Endoscopic treatment of biliopancreatic pathology in patients with Whipple's pancreaticoduodenectomy surgical variants: Lessons learned from single-balloon enteroscopy-assisted ERCP

Background: Endoscopic treatment of biliopancreatic pathology is challenging due to surgically altered anatomy after Whipple's pancreaticoduodenectomy. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of single-balloon enteroscopy-assisted endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(SBE-ERCP) to treat biliopancreatic pathology in patients with Whipple's pancreaticoduodenectomy surgical variants. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 106 SBE-ERCP procedures in 46 patients with Whipple's variants. Technical and clinical success rates and adverse events were evaluated. Results: Biliary SBE-ERCP was performed in 34 patients and pancreatic SBE-ERCP in 17, including 5 with both indications. From a total of 106 SBE-ERCP procedures, 76 were biliary indication with technical success rate of 68/76(90%) procedures and clinical success rate of 30/34(88%) patients. Mild adverse event rate was 8/76(11%), without serious adverse events. From a total of 106 SBE-ERCP procedures, 30 were pancreatic indication with technical success rate of 24/30(80%) procedures( P = 0.194 vs. biliary SBEERCP) and clinical success rate of 11/17(65%) patients( P = 0.016 vs. biliary SBE-ERCP). Mild adverse event rate was 6/30(20%)( P = 0.194 vs. biliary SBE-ERCP), without serious adverse events. After SBE-ERCP failure, endoscopic ultrasound-guided drainage, percutaneous drainage and redo surgery were alternative therapeutic options. Conclusions: Biliopancreatic pathology after Whipple's pancreaticoduodenectomy variants can be treated using SBE-ERCP without serious adverse events. Technical and clinical success rates are high for biliary indications, whereas clinical success rate of pancreatic indications is significantly lower. SBE-ERCP can be considered as first-line treatment option in this patient group with surgically altered anatomy.

Predicting short-term major postoperative complications in intestinal resection for Crohn’s disease:A machine learning-based study

BACKGROUND Due to the complexity and numerous comorbidities associated with Crohn’s disease(CD),the incidence of postoperative complications is high,significantly impacting the recovery and prognosis of patients.Consequently,additional stu-dies are required to precisely predict short-term major complications following intestinal resection(IR),aiding surgical decision-making and optimizing patient care.AIM To construct novel models based on machine learning(ML)to predict short-term major postoperative complications in patients with CD following IR.METHODS A retrospective analysis was performed on clinical data derived from a patient cohort that underwent IR for CD from January 2017 to December 2022.The study participants were randomly allocated to either a training cohort or a validation cohort.The logistic regression and random forest(RF)were applied to construct models in the training cohort,with model discrimination evaluated using the area under the curves(AUC).The validation cohort assessed the performance of the constructed models.RESULTS Out of the 259 patients encompassed in the study,5.0%encountered major postoperative complications(Clavien-Dindo≥III)within 30 d following IR for CD.The AUC for the logistic model was 0.916,significantly lower than the AUC of 0.965 for the RF model.The logistic model incorporated a preoperative CD activity index(CDAI)of≥220,a diminished preoperative serum albumin level,conversion to laparotomy surgery,and an extended operation time.A nomogram for the logistic model was plotted.Except for the surgical approach,the other three variables ranked among the top four important variables in the novel ML model.CONCLUSION Both the nomogram and RF exhibited good performance in predicting short-term major postoperative complic-ations in patients with CD,with the RF model showing more superiority.A preoperative CDAI of≥220,a di-minished preoperative serum albumin level,and an extended operation time might be the most crucial variables.The findings of this study can assist clinicians in identifying patients at a higher risk for complications and offering personalized perioperative management to enhance patient outcomes.

