Armando Ribeiro

A comparative study between fluoroscopic and endoscopic guidance in palliative esophageal stent placement.

Self-expanding metallic stents (SEMS) are the treatment of choice for incurable obstructive malignant esophageal strictures. Although the placement of SEMS is usually performed with fluoroscopic control (FC), recently several authors have shown the feasibility of placing SEMS under endoscopic control alone (EC). However, studies comparing the two techniques are lacking. The objective of this study was to compare the feasibility and safety of SEMS insertion under fluoroscopic control and endoscopic control. The study was performed through the retrospective analysis of patients who underwent SEMS insertion for malignant dysphagia between January 2005 and January 2010. Data concerning early and late complications and survival were retrieved. Early complications were defined as pain, vomiting, bleeding, malposition/migration, perforation, and/or dysphagia occurring until 30 days of SEMS insertion; and late complications as tumor ingrowth and overgrowth, migration, hemorrhage, fistulae, food impaction, and/or esophagitis occurring after 30 days. We placed 126 SEMS of which 87% for esophageal stricture, 8% for esophagus-respiratory fistula, and 5% for extrinsic compression. The mean age of the patients was 62 years, and 93 were male. SEMS insertion was performed with FC in 66 patients and EC in 60. Early complications occurred in 34 patients (52%) in the FC group and 28 (47%) in the EC group (P=0.71), including: pain in 22 patients of the FC group and 15 of the EC group (P=0.31); vomiting in 15 of the FC group and nine of the EC group (P=0.27); malposition/migration in three of the FC group and four of the EC group (P=0.60); hemorrhage in one of the FC group and two of the EC group (P=0.27); and dysphagia in two of the FC group and three of the EC group (P=0.57). Late complications occurred in 20 patients (30%) in the FC group and 22 (37%) in the EC group (P=0.44), including: tumor in/overgrowth in 13 patients of the FC group and 10 of the EC group (P=0.66); prostheses migration in five of the FC group and eight of the EC group (P=0.28); hemorrhage in two of the FC group and two of the EC group (P=0.54); appearance of esophageal fistulae in seven of the FC group and four of the EC group (P=0.43); food impaction in nine of the FC group and eight of the EC group (P=0.96); esophagitis in 12 of the FC group and 15 of the EC group (P=0.35). Median survival was 107 days (95% confidence interval [CI]=6-369 days) with no difference between the two groups. There were no statistical significant differences in the incidence of complications and in survival between patients undergoing SEMS placement under fluoroscopic control or endoscopic control.

Morphological aspects of the capybara stomach (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris): gross and microscopic structure.

The digestive system of the capybara has been investigated because of its coprofagia habits, important for their absorptive activity. These species present differences in terms of gastrointestinal morphological characters when compared with other rodents. Macroscopiclly, the stomach of the capybara is constituted of the following parts: cardiac, pyloric, body, fundic and gastric diverticulum. It presents two curvatures, one big and another small. Externally, the presence of gastric bands (tenias) is observed. With regards to the volumetric view, the gastric capacity varies from 850 to 2010 ml, with an average of 1498.57 ml. So, the stomach of this animal can be classified as a simple stomach, in the format of a curved sack and similar to an inverted letter ‘J’. The gastric mucous membrane presents a surface filled by numerous tortuous gastric folds and longitudinally distributed along all its extension. The mucous tunic also possesses recesses located among the successive gastric folds, which were denoted as gastric parts with numerous openings described as gastric pits. In the cardiac part, a glandular epithelium with cardiac glands is noticed containing a lot of parietal and mucous neck cells. The fundic part, body and gastric diverticulum contain proper gastric glands with main, parietal and mucous neck cells. Finally, the pyloric part has pyloric glands with two cellular types, mucous neck and parietal cells.

Risk factors associated with refractoriness to esophageal dilatation for benign dysphagia.

Background Benign esophageal strictures need repeated dilatations to relieve dysphagia. Literature is scarce on the risk factors for refractoriness of these strictures. Aim This study aimed to assess the risk factors associated with refractory strictures. Materials and methods This is a retrospective study of patients with benign esophageal strictures who were referred for esophageal dilatation over a period of 3 years. Results A total of 327 esophageal dilatations were performed in 103 patients; 53% of the patients reported dysphagia for liquids. Clinical success was achieved in 77% of the patients. There was a need for further dilatations in 54% of patients, being more frequent in patients with dysphagia for liquids [78 vs. 64%, P=0.008, odds ratio (OR) 1.930], in those with caustic strictures (89 vs. 70%, P=0.007, OR 3.487), and in those with complex strictures (83 vs. 70%, P=0.047, OR 2.132). Caustic strictures, peptic strictures, and complex strictures showed statistical significance in the multivariate analysis. Time until subsequent dilatations was less in patients with dysphagia for liquids (49 vs. 182 days, P<0.001), in those with peptic strictures (49 vs. 98 days, P=0.004), in those with caustic strictures (49 vs. 78 days, P=0.005), and in patients with complex strictures (47 vs. 80 days P=0.009). In multivariate analysis, further dilatations occurred earlier in patients with dysphagia for liquids [hazard ratio (HR) 1.506, P=0.004], in those with peptic strictures (HR 1.644, P=0.002), in those with caustic strictures (HR 1.581, P=0.016), and in patients with complex strictures (HR 1.408, P=0.046). Conclusion Caustic, peptic, and complex strictures were associated with a greater need for subsequent dilatations. Time until subsequent dilatations was less in patients with dysphagia for liquids and in those with caustic, peptic, and complex strictures.

