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Background and study aims Pancreatic duct (PD) cannulation may be difficult during conventional endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) due to underlying pathology, anatomical variants or surgically altered anatomy. Pancreatic access in these cases previously necessitated percutaneous or surgical approaches. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) allows for an alternative and can be combined with ERCP for rendezvous during the same procedure, or for other salvage options. Patients and methods Patients with attempted EUS access of the PD from tertiary referral centers between 2009 and 2022 were included in the cohort. Demographic data, technical data, procedural outcomes and adverse events were collected. The primary outcome was rendezvous success. Secondary outcomes included rates of successful PD decompression and change in procedural success over time. Results The PD was accessed in 105 of 111 procedures (95 %), with successful subsequent ERCP in 45 of 95 attempts (47 %). Salvage direct PD stenting was performed in 5 of 14 attempts (36 %). Sixteen patients were scheduled for direct PD stenting (without rendezvous) with 100 % success rate. Thus 66 patients (59 %) had successful decompression. Success rates improved from 41 % in the first third of cases to 76 % in the final third. There were 13 complications (12 %), including post-procedure pancreatitis in seven patients (6 %). Conclusions EUS-guided anterograde pancreas access is a feasible salvage method if retrograde access fails. The duct can be cannulated, and drainage can be achieved in the majority of cases. Success rates improve over time. Future research may involve investigation into technical, patient and procedural factors contributing to rendezvous success.

Background/Aims: Multiple outbreaks of multidrug-resistant organisms have been reported worldwide due to contaminated duodenoscopes. In 2015, the United States Food and Drug Administration recommended the following supplemental enhanced surveillance and reprocessing techniques (ESRT) to improve duodenoscope disinfection: (1) microbiological culture, (2) ethylene oxide sterilization, (3) liquid chemical sterilant processing system, and (4) double high-level disinfection. A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to assess the impact of ESRT on the contamination rates.Methods: A thorough and systematic search was performed across several databases and conference proceedings from inception until January 2021, and all studies reporting the effectiveness of various ESRTs were identified. The pooled contamination rates of post-ESRT duodenoscopes were estimated using the random effects model.Results: A total of seven studies using various ESRTs were incorporated in the analysis, which included a total of 9,084 post-ESRT duodenoscope cultures. The pooled contamination rate of the post-ESRT duodenoscope was 5% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.3%–10.8%, inconsistency index [I2]=97.97%). Pooled contamination rates for high-risk organisms were 0.8% (95% CI: 0.2%–2.7%, I2=94.96).Conclusions: While ESRT may improve the disinfection process, a post-ESRT contamination rate of 5% is not negligible. Ongoing efforts to mitigate the rate of contamination by improving disinfection techniques and innovations in duodenoscope design to improve safety are warranted.

To evaluate the safety and efficacy endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage (EUS-GBD) using a lumen-apposing metal stent (LAMS).For patients with acute cholecystitis who are poor surgical candidates, EUS-GBD using a LAMS is an important treatment alternative to percutaneous gallbladder drainage (PT-GBD).We conducted a regulatory-compliant, prospective multicenter trial at 7 tertiary referral centers in the USA and Belgium. Thirty consecutive patients with mild or moderate acute cholecystitis who were not candidates for cholecystectomy were enrolled between September 2019 and August 2021. Eligible patients had a LAMS placed transmurally with 30-to-60-day indwell if removal was clinically indicated, and 30-day follow-up post-LAMS removal. Endpoints included days until acute cholecystitis resolution, reintervention rate, acute cholecystitis recurrence rate, and procedure-related adverse events (AEs).Technical success was 93.3% (28/30) for LAMS placement and 100% for LAMS removal in 19 patients for whom removal was attempted. Five (16.7%) patients required reintervention. Mean time to acute cholecystitis resolution was 1.6±1.5 days. Acute cholecystitis symptoms recurred in 10.0% (3/30) after LAMS removal. Five (16.7%) patients died from unrelated causes. Procedure-related AEs were reported to the FDA in 30.0% (9/30) of patients, including 1 fatal event 21 days after LAMS removal; however, no AEs were causally related to the LAMS.For select patients with acute cholecystitis who are at elevated surgical risk, EUS-GBD with LAMS is an alternative to PT-GBD. It has high technical and clinical success, with low recurrence and an acceptable adverse event rate. Clinicaltrials.gov, Number: NCT03767881.