Giant Brunner's gland hyperplasia of the duodenum successfully resected en bloc by endoscopic mucosal resection: A case report

BACKGROUND Duodenal Brunner's gland hyperplasia(BGH)is a therapeutic target when complications such as bleeding or gastrointestinal obstruction occur or when malignancy cannot be ruled out.Herein,we present a case of large BGH treated with endoscopic mucosal resection(EMR).CASE SUMMARY An 83-year-old woman presented at our hospital with dizziness.Blood tests revealed severe anemia,esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed a 6.5 cm lesion protruding from the anterior wall of the duodenal bulb,and biopsy revealed the presence of glandular epithelium.Endoscopic ultrasonography(EUS)demonstr-ated relatively high echogenicity with a cystic component.The muscularis propria was slightly elevated at the base of the lesion.EMR was performed without complications.The formalin-fixed lesion size was 6 cm×3.5 cm×3 cm,showing nodular proliferation of non-dysplastic Brunner's glands compartmentalized by fibrous septa,confirming the diagnosis of BGH.Reports of EMR or hot snare polypectomy are rare for duodenal BGH>6 cm.In this case,the choice of EMR was made by obtaining information on the base of the lesion as well as on the internal characteristics through EUS.CONCLUSION Large duodenal lesions with good endoscopic maneuverability and no evident muscular layer involvement on EUS may be resectable via EMR.

Endoscopic Ultrasound-guided drainage of an abdominal fluid collection following Whipple's resection

Percutaneous aspiration and drainage of post-operative abdominal fluid collections is a well established standard technique. However,some fluid collections are not amenable to percutaneous drainage either due to location or the presence of surrounding visceral structures. Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) has been widely used for the drainage of pancreatitis-related abdominal fluid collections. However,there are no reports on the use of this technique in the post-operative setting. We report a case where the EUS-guided technique was used to drain a percutaneously inaccessible post-operative collection which had developed after Whipple's resection.

How to treat intestinal obstruction due to malignant recurrence after Whipple's resection for pancreatic head cancer: description of 2 new endoscopic techniques

The prognosis of pancreatic cancer remains poor,even after initial surgical therapy. Local recurrence after Whipple's pancreatico-duodenectomy may lead to intestinal obstruction at the level of the afferent limb or the alimentary limb. Endoscopic insertion of a selfexpandable metal stent(SEMS) into the intestinal malignant stricture is the preferred method of choice for palliation. We describe two new endoscopic techniques to treat a malignant intestinal obstruction with the insertion of a SEMS into the afferent limb and the alimentary limb. A case of malignant gastric outlet obstruction after a Whipple's resection was treated by the creation of an endoscopic gastrojejunostomy by the insertion of a lumen apposing Hot Axios stent in between the stomach and the alimentary limb under fluoroscopic and endoscopic ultrasound control. Biliary obstruction and jaundice caused by a malignant stricture of the afferent limb after a Roux-en-Y Whipple's resection was treated by the insertion of a SEMS by means of the single-balloon overtube-assisted technique under fluoroscopic control. Feasibility and advantages of both techniques are discussed.

Diagnosis and treatment of Whipple disease after kidney transplantation:A case report

BACKGROUND Kidney transplantation is the standard treatment for end-stage renal disease.Particularly,rare and specific pathogenic infections which are asymptomatic are often difficult to diagnose,causing delayed and ineffective treatment and thus seriously affecting prognosis.Tropheryma whipplei(T.whipplei)is a Gram-positive actinomycete widely found in soil,sewage,and other external environments and is present in the population as an asymptomatic pathogen.There is relatively little documented research on T.whipplei in renal transplant patients,and there are no uniform criteria for treating this group of post-transplant patients.This article describes the treatment of a 42-year-old individual with post-transplant T.whipplei infection following kidney transplantation.CASE SUMMARY To analyze clinical features of Whipple’s disease and summarize its diagnosis and treatment effects after renal transplantation.Clinical data of a Whipple’s disease patient treated in the affiliated hospital of Guizhou Medical University were collected and assessed retrospectively.The treatment outcomes and clinical experience were then summarized via literature review.The patient was admitted to the hospital due to recurrent diarrhea for 1 mo,shortness of breath,and 1 wk of fever,after 3 years of renal transplantation.The symptoms of the digestive and respiratory systems were not significantly improved after adjusting immunosuppressive regimen and anti-diarrheal,empirical antibiotic treatments.Bronchoscopic alveolar fluid was collected for meta-genomic next-generation sequencing(mNGS).The deoxyribonucleic acid sequence of Tropheryma whipplei was detected,and Whipple’s disease was diagnosed.Meropenem,ceftriaxone,and other symptomatic treatments were given,and water-electrolyte balance was maintained.Symptoms resolved quickly,and the patient was discharged after 20 d of hospitalization.The compound sulfamethoxazole tablet was continued for 3 mo after discharge.No diarrhea,fever,and other symptoms occurred during the 6-month follow-up.CONCLUSION Whipple’s disease is rare,with no specific symptoms,which makes diagnosis difficult.Polymerase chain reaction or mNGS should be immediately performed when the disease is suspected to confirm the diagnosis.

