Endoscopic submucosal dissection for small submucosal tumors of the rectum compared with endoscopic submucosal resection with a ligation device

AIMTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for small rectal submucosal tumors (SMTs). METHODSBetween August 2008 and March 2016, 39 patients were treated with endoscopic submucosal resection with a ligation device (ESMR-L) (n = 21) or ESD (n = 18) for small rectal SMTs in this study. Twenty-five lesions were confirmed by histological evaluation of endoscopic biopsy prior to the procedure, and 14 lesions were not evaluated by endoscopic biopsy. The results for the ESMR-L group and the ESD group were retrospectively compared, including baseline characteristics and therapeutic outcomes. RESULTSThe rate of en bloc resection was 100% in both groups. Although the rate of complete endoscopic resection was higher in the ESD group than in the ESMR-L group (100% vs 95.2%), there were no significant differences between the two groups (P = 0.462). In one patient in the ESMR-L group with a previously biopsied tumor, histological complete resection with a vertical margin involvement of carcinoid tumor could not be achieved, whereas there was no incomplete resection in the ESD group. The mean length of the procedure was significantly greater in the ESD group than in the ESMR-L group (14.7 ± 6.4 min vs 5.4 ± 1.7 min, P vs 2.8 ± 1.5 d, P CONCLUSIONBoth ESMR-L and ESD were effective for treatment of small rectal SMTs. ESMR-L was simpler to perform than ESD and took less time.

Ligation-assisted endoscopic submucosal resection following unroofing technique for small esophageal subepithelial lesions originating from the muscularis propria

BACKGROUND The majority of esophageal subepithelial lesions originating from the muscularis propria(SEL-MPs)are benign in nature,although a subset may exhibit malignant characteristics.Conventional endoscopic resection techniques are time-consuming and lack efficacy for small SEL-MPs.AIM To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ligation-assisted endoscopic submucosal resection(ESMR-L)following unroofing technique for small esophageal SEL-MPs.METHODS From January 2021 to September 2023,17 patients diagnosed with esophageal SEL-MPs underwent ESMR-L following unroofing technique at the endoscopy center of Shenzhen People’s Hospital.Details of clinicopathological characteristics and clinical outcomes were collected and analyzed.RESULTS The mean age of the patients was 50.12±12.65 years.The mean size of the tumors was 7.47±2.83 mm and all cases achieved en bloc resection successfully.The average operation time was 12.2 minutes without any complications.Histopathology identified 2 Lesions(11.8%)as gastrointestinal stromal tumors at very low risk,12 Lesions(70.6%)as leiomyoma and 3 Lesions(17.6%)as smooth muscle proliferation.No recurrence was found during the mean follow-up duration of 14.18±9.62 months.CONCLUSION ESMR-L following roofing technique is an effective and safe technique for management of esophageal SEL-MPs smaller than 20 mm,but it cannot ensure en bloc resection and may require further treatment.

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.

Predictors of difficult endoscopic resection of submucosal tumors originating from the muscularis propria layer at the esophagogastric junction