Although released only for drainage of pseudocyst and walled-off necrosis (WON) with ≤ 30% solid debris, the utilization of lumen-apposing metal stent (LAMS) in “real-world” practice has deviated from approved indications. We evaluated the contemporary use of LAMS and associated clinical, procedural outcomes in the setting of a tertiary referral center in the USA. Data from 303 consecutive patients who underwent LAMS placement were analyzed. Outcomes included technical and clinical success rates and adverse events. Of 303 patients, 190 (62.7%) received LAMS for off-label indications. The latter included gallbladder drainage (n = 56, 18.5%), gastroenterostomy (n = 52, 17.2%), treatment of gastrointestinal strictures (n = 37, 12.2%), biliary drainage (n = 20, 6.6%), temporary gastric access for endoscopy (n = 13, 4.3%), symptomatic WON with > 30% solid debris (n = 8, 2.6%), and miscellaneous (n = 4, 1.3%). Technical success rates in the on- and off-label arm were 98.2% and 95.8%, respectively (P = .331; 95% CI 0.08 to 1.96). Clinical success rates in the on- and off-label arm were 89.4% and 83.2%, respectively (P = .137; 95% CI 0.28 to 1.19). The rate of adverse events was 20.5% (n = 39) in the off-label arm and 16.8% (n = 19) in the on-label arm (P = .242; 95% CI 0.69 to 2.34). Off-label use of LAMS out-numbered on-label use in our practice. The safety profile between the groups was similar and with the exception of refractory stricture treatment, efficacy was comparable.

Background and study aims Recent outbreaks attributed to contaminated duodenoscopes have led to the development of enhanced surveillance and reprocessing techniques (enhanced-SRT) aimed at minimizing cross-contamination. Common enhanced-SRT include double high-level disinfection (HLD), ethylene oxide (EtO) gas sterilization, and culture-based monitoring of reprocessed scopes. Adoption of these methods adds to the operational costs and we aimed to assess its economic impact to an institution. Methods We compared the estimated costs of three enhanced-SRT versus single-HLD using data from two institutions. We examined the cost of capital measured as scope inventory and frequency of scope use per unit time, the constituent reprocessing costs required on a per-cycle basis, and labor & staffing needs. The economic impact attributable to enhanced-SRT was defined as the difference between the total cost of enhanced-SRT and single HLD. Results Compared to single HLD, adoption of double HLD increased the costs approximately by 47 % ($80 vs $118). Similarly, culture and quarantine and EtO sterilization increased costs by 160 % and 270 %, respectively ($80 vs $208 and $296). Enhanced-SRT introduced significant scope downtime due to prolonged techniques, necessitating a 3.4-fold increase in the number of scopes needed to maintain procedural volume. The additional annual budget required to implement enhanced-SRT approached $406,000 per year in high-volume centers. Conclusions While enhanced-SRT may reduce patient risk of exposure to contaminated duodenoscopes, it significantly increases the cost of performing ERCP. Future innovation should focus on approaches that can ensure patient safety while maintaining the ability to perform ERCP in a cost-effective manner.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) has evolved from a primarily diagnostic to therapeutic procedure in hepatobiliary and pancreatic disease. Most commonly, ERCPs are performed for choledocholithiasis with or without cholangitis, but improvements in technology and technique have allowed for management of pancreatic duct stones, benign and malignant strictures, and bile and pancreatic leaks. As an example of necessity driving innovation, the new disposable duodenoscopes have been introduced into practice. With the advantage of eliminating transmissible infections, they represent a paradigm shift in quality improvement within ERCP. With procedures becoming more complicated, the necessity for anesthesia involvement and safety of propofol use and general anesthesia has become better defined. The improvements in endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) have allowed for direct bile duct access and EUS facilitated bile duct access for ERCP. In patients with surgically altered anatomy, selective cannulation can be performed with overtube-assisted enteroscopy, laparoscopic surgery assistance, or the EUS-directed transgastric ERCP. Cholangioscopy and pancreatoscopy use has become ubiquitous with defined indications for large bile duct stones, indeterminate strictures, and hepatobiliary and pancreatic neoplasia. This review summarizes the recent advances in infection prevention, quality improvement, pancreaticobiliary access, and management of hepatobiliary and pancreatic diseases. Where appropriate, future research directions are included in each section.

