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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.

Endoscopic removal of large (≥ 20 mm) non-pedunculated colorectal lesions (LNPCLs) may result in major adverse events, such as delayed bleeding (DB) and delayed perforation (DP), despite closure of the mucosal defects with clips. Topical application of a coverage agent refers to the creation of a shield with a biocompatible medical device (tissue or hydrogel) with proven bioactive properties. Coverage of the eschar after endoscopic resection provides shielding protection to prevent delayed complications. The aim of the present review was to systematically collect and review the currently available literature regarding the prevention of DB and DP with coverage agents after endoscopic mucosal resection or endoscopic submucosal dissection of LNPCLs.

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%.

[EN] Wireless in-body devices are those in which a medical sensor is introduced-implanted or ingested- inside the human body and communicates with a remote node. Some in-body applications demand high data rates, so ultrawideband (UWB) spectrum has been proposed as a good candidate because of its large bandwidth available. Besides, breathing can lead to internal movement of the torso and consequently, of devices installed in this area. Thus, the radio channel performance can be affected by such movement leading to a malfunction of the radio interface of the medical device. This work aims at analyzing the effect of breathing on the propagation channel by means of in vivo measurements in living animal models. Continuous wave (CW) measurements have been carried out for live different frequencies in the lower part of the UWB band, and the effects of breathing on the relative received power (module and phase) are analyzed and discussed, This work was supported in part by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion under Grant RTI2018-099880-B-C31 and in part by the Vicerrectorado de Investigacion, Innovacion y Transferencia de la Universitat Politecnica de Valencia through the Colorrectal Diagnosis of Tumours Based on EM Properties (COLODEM) Project under Grant PAID-06-18 (First Research Projects)

The dielectric properties of biological tissues are of utmost importance in the development of wireless body area networks (WBANs), especially for implanted devices. The early design stages of medical devices like capsule endoscopy, pacemakers, or physiological sensors rely on precise knowledge of the dielectric properties of the tissues present in their surrounding medium. Many of these applications make use of electromagnetic phantoms, which are software or physical models that imitate the shape and the electromagnetic properties of the tissues. They are used for designing devices in software simulations and for testing them in laboratory trials, aiding in both the development of WBAN antennas or in communication link evaluations. The existing reports about dielectric in vivo properties are limited and have drawbacks like: low variety of characterized tissues, lacking some relevant ones, and limitations and inhomogeneity in the measured frequency range. This paper aims at filling that gap by providing a new database of dielectric properties of biological tissues measured in vivo . In particular, it is focused on the tissues of the thoracic and the abdominal regions, measured at the same wide frequency band, on the same animal specimen, and under the same conditions. The properties have been obtained by measuring porcine tissues in the 0.5–26.5 GHz band with the open-ended coaxial technique. In this paper, we focus on those tissues that have been scarcely characterized so far in the literature, like heart, esophagus, stomach, and pancreas. The Cole–Cole fitting parameters of the measured tissues and their uncertainties are provided.

Aims Some guidelines suggest to contact patients 14 days after the endoscopic procedure to evaluate their clinicalsituation, aiming to identify nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our aim was to assess the clinical usefulness of thisrecommendation in an endoscopy unit during the first wave and the recovery phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods From March 2020 to July 2020 (first wave and recovery phase), every patient undergoing an endoscopicexamination in our unit was contacted by phone 14 days after the procedure to check about the presence of COVID-19-related symptoms and to inquire about any new SARS-CoV-2 infection diagnosis using a predesigned questionnaire. Most ofthe patients had a preprocedure nasopharyngal swab testing for SARS-CoV-2 (PCR), and all procedures were performedusing a full PPE. Results 424 inpatients (A) and 1187 outpatients (B) were included. Their main characteristics are summarized in [table 1].Overall, 211 patients (13.1 %) had symptoms that could be related to COVID-19. However, only two cases of SARS-CoV-2positive PCR were detected (0,12 %), one in each group. The +PCR in group A was during the first wave and the +PCR ingroup B was during the recovery phase. Positive group A patient was detected during her admission because complicationsof a multiple myeloma. Positive group B patient was detected because typical COVID-19 symptoms. No infection inhealthcare workers related to these procedures was detected. Conclusions 1) The rate of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients undergoing an endoscopic examination is exceedingly loweven during the acceleration phase;2) The practical relevance of a control telephone call 14 days post-procedure isquestionable. (Table Presented).

