Conventional Versus Traction-Assisted Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Esophageal, Gastric, and Colorectal Neoplasms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is increasingly being utilized for the resection of superficial gastrointestinal neoplasms. However, the long procedure time poses a technical challenge for conventional ESD (C-ESD). Traction-assisted ESD (T-ESD) was developed to facilitate the procedure by reducing its duration. This study compares the efficacy and safety of C-ESD versus T-ESD in the treatment of esophageal, gastric, and colorectal neoplasms. Nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were analyzed. Traction-assisted ESD exhibited shorter mean dissection times for the esophagus and colorectal regions and lower perforation rates in colorectal cases. No significant differences were observed in en bloc resection or bleeding rates. Traction-assisted ESD proves to be more efficient in mean procedure time for esophageal and colorectal cases and safer in perforation rates for colorectal cases, but similar rates are noted for en bloc resection or bleeding.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Waning Over Time in Endoscopic Versus Surgical Myotomy for the Treatment of Achalasia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) and Heller myotomy with fundoplication (HMF) effectively treat achalasia, an esophageal motor disease. Although a significant number of meta-analyses have compared POEM and HMF, these studies showed discrepant postoperative gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) conclusions. This review aimed to objectively compare GERD over time, as well as the efficiency, safety, and adverse events in POEM versus HMF for treating achalasia. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis by searching Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Clinicaltrials.gov. The evaluated outcomes included early (within 12 months) and late (beyond 12 months) endoscopic assessment of GERD using the Lyon Consensus, clinical success, operative duration (OD), length of stay (LOS), and major adverse events (MAE). A total of 29 observational studies and two randomized clinical trials (RCTs) with 13,914 patients were included. GERD was 28% higher among RCTs discussing POEM at early assessment (95%CI 0.02, 0.54) and was not different at late evaluation (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.00, 0.22). No difference in reflux was observed among observational studies in both periods. The clinical success was 9% higher (95% CI = 0.05, 0.12), and the OD was 37.74 minutes shorter (95% CI = -55.44, -20.04) in POEM among observational studies, whereas it was not different among RCTs. The LOS and MAE were similar in the groups. Comparisons among studies yielded divergent results. RCTs revealed that POEM had a higher incidence of GERD in the early assessment, whereas observational studies showed higher clinical success and a shorter OD in POEM. Ultimately, the between-group difference waned over time in GERD in all comparisons, resulting in no difference among RCTs in the late evaluation. Our meta-analysis demonstrated a non-preferential treatment of achalasia between endoscopic or surgical cardiomyotomy, prioritizing an individualized approach in the long term.

Subepithelial tumors: How does endoscopic full-thickness resection & submucosal tunneling with endoscopic resection compare with laparoscopic endoscopic cooperative surgery?

Background and study aims Endoscopic techniques are rapidly emerging for resection of subepithelial tumors (SETs). Submucosal tunneling for endoscopic resection (STER), endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR) and laparoscopic endoscopic cooperative surgery (LECS) are current alternatives to open surgery. In this study, we aimed to compare the three endoscopic techniques. Patients and methods Consecutive patients who underwent resection of a submucosal esophageal or gastric lesion at several tertiary care centers were included in a dedicated registry over 3 years. Demographics, size and location of resected lesion, histology of specimen, length of procedure, adverse events (AEs), duration of hospital stay, and follow-up data were collected. Results Ninety-six patients were included (47.7 % male, mean age 62): STER n = 34, EFTR n = 34, LECS n = 280. The lesions included leiomyoma, gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) and other. The mean lesion size was 28 mm (STD 16, range 20-72 mm). The majority of lesions in the EFTR and laparoscopic-assisted resection group were GISTs. There was no significant difference in clear resection margins, post-procedure complication rates, recurrence rate and total follow-up duration between the groups. However, the LECS group had a procedure time at least 30 minutes longer than STER or EFTR ( P  < 0.01). Total hospital stay for the laparoscopic-assisted resection group was also longer when compared to STER (1.5) and EFTR (1.8) ( P  < 0.01). Conclusions STER, EFTR, and laparoscopic-assisted resection are efficacious approaches for resection of SETs with similar R0 resection rates, complication rates, and AE rates. Laparoscopic assisted resection appears more time-consuming and is associated with a longer hospital stay.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of colon capsule endoscopy accuracy for colorectal cancer screening. An alternative during the Covid-19 pandemic?