BACKGROUND Endoscopic resection approaches,including endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD),submucosal tunneling endoscopic resection(STER)and endoscopic fullthickness resection(EFTR),have been widely used for the treatment of submucosal tumors(SMTs)located in the upper gastrointestinal tract.However,compared to SMTs located in the esophagus or stomach,endoscopic resection of SMTs from the esophagogastric junction(EGJ)is much more difficult because of the sharp angle and narrow lumen of the EGJ.SMTs originating from the muscularis propria(MP)in the EGJ,especially those that grow extraluminally and adhere closely to the serosa,make endoscopic resection even more difficult.AIM To investigate the predictors of difficult endoscopic resection for SMTs from the MP layer at the EGJ.METHODS A total of 90 patients with SMTs from the MP layer at the EGJ were included in the present study.The difficulty of endoscopic resection was defined as a long procedure time,failure of en bloc resection and intraoperative bleeding.Clinicopathological,endoscopic and follow-up data were collected and analyzed.Statistical analysis of independent risks for piecemeal resection,long operative time,and intraoperative bleeding were assessed using univariate and multivariate analyses.RESULTS According to the location and growth pattern of the tumor,44 patients underwent STER,14 patients underwent EFTR,and the remaining 32 patients received a standard ESD procedure.The tumor size was 20.0 mm(range 5.0–100.0 mm).Fourty-seven out of 90 lesions(52.2%)were regularly shaped.The overall en bloc resection rate was 84.4%.The operation time was 43 min(range 16–126 min).The intraoperative bleeding rate was 18.9%.There were no adverse events that required therapeutic intervention during or after the procedures.The surgical approach had no significant correlation with en bloc resection,long operative time or intraoperative bleeding.Large tumor size(≥30 mm)and irregular tumor shape were independent predictors for piecemeal resection(OR:7.346,P=0.032 and OR:18.004,P=0.029,respectively),long operative time(≥60 min)(OR:47.330,P=0.000 and OR:6.863,P=0.034,respectively)and intraoperative bleeding(OR:20.631,P=0.002 and OR:19.020,P=0.021,respectively).CONCLUSION Endoscopic resection is an effective treatment for SMTs in the MP layer at the EGJ.Tumors with large size and irregular shape were independent predictors for difficult endoscopic resection.

The efficacy of full-thickness endoscopic resection of subepithelial tumors in the gastric cardia

BACKGROUND Gastric subepithelial tumors(SETs)may harbor potential malignancy.Although it is well recognized that large SETs should be resected,the precise treatment strategy remains controversial.Compared to surgical resection,endoscopic resection(ER)has many advantages;however,ER of SETs in the cardia is challenging.AIM To evaluate the safety and efficacy of endoscopic full-thickness resection(EFTR)for the treatment of gastric cardia SETs.METHODS We retrospectively reviewed data from all patients with SETs originating from the muscularis propria layer in the gastric cardia that were treated by EFTR or submucosal tunneling ER(STER)at Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University between November 2014 and May 2022.Baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes,including procedure times and complications rates,were compared between groups of patients receiving EFTR and STER.RESULTS A total of 171 tumors were successfully removed[71(41.5%)tumors in the EFTR and 100(58.5%)tumors in the STER group].Gastrointestinal stromal tumors(GISTs)were the most common SET.The en bloc resection rate was 100%in the EFTR group vs 97.0%in STER group(P>0.05).Overall,the EFTR group had a higher complete resection rate than the STER group(98.6%vs 91.0%,P<0.05).The procedure time was also shorter in the EFTR group(44.63±28.66 min vs 53.36±27.34,P<0.05).The most common major complication in both groups was electrocoagulation syndrome.There was no significant difference in total complications between the two groups(21.1%vs 22.0%,P=0.89).CONCLUSION EFTR of gastric cardia SETs is a very promising method to facilitate complete resection with similar complications and reduced operative times compared to STER.In cases of suspected GISTs or an unclear diagnosis,EFTR should be recommended to ensure complete resection.

Management of early oesophageal cancer:An overview

The incidence of esophageal cancer,namely the adenocarcinoma subtype,continues to increase exponentially on an annual basis.The indolent nature of the disease renders a significant proportion inoperable at first presentation,however,with the increased utilisation of endoscopy,many early lesions are now being identified which are suitable for endotherapeutic approaches.This article details the options available for dealing with early esophageal cancer by endoscopic mean obviating the need for surgery thereby avoiding the potential morbidity and mortality of such intervention.

Endoscopic resection of benign esophageal schwannoma:Three case reports and review of literature

BACKGROUND Esophageal schwannomas are uncommon esophageal submucosal benign tumors and are usually treated with surgery.CASE SUMMARY Here,we report three cases of middle/lower thoracic esophageal schwannoma treated successfully with endoscopic resection.These lesions were misdiagnosed as leiomyoma on preoperative imaging.During the endoscopic resection of such tumors,there is a risk of esophageal perforation due to their deep location.If possible,submucosal tunneling endoscopic resection should be used.CONCLUSION For larger schwannomas,endoscopy combined with thoracoscopy can be considered for en bloc resection.We performed a mini literature review in order to present the current status of diagnosis and treatment for esophageal schwannoma.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection for large laterally spreading tumors involving the ileocecal valve and terminal ileum

Endoscopic submucosal dissection is a challenging technique that enables en-bloc resection for large colorectal tumors, as laterally spreading tumors, particularly difficult, if the ileocecal valve and terminal ileum is involved. Herein, we report on one of 4 cases. The procedures, using a bipolar needle knife (B-Knife) to reduce the perforation risk and carbon dioxide instead of conventional air insufflation for patient comfort, achieved curative resections without any complications.