Total removal of a large esophageal schwannoma by submucosal tunneling endoscopic resection:A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND Primary schwannoma is a rare submucosal tumor of the esophagus,which is most often benign,and surgery is the only effective treatment.So far,only a few cases have been reported.Herein,we reported a single case diagnosed with primary esophageal schwannoma that was totally removed by submucosal tunneling endoscopic resection(STER).CASE SUMMARY A 62-year-old man presented to the hospital with a history of resection of a malignant gastric tumor and mild dysphagia.Endoscopic examination revealed a large submucosal elevated lesion in the esophagus 25-30 cm from the incisors.Endoscopic ultrasonography detected a 45 mm×35 mm×31 mm hypoechoic lesion;chest computed tomography showed a mass of approximately 55 mm×35 mm×29 mm.A preliminary examination showed features suggestive of a stromal tumor.Pathological findings indicated esophageal schwannoma.Next,STER alone was performed to completely resect the mass,and the patient recovered well post-surgery.Afterward,the patient was discharged and showed no tumor recurrence at 33 mo of follow-up.CONCLUSION Endoscopic resection is still an effective treatment for large esophageal schwannomas(>30 mm)under meticulous morphological evaluation.

Vascular resection in pancreatic adenocarcinoma with portal or superior mesenteric vein invasion

AIM:To evaluate long-term survival after the Whipple operation with superior mesenteric vein/portal vein resection(SMV/PVR)in relation to resection length.METHODS:We evaluated 118 patients who underwent the Whipple operation for pancreatic adenocarcinoma at our Department of Hepatobiliary Pancreatic Surgery between 2005 and 2010.Fifty-eight of these patients were diagnosed with microscopic PV/SMV invasion by frozen-section examination and underwent SMV/PVR.In 28 patients,the length of SMV/PVR was≤3 cm.In the other 30 patients,the length of SMV/PVR was>3cm.Clinical and survival data were analyzed.RESULTS:SMV/PVR was performed successfully in 58patients.There was a significant difference between the two groups(SMV/PVR≤3 cm and SMV/PVR>3 cm)in terms of the mean survival time(18 mo vs 11 mo)and the overall 1-and 3-year survival rates(67.9%and14.3%vs 41.3%and 5.7%,P<0.02).However,there was no significant difference in age(64 years vs 58years,P=0.06),operative time(435 min vs 477 min,P=0.063),blood loss(300 mL vs 383 mL,P=0.071)and transfusion volume(85.7 mL vs 166.7 mL,P=0.084)between the two groups.CONCLUSION:Patients who underwent the Whipple operation with SMV/PVR≤3 cm had better long-term survival than those with>3 cm resection.

Khubchandani's procedure combined with stapled posterior rectal wall resection for rectocele

