Search

The advent of electronic medical records brought image filing systems to many hospitals, as well as electronic endoscopic medical records. However, data integration among multiple different vendors has not yet been accomplished. We start the Japan Endoscopic Database ( JED) Project endorsed by Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society ( JGES) from January 2015. The purposes of this project are as follows: (i) developing the world's largest endoscopic database generated from daily use of the reporting system; (ii) capturing the actual performance of endoscopic practice in Japan; and (iii) standardizing the terminology and fundamental items for registry of clinical studies. Moreover, the JED project has the potential to automatically collect data about adverse events, competency and evaluation of residents, and actual numbers of procedures on a nationwide scale, certification for the specialty board system, and so on. We believe that this design paper will be helpful not only for future nationwide research but also for international research ( UMIN000016093). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The learning curve of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and EUS-fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is long with existing data suggesting that > 150 supervised cased are required! To shorten the learning period of EUS, a few learning tools have been developed. The learning tools especially designed for EUS and EUS-FNA (live animal model, computer simulator, simple phantom, EUS RK model) were reviewed. There is a need to develop learning tools for EUS that require no maintenance, are inexpensive, readily available, and proven to shorten the learning curve. Few centers have the faculty expertise and adequate caseload (to sufficiently train fellows in EUS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The learning curve of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and EUS-fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is long with existing data suggesting that> 150 supervised cased are required! To shorten the learning period of EUS, a few learning tools have been developed. The learning tools especially designed for EUS and EUS-FNA (live animal model, computer simulator, simple phantom, EUS RK model) were reviewed. There is a need to develop learning tools for EUS that require no maintenance, are inexpensive, readily available, and proven to shorten the learning curve. Few centers have the faculty expertise and adequate caseload (to sufficiently train fellows in EUS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present status and future perspectives in new technologies of image processing and analysis, infrared ray endoscopy and autofluorescence endoscopy for gastrointestinal cancer are presented in this paper. Spectroscopic measurements using an endoscopic spectroscopic system are useful for distinguishing between benign and malignant gastric mucosal lesions, and the histological classification of early gastric cancer is possible on the basis of the spectroscopic characteristics. It is expected that adaptive hemoglobin index color enhancement would be useful for the qualitative diagnosis of early gastric cancer and for detecting specialized columnar epithelium in Barrett’s esophagus in combination with magnifying endoscopy. Our preliminary experience suggess that magnifying endoscopy with a narrow-band imaging system could predict the histological characteristics of gastric cancerous lesions with high accuracy. Recent studies revealed that infrared ray electronic endoscopy is very useful for diagnosing the depth of invasion in early gastric cancer. In addition, it is evident that specific antibodies tagged with the indocyanine green derivative can label cancer cells and can generate a fluorescent signal strong enough to detect small cancers using an infrared fluorescence endoscope. The future development and evaluation of autofluorescence endoscopy are discussed, and we propose a modification to the system, including the excitation lights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Colonoscopy withdrawal times are associated with the adenoma detection rate (ADR). However, the relationship between ADR and cecal insertion time has been inadequately characterized. We aimed to evaluate endoscopist‐related factors involved in the ADR, including the average individual colonoscopy insertion and withdrawal times. Methods: This observational study used a colonoscopy database with pathology data from routine clinical practice in Japanese institutions. The odds ratios (OR) of endoscopist‐related factors related to ADRs were examined using a generalized linear mixed model. Results: Of the 186,293 colonoscopies performed during the study period, 47,705 colonoscopies by 189 endoscopists in four hospitals were analyzed for ADR. The overall ADR was 38.