Eric Y. Lee

A prospective randomized trial of cannulation technique in ERCP: effects on technical success and post-ERCP pancreatitis

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS Inadvertent injection of contrast agent into the pancreatic duct is believed to be an important contributor to pancreatitis occurring after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (post-ERCP pancreatitis, PEP). Our aim was to examine whether primary deep biliary cannulation with a guide wire is associated with a lower rate of PEP than conventional contrast-assisted cannulation. PATIENTS AND METHODS From August 2003 to April 2006 all patients with an intact papilla who were referred for ERCP were eligible. Patients with pancreatic or ampullary cancer were excluded. Patients were randomized to undergo sphincterotomy biliary cannulation using either contrast injection or a guide wire. The ERCP fellow attempted initially for 5 minutes. If unsuccessful, the consultant attempted for 5 minutes using the same technique, followed by crossover to the other technique in the same sequence and then needle-knife sphincterotomy where appropriate. Patients were assessed clinically after the procedure, then followed up with telephone interviews after 24 hours and 30 days, and serum amylase and lipase tests after 24 hours. RESULTS Out of 1654 patients undergoing ERCP, 413 were included in the study. PEP occurred in 29/413 (7.0 %): 16 in the guide-wire arm, 13 in the contrast arm ( P = 0.48). The overall cannulation success rate was 97.3 %. Cannulation was successful without crossover in 323/413 patients (78.2 %): 167/202 (81.4 %) in the guide-wire arm and 156/211 (73.9 %) in the contrast arm ( P = 0.03). Multivariate analysis demonstrated female sex (OR = 2.7, P = 0.04), suspected sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (OR = 5.5, P = 0.01), and complete filling of the pancreatic duct with contrast agent (OR = 3.5, P = 0.02) to be independently associated with PEP. The risk of PEP increased incrementally with each attempt at the papilla (OR 1.4 per attempt, P = 0.04) to greater than 10 % after four or more attempts. CONCLUSIONS The guide-wire technique improves the primary success rate for biliary cannulation during ERCP but does not reduce the incidence of PEP compared to the conventional contrast technique. The incidence of PEP increases incrementally with each attempt at the papilla.

Needle-knife sphincterotomy: factors predicting its use and the relationship with post-ERCP pancreatitis (with video)

BACKGROUND In the absence of precut needle-knife sphincterotomy (NKS), failure of biliary cannulation may occur in up to 10% of cases. There are few prospective evaluations of the safety and efficacy of NKS, and studies of its early use in difficult cannulation have been inconclusive. Whether precut NKS after failure of primary biliary cannulation is independently associated with post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) remains controversial. OBJECTIVE To examine the relationship between NKS and PEP. DESIGN Analysis of prospectively collected data from two randomized trials of ERCP techniques, with PEP as the primary endpoint measure. SETTING Tertiary-care academic medical center. PATIENTS This study involved 732 patients from two successive, prospective, randomized trials of naïve papilla cannulation between November 2001 and April 2006. Patients with pancreatic or ampullary cancer were excluded. INTERVENTION Naïve papilla cannulation, NKS, primary guidewire versus contrast-assisted cannulation, and glyceryl trinitrate patch versus placebo. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS PEP and procedure-related complications. RESULTS NKS was performed in 94 of 732 patients (12.8%) and was successful in achieving bile duct access in 80 of 94 patients (85%). Cannulation success in the entire group was 717 of 732 patients (97.7%). The overall frequency of PEP following NKS was 14.9% (14 of 94 patients) compared with 6.1% (39 of 638 patients) without NKS (P < .001). The incidence of PEP increased with an increasing number of attempts at cannulating the papilla. Pancreatic stents were inserted in 22 patients, 5 of whom developed pancreatitis. In multivariate analysis, independent predictors of PEP were as follow: female sex (odds ratio [OR] = 3.5, P = .028), suspected sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD) (OR = 9.7, P < .001), partial pancreatic drainage (OR = 4.8, P = .011), 10 to 14 attempts at papilla cannulation (OR = 4.4, P = .031), and >/=15 attempts at papilla cannulation (OR = 9.4, P = .013). NKS was not an independent predictor of PEP. There were no perforations, no major bleeding, and no cases of severe pancreatitis in the NKS group. LIMITATIONS Nonrandomized for NKS intervention. CONCLUSIONS The number of attempts at cannulating the papilla is independently associated with PEP, and the risk increases with an increasing number of attempts. NKS is not an independent predictor of PEP.

Australian clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of Barrett's esophagus and early esophageal adenocarcinoma

Barretts esophagus (BE), a common condition, is the only known precursor to esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). There is uncertainty about the best way to manage BE as most people with BE never develop EAC and most patients diagnosed with EAC have no preceding diagnosis of BE. Moreover, there have been recent advances in knowledge and practice about the management of BE and early EAC. To aid clinical decision making in this rapidly moving field, Cancer Council Australia convened an expert working party to identify pertinent clinical questions. The questions covered a wide range of topics including endoscopic and histological definitions of BE and early EAC; prevalence, incidence, natural history, and risk factors for BE; and methods for managing BE and early EAC. The latter considered modification of lifestyle factors; screening and surveillance strategies; and medical, endoscopic, and surgical interventions. To answer each question, the working party systematically reviewed the literature and developed a set of recommendations through consensus. Evidence underpinning each recommendation was rated according to quality and applicability.