BACKGROUND Obstructed defecation syndrome(ODS) is a widespread disease in the world.Rectocele is the most common cause of ODS in females. Multiple procedures have been performed to treat rectocele and no procedure has been accepted as the gold-standard procedure. Stapled transanal rectal resection(STARR) has been widely used. However, there are still some disadvantages in this procedure and its effectiveness in anterior wall repair is doubtful. Therefore, new procedures are expected to further improve the treatment of rectocele.AIM To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a novel rectocele repair combining Khubchandani's procedure with stapled posterior rectal wall resection.METHODS A cohort of 93 patients were recruited in our randomized clinical trial and were divided into two different groups in a randomized manner. Forty-two patients(group A) underwent Khubchandani's procedure with stapled posterior rectal wall resection and 51 patients(group B) underwent the STARR procedure.Follow-up was performed at 1, 3, 6, and 12 mo after the operation. Preoperative and postoperative ODS scores and depth of rectocele, postoperative complications, blood loss, and hospital stay of each patient were documented. All data were analyzed statistically to evaluate the efficiency and safety of our procedure.RESULTS In group A, 42 patients underwent Khubchandani's procedure with stapled posterior rectal wall resection and 34 were followed until the final analysis. In group B, 51 patients underwent the STARR procedure and 37 were followed until the final analysis. Mean operative duration was 41.47 ± 6.43 min(group A) vs39.24 ± 6.53 min(group B). Mean hospital stay was 3.15 ± 0.70 d(group A) vs 3.14± 0.54 d(group B). Mean blood loss was 10.91 ± 2.52 mL(group A) vs 10.14 ± 1.86 m L(group B). Mean ODS score in group A declined from 16.50 ± 2.06 before operation to 5.06 ± 1.07 one year after the operation, whereas in group B it was17.11 ± 2.57 before operation and 6.03 ± 2.63 one year after the operation. Mean depth of rectocele decreased from 4.32 ± 0.96 cm(group A) vs 4.18 ± 0.95 cm(group B) preoperatively to 1.19 ± 0.43 cm(group A) vs 1.54 ± 0.82 cm(group B)one year after operation. No other serious complications, such as rectovaginal fistula, perianal sepsis, or deaths, were recorded. After 12 mo of follow-up, 30 patients'(30/34, 88.2%) final outcomes were judged as effective and 4(4/34,11.8%) as moderate in group A, whereas in group B, 30(30/37, 81.1%) patients' outcomes were judged as effective, 5(5/37, 13.5%) as moderate, and 2(2/37,5.4%) as poor.CONCLUSION Khubchandani's procedure combined with stapled posterior rectal wall resection is an effective, feasible, and safe procedure with minor trauma to rectocele.

Whipple’s operation with a modified centralization concept:A model in low-volume Caribbean centers

Conventional data suggest that complex operations,such as a pancreaticoduodenectomy(PD),should be limited to high volume centers.However,this is not practical in small,resource-poor countries in the Caribbean.In these settings,patients have no option but to have their PDs performed locally at low volumes,occasionally by general surgeons.In this paper,we review the evolution of the concept of the high-volume center and discuss the feasibility of applying this concept to low and middle-income nations.Specifically,we discuss a modification of this concept that may be considered when incorporating PD into low-volume and resource-poor countries,such as those in the Caribbean.This paper has two parts.First,we performed a literature review evaluating studies published on outcomes after PD in high volume centers.The data in the Caribbean is then examined and we discuss the incorporation of this operation into resource-poor hospitals with modifications of the centralization concept.In the authors’opinions,most patients who require PD in the Caribbean do not have realistic opportunities to have surgery in high-volume centers in developed countries.In these settings,their only options are to have their operations in the resource-poor,low-volume settings in the Caribbean.However,post-operative outcomes may be improved,despite low-volumes,if a modified centralization concept is encouraged.

Whipple’s pancreaticoduodenectomy at a resource-poor,low-volume center in Trinidad and Tobago

BACKGROUND Many authorities advocate for Whipple’s procedures to be performed in highvolume centers,but many patients in poor developing nations cannot access these centers.We sought to determine whether clinical outcomes were acceptable when Whipple’s procedures were performed in a low-volume,resource-poor setting in the West Indies.AIM To study outcomes of Whipple’s procedures in a pancreatic unit in the West Indies over an eight-year period from June 1,2013 to June 30,2021.METHODS This was a retrospective study of all patients undergoing Whipple’s procedures in a pancreatic unit in the West Indies over an eight-year period from June 1,2013 to June 30,2021.RESULTS This center performed an average of 11.25 procedures per annum.There were 72 patients in the final study population at a mean age of 60.2 years,with 52.7%having American Society of Anesthesiologists scores≥III and 54.1%with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group scores≥2.Open Whipple’s procedures were performed in 70 patients and laparoscopic assisted procedures in 2.Portal vein resection/reconstruction was performed in 19(26.4%)patients.In patients undergoing open procedures there was 367±54.1 min mean operating time,1394±656.8 mL mean blood loss,5.24±7.22 d mean intensive care unit stay and 15.1±9.53 d hospitalization.Six(8.3%)patients experienced minor morbidity,10(14%)major morbidity and there were 4(5.5%)deaths.CONCLUSION This paper adds to the growing body of evidence that volume alone should not be used as a marker of quality for patients requiring Whipple’s procedures.Low volume centers in resource poor nations can achieve good short-term outcomes.This is largely due to the process of continuous,adaptive learning by the entire hospital.

