Endoscopic submucosal dissection for early esophageal neoplasms using the stag beetle knife

AIM To determine short-and long-term outcomes of endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD) using the stag beetle(SB) knife, a scissor-shaped device.METHODS Seventy consecutive patients with 96 early esophageal neoplasms, who underwent ESD using a SB knife at Kure Medical Center and Chugoku Cancer Center, Japan, between April 2010 and August 2016, were retrospectively evaluated. Clinicopathological characteristics of lesions and procedural adverse events were assessed. Therapeutic success was evaluated on the basis of en bloc, histologically complete, and curative or non-curative resection rates. Overall and tumor-specific survival, local or distant recurrence, and 3-and 5-year cumulative overall metachronous cancer rates were also assessed.RESULTS Eligible patients had dysplasia/intraepithelial neoplasia(22%) or early cancers(squamous cell carcinoma, 78%). The median procedural time was 60 min and on average, the lesions measured 24 mm in diameter, yielding 33-mm tissue defects. The en bloc resection rate was 100%, with 95% and 81% of dissections deemed histologically complete and curative, respectively. All procedures were completed without accidental incisions/perforations or delayed bleeding. During follow-up(mean, 35 ± 23 mo), no local recurrences or metastases were observed. The 3-and 5-year survival rates were 83% and 70%, respectively, with corresponding rates of 85% and 75% for curative resections and 74% and 49% for noncurative resections. The 3-and 5-year cumulative rates of metachronous cancer in the patients with curative resections were 14% and 26%, respectively.CONCLUSION ESD procedures using the SB knife are feasible, safe, and effective for treating early esophageal neoplasms, yielding favorable short-and long-term outcomes.

Microscopic enteritis:Bucharest consensus

Microscopic enteritis(ME) is an inflammatory condition of the small bowel that leads to gastrointestinal symptoms,nutrient and micronutrient deficiency.It is characterised by microscopic or sub-microscopic abnormalities such as microvillus changes and enterocytic alterations in the absence of definite macroscopic changes using standard modern endoscopy.This work recognises a need to characterize disorders with microscopic and submicroscopic features,currently regarded as functional or non-specific entities,to obtain further understanding of their clinical relevance.The consensus working party reviewed statements about the aetiology,diagnosis and symptoms associated with ME and proposes an algorithm for its investigation and treatment.Following the 5th International Course in Digestive Pathology in Bucharest in November 2012,an international group of 21 interested pathologists and gastroenterologists formed a working party with a view to formulating a consensus statement on ME.A five-step agreement scale(from strong agreement to strong disagreement) was used to score 21 statements,independently.There was strong agreement on all statements about ME histology(95%-100%).Statements concerning diagnosis achieved 85% to 100% agreement.A statement on the management of ME elicited agreement from the lowest rate(60%) up to 100%.The remaining two categories showed general agreement between experts on clinical presentation(75%-95%) and pathogenesis(80%-90%) of ME.There was strong agreement on the histological definition of ME.Weaker agreement on management indicates a need for further investigations,better definitions and clinical trials to produce quality guidelines for management.This ME consensus is a step toward greater recognition of a significant entity affecting symptomatic patients previously labelled as non-specific or functional enteropathy.

Newly developed self-expandable Niti-S MD colonic metal stent for malignant colonic obstruction

BACKGROUND Colonic stents are increasingly used to treat acute malignant colonic obstructions.The Wall Flex and Niti-S D type stents are the commonly used self-expandable metallic stents available in Japan since 2012.Wall Flex stent has a risk of stentrelated perforation because of its axial force,while the Niti-S D type stent has a risk of obstructive colitis because of its weaker radial force.Niti-S MD type stents not only overcome these limitations but also permit delivery through highly flexible-tipped smaller-caliber colonoscopes.AIM To compare the efficacy and safety of the newly developed Niti-S MD type colonic stents.METHODS This single-center retrospective observational study included 110 patients with endoscopic self-expandable metallic stents placed between November 2011 and December 2018:Wall Flex(Group W,n=37),Niti-S D type(Group N,n=53),and Niti-S MD type(Group MD,n=20).The primary outcome was clinical success,defined as a resolution of obstructive colonic symptoms,confirmed by clinical and radiological assessment within 48 h.The secondary outcome was technical success,defined as accurate stent placement with adequate stricture coverage on the first attempt without complications.RESULTS The technical success rate was 100%in Groups W,N,and MD,and the overall clinical success rate was 89.2%(33/37),96.2%(51/53),and 100%(20/20)in Groups W,N,and MD,respectively.Early adverse events included pain(3/37,8.1%),poor expansion(1/37,2.7%),and fever(1/37,2.6%)in Group W and perforation due to obstructive colitis(2/53,3.8%)in Group N(likely due to poor expansion).Late adverse events(after 7 d)included stent-related perforations(4/36,11.1%)and stent occlusion(1/36,2.8%)in Group W and stent occlusion(2/51,3.9%)in Group N.The stent-related perforation rate in Group W was significantly higher than that in Group N(P<0.05).No adverse event was observed in Group MD.CONCLUSION In our early and limited experience,the newly developed Niti-S MD type colonic stent was effective and safe for treating acute malignant colonic obstruction.