Background and Aims: Expert endoscopists previously reported ERCP outcomes for the first commercialized single-use duodenoscope. We aimed to document usability of this device by endoscopists with different levels of ERCP experience. Methods: Fourteen “expert” (>2000 lifetime ERCPs) and 5 “less-expert” endoscopists performed consecutive ERCPs in patients without altered pancreaticobiliary anatomy. Outcomes included ERCP completion for the intended indication, rate of crossover to another endoscope, device performance ratings, and serious adverse events. Results: Two hundred ERCPs including 81 (40.5%) with high complexity (American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy grades 3-4) were performed. Crossover rate (11.3% vs 2.5%, P =.131), ERCP completion rate (regardless of crossovers) (96.3% vs 97.5%, P =.999), median ERCP completion time (25.0 vs 28.5 minutes, P =.130), mean cannulation attempts (2.8 vs 2.8, P =.954), and median overall satisfaction with the single-use duodenoscope (8.0 vs 8.0 [range, 1.0-10.0], P =.840) were similar for expert versus less-expert endoscopists, respectively. The same metrics were similar by procedural complexity except for shorter median completion time for grades 1 to 2 versus grades 3 to 4 (P Conclusions: In consecutive ERCPs including high complexity procedures, endoscopists with varying ERCP experience had good procedural success and reported high device performance ratings. (Clinical trial registration number: NCT04223830.)

Background Endoscopic ultrasound-guided rendezvous (EUS-RV) endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is an alternative to interventional radiology-guided rendezvous ERCP in patients who failed biliary cannulation with conventional ERCP. However, there is significant variation in reported rates of success and adverse events associated with EUS-RV-assisted ERCP. We performed a systematic review and a proportion meta-analysis to reliably assess the effectiveness and safety of the EUS-RV-assisted ERCP. Materials and methods We conducted a comprehensive search of multiple electronic databases and conference proceedings (from inception through August 2020) to identify studies reporting EUS-RV-assisted ERCP in patients who failed biliary cannulation with conventional ERCP techniques. Using the random-effects model described by DerSimonian and Laird, we calculated the pooled rates of technical success, clinical success, and adverse events of EUS-RV-assisted ERCP. Results Twelve studies reporting a total of 342 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled rate of technical success (12 studies reporting a total of 342 patients) was 86.1% [95% confidence interval (CI): 78.4-91.3]. The pooled rate of clinical success (4 studies reporting a total of 94 patients) was 80.8% (95% CI: 64.1-90.8). The pooled rate of overall adverse events (12 studies; 42 events in 342 patients) was 14% (95% CI: 10.5-18.4). Low to moderate heterogeneity was noted in the analyses. Conclusions EUS-RV-assisted ERCP appears to be effective and safe in patients who failed biliary cannulation with conventional ERCP. Given the risk of adverse events, it should be performed in centers with expertise in therapeutic endoscopic ultrasound.

Fluoroscopy is often used for endoscopic balloon dilation (EBD) of Crohn’s disease (CD)-related strictures. However, its benefit remains unclear. To compare EBD with (EBDF) and without (EBDNF) fluoroscopic guidance in CD patients with strictures. Single-center, nested, case–control retrospective study of EBD for CD-related strictures. Technical and clinical success and safety outcomes were compared between EBDF and EBDNF. A total of 122 strictures in 114 CD patients who underwent EBD from 2010 to 2018 at a single institution were reviewed (44 patients EBDF vs. 70 EBDNF). Esophagogastroduodenoscopy was the approach in 8 strictures, colonoscopy in 86, and deep enteroscopy in 28. There were no significant differences in the rates of technical and clinical success, need for repeat dilation and surgery between the two groups, although the mean maximal endoscopic balloon diameter was larger in the EBDNF group (17.1 ± 1.9 vs. 14.1 ± 2.5; p

