Capsule endoscopy and panendoscopy:A journey to the future of gastrointestinal endoscopy

In 2000,the small bowel capsule revolutionized the management of patients with small bowel disorders.Currently,the technological development achieved by the new models of double-headed endoscopic capsules,as miniaturized devices to evaluate the small bowel and colon[pan-intestinal capsule endoscopy(PCE)],makes this non-invasive procedure a disruptive concept for the management of patients with digestive disorders.This technology is expected to identify which patients will require conventional invasive endoscopic procedures(colonoscopy or balloon-assisted enteroscopy),based on the lesions detected by the capsule,i.e.,those with an indication for biopsies or endoscopic treatment.The use of PCE in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases,namely Crohn’s disease,as well as in patients with iron deficiency anaemia and/or overt gastrointestinal(GI)bleeding,after a non-diagnostic upper endoscopy(esophagogastroduodenoscopy),enables an effective,safe and comfortable way to identify patients with relevant lesions,who should undergo subsequent invasive endoscopic procedures.The recent development of magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy to evaluate the upper GI tract,is a further step towards the possibility of an entirely non-invasive assessment of all the segments of the digestive tract,from mouth-to-anus,meeting the expectations of the early developers of capsule endoscopy.

Oesophageal Mycosis: Epidemiological and Clinical Aspects and Risk Factors for Occurrence in the Digestive Endoscopy Unit of the Donka National Hospital, Conakry CHU

Introduction: Oesophageal mycosis (OM) is one of the most common opportunistic infections in patients infected with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). However, this condition is increasingly observed in immunocompetent subjects. The aim of this study was to determine the endoscopic prevalence, clinical characteristics and risk factors for the occurrence of oesophageal mycosis in our department. Patients and Method: This was a prospective cross-sectional study of all patients who underwent oeso-gastroduodenal fibroscopy during the period from 1st January to 31st December 2022, i.e. one year, at the digestive endoscopy unit of the hepato-gastroenterology department of the Donka CHU national hospital in Conakry. All patients found to have oesophageal mycosis by FOGD were included. The endoscopy was performed using appropriate equipment: A Fujinon 4400 video endoscopy column;Three Fujinon EG 590 video gastroscopes;A hoover;Data were collected using a pre-established survey form and analysed using Epi info software version 6.0.4;Pearson’s Chi2 test as a test of independence and the exact 5% threshold ficher test. Results: Out of 1343 upper gastrointestinal endoscopies performed, 107 cases of oesophageal mycosis were found, representing a prevalence of 7.96%. The mean age was 40 years, with a male predominance of 55.42%. The sex ratio M/F was 1.24. The 45 and over age group was the most affected, with a prevalence of 40.43%, followed by the [35 - 45] age group, with a prevalence of 22.43%. Clinical symptoms were dominated by epigastralgia in 74.76% of cases, followed by odynophagia in 37.38% of cases, nausea and vomiting in 28.03% of cases, and pyrosis in 26.16% of cases. Oesophageal mycosis without oesophagitis was the most common endoscopic finding in 70% of cases. The main associated endoscopic lesions were erythemato-erosive and congestive gastropathy in 28.03% of cases, peptic oesophagitis (9.34%) and gastric ulcer (5.60%). The main risk factors found were positive HIV serology in 39.25% of cases, and diabetes in 24.30% of cases, with a statistically significant relationship of 0.02 and 0.01 respectively. Conclusion: Oesophageal mycosis is the most common opportunistic infection in patients with impaired cellular immunity. The prevalence of oesophageal mycosis in our series was 7.96%. This study enabled us to identify the main risk factors for the occurrence of oesophageal mycosis. Our country needs to step up its programme to combat and prevent immunodeficiency diseases, particularly HIV and diabetes.

Effect of navigation endoscopy combined with threedimensional printing technology in the treatment of orbital blowout fractures

