A Simulation Study to Investigate the Usefulness of a Novel Stricture Tool for Training Wire Guided Balloon Dilation

Background and Aims The training in esophageal stricture dilation is difficult to obtain and have few simulation models. The aim of the study was to evaluate a novel stricture simulation for training a wire-guided, controlled radial expansile (CRE) balloon dilation.

Methods The study was a pretest–posttest design without a control group involving a novel simulation device for esophageal stricture. The training session involved 12 final year gastroenterology fellows from five different centers. The trainees received 2 hours of education sessions featuring didactic content, a live demonstration of step-by-step demonstration of wire-guided CRE balloon dilation and a study material on the procedure. The simulation device used was a single-use hose pipe along with a red color nonhardening modeling clay with a 5.0-to-8.0-mm hole in the center.

Results All the trainees and instructor uniformly rated the model as excellent or good with simulation device being mild stiffer in haptics than of the real tissue. The mean (%) pretest scores of 39 (21.6%) improved significantly to 160 (88.8%) in mean (%) posttest questionnaire (p < 0.05). There was a significant improvement in the questionnaire of the dilation procedure after the simulation training episode.

Conclusion The novel stricture simulation model had good performance evaluation and can be used to train CRE balloon dilation procedure.

Perforations from Endoscopic Dilation of Corrosive Strictures in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Endoscopic dilation is an important therapeutic option for treatment of corrosive strictures. Its safety is unclear with variable perforation rates in previous studies. We aimed to evaluate its safety with regard to perforations and the effect of dilator type to perforation risk.

METHODS

A systematic review of published literature from inception to April 24, 2021, using PubMed and EMBASE databases was conducted. Studies in adult subjects (mean age ≥ 18 years) reporting perforation rates of endoscopic dilation of corrosive esophageal and/or gastric strictures were included. Pooled cumulative perforation rates were computed as primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included, perforation with each dilator subtypes, surgical or conservative modes of management and mortality. Random effect meta-analysis was used to estimate the frequency of each of these outcomes. Variables were reported as percentages with 95% CI.

RESULTS

A total of 712 subjects (N) who underwent 4840 dilations (n) were noted in the 15 studies that were included. Of which, eight were retrospective, while the remaining seven were prospective. On meta-analysis, the cumulative pooled perforation rate was 1% (1-2%) of the number of dilations (n%). The perforation rates with SG (1%, 0-3%) and balloon (1%, 0-5%) dilators were similar (p value < 0.01). 45/64 (59%, 11-94%) perforations were subjected to surgery while the remaining 14/64 (41%, 6-89%) was managed conservatively. Choice of management strategy was biased to the norms of the treating team. About 3/712 patients (0%, 0-2%) succumbed following perforation.

CONCLUSION

Perforation from endoscopic dilation of corrosive strictures occurs rarely, and there is no significant difference in perforation risk related to the type of dilator.

Retrograde endoscopic submucosal dissection for early thoracic esophageal carcinoma

Although the standard treatment for intramucosal esophageal cancer without lymph node metastasis is endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), we sometimes encounter patients who are not able to undergo a transoral endoscopic examination. Here, we report a surgical procedure consisting of transgastric retrograde ESD to treat early esophageal cancer (T1a-EP, N0, M0) because of a stricture after hypopharyngeal cancer surgery. This retrograde ESD procedure can be a safe and effective treatment option for early esophageal cancer. This is the first report of a surgical retrograde ESD method for esophageal cancer.

National Database Outcomes of Esophageal Dilations

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS

To better assess rates of postoperative complications and mortality following esophageal dilation, and to identify factors associated with adverse outcomes.

STUDY DESIGN

Observational, retrospective cohort study.

METHODS

We queried a national database of insurance claims for Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes representing esophageal dilation performed between 2011 and 2017. Patients aged 18 to 100 who were continuously enrolled with their insurance provider were included. Demographic information, additional CPT codes, concomitant diagnoses, and anticoagulant medication data were collected for all patients included. Postoperative mortality was assessed and International Classification of Diseases (ICD)9/10 codes for complications, including esophageal perforation, hemorrhage, mediastinitis, and sepsis were flagged.

RESULTS

We identified 202,965 encounters for esophageal dilation. Of these procedures, 193 were performed on a patient who underwent percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) during the study period and was analyzed separately. Another 244 dilations were excluded due to repeat entries. Of the remaining 202,528 procedures remaining, 42,310 were repeat dilations in the same patient. Data analysis was confined to each patient's initial dilation. 160,218 initial dilations remained. Of these, 62,107 were performed on male patients and 98,111 were performed on female patients. The average age was 57.7 years. There were 12 mortalities within 30 days postoperatively, representing 0.0075% of all dilations. Esophageal perforation and esophageal hemorrhage were the most common reported complications, with 139 and 110 occurrences, respectively. The overall per-dilation complication rate was 0.215%.

CONCLUSIONS

Evidence from a national insurance claim database suggests that esophageal dilation is a safe procedure with a low rate of serious complications and a 30-day all-cause mortality rate of less than 1 per 10,000 dilations.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV Laryngoscope, 2020.