Background/Aims: This study assessed the significance of biliary stricture in symptomatic chronic pancreatitis patients requiring extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) to remove obstructing pancreatic calculi. Methods: A total of 97 patients underwent ESWL followed by ERCP to remove pancreatic calculi between October 2014 and October 2017 at Virginia Mason Medical Center. Significant biliary stricture (SBS) was defined as a stricture with upstream dilation on computed tomography scan or magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography scans accompanied by cholestasis and/or cholangitis. SBS was initially managed by either a plastic stent or fully covered self-expandable metallic stent (fcSEMS). If the stricture did not resolve, the stent was replaced with either multiple plastic stents or another fcSEMS. Data were collected by retrospectively reviewing the medical records. Results: Biliary strictures were noted in approximately one-third of patients (34/97, 35%) undergoing ESWL for pancreatic calculi. Approximately one-third of the biliary strictures (11/34, 32%) were SBS. Pseudocysts were more frequently found in those with SBS (36% vs 8%, p=0.02), and all pseudocysts in the SBS group were located in the pancreatic head. The initial stricture resolution rates with fcSEMSs and plastic prostheses were 75% and 29%, respectively. The overall success rate for stricture resolution was 73% (8/11), and the recurrence rate after initial stricture resolution was 25% (2/8). Conclusions: Although periductal fibrosis is the main mechanism underlying biliary stricture development in chronic pancreatitis, inflammation induced by obstructing pancreatic calculi, including pseudocysts, is an important contributing factor to SBS formation during the acute phase. (Gut Liver 2021;15:128-134)

Objective While single-use and detachable-tip duodenoscopes have been recently developed to overcome risks of infection transmission, there are no reliable tools to objectively assess their technical performance. We evaluated the reliability and validity of a newly developed tool to assess the technical performance of reusable duodenoscopes. Methods An assessment tool was developed to measure duodenoscope performance based on three distinct criteria: maneuverability, mechanical/imaging characteristics and ability to perform requisite interventions. The assessment tool was tested prospectively on duodenoscopes used in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedures at nine academic medical centers over a 6-month period. The main outcome was reliability of the duodenoscope assessment tool, which was estimated using Cronbach's coefficient alpha (α). The secondary outcome was validity of the assessment tool. Results The assessment tool evaluated technical performance of reusable duodenoscopes in 1080 ERCP procedures. Indications were biliary in 92.8% and pancreatic in 7.2% procedures. The overall Cronbach's coefficient α for maneuverability was 0.81, assessment of mechanical/imaging characteristics was 0.92, and ability to perform requisite interventions was 0.87. On multiple linear regression analysis, prolonged procedure duration, older patient age and pancreatic interventions were significantly positively associated with higher (worse) scores. Conclusions The newly developed assessment tool appears reliable and valid for evaluating the technical performance of duodenoscopes. Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04004533.

Purpose of review Endoscopic ampullectomy has proven its safety and efficacy in multiple studies, making it the favorable option for the management of endoscopic ampullectomy. In this review, we plan to review the basic steps every endoscopist should be familiar with before undertaking endoscopic ampullectomy. Recent findings In this review, we plan to discuss the indications, preresection evaluation process including endoscopic ultrasound, endoscopic ampullectomy techniques with side-viewing endoscope and endoscopist experience/comfort with the management of the endoscopic ampullectomy complications. Summary Things of utmost interest include reviewing all the ampullary biopsy specimens by an expert gastrointestinal pathologist, careful preresection staging, en bloc resection, familiarity with tools and techniques of endoscopic ampullectomy, postresection adverse events & management and postprocedure surveillance.

In patients with acute cholecystitis who are deemed high risk for cholecystectomy, percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) was historically performed for gallbladder drainage (GBD). There are several limitations associated with PC. Endoscopic GBD [Endoscopic transpapillary GBD (ET-GBD) and EUS-guided GBD (EUS-GBD)] is an alternative to PC. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the effectiveness and safety of EUS-GBD versus ET-GBD. We performed a systematic search of multiple databases through May 2019 to identify studies that compared outcomes of EUS-GBD versus ET-GBD in the management of acute cholecystitis in high-risk surgical patients. Pooled odds ratios (OR) of technical success, clinical success and adverse events between EUS-GBD and ET-GBD groups were calculated. Five studies with a total of 857 patients (EUS-GBD vs ET-GBD: 259 vs 598 patients) were included in the analysis. EUS-GBD was associated with higher technical [pooled OR 5.22 (95% CI 2.03–13.44; p = 0.0006; I2 = 20%)] and clinical success [pooled OR 4.16 (95% CI 2.00–8.66; p = 0.0001; I2 = 19%)] compared to ET-GBD. There was no statistically significant difference in the rate of overall adverse events [pooled OR 1.30 (95% CI 0.77–2.22; p = 0.33, I2 = 0%)]. EUS-GBD was associated with lower rate of recurrent cholecystitis [pooled OR 0.33 (95% CI 0.14–0.79; p = 0.01; I2 = 0%)]. There was low heterogeneity in the analyses. EUS-GBD has higher rate of technical and clinical success compared to ET-GBD. While the rates of overall adverse events are statistically similar, EUS-GBD has lower rate of recurrent cholecystitis. Hence, EUS-GBD is preferable to ET-GBD for endoscopic management of acute cholecystitis in select high-risk surgical patients.