Efficacy of viscous budesonide slurry for prevention of esophageal stricture formation after complete endoscopic mucosal resection of short-segment Barrett's neoplasia.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Complete endoscopic resection (CER) of short-segment Barretts esophagus with high grade dysplasia (HGD) and early esophageal adenocarcinoma (EEA) is a precise staging tool and achieves durable disease control. The major drawback is development of post-endoscopic resection esophageal stricture (PERES). No effective therapy to prevent PERES has been described. Viscous budesonide slurry (VBS) may have a role in the prevention of PERES by suppressing the post-CER inflammatory process. The study aim was to evaluate the efficacy of VBS for the prevention of PERES. METHODS Prospective data were collected on patients referred for CER of HGD or EEA. After January 2012, patients routinely received VBS (two 0.5-mg/2-mL budesonide respules mixed with sucralose) twice daily for 6 weeks following each stage of the CER schedule. All patients received high dose proton pump inhibitor therapy for the duration of CER and the following 3 months. Patients had no other intervention to prevent PERES. A validated dysphagia score was used (0 - 4, no dysphagia to aphagia). Endoscopic dilation was performed for dysphagia. Patients receiving VBS were compared with historical controls. The primary endpoint was the need for dilation. RESULTS Between January 2008 and January 2015, 104 of 116 eligible patients completed CER. The VBS group (n = 29) and non-VBS group (n = 75) had similar patient, disease, and procedural characteristics. Dilations were needed in 13.8 % vs. 37.3 % (P = 0.03), with a median of one vs. two procedures (P = 0.01), and median dysphagia score during CER of 0 vs. 1 (P = 0.02) in the VBS and non-VBS groups, respectively. No VBS-related adverse events were noted. CONCLUSION In this pilot study VBS significantly reduced PERES and shortened the dilation program after CER.

Wide-field endoscopic mucosal resection versus endoscopic submucosal dissection for laterally spreading colorectal lesions: a cost-effectiveness analysis

Objective To compare the cost-effectiveness of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and wide-field endoscopic mucosal resection (WF-EMR) for removing large sessile and laterally spreading colorectal lesions (LSLs) >20 mm. Design An incremental cost-effectiveness analysis using a decision tree model was performed over an 18-month time horizon. The following strategies were compared: WF-EMR, universal ESD (U-ESD) and selective ESD (S-ESD) for lesions highly suspicious for containing submucosal invasive cancer (SMIC), with WF-EMR used for the remainder. Data from a large Western cohort and the literature were used to inform the model. Effectiveness was defined as the number of surgeries avoided per 1000 cases. Incremental costs per surgery avoided are presented. Sensitivity and scenario analyses were performed. Results 1723 lesions among 1765 patients were analysed. The prevalence of SMIC and low-risk-SMIC was 8.2% and 3.1%, respectively. Endoscopic lesion assessment for SMIC had a sensitivity and specificity of 34.9% and 98.4%, respectively. S-ESD was the least expensive strategy and was also more effective than WF-EMR by preventing 19 additional surgeries per 1000 cases. 43 ESD procedures would be required in an S-ESD strategy. U-ESD would prevent another 13 surgeries compared with S-ESD, at an incremental cost per surgery avoided of US

Severity of initial stent angulation predicts reintervention after successful palliative enteral stenting for malignant luminal obstruction.

210 112. U-ESD was only cost-effective among higher risk rectal lesions. Conclusion S-ESD is the preferred treatment strategy. However, only 43 ESDs are required per 1000 LSLs. U-ESD cannot be justified beyond high-risk rectal lesions. WF-EMR remains an effective and safe treatment option for most LSLs. Trial registration number NCT02000141.

Single-dose intra-procedural ceftriaxone during endoscopic ultrasound fine-needle aspiration of pancreatic cysts is safe and effective: results from a single tertiary center

Background and Aim:  Recurrent stent obstruction necessitating reintervention is problematic and incompletely understood. The aim of the present study was to identify factor(s) predisposing to reintervention.

