Till Wehrmann

Retroperitoneal endoscopic debridement for infected peripancreatic necrosis

Standard management of infected peripancreatic necrosis consists of open surgical debridement and lavage--a traumatic intervention with substantial morbidity and mortality. As an alternative and novel approach with minimum invasiveness, we present fenestration of the gastric wall and debridement of infected necrosis by direct retroperitoneal endoscopy. In three patients, this strategy led to rapid clinical improvement and no serious complications. Transgastric endoscopic therapy may be a less traumatic alternative to surgery and should be further assessed in prospective studies.

Efficacy and safety of intravenous propofol sedation during routine ERCP: a prospective, controlled study

BACKGROUND Adequate patient sedation is mandatory for diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). The short-acting anesthetic propofol offers certain potential advantages for endoscopic procedures, but controlled studies proving its superiority over benzodiazepines for ERCP are lacking. METHODS During a 6-month period 198 consecutive patients undergoing routine ERCP randomly received either midazolam (n = 98) or propofol (n = 99) for sedation. Vital signs (heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation) were continuously monitored and procedure-related parameters, the recovery time and quality (recovery score) as well as the patients cooperation and tolerance of the procedure (visual analog scales) were prospectively assessed. RESULTS Patients receiving propofol or midazolam were well matched with respect to demographic and clinical data, ERCP findings, and the performance of associated procedures. Propofol caused a more rapid onset of sedation than midazolam (p < 0.01). Clinically relevant changes in vital signs were observed at comparable frequencies with temporary oxygen desaturation occurring (< 85 %) in 6 patients in the propofol group and 4 patients receiving midazolam (not significant). However, an episode of apnea had to be managed by mask ventilation via an ambu bag (lasting 8 minutes) in one of the patients receiving propofol sedation. Mean recovery times as well as the recovery scores were significantly shorter with propofol (p < 0. 01). Propofol provided significantly better patient cooperation than midazolam ( p < 0.01), but procedure tolerability was rated the same by both groups of patients (not significant). CONCLUSIONS Intravenous sedation with propofol for ERCP is (1) more effective than sedation with midazolam, (2) safe under adequate patient monitoring, and (3) associated with a faster postprocedure recovery.

Sedation with propofol plus midazolam versus propofol alone for interventional endoscopic procedures: a prospective, randomized study

Adequate patient sedation is mandatory for most interventional endoscopic procedures. Recent anaesthesiologic studies indicates that propofol and midazolam act synergistically in combination and therefore may be superior to sedation with propofol alone in terms of sedation efficacy, recovery and costs (due to a presumed lower total dose of propofol needed).

Sedation with propofol for interventional endoscopic procedures: a risk factor analysis.

Objective. Propofol sedation for mainly diagnostic endoscopic procedures has proved safe in recent trials, with no need for endotracheal intubation. However, there is evidence that cardiorespiratory side effects occur more frequently and that assisted ventilation may be necessary if propofol sedation is performed for interventional endoscopic procedures. Material and methods. Over a 6-year period, all adverse events (defined as premature termination of the procedure due to sedation-related events or either the need for assisted ventilation or admission to ICU) occurring during 9547 endoscopic interventions (UGI, n=5.374, ERCP, n=3.937, EUS, n=236) under propofol sedation were assessed. Results. A total of 135 adverse events (1.4%) were documented. Assisted ventilation was necessary in 40 patients (0.4%); 9 patients required endotracheal intubation (0.09%); 28 needed further monitoring on the ICU (0.3%); and 4 patients died, 3 potentially due to sedation-related side effects (mortality, 0.03%). Independent risk factors for sedation-related side effects were emergency endoscopic examinations and a total propofol dose >100 mg. Conclusions. Interventional endoscopy under propofol sedation is not risk-free. Increased attention must be focused on close monitoring of vital parameters, particularly when undertaking long-lasting interventions and emergency procedures.

Do patients with sphincter of Oddi dysfunction benefit from endoscopic sphincterotomy ? A 5-year prospective trial