AIM: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of colon capsule endoscopy for colorectal cancer screening. METHODS: Studies that compared the diagnostic performance of colonoscopy and second-generation colon capsule endoscopy (CCE-2) for screening of asymptomatic patients aged 50-75 years were included. The primary outcomes were sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative likelihood ratios for polyps and adenomas measuring at least 6 mm or 10 mm. RESULTS: Eight full-text studies that evaluated 1602 patients were included for systematic review. Of these, 840 (52.43%) patients participated in an opportunistic screening program. The pooled outcomes of CCE-2 for polyps at least 6 mm / 10 mm were (CI = confidence interval): sensitivity: 88% (95% CI: 0.84-0.91) / 88% (95% CI: 0.82-0.93), specificity: 94% (95% CI: 0.92-0.95) / 95.5% (95% CI: 0.94-0.97); positive likelihood ratio: 11.86 (95% CI: 5.53-25.46) / 23.07 (95% CI: 6.163-86.36); negative likelihood ratio: 0.14 (95% CI: 0.1-0.21) / 0.14 (95% CI: 0.09-0.21). The area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve for polyps at least 6 and 10 mm was 96.3% and 96.7%, respectively. The only cancer missed by complete CCE-2 was shown at multiple frames in the unblinded review. In total, 125 (7.8%) patients presented mild adverse events mostly related to bowel preparation. CONCLUSION: CCE-2 is demonstrated to be an effective and safe alternative method for colorectal cancer screening. Diagnostic performance of CCE-2 for polyps of at least 6 and 10 mm was similar. Completion rates still need to be improved.

The Learning Curve for Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy in Latin America: A Slide to the Right?

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) has been increasingly used for achalasia in Latin America, where Chagas disease is prevalent, and this makes POEM more challenging. The aim of this study was to determine the learning curve for POEM in Latin America. METHODS: Patients undergoing POEM in Latin America with a single operator were included from a prospective registry over 4 years. Non-linear regression and cumulative sum control chart (CUSUM) analyses were conducted for the learning curve. RESULTS: A total of 125 patients were included (52% male; mean age, 59 years), of which 80 had type II achalasia (64%), and 38 had Chagas disease (30%). The average pre-procedure and post-procedure Eckardt scores were 6.79 and 1.87, respectively. Technical success was achieved in 93.5% of patients, and clinical success was achieved in 88.8%. Adverse events occurred in 27 patients (22%) and included bleeding (4 patients), pneumothorax (4 patients), mucosal perforation (13 patients), mediastinitis (2 patients), and leakage (4 patients).
The CUSUM chart showed a median procedure time of 97 min (range, 45-196 min), which was achieved at the 61st procedure. Procedure duration progressively decreased, with the last 10 procedures under 50 min approaching a plateau (p-value <0.01). CONCLUSION: Mastering POEM in Latin America requires approximately 61 procedures for both POEM efficiency and to accomplish the procedure within 97 minutes.

How does per-oral endoscopic myotomy compare to Heller myotomy? The Latin American perspective.

