Endoscopic transpapillary brush cytology and forceps biopsy in patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma

AIM: To evaluate the sensitivity of brush cytology and forceps biopsy in a homogeneous patient group with hilar cholangiocarcinoma.METHODS: Brush cytology and forceps biopsy were routinely performed in patients with suspected malignant biliary strictures. Fifty-eight consecutive patients undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP) including forceps biopsy and brush cytology in patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma between 1995-2005.RESULTS: Positive results for malignancy were obtained in 24/58 patients (41.4%) by brush cytology and in 31/58 patients (53.4%) by forceps biopsy. The combination of both techniques brush cytology and forceps biopsy resulted only in a minor increase in diagnostic sensitivity to 60.3% (35/58 patients). In 20/58 patients (34.5%), diagnosis were obtained by both positive cytology and positive histology, in 11/58 (19%) by positive histology (negative cytology) and only 4/58 patients (6.9%) were confirmed by positive cytology (negative histology).CONCLUSION: Brush cytology and forceps biopsy have only limited sensitivity for the diagnosis of malignant hilar tumors. In our eyes, additional diagnostic techniques should be evaluated and should become routine in patients with negative cytological and histological findings.

Removal of diminutive colorectal polyps: A prospective randomized clinical trial between cold snare polypectomy and hot forceps biopsy

AIMTo compare the efficacy and safety of cold snare polypectomy (CSP) and hot forceps biopsy (HFB) for diminutive colorectal polyps.METHODSThis prospective, randomized single-center clinical trial included consecutive patients ≥ 20 years of age with diminutive colorectal polyps 3-5 mm from December 2014 to October 2015. The primary outcome measures were en-bloc resection (endoscopic evaluation) and complete resection rates (pathological evaluation). The secondary outcome measures were the immediate bleeding or immediate perforation rate after polypectomy, delayed bleeding or delayed perforation rate after polypectomy, use of clipping for bleeding or perforation, and polyp retrieval rate. Prophylactic clipping after polyp removal wasn’t routinely performed.RESULTSTwo hundred eight patients were randomized into the CSP (102), HFB (106) and 283 polyps were evaluated (CSP: 148, HFB: 135). The en-bloc resection rate was significantly higher with CSP than with HFB [99.3% (147/148) vs 80.0% (108/135), P < 0.0001]. The complete resection rate was significantly higher with CSP than with HFB [80.4% (119/148) vs 47.4% (64/135), P < 0.0001]. The immediate bleeding rate was similar between the groups [8.6% (13/148) vs 8.1% (11/135), P = 1.000], and endoscopic hemostasis with hemoclips was successful in all cases. No cases of perforation or delayed bleeding occurred. The rate of severe tissue injury to the pathological specimen was higher HFB than CSP [52.6% (71/135) vs 1.3% (2/148), P < 0.0001]. Polyp retrieval failure was encountered CSP (7), HFB (2).CONCLUSIONCSP is more effective than HFB for resecting diminutive polyps. Further long-term follow-up study is required.

Percutaneous transhepatic intraportal biopsy using gastroscope biopsy forceps for diagnosis of a pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasm:A case report

BACKGROUND Pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms(PNENs)are a rare group of neoplasms originating from the islets of the Langerhans.Portal vein tumor thrombosis has been reported in 33%of patients with PNENs.While the histopathological diagnosis of PNENs is usually based on percutaneous biopsy or endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration(EUS-FNA),these approaches may be impeded by gastric varices,poor access windows,or anatomically contiguous critical structures.Obtaining a pathological diagnosis using a gastroscope biopsy forceps via percutaneous transhepatic intravascular pathway is an innovative method that has rarely been reported.CASE SUMMARY A 72-year-old man was referred to our hospital for abdominal pain and melena.Abdominal contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging revealed a wellenhanced tumor(size:2.4 cm×1.2 cm×1.2 cm)in the pancreatic tail with portal vein invasion.Traditional pathological diagnosis via EUS-FNA was not possible because of diffuse gastric varices.We performed a percutaneous transportal biopsy of the portal vein tumor thrombus using a gastroscope biopsy forceps.Histopathologic examination revealed a pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasm(G2)with somatostatin receptors 2(+),allowing systemic treatment.CONCLUSION Intravascular biopsy using gastroscope biopsy forceps appears to be a safe and effective method for obtaining a histopathological diagnosis.Although welldesigned clinic trials are required to obtain more definitive evidence,this procedure may help improve the diagnosis of portal vein thrombosis and related diseases.