●AIM:To explore the combined application of surgical navigation nasal endoscopy(NNE)and three-dimensional printing technology(3DPT)for the adjunctive treatment of orbital blowout fractures(OBF).●METHODS:Retrospective analysis was conducted on the data of patients with OBF who underwent surgical treatment at the Affiliated Eye Hospital of Nanchang University between July 2012 and November 2022.The control group consisted of patients who received traditional surgical treatment(n=43),while the new surgical group(n=52)consisted of patients who received NNE with 3DPT.The difference in therapeutic effects between the two groups was evaluated by comparing the duration of the operation,best corrected visual acuity(BCVA),enophthalmos difference,recovery rate of eye movement disorder,recovery rate of diplopia,and incidence of postoperative complications.●RESULTS:The study included 95 cases(95 eyes),with 63 men and 32 women.The patients’age ranged from 5 to 67y(35.21±15.75y).The new surgical group and the control group exhibited no statistically significant differences in the duration of the operation,BCVA and enophthalmos difference.The recovery rates of diplopia in the new surgical group were significantly higher than those in the control group at 1mo[OR=0.03,95%CI(0.01–0.15),P<0.0000]and 3mo[OR=0.11,95%CI(0.03–0.36),P<0.0000]postoperation.Additionally,the recovery rates of eye movement disorders at 1 and 3mo after surgery were OR=0.08,95%CI(0.03–0.24),P<0.0000;and OR=0.01,95%CI(0.00–0.18),P<0.0000.The incidence of postoperative complications was lower in the new surgical group compared to the control group[OR=4.86,95%CI(0.95–24.78),P<0.05].●CONCLUSION:The combination of NNE and 3DPT can shorten the recovery time of diplopia and eye movement disorder in patients with OBF.

Tennis ball cord combined with endoscopy for giant gastric phytobezoar:A case report

BACKGROUND Due to the specificity of Chinese food types,gastric phytobezoars are relatively common in China.Most gastric phytobezoars can be removed by chemical enzyme lysis and endoscopic fragmentation,but the treatment for large phytobezoars is limited,and surgical procedures are often required for this difficult problem.CASE SUMMARY For giant gastric phytobezoars that cannot be dissolved and fragmented by conventional treatment,we have invented a new lithotripsy technique(tennis ball cord combined with endoscopy)for these phytobezoars.This non-interventional treatment was successful in a patient whose abdominal pain was immediately relieved,and the gastroscope-induced ulcer healed well 3 d after lithotripsy.The patient was followed-up for 8 wk postoperatively and showed no discomfort such as abdominal pain.CONCLUSION The combination of tennis ball cord and endoscopy for the treatment of giant gastric phytobezoars is feasible and showed high safety and effectiveness,and can be widely applied in hospitals of all sizes.

Detachable string magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy for the noninvasive diagnosis of esophageal diseases:A prospective,blind clinical study

BACKGROUND Traditional esophagogastroduodenoscopy(EGD),an invasive examination method,can cause discomfort and pain in patients.In contrast,magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy(MCE),a noninvasive method,is being applied for the detection of stomach and small intestinal diseases,but its application in treating esophageal diseases is not widespread.AIM To evaluate the safety and efficacy of detachable string MCE(ds-MCE)for the diagnosis of esophageal diseases.METHODS Fifty patients who had been diagnosed with esophageal diseases were pros-pectively recruited for this clinical study and underwent ds-MCE and conven-tional EGD.The primary endpoints included the sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,negative predictive value,and diagnostic accuracy of ds-MCE for patients with esophageal diseases.The secondary endpoints consisted of visualizing the esophageal and dentate lines,as well as the subjects'tolerance of the procedure.RESULTS Using EGD as the gold standard,the sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,negative predictive value,and diagnostic accuracy of ds-MCE for esophageal disease detection were 85.71%,86.21%,81.82%,89.29%,and 86%,respectively.ds-MCE was more comfortable and convenient than EGD was,with 80%of patients feeling that ds-MCE examination was very comfortable or comfortable and 50%of patients believing that detachable string v examination was very convenient.CONCLUSION This study revealed that ds-MCE has the same diagnostic effects as traditional EGD for esophageal diseases and is more comfortable and convenient than EGD,providing a novel noninvasive method for treating esophageal diseases.

In vivo pilot study into superficial microcirculatory characteristics of colorectal adenomas using novel high-resolution magnifying endoscopy with blue laser imaging

