, routine CE is unnecessary for presumptive CDB patients after colonoscopy (UMIN000026676).

Assessment of esophagogastroduodenoscopy skills on simulators before real-life performance

Background and study aims  Operator competency is essential for esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) quality, which makes appropriate training with a final test important. The aims of this study were to develop a test for assessing skills in performing EGD, gather validity evidence for the test, and establish a credible pass/fail score. Methods  An expert panel developed a practical test using the Simbionix GI Mentor II simulator (3 D Systems) and an EGD phantom (OGI 4, CLA Medical) with a diagnostic (DP) and a technical skills part (TSP) for a prospective validation study. During the test a supervisor measured: 1) total time; 2) degree of mucosal visualization; and 3) landmarks and pathology identification. The contrasting groups standard setting method was used to establish a pass/fail score. Results  We included 15 novices (N), 10 intermediates (I), and 10 experienced endoscopists (E). The internal structure was high with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.76 for TSP time consumption and 0.74 for the identification of landmarks. Mean total times, in minutes, for the DP were N 15.7, I 11.3, and E 7.0, and for TSP., they were N 7.9, I 8.9, and E 2.9. The total numbers of identified landmarks were N 26, I 41, and E 48. Mean visualization percentages were N 80, I 71, and E 71. A pass/fail standard was established requiring identification of all landmarks and performance of the TSP in < 5 minutes. All experienced endoscopists passed, while none of the endoscopists in the other categories did. Conclusions  We established a test that can distinguish between participants with different competencies. This enables an objective and evidence-based approach to assessment of competencies in EGD.

Indications, Detection, Completion and Retention Rates of Capsule Endoscopy in Two Decades of Use: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Capsule endoscopy (CE) has become a widespread modality for non-invasive evaluation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, with several CE models having been developed throughout the years. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to evaluate performance measures such as completion, detection and retention rates of CE. Methods: Literature through to August 2021 was screened for articles regarding all capsule types: small bowel, double-headed capsule for the colon or PillCam^®Crohn’s capsule, magnetically-controlled capsule endoscopy, esophageal capsule and patency capsule. Primary outcomes included detection rate (DR), completion rate (CR) and capsule retention rate (RR). DR, CR and RR were also analyzed in relation to indications such as obscure GI bleeding (OGIB), known/suspected Crohn’s disease (CD), celiac disease (CeD), neoplastic lesions (NL) and clinical symptoms (CS). Results: 328 original articles involving 86,930 patients who underwent CE were included. OGIB was the most common indication (n = 44,750), followed by CS (n = 17,897), CD (n = 11,299), NL (n = 4989) and CeD (n = 947). The most used capsule type was small bowel CE in 236 studies. DR, CR and RR for all indications were 59%, 89.6% and 2%, respectively. According to specific indications: DR were 55%, 66%, 63%, 52% and 62%; CR were 90.6%, 86.5%, 78.2%, 94% and 92.8%; and RR were 2%, 4%, 1%, 6% and 2%. Conclusions: Pooled DR, CR and RR are acceptable for all capsule types. OGIB is the most common indication for CE. Technological advancements have expanded the scope of CE devices in detecting GI pathology with acceptable rates for a complete examination.

Direct oral anticoagulants are associated with potentially bleeding lesions in suspected mid-gastrointestinal bleeding

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) became a widespread alternative in anticoagulant therapy. Nevertheless, concerns are raised about their safety, with increased gastrointestinal bleeding rates being described. There are scarce studies regarding DOACs effect on small-bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) findings. We aimed to assess if the detection of lesions with high bleeding potential on SBCE was significantly different in patients treated with DOACs when compared to non-anticoagulated patients and to patients anticoagulated with other agents.

METHODS

Cohort study including consecutive patients who underwent SBCE for suspected mid-gastrointestinal bleeding (MGIB) in 2019 and 2020.

