A Novelly Developed Bipolar Needle Knife Can Be an Alternative Device Choice for Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (With Video).

Background: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is technically difficult with high rates of complications, such as perforation and bleeding. We aimed to explore the safety and cutting efficiency of a novelly devised bipolar knife for ESD procedure. Methods: Taking a traditional monopolar knife as a reference, the safety and feasibility of the novel bipolar knife were evaluated by an animal experiment and a human study. Furthermore, we assessed the usefulness and advantage of this novel bipolar knife by using the finite element method. Results: A porcine experiment confirmed that there was no significant difference in wound size and cutting speed between the monopolar and bipolar knives. The thermal damage and histopathological scores produced by the two knives were similar. In addition, the porcine experiment and patients' study identified that the incidence of postoperative complications, such as bleeding, perforation, and infection, had no statistical difference between the monopolar and bipolar groups. Finally, the finite element model showed that the length and depth of thermal damage caused by the bipolar knife were, respectively, 102.77-117.98% and 80.87-84.53% of those caused by the monopolar knife at the same power. Conclusion: The novel bipolar knife was theoretically safer than the monopolar knife and, at least, was confirmed not inferior to the monopolar knife in operability and cutting efficiency. Thus, the novel bipolar knife can be an alternative device choice for ESD.

Safety and Feasibility of Microwave Ablation for Hepatocellular Carcinomas in the Elderly: A Systematic Review.

Background: Microwave ablation (MWA) for hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) in the elderly has been the subject of new research in recent years. However, there are currently no strong lines of evidence for the prognosis following MWA treatment for HCC in the elderly. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review to assess the safety and feasibility of MWA for HCC in elderly patients. Methods: Up until August 15, 2021, a comprehensive literature search was undertaken in PubMed, Scopus, CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials), and Google Scholar databases for all published articles. Observational studies reporting the safety and feasibility of MWA for HCC in elderly patients were included. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to measure the quality assessment. Results: Our review, composed of 7 observational studies, including a total of 7,683 HCC patients, looked at the safety and feasibility of MWA for HCC in the elderly. Current lines of evidence on the risks and outcomes of MWA of HCC treatments in elderly patients are discussed. Conclusions: According to our findings, elderly patients, even those with a high comorbidity index, benefited from MWA of HCC similar to younger patients. More clinical data are needed to determine selection criteria for elderly HCC patients to increase the possibility of receiving MWA as a potential lifesaving option. As such, further studies evaluating the outcomes of MWA for HCC treatment modalities in elderly patients are warranted. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42021273091.

The Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection Surgery in the Whole-Course Antegrade Endoscopic Approach: A More Effective Treatment Strategy for the Siewert II/III Type Mucosal Lesions of Esophagogastric Junction.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for treating cardiac mucosal lesions. Methods: A total of 86 patients with cardiac mucosal lesions were treated with ESD in retrograde endoscopic approach or antegrade endoscopic approach. The relationship between the two methods was analyzed according to the size, location, depth of pathological infiltration, classification, and examination results. The main evaluation indexes of intraoperative complications were operation time, bleeding, perforation, and complete resection (R0 resection). Results: Total R0 excision was performed in 85 patients and curative excision in 77 patients. When the diameter of lesion was 2-4 cm or >4 cm, the median treatment time in the antegrade endoscopic approach group was shorter than that in the retrograde group (P < .001, respectively). When the lesion was confined to the mucosa, the median treatment time in the antegrade endoscopic approach group was shorter than that in the retrograde group (P < .001). When the lesion was located in the posterior wall of the cardia, the average treatment time in the antegrade endoscopic approach group was shorter than that in the retrograde group (P < .05). When the lesion was located in the lesser curvature of the cardia, the average treatment time in the antegrade endoscopic approach group was shorter than that in the retrograde group (P < .001). Conclusion: The ESD surgery in the antegrade endoscopic approach is effective and safe for the treatment of cardiac mucosal lesions.

Retrospective analysis of predictive factors for lymph node metastasis in superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

This study aimed to identify the risk factors of lymph node metastasis (LNM) in superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and use these factors to establish a prediction model. We retrospectively analyzed the data from training set (n = 280) and validation set (n = 240) underwent radical esophagectomy between March 2005 and April 2018. Our results of univariate and multivariate analyses showed that tumor size, tumor invasion depth, tumor differentiation and lymphovascular invasion were significantly correlated with LNM. Incorporating these 4 variables above, model A achieved AUC of 0.765 and 0.770 in predicting LNM in the training and validation sets, respectively. Adding macroscopic type to the model A did not appreciably change the AUC but led to statistically significant improvements in both the integrated discrimination improvement and net reclassification improvement. Finally, a nomogram was constructed by using these five variables and showed good concordance indexes of 0.765 and 0.770 in the training and validation sets, and the calibration curves had good fitting degree. Decision curve analysis demonstrated that the nomogram was clinically useful in both sets. It is possible to predict the status of LNM using this nomogram score system, which can aid the selection of an appropriate treatment plan.