Viral hepatitis remains a significant global health problem. All forms of viral hepatitis A through E (A-E) can lead to acute symptomatic infection, while hepatitis B and C can lead to chronic infection associated with significant morbidity and mortality related to progression to cirrhosis, end-stage-liver disease, and liver cancer. Viral hepatitis occurs worldwide, though certain regions are disproportionately affected. We now, remarkably, have highly effective curative regimens for hepatitis C, and safe and tolerable medications to suppress hepatitis B activity, and to prevent liver damage and slow disease progression. We have effective vaccines for hepatitis A and B which provide long-lasting immunity, while improved sanitation and awareness can curb outbreaks of hepatitis A and E. However, more effective and available preventive and curative strategies are needed to achieve global eradication of viral hepatitis. This review provides an overview of the epidemiology, transmission, diagnosis, and clinical features of each viral hepatitis with a primary focus on current and future therapeutic and curative options.

Necrotizing pancreatitis can be complicated by Necrotic Fluid Collections (NFC). Guidelines recommend waiting for 4 weeks from the onset of acute pancreatitis (AP) before considering endoscopic drainage. We aimed to compare outcomes and safety in patients undergoing early versus late drainage of NFC.We performed a retrospective review of all patients who underwent Dual Modality Drainage (DMD) [combined endoscopic and percutaneous drainage] for NFC from January 2007 to December 2020. Patients were stratified into the "early" group (DMD 28 days from AP onset) and were matched to "late" (DMD ≥ 28 days) drainage group using propensity- core-matching. Primary outcomes of interest were technical success and adverse events. Secondary outcomes included clinical success, late complication rates, and mortality.We identified 278 patients who underwent DMD for NFC. Thirty-nine belonged to the early group and were matched to 174 patients from the late group. Technical success was similar in both early and late groups (97.4% vs 99.4%: P = 0.244) as were the procedural and early post-procedural ( 14 days) adverse events rates (23.1% vs 27.6%: P = 0.565). Clinical success (92.3% vs 93.1%; P = 0.861) and late complication rates (23.1% vs 31.6%; P = 0.294) were similar. There were 2 deaths (5.7%) in the early vs. 9 (5.2%) in the late group, P = 0.991.When performed in a tertiary care center with expertise in therapeutic endoscopic ultrasound, early drainage of NFC appears to be feasible and safe. Further studies are needed to validate our results.

Background/Aims: Transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) is an accepted anatomic treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease in selected patients. In this report, we analyze our institution’s programmatic allocation of resources during the safe implementation of TIF as a new procedure.Methods: A retrospective analysis of all patients who underwent TIF from January 2020 to February 2021 at our institution was performed. The process of initially allocating the operating room (OR) with overnight admission and postoperative esophagram for added safety, and subsequently transitioning TIF to the endoscopy suite (ES) as an outpatient procedure was described. Patient safety and outcomes were evaluated during transition.Results: Thirty patients who underwent TIF were identified. The mean age was 51.2±16.0 years. TIF was performed in an OR in nine patients (30%) and 21 (70%) in the ES. All the OR patients were admitted overnight and had routine EG. In contrast, four (19%) from the ES group required clinically-indicated admission and three (14.2%) required esophagram. The mean procedure duration was significantly lower in the ES group (65.7 min vs. 84 min, p=0.02).Conclusions: A stepwise, resource-efficient process was described that allowed safe initiation of TIF as a new technique and its effective transition to a fully outpatient procedure.