RESULTS

From 148 patients, 38 (25.7%) were anticoagulated, of which 26 (68.4%) with DOACs. P2 lesions were detected in 36.5% (n = 54) of the patients. These lesions were more frequently detected in patients under DOACs treatment when compared to non-anticoagulated patients (69.2% vs. 29.1%; p=.001), and also when compared to patients treated with other anticoagulants (69.2% vs. 33.3%; p=.037). No differences in P2 lesions detection were observed between patients treated with other anticoagulants and non-anticoagulated patients (33.3% vs. 29.1%; p=.747). In multivariate analysis, DOACs usage was significantly associated with higher detection rates of P2 lesions on SBCE, when adjusted for classical risk factors for MGIB (OR: 3.38; 95%CI = 1.23-9.26; p=.018).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite their undeniable cardiovascular benefits and easy applicability, DOACs should still be considered with caution. These drugs were significantly associated with higher risk of potentially bleeding lesions on SBCE when compared to other anticoagulants and represent an independent risk factor for MGIB when adjusted for other variables.

RHEMITT score: Predicting the risk of mid gastrointestinal rebleeding after small bowel capsule endoscopy: A prospective validation

BACKGROUND AND AIM

The RHEMITT score (Renal disease; Heart failure; Endoscopic findings; Major bleeding; Incomplete SBCE; Tobacco; Treatment by enteroscopy) was the first score to accurately predict the individual risk of small bowel rebleeding after capsule endoscopy (SBCE). The aim of the study is on the prospective validation of the RHEMITT score.

METHODS

Cohort of consecutive patients with mid-gastrointestinal bleeding (MGIB) submitted to SBCE and followed prospectively, during at least 12 months, since 2017 until 2020. Rebleeding was defined as an overt bleeding event (melena or hematochezia) or a hemoglobin decrease of at least 2 g/dL. The RHEMITT score was calculated for each patient and the rebleeding rates compared. The performance of the score was tested by calculating the area under curve of the receiver operator characteristic curve. A rebleeding-free survival was assessed, corresponding to the period between the date of SBCE and the date of the first post-SBCE rebleeding event.

RESULTS

We included 162 patients, 102 (62.9%) were female, with a mean age of 64 years old. The sensitivities and specificities of the score grades for predicting rebleeding were as following: for low-risk patients, 0% (0-10%) and 28.8% (21.1-36.5%); for intermediate-risk patients, 23.3% (8.2-38.4%) and 72% (64.3-79.7%); for high-risk patients, 76.7% (61.6-91.8%) and 99.2% (97.7-100%), corresponding to an area under curve of the receiver operator characteristic of 0.988 (P < 0.001). Kaplan-Meyer plots were statistically different according to the attributed risk (log-rank P value <0.001; Breslow-Wilcoxon P value <0.001).

CONCLUSION

The RHEMITT score performed with excellent discriminative power in predicting rebleeding risk, and we herewith propose a surveillance of MGIB patients guided by the RHEMITT score.

Effect of Different Modalities of Purgative Preparation on the Diagnostic Yield of Small Bowel Capsule for the Exploration of Suspected Small Bowel Bleeding: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

INTRODUCTION

The aim of our study was to compare clear liquid diet with 2 different polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based bowel preparation methods regarding diagnostic yield of small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) in patients with suspected small bowel bleeding (SBB).

METHODS

In this prospective multicenter randomized controlled trial, consecutive patients undergoing SBCE for suspected SBB between September 2010 and February 2016 were considered. Patients were randomly assigned to standard regimen, that is, clear fluids only (prep 1), standard regimen plus 500 mL PEG after SBCE ingestion (prep 2), or standard regimen plus 2 L PEG plus 500 mL PEG after SBCE ingestion (prep 3). The primary outcome was the detection of at least one clinically significant lesion in the small bowel. The quality of small bowel cleansing was assessed. A questionnaire on the clinical tolerance was filled by the patients.

RESULTS

We analyzed 834 patients. No significant difference was observed for detection of P1 or P2 small bowel lesions between prep1 group (40.5%), prep 2 group (40.2%), and prep 3 group (38.5%). Small bowel cleansing was improved in prep 2 and 3 groups compared with that in prep 1 group. Compliance to the preparation and tolerance was better in prep 2 group than in prep 3 group.