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] 37.8, 38.7). Compared to endoscopists with mean cecal insertion times of <5 min, the OR of ADR for those with mean cecal insertion times of 5–9, 10–14, and ≥15 min were 0.84 (95% CI 0.71, 0.99), 0.68 (95% CI 0.52, 0.90), and 0.45 (95% CI 0.25, 0.78), respectively. Compared to endoscopists with mean withdrawal times of <6 min, the OR of ADR for those with mean withdrawal times of 6–9, 10–14, and ≥15 min were 1.38 (95% CI 1.03, 1.85), 1.48 (95% CI 1.09, 2.02), and 1.68 (95% CI 1.04, 2.61), respectively. There were no significant differences in ADRs by endoscopist specialty, gender, or the total number of examinations performed. Conclusion: Individual mean colonoscopy insertion time was associated with ADR and might be considered as a colonoscopy quality indicator as well as withdrawal time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To examine whether reasonable detection rate of endoscopically diagnosed lesions as adenoma ("endoscopic" adenoma detection rate [ADR]) could be calculated with a database generated from colonoscopy reports and whether it could be used as a surrogate colonoscopy quality indicator of "pathological" ADR. Methods: A lesion‐by‐lesion database of colonoscopies performed between 2010 and 2020 at eight Japanese endoscopy centers and corresponding pathology database were integrated. Differences in numbers of detected polyps, "endoscopic" and "pathological" adenomas, and what these differences could be attributed to were examined. Polyp detection rate (PDR), "endoscopic" and "pathological" ADRs, and correlation coefficients between "pathological" ADR and PDR or "endoscopic" ADR by each endoscopist were calculated. Results: Overall, 129,065 colonoscopy reports were analyzed. Among a total of 146,854 polyps, more "endoscopic" adenomas (n = 117,359) were observed than "pathological" adenomas (n = 70,076), primarily because adenomas were not resected on site, rather than because of a misdiagnosis. In all patients analyzed, PDR, "endoscopic" and "pathological" ADRs were 56.4% (95% confidence interval [CI] 56.2–56.7), 48.0% (95% CI 47.7–48.3), and 32.7% (95% CI 32.5–33.0), respectively. "Endoscopic" and "pathological" ADRs from each endoscopist showed a high correlation in hospitals where adenomas were usually resected at the time of examination. Conclusions: By appropriately describing endoscopically diagnosed lesions as "adenomas" in endoscopy reports, "endoscopic" ADR might be used as a surrogate colonoscopy quality indicator of "pathological" ADR (UMIN000040690). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim The Japan Endoscopy Database ( JED) Project was started to develop the world's largest endoscopic database, capture the actual performance of endoscopic practice, and standardize the terminology and fundamental items needed for a clinical and research registry. This paper presents a progress report on the first phase of this project undertaken at eight endoscopic centers in Japan. Methods The list of data items to be collected was drafted by the MSED-J (Minimal Standard Endoscopic Database) subcommittee. These items were aggregated offline by integrating data from two endoscopic filing systems between July 2015 and December 2015. The study population included all patients who underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy or colonoscopy at all eight centers, patients who underwent enteroscopy at five of the eight centers, and patients who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography ( ERCP) at four of the eight centers. Results Data collected in this phase included 61 070 endoscopic procedures, of which 40 475 were esophagogastroduodenoscopies, 215 were enteroscopies, 19 204 were colonoscopies, and 1176 were ERCPs. Frequencies of complications were 0.68% for esophagogastroduodenoscopy, 0% for enteroscopy, 0.43% for colonoscopy, and 13.34% for ERCP. In addition, we obtained various data including Helicobacter pylori infection status, past history of endoscopy in patients who underwent enteroscopy or colonoscopy, and degree of difficulty of ERCP, although the frequencies of reporting were sometimes low, with some items <20%. Conclusion Results of the first phase suggest that the JED project can provide vast quantities of useful data about endoscopic procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed the non-marginating surgical techniques of endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) for early gastric cancer, represented by the ‘double-channel’ method and the suction method, and the marginating surgical techniques, represented by the ‘insulation tip’ (IT) and the ‘endoscopic resection with high saline epinephrine’ (ERHSE) methods, and reviewed cases in the literature and our own cases from the standpoint of complications and duration of therapy with each method. Bleeding occurred in 3.6–4.5% of the cases treated by the non-marginating surgical techniques and 17% of the cases treated by the marginating surgical techniques. Perforation occurred in only 0.3% of the cases treated by the non-marginating surgical techniques, as opposed to 6.7% of the cases treated by the marginating surgical techniques. The results of EMR with a new type of therapeutic scope, the multi-bending scope, showed that it was useful for obtaining a direct en face view of the lesser curvature of the body of the stomach, and an increase in the rate of one-time complete resection was seen when it was used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The Japan Endoscopy Database Project was initiated to develop the world's largest endoscopy data repository. This study describes the first phase of the colonoscopy project in Japan. Methods: Data were aggregated offline by integrating information from the endoscopy database software from January 2015 through March 2017. The study population included all patients who underwent colonoscopy at eight centers. Results: A total of 31,395 patients who underwent 38,497 colonoscopy procedures were registered. The majority of procedures were performed for screening (n = 14,156), followed by fecal