BACKGROUND No studies have yet been conducted on changes in microcirculatory hemody-namics of colorectal adenomas in vivo under endoscopy.The microcirculation of the colorectal adenoma could be observed in vivo by a novel high-resolution magnification endoscopy with blue laser imaging(BLI),thus providing a new insight into the microcirculation of early colon tumors.AIM To observe the superficial microcirculation of colorectal adenomas using the novel magnifying colonoscope with BLI and quantitatively analyzed the changes in hemodynamic parameters.METHODS From October 2019 to January 2020,11 patients were screened for colon adenomas with the novel high-resolution magnification endoscope with BLI.Video images were recorded and processed with Adobe Premiere,Adobe Photoshop and Image-pro Plus software.Four microcirculation parameters:Microcirculation vessel density(MVD),mean vessel width(MVW)with width standard deviation(WSD),and blood flow velocity(BFV),were calculated for adenomas and the surrounding normal mucosa.RESULTS A total of 16 adenomas were identified.Compared with the normal surrounding mucosa,the superficial vessel density in the adenomas was decreased(MVD:0.95±0.18 vs 1.17±0.28μm/μm2,P<0.05).MVW(5.11±1.19 vs 4.16±0.76μm,P<0.05)and WSD(11.94±3.44 vs 9.04±3.74,P<0.05)were both increased.BFV slowed in the adenomas(709.74±213.28 vs 1256.51±383.31μm/s,P<0.05).CONCLUSION The novel high-resolution magnification endoscope with BLI can be used for in vivo study of adenoma superficial microcirculation.Superficial vessel density was decreased,more irregular,with slower blood flow.

Role of second look endoscopy in endoscopic submucosal dissection and peptic ulcer bleeding:Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND Second-look endoscopy(SLE)to prevent recurrent bleeding in patients with peptic ulcer disease(PUD)and those undergoing endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD)is routinely being performed.Conflicting evidence exists regarding efficacy,risk,benefit,and cost-effectiveness.AIM To identify the role and effectiveness of SLE in ESD and PUD,associated rebleeding and PUD-related outcomes like mortality,hospital length of stay,need for endoscopic or surgical intervention and blood transfusions.METHODS A systematic review of literature databases PubMed,Cochrane,and Embase was conducted from inception to January 5,2023.Randomized controlled trials that compared patients with SLE to those who did not have SLE or evaluated the role of prophylactic hemostasis during SLE compared to other conservative interventions were included.The study was conducted per PRISMA guidelines,and the protocol was registered in PROSPERO(ID CRD42023427555:).RevMan was used to perform meta-analysis,and Mantel-Haenszel Odds ratio(OR)were generated using random effect models.RESULTS A total of twelve studies with 2687 patients were included in our systematic review and meta-analysis,of which 1074 patients underwent SLE after ESD and 1613 patients underwent SLE after PUD-related bleeding.In ESD,the rates of rebleeding were 7%in the SLE group compared to 4.4%in the non-SLE group with OR 1.65,95%confidence intervals(CI)of 0.96 to 2.85;P=0.07,whereas it was 11%in the SLE group compared to 13%in the non-SLE group with OR 0.895%CI:0.50 to 1.29;P=0.36.The mean difference in the blood transfusion rates in the SLE and no SLE group in PUD was OR 0.01,95%CI:-0.22 to 0.25;P=0.91.In SLE vs non-SLE groups with PUD,the OR for Endoscopic intervention was 0.29,95%CI:0.08 to 1.00;P=0.05 while it was OR 2.03,95%CI:0.95 to 4.33;P=0.07,for surgical intervention.The mean difference in the hospital length of stay was-3.57 d between the SLE and no SLE groups in PUD with 95%CI:-7.84 to 0.69;P=0.10,denoting an average of approximately 3 fewer days of hospital stay among patients with PUD who underwent SLE.For mortality between SLE and non-SLE groups in PUD,the OR was 0.88,95%CI:0.45 to 1.72;P=0.70.CONCLUSION SLE does not confer any benefit in preventing ESD and PUD-associated rebleeding.SLE also does not provide any significant improvement in mortality,need for interventions,or blood transfusions in PUD patients.SLE decreases the hospital length of stay on average by 3.5 d in PUD patients.

Comparison of the clinical effects of dual-modality endoscopy and traditional laparotomy for the treatment of intra-and extrahepatic bile duct stones

