Marcela Kopáčová

Biodegradable stents for the treatment of benign stenoses of the small and large intestines.

Biodegradable stents, which are made of various synthetic polymers, such as polylactide or polyglycolide, or co-polymers, such as polydioxanone, can be used for the treatment of benign refractory stenoses of the gastrointestinal tract. Here we report 11 patients (median age 41) with stenosing Crohns disease of the small and/or large intestine. Endoscopic insertion of a biodegradable stent was successful at the first attempt in all patients except one. Subsequent follow-up was for a mean of 16 months, median 17 months, range 12-29 months. Early stent migration (between 2 days and 8 weeks) was seen in three patients. Mucosal overgrowth (epithelial hyperplasia) was not observed in any of the patients during the follow-up period. The high rate of early stent migration might be solved by appropriate tailoring and further improvements in the design of the biodegradable stents. Proof of long-term efficacy and safety requires further studies.

Epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori Infection in the Czech Republic

Background:  Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection has been estimated to range from 60 to 95% in the former communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe. The aim of this study was to evaluate H. pylori infection prevalence in a representative sample of the Czech population. The second objective was to describe difference of H. pylori prevalence between different social groups of children and adults.

Probiotics in hepatology

The paper provides a basic review of intestinal microflora and its importance in liver diseases. The intestinal microflora has many important functions, above all to maintain the microbial barrier against established as well as potential pathogens. Furthermore, it influences the motility and perfusion of the intestinal wall, stimulates the intestinal immune system and therefore also the so-called common mucosal immune system, reducing bacterial translocation and producing vitamins. Immune homeostasis at mucosal level results from a controlled response to intestinal luminal antigens. In liver cirrhosis, there are many changes in its function, mostly an increase in bacterial overgrowth and translocation. In this review, probiotics and their indications in hepatology are generally discussed. According to recent knowledge, these preparations are indicated in clinical practice only for cases of hepatic encephalopathy. Probiotics are able to decrease the permeability of the intestinal wall, and decrease bacterial translocation and endotoxemia in animal models as well as in clinical studies, which is extremely important in the prevention of complications of liver cirrhosis and infection after liver transplantation. Probiotics could limit oxidative and inflammatory liver damage and, in some situations, improve the histological state, and thus non-alcoholic steatohepatitis could be considered as another possible indication.

Significant decrease in prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in the Czech Republic

AIM To study possible decrease in prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in the Czech Republic within a 10-year period. METHODS A total of 22 centres entered the study. The catchment areas of these centres covered cities and towns with more than 20,000 inhabitants, smaller towns (≤ 20,000 inhabitants) with surrounding villages and rural areas, and were spread over the whole country, corresponding well to the geographical distribution of the Czech population. A total of 1,837 subjects (aged 5-98 years) took part in the study, randomly selected out of 38,147 people from the general population. H. pylori infection was investigated by means of a (13)C-urea breath test. Breath samples in duplicates were analysed using isotope ratio mass spectrometry. The cut-off point was 3.5. Social and demographic characteristics were based on data from self-completed questionnaires. RESULTS The overall prevalence of H. pylori infection was 23.5% (430/1826), and 4.8% (20/420) in children aged 15 or less. There was no statistically significant difference in prevalence between males (24.3%; 208/857) and females (22.9%, 222/969, P = 0.494). H. pylori infection was strongly associated with higher age, among subjects aged 55+ years, prevalence of H. pylori infection was 39.8% (252/633, P < 0.001). The highest prevalence of H. pylori infection was found among persons aged 55-64 years (43.9%, 97/221) and 75+ years (37.9%, 58/153). Among study subjects aged 15+ years, prevalence of H. pylori infection was significantly increased in those with lowest education (odds risk 3.19, 95% CI 1.87-5.47). Compared to never married (14.1%), the prevalence of H. pylori infection was statistically significantly higher among married (35.4%, 246/694, P < 0.001), divorced (36.8%, 49/133, P < 0.001) and widowed study subjects (40.2%, 45/112, P < 0.001), both in minimally and fully adjusted analysis. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of H. pylori infection between married and widowed subjects (35.4%, 246/694 vs 40.2%, 45/112, P = 0.389). There was little variation in smoking prevalence across categories of smoking and there was no evidence of an increased risk of H. pylori infection among current or past smokers in our data (odds risk 1.04 with 95% CI 0.78-1.40 for current smokers; odds ratio 0.83 with 95% CI 0.60-1.16 for former smokers). The current prevalence of H. pylori in 2011 was significantly lower compared to the prevalence reported from identical geographical areas in 2001 (23.5% vs 41.7%, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION The overall prevalence of H. pylori infection in the general population has fallen substantially in the Czech Republic over the past 10 years.

Intraoperative enteroscopy: ten years' experience at a single tertiary center.