Endobiliary biopsy

The differential diagnosis between benign and malignant biliary strictures is challenging and requires a multidisciplinary approach with the use of serum biomarkers,imaging techniques,and several modalities of endoscopic or percutaneous tissue sampling.The diagnosis of biliary strictures consists of laboratory markers,and invasive and non-invasive imaging examinations such as computed tomography(CT),contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography,and endoscopic ultrasonography(EUS).Nevertheless,invasive imaging modalities combined with tissue sampling are usually required to confirm the diagnosis of suspected malignant biliary strictures,while pathological diagnosis is mandatory to decide the optimal therapeutic strategy.Although EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy is currently the standard procedure for tissue sampling of solid pancreatic mass lesions,its diagnostic value in intraductal infiltrating type of cholangiocarcinoma remains limited.Moreover,the“endobiliary approach”using novel slim biopsy forceps,transpapillary and percutaneous cholangioscopy,and intraductal ultrasound-guided biopsy,is gaining ground on traditional endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography endobiliary forceps biopsy.This review focuses on the available endobiliary techniques currently used to perform biliary strictures biopsy,comparing the diagnostic performance of endoscopic and percutaneous approaches.

Successful endoscopic fragmentation of large hardened fecaloma using jumbo forceps

We present a rare case of fecaloma, 7 cm in size, in the setting of systemic scleroderma. A colonoscopy revealed a giant brown fecaloma occupying the lumen of the colon and a colonic ulcer that was caused by the fecaloma. The surface of the fecaloma was hard, large and slippery, and fragmentation was not possible despite the use of various devices, including standard biopsy forceps, an injection needle, and a snare. However, jumbo forceps were able to shave the surface of the fecaloma and break it successfully by repeated biting for 6 h over 2 d. The ability of the jumbo forceps to collect large mucosal samples was also appropriate for achieving fragmentation of the giant fecaloma.

Diagnostic approaches for cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinomas arise from the epithelial cells of the bile ducts and are associated with poor prognosis. Despite new diagnostic approaches, the definite diagnosis of this malignancy continues to be challenging. Cholangiocarcinomas often grow longitudinally along the bile duct rather than in a radial direction. Thus, large tumor masses are frequently absent and imaging techniques, including ultrasound, CT, and MRI have only limited sensitivity. Tissue collection during endoscopic (ERCP) and/or percutaneous transhepatic (PTC) procedures are usually used to confirm a definitive diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma. However, forceps biopsy and brush cytology provide positive results for malignancy in about only 50% of patients. Percutaneous and peroral cholangioscopy using fiber-optic techniques were therefore developed for direct visualization of the biliary tree, yielding additional information about endoscopic appearance and tumor extension, as well as a guided biopsy acquistion. Finally, endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) complements endoscopic and percutaneous approaches and may provide a tissue diagnosis of tumors in the biliary region through fine-needle aspiration. In the future, new techniques allowing for early detection, including molecular markers, should be developed to improve the diagnostic sensitivity in this increasing tumor entity.

Sarcomatoid malignant pleural mesothelioma confirmed by full-thickness biopsy

Diffuse malignant pleural mesothelioma （DMPM） is a rare thoracic malignancy, but its incidence isdramatically increasing worldwide as a result ot widespread use of asbestos. The World Health Organization classifies DMPM into three types： epithelioid, sarcomatoid, and biphasic types. DMPM remains suffering poor prognosis and the diagnosis should always be based on adequate, representative tissue samples. There still remains a considerable number of patients with DMPM who are misdiagnosed after a complete investigation including thoracoscopic biopsies.