Resection of early esophageal neoplasms: The pendulum swings from surgical to endoscopic management

Esophageal cancer is a highly lethal disease and is the sixth leading cause of cancer related mortality in the world.The standard treatment is esophagectomy which is associated with significant morbidity and mortality.This led to development of minimally invasive,organ sparing endoscopic therapies which have comparable outcomes to esophagectomy in early cancer.These include endoscopic mucosal resection and endoscopic submucosal dissection.In early squamous cell cancer,endoscopic submucosal dissection is preferred as it is associated with cause specific 5-year survival rates of 100%for M1 and M2 tumors and 85%for M3 and SM1 tumors and low recurrence rates.In early adenocarcinoma,endoscopic resection of visible abnormalities is followed by ablation of the remaining flat Barrett’s mucosa to prevent recurrences.Radiofrequency ablation is the most widely used ablation modality with others being cryotherapy and argon plasma coagulation.Focal endoscopic mucosal resection followed by radiofrequency ablation leads to eradication of neoplasia in 93.4%of patients and eradication of intestinal metaplasia in 73.1%of patients.Innovative techniques such as submucosal tunneling with endoscopic resection are developed for management of submucosal tumors of the esophagus.This review includes a discussion of various endoscopic techniques and their clinical outcomes in early squamous cell cancer,adenocarcinoma and submucosal tumors.An overview of comparison between esophagectomy and endoscopic therapy are also presented.

Atypical Whipple’s disease with special endoscopic manifestations:A case report

BACKGROUND Whipple’s disease is a rare systemic infection caused by Tropheryma whipplei.Most patients present with nonspecific symptoms,and routine laboratory and imaging examination results also lack specificity.The diagnosis often relies on invasive manipulation,pathological examination,and molecular techniques.These difficulties in diagnosing Whipple’s disease often result in misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatments.CASE SUMMARY This paper reports on the case of a 58-year-old male patient who complained of fatigue and decreased exercise capacity.The results of routine blood tests indicated hypochromic microcytic anemia.Results of gastroscopy and capsule endoscopy showed multiple polypoid bulges distributed in the duodenal and proximal jejunum.A diagnosis of small intestinal adenomatosis was initially considered;hence,the Whipple procedure,a pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy,was performed.Pathological manifestations showed many periodic acid-Schiff-positive macrophages aggregated in the intestinal mucosa of the duodenum,upper jejunum,and surrounding lymph nodes.Based on comprehensive analysis of symptoms,laboratory findings,and pathological manifestations,the patient was finally diagnosed with Whipple’s disease.After receiving 1 mo of antibiotic treatment,the fatigue and anemia were significantly improved.CONCLUSION This case presented with atypical gastrointestinal manifestations and small intestinal polypoid bulges,which provided new insight on the diagnosis of Whipple’s disease.

First Pillcam Colon 2 capsule images of Whipple's disease:Case report and review of the literature

Whipple's disease is a rare chronic systemic infection determined by the Gram-positive bacillus Tropheryma whipplei.The infection usually mainly involves the small bowel,but sometimes other organs are affected as well.Since the current standard clinical and biological tests are nonspecific,diagnosis is very difficult and relies on histopathology.Here we present the case of a 52-yearold man with chronic diarrhea and weight loss whose symptoms had been evolving for 2 years and whose diagnosis came unexpectedly after capsule examination.Diagnosis was confirmed by the histopathologic examination of endoscopic biopsy samples,and treatment with co-trimoxazole resulted in remission of symptoms.We present the first images of Whipple's disease obtained with the Pillcam Colon 2 video capsule system.

Esophageal resection for high-grade dysplasia and intramucosal carcinoma: When and how?

High-grade dysplasia (HGD) and intramucosal carcinoma (IMC) in the setting of Barrett’s esophagus have traditionally been treated with esophagectomy. However, with the advent of endoscopic mucosal resection and endoscopic ablative therapies, endoscopic therapy at centers with expertise is now an established treatment of Barrett’s-esophagus-related neoplasia, including HGD and IMC. Esophagectomy is today reserved for more selected cases with submucosal invasion, evidence for lymph node metastasis, or unsuccessful endoscopic therapy.