DISCUSSION

Small bowel purgative before SBCE allowed better quality of cleansing. However, it did not improve diagnostic yield of SBCE for suspected SBB.

A guide for assessing the clinical relevance of findings in small bowel capsule endoscopy: analysis of 8064 answers of international experts to an illustrated script questionnaire

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Although recommended, the P-score used for assessing the pertinence / relevance of findings seen in small bowel (SB) capsule endoscopy (CE) is based on a low level of knowledge. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical relevance of the most frequent SBCE findings through an illustrated script questionnaire.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sixteen types of SBCE findings were illustrated four times each in three different settings (occult and overt obscure gastrointestinal bleeding and suspected Crohn's disease), and with a variable number (n = 1/n = 2-5/n ≥ 6), thus providing a questionnaire with 192 scenarios and 576 illustrated questions. Fifteen international experts were asked to rate the finding's relevance for each question as very unlikely (-2) / unlikely (-1) / doubtful (0) / likely (+1) / very likely (+2). The median score (≤-0.75, between -0.75 and 0.75, or ≥0.75) obtained for each scenario determined a low (P0), intermediate (P1) or high (P2) relevance, respectively.

RESULTS

8064 answers were analyzed. Participation and completion rates were 93% and 100%, respectively. In overt or occult OGIB, resultant P2 findings were 'typical angiectasia', 'deep ulceration', 'stenosis', and'blood', whatever their numbers, and 'superficial ulcerations' when multiple. While in suspected CD, consensus P2 lesions were 'deep ulceration' and 'stenosis' whatever their numbers, and 'aphthoid erosions' and 'superficial ulcerations' when multiple.

CONCLUSION

This study establishes a guide for the evaluation of relevance of SBCE findings. It represents a step forward for SB-CE interpretation and is intended to be used as a tool for teaching and academic research.

Lavage, Simethicone, and Prokinetics-What to Swallow with a Video Capsule

The development of new capsules now allows endoscopic diagnosis in all segments of the gastrointestinal tract and comes with new needs for differentiated preparation regimens. Although the literature is steadily increasing, the results of the conducted trials on preparation are sometimes conflicting. The ingestion of simethicone before gastric and small bowel capsule endoscopy for prevention of air bubbles is established. The value of a lavage before small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) is recommended, although not supported by all studies. Ingestion in the morning before the procedure seems useful for the improvement of mucosa visualization. Lavage after swallowing of the capsule seems to improve image quality, and in some studies also diagnostic yield. Prokinetics has been used with first generation capsules to shorten gastric transit time and increase the rate of complete small bowel visualization. With the massively prolonged battery capacity of the new generation small bowel capsules, prokinetics are only necessary in significantly delayed gastric emptying as documented by a real-time viewer. Lavage is crucial for an effective colon capsule or pan-intestinal capsule endoscopy. Mainly high or low volume polyethylene glycol (PEG) is used. Apart from achieving optimal cleanliness, propulsion of the capsule by ingested boosts is required to obtain a complete passage through the colon within the battery lifetime. Boosts with low volume sodium picosulfate (NaP) or diatrizoate (gastrografin) seem most effective, but potentially have more side effects than PEG. Future research is needed for more patient friendly but effective preparations, especially for colon capsule and pan-intestinal capsule endoscopy.

A neural network-based algorithm for assessing the cleanliness of small bowel during capsule endoscopy

BACKGROUND

Cleanliness scores in small-bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) have poor reproducibility. The aim of this study was to evaluate a neural network-based algorithm for automated assessment of small-bowel cleanliness during capsule endoscopy.

METHODS

600 normal third-generation SBCE still frames were categorized as "adequate" or "inadequate" in terms of cleanliness by three expert readers, according to a 10-point scale, and served as a training database. Then, 156 third-generation SBCE recordings were categorized in a consensual manner as "adequate" or "inadequate" in terms of cleanliness; this testing database was split into two independent 78-video subsets for the tuning and evaluation of the algorithm, respectively.

RESULTS

Using a threshold of 79 % "adequate" still frames per video to achieve the best performance, the algorithm yielded a sensitivity of 90.3 %, specificity of 83.3 %, and accuracy of 89.7 %. The reproducibility was perfect. The mean calculation time per video was 3 (standard deviation 1) minutes.