Background and study aims We aimed to describe the presence and combination of Hazewinkelʼs optical diagnosis (OD) criteria for sessile serrated lesions (SSL), determining which lesion characteristics increase the probability of a correct OD, with a focus on diminutive lesions. Patients and methods This was a prospective study describing the presence of Hazewinkelʼs OD criteria for SSL in lesions found in consecutive CRC screening colonoscopies. The presence of each OD criterion and their diagnostic combinations in SSL, related to the lesion’s NBI International Colorectal Endoscopic (NICE) classification category, size, and location, were described. The presence of two or more optical criteria was considered diagnostic of SSL. The OD was compared to pathology as the gold standard. Results Seventy-nine SSLs (5.6 %) were diagnosed. Cloud-like appearance was the most prevalent OD criterion (35, 44.3 %). OD criteria were more frequently identified in NICE type 1, ≥ 10 mm, and proximal lesions. Only 26 SLLs fulfilled the OD criteria (sensitivity 32.9 %, 95 % CI 29.1 %–36.7 %). The sensitivity for diminutive SSL was 14.7 %, (95 % CI 11.9 %–17.6 %). Eighty-five lesions were optically diagnosed as SSL. However, only in 26 SSL was this the definitive diagnosis (positive predictive value 30.6 %, 95 % CI 26.9 %–34.3 %). Size > 5 mm and proximal location increased the probability of a correct diagnosis. The overall accuracy of the optical criteria was 92.0 % (95 % CI, 89.8 %–94.2 %). Conclusions The Hazewinkelʼs optical criteria are not reliable for a positive diagnosis of SSL, particularly for diminutive lesions.

Direct endoscopic visualization of biliary and pancreatic ducts represents one step further in the journey of digestive endoscopy. It allows the identification of lesions that were previously attainable through indirect means. Directed biopsy taking has permitted a better characterization of the lesions. The use of power sources through the cholangiopancreatoscope means that it is now possible to fragment and remove refractory lithiases using traditional endoscopic systems. This document aims to define the advisable workflow when using a single-use, flexible cholangiopancreatoscope with the commercial name of SpyGlass®. Penning a set of guidelines to provide instructions on the technique, as well as tips and tricks related with the operation of these endoscopes will be a useful resource.

[EN] Capsule endoscopy (CE) is a widely used, minimally invasive alternative to traditional endoscopy that allows visualisation of the entire small intestine. Patient preparation can help to obtain a cleaner intestine and thus better visibility in the resulting videos. However, studies on the most effective preparation method are conflicting due to the absence of objective, automatic cleanliness evaluation methods. In this work, we aim to provide such a method capable of presenting results on an intuitive scale, with a relatively light-weight novel convolutional neural network architecture at its core. We trained our model using 5-fold cross-validation on an extensive data set of over 50,000 image patches, collected from 35 different CE procedures, and compared it with state-of-the-art classification methods. From the patch classification results, we developed a method to automatically estimate pixel-level probabilities and deduce cleanliness evaluation scores through automatically learnt thresholds. We then validated our method in a clinical setting on 30 newly collected CE videos, comparing the resulting scores to those independently assigned by human specialists. We obtained the highest classification accuracy for the proposed method (95.23%), with significantly lower average prediction times than for the second-best method. In the validation of our method, we found acceptable agreement with two human specialists compared to interhuman agreement, showing its validity as an objective evaluation method., This work was funded by the European Union's H2020: MSCA: ITN program for the "Wireless In-body Environment Communication - WiBEC" project under the grant agreement no. 675353. Additionally, we gratefully acknowledge the support of NVIDIA Corporation with the donation of the Titan V GPU used for this research. Figures 2 and 3 were drawn by the authors.

Many technological advances have been made to optimize the detection of colorectal cancer lesions. Research has shown that the electromagnetic properties of healthy and cancerous tissues differ in many biological tissues. We aim at analyzing these differences between healthy and pathological colon tissues gathered from colonoscopy biopsies. The dielectric constant and the conductivity of healthy and pathological colorectal samples were analyzed using the open-ended coaxial technique and were later correlated with their pathology results. Results have shown that measurements of electromagnetic properties could aid in the detection of colorectal pathologies. The variability of the results is quite large, and hence the system should be improved prior to potential implementation.

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 objectives: endoscopic septotomy of the cricopharyngeal muscle (ESCM) is a technique used for the treatment of Zenker’s diverticulum (ZD). The experience with computerized vascular sealing systems (LigaSure® type) is limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ESCM using LigaSure®. Methods: this was a long-term prospective study of 18 patients with ZD, who were referred to our hospital due to ESCM between 2010 and 2016. The severity of the symptoms was determined using the Dakkak-Bennett validated scale for dysphagia and the rest with numerical scales. The rates of relapse and retreatment were evaluated. Results: ESCM with LigaSure® was performed in 17 cases, one case was excluded due to technical difficulties. The median age was 72 years and regurgitation, dysphagia and respiratory symptoms were found in 100%, 89% and 56% of cases, respectively. The median size of the diverticulum was 28 mm (20-60 mm). The median time of the procedure was 35 minutes (25-45 minutes). There were four complications, two hemorrhages and two perforations. The median follow-up was 13 months (range: 12-82 months). Clinical improvements were observed for all symptoms and were maintained 12 months after treatment (p < 0.05). There was no relapse during follow-up in 13 patients. A complete section was not achieved and clinical relapse occurred after a median time of seven months that required retreatment in the remaining patients. Conclusions: ESCM with LigaSure® may be a safe and effective technique in long-term follow-up situations, with low rates of relapse.

