Comparison of esophageal capsule endoscopy and esophagogastroduodenoscopy for diagnosis of esophageal varices

AIM： To investigate the utility of esophageal capsule endoscopy in the diagnosis and grading of esophageal varices. METHODS： Cirrhotic patients who were undergoing esophagogastroduodenoscopy （EGD） for variceal screening or surveillance underwent capsule endoscopy. Two separate blinded investigators read each capsule endoscopy for the following results： variceal grade, need for treatment with variceal banding or prophylaxis with beta-blocker therapy, degree of portal hypertensive gastropathy, and gastric varices. RESULTS： Fifty patients underwent both capsule and EGD. Forty-eight patients had both procedures on the same day, and 2 patients had capsule endoscopy within 72 h of EGD. The accuracy of capsule endoscopy to decide on the need for prophylaxis was 74%, with sensitivity of 63% and specificity of 82%. Interrater agreement was moderate （kappa = 0.56）. Agreement between EGD and capsule endoscopy on grade of varices was 0.53 （moderate）. Inter-rater reliability was good （kappa = 0.77）. In diagnosis of portal hypertensive gastropathy, accuracy was 57%, with sensitivity of 96% and specificity of 17%. Two patients had gastric varices seen on EGD, one of which was seen on capsule endoscopy. There were no complications from capsule endoscopy.CONCLUSION： We conclude that capsule endoscopy has a limited role in deciding which patients would benefit from EGD with banding or beta-blocker therapy. More data is needed to assess accuracy for staging esophageal varices, PHG, and the detection of gastric varices.

Pulmonary complications of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE) is an effective palliative intervention that is widely accepted for the management of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC). Post-TACE pulmonary complications resulting in acute lung injury(ALI) or acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS) are rare events. Pulmonary complications after TACE are thought to be related to chemical injury subsequent to the migration of the infused ethiodized oil or chemotherapeutic agent to the lung vasculature, facilitated by arteriovenous(AV) shunts within the hyper-vascular HCC. We review herein the literature on pulmonary complications related to TACE for HCC. Post-TACE pulmonary complications have included pulmonary oil embolism, interstitial pneumonitis, chemical pneumonitis, ALI, ARDS, lipoid pneumonia, acute eosinophilic and neutrophilic pneumonia, bilious pleuritis, pulmonary abscess, pulmonary tumor embolism, and possibly pulmonary metastasis with HCC. The risk factors associated with post-TACE pulmonary complications identified in the literature include large hyper-vascular HCC with AV shunts, large-volume Lipiodol infusion, and embolization via the right inferior phrenic artery. However, the absence of known risk factors is not a guarantee against serious complications. An astute awareness of the potential post-TACE pulmonary complications should expedite appropriate therapeutic interventions and increase potential for early recovery.

Trapped vessel of abdominal pain with hepatomegaly: A case report

Abdominal pain with elevated transaminases from inferior vena cava(IVC) obstruction is a relatively common reason for referral and further workup by a hepatologist. The differential for the cause of IVC obstruction is extensive, and the most common etiologies include clotting disorders or recent trauma. In some situations the common etiologies have been ruled out, and the underlying process for the patient's symptoms is still not explained. We present one unique case of abdominal pain and hepatomegaly secondary to IVC constriction from extrinsic compression of the diaphragm. Based on this patient's presentation, we urge that physicians be cognizant of the IVC diameter and consider extrinsic compression as a contributor to the patient's symptoms. If IVC compression from the diaphragm is confirmed, early referral to vascular surgery is strongly advised for further surgical intervention.