CONCLUSION

This neural network-based algorithm allowing automatic assessment of small-bowel cleanliness during capsule endoscopy was highly sensitive and paves the way for automated, standardized SBCE reports.

A Current and Newly Proposed Artificial Intelligence Algorithm for Reading Small Bowel Capsule Endoscopy

Small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) is one of the most useful methods for diagnosing small bowel mucosal lesions. However, it takes a long time to interpret the capsule images. To solve this problem, artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms for SBCE readings are being actively studied. In this article, we analyzed several studies that applied AI algorithms to SBCE readings, such as automatic lesion detection, automatic classification of bowel cleanliness, and automatic compartmentalization of small bowels. In addition to automatic lesion detection using AI algorithms, a new direction of AI algorithms related to shorter reading times and improved lesion detection accuracy should be considered. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an integrated AI algorithm composed of algorithms with various functions in order to be used in clinical practice.

Scoring systems in clinical small-bowel capsule endoscopy: all you need to know!

Capsule endoscopy (CE) emerged out of the pressing clinical need to image the small bowel (SB) in cases of midgut bleeding and provide an overall comfortable and reliable gastrointestinal (GI) diagnosis 1. Since its wider adoption in clinical practice, significant progress has been made in several areas including software development, hardware features and clinical indications, while innovative applications of CE never cease to appear 2 3. Currently, several manufacturers provide endoscopic capsules with more or less similar technological features 4. Although there is engaging and continuous academic and industry-fueled R&D, promising furtherment of CE technology 4 5, the current status of clinical CE remains that of by and large an imaging modality. Clinical relevance of CE images is cornerstone in the decision-making process for medical management. In one of the larger to date SB CE studies, 4,206 abnormal images were detected in 3,280 patients 6. Thus, CE leads to the identification of a large amount of potential pathology, some of which are pertinent (or relevant) while some (probably the majority) are not.

Soon artificial intelligence (AI) is likely to carry out several roles currently performed by humans; in fact, we are witnessing only the first stages of a transition in the clinical adoption of AI-based solutions in several aspects of gastroenterology including CE 7. Until then though, human-based decision-making profoundly impacts patient care and – although not suggested in the updated European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) European curriculum 8 9 – it should be an integral part of CE training. Frequently, interpretation of CE images by experts or at least experienced readers differs. In a tandem CE reading study, expert review of discordant cases revealed a 50 % (13/25 discordant results) error rate by experienced readers, corresponding (in 5/13 cases) to ‘over-classification’ of an irrelevant abnormality 10. Another comparative study showed an ‘over-classification’ of such irrelevant abnormalities in ~10 % of CE readings 11. One thing which has been for a while on the table – in relation to optimizing and/or standardizing CE reporting and subsequent decision-making – is the need for reproducible scoring systems and for a reliable common language among clinicians responsible for further patient’s management.

Over the years, several of these scoring systems were developed while others appear in the wake of software and hardware improvements aiming to replace and/or complement their predecessors. This review presents a comprehensive account of the currently available classification/scoring systems in clinical CE spanning from predicting the bleeding potential of identified SB lesions (with emphasis on vascular lesions), and the individual rebleeding risk; scoring systems for the prediction of SB lesions in patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGlB), having the potential to improve patient selection and rationalize the use of enteroscopy, with better allocation of resources, optimized diagnostic workflow and tailored treatment. This review also includes scores for reporting the inflammatory burden, the cleansing level that underscores confidence in CE reporting and the mass or bulge question in CE. Essentially, the aim is to become a main text for reference when scoring is required and facilitate the inclusion of -through readiness of access- one of the other in the final report.

Total motorized spiral enteroscopy: first prospective clinical feasibility trial

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Motorized spiral enteroscopy (MSE) was recently introduced into clinical practice and shown to be safe and effective for antegrade enteroscopy. The aim of the current trial was to prospectively study the efficacy and safety of MSE for visualization of the entire small bowel.

