Can Endoscopic Ulcerations in Early Gastric Cancer Be Clearly Defined before Endoscopic Resection? A Survey among Endoscopists.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Early gastric cancer (EGC) with ulcerations can be treated via endoscopic resection (ER) when it is differentiated pathologically, limited to the mucosa, and <3 cm in diameter. The presence of ulceration is a key factor in deciding treatment strategies and is usually diagnosed during endoscopic examination. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether ulcerations in EGC can be clearly defined among endoscopists and which factors are related to the differences. METHODS: A survey questionnaire, composed of demographic features and endoscopic images of seven patients with EGC, was presented to the endoscopists via e-mail. The endoscopists were asked whether such patients have ulcerations in the lesions. RESULTS: The questionnaires were e-mailed to 197 endoscopists, and 103 doctors replied. The presence of an endoscopic ulceration was defined differently among the endoscopists, depending on the duration of endoscopic practice and the experience of endoscopic submucosal dissection. The differences were especially high in the lesions without mucosal breaks and converging folds, which were expected to be viewed as non-ulcerative. CONCLUSIONS: Before ER, endoscopic ulcerations in EGC must be reviewed by experienced endoscopists to reduce overestimations, and adequate educational programs for trainees should be established.

Diagnostic yield of endoscopic ultrasonography-guided single-incision needle knife biopsy for gastric subepithelial tumors: comparison with resected specimens.

BACKGROUND: Several techniques are recommended for the histologic diagnosis of gastric subepithelial tumors (SETs). The purpose of our study was to evaluate the diagnostic yield and safety of endoscopic ultrasonography-guided single-incision needle knife (SINK) biopsy for the diagnosis of gastric SETs. METHODS: A retrospective review of patients who received biopsy for gastric SETs from August 2012 to May 2015 was conducted. Patients who received endoscopic ultrasonography and were found to have a SET originating from the muscularis propria of the stomach were included in the study. The aim of our study was to investigate the safety and diagnostic yield of SINK biopsy for gastric SETs. RESULTS: A total of 31 patients received SINK biopsy for SETs. The diagnostic yield of SINK biopsy was 87 % (95 % CI 75-100 %), and the diagnostic accuracy was 89 % (95 % CI 74-105 %). The sensitivity of SINK biopsy to identify gastrointestinal stromal tumors was 83 % (95 % CI 52-98 %); the specificity was 100 % (95 % CI 59-100 %); the positive predictive value was 100 % (95 % CI 69-100 %); and the negative predictive value was 78 % (95 % CI 40-97 %). There were no procedure-related adverse events during and after procedure. CONCLUSION: The use of SINK biopsy technique in patients with SETs is a good diagnostic tool with high diagnostic yield and accuracy. The method is simple, safe, and associated with few complications.

Perigastric Abscess as a Complication of Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Early Gastric Cancer: First Case Report.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for early gastric cancer (EGC) is a widely accepted and well established procedure because of its curative potential and low invasiveness compared with surgery. Perforation is a potential major complication during ESD, and non-surgical treatments such as endoscopic closure with clips are sufficient in most cases. Here, we report a case of perigastric abscess that occurred as a complication of ESD for EGC. The patient improved with administration of antibiotics without surgical intervention.