Endoscopic full-thickness resection to treat active Dieulafoy's disease: A case report

BACKGROUND At present,minimally invasive endoscopic treatment is mostly used for patients with actively bleeding Dieulafoy’s lesions,,as it has the advantages of minimal trauma,short operation time and good hemostatic effect,although bleeding can easily recur postoperatively.Recently,extensive gastric cuneiform resection has been advocated for use in these patients because the constant-diameter artery follows a long path to the gastric mucosa.CASE SUMMARY A 47-year-old man was admitted to the hospital for repeated hematemesis and black stool,and he was diagnosed with Dieulafoy’s disease.We chose a method that not only simulates surgical gastric cuneiform resection but also reduces trauma.We performed enlarged local endoscopic full-thickness resection of the gastric wall and abdominal constant-diameter artery and sutured the gastric wall.Postoperative follow-up showed that the constant-diameter artery had been resected from the gastric wall,which was confirmed to have no blood flow signals by endoscopic ultrasonography.CONCLUSION Endoscopic full-thickness resection of the gastric wall and abdominal constantdiameter artery with suturing of the gastric wall has demonstrated potential as a new treatment for Dieulafoy's disease.

Endoscopic resection techniques and ablative therapies for Barrett’s neoplasia

Esophageal adenocarcinoma is the most rapidly increas- ing cancer in western countries.High-grade dysplasia (HGD)arising from Barrett’s esophagus(BE)is the most important risk factor for its development,and when it is present the reported incidence is up to 10% per patient-year.Adenocarcinoma in the setting of BE develops through a well known histological sequence,from non-dysplastic Barrett’s to low grade dysplasia and then HGD and cancer.Endoscopic surveillance programs have been established to detect the presence of neo- plasia at a potentially curative stage.Newly developed endoscopic treatments have dramatically changed the therapeutic approach of BE.When neoplasia is confined to the mucosal layer the risk for developing lymph node metastasis is negligible and can be successfully eradi- cated by an endoscopic approach,offering a curative in- tention treatment with minimal invasiveness.Endoscopic therapies include resection techniques,also known as tissue-acquiring modalities,and ablation therapies or non-tissue acquiring modalities.The aim of endoscopic treatment is to eradicate the whole Barrett’s segment,since the risk of developing synchronous and metachro- nous lesions due to the persistence of molecular aberra- tions in the residual epithelium is well established.

Curative resection with endoscopic submucosal dissection of early gastric cancer in Helicobacter pylori-negative Ménétrier’s disease:A case report

BACKGROUND Adult-onset Ménétrier’s disease is strongly associated with Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)infection and an elevated risk of carcinogenesis.Cases of early-stage gastric cancer developed in H.pylori-negative Ménétrier’s disease are extremely rare.We report a case of early gastric cancer in H.pylori-negative Ménétrier’s disease that was curatively resected with endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD).CASE SUMMARY A 60-year-old woman was referred to our hospital after her medical examination detected anemia.Contrast-enhanced upper gastrointestinal(UGI)radiography revealed translucency of the nodule-aggregating surface with giant rugae.Blood tests showed hypoproteinemia and were negative for serum H.pylori immunoglobulin G antibodies.The 99mTc-DTPA-human serum albumin scintigraphy showed protein loss from the stomach.UGI endoscopy showed a 40-mm protruding erythematous lesion on giant rugae of the greater curvature of lower gastric body,suggesting early-stage gastric cancer due to Ménétrier’s disease.En bloc resection with ESD was performed for diagnosis and treatment.Histology of ESD showed well-differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma.The cancer was confined to the mucosa,and complete curative resection was achieved.Foveolar hyperplasia and atrophy of the gastric glands were observed in non-tumor areas,histologically corresponding to Ménétrier’s disease.Three years after ESD,gastric cancer had not recurred,and Ménétrier’s disease remained in remission with spontaneous regression of giant gastric rugae.CONCLUSION Complete curative resection was achieved through ESD in a patient with earlystage gastric cancer and H.pylori-negative Ménétrier’s disease.