BACKGROUND There are only limited data available on changes in the etiology, management, and clinical outcomes in patients with lower gastrointestinal bleeding over the past decade. STUDY We compared 2 groups of consecutive patients hospitalized with lower gastrointestinal bleeding during 2 time periods: 2005 to 2007 (301 patients) and 2015 to 2017 (249 patients). RESULTS Compared with the 2005 to 2007 group, the mean Charlson comorbidity index in the 2015 to 2017 group was higher (5.0±2.6 vs. 6.0±3.0, P=0.028), whereas the use of computerized tomographic angiography and small bowel capsule endoscopy was more common (12.9% vs. 58.1%, P

Melanoma incidence has increased worldwide with a concurrent rise in both primary and metastatic melanomas of the gastrointestinal tract. This retrospective single-center case series includes patients with histopathology-confirmed primary or metastatic melanoma of the GI tract between 1998 and 2018. Thirty-four patients were identified for inclusion, of whom 7 were primary and 27 were metastatic cases of gastrointestinal melanoma. For both primary and metastatic cases, the majority of patients presented with frank or occult GI bleeding (57.1% and 70.4%). Primary and metastatic lesions were predominantly diagnosed endoscopically (100% and 63.0%), with 71.4% of primary lesions found at the anorectal junction and 51.9% of metastatic lesions in the small bowel. Endoscopically diagnosed lesions were either polypoid (50%) or a luminal mass (37.5%) in the majority of cases. Common features included: amelanotic (83%), ulcerated (50%), and friable (33.3%). All primary patients were treated with surgical excision or resection. Of the metastatic patients, 56% were resected. The median interval between initial primary and gastrointestinal metastases was 65 months (ranging from 1 month to 24 years). At the time of data analysis, 85.7% of primary and 29.6% of metastatic patients remained alive. The majority of patients in this series were diagnosed endoscopically while investigating a source of gastrointestinal blood loss. Heightened clinical suspicion and recognition of the endoscopic features of gastrointestinal melanoma during evaluation of GI symptoms in a patient with a personal history of primary melanoma are advised.

Background and Aims There is an evolving role for EUS-guided transmural gallbladder (GB) drainage. Endoscopic transpapillary GB drainage is a well-established, nonoperative treatment for acute cholecystitis. We compared the outcomes of 78 cases of EUS-guided versus transpapillary GB drainage at a single, U.S.-based, high-volume endoscopy center. Methods This was a retrospective analysis performed from May 2013 to January 2018, identified from a database of nonoperative patients with acute cholecystitis. Both electrocautery-enhanced and nonelectrocautery-enhanced lumen-apposing metal stents were used. For transpapillary drainage, guidewire access was obtained and then a transpapillary 7F × 15-cm double-pigtail plastic stent was placed. Results In patients who had successful transpapillary or transmural drainage, demographics data were similar. Technical success was observed in 39 of 40 patients (97.5%) who underwent first attempt at EUS-guided drainage versus 32 of 38 patients (84.2%) for first-attempt transpapillary drainage (adjusted odds ratio, 9.83; 95% confidence interval, .93-103.86). Clinical success was significantly higher with EUS drainage in 38 of 40 patients (95.0%) versus transpapillary drainage in 29 of 38 patients (76.3%) (adjusted odds ratio, 7.14; 95% confidence interval, 1.32-38.52). Recurrent cholecystitis was lower in the EUS-guided drainage group (2.6% vs 18.8%, respectively; P = .023) on univariate analysis but only trended to significance in a multiple regression model. Duration of follow-up, reintervention rates, hospital length of stay, and overall adverse event rates were similar between groups. Conclusions EUS-guided GB drainage results in a higher clinical success rate compared with transpapillary drainage and may be associated with a lower recurrence rate of cholecystitis. However, transpapillary drainage should be considered as the first-line treatment for patients who are surgical candidates but require temporizing measures or require an ERCP for alternative reasons.