Routine Colonoscopy after Acute Uncomplicated Diverticulitis - Challenging a Putative Indication

Background and Aims: Most international guidelines recommend performing a routine colonoscopy after the conservative management of acute diverticulitis, mainly to rule out a colorectal malignancy; however, data to support these recommendations are scarce and conflicting. This study is aimed at determining the rate of advanced colonic neoplasia (ACN) found by colonoscopy, and hence the need for routine colonoscopy after CT-diagnosed acute diverticulitis. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed all patients hospitalized for acute diverticulitis between July 2008 and June 2013. Patients who underwent colonoscopy more than 1 year after the acute episode were excluded. Advanced adenoma (AA) was defined as an adenoma with: (i) ≥10 mm, (ii) ≥25% villous features, or (iii) high-grade dysplasia. ACN included cases of colorectal cancer (CRC) and AA. Results: Of the 364 selected patients, 252 (69%) underwent colonoscopy (51% women, median age 55 ± 11 years). Adenomatous polyps were evident in 14.7% patients; 5.1% had AA and 3.2% had CRC. Patients with complicated diverticulitis had a higher number of ACN compared to those with uncomplicated diverticulitis (20.9 vs. 5.7%, p = 0.003). On multivariate analysis, age ≥50 years (OR 8.12, 95% CI 2.463-45.112; p = 0.017) and abscess on CT (OR 3.15, 95% CI 1.586-11.586; p = 0.036) were identified as significant risk factors for ACN. Conclusions: Patients with diverticulitis complicated with abscess have a higher risk of ACN on follow-up colonoscopy. The prevalence of ACN in patients with uncomplicated diverticulitis is quite similar to the average-risk population, and therefore an episode of CT-diagnosed uncomplicated diverticulitis, per se, does not seem to be a recommendation for colonoscopy.

Self-expanding metal stents in postoperative esophageal leaks

BACKGROUND Postoperative esophageal leaks have a high morbidity and mortality. Self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) have been used as an alternative to re-operation. AIM Evaluating predictors of success of SEMS in postoperative esophageal leaks. METHODS Retrospective study of patients with postoperative esophageal leaks referred for SEMS placement in a reference center during a period of 3 years. Technical success was defined as closure of the leak in barium swallow at 15 days. Clinical success was considered as endoscopic and/or radiographic confirmation of closure after stent removal. RESULTS Thirteen patients placed SEMS. Median follow-up was 58 days. Leaks had a median size of 20 mm. Time between surgery and SEMS placement was 20 days. One patient died 2 days after SEMS placement and one had worsening of the fistula after SEMS expansion. Time till stent migration was 9 days. Technical success was achieved in 9 of 11 patients, with clinical success without recurrence in 5 patients. All leaks with less than 20 mm were solved endoscopically. Technical and clinical success was higher when time between surgery and SEMS placement was lower, even though without statistical significance (respectively, p = 0.228 and 0.374). In the 8 patients who died during follow-up, median survival was 59 days. CONCLUSIONS Technical success of SEMS was higher than 80%; however, due to high morbidity and mortality, only 45% of patients had their stent removed. Lower time from diagnosis to SEMS placement and leak size less than 20 mm may be associated with better results.

Esophageal intramural dissection after rigid esophagoscopy.

Esophageal intramural dissection is a rare event, consisting in the longitudinal separation of the submucosal and muscular layers of the esophagus caused by an intramural hematoma. There is usually complete resolution with conservative treatment. A 54-year-old man with a supraglottic laryngeal mass underwent diagnostic rigid laryngoscopy and esophagoscopy under general anesthesia. Biopsy specimens were taken from the larynx and upper esophagus. Histology showed larynx squamous cell carcinoma. The day after the procedure, the patient experienced acute chest pain and dysphagia. Acute coronary syndrome

Single-balloon enteroscopy efficacy and degree of concordance with noninvasive evaluation of small bowel

Background and study aims Clinical impact of single-balloon enteroscopy (SBE) is fairly known, as well as its diagnostic yield comparing with other small bowel gastrointestinal investigations. This study represents a contribution to better understand it and is designed to evaluate SBE efficacy and degree of concordance with previous evaluation of small bowel. Patients and methods This is a single-center retrospective study of patients that underwent SBE with suspected small bowel disease based on non-invasive imaging. Demographic, clinical, procedural and outcome data were collected for analysis. Agreement beyond positive findings was evaluated using κ-coefficient. Results A total of 197 SBEs were performed in 168 patients; mainly men (64.3 %) with mean age 53.3±17.6 years. Most SBEs (86.3 %) performed were preceded by a noninvasive evaluation: in 61.4 % (n = 119) of cases, capsule enteroscopy (CE) was performed, in 18.8 % (n = 37), computed tomography was performed, and in 6.1 % (n = 12) magnetic resonance enterography was performed. Fourty-three patients (25.6 %) underwent endoscopic treatments, mainly: argon plasma coagulation in angioectasias (53.4 %) and polypectomy (34.9 %). The most common diagnoses made with SBE were findings consistent with inflammatory small bowel disease (21.8 %) and vascular lesions (14.2 %). The diagnostic yield of SBE was of 69 %, confirming the suspicion of small bowel disease. The degree of concordance between CE and SBE for positive findings was substantial, κ-coefficient = 0.635 (P < 0.001). However, the degree of concordance between imaging examinations (CT or MR) and SBE was only moderate, κ-coefficient = 0.410 (P < 0.001). SBE had an immediate effect in 20 % of patients, changing diagnostic approaches, medical and surgical treatments. Conclusions Our study supports the idea that for suspected small bowel disease, CE and SBE have an overall good degree of concordance for all the diagnostics included.