Pancreatic surgery and tertiary pancreatitis services warrant provision for support from a specialist diabetes team

Pancreatic surgery units undertake several complex operations,albeit with consi-derable morbidity and mortality,as is the case for the management of complicated acute pancreatitis or chronic pancreatitis.The centralisation of pancreatic surgery services,with the development of designated large-volume centres,has contribu-ted to significantly improved outcomes.In this editorial,we discuss the complex associations between diabetes mellitus(DM)and pancreatic/periampullary disease in the context of pancreatic surgery and overall management of complex pancreatitis,highlighting the consequential needs and the indispensable role of specialist diabetes teams in support of tertiary pancreatic services.Type 3c pan-creatogenic DM,refers to DM developing in the setting of exocrine pancreatic disease,and its identification and management can be challenging,while the glycaemic control of such patients may affect their course of treatment and outcome.Adequate preoperative diabetes assessment is warranted to aid identification of patients who are likely to need commencement or escalation of glucose lowering therapy in the postoperative period.The incidence of new onset diabetes after pancreatic resection is widely variable in the literature,and depends on the type and extent of pancreatic resection,as is the case with pancreatic parenchymal loss in the context of severe pancreatitis.Early involvement of a specialist diabetes team is essential to ensure a holistic management.In the current era,large volume pancreatic surgery services commonly abide by the principles of enhanced recovery after surgery,with inclusion of provisions for optimisation of the perioperative glycaemic control,to improve outcomes.While various guidelines are available to aid perioperative management of DM,auditing and quality improvement platforms have highlighted deficiencies in the perioperative management of diabetic patients and areas of required improvement.The need for perioperative support of diabetic patients by specialist diabetes teams is uniformly underlined,a fact that becomes clearly more prominent at all different stages in the setting of pancreatic surgery and the management of complex pancreatitis.Therefore,pancreatic surgery and tertiary pancreatitis services must be designed with a provision for support from specialist diabetes teams.With the ongoing accumulation of evidence,it would be reasonable to consider the design of specific guidelines for the glycaemic management of these patients.

Risk factors for recurrence after bowel resection for Crohn’s disease

BACKGROUND Complications of Crohn’s disease such as intestinal obstruction,fistula or perforation often need surgical treatment.Nearly 70%-80%patients with Crohn’s disease would receive surgical treatment during the lifetime.However,surgical treatment is incurable for Crohn’s disease.The challenge of recurrence postoperatively troubles both doctors and patients.Over 50%patients would suffer recurrence postoperatively.Some certain risk factors are associated with recurrence of Crohn’s disease.AIM To evaluate the risk factors for endoscopic recurrence and clinical recurrence after bowel resection in Crohn’s disease.METHODS Patients diagnosed Crohn’s disease and received intestinal resection between April 2007 and December 2013 were included in this study.Data on the general demographic information,preoperative clinical characteristics,surgical information,postoperative clinical characteristics were collected.Continuous data are expressed as median(inter quartile range),and categorical data as frequencies and percentages.Kaplan-Meier method was applied to estimate the impact of the clinical variables above on the cumulative rate of postoperative endoscopic recurrence and clinical recurrence,then log-rank test was applied to test the homogeneity of those clinical variables.Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was performed to identify the risk factors of postoperative endoscopic recurrence and clinical recurrence.RESULTS A total of 64 patients were included in this study.The median follow-up time for the patients was 17(9.25-25.75)mo.In this period,41 patients(64.1%)had endoscopic recurrence or clinical recurrence.Endoscopic recurrence occurred in 34(59.6%)patients while clinical recurrence occurred in 28(43.8%)patients,with the interval between the operation and recurrence of 13.0(8.0-24.5)months and 17.0(8.0-27.8)mo,respectively.In univariate analysis,diagnosis at younger age(P<0.001),disease behavior of penetrating(P=0.044)and preoperative use of anti-tumor necrosis factor(TNF)(P=0.020)were significantly correlated with endoscopic recurrence,while complication with perianal lesions(P=0.032)and preoperative use of immunomodulatory(P=0.031)were significantly correlated with clinical recurrence.As to multivariate analysis,diagnostic age(P=0.004),disease behavior(P=0.041)and preoperative use of anti-TNF(P=0.010)were independent prognostic factors for endoscopic recurrence,while complication with perianal lesions(P=0.023)was an independent prognostic factor for clinical recurrence.CONCLUSION Diagnostic age,disease behavior,preoperative use of anti-TNF and complication with perianal lesions were independent risk factors for postoperative recurrence in Crohn’s disease.