Gastric carcinoids are rare neuroendocrine tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. They are typically managed according to their etiology. However, there is little known about the impact of surgical strategy on the long-term outcomes of these patients.All patients who underwent resection of gastric carcinoids at 8 institutions from 2000 to 2016 were analyzed retrospectively. Tumors were stratified according to subtype (I, II, III, IV) and resection type (local resection, LR or formal gastrectomy, FG). Clinicopathological parameters, recurrence-free (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared between groups.Of 79 patients identified with gastric carcinoids, 34 had type I lesions associated with atrophic gastritis, 4 had type II lesions associated with a gastrinoma, 37 had type III sporadic lesions, and 4 had type IV poorly-differentiated lesions. The mean age of presentation was 56 years in predominantly Caucasian (77%) and female (63%) patients. Mean tumor size was 2.4 cm and multifocal tumors were found in 24 (30%) of patients with the majority occurring in those with type I tumors. Lymph node positive tumors were seen in 15 (19%) patients and 7 (8%) had M1 disease; both most often in type IV followed by type III tumors. R0 resection was achieved in 56 (71%) patients while 15 (19%) had R1 resections and 6 (8%) R2 resections. Patients with type I and III tumors were equally likely to have a LR (50% and 43% respectively) compared to FG while those with type II and IV all had FG with one exception. Type IV tumors had the poorest RFS and OS while Type II tumors had the most favorable RFS and OS (p 0.04 and p 0.0004, respectively). While there was no difference in RFS in those patients undergoing FG versus LR, OS was worse in the FG group (p 0.017). This trend persisted when type II and type IV groups were excluded (p 0.045).Gastric carcinoid treatment should be tailored to tumor type, as biologic behavior rather than resection technique is the more important factor contributing to long-term outcomes.

Summary Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) in patients with achalasia who are status post bariatric surgery may be technically challenging due to postsurgical scarring and altered anatomy. The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy and safety of POEM for achalasia in patients with prior bariatric surgery. A review of prospectively maintained databases at three tertiary referral centers from January 2015 to January 2021 was performed. The primary outcome of interest was clinical success, defined as a post-treatment Eckardt score ≤ 3 or improvement in Eckardt score by ≥ 1 when the baseline score was

INTRODUCTION Nurse-Administered Propofol Continuous Infusion Sedation (NAPCIS) is a new nonanesthesia propofol delivery method for gastrointestinal endoscopy. NAPCIS is adopted from the computer-assisted propofol sedation (CAPS) protocol. We evaluated the effectiveness, efficiency, and safety of NAPCIS in low-risk subjects. METHODS Between December 2016 and July 2017, patients who underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy or colonoscopy with NAPCIS at our center were compared against 2 historical control groups of similar patients who had undergone procedures with CAPS or midazolam and fentanyl (MF) sedation. RESULTS The mean age of the NAPCIS cohort (N = 3,331) was 55.2 years (45.8% male) for 945 esophagogastroduodenoscopies and 57.8 years (48.7% male) for 2,386 colonoscopies. The procedural success rates with NAPCIS were high (99.1%-99.2%) and similar to those seen in 3,603 CAPS (98.8%-99.0%) and 3,809 MF (99.0%-99.3%) controls. NAPCIS recovery times were shorter than both CAPS and MF (24.8 vs 31.7 and 52.4 minutes, respectively; P < 0.001). On arrival at the recovery unit, 86.6% of NAPCIS subjects were recorded as "Awake" compared with 82.8% of CAPS and 40.8% of MF controls (P < 0.001). Validated clinician and patient satisfaction scores were generally higher for NAPCIS compared with CAPS and MF subjects. For NAPCIS, there were only 4 cases of oxygen desaturation requiring transient mask ventilation and no serious sedation-related complications. These low complication rates were similar to those seen with CAPS (8 cases of mask ventilation) and MF (3 cases). DISCUSSION NAPCIS seems to be a safe, effective, and efficient means of providing moderate sedation for upper endoscopy and colonoscopy in low-risk patients.

Although released only for drainage of pseudocyst and walled-off necrosis (WON) with ≤ 30% solid debris, the utilization of lumen-apposing metal stent (LAMS) in "real-world" practice has deviated from approved indications. We evaluated the contemporary use of LAMS and associated clinical, procedural outcomes in the setting of a tertiary referral center in the USA.Data from 303 consecutive patients who underwent LAMS placement were analyzed. Outcomes included technical and clinical success rates and adverse events.Of 303 patients, 190 (62.7%) received LAMS for off-label indications. The latter included gallbladder drainage (n = 56, 18.5%), gastroenterostomy (n = 52, 17.2%), treatment of gastrointestinal strictures (n = 37, 12.2%), biliary drainage (n = 20, 6.6%), temporary gastric access for endoscopy (n = 13, 4.3%), symptomatic WON with 30% solid debris (n = 8, 2.6%), and miscellaneous (n = 4, 1.3%). Technical success rates in the on- and off-label arm were 98.2% and 95.8%, respectively (P = .331; 95% CI 0.08 to 1.96). Clinical success rates in the on- and off-label arm were 89.4% and 83.2%, respectively (P = .137; 95% CI 0.28 to 1.19). The rate of adverse events was 20.5% (n = 39) in the off-label arm and 16.8% (n = 19) in the on-label arm (P = .242; 95% CI 0.69 to 2.34).Off-label use of LAMS out-numbered on-label use in our practice. The safety profile between the groups was similar and with the exception of refractory stricture treatment, efficacy was comparable.

