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Background Small Bowel Capsule Endoscopy is the first-choice technique for investigating the majority of small bowel diseases. Its most common complications are related to incomplete examinations and capsule retention. There is no consensus on how patients with previous gastrointestinal surgery should receive the capsule. Objective The primary endpoint was to compare the rate of complete small-bowel examinations (completion rate) between oral ingestion and endoscopic delivery of the capsule. The secondary endpoint was to compare diagnostic yield and adverse events in the two groups. Methods A retrospective observational study was conducted in nine hospitals in Spain. Demographic data, previous surgery, indication for capsule endoscopy, intestinal transit time, diagnosis, completion rate (percentage of capsules reaching the caecum), diagnostic yield (percentage of results compatible with indication for the exam) and adverse events were collected. Results From January 2009 to May 2019 fifty-seven patients were included (39 male, mean age 66 ± 15 years). The most common indications for the exam were “overt” (50.9%) and “occult” (35.1%) small bowel bleeding. Previous Billroth II gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass were present in 52.6% and 17.5% of patients respectively. The capsule was swallowed in 34 patients and placed endoscopically in 23 patients. No significant differences were observed between the oral ingestion and endoscopic delivery groups in terms of completion rate (82.4% vs. 78.3%; p = 0.742), diagnostic yield (41.2% vs. 52.2%; p = 0.432) or small bowel transit time (301 vs. 377 min, p = 0.118). No capsule retention occurred. Only one severe adverse event (anastomotic perforation) was observed in the endoscopic delivery group. Conclusions In our case series, there were no significant differences between oral ingestion and endoscopic delivery in terms of completion rate, diagnostic yield or safety. Being less invasive, oral ingestion of the capsule should be the first-choice method in patients with previous gastrointestinal surgery.

Resumen Introduccion A pesar de los avances en las tecnicas de imagen, en muchos casos son insuficientes para establecer el diagnostico de las lesiones quisticas pancreaticas (LQP). Son escasas las publicaciones en nuestro medio que evaluan la combinacion de varios metodos obtenidos mediante la puncion aspirativa con aguja fina con ultrasonografia endoscopica (USE-PAAF). El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar la utilidad global de la USE-PAAF en el diagnostico de las LQP. Material y metodos Estudio retrospectivo a partir de una base de datos actualizada prospectivamente de una cohorte de pacientes remitidos para USE-PAAF por LQP. Se estudio la sensibilidad, la especificidad, el rendimiento diagnostico del antigeno carcinoembrionario (CEA), la citologia y la viscosidad para detectar lesiones mucinosas. Resultados Desde noviembre de 2013 a abril del 2018 se realizaron 122 USE por LQP. Se realizo USE-PAAF en 94/122 (77%) y se intervinieron 21/122 (17,2%) pacientes. Se incluyeron 33/122 pacientes que tuvieron confirmacion diagnostica mediante histologia, imagen (quiste seroso con patron tipico) o evolucion clinica. El estudio de la curva ROC determino el punto de corte ≥ 419 ng/ml para diferenciar lesion quistica mucinosa/no mucinosa. El rendimiento diagnostico del CEA fue del 87,5% (21/24), de la citologia del 81,8% (27/33) y de la viscosidad del 84,4% (27/32). Los 3 parametros en combinacion obtuvieron el mejor resultado (30/33, 90,9%). Conclusion La combinacion del analisis del CEA, la citologia y la viscosidad del liquido pancreatico obtenido mediante USE-PAAF aumenta el rendimiento en el diagnostico de las lesiones quisticas pancreaticas mucinosas, siendo superior al 90%.

Background Capsule endoscopy (CE) is the first-line investigation in cases of suspected Crohn's disease (CD) of the small bowel, but the factors associated with a higher diagnostic yield remain unclear. Objective Our aim is to develop and validate a scoring index to assess the risk of the patients in this setting on the basis of biomarkers. Patients and methods Data on fecal calprotectin, C-reactive protein, and other biomarkers from a population of 124 patients with suspected CD of the small bowel studied by CE and included in a PhD study were used to build a scoring index. This was first used on this population (internal validation process) and after that on a different set of patients from a multicenter study (external validation process). Results An index was designed in which every biomarker is assigned a score. Three risk groups have been established (low, intermediate, and high). In the internal validation analysis (124 individuals), patients had a 10, 46.5, and 81% probability of showing inflammatory lesions in CE in the low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk groups, respectively. In the external validation analysis, including 410 patients from 12 Spanish hospitals, this probability was 15.8, 49.7, and 80.6% for the low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk groups, respectively. Conclusion Results from the internal validation process show that the scoring index is coherent, and results from the external validation process confirm its reliability. This index can be a useful tool for selecting patients before CE studies in cases of suspected CD of the small bowel.

Background The presence of hepatolithiasis (HL) is prevalent in eastern countries. It is a clinical entity which is rarely reported in non-surgical series because the standard treatment is the surgical option. Currently, treatment has evolved, with the use of endoscopic techniques being increased and the number of hepatectomies being decreased. SpyGlass™ is a small-calibre endoscopic direct cholangiopancreatoscopy developed to explore and perform procedures in the bile and pancreatic ducts. Single-operator peroral cholangioscopy (POC) is an endoscopic technique useful for treating difficult bile duct stones. Aims To assess the usefulness, efficacy, and safety of POC with the SpyGlass™ system in patients with HL. Primary objectives: to achieve technical success of the procedure and clinical success of patients with HL. Study design and patients Retrospective, single-centre cohort study of patients with HL from April 2012 to August 2018. SpyGlass™ was chosen in symptomatic patients referred from the surgery unit as the first-line procedure. To perform electrohydraulic lithotripsy (EHL), we used a Northgate Autolith IEHL generator with a 0.66-mm biliary probe. Results We performed a total of 13 procedures in 7 patients with HL. The mean age was 46 years (range 35–65) and 3/7 of patients were female. We achieved technical success in 5/7 cases (71.4%) and clinical success in 4/7 cases (57%). Discussion SpyGlass™ is safe and effective in the treatment of HL. With these results, we confirm the need for management of patients with HL in a multidisciplinary team. When the endoscopic approach is the option, this procedure must be performed by experts in advanced endoscopy.