Duodenal neuroendocrine tumor-tertiary care centre experience:A case report

BACKGROUND Neuroendocrine neoplasms(NENs)are a heterogeneous group of neoplasms arising from neuroendocrine cells,which contribute a small fraction of gastrointestinal malignancies.Duodenal neuroendocrine tumors(dNETs)represent 2%of all gastroenteropancreatic NENs.NENs are heterogeneous in terms of clinical symptoms,location,and prognosis.Non-functional NETs are mostly asymptomatic and need a high degree of clinical suspicion.Diagnosis of NETs is by endoscopic,endosonographic biopsy,and histopathological examination with immunohistochemistry staining for synaptophysin and chromogranin A.CASE SUMMARY We present case reports of 5 patients obtained over a period of 10 years in our center with dNETs.One patient had moderately differentiated NET and the remaining four had well-differentiated NET.Surveillance endoscopy was recommended in all the patients and is kept under regular follow-up after performing endoscopic therapy using endoscopic mucosal resection in 4 of them and one patient was advised to undergo a Whipple procedure.CONCLUSION Recently,the number of reported cases of NETs has increased due to advancements in diagnostic modalities and prevalence because of longer survival duration.The management differs based on the site,size,proliferation grade,and locally invasive pattern.They are slow-growing tumors with a good overall prognosis.The prognosis correlates with local lymph node status and metastasis.

Novel combined endoscopic and laparoscopic surgery for advanced T2 gastric cancer:Two case reports

BACKGROUND The standard treatment for advanced T2 gastric cancer(GC)is laparoscopic or surgical gastrectomy(either partial or total)and D2 lymphadenectomy.A novel combined endoscopic and laparoscopic surgery(NCELS)has recently been proposed as a better option for T2 GC.Here we describe two case studies demonstrating the efficacy and safety of NCELS.CASE SUMMARY Two T2 GC cases were both resected by endoscopic submucosal dissection and full-thickness resection and laparoscopic lymph nodes dissection.This method has the advantage of being more precise and minimally invasive compared to current methods.The treatment of these 2 patients was safe and effective with no complications.These cases were followed up for nearly 4 years without recurrence or metastasis.CONCLUSION This novel method provides a minimally invasive treatment option for T2 GC,and its potential indications,effectiveness and safety needs to be further evaluated in controlled studies.

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding as an unusual manifestation of localized Ménétrier’s disease with an underlying lipoma:A case report

BACKGROUND Ménétrier’s disease is a rare condition characterized by enlarged gastric folds,usually located in the whole body and fundus of the stomach.This report presents an unusual case of localized Ménétrier’s disease elevated by a submucosal lipoma and thus looking like a polypoid mass and causing an episode of upper gastrointestinal bleeding.The mass was successfully removed with endoscopic submucosal dissection.CASE SUMMARY Esophagogastroduodenoscopy was performed on a 76-year-old male patient after an episode of upper gastrointestinal bleeding,manifesting as fatigue and melena.A large polypoid mass(4 cm×1 cm)with enlarged mucosal folds was found in the body of the stomach,between the lesser curvature and posterior wall.A small ulcer at the distal end of the mass was identified as the source of the bleeding.Biopsy was negative for neoplasia.Computed tomography showed a submucosal lesion beneath the affected mucosa,most likely a lipoma.The mass was removed en bloc with tunneling endoscopic submucosal dissection.Final pathology determined that the mass included Ménétrier’s disease and a submucosal lipoma.The patient was scheduled for follow-up esophagogastroduodenoscopy.CONCLUSION Localized Ménétrier’s disease can coexist with a submucosal lipoma creating a polypoid mass with risk of bleeding.

