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Background and study aims: Endoscopy plays an essential role in managing patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), as it allows us to visualize and assess the severity of the disease. As such assessments are not always objective, different scores have been devised to standardize the findings. The main aim of this study was to assess the interobserver variability between the Mayo Endoscopy Score (MES), Ulcerative Colitis Endoscopy Index of Severity (UCEIS) and Ulcerative Colitis Colonoscopy Index of Severity (UCCIS) analyzing the severity of the endoscopic lesions in patients with ulcerative colitis. Patients and methods: This was a single-cohort observational study in which a colonoscopy was carried out on patients with UC, as normal clinical practice, and a video was recorded. The results from the video were classified according to the MES, UCEIS and UCCIS by three endoscopic specialists independently, and they were compared to each other. The Mayo Endoscopy Score (MES) was used to assess the clinical situation of the patient. The therapeutic impact was analyzed after colonoscopy was carried out. Results: Sixty-seven patients were included in the study. The average age was 51 (SD ± 16.7) and the average MES was 3.07 (SD ± 2.54). The weighted Kappa index between endoscopists A and B for the MES was 0.8; between A and C 0.52; and between B and C 0.49. The intraclass correlation coefficient for UCEIS was 0.92 among the three endoscopists (CI 95 %: 0.83–0.96) and 0.96 for UCCIS among the three endoscopists (CI 95 % 0.94–0.97). A change in treatment for 34.3 % of the patients was implemented on seeing the results of the colonoscopy. Conclusions: There was an adequate, but not perfect, correlation between the different endoscopists for MES, UCEIS, UCCIS. This was higher with the last two scores. Thus, there is still some subjectivity to be minimized through special training, on assessing the seriousness of the endoscopic lesions in patients with UC.

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided drainage is now the treatment of choice in cases of pancreatic pseudocysts and walled-off necrosis, especially in the absence of luminal bulging and in patients with portal hypertension. Malignant refractory ascites usually heralds a poor prognosis and substantially impairs the quality of life of patients because of the symptoms experienced and the need for repeated paracentesis. EUS-guided placement of lumen-apposing, fully covered, self-expandable metal stents (FCSEMS) has been reported for the drainage of malignant ascites. Herein, we present the results of EUS-guided placement of plastic pigtails stents for the drainage of refractory malignant ascites in three patients. The aim was to improve symptoms and minimize the possible drawbacks of large-caliber FCSEMS. In this preliminary experience, EUS-guided placement of plastic stents was feasible and avoided further paracentesis.

Background and study aims: Colon capsules display images from the moment they are ingested, making the study of other extracolonic areas possible. The aim of this study was to analyze the significance of these extracolonic findings. Patients and methods: In this single-center, prospective study, 165 patients underwent colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) between September 2009 and October 2012 to rule out colonic pathology. Images were recorded, without interruptions, from the moment the capsule was ingested until its battery ran out. The study was deemed complete when the capsule had traveled from the esophagus to excretion or until the hemorrhoidal plexus was observed. Results: CCE was used for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening (81.2 %), to investigate for chronic diarrhea (9.7 %) and chronic iron deficiency anemia (6.1 %), and for patients with incomplete colonoscopy (3.0 %). The capsule returned findings in the esophagus in 52.1 % of patients, in the stomach in 45.5 % of patients, and in the small bowel in 70.7 % of patients, with the findings being considered relevant in 4.9 %, 9.7 %, and 22.6 % of patients, respectively. The whole extent of the digestive tract was fully recorded in 86.1 % of patients and the Z line could be fully observed in 57.6 % of patients. There were no adverse events. Conclusions: CCE allows the recording of images from almost the whole extent of the digestive tract in most patients, enabling relevant pathologies to be identified in extracolonic areas, particularly the small bowel. Technical and procedural improvements are still necessary in order to achieve better observation of the stomach and esophagus.

Background and Study Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the safety and usefulness of capsule endoscopy (CE) in pediatric patients with a suspicion of Crohn's disease. Patients and Methods: CE was used in 12 patients (four girls, eight boys; age 12 - 16; weight range 43-87 kg). The indication was a clinical suspicion of Crohn's disease not confirmed with traditional methods. Gastroscopy, colonoscopy, and small-bowel follow-through examinations were carried out in all of the patients, without any diagnostic findings. Ileoscopy was possible in 50% of the patients, and the ileal mucosa and biopsies were normal in all cases. Results: The capsule was easily swallowed by all of the patients. They all excreted the capsule normally, and no complications were observed in any case. CE identified lesions suggestive of Crohn's disease in seven of the 12 (58.3%), and the majority of the lesions were in the ileum. Conclusions: CE is safe in pediatric patients over 12 years of age. The procedure appears to be a very useful diagnostic tool in children with Crohn's disease.

Introduccion: La dilatacion de vias biliares es un hallazgo frecuente en pacientes con colestasis, aunque no siempre se evidencia su causa por las tecnicas de imagen convencionales (TAC/RMN). Objetivo: Determinar el rendimiento diagnostico de la ecoendoscopia y CPRE secuenciales cuando existe dilatacion de vias biliares. Material y Metodo: Se revisaron las historias clinicas (hallazgos de pruebas, complicaciones y diagnostico final) de pacientes con dilatacion de via biliar intra y/o extrahepatica en TAC/RMN, a quienes se solicito USE y CPRE del 1 de enero al 31 de diciembre del 2013. Los pacientes con datos incompletos fueron excluidos. Resultados: Se incluyeron 31 pacientes. En 17 (55%) se determino la causa de dilatacion con TAC/RMN y en 14 (45%), no. De estos 14, en 12 (86%) se llego al diagnostico con USE-CPRE. De los 31 pacientes, en 28 (90%) se determino la causa de la obstruccion con USE-CPRE, no siendo posible en 3 casos (10%); en dos no se diagnostico la causa con TAC/RMN ni con USE-CPRE, y en el tercero se observo una neoplasia que que no se confirmo con USE-CPRE. Se diagnosticaron 4 complicaciones (13%), 3 pacientes presentaron papilorragia leve que se controlo con tecnicas hemostaticas y uno, pancreatitis. Conclusiones: La USE y CPRE tienen un alto rendimiento diagnostico-terapeutico cuando existe dilatacion de vias biliares. Se registro una alta tasa de complicaciones pero estas fueron leves.