BACKGROUND Bile duct stones(BDSs)may cause patients to develop liver cirrhosis or even liver cancer.Currently,the success rate of surgical treatment for intrahepatic and extrahepatic BDSs is not satisfactory,and there is a risk of postoperative complic-ations.AIM To compare the clinical effects of dual-modality endoscopy(duodenoscopy and laparoscopy)with those of traditional laparotomy in the treatment of intra-and extrahepatic BDSs.METHODS Ninety-five patients with intra-and extrahepatic BDSs who sought medical services at Wuhan No.1 Hospital between August 2019 and May 2023 were selected;45 patients in the control group were treated by traditional laparotomy,and 50 patients in the research group were treated by dual-modality endoscopy.The following factors were collected for analysis:curative effects,safety(incision infection,biliary fistula,lung infection,hemobilia),surgical factors[surgery time,intraoperative blood loss(IBL)volume,gastrointestinal function recovery time,and length of hospital stay],serum inflammatory markers[tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α,interleukin(IL)-6,and IL-8],and oxidative stress[glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px),superoxide dismutase(SOD),malondialdehyde(MDA),and advanced protein oxidation products(AOPPs)].RESULTS The analysis revealed markedly better efficacy(an obviously higher total effective rate)in the research group than in the control group.In addition,an evidently lower postoperative complication rate,shorter surgical duration,gastrointestinal function recovery time and hospital stay,and lower IBL volume were observed in the research group.Furthermore,the posttreatment serum inflammatory marker(TNF-α,IL-6,and IL-8)levels were significantly lower in the research group than in the control group.Compared with those in the control group,the posttreatment GSH-Px,SOD,MDA and AOPPs in the research group were equivalent to the pretreatment levels;for example,the GSH-Px and SOD levels were significantly higher,while the MDA and AOPP levels were lower.CONCLUSION Dual-modality endoscopy therapy(duodenoscopy and laparoscopy)is more effective than traditional laparotomy in the treatment of intra-and extrahepatic BDSs and has a lower risk of postoperative complications;significantly shortened surgical time;shorter gastrointestinal function recovery time;shorter hospital stay;and lower intraop-erative bleeding volume,while having a significant inhibitory effect on excessive serum inflammation and causing little postoperative oxidative stress.

Propofol sedation in routine endoscopy:A case series comparing target controlled infusion vs manually controlled bolus concept

BACKGROUND Many studies have addressed safety and effectiveness of non-anaesthesiologist propofol sedation(NAPS)for gastrointestinal(GI)endoscopy Target controlled infusion(TCI)is claimed to provide an optimal sedation regimen by avoiding under-or oversedation.AIM To assess safety and performance of propofol TCI sedation in comparison with nurse-administered bolus-sedation.METHODS Fouty-five patients undergoing endoscopy under TCI propofol sedation were prospectively included from November 2016 to May 2017 and compared to 87 patients retrospectively included that underwent endoscopy with NAPS.Patients were matched for age and endoscopic procedure.We recorded time of sedation and endoscopy,dosage of medication and adverse events.RESULTS There was a significant reduction in dose per time of propofol administered in the TCI group,compared to the NAPS group(8.2±2.7 mg/min vs 9.3±3.4 mg/min;P=0.046).The time needed to provide adequate sedation levels was slightly but significantly lower in the control group(5.3±2.7 min vs 7.7±3.3 min;P<0.001),nonetheless the total endoscopy time was similar in both groups.No differences between TCI and bolus-sedation was observed for mean total-dosage of propofol rate as well as adverse events.CONCLUSION This study indicates that sedation using TCI for GI endoscopy reduces the dose of propofol necessary per minute of endoscopy.This may translate into less adverse events.However,further and randomized trials need to confirm this trend.

Impact of glucagon-like peptide receptor agonists on endoscopy and its preoperative management: Guidelines, challenges, and future directions

Glucagon-like peptide receptor agonists(GLP-1RA)are used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus and,more recently,have garnered attention for their effect-iveness in promoting weight loss.They have been associated with several gastrointestinal adverse effects,including nausea and vomiting.These side effects are presumed to be due to increased residual gastric contents.Given the potential risk of aspiration and based on limited data,the American Society of Anesthesi-ologists updated the guidelines concerning the preoperative management of patients on GLP-1RA in 2023.They included the duration of mandated cessation of GLP-1RA before sedation and usage of“full stomach”precautions if these medications were not appropriately held before the procedure.This has led to additional challenges,such as extended waiting time,higher costs,and increased risk for patients.In this editorial,we review the current societal guidelines,clinical practice,and future directions regarding the usage of GLP-1RA in patients undergoing an endoscopic procedure.

Could near focus endoscopy,narrow-band imaging,and acetic acid improve the visualization of microscopic features of stomach mucosa?