immunochemical test positivity (n = 3960), abdominal symptoms (n = 3864), post‐colorectal surgery surveillance (n = 3431), post‐endoscopic treatment surveillance (n = 3757), thorough pre‐treatment examination (n = 2822), and therapeutic purposes (n = 6507). In the screening group, advanced cancers, early cancers, and adenomas were diagnosed endoscopically in 2.1%, 1.3%, and 28.7% of cases, respectively, while in the fecal immunochemical test‐positive group, they were diagnosed in 2.5%, 1.9%, and 41.6% of cases, respectively. The incidence of complications was 0.177% and 0.152% in the screening and fecal immunochemical test‐positive groups, respectively. The therapeutic procedures included 1446 cold forceps polypectomy procedures, 4770 cold snare polypectomy procedures, 368 hot biopsies, 2998 hot snare polypectomy procedures, 9775 endoscopic or piecemeal endoscopic mucosal resections, and 1660 endoscopic submucosal dissections. A total of 173 procedure‐related complications (0.82%) occurred in 21,017 therapeutic procedures performed in 15,744 patients. Conclusions: The first phase of the Japan Endoscopy Database Project established the proportions of the diagnostic and therapeutic colonoscopy procedures, and complication rates in real‐world settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the technique and experience of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided needle aspiration cytology. History of EUS-guided fine needle aspiration (FNA); Principles in performing the FNA; Factors that affect the resectability of esophageal cancer.

Some situations may require endoscopy during the COVID‐19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) pandemic. Here, we describe the necessary precautions in the form of clinical questions and answers (Q&A) regarding the safe deployment of gastrointestinal endoscopy in such situations while protecting endoscopy staff and patients from infection. Non‐urgent endoscopy should be postponed. The risk of infection in patients should be evaluated in advance by questionnaire and body temperature. The health of staff must be checked every day. Decisions to employ endoscopy should be based on the institutional conditions and aims of endoscopy. All endoscopic staff need to wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). The endoscope and other devices should be cleaned and disinfected after procedures in accordance with the relevant guidelines. Optimal management of the endoscopy unit is required. Endoscopy for infected patients or those with suspected infection demands exceptional caution. When a patient who undergoes endoscopy is later found to have COVID‐19, the members of staff involved are considered exposed to the virus and must not work for at least 14 days if their PPE is considered insufficient. When PPE resources are limited, some equipment may be used continuously throughout a shift as long as it is not contaminated. Details of the aforementioned protective measures are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Few studies have reported on a national, population‐based endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) database. Hence, in 2015, we established a multicenter ERCP database registry, the Japan Endoscopic Database (JED) Project in preparation for a nationwide endoscopic database. The objective the present study was to evaluate this registry before the establishment of a nationwide endoscopic database. Methods: From 1 January 2015 to 31 March 2017, we collected and analyzed the ERCP data of all patients who underwent ERCP in four participating centers in the JED Project based on the JED protocol. Results: Four centers carried out 4104 ERCP on 2173 patients. Data entry of ERCP information (age, 100%; gender, 100%; American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Classification System, 74.5%; scope, 92.7%; time to ERCP, 100%; antithrombotic drug information, 55.0%; primary selective common bile duct [CBD] cannulation methods, 73.0%; number of attempts at primary selective CBD cannulation, 67.6%; overall selective CBD cannulation methods, 68.9%; ERCP procedure time, 66.3%; fluoroscopy time, 65.1%; adverse events, 74.9%; serum amylase levels 1 day post‐ERCP, 36.5%) was accurately extracted from the four centers. Success rate of CBD cannulation by level of ERCP difficulty was 98.5%, 99.0%, and 96.4% in grades 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Complication rate by overall selective CBD cannulation method was 5.6%, 7.6%, and 10.5% in the contrast‐assisted technique, guidewire‐assisted technique, and cross‐over method, respectively. Conclusion: Data from this evaluation of the JED Project, a multicenter ERCP database registry, suggest the feasibility of establishing a nationwide ERCP database and its challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) is the most commonly used procedure in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, the method of esophageal, gastric and duodenal mucosa photodocumentation varies considerably worldwide. One probable explanation is that for generations, EGD has primarily been taught by GI faculty and instructors based on their perceptions and experience, which has resulted in EGD being a non‐standardized procedure. Currently, the procedure is facing a challenging scenario as endoscopy societies are implementing procedure‐associated quality indicators aiming for best practice among practitioners and evidence‐based care for patients. Contrary to colonoscopy where cecum