Special Issue “The Next Generation of Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy”

Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is now widely used as a first-line procedure to investigate upper gastrointestinal symptoms in most countries around the world [...]

Age Cutoff and Yield of Prompt Esophagogastroduodenoscopy to Detect Malignancy in Vietnamese with Upper Gastrointestinal Symptoms: An Endoscopic Database Review of 472,744 Patients from 2014 to 2019

Background and Aims. Age cutoff is an important factor in deciding whether esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) is necessary for patients presenting with upper gastrointestinal symptoms. However, the cutoff value is significantly different across populations. We aimed to determine the age cutoff for EGD that assures a low rate of missing upper gastrointestinal malignancy (UGIM) and to assess the yield of prompt EGD in Vietnamese patients presenting with upper gastrointestinal symptoms. Methods. All EGDs performed in outpatients during a 6-year period (2014–2019) at a tertiary hospital that provided an open-access endoscopy service were retrospectively reviewed. Repeat or surveillance EGDs were excluded. Different age cutoffs were evaluated in terms of their prediction of the absence of UGIM. The yield of endoscopy to detect one malignancy (YoE) was also calculated. Results. Of 472,744 outpatients presenting with upper gastrointestinal symptoms, there were 2198 (0.4%) patients with UGIM. The median age and male-to-female ratio of patients with UGIMs were 57.9 ± 12.5 years and 2.5 : 1, respectively. The YoEs in patients <40, 40–60, and >60 years of age were <1, 1–10, and >10 per 1000 EGDs, respectively. The age cutoffs of 30 years in females and 35 years in males could detect 98.2% (95% CI: 97.7%–98.8%) of UGIM cases with a YoE of about 1 per 1000 EGDs. Conclusions. The age cutoff for EGD in Vietnamese should be lower than that recommended by current international guidelines. The strategy of prompt EGD showed a low YoE, and its cost-effectiveness requires further investigation.

In Search of a Histopathological Pattern of Immune-Mediated Gastritis from Nivolumab Therapy: A Case Report with Literature Review

Immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors is associated with termed inflammatory and immune-related side effects (irAE). Upper gastrointestinal symptoms are infrequent and appear mainly in patients on combination therapy with two checkpoint inhibitor drugs. We present the case of a patient with IIIB stage cutaneous melanoma treated with Nivolumab in monotherapy who developed an immune-mediated gastritis. Histopathologically, due to the paucity of published cases, no specific pattern of Nivolumab-immune-mediated gastritis has been described. We have reviewed the literature and compared the histopathology of the cases available in the literature.

Zenker Diverticulum: Does Size Correlate With Preoperative Symptoms?

Introduction Zenker diverticulum (ZD) usually affects adults after the 7th decade of life. Treatment for ZD is indicated for all symptomatic patients, but some patients prefer to defer surgical treatment until symptoms get worse and decrease their quality of life. Objective To evaluate the association of the preoperative symptoms in ZD patients with the size of the ZD. Methods A retrospective study design. Electronic medical records were used to identify patients diagnosed with ZD and treated over 11 years. Data collection included the chief complaints and symptoms, medical history, and findings on radiologic swallow evaluations of the patients. The diverticulum size was stratified into 3 groups: small (< 1 cm), moderate (1–3 cm), and large (> 3 cm). Results A total of 165 patients were enrolled and stratified by diverticulum size (48 small, 67 medium, and 50 large). Dysphagia, cough, and regurgitation were the most prevalent symptoms. Dysphonia was more frequent among patients with a small pouch. Logistic regression analysis showed that dysphagia and choking were associated with large and medium diverticulum size (p < 0.05). Additionally, dysphonia was significantly associated with the presence of a small-sized ZD (p < 0.04). Conclusion Upper gastrointestinal symptoms such as dysphagia and choking may be associated with a ZD > 1 cm and should always be evaluated. Additionally, the presence of dysphonia was found to be correlated with a ZD < 1 cm, suggesting that a prompt and appropriate fluoroscopic evaluation must be considered in those patients in whom no other clear cause of dysphonia is evident.

EP.WE.446Adequacy of Endoscopic Photo-documentation in OGD, a retrospective audit

Background The technical competence of oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (OGD) is rapidly acquired but to support the practice of complete examination, the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) and Association of Gastrointestinal Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland (AUGIS) strongly recommend photo-documentation of 8 standardized set stations in an OGD. Photo-documentation ensures complete examination, opportunity to inspect area of interest and serves as a legal record of adequate procedure. Methods Retrospective single center study involving review of randomly selected 100 OGD reports from 1/1/2018 till 31/3/2020 from the Endorad system. The reports on online Endorad system were reviewed for photo-documentation of 8 set stations and was also used to collect data on age, sex and the endoscopist. Microsoft Excel was used for data entry and analysis. Results Out of the 100 OGDs reviewed, 58% were males and 42% females. The mean age being 62.7 +/- 13.5. 60% of OGDs were done by surgeons, 25% by gastroenterologist and 15% by Advanced Nurse Practioner. No report had photo-documentation of all 8 stations. Most (40%) had photos of 5 stations, most common was photo evidence at retroflexion (95%) followed by photographic evidence of intubation to D2 (84%). Conclusions OGD is the gold standard test for the investigation of upper gastrointestinal symptoms, the importance lies in the early detection of cancers which maybe amenable to endoscopic treatment. For this reason its important to adhere to guidelines to improve quality in OGD

Capsule Endoscopy for Gastric Evaluation

Wireless capsule endoscopy was first developed to observe the small intestine. A small capsule can be swallowed and images of gastrointestinal tract are taken with natural movement of peristalsis. Application of capsule endoscopy for observing the stomach has also received much attention as a useful alternative to esophagogastroduodenoscopy, but anatomical characteristics of the stomach have demanded technical obstacles that need to be tackled: clear visualization and active movements that could be controlled. Different methods of controlling the capsule within stomach have been studied and magnetic manipulation is the only system that is currently used in clinical settings. Magnets within the capsule can be controlled with a hand-held magnet paddle, robotic arm, and electromagnetic coil system. Studies on healthy volunteers and patients with upper gastrointestinal symptoms have shown that it is a safe and effective alternative method of observing the stomach. This work reviews different magnetic locomotion systems that have been used for observation of the stomach as an emerging new application of wireless capsule endoscopy.