BACKGROUND Conventional magnifying endoscopy with narrow-band imaging(NBI)observation of the gastric body mucosa shows dominant patterns in relation to the regular arrangement of collecting venules,subepithelial capillary network,and gastric pits.AIM To evaluate the effectiveness of a new one-dual(near)focus,NBI mode in the assessment of the microscopic features of gastric body mucosa compared to conventional magnification.METHODS During 2021 and 2022,68 patients underwent proximal gastrointestinal endoscopy using magnification endoscopic modalities subsequently applying acetic acid(AA).The GIF-190HQ series NBI system with dual focus capability was used for the investigation of gastric mucosa.At the time of the endoscopy,the gastric body mucosa of all enrolled patients was photographed using the white light endoscopy(WLE),near focus(NF),NF-NBI,AA-NF,and AA-NF-NBI modes.RESULTS The WLE,NF and NF-NBI endoscopic modes for all patients(204 images)were classified in the same order into three groups.Two images from each patient for the AA-NF and AA-NF-NBI endoscopic modes were classified in the same order.According to all three observers who completed the work independently,NF magnification was significantly superior to WLE(P<0.01),and the NF-NBI mode was significantly superior to NF magnification(P<0.01).After applying AA,the three observers confirmed that AA-NF-NBI was significantly superior to AA-NF(P<0.01).Interobserver kappa values for WLE were 0.609,0.704,and 0.598,respectively and were 0.600,0.721,and 0.637,respectively,for NF magnification.For the NF-NBI mode,the values were 0.378,0.471,and 0.553,respectively.For AA-NF,they were 0.453,0.603,and 0.480,respectively,and for AA-NF-NBI,they were 0.643,0.506,and 0.354,respectively.CONCLUSION When investigating gastric mucosa in microscopic detail,NF-NBI was the most powerful endoscopic mode for assessing regular arrangement of collecting venules,subepithelial capillary network,and gastric pits among the five endoscopic modalities investigated in this study.AA-NF-NBI was the most powerful endoscopic mode for analyzing crypt opening and intervening part.

Virtual reality tools for training in gastrointestinal endoscopy:A systematic review

BACKGROUND Virtual reality(VR)has emerged as an innovative technology in endoscopy training,providing a simulated environment that closely resembles real-life scenarios and offering trainees a valuable platform to acquire and enhance their endoscopic skills.This systematic review will critically evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of VR-based training compared to traditional methods.AIM To evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of VR-based training compared to traditional methods.By examining the current state of the field,this review seeks to identify gaps,challenges,and opportunities for further research and implementation of VR in endoscopic training.METHODS The study is a systematic review,following the guidelines for reporting systematic reviews set out by the PRISMA statement.A comprehensive search command was designed and implemented and run in September 2023 to identify relevant studies available,from electronic databases such as PubMed,Scopus,Cochrane,and Google Scholar.The results were systematically reviewed.RESULTS Sixteen articles were included in the final analysis.The total number of participants was 523.Five studies focused on both upper endoscopy and colonoscopy training,two on upper endoscopy training only,eight on colonoscopy training only,and one on sigmoidoscopy training only.Gastrointestinal Mentor virtual endoscopy simulator was commonly used.Fifteen reported positive results,indicating that VR-based training was feasible and acceptable for endoscopy learners.VR technology helped the trainees enhance their skills in manipulating the endoscope,reducing the procedure time or increasing the technical accuracy,in VR scenarios and real patients.Some studies show that the patient discomfort level decreased significantly.However,some studies show there were no significant differences in patient discomfort and pain scores between VR group and other groups.CONCLUSION VR training is effective for endoscopy training.There are several well-designed randomized controlled trials with large sample sizes,proving the potential of this innovative tool.Thus,VR should be more widely adopted in endoscopy training.Furthermore,combining VR training with conventional methods could be a promising approach that should be implemented in training.

Research trends on artificial intelligence and endoscopy in digestive diseases: A bibliometric analysis from 1990 to 2022

BACKGROUND Recently,artificial intelligence(AI)has been widely used in gastrointestinal endoscopy examinations.AIM To comprehensively evaluate the application of AI-assisted endoscopy in detecting different digestive diseases using bibliometric analysis.METHODS Relevant publications from the Web of Science published from 1990 to 2022 were extracted using a combination of the search terms“AI”and“endoscopy”.The following information was recorded from the included publications:Title,author,institution,country,endoscopy type,disease type,performance of AI,publication,citation,journal and H-index.RESULTS A total of 446 studies were included.The number of articles reached its peak in 2021,and the annual citation numbers increased after 2006.China,the United States and Japan were dominant countries in this field,accounting for 28.7%,16.8%,and 15.7%of publications,respectively.The Tada Tomohiro Institute of Gastroenterology and Proctology was the most influential institution.“Cancer”and“polyps”were the hotspots in this field.Colorectal polyps were the most concerning and researched disease,followed by gastric cancer and gastrointestinal bleeding.Conventional endoscopy was the most common type of examination.The accuracy of AI in detecting Barrett’s esophagus,colorectal polyps and gastric cancer from 2018 to 2022 is 87.6%,93.7%and 88.3%,respectively.The detection rates of adenoma and gastrointestinal bleeding from 2018 to 2022 are 31.3%and 96.2%,respectively.CONCLUSION AI could improve the detection rate of digestive tract diseases and a convolutional neural network-based diagnosis program for endoscopic images shows promising results.