landmarks photodocumentation is considered proof of completeness, there are currently no reliable performance measures to gauge the completeness of an upper endoscopy nor guidance for complete photodocumentation. This World Endoscopy Organization (WEO) position statement aims to provide practical guidance to practitioners to carry out complete EGD photodocumentation. Hence, an international group of experts from the WEO Upper GI Cancer Committee formulated the following document using the body of evidence established through literature reviews, expert opinions, and other scientific sources. The group acknowledged that although the procedure should be feasible in any facility, what is needed to achieve a global shift on the concept of completeness is a common written statement of agreement on its potential impact and added value. This best practice statement offers endoscopists principles and practical guidance in order to carry out complete photodocumentation from the hypopharynx to the second duodenal portion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of the activities toward standardizing endoscopy procedures, the Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society has prepared guidelines for cleansing and disinfection of gastrointestinal endoscopes. The environment of gastrointestinal endoscopy differs between Japan and advanced Western countries. In advanced Western countries, gastrointestinal endoscopy is performed almost exclusively at specialized facilities, where strict provisions are observed for cleansing and disinfecting endoscopes. In Japan, however, gastrointestinal endoscopy is performed even in small clinics, and the annual number of gastrointestinal endoscopy cases is enormous. In addition, the method for cleansing and disinfecting endoscopes differs among hospitals. Although there is a distinct lack of evidence for how gastrointestinal endoscopes are cleaned and disinfected, it is necessary to standardize the method for doing so to advance the field of endoscopic medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures have a high risk of aerosol contamination of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) to endoscopists, nurses, and healthcare assistants. Given the current pandemic situation of COVID‐19, the Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society issued the recommendation for gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy based on the status of COVID‐19 as of April 9, 2020, in Japan: (i) indications for GI endoscopy in the pandemic of COVID‐19; (ii) practical protective equipment for medical personnel depending on the risk for COVID‐19; (iii) preprocedural management, such as pharyngeal local anesthesia using lidocaine spray which has a potential to generate the aerosols; (iv) ideal settings of the endoscopy room including the numbers of the staff and the patients; (v) postprocedural management, such as undressing and follow‐up of the patients, as well as the involved staff, were documented to fit the practical scenarios in GI endoscopy, with the available data in Japan and the world. We believe that certain measures will prevent further spread of COVID‐19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim The impact of frequent colonoscopy on colorectal cancer ( CRC) remains unclear. The present study aimed to determine the relationship between frequency of surveillance colonoscopy and CRC prevention. Methods From April 2010 to April 2011, patients who underwent surveillance colonoscopy after screening and polypectomy in four Japanese endoscopy centers were enrolled in this multicenter historical cohort study. Patients were classified into the following two groups according to the findings of past colonoscopy: a low-risk group (no neoplasia or 1-2 cumulative adenomas <10 mm) and an increased-risk group (advanced adenoma or ≥3 cumulative adenomas). The relationship between colonoscopy frequency within the previous 5 years and the prevalence of advanced neoplasia in each group was analyzed using multiple logistic regression. Results The final analysis included 2391 patients. In the low-risk group, the odds ratios for advanced adenoma in patientsundergoing moderately frequent colonoscopy (2-3 times within the previous 5 years), and frequent colonoscopy (≥4 times within 5 years) were 0.33 (95% confidence interval [ CI], 0.14-0.81) and 0.21 (95% CI, 0.02-1.60), respectively, compared with infrequent colonoscopy (once or not at all within 5 years). In the increased-risk group, the respective odds ratios were 0.48 (95% CI, 0.28-0.83) and 0.28 (95% CI, 0.12-0.64). Conclusions Although frequent colonoscopy provides benefits against advanced adenoma, the optimal benefit was achieved at 2-3 times. With very frequent colonoscopy (i.e. ≥4 times within 5 years), the additional risk reduction for advanced adenoma was relatively small. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Standard imaging techniques using a curved linear array echoendocope are summarized to facilitate the attainment of expertise in endoscopic ultrasonography and endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration, and to promote the widespread use of this diagnostic and therapeutic tool. Typical images of the mediastinal organs, the bilio-pancreatic systems and neighboring organs by scanning from the esophagus, stomach, duodenal bulb, and descending portion of the duodenum, are shown in a sequential manner. The basic techniques of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]