Patients who chronically use alcohol, marijuana, or opioids, or suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), can be difficult to sedate with midazolam and fentanyl, and often are referred for monitored anesthesia care during endoscopy. Nurse-administered propofol continuous infusion sedation (NAPCIS), which confers the benefit of propofol-based sedation without the added expense of anesthesia, is effective and safe for sedation of healthy patients. We investigated whether NAPCIS also is effective for patients who are difficult to sedate.We performed a retrospective study of patients who underwent upper endoscopy or colonoscopy with NAPCIS at a single center from January 2018 through April 2018. We reviewed records from patients who were heavy users of alcohol (n = 105), daily users of marijuana (n = 267) or opioids (n = 178), had a diagnosis of PTSD (n = 91), or were none of these (controls, n = 786). We compared mean fentanyl and propofol doses (adjusted for body weight), procedure and recovery times, procedure success rates, and adverse events.Compared with the controls, the marijuana group required higher mean adjusted sedative doses for colonoscopies (0.6 vs 0.4 mcg/kg fentanyl and 5.0 vs 4.7 mg/kg propofol; P ≤ .025 for both) and upper endoscopies (0.8 vs 0.3 mcg/kg fentanyl and 3.7 vs 3.2 mg/kg propofol; P ≤ .021 for both), the PTSD group required a higher dose of fentanyl for colonoscopies (0.6 vs 0.4 mcg/kg; P = .009), and the alcohol group required a higher dose of fentanyl for upper endoscopies (0.7 vs 0.3 mcg/kg; P.001). Procedure success rates were high (95.1%-100%) and did not differ significantly between the difficult-to-sedate groups and controls; mean procedure times (7.0-9.0 minutes for upper endoscopies, 21.1-22.9 minutes for colonoscopies) and recovery times (22.5-29.6 minutes) also were similar among groups. Upper endoscopies were associated with lower sedative doses and shorter procedure and recovery times than colonoscopies. Sedation-related adverse events were rare in all groups (only 26 cases total), and there were no serious complications or deaths.NAPCIS seems to be a safe and effective means of providing sedation for endoscopy to patients who may be difficult to sedate owing to alcohol, marijuana, or opioid use, or PTSD.

Background Accurate prediction of mesenteric venous involvement in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is necessary for adequate staging and treatment. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted in PDAC patients at a single institution. All patients with resected PDAC and staging CT and EUS between 2003 and 2014 were included and sub-divided into “upfront resected” and “neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC)” groups. Independent imaging re-review was correlated to venous resection and venous invasion. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were then calculated. Results A total of 109 patients underwent analysis, 60 received upfront resection, and 49 NAC. Venous resection (30%) and vein invasion (13%) was less common in patients resected upfront than those who received NAC (53% and 16%, respectively). Both CT and EUS had poor sensitivity (14–44%) but high specificity (75–95%) for detecting venous resection and vein invasion in patients resected upfront, whereas sensitivity was high (84–100%) and specificity was low (27–44%) after NAC. Conclusions Preoperative CT and EUS in PDAC have similar efficacy but different predictive capacity in assessing mesenteric venous involvement depending on whether patients are resected upfront or received NAC. Both modalities appear to significantly overestimate true vascular involvement and should be interpreted in the appropriate clinical context.

The utility of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) grading scale assessing complexity of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) has not been evaluated in clinical practice. Patients that underwent ERCP between January 2015 and December 2015 were included. Procedural difficulty was graded according to the grading system proposed by the ASGE workshop. Technical success rates and complications were recorded. A total of 1355 ERCPs were performed on 934 patients. Patients were equally divided with respect to gender and had a mean age of 58 years (range 29–86). 391 cases were grade 1, 2 (29%), 695 were grade 3 (51%), and 269 were grade 4 (20%). Altered anatomy was observed in 88% of grade 4 patients. Cannulation was achieved in 98% of cases graded 1–3 and in 88% of cases graded 4 (p