Background and study aims Both Heller myotomy (HM) and per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) are efficacious therapies for achalasia. The efficacy and safety of POEM vs HM in Latin America and specifically in patients with Chagas disease is unknown. Patients and methods Consecutive patients undergoing either HM or POEM for achalasia were included from nine Latin American centers in a prospective registry over 5 years. Technical success was defined as undergoing a successful myotomy. Clinical success was defined as achieving an Eckardt score < 3. Data on demographics, procedure info, Eckardt score, and adverse events (AEs) were collected. Student's t test, Chi squared, and logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results One hundred thirty-three patients were included (59 male; 44 %; mean age 47). POEM was performed in 69 patients, HM in 64 patients. A total of 35 patients had Chagas disease, 17 of 69 in the POEM group, 18 of 64 in the HM group. Both groups had significant reduction in Eckardt scores ( P  < 0.00001), but successful initial therapy was significantly higher in the POEM group compared to the HM group ( P  = 0.01304). AEs were similar in both group (17 % vs 14 %) and consisted of pneumothorax (n = 3 vs 2), bleeding requiring transfusion (n = 3 vs 2), and mediastinitis (n = 3 vs 1). Hospital stay was longer in the HM group than in the POEM group ( P  < 0.00001). In the Chagas subgroup, post-procedure Eckardt score in the POEM group was significantly reduced by 5.71 points ( P  < 0.00001) versus 1.56 points in the HM group ( P  = 0.042793). Conclusion Both HM and POEM are efficacious for achalasia, but POEM was associated with higher initial therapy success and shorter hospital stay in Latin America. In Chagas patients with achalasia, POEM was significantly more effective than HM.

Fecal microbiota transplantation improves metabolic syndrome parameters: systematic review with meta-analysis based on randomized clinical trials.

Obesity and metabolic syndrome are important health problems that can lead to significant morbidity/mortality as well as subsequent health concerns. Alterations in the gut microbiota have been implicated in both obesity and metabolic syndrome. Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) has emerged as a new promising therapeutic approach aimed at manipulating the gut microbiota in various chronic diseases. Randomized clinical trials assessing the use of FMT in obese and metabolic syndrome patients have been reported. The purpose of this systematic review with meta-analysis using randomized clinical trials (RCT) is to evaluate the role of FMT for the treatment of obesity and metabolic syndrome and its impact on clinically relevant parameters. We searched the main databases, as well as the gray literature, to identify RCTs comparing FMT from lean donor(s) vs placebo for obese/metabolic syndrome patients. We included all studies that utilized any form of placebo (sham, saline, autologous FMT, or placebo capsules). Six studies met the inclusion criteria and were included for final analysis with a total of 154 patients. We looked for clinically significant parameters related to obesity and metabolic syndrome and organized the findings into early (2-6 weeks after intervention) and late (12 weeks after intervention) outcomes. Two to 6 weeks after intervention, mean HbA1c was lower in the FMT group (MD = -1.69 mmol/L, CI [-2.88, -0.56], P = .003) and mean HDL cholesterol was higher in the FMT group (MD = 0.09 mmol/L, CI [0.02, 0.15], P = .008). There was no difference in obesity parameters 6 to 12 weeks after intervention. No serious adverse events were reported. The findings for this meta-analysis show that FMT may have a role for the treatment of metabolic syndrome, but there is currently not enough evidence to support its use in clinical practice. High-quality well-powered RCTS with longer follow-up are necessary to clarify the role of FMT in this patient cohort.

Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM): a comparative study between Chagasic and idiopathic achalasia.