Background and methodsIntraoperative enteroscopy is an invasive technique for small bowel investigation. It enables us to investigate the entire small intestine and to treat pathological findings by endoscopic or surgical means at the same time. The investigation is invasive and that is why the proper indication is mandatory.ResultsForty-one intraoperative enteroscopies were performed at our center within a 10-year period. The procedure was diagnostic in 37/41 patients (90.2%); in 3 patients no pathology was found, and in 1 patient we found only previously diagnosed celiac disease. The investigation was therapeutic in 35/41 (85.4%) patients; 2 patients with small bowel ulcers did not require any intraoperative therapy. The pathological findings were arteriovenous malformations (found in 12 patients), small bowel NSAID-induced or Crohn’s ulcers (8 patients)—ulcerations and arteriovenous malformations were simultaneously found in three patients; carcinoid of the small intestine (5 patients); Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (5 patients); bleeding polyps (2 gastrointestinal stromal tumors, 1 paraganglioma, and 1 lipoma—in 4 patients); Rendu-Osler-Weber disease (2 patients); multiple cavernous hemangiomas in blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome (1 patient); Henoch-Schönlein purpura (1 patient); aortoenteral fistula (1 patient); and retrograde intussusception of Meckel’s diverticulum (1 patient). In five patients with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, 6-22 hamartomas (median of 18 per session) were removed by means of endoscopic polypectomy during intraoperative enteroscopy. There were no major procedure-related complications in our series.ConclusionsIntraoperative enteroscopy is accepted as the ultimate diagnostic procedure for complete investigation of the small bowel. Despite the introduction of double-balloon enteroscopy into clinical practice, intraoperative enteroscopy will be reserved for those cases where double-balloon enteroscopy cannot be performed or fails to investigate the entire small intestine, especially to prevent excessive bowel resection.

Buried bumper syndrome: A complication of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy.

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is a widely used method of nutrition delivery for patients with long-term insufficiency of oral intake. The PEG complication rate varies from 0.4% to 22.5% of cases, with minor complications being three times more frequent. Buried bumper syndrome (BBS) is a severe complication of this method, in which the internal fixation device migrates alongside the tract of the stoma outside the stomach. Excessive compression of tissue between the external and internal fixation device of the gastrostomy tube is considered the main etiological factor leading to BBS. Incidence of BBS is estimated at around 1% (0.3%-2.4%). Inability to insert, loss of patency and leakage around the PEG tube are considered to be a typical symptomatic triad. Gastroscopy is indicated in all cases in which BBS is suspected. The depth of disc migration in relation to the lamina muscularis propria of the stomach is critical for further therapy and can be estimated by endoscopic or transabdominal ultrasound. BBS can be complicated by gastrointestinal bleeding, perforation, peritonitis, intra-abdominal and abdominal wall abscesses, or phlegmon, and these complications can lead to fatal outcomes. The most important preventive measure is adequate positioning of the external bolster. A conservative approach should be applied only in patients with high operative risk and dismal prognosis. Choice of the method of release is based on the type of the PEG set and depth of disc migration. A disc retained inside the stomach and completely covered by the overgrowing tissue can be released using some type of endoscopic dissection technique (needle knife, argon plasma coagulation, or papillotome through the cannula). Proper patient selection and dissection of the overgrowing tissue are the major determinants for successful endoscopic therapy. A disc localized out of the stomach (lamina muscularis propria) should be treated by a surgeon.

Letter: telmisartan-associated enteropathy – is there any class effect?

*2nd Department of Internal Medicine – Gastroenterology, Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic. Department of Infectious diseases, Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic. Fingerland Department of Pathology, Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic. E-mail: jiri.cyrany@fnhk.cz

Transabdominal Ultrasonography of the Small Bowel

In the era of double balloon enteroscopy, capsule endoscopy, CT, and MRI enterography is transabdominal ultrasonography (TUS) underestimated method for evaluation of small bowel pathology. As often initial imagine method in abdominal complaints, nowadays has TUS much better diagnostic potential than two decades ago. High-resolution ultrasound probes with harmonic imaging significantly improve resolution of bowel wall in real time, with possibility to asses bowel peristalsis. Color flow doppler enables evaluation of intramural bowel vascularisation, pulse wave doppler helps to quantificate flow in coeliac and superior mesenteric arteries. Small intestine contrast ultrasonography with oral contrast fluid, as well as contrast enhanced ultrasonography with intravenous microbubble contrast also improves small bowel imaging. We present a review of small intestine pathology that should be detected during ultrasound examinations, discuss technical requirements, advantages and limitations of TUS, typical ultrasound signs of Crohns disease, ileus, celiac disease, intussusception, infectious enteritis, tumours, ischemic and haemorrhagic conditions of small bowel. In the hands of experienced investigator, despite some significant limitations(obesity, meteorism), is transabdominal ultrasonography reliable, noninvasive and inexpensive alternative method to computerised tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in small bowel examination.

Cronkhite-Canada Syndrome: Review of the Literature

Cronkhite-Canada syndrome is a rare disease characterised by diffuse polyposis of the gastrointestinal tract, diarrhoea, weight loss, abdominal pain, cutaneous hyperpigmentation, dystrophic changes of fingernails, and alopecia. The etiology is probably autoimmune and diagnosis is based on history, physical examination, endoscopic findings of gastrointestinal polyposis, and histology. The disease is very rare; about 450 cases have been described in the literature so far. We present a review of the literature with our own picture documentation of this rare condition.

Preclinical electrogastrography in experimental pigs

Preclinical electrogastrography in experimental pigs Surface electrogastrography (EGG) is a non-invasive means of recording gastric myoelectric activity or slow waves from cutaneous leads placed over the stomach. This paper provides a comprehensive review of preclinical EGG. Our group recently set up and worked out the methods for EGG in experimental pigs. We gained our initial experience in the use of EGG in assessment of porcine gastric myoelectric activity after volume challenge and after intragastric administration of itopride and erythromycin. The mean dominant frequency in pigs is comparable with that found in humans. EGG in experimental pigs is feasible. Experimental EGG is an important basis for further preclinical projects in pharmacology and toxicology.