METHODS

All consecutive patients with indications for complete enteroscopy meeting the inclusion criteria were enrolled in a prospective observational bicentric trial, starting with antegrade MSE; a retrograde approach was performed if MSE remained incomplete from antegrade. The primary objective was to ascertain the total enteroscopy rate (TER); secondary objectives were diagnostic yield, procedural success, time, depth of maximum insertion (DMI), therapeutic yield, and adverse events (AEs).

RESULTS

Thirty patients (16 women, 14 men; median age 64 years [range, 37-100]) were enrolled. Technical success rate of antegrade MSE (advancement beyond the ligament of Treitz) and retrograde MSE (advancement beyond the ileocecal valve [ICV]) were 100% and 100%, respectively. Overall TER was 70%: 16.6% antegrade approach alone and 53.4% bidirectional approach. Median antegrade DMI distal from the ligament of Treitz was 490 cm (range, 160-600); median insertion time 26 minutes (range, 15-110). The median retrograde DMI beyond the ICV was 120 cm (range, 40-600), and median insertion time was 17 minutes (range, 1-68). Overall diagnostic and therapeutic yields were 80% and 86.7%, respectively. Overall AE rate was 16.7%. No serious AEs occurred.

CONCLUSIONS

This prospective study showed that complete enteroscopy is feasible with MSE, either from antegrade alone or bidirectionally, with high success rates and short procedural duration. These results justify further evaluation of MSE in a large prospective multicenter study, preferably with inclusion of a control group. (Clinical trial registration number: NCT03438695.).

How should we do colon capsule endoscopy reading: a practical guide

In this article, we aim to provide general principles as well as personal views for colonic capsule endoscopy. To allow an in-depth understanding of the recommendations, we also present basic technological characteristics and specifications, with emphasis on the current as well as the previous version of colonic capsule endoscopy and relevant software. To date, there is no scientific proof to support the optimal way of reading a colonic capsule endoscopy video, or any standards or guidelines exist. Hence, any advice is a mixture of recommendations by the capsule manufacturer and experts’ opinion. Furthermore, there is a paucity of data regarding the use of term(s) (pre-reader/reader-validator) in colonic capsule endoscopy. We also include a couple of handy tables in order to get info at a glance.

Overcoming the barriers to dissemination and implementation of quality measures for gastrointestinal endoscopy: European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) and United European Gastroenterology (UEG) position statement

The European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) has developed performance measures and established a framework for quality assessment for gastrointestinal endoscopy in Europe. Most national societies actively undertake initiatives to implement and explicitly endorse these quality indicators. Given this, the ESGE proposes that, at a national level, strong leadership should exist to disseminate and implement quality parameters. Thus, understanding the potential barriers that may vary locally is of paramount importance. The ESGE suggests that each national society should prioritise quality and standards of care in gastrointestinal endoscopy in their activities and should survey/understand which measures area local priority to their members and make measuring quality intrinsic to daily endoscopy practice.

Quality performance measures for small capsule endoscopy: Are the ESGE quality standards met?

Background and study aims  The European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) recently issued a quality performance measures document for small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE). The aim of this nationwide survey was to explore SBCE practice with ESGE quality measures as a benchmark. Patients and methods  A dedicated per-center semi-quantitative questionnaire based on ESGE performance measures for SBCE was created by a group of SBCE experts. One-hundred-eighty-one centers were invited to participate and were asked to calculate performance measures for SBCE performed in 2018. Data were compared with 10 ESGE quality standards for both key and minor performance measures. Results  Ninety-one centers (50.3 %) participated in the data collection. Overall in the last 5 years (2014-2018), 26,615 SBCEs were performed, 5917 of which were done in 2018. Eighty percent or more of the participating centers reached the minimum standard established by the ESGE Small Bowel Working Group (ESBWG) for four performance measures (indications for SBCE, complete small bowel evaluation, diagnostic yield and retention rate). Conversely, compliance with six minimum standards established by ESBWG concerning adequate bowel preparation, patient selection, timing of SBCE in overt bleeding, appropriate reporting, reading protocols and referral to device-assisted enteroscopy was met by only 15.5 %, 10.9 %, 31.1 %, 67.7 %, 53.4 %, and 32.2 % of centers, respectively. Conclusions  The present survey shows significant variability across SBCE centers; only four (4/10: 40 %) SBCE procedural minimum standards were met by a relevant proportion of the centers ( ≥ 80 %). Our data should help in identifying target areas for quality improvement programs in SBCE.