Incidence and management of oesophageal ruptures following fluoroscopic balloon dilatation in children with benign strictures

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study is to investigate the incidence and management of oesophageal ruptures following fluoroscopic balloon dilatation (FBD) in children with benign oesophageal strictures.

METHODS

Sixty-two children with benign oesophageal strictures underwent FBDs. Oesophageal rupture was categorized as intramural (type 1), transmural (type 2), or transmural with free leakage (type 3). The possible risk factors for oesophageal ruptures were analyzed.

RESULTS

One hundred and twenty-nine FBDs were performed in these patients. The oesophageal rupture rate was 17.1 % (22/129). The majority (21/22) of ruptures were type 1 and type 2, both were treated conservatively. Only one patient had a type 3 rupture and underwent oesophagoesophagostomy. The patient gender, age, and the length and cause of the stricture showed no significant effect on the rupture (P > 0.05). However, for the patients ≤2 years old, the initial balloon with a diameter ≥10 mm showed a higher oesophageal rupture rate than those <10 mm during the first session (P = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Although the oesophageal rupture rate in children was 17.1 %, the type 3 rupture rate was 0.8 %, which usually requires aggressive treatment. For children ≤2 years old, the initial balloon diameter should be <10 mm in the first session for decreasing the risk of oesophageal rupture.

KEY POINTS

• The oesophageal rupture rate following balloon dilatation in children was 17.1 %. • The incidence of transmural rupture with free leakage is very low. • Only transmural rupture with free leakage needs aggressive treatment. • For children ≤2 years, the initial balloon diameter should be <10 mm.

Trans-Balloon Visualisation During Dilatation (TBVD) of Oesophageal Strictures: a Novel Innovation

BACKGROUND

Hydrostatic balloon dilatation of upper gastrointestinal strictures is associated with a risk of perforation that varies with the underlying pathology and with the technique employed. We present a technique of trans-balloon visualisation of the stricture during dilatation (TBVD) that allows direct 'real-time' observation of the effect of dilatation on the stricture, facilitating early recognition of mucosal abruption, thereby reducing the perforation rate.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We retrospectively analysed 100 consecutive patients, undergoing balloon dilatation of oesophageal strictures between 1st of January 2011 and 1st of July 2014.

RESULTS

One hundred patients underwent 186 dilatations, with 34 having multiple procedures (mean 1.86). All had oesophageal strictures (mean diameter 8.49 mm, range 5-11 mm) and most underwent dilatation up to a maximum of 17 mm (mean 14.7 mm). Fifty-six percent were male and the average age was 62.5 years (17-89 years). Only one patient (0.5% of all procedures) had a full-thickness perforation requiring intervention while just one further patient had a deep mucosal tear that did not require intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

TBVD is a safe technique with a short learning curve and is one of the important factors that allow potentially difficult dilatations to be performed safely with an exceptionally low rate of adverse events of less than 1%.

Informed Consent for Pediatric Endoscopy

Informed consent and refusal for pediatric procedures involves a process in which the provider, child, and parents/guardians participate. In pediatric gastroenterology, many procedures are considered elective and the process generally begins with an office visit and ends with the signing of the consent document. If the process is emergent then this occurs more expeditiously and a formal consent may not be required. Information about the procedure should be shared in a way that allows a decision-making process to occur for both the parent/guardian and the child, if of assenting age.

Sharp recanalization of the esophageal occlusion using transjugular access set. Report of two cases

Two male patients, 75 and 53 years old, with totally occluded esophagus were treated. Sharp recanalization was performed using a combined radiologic and endoscopic technique. Following successful penetration with the needle through the occluded segment and balloon dilation, the created channel was stabilized with esophageal stent, with subsequent palliative effect.

Different recurrence pattern after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy compared to surgery alone in esophageal cancer patients

PURPOSE

To evaluate the rate and pattern of recurrences after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in esophageal cancer patients.

METHODS

We described survival and differences in recurrences from a single center between neoadjuvant CRT (carboplatin/paclitaxel and 41.4 Gy) and surgery alone for the period 2000-2011. To reduce bias, we performed a propensity score matched analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 204 patients were analyzed, 75 treated with neoadjuvant CRT and 129 with surgery alone. The pathologic response to neoadjuvant CRT was 69% with a complete response rate of 25%. After matching, baseline characteristics between the groups (both n = 75) were equally distributed. The 3- and 5-year disease-free survival was 53 and 42% in the neoadjuvant CRT group compared with 24 and 18% in the surgery-alone group (P = 0.011). After 3 and 5 years' CRT, patients had an estimated locoregional recurrence-free survival of 83 and 73% compared with 52 and 49% in the surgery-alone group (P = 0.015). The distant recurrence-free survival was comparable in both groups. Locoregional recurrences were located less in the paraesophageal lymph nodes in the CRT group than in the surgery-alone group, 9 versus 21%, respectively (P = 0.041). With respect to differences in distant recurrences, we observed more skeletal recurrences in the surgery-alone group compared to CRT, 12 versus 1% (P = 0.009).

CONCLUSIONS

The neoadjuvant CRT regimen we used offers a significant improvement in outcome, with a different recurrence pattern compared with surgery alone. This effect is probably due to both the pathologic complete response and eradication of micrometastases in CRT group.