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This article discusses a prospective study conducted in France that aimed to evaluate the feasibility of placing fiducial markers under Endoscopy Ultra-Sound (EUS) guidance for the treatment of esophageal or rectal cancers. The study included 33 patients with rectal or esophageal tumors who required radiation therapy. The results showed a high success rate of fiducial marker placement, with no technical failures reported. The procedure was safe, with no adverse events, and the markers remained visible on imaging throughout the course of radiation therapy. Overall, the study highlights the effectiveness and safety of using fiducial markers under EUS guidance for the treatment of these types of cancers. [Extracted from the article]

Oesophageal pH–impedance monitoring allows detection of acid and non-acid gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR) events. Visual analysis of impedance recording requires expertise. Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy of an automated analysis for GOR assessment. Seventy-three patients with suspected GORD underwent 24-h oesophageal pH–impedance monitoring. Recordings analysis was performed visually (V) and automatically using Autoscan function (AS) of Bioview® software. A symptom index (SI) ≥50% was considered for a significant association between symptoms and reflux events. AS analysis detected more reflux events, especially non-acid, liquid, pure gas and proximal events. Detection of oesophageal acid exposure and acid reflux events was similar with both analyses. Agreement between V and AS analysis was good (Kendall's coefficient W > 0.750, P < 0.01) for all parameters. During pH–impedance studies, 65 patients reported symptoms. As compared to visual analysis, the sensitivity and specificity of a positive SI determined by AS were respectively 85.7% and 80% for all reflux events, 100% and 98% for acid reflux and 33% and 87.5% for non-acid reflux. Despite good agreement with visual analysis, automatic analysis overestimates the number of non-acid reflux events. Visual analysis remains the gold standard to detect an association between symptoms and non-acid reflux events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background : Impedance-pH monitoring is the most sensitive method for detection and characterization of gastro-oesophageal reflux episodes. Normal values from European subjects are lacking. Aim : To build a database of gastro-oesophageal reflux patterns from French and Belgian healthy subjects. Methods : Seventy-two healthy subjects (35 men, mean age 35 years, 18–72) underwent 24-h ambulatory impedance-pH studies. Gastro-oesophageal reflux episodes were detected using impedance and characterized by pH as acid, weakly acidic, or weakly alkaline. Analysis was performed visually and effects of age, gender and intra-individual reproducibility were evaluated. Results : The total number of gastro-oesophageal reflux episodes was 44 (25,58,75) of which 59% were acid, 28% were weakly acidic and 10% weakly alkaline. Half of gastro-oesophageal reflux episodes were mixed (liquid/gas) and 22% reached 15 cm above the lower oesophageal sphincter. The bolus clearance time was 11 s while acid was chemically cleared in 34 s. Male gender was associated with increased number and proximal extent of total and acid gastro-oesophageal reflux. Repeated studies in 27 subjects showed good reproducibility for number, acidity and air–liquid composition of reflux (Kendall's W-values = 0.72–0.85). Conclusions : This study demonstrates good reproducibility of 24-h ambulatory impedance-pH studies and provides values of reflux patterns in healthy subjects for comparisons with European gastro-oesophageal reflux disease patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study that investigated the treatment of radiation-induced distal rectal lesions with argon plasma coagulation and the use of a transparent cap.