The size, morphology, site, and access score predicts critical outcomes of endoscopic mucosal resection in the colon

Background Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) with fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is universally used for the investigation and diagnosis of pancreatic cystic lesions (PCL). Infectious complications following EUS-FNA of PCL are rare. Antibiotic prophylaxis to reduce the risk of infection is recommended; however, there is no consensus on the optimal regimen or route of administration. Potential advantages of a single-dose intravenous (IV) antibiotic over a prolonged oral regimen include simplicity, guaranteed delivery and fewer antibiotic related adverse events, but there are only limited data to support this. We aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of a single 1 g dose of IV ceftriaxone in preventing infectious complications following EUS-FNA of PCL. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted of EUS-FNA of PCL procedures performed at our center. We reviewed patient medical records for any presentation to a hospital in our district within 30 days of the procedure. An infectious complication was defined as fever/rigors, or bacteremia, or abdominal pain accompanied by imaging or laboratory results suggestive of infection, within 30 days of the procedure. Data collection included patient demographics, procedural data and outcome. Results EUS-FNA of 204 PCL (mean size 18.0 mm) was performed. Successful fluid aspiration was achieved in 94% of cases. Single-dose IV ceftriaxone was given in 146/204 (72%) cases. Four patients had a complication (pancreatitis n=1, post-procedural pain n=3). No infectious complications and no IV antibiotic-related adverse events were identified. Conclusion A single dose of IV ceftriaxone appears to be a safe, effective and convenient intervention for preventing infectious complications after FNA.

The clinical significance and synchronous polyp burden of large (≥ 20 mm) sessile serrated polyps in patients without serrated polyposis syndrome

BACKGROUND The SMSA (size, morphology, site, access) polyp scoring system is a method of stratifying the difficulty of polypectomy through assessment of four domains. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of SMSA to predict critical outcomes of endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR). METHODS We retrospectively applied SMSA to a prospectively collected multicenter database of large colonic laterally spreading lesions (LSLs) ≥ 20 mm referred for EMR. Standard inject-and-resect EMR procedures were performed. The primary end points were correlation of SMSA level with technical success, adverse events, and endoscopic recurrence. RESULTS 2675 lesions in 2675 patients (52.6 % male) underwent EMR. Failed single-session EMR occurred in 124 LSLs (4.6 %) and was predicted by the SMSA score (P < 0.001). Intraprocedural and clinically significant postendoscopic bleeding was significantly less common for SMSA 2 LSLs (odds ratio [OR] 0.36, P < 0.001 and OR 0.23, P < 0.01) and SMSA 3 LSLs (OR 0.41, P  < 0.001 and OR 0.60, P = 0.05) compared with SMSA 4 lesions. Similarly, endoscopic recurrence at first surveillance was less likely among SMSA 2 (OR 0.19, P < 0.001) and SMSA 3 (OR 0.33, P < 0.001) lesions compared with SMSA 4 lesions. This also extended to second surveillance among SMSA 4 LSLs. CONCLUSION SMSA is a simple, readily applicable, clinical score that identifies a subgroup of patients who are at increased risk of failed EMR, adverse events, and adenoma recurrence at surveillance colonoscopy. This information may be useful for improving informed consent, planning endoscopy lists, and developing quality control measures for practitioners of EMR, with potential implications for EMR benchmarking and training.

Gastrointestinal: Outbreak; proctocolitis mimicking inflammatory bowel disease

BACKGROUND Sessile serrated polyps (SSPs) are important precursors of colorectal carcinoma and interval cancer. Large SSPs (≥ 20 mm) outside the definition of serrated polyposis syndrome (SPS) have not been studied in comparison with SPS. We aimed to describe the characteristics of patients with large SSPs in this context. METHODS Patients with at least one SSP (≥ 20 mm) were eligible. Data from three consecutive colonoscopies were used to compare clinical and endoscopic characteristics in three patient groups: SPS, a solitary large SSP, and patients with at least two SSPs without fulfilling the criteria for SPS (oligo-SSP). Data on the diagnostic colonoscopy were collected retrospectively, whereas the remaining data was collected prospectively. RESULTS 67/146 patients (45.9 %) had SPS, 53/146 (36.3 %) had a solitary SSP, and 26/146 (17.8 %) were categorized as oligo-SSP. Personal (16.4 %, 9.4 %, and 11.5 %, respectively) and family (17.9 %, 17.0 %, and 23.1 %, respectively) history of colorectal carcinoma did not differ significantly between groups. Polyp burden was greater in SPS compared with solitary SSP but was not different from oligo-SSP (advanced adenomas: SPS 32.8 % vs. solitary SSP 9.4 % [P = 0.002] vs. oligo-SSP 34.6 % [P = 0.87]; ≥ 10 conventional adenomas: 11.9 % vs. 0 % [P = 0.01] vs. 3.8 % [P = 0.44], respectively). Dysplasia in large SSPs was frequent in all groups (41.1 % overall). SPS was recognized by referring endoscopists in only 9.0 % of cases. CONCLUSION Patients with oligo-SSPs have similar synchronous polyp burden and clinical characteristics as patients with SPS and may require similar surveillance. Modification of the criteria for the diagnosis of SPS to include this group seems warranted. Patients with a solitary SSP have a lower risk of synchronous polyps, including advanced adenomas. Larger studies are warranted to determine whether these patients may return to standard surveillance following complete examination and clearance of the colon.