Overcoming the barriers to dissemination and implementation of quality measures for gastrointestinal endoscopy: European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) and United European Gastroenterology (UEG) position statement

The European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) has developed performance measures and established a framework for quality assessment for gastrointestinal endoscopy in Europe. Most national societies actively undertake initiatives to implement and explicitly endorse these quality indicators. Given this, ESGE proposes that, at a national level, strong leadership should exist to disseminate and implement quality parameters. Thus, understanding the potential barriers that may vary locally is of paramount importance. ESGE suggests that each national society should prioritize quality and standards of care in gastrointestinal endoscopy in their activities and should survey/understand which measures are a local priority to their members and make measuring quality intrinsic to daily endoscopy practice.

Non-small-bowel lesions identification by capsule endoscopy: A single centre retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Capsule endoscopy has been considered the first-line approach for the investigation of obscure gastro-intestinal bleeding since its approval in 2001. Our study aims to evaluate the diagnostic yield of capsule endoscopy in the investigation of this condition. We also analyse the incidence of non-small-bowel lesions missed after conventional endoscopy and later detected by capsule endoscopy in patients with suspected obscure bleeding.

METHODS

A total of 290 patients with negative conventional endoscopy referred to our centre to undergo a capsule endoscopy examination for the investigation of obscure gastro-intestinal bleeding. We considered as non-small-bowel lesions those outside the tract between the second duodenal portion and the ileocecal valve. We also looked for actively bleeding lesions at the time of the exam.

RESULTS

Intestinal preparation was good, adequate or poor in 74.1%, 8.4%, and 17.5% of the tests, respectively. Caecum was reached in 92.4%. Capsule retention occurred in 0.7%. Mean small bowel transit time was 5hours and 13minutes. Diagnostic yield was 73.8%. An actively bleeding lesion was noticed in 39.3% of positive tests. Capsule endoscopy revealed clinically significant non-small-bowel lesions missed at gastroscopy or colonoscopy in 30.3% of patients, 43.2% of which were bleeding.

CONCLUSIONS

Capsule endoscopy has high diagnostic yield and safety in the investigation of obscure gastro-intestinal bleedings. Given the high percentage of non-small-bowel lesions detected, it may be appropriate to consider an endoscopic second look before performing a capsule endoscopy study.

Clinical utility of the small bowel capsule endoscopy in the study of small bowel diseases in Colombia: Results of a national registry

INTRODUCTION

The small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) has revolutionised the study of small bowel diseases. The objective of this study is to determine the indications, findings and diagnostic yield of SBCE in a national registry.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

An observational, analytical cross-sectional study was carried out, analysing the SBCE records at seven centres in the country, where different variables were collected.

RESULTS

1,883 SBCEs were evaluated. The average age was 55.4 years (5.6-94.2). The most frequent indications were suspicion of small bowel bleeding (SBB) (64.4%), study of Crohn's disease (15.2%) and chronic diarrhoea (11.2%). 54.3% were prepared with laxatives. The most frequent lesions found were erosions/ulcers (31.6%), angioectasias (25.7%) and parasitosis (2.7%). The diagnostic yield (P1+P2, Saurin classification) of SBCE in SBB was 60.6%, being higher in overt SBB (66.0%) compared to occult SBB (56.0%) (P=.003). The studies with better preparation showed higher detection of lesions (93.8% vs. 89.4%) (OR=1.8, CI: 95%: 1.2-2.6; P=.004). The SBCE complication rate was 3.1%, with complete SB visualisation at 96.6% and SB retention rate of 0.7%. 81.5% of SBCEs were performed on an outpatient basis, and presented a greater complete SB visualisation than hospital ones (97.1% vs. 94.3%) (OR=2.1, CI: 95%, 1.2-3.5; P=.008).

