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Stricture is one of the main complications of Crohn's disease (CD). Among the main conservative therapeutic alternatives, endoscopic balloon dilation (EBD) of the strictures stands out, which can improve the symptoms and delay or even avoid the need for more surgeries. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the EBD in CD patients with post-surgical anastomotic strictures from a previous surgery.An observational study of a cohort of 32 patients with CD who underwent EBD due to uncomplicated strictures at a tertiary hospital, since 2009. Demographic, clinical and disease variables, medical treatments and previous surgeries and types, analytical variables at the time of dilation, number of dilations, complications and need for subsequent surgery were collected by searching data in clinical records.Thirty-two patients were included, performing a total of 63 endoscopic dilations. A technical success of 63.5%, a therapeutic success by dilation of 58.75% and a therapeutic success per patient of 62.5% were achieved. Regarding complications, the percentage of post-dilation adverse events was 3.2% and post-dilation incidents were 4.8%. Thirty EBD did not need any medical treatment modification, 9 EBD remained untreated and 12 EBD required further surgery. The length of the strictures, but not the ongoing treatment, was the only statistically significant factor of therapeutic success by dilation and per patient.EBD seems a safe technique in short post-surgical strictures, can avoid the need for new surgery and prevents unnecessary immunosuppression in patients with CD anastomotic strictures.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a rare cholestatic liver disease that typically affects middle-aged men with ulcerative colitis (UC). However, recent studies point out to epidemiological changes. Our aim was to determine if the epidemiology, clinical course and outcome of patients with PSC followed at a reference hepatology center resemble what is described in the literature.Retrospective search of patients with a diagnosis of PSC treated in our center between 2000 and 2019.Cohort of 55 patients (mean age: 37 years), 44% women. Most were large duct type (79%). Most diagnoses were made after 2011. At time of diagnosis, 63% of patients were asymptomatic. The median time from suspicion to diagnosis was 2 years. After a mean follow-up time of 7 years, one third developed cirrhosis, and 25% required liver transplantation (LT); among these, the disease recurred in almost half. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) was present in 45%, especially UC. Although statistical significance was not reached, PSC in women was characterized by higher rate of asymptomatic presentation and more frequent association with UC versus other forms of IBD. Women also had more frequently cirrhosis at diagnosis and required LT more often than men.The epidemiology of PSC is changing. The number of women affected is greater than what was expected from the literature, with a recent increase in incidence. There seems to be differences between sexes in the form of presentation and disease course that should be confirmed in subsequent studies.

Resumen Introduccion y objetivos La colangitis esclerosante primaria (CEP) es una enfermedad hepatica colestasica rara, que tipicamente afecta a varones de mediana edad con colitis ulcerosa (CU). No obstante, estudios recientes apuntan a cambios epidemiologicos. Nuestro objetivo es determinar si la epidemiologia, presentacion clinica y curso evolutivo de pacientes con CEP seguidos en un centro de referencia se asemejan a lo descrito en la literatura. Pacientes y metodos Busqueda retrospectiva de pacientes con diagnostico de CEP atendidos en nuestro centro entre los anos 2000 y 2019. Resultados Cohorte de 55 pacientes (media de edad: 37 anos), el 44% mujeres, afectos de CEP, el 79% de ducto grande. Casi dos tercios fueron diagnosticados a partir de 2011. En el momento del diagnostico, un 63% de los pacientes se encontraba asintomatico. La mediana de tiempo desde la sospecha hasta el diagnostico fue de 2 anos. Un 34% desarrollo cirrosis en el seguimiento, y un 25% requirio trasplante hepatico (TH) tras una media de tiempo de 7 anos; entre estos, la enfermedad recurrio en un 46%. Un 45% presentaba una enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal (EII), sobre todo CU. Si bien no se alcanzo significacion estadistica, la CEP en mujeres se caracterizo por mayor tasa de presentacion asintomatica, mayor asociacion con CU frente a otras formas de EII, asi como cirrosis al diagnostico y necesidad de TH con mayor frecuencia que los varones. Conclusiones La epidemiologia de la CEP esta cambiando. El numero de mujeres afectas es mayor al descrito previamente, objetivandose un aumento reciente de la incidencia. Podrian existir diferencias entre sexos en la forma de presentacion y evolucion que deberan confirmarse en estudios posteriores.

BACKGROUND: Retrospective studies have suggested that long-term use of opioids can cause esophageal motility dysfunction. A recent clinical entity known as opioid-induced esophageal dysfunction (OIED) has been postulated. There is no data from prospective studies assessing the incidence of opioid-induced effects on the esophagus. AIM: Evaluate the incidence of OIED during chronic opioid therapy. METHODS: From February 2017 to August 2018, all patients seen in the Pain Unit of the hospital, who started opioid treatment for chronic non-neoplastic pain and who did not present esophageal symptoms previously, were included. The presence of esophageal symptoms was assessed using the Eckardt score after 3 months and 1 year since the start of the study. In February 2021, the clinical records of all included patients were reviewed to assess whether esophageal symptoms were present and whether opioid therapy was continued. In patients presenting with esophageal symptoms, an endoscopy was performed and, if normal, a high-resolution esophageal manometry was performed. For a confidence level of 95%, a 4% margin of error and an estimated prevalence of 4%, a sample size of 92 patients was calculated. RESULTS: 100 patients were included and followed while taking opioids, for a median of 31 months with a range between 4 and 48 months. Three women presented with dysphagia during the first 3 months of treatment, being diagnosed with esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction; type II and type III achalasia. The cumulative incidence of OIED was 3%; 95%-CI: 0-6%. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic opioid therapy in patients with chronic non-neoplastic pain is associated with symptomatic esophageal dysfunction.

Carbapenems are antibiotics of the cephalosporin family with a good penetrance into the central nervous system. Neurotoxicity is a rare adverse effect, most often associated with imipenem (0.4-10 %) and unusual with ertapenem. It usually presents as seizures, although encephalopathy or hallucinations may develop. However, a recent large study (n = 544) found neurotoxicity associated to the use of ertapenem with an incidence of 4.6 %. There were associated factors such as advanced age or renal dysfunction (ertapenem has a renal metabolism level of 80 %).