Recent developments and innovations in gastric cancer

Gastric cancer has an important place in the worldwide incidence of cancer and cancer-related deaths. It can metastasize to the lymph nodes in the early stages, and lymph node metastasis is an important prognostic factor. Surgery is a very important part of gastric cancer treatment. A D2 lymphadenectomy is the standard surgical treatment for cT1N+ and T2-T4 cancers, which are potentially curable. Recently, the TNM classification system was reorganized, and the margins for gastrectomy and lymphadenectomy were revised. Endoscopic, laparoscopic and robotic treatments of gastric cancer have progressed rapidly with development of surgical instruments and techniques, especially in Eastern countries. Different endoscopic resection techniques have been identified, and these can be divided into two main categories: endoscopic mucosal resection and endoscopic submucosal dissection. Minimally invasive surgery has been reported to be safe and effective for early gastric cancer, and it can be successfully applied to advanced gastric cancer with increasing experience. Cytoreductive surgery and hypertherm&#x00131;c intraper&#x00131;toneal chemotherapy were developed as a combined treatment modality from the results of experimental and clinical studies. Also, hyperthermia increases the antitumor activity and penetration of chemotherapeutics. Trastuzumab which is a monoclonal antibody interacts with human epidermal growth factor (HER) 2 and is related to gastric carcinoma. The anti-tumor mechanism of trastuzumab is not clearly known, but mechanisms such as interruption of the HER2-mediated cell signaling pathways and cell cycle progression have been reported previously. H. pylori is involved in 90% of all gastric malignancies and Japanese guidelines strongly recommend that all H. pylori infections should be eradicated regardless of the associated disease. In this review, we present innovations discussed in recent studies.

Per-oral endoscopic myotomy:Major advance in achalasia treatment and in endoscopic surgery

Per-oral endoscopic myotomy(POEM)represents a natural orifice endoscopic surgery(NOTES)approach to laparoscopy Heller myotomy(LHM).POEM is arguably the most successful clinical application of NOTES.The growth of POEM from a single center in 2008 to approximately 60 centers worldwide in 2014 with several thousand procedures having been performed attests to the success of POEM.Initial efficacy,safety and acid reflux data suggest at least equivalence of POEM to LHM,the previous gold standard for achalasia therapy.Adjunctive techniques used in the West include impedance planimetry for real-time intraprocedural luminal assessment and endoscopic suturing for challenging mucosal defect closures during POEM.The impact of POEM extends beyond the realm of esophageal motility disorders as it is rapidly popularizing endoscopic submucosal dissection in the West and spawning offshoots that use the submucosal tunnel technique for a host of new indications ranging from resection of tumors to pyloromyotomy for gastroparesis.

Long-term outcomes of endoscopic submucosal dissection for high-grade dysplasia and early-stage carcinoma in the colorectum

Background:Colorectal carcinomas(CRCs)arise from premalignant precursors in an adenoma-carcinoma sequence,in which adenoma with high-grade dysplasia(HGD)and early-stage carcinoma are defined as advanced neoplasia.A limited number of studies have evaluated the long-term outcomes of endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD)for advanced colorectal neoplasia.This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of ESD for advanced colorectal neoplasia as well as the long-term outcomes,including local recurrence and metastasis.Methods:We analyzed data collected from 610 consecutive patients with 616 advanced colorectal neoplasia lesions treated with ESD between January 2007 and December 2013.Clinical,endoscopic,and histological data were col-lected over a median follow-up period of 58 months to determine tumor stage and type,resection status,complica-tions,tumor recurrence,and distant metastasis.Results:The overall rates of en bloc resection,histological complete resection,and major complications were 94.3%,89.4%,and 2.3%,respectively.Hybrid ESD was an independent factor of piecemeal resection.Tumor location in the colon was associated with increased risk of ESD-related complications.During the follow-up period,all patients remained free of metastasis.However,local recurrence occurred in 4 patients(0.8%);piecemeal resection was a risk factor.Conclusions:ESD is effective and safe for resection of advanced colorectal neoplasia,with a high en bloc resection rate and favorable long-term outcomes.ESD is indicated for the treatment of HGD and early-stage CRC to obtain cura-tive resection and reduce local recurrence rate.