CONCLUSIONS

The indications, findings and diagnostic performance of SBCEs in Colombia are similar to those reported in the literature, with a high percentage of complete studies and a low rate of complications.

Improving quality of care in endoscopy of inflammatory bowel disease: can we do better?

INTRODUCTION

Endoscopy plays a key role in the management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). There is an increased need for quality assurance programs that evaluate the quality, safety and patient experiences of endoscopy, by assessing procedural and clinical outcomes.

AREAS COVERED

This review aims to summarize the most important quality indicators of endoscopy in IBD patients and could serve as the basis to improve quality endoscopic procedures and patients' perception of endoscopy in the future. However, further studies and consensus reports are necessary to standardize the quality of care in the endoscopy unit of all IBD centers.

EXPERT COMMENTARY

Developing an understanding of the patient-reported perception is important for both clinicians and patients, as it facilitates patient engagement with their care. Moreover, implementing education in reporting is crucial f and the use of verifiable databases, generated from electronic reporting systems, should be encouraged rather than unverified self-reporting, to have greater validity for documenting and to formally evaluate endoscopic practice data with audits. The use of artificial intelligence may improve the quality of endoscopy, by increasing the adenoma detection rate and helping endoscopists in the challenging differentiation between inflammatory and neoplastic lesions.

New Devices for Endoscopic Treatments in Gastroenterology: A Narrative Review

Endoscopy is in a period of continuous innovations in terms of image quality, endoscopes, post-processing software and lastly, application of Artificial Intelligence. Therapeutic boundaries have expanded, widening the grey zone between endoscopy and surgery, and increasing endoscopic approaches in clinical scenarios where, until a few years ago, surgery was the only option. New scopes and accessories have made it easier to access critical areas such as the biliary tree and the small bowel intestine. In the field of hepato-pancreato-biliary endoscopy (HPB), it is now possible to directly access the biliary ducts or cystic lesions though dedicated stents and scopes, rather than having to rely only on fluoroscopy and ultrasound, increasing the diagnostic and therapeutic options by applying a three-dimensional approach. This narrative review will give an overview of some of the most relevant emerging fields in luminal and HPB endoscopy, highlighting advantages and main limitations of the techniques, and providing considerations for future development.

Quality indicators in enteroscopy. Enteroscopy procedure

Within the project "Quality Indicators in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy," under the leadership of the Sociedad Española de Patología Digestiva (SEPD), our goal is to propose the procedures and the structure, process, and outcome indicators required for the application and assessment of quality in enteroscopy. To this end a search was performed for quality indicators in enteroscopy. Quality of evidence was measured by using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) system, and classified as high, moderate, low, and very low. A total of 10 process indicators (one preprocedure, eight procedure, one postprocedure) were identified for enteroscopy, with appropriate indication and choice of most efficient route being most significant.

Device-assisted enteroscopy training. A rapid review

Device-assisted enteroscopy is currently lacking a validated training model, in contrast to the other major technique used for the study of the small bowel, namely capsule endoscopy. Training should be based on defining and achieving competency for the acquisition of the knowledge and skills required to perform enteroscopy in a safe and effective manner. The need for training is clear, since the technique is considered an advanced endoscopy form that requires maneuvers that differ from the usual ones that must be learned, in addition to specific equipment. Therefore, the ideal candidates for this training include professionals with accredited experience in therapeutic digestive endoscopy. Amongst the recommendations issued regarding device-assisted enteroscopy training, the estimation of small-bowel insertion depth and the choice of the examination route, whether oral or anal, should be highlighted. Learning curve descriptions have the limitation of being explorer-dependent with no consensus on the parameter that should be selected to establish a correct learning curve in enteroscopy. The most commonly used parameter is insertion depth. The few training models that have been proposed recommend using a highly useful tool, namely simulators and to start practicing under expert guidance. Based on the variability of published data, an experienced endoscopist may perform enteroscopy in a safe and effective manner after 5 to 35 training procedures. Although reaching the expert level requires prolonged clinical practice with exposure to the various disorders of the small bowel.