Convolutional neural network-based segmentation network applied to image recognition of angiodysplasias lesion under capsule endoscopy

BACKGROUND Small intestinal vascular malformations(angiodysplasias)are common causes of small intestinal bleeding.While capsule endoscopy has become the primary diagnostic method for angiodysplasia,manual reading of the entire gastrointestinal tract is time-consuming and requires a heavy workload,which affects the accuracy of diagnosis.AIM To evaluate whether artificial intelligence can assist the diagnosis and increase the detection rate of angiodysplasias in the small intestine,achieve automatic disease detection,and shorten the capsule endoscopy(CE)reading time.METHODS A convolutional neural network semantic segmentation model with a feature fusion method,which automatically recognizes the category of vascular dysplasia under CE and draws the lesion contour,thus improving the efficiency and accuracy of identifying small intestinal vascular malformation lesions,was proposed.Resnet-50 was used as the skeleton network to design the fusion mechanism,fuse the shallow and depth features,and classify the images at the pixel level to achieve the segmentation and recognition of vascular dysplasia.The training set and test set were constructed and compared with PSPNet,Deeplab3+,and UperNet.RESULTS The test set constructed in the study achieved satisfactory results,where pixel accuracy was 99%,mean intersection over union was 0.69,negative predictive value was 98.74%,and positive predictive value was 94.27%.The model parameter was 46.38 M,the float calculation was 467.2 G,and the time length to segment and recognize a picture was 0.6 s.CONCLUSION Constructing a segmentation network based on deep learning to segment and recognize angiodysplasias lesions is an effective and feasible method for diagnosing angiodysplasias lesions.

Speckle structured illumination endoscopy with enhanced resolution at wide field of view and depth of field

Structured illumination microscopy(SIM)is one of the most widely applied wide field super resolution imaging techniques with high temporal resolution and low phototoxicity.The spatial resolution of SIM is typically limited to two times of the diffraction limit and the depth of field is small.In this work,we propose and experimentally demonstrate a low cost,easy to implement,novel technique called speckle structured illumination endoscopy(SSIE)to enhance the resolution of a wide field endoscope with large depth of field.Here,speckle patterns are used to excite objects on the sample which is then followed by a blind-SIM algorithm for super resolution image reconstruction.Our approach is insensitive to the 3D morphology of the specimen,or the deformation of illuminations used.It greatly simplifies the experimental setup as there are no calibration protocols and no stringent control of illumination patterns nor focusing optics.We demonstrate that the SSIE can enhance the resolution 2–4.5 times that of a standard white light endoscopic(WLE)system.The SSIE presents a unique route to super resolution in endoscopic imaging at wide field of view and depth of field,which might be beneficial to the practice of clinical endoscopy.

Patient Experience at Endoscopy Centers in Three West African Countries during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Corona virus infection and the risk of contagiousness to medical personnel or patients during endoscopy necessitated further measures in the endoscopy rooms. The objective of this study was to assess the experience of patients in endoscopy rooms during the COVID-19 epidemic in West Africa. Patients and Methods: This was a multicenter cross-sectional study that took place over a period of 3 months (June to August 2020) in endoscopy centers in Burkina Faso, Benin and Niger. An online questionnaire was sent to patients who had performed upper digestive endoscopies, in 8 digestive endoscopy centers including private, public and religious structures. Depending on the choice of patients, questionnaires were either sent electronically or completed in the endoscopy room with the help of field investigators. The choice of centers was random from the list of centers and descriptive analyses were carried out. Results: A total of 294 patients responded to the online questionnaire. There were 37 lower and 257 upper gastrointestinal endoscopies. The female sex represented 52.1%. The wait times for obtaining an endoscopy appointment were considered satisfactory by 281 patients 95.6%. In the endoscopy departments, 112 patients, or 38.1%, were questioned about the risk factors for contamination of SARS-CoV-2. Among the risk factors found, 6 patients (2.0%) would have traveled abroad in the 2 weeks preceding the examination, 4 patients 1.4% had already been in contact with a subject at risk. The most frequent symptoms were chest pain (80 cases;27.2%), flu-like syndrome (29 cases;9.9%), cough (40 cases;13.6%), fever (46 cases;15.6%). In contrast, ageusia (7 cases;2.4%) and anosmia (5 cases;1.7%) were only found in very few patients. Twenty-two patients (7.5%) felt highly exposed to COVID-19 during the endoscopy examination and 144 patients (48.9%) rated the examination as satisfactory. Conclusion: Gastrointestinal symptoms initially described as rare are being reported with increasing frequency in studies and may motivate the request for endoscopy examinations. However, the risk associated with infection with SARS-CoV-2 does not seem to have been sufficiently taken into account in endoscopy centers in the 3 countries.