A Nomogram for Predicting Lymphovascular Invasion in Superficial Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

The lymphovascular invasion (LVI) status facilitates the determination of the optimal therapeutic strategy for superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SESCC), but in clinical practice, LVI must be confirmed by postoperative pathology. However, studies of the risk factors for LVI in SESCC are limited. Consequently, this study aimed to identify the risk factors for LVI and use these factors to establish a prediction model. The data of 516 patients who underwent radical esophagectomy between January 2007 and September 2019 were retrospectively collected (training set, n=361, January 2007 to May 2015; validation set, n=155, June 2015 to September 2019). In the training set, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression and multivariate analyses were utilized to identify predictive factors for LVI in patients with SESCC. A nomogram was then developed using these predictors. The area under the curve (AUC), calibration curve, and decision curve were used to evaluate the efficiency, accuracy, and clinical utility of the model. LASSO regression indicated that the tumor size, depth of invasion, tumor differentiation, lymph node metastasis (LNM), sex, circumferential extension, the presence of multiple lesions, and the resection margin were correlated with LVI. However, multivariate analysis revealed that only the tumor size, depth of invasion, tumor differentiation, and LNM were independent risk factors for LVI. Incorporating these four variables, model 1 achieved an AUC of 0.817 in predicting LVI. Adding circumferential extension to model 1 did not appreciably change the AUC and integrated discrimination improvement, but led to a significant increase in the net reclassification improvement (p=0.011). A final nomogram was constructed by incorporating tumor size, depth of invasion, tumor differentiation, LNM, and circumferential extension and showed good discrimination (training set, AUC=0.833; validation set, AUC=0.819) and good calibration in the training and validation sets. Decision curve analysis demonstrated that the nomogram was clinically useful in both sets. Thus, it is possible to predict the status of LVI using this nomogram scoring system, which can aid the selection of an appropriate treatment plan.

A Novel Bipolar Polypectomy Snare Can Be an Alternative Choice for Endoscopic Resection.

Objective: Endoscopic resection (ER) is more difficult and has a higher rate of complications, such as perforation and bleeding. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of a bipolar polypectomy snare for ER. Methods: Initial ER procedures in live pigs were carried out. Then, a human feasibility study was performed in patients with colorectal polyps. Finally, the finite element method was used to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the new bipolar snare. Results: In the live animal model, there were no significant differences in wound size and cutting time between monopolar and bipolar groups. The histological results (histological scores) of the two groups in porcine experiments were almost the same except that the incision flatness of bipolar group was better than that of the monopolar group. Incidence of bleeding and perforation was similar between the two groups in pigs' and patients' study. At last, the finite element model showed that the vertical thermal damage depth produced by bipolar snare system was approximately 71-76% of that produced by monopolar snare system at the same power. Conclusions: The novel bipolar snare is feasible in patients with colorectal polyps and can be an alternative choice for ERs.

Discovery of serum proteomic biomarkers for prediction of response to moxibustion treatment in rats with collagen-induced arthritis: an exploratory analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the possible impact of moxibustion on the serum proteome of the collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rat model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-six male Sprague-Dawley rats were included in this experiment. The CIA animal model was prepared by injection of type II bovine collagen in Freund's adjuvant on the first and seventh day. The 36 rats were randomly divided into two groups: the untreated CIA group (control), and the CIA plus treatment with moxibustion (CIA+moxi) group. Moxibustion was administered daily at ST36 and BL23 for 7, 14 or 21 days (n=12 rats each). Arthritis score was used to assess the severity of arthritis. At the end of each 7 day treatment, blood samples from the control group and the CIA+moxi group were collected. After removal of high abundance proteins from serum samples, two-dimensional gel combined with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation time-of-flight MS/MS (MALDI-TOF-MS/MS) techniques were performed to examine serum protein expression patterns of the CIA rat model with and without moxibustion treatment. In addition, the relevant proteins were further analysed with the use of bioinformatics analysis. RESULTS: Moxibustion significantly decreased arthritis severity in the rats in the CIA+moxi group, when compared with the rats in the CIA group 35 days after the first immunisation (p=0.001). Seventeen protein spots which changed >1.33 or <0.77 at p<0.05 using Bonferonni correction for multiple testing were found to be common to all three comparisons, and these proteins were used for classification of functions using the Gene Ontology method. Consequently, with the use of the Ingenuity Pathway Analysis, the top canonical pathways and a predicted proteomic network related to the moxibustion effect of CIA were established. CONCLUSIONS: Using the proteomics technique, we have identified novel candidate proteins that may be involved in the mechanisms of action underlying the beneficial effects of moxibustion in rats with CIA. Our findings suggest that immune responses and metabolic processes may be involved in mediating the effects of moxibustion. Moreover, periodxiredoxin I (PRDX1) and inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor (IP3R) may be potential targets.