Introduccion: Adherence to guidelines on the periendoscopic management of antiplatelet therapy (APT) has not been analyzed in detail. Our aim was to assess adherence to guidelines in patients referred to our Endoscopy Unit on a case-by-case basis, describing in detail the detected deviations and identifying areas of improvement. Patients and methods: Cross-sectional study of outpatients consecutively scheduled for an unsedated upper or lower gastrointestinal endoscopy between January and June 2015. Patients on anticoagulant therapy were excluded. Results: 675 patients were evaluated, including 91 (13.5%) patients on APT [upper GI endoscopy 25 (27.5%), lower GI endoscopy 66 (72.5%)] Contrary to the clinical guidelines, aspirin was discontinued in 25 of the 77 patients previously prescribed the drug (32.5%) but this modification was patient's own decision in 11 cases. Most of the apparent deviations in the management of clopidogrel and dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) were not true non-adherence cases. The Primary Care physician modified an APT prescribed by another physician in 8 of 9 cases (88.9%), always in cases with aspirin. No relationship was found between the endoscopic procedure's predicted risk of bleeding or the patient's thrombotic risk and modification of therapy. Discussion: In many patients, the peri-procedural management of APT goes against current guidelines, but some of these inconsistencies cannot be considered true deviations from practice. Identified areas for improvement are increasing patient awareness about APT, disseminating the guidelines in Primary Care, and underscoring the significance of thrombotic risk related to APT withdrawal. (C) 2019 Elsevier Espana, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

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.

A 54-year-old female patient was referred to our outpatient clinic in December 2017 due to unresolved epigastric pain. She underwent cholecystectomyin in October 2012 due to epigastric pain, without evidence of lithiasis or biliary sludge. Subsequently, the patient continued to present epigastric discomfort with episodes of epigastralgia and was admitted in August 2016. There was evidence of elevated transaminases AST 125, ALT 97 and GGT 47, with normal amylase and no specific diagnosis was made on discharge from hospital.

We present the case of a 76-year-old male who underwent arthrodesis due to a C7 fracture, which was complicated by an esophageal perforation and required primary surgical closure.

BACKGROUND The implementation of optical diagnosis (OD) of diminutive colorectal lesions in clinical practice has been hampered by differences in performance between community and academic settings. One possible cause is the lack of a standardized learning tool. Since the factors related to better learning are not well described, strong evidence upon which a consistent learning tool could be designed is lacking. We hypothesized that a self-designed learning program may be enough to achieve competency in OD of diminutive lesions of the colon. AIM To assess the accuracy of OD of diminutive lesions in real colonoscopies after application of a self-administered learning program. METHODS This was a single-endoscopist prospective pilot study, in which an experienced endoscopist followed a self-designed, self-administered learning program in OD of colorectal lesions. An assessment phase divided in two halves with a 6-mo period in between without performance of OD was developed in a population-based colorectal cancer screening program. The accomplishment of the Preservation and Incorporation of Valuable Endoscopic Innovations criteria and performance measures were calculated overall and in the two halves of the assessment phase, assessing their response to the 6-mo stopping period. The evolution of performance through blocks of 50 lesions was also assessed. RESULTS Overall, 152 patients and 522 lesions (

Digestive endoscopy is the most effective tool available for the diagnosis of multiple gastrointestinal (GI) tract conditions, and it represents a key aspect in the training of gastroenterology residents according to the Spanish MIR (medico interno residente) program. The Sociedad Espanola de Endoscopia Digestiva (SEED), aware of all the technical advances that have emerged during the past few years, deems it necessary to define a program of the skills specialists-in-training in gastroenterology should acquire during their residency. This paper describes the goals of endoscopy training, the techniques that should be mastered, and the diagnostic and therapeutic skills this specialty requires. Finally, a model is suggested for the assessment of competence.

Capsule endoscopy (CE) was first introduced in 2001 as a diagnostic tool to assess small bowel diseases. Its use has been widely recommended by clinical practice guidelines from the United States as well as European. Its higher diagnostic yield is found in obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (60%) and has demonstrated its efficacy in diagnosing other pathologies such as Crohn´s disease and polyposis syndromes. To enhance CE diagnostic yield, it is essential to have adequate mucosal visualization. It is not uncommon to detect intestinal content in some images that make this difficult to accomplish. With the final purpose to reduce this limitation, numerous investigation groups have proposed the use of different types of preparation to improve the quality of visualization and therefore improve the diagnostic efficacy of the procedure.One of the main issues in this regard is the absence of a validated grading scale or score that measures the quality of small bowel preparation. To avoid human dependant scores, computerized grading scales have been developed, withlimited efficacy and not entirely accurate. Our work aims to develop an automatic computer analysis tool (Endoclean) capable of measuring objectively the grade of cleanliness of CE procedures using a reproducible method. Oral communication presented in 40 Congreso de la Sociedad Española de Endoscopia Digestiva.

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.