The Interest of Endoscopy in the Diagnosis of Fallopian Tubes Diseases at the Yaoundé Gyneco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital (Ygoph)

Introduction: Fallopian diseases are often implicated in female infertility. Several radiological and surgical explorations have been proposed in order to evaluate the severity of lesions found in utero-adnexal pathology. Among tools that are used to investigate such pathologies, we have ultrasound, hysterosalpingography and endoscopy. But, in many developing countries like Cameroon, the usage of endoscopy in gynecology is not yet known by many practicians. The objective of our study was to show the interest of endoscopy in the diagnosis of fallopian tube pathologies. Methodology: We conducted a cross-sectional and descriptive study from March 1st, 2017 to May 31st, 2017 at the Gyneco-Obstetrics and Pediatric department of our Hospital. We included all women who presented infertility and underwent ultrasound, hysterosalpingography (HSG) and endoscopy at the Yaoundé Gyneco-obstetrics Hospital. We analyzed epidemiological parameters, clinics, ultrasound, hysterosalpingography and endoscopic finding. We used Cohen’s Kappa test to determine the correlation between HSG/endoscopy and ultrasound/endoscopy in the diagnosis of fallopian tube pathologies. The threshold was significant for a K-value > 0.20. Results: We got a sample of 156 women;the mean age was 32.6 ± 4.5 years. The Secondary infertility dominated in 66.7% of cases;31.1% of women presented a past medical history of sexually transmitted infections and 41.7% did abortions before. Endoscopic lesions were dominated by a fallopian obstruction in 54.5% of cases, 8.3% of adhesions, 33.9% of women presented uterine myomas, 37.8% of ovarian cysts and 1.3% of pelvic endometriosis. The K-values between HSG and endoscopy for distal and proximal tube obstructions were significant with respective thresholds of 0.25 and 0.30. The K-value between ultrasound and endoscopy was not significant with a threshold of 0.015 for the tubal hydrosalpinx. Conclusion: Endoscopy assessment appears as the most efficient tool to investigate fallopian tube diseases.

Efficacy of image-enhanced endoscopy for colorectal adenoma detection:A multicenter,randomized trial

BACKGROUND Improved adenoma detection at colonoscopy has decreased the risk of developing colorectal cancer.However,whether image-enhanced endoscopy(IEE)further improves the adenoma detection rate(ADR)is controversial.AIM To compare IEE with white-light imaging(WLI)endoscopy for the detection and identification of colorectal adenoma.METHODS This was a multicenter,randomized,controlled trial.Participants were enrolled between September 2019 to April 2021 from 4 hospital in China.Patients were randomly assigned to an IEE group with WLI on entry and IEE on withdrawal(n=2113)or a WLI group with WLI on both entry and withdrawal(n=2098).The primary outcome was the ADR.The secondary endpoints were the polyp detection rate(PDR),adenomas per colonoscopy,adenomas per positive colonoscopy,and factors related to adenoma detection.RESULTS A total of 4211 patients(966 adenomas)were included in the analysis(mean age,56.7 years,47.1%male).There were 2113 patients(508 adenomas)in the IEE group and 2098 patients(458 adenomas)in the WLI group.The ADR in two group were not significantly different[24.0%vs 21.8%,1.10,95%confidence interval(CI):0.99-1.23,P=0.09].The PDR was higher with IEE group(41.7%)than with WLI group(36.1%,1.16,95%CI:1.07-1.25,P=0.01).Differences in mean withdrawal time(7.90±3.42 min vs 7.85±3.47 min,P=0.30)and adenomas per colonoscopy(0.33±0.68 vs 0.28±0.62,P=0.06)were not significant.Subgroup analysis found that with narrowband imaging(NBI),between-group differences in the ADR,were not significant(23.7%vs 21.8%,1.09,95%CI:0.97-1.22,P=0.15),but were greater with linked color imaging(30.9%vs 21.8%,1.42,95%CI:1.04-1.93,P=0.04).the second-generation NBI(2G-NBI)had an advantage of ADR than both WLI and the first-generation NBI(27.0%vs 21.8%,P=0.01;27.0%vs 21.2.0%,P=0.01).CONCLUSION This prospective study confirmed that,among Chinese,IEE didn’t increase the ADR compared with WLI,but 2G-NBI increase the ADR.