Objectives: To assess the incidence of elevated sphincter of Oddi baseline pressure and the response to endoscopic sphincterotomy in patients with suspected sphincter of Oddi dysfunction. Design: A 5-year prospective clinical trial. Methods: One-hundred and eight patients with recurrent biliary-type pain after cholecystectomy were enrolled. After thorough investigation, 35 patients with suspected type II sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD) and another 29 type III patients remained for further investigation. Both groups were similar with respect to demographic data and severity of pain. Biliary manometry was performed in all except three patients in either group. Endoscopic sphincterotomy was performed in all patients with abnormal sphincter of Oddi baseline pressure (>40 mm Hg). All patients were clinically re-evaluated after 4–6 weeks, and thereafter the sphincterotomized patients were followed for a median period of 2.5 years. Results: An abnormal sphincter of Oddi baseline pressure was found in 62.5% of the type II patients and in 50% of the patients with suspected type III SOD (P = 0.66). At the 4–6-week follow-up none of those patients without abnormal manometry, but 70% of the patients with type II SOD, and 39% of the type III SOD patients, respectively, reported subjective benefit after sphincterotomy (P = 0.13 type II vs. type III). However, after a median follow-up of 2.5 years, sustained symptomatic improvement after sphincterotomy was found in 60% of the type II patients, but only in 8% of the patients with type III SOD (P<0.01). Conclusion: Disregarding a lack of difference in the incidence of abnormal sphincter of Oddi baseline pressure between type II and type III SOD, the Geenen-Hogan classification helps to predict the clinical outcome after endoscopic sphincterotomy.

Endoscopic injection of botulinum toxin in patients with recurrent acute pancreatitis due to pancreatic sphincter of Oddi dysfunction

To evaluate the technical feasibility, safety, and short‐term efficacy of botulinum toxin injection for pancreatic sphincter of Oddi dysfunction and to analyse whether the symptomatic response to botulinum toxin might be a predictor of outcome for endoscopic sphincterotomy.

Propofol sedation for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in patients with liver cirrhosis as an alternative to midazolam to avoid acute deterioration of minimal encephalopathy: a randomized, controlled study.

Objective. Midazolam sedation for upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy exacerbates minimal hepatic encephalopathy (HE) in patients with liver cirrhosis, therefore an alternative drug regimen for these patients is warranted. The aim of this randomized, controlled study was to assess whether the use of the short-acting propofol as a sedative for GI endoscopy could prevent the exacerbation of minimal HE in patients with liver cirrhosis. Material and methods. The study comprised patients with liver cirrhosis without clinical HE who had undergone upper GI endoscopy for therapeutic purposes (intended variceal band ligation). Sixty patients were randomly assigned into two groups to receive propofol (n=40) or midazolam (n=20) for upper GI endoscopy. The study groups were matched for age, gender and Child-Pugh score. All patients completed number connecting tests (NCTs), as well as a porto-systemic encephalopathy (PSE) syndrome test before and at 2 h after completion of the endoscopic procedure. Time needed to fulfill the tests was documented. Baseline results of the psychomotor test batteries were compared with the post-interventional evaluations. Data were also compared with the results of a healthy control group (n=20) that did not undergo endoscopic sedation. Recovery time and quality (score system) were evaluated. Results. The differences in the NCT times before and after sedation (median delta NCT, midazolam group, 11 s (95% CI, −1.2 to 16.1 s) versus the propofol group, −9.5 s (95% CI, −15.7 to −4.6 s), p=0.002) and in the PSE scores (median delta PSE, midazolam group, −1 (95% CI, −1.5 to 0.2) versus the propofol group, 1 (95% CI, 0.5 to 1.5), p=0.0009) differed significantly between the two groups. In addition, the recovery time and quality in patients receiving propofol were significantly improved compared with in the midazolam group (7.8±2.9 min versus 18.4±6.7 min, 6.1±1.1 versus 8.2±1.3, both p<0.001). Conclusions. The study demonstrates that propofol sedation for upper GI endoscopy does not cause acute deterioration of minimal hepatic encephalopathy and is associated with improved recovery in patients with liver cirrhosis. Propofol should be recommended for these patients as an alternative to midazolam.

Sonographic detection of perihepatic lymphadenopathy is an indicator for primary sclerosing cholangitis in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

AimPrimary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a frequent complication in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). While hyperplasia of the perihepatic lymph nodes has been described in patients with PSC, its prevalence and cause in IBD patients remains obscure. In the present study we address the question of whether ultrasound (US) examination is useful to detect perihepatic lymphadenopathy and improve the diagnostic accuracy for PSC in patients with underlying IBD.MethodsA total of 310 consecutive IBD patients were prospectively evaluated by US for enlarged perihepatic lymph nodes, as well as serologic testing for cholestasis-indicating enzymes. In patients with positive test results, viral or autoimmune liver disorders were excluded by serum testing. Next, the presence of PSC was confirmed/excluded by endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC).ResultsPerihepatic lymphadenopathy was detected by US in 27 of 310 (9%) patients. In 9 (33%) of those, serologic testing identified an underlying autoimmune or viral hepatitis. In the remaining 18 patients, ERC confirmed PSC in 17 (94%) and excluded it in 1. Elevated cholestasis parameters were found in 43 of 310 (14%) patients and 5 (12%) of those were diagnosed with autoimmune or viral hepatitis. In the remaining 38 patients, ERC confirmed PSC in 15 (39%) and excluded it in 23 (61%). Therefore, when autoimmune or viral hepatitis was excluded, enlarged lymph nodes in US predicted PSC more accurately than conventional serum parameters alone (PPV 94 and 39%, respectively [ P<0.001]), and the sensitivity ratio increased by a factor of 1.13 in favor of the US examination.ConclusionIn patients with IBD, detection of enlarged perihepatic lymph nodes is a highly predictive indicator for the presence of PSC. Alternative causes of perihepatic lymphadenopathy have to be excluded.