Background and study aims Achalasia can be classified as either primary (idiopathic) achalasia or secondary achalasia, which is a consequence of another systemic disease. Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is an effective and safe treatment for achalasia. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of POEM in patients with Chagasic achalasia compared to idiopathic achalasia. Patients and methods We evaluated POEM procedures performed at a single institution from November 2016 to January 2018. Demographic data, Eckardt score, lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure, body mass index, post-operative erosive esophagitis, adverse events, length of hospital stay, and procedure-related parameters were analyzed. Results Fifty-one patients underwent POEM as a treatment for achalasia in this period (20 patients with Chagasic and 31 with Idiopathic etiology). The overall clinical success rate was 92.1 %, with no statistical difference between groups (90 % in the Chagasic group vs. 93.5 % in the Idiopathic group, P  = 0.640). Both groups had significant reduction in Eckardt score and in LES pressure, and increase in bodey mass index (BMI) at 1-year follow-up. There was no statistical difference between groups regarding Eckardt score ( P  = 0.439), LES pressure (p = 0.507), BMI ( P  = 0.254), post erosive esophagitis (35 % vs. 38.7 %, P  = 0.789), adverse events (30 % vs. 12 %, P  = 0.163,) length of hospital stay (3.75 days vs. 3.58 days, P  = 0.622), and operative time (101.3 min vs. 99.1 min, P  = 0.840). Conclusion POEM is an effective and safe treatment for patients with achalasia. There is no difference in POEM outcomes for those patients with Chagasic or Idiopathic achalasia.

Gastrointestinal ischemia: endoscopic findings in the context of vascular insufficiency.

Gastrointestinal ischemia may result from different causes: hemodynamic shock, thromboembolism, endoscopic or surgical complications, among other causes. Its symptoms are pain, vomiting, bleeding and bloating. Endoscopic findings are pale or blackened mucosa, and exudative and confluent ulcerative lesions. This paper aims to report a case of gastroduodenal ischemia associated with hemodynamic shock and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). This is a case of a 56-years- old male with multiple comorbidities, presenting with refractory septic shock and DIC. He underwent an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (UGE) for investigation of melena, which revealed an extensive deep and exudative gastric ulcer, associated with edematous purplish duodenal mucosa. Due to the severity of the underlying condition, the patient evolved to death, evidencing septic shock as cause of death. Gastroduodenal ischemia is associated with a poor prognosis, in which early diagnosis by UGE is fundamental to guide potential interventions.

Cholangioscopy-guided steroid injection for refractory post liver transplant anastomotic strictures: a rescue case series.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Post liver transplant biliary anastomotic strictures have traditionally been treated with balloon dilation and multiple plastic stents. Fully covered self-expandable metallic stents may be used as an initial alternative or after multiple plastic stents failure. Refractory strictures can occur in 10-22% and require revisional surgery. Alternatively, cholangioscopy allows direct visualization and therapeutic approaches. We aimed to assess the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of balloon dilation combined with cholangioscopy-guided steroid injection for the treatment of refractory anastomotic biliary strictures. METHODS: Three post-orthotopic liver transplant patients who failed standard treatment of their biliary anastomotic strictures underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with balloon dilation followed by cholangioscopy-guided steroid injection at a tertiary care center. Patients had follow-up with images and laboratorial tests to evaluate for residual stricture. RESULTS: Technical success of balloon dilation + cholangioscopy-guided steroid injection was achieved in all patients. Cholangioscopy permitted accurate evaluation of bile ducts and precise localization for steroid injection. No adverse events occurred. Mean follow-up was 26 months. Two patients are stent free and remain well in follow-up, with no signs of biliary obstruction. No further therapeutic endoscopic procedures or revisional surgery were required. One patient did not respond to balloon dilation + cholangioscopy-guided steroid injection after 11 months of follow-up and required repeat balloon dilation of new strictures above the anastomosis. CONCLUSION: Cholangioscopy-guided steroid injection combined with balloon dilation in the treatment of refractory post liver transplant strictures is feasible and safe. This method may be used as a rescue alternative before surgical approach. Randomized controlled trials comparing balloon dilation + cholangioscopy-guided steroid injection to fully covered self-expandable metallic stents are needed to determine the role of this treatment for anastomotic biliary strictures.