Paediatric gastrointestinal endoscopy in the Asian-Pacific region:Recent advances in diagnostic and therapeutic techniques

There has been a rapid expansion in the knowledge of paediatric gastroenterology over the recent decade,with a fast-growing repertoire of diagnostic techniques and management strategies for a wide spectrum of childhood gastrointestinal(GI)diseases.Paediatric GI endoscopy is a core competency every paediatric gastroenterologist should possess,and represents one of the most common procedures performed in children for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.Yet there remains a dearth of literature on the utility and outcomes of paediatric GI endoscopy in the Asia-Pacific region.Data on the diagnostic value of paediatric GI endoscopy would be an important aspect of discussion,with the emergence of inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)and eosinophilic GI disease as increasingly common endoscopic diagnoses.Time-based trends in paediatric GI endoscopy do point towards more IBD and gastroesophageal reflux disease-related complications being diagnosed,with a declining incidence of GI bleeding.However,the real-world diagnostic value of endoscopy in Asia must be contextualised to the region-specific prevalence of paediatric GI diseases.Helicobacter pylori infection,particularly that of multidrug-resistant strains,remains a highly prevalent problem in specific regions.Paediatric functional GI disorders still account for the majority of childhood GI complaints in most centres,hence the diagnostic yield of endoscopy should be critically evaluated in the absence of alarm symptoms.GI therapeutic endoscopy is also occasionally required for children with ingested foreign bodies,intestinal polyposis or oesophageal strictures requiring dilation.Endoscopic haemostasis is a potentially life-saving skill in cases of massive GI bleeding typically from varices or peptic ulcers.Advanced endoscopic techniques such as capsule endoscopy and balloon-assisted enteroscopy have found traction,particularly in East Asian centres,as invaluable diagnostic and therapeutic tools in the management of IBD,obscure GI bleeding and intestinal polyposis.State of the art endoscopic diagnostics and therapeutics,including the use of artificial intelligence-aided endoscopy algorithms,real-time confocal laser endomicroscopy and peroral endoscopic myotomy,are expected to gain more utility in paediatrics.As paediatric gastroenterology matures as a subspecialty in Asia,it is essential current paediatric endoscopists and future trainees adhere to minimum practice standards,and keep abreast of the evolving trends in the diagnostic and therapeutic value of endoscopy.This review discusses the available published literature on the utility of paediatric GI endoscopy in Asia Pacific,with the relevant clinical outcomes.

Indications and Results of Lower Gastrointestinal Endoscopy in a Regional Hospital Center in Senegal

Introduction: Gastrointestinal endoscopy plays a crucial role in the management of gastrointestinal diseases. The aim of this study was to report the indications and results of lower digestive endoscopy in a hospital center in Senegal. Patients and Methods: We conducted a descriptive retrospective study from September 1st, 2017, to September 30, 2018 at the gastrointestinal endoscopy unit of the regional hospital center of Thiès. All patients received for lower gastrointestinal endoscopy and whose reports were usable, were included. In the reports, we collected and analyzed sociodemographic data, indication and results of the endoscopic examination. Results: We included 250 patients. There were 140 men (sex ratio 1.27). The average age was 42 years [range 1 - 92 years]. There were 37 colonoscopies (14.8%), 51 rectosigmoidoscopies (20.4%) and 162 anorectoscopies (64.8%). The patients were from the region of Thiès in 82% of cases. In most cases, they were most often referred by general practitioners (22.8%) and surgeons (20.8%). The main indications were rectal bleeding (36.8%), hemorrhoidal disease (23.2%) and proctalgia (11.6%). Hemorrhoidal disease (63.6%), anal fistula (14%) and tumors (8.8%) were the most common pathologies. Conclusion: Admitted patients at the gastrointestinal endoscopy unit of the regional hospital center of Thiès have many indications as well as pathologies. Anal pathology is dominated by hemorrhoidal disease.