Capsule Endoscopy Interpretation by an Endoscopy Nurse - a Comparative Trial

BACKGROUND Capsule endoscopy is a common, pain-free diagnostic procedure for the small bowel. However, interpretation of the whole video recording is a time-consuming and costly procedure that can take up to 2 hours. The aim of the present study is two-fold: first to study the accuracy of capsule endoscopy analysis between a trained endoscopy nurse and a physician and secondly to determine if pre-evaluation by nursing staff might be time-effective for capsule reading. This study is especially important given the increasing financial pressure on current health-care systems. METHODS A long-standing experienced endoscopy nurse, who was trained to read capsule endoscopy, and a physician, both blinded to the patient diagnosis and the other clinical findings reviewed 48 consecutive capsule endoscopy videos. The analyses of both the nurse and the physician were re-evaluated by an independent doctor regarding the agreement of the marked findings. RESULTS Total time to read capsule endoscopy was significantly longer for the nurses interpretation (63 +/- 26 min) as compared to the physicians interpretation (54 +/- 18 min, p < 0.01). The endoscopy nurse marked 236 thumbnails, whereas the doctor only marked 132 thumbnails. The nurse overlooked 4 of 64 relevant lesions (6 %), which had been detected by the physician. These overlooked lesions were not single important lesions, they were overlooked only in patients with multiple angiectasias of the small intestine, and thus the misdiagnosis was without clinical relevance. The physician overlooked 6 of 68 lesions detected by the nurse (9 %), also in patients with multiple angiodysplastic lesions and therefore without clinical relevance. On post-hoc analysis of the capsule video recordings the time needed by the physician to interpret the thumbnails marked by the nurse was 10 +/- 12 min. While there was no difference with respect to the estimated gastric emptying time (nurse 27 +/- 13 min vs. physician 28 +/- 14 min, n. s.), the estimated time of capsule passage through the ileocaecal valve was longer when interpreted by the endoscopy nurse (nurse 347 +/- 89 min vs. physician 326 +/- 74 min, n. s.). Nevertheless, the total cost for capsule pre-evaluation by the nurse was lower (13.23 euro vs. physician 17.82 euro). CONCLUSION The endoscopy nurse detected 94 % of the significant lesions seen by the physician and no clinically relevant findings were overlooked. A pre-evaluation of the capsule video by trained staff is an accurate method and might be time effective.

Endoscopic botulinum toxin injection into the minor papilla for treatment of idiopathic recurrent pancreatitis in patients with pancreas divisum

BACKGROUND In some patients with pancreas divisum, obstruction to the flow of pancreatic juice into the duodenum is the presumptive cause of acute recurrent pancreatitis. However, identification of those patients who may benefit from minor papilla sphincterotomy or stent placement is difficult. METHODS Five patients with acute recurrent pancreatitis and pancreas divisum were therefore treated by endoscopic injection of 50 units of botulinum toxin into the minor papilla in an outpatient setting. RESULTS Botulinum toxin injection was successfully performed on six occasions in 5 patients and no adverse effects were noted. Two patients relapsed after 9 and 10 months, respectively, but had definite relief of symptoms after needle-knife sphincterotomy. One patient relapsed 7 months after botulinum toxin injection but became symptom free again after a second botulinum toxin injection. Another patient is still in clinical remission 4 months after botulinum toxin administration, and 1 patient did not respond to either botulinum toxin administration or to sphincterotomy and stent placement. CONCLUSIONS Endoscopic injection of botulinum toxin into the minor papilla in patients with pancreas divisum and acute recurrent pancreatitis is a safe procedure that is easy to perform and provides short-term relief in some patients. Response to botulinum toxin injection may predict whether patients with pancreas divisum and acute recurrent pancreatitis will benefit from other forms of endoscopic therapy.