Gastrointestinal ischemia: endoscopic findings in the context of vascular insufficiency

Gastrointestinal ischemia may result from different causes: hemodynamic shock, thromboembolism, endoscopic or surgical complications, among other causes. Its symptoms are pain, vomiting, bleeding and bloating. Endoscopic findings are pale or blackened mucosa, and exudative and confluent ulcerative lesions. This paper aims to report a case of gastroduodenal ischemia associated with hemodynamic shock and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). This is a case of a 56-yearsold male with multiple comorbidities, presenting with refractory septic shock and DIC. He underwent an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (UGE) for investigation of melena, which revealed an extensive deep and exudative gastric ulcer, associated with edematous purplish duodenal mucosa. Due to the severity of the underlying condition, the patient evolved to death, evidencing septic shock as cause of death. Gastroduodenal ischemia is associated with a poor prognosis, in which early diagnosis by UGE is fundamental to guide potential interventions.

La isquemia gastroduodenal puede resultar por diferentes causas: shock hemodinámico, tromboembolismo, complicaciones post-procedimientos endoscópicos o quirúrgicos, entre otras. Sus síntomas son dolor, vómito, hemorragia y distensión abdominal. Los hallazgos endoscópicos son mucosa pálida o ennegrecida, lesiones ulcerativas exudativas y confluentes. Este trabajo relata un caso de isquemia gastrointestinal, asociada a choque hemodinámico y coagulación intravascular diseminada (CID). Este es un caso de un hombre de 56 años de edad, con múltiples comorbilidades, que presenta con shock séptico refractario a tratamiento y CID. El paciente se sometió a una endoscopia digestiva alta (EDA) para la investigación de melena, que reveló una extensa úlcera gástrica exudativa y profunda, asociada con mucosa duodenal violácea e inflamada. Debido a la gravedad de la enfermedad de base, el paciente evolucionó a la muerte, siendo el shock séptico como causa principal. La isquemia gastrointestinal es asociada a un mal pronóstico, en el que el diagnóstico precoz por EDA es fundamental para orientar las posibles intervenciones.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided vs endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography biliary drainage for obstructed distal malignant biliary strictures: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: For palliation of malignant biliary obstruction (MBO), the gold-standard method of biliary drainage is endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with the placement of metallic stents. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided drainage is an alternative that is typically reserved for cases of ERCP failure. Recently, however, there have been robust randomized clinical trials (RCTs) comparing EUS-guided drainage and ERCP as primary approaches to MBO. AIM: To compare EUS guidance and ERCP in terms of their effectiveness and safety in palliative biliary drainage for MBO. METHODS: This was a systematic review and meta-analysis, in which we searched the MEDLINE, Excerpta Medica, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases. Only RCTs comparing EUS and ERCP for primary drainage of MBO were eligible. All of the studies selected provided data regarding the rates of technical and clinical success, as well as the duration of the procedure, adverse events, and stent patency. We assessed the risk of biases using the Jadad score and the quality of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation criteria. RESULTS: The database searches yielded 5920 records, from which we selected 3 RCTs involving a total of 222 patients (112 submitted to EUS and 110 submitted to ERCP). In the EUS and ERCP groups, the rate of technical success was 91.96% and 91.81%, respectively, with a risk difference (RD) of 0.00% (95%CI: -0.07, 0.07; P = 0.97; I 2 = 0%). The clinical success was 84.81% and 85.53% in the EUS and ERCP groups, respectively, with an RD of -0.01% (95%CI: -0.12, 0.10; P = 0.90; I 2 = 0%). The mean difference (MD) for the duration of the procedure was -0.12% (95%CI: -8.20, 7.97; P = 0.98; I 2 = 84%). In the EUS and ERCP groups, there were 14 and 25 adverse events, respectively, with an RD of -0.06% (95%CI: -0.23, 0.12; P = 0.54; I 2 = 77%). The MD for stent patency was 9.32% (95%CI: -4.53, 23.18; P = 0.19; I 2 = 44%). The stent dysfunction rate was significantly lower in the EUS group (MD = -0.22%; 95CI:-0.35, -0.08; P = 0.001; I 2 = 0%). CONCLUSION: EUS represents an interesting alternative to ERCP for MBO drainage, demonstrating lower stent dysfunction rates compared with ERCP. Technical and clinical success, duration, adverse events and patency rates were similar.

