Torsades de pointes in the PACU after outpatient endoscopy: a case report

Background This case demonstrates the severe electrolyte derangements that may present after a common therapy such as a bowel preparation for an outpatient procedure and the rare yet potential detrimental outcomes of those abnormalities. It also highlights the implications of long QT syndrome regarding pharmacology and treatment. Case presentation We present a case of 48 year-old female with severe electrolyte derangements and long QT syndrome (LQTS) leading to Torsades de Pointes (TdP), pulseless ventricular fibrillation, and unsynchronized defibrillation in the post anesthesia care unit (PACU) after uneventful upper and lower endoscopy. This led to an unanticipated intensive care unit admission for aggressive electrolyte repletion, cardiology consultation, and implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) placement. Conclusions This is a rare presentation after an outpatient procedure that would have had a detrimental outcome if not promptly diagnosed and treated appropriately. Therefore, we aim to provide further insight into the diagnosis and treatment of severe hypokalemia and long QT syndrome resulting in Torsades de Pointes and ventricular fibrillation.

Az endoszkópia minőségi követelményei

Összefoglaló. A tápcsatorna endoszkópiája a gasztrointesztinális rendszer betegségeinek legfontosabb vizsgáló eljárása, a diagnosztikán túl egyre szélesedő körben terápiás beavatkozási lehetőséget is magában foglal. A jó minőségben végzett endoszkópia javítja az esetlegesen fennálló betegség kimenetelét és növeli a betegelégedettséget. A nemzetközi emésztőszervi endoszkópos társaságok elsőrendű fontosságúnak határozták meg az endoszkópia minőségének javítását célzó törekvéseket. Az endoszkópos tevékenységek minőségének ellenőrzésében és javításában a meghatározott indikátorok folyamatos követése fontos feladat, ezek révén biztosítható betegeink számára a legmagasabb szintű ellátás. A bizonyítékon alapuló minőségi indikátorok lehetővé teszik az egyes endoszkóposok és az endoszkópos vizsgálóhelyek összehasonlítását és az általuk nyújtott szolgáltatás értékelését. A fenntartónak betegbiztonsági és költséghatékonysági szempontból is fontos ismerni, hogy melyik szolgáltató tudja teljesíteni a minimálisan elvárt és fejlődési célként kitűzött teljesítménymutatókat, melyik ellátónál milyen tényezőket szükséges megváltoztatni, javítani. A szerzők az európai útmutatókat alapul véve a felső tápcsatorna endoszkópiája, az alsó tápcsatorna endoszkópia, a pancreatobiliaris endoszkópia, a vékonybél endoszkópia, a kapszula endoszkópia és az endoszkópos szolgáltatás területén határozták meg a klinikailag releváns teljesítménymutatók auditálható magyar rendszerét. Az egységesség, a jobb digitalizálhatóság és könnyebb auditálhatóság céljából a felső, az alsó, a pancreatobiliaris, a vékonybél és a kapszula endoszkópia vonatkozásában a magyar ajánlásban a minőségi alterületeket egységesen (1–8) számozták, minden szám ugyanazon szempontrendszert jelenti. Az endoszkópos szolgáltatás komplex minőségi mutatóinál szigorúan ragaszkodtak az európai irányelvhez, itt 9 különböző alterületbe foglalták össze a 30 minőségi mutatót. A szűrő kolonoszkópia kiemelt jelentősége miatt a jelen minőségi endoszkópos útmutatóba foglalták bele eltérő szerkezettel a szűrő kolonoszkópos program során alkalmazott minőségi mutatókat, illetve a bélelőkészítést érintő néhány alapvetést is. Summary. Nowadays, endoscopy is the cornerstone in the diagnosis and therapy of gastrointestinal diseases. Good quality endoscopy can improve outcome of the disease and patients experience. International endoscopy societies prioritized efforts improving quality of endoscopy. The highest level of patient care can be provided through continuous assessment and improvement of relevant quality indicators. The comparison of these evidence based performance measures between endoscopists and endoscopy providers allow the objective evaluation of the service. Furthermore, from the point of view of patient safety and cost effectiveness the health care provider should know the minimum standards and target goals, as well, to make grounded decisions about fields of necessary changes and improvements. The authors based on European guidelines worked out this comprehensive auditable Hungarian system of performance measures in the fields of upper endoscopy, lower endoscopy, pancreatobiliary endoscopy, capsule endoscopy, enteroscopy and general endoscopy service. Due to commonality all domains were counted similarly (1–8) in different endoscopic procedures. The general endoscopy service is an exception with 9 domains and 30 quality parameters. The outstanding importance of colorectal cancer screening required involving this topic into this guideline with separate structure, as well as the basics of bowel preparation.

Impact of COVID-19 on gastroenterology fellowship training: a multicenter analysis of endoscopy volumes

Background and study aims The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on gastroenterology training programs. We aimed to objectively evaluate procedural training volume and impact of COVID-19 on gastroenterology fellowship programs in the United States