Most extrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas are unresectable at the time of diagnosis and even in case of a resectable cancer, surgery is not an option for the elderly or patients with comorbidities (1). Current treatment alternatives in these scenarios are very limited. Biliary stenting with self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) is the mainstay palliative treatment for biliary obstruction (2). However, emerging experience with endoscopic RF ablation (RFA) in this setting has been reported in the literature.

Background and aims: to assess the usefulness, efficacy and safety of single-operator cholangiopancreatoscopy (SOCP) with the SpyGlass(tm) system for the management of biliopancreatic diseases. Methods: a retrospective analysis of patients undergoing SOCP with the SpyGlass(tm) between September 2008 and April 2016 was performed. Data was obtained from a prospectively-maintained database at a tertiary referral center. The primary study outcomes were technical and complete endoscopic success of the procedure. Two different SpyGlass(tm) systems were employed; the former is called legacy and the latter, digital system (DS). Results: a total of 107 SOCP procedures in 93 patients performed by a single operator were analyzed. Technical success of the SpyGlass(tm) examination was achieved in 90/93 (97%) of patients and complete success by resolving the biliopancreatic condition in 82/93 (88%) cases. In indeterminate biliary strictures, a complete success was achieved in 45/52 (85%) of cases. With regard to stone treatment, technical success was achieved in 34/34 (100%) patients and complete success, in 31/34 (91%) cases. Electrohydraulic lithotripsy was applied in 16/34 (47%) of cases. There were a total of 7/93 adverse effects (7.5%). Conclusions: SOCP is a useful and safe technique for the treatment of biliopancreatic diseases with a low rate of adverse effects. The procedure seems technically demanding and dedication is required.

Background and aim The role of capsule endoscopy (CE) in established celiac disease (CD) remains unclear. Our objective was to analyze the usefulness of CE in the suspicion of complicated CD. Methods This was a retrospective multicenter study. One hundred and eighty-nine celiac patients (mean age: 46.6 ± 16.6, 30.2% males) who underwent CE for alarm symptoms (n = 86, 45.5%) or non-responsive CD (n = 103, 54.5%) were included. Diagnostic yield (DY), therapeutic impact and safety were analyzed. Results Capsule endoscopy was completed in 95.2% of patients (small bowel transit time: 270.5 ± 100.2 min). Global DY was 67.2%, detecting atrophic mucosa (n = 92, 48.7%), ulcerative jejunoileitis (n = 21, 11.1%), intestinal lymphoma (n = 7, 3.7%) and other enteropathies (n = 7, 3.7%, six Crohn's disease cases and one neuroendocrine tumor). The DY of CE was significantly higher in patients presenting with non-responsive disease compared to patients with alarm symptoms (73.8% vs 59.3%, P = 0.035). The new findings of the CE modified management in 59.3% of the cases. There were no major complications. Conclusion Capsule endoscopy may be a moderately helpful and safe diagnostic tool in the suspicion of complicated CD, modifying the clinical course of these patients.

AIM To analyze the diagnostic yield (DY), therapeutic impact (TI) and safety of capsule endoscopy (CE). METHODS This is a multi-centre, observational, analytical, retrospective study. A total of 163 patients with suspicion of celiac disease (CD) (mean age = 46.4 ± 17.3 years, 68.1% women) who underwent CE from 2003 to 2015 were included. Patients were divided into four groups: seronegative CD with atrophy (Group- ?, n = 19), seropositive CD without atrophy (Group- ?, n = 39), contraindication to gastroscopy (Group-?, n = 6), seronegative CD without atrophy, but with a compatible context (Group-?, n = 99). DY, TI and the safety of CE were analysed. RESULTS The overall DY was 54% and the final diagnosis was villous atrophy (n = 65, 39.9%), complicated CD (n = 12, 7.4%) and other enteropathies (n = 11, 6.8%; 8 Crohn's). DY for groups ? to ? was 73.7%, 69.2%, 50% and 44.4%, respectively. Atrophy was located in duodenum in 24 cases (36.9%), diffuse in 19 (29.2%), jejunal in 11 (16.9%), and patchy in 10 cases (15.4%). Factors associated with a greater DY were positive serology (68.3% vs 49.2%, P = 0.034) and older age (P = 0.008). On the other hand, neither sex nor clinical presentation, family background, positive histology or HLA status were associated with DY. CE results changed the therapeutic approach in 71.8% of the cases. Atrophy was associated with a greater TI (92.3% vs 45.3%, P < 0.001) and 81.9% of the patients responded to diet. There was one case of capsule retention (0.6%). Agreement between CE findings and subsequent histology was 100% for diagnosing normal/other conditions, 70% for suspected CD and 50% for complicated CD. CONCLUSION CE has a high DY in cases of suspicion of CD and it leads to changes in the clinical course of the disease. CE is safe procedure with a high degree of concordance with histology and it helps in the differential diagnosis of CD. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved. Yes