Endoscopic versus surgical treatment for pancreatic pseudocysts: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to compare surgical and endoscopic treatment for pancreatic pseudocyst (PP). METHODS: The researchers did a search in Medline, EMBASE, Scielo/Lilacs, and Cochrane electronic databases for studies comparing surgical and endoscopic drainage of PP s in adult patients. Then, the extracted data were used to perform a meta-analysis. The outcomes were therapeutic success, drainage-related adverse events, general adverse events, recurrence rate, cost, and time of hospitalization. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between treatment success rate (risk difference [RD] -0.09; 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.20,0.01]; P = .07), drainage-related adverse events (RD -0.02; 95% CI [-0.04,0.08]; P = .48), general adverse events (RD -0.05; 95% CI [-0.12, 0.02]; P = .13) and recurrence (RD: 0.02; 95% CI [-0.04,0.07]; P = .58) between surgical and endoscopic treatment.Regarding time of hospitalization, the endoscopic group had better results (RD: -4.23; 95% CI [-5.18, -3.29]; P < .00001). When it comes to treatment cost, the endoscopic arm also had better outcomes (RD: -4.68; 95% CI [-5.43,-3.94]; P < .00001). CONCLUSION: There is no significant difference between surgical and endoscopic treatment success rates, adverse events and recurrence for PP. However, time of hospitalization and treatment costs were lower in the endoscopic group.

POEM in Latin America: The Rise of a New Standard.

BACKGROUND: Per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) has become the preferred alternative treatment to standard Heller myotomy for patients with esophageal achalasia, in Latin American countries. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a POEM in the management of achalasia with and without Chagas disease in patients receiving POEM. METHODS: Patients who underwent POEM from tertiary centers in Latin America were included in a dedicated registry. Countries included Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. Patients enrolled needed to have a preoperative manometry and swallow contrast study confirming achalasia. Clinical success was defined as significant improvement in Eckardt score after therapy. RESULTS: POEM was technically successful in 81/89 (91%) patients (mean age, 44 y). There was a significant decrease in preprocedure and postprocedure Eckardt score from 8.7 (range, 3 to 12) to 2.15 (0 to 10) (P<0.001), preprocedure and postprocedure barium swallow evaluation (98% vs. 89%; P=0.017), and preprocedure and postprocedure lower esophageal sphincter pressure measurement (from 35 to 13.8 mm Hg; P<0.001). Clinical success was achieved in 93% of patients. Patients with Chagas disease (n=58) were 9.5 times more likely to respond to POEM (P=0.0020; odds ratio, 9.5). CONCLUSIONS: POEM is an efficacious and safe therapeutic modality for treatment of achalasia in Latin America. Chagas disease-related achalasia seems to particularly respond better to POEM when it is performed by experienced endoscopists.

Comparison between Enteroscopy-Based and Laparoscopy-Assisted ERCP for Accessing the Biliary Tree in Patients with Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Although balloon-assisted enteroscopy-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (BAE-ERCP) is a well-described means of accessing the duodenal papilla in patients with Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), it is associated with modest clinical success rates. Laparoscopy-assisted ERCP (LA-ERCP)-performed by advancing a standard duodenoscope through a gastrostomy into the excluded stomach and duodenum-has emerged as a viable alternative to BAE-ERCP, with apparently higher success rates. In this systematic review, we compare LA-ERCP with enteroscopy-based techniques in post-RYGB patients, including 22 case series that provided data on papilla identification, papilla cannulation, and complications. We found that LA-ERCP was superior to the enteroscopy-based techniques in its capacity to reach the duodenal papilla, although complication rates were lower for the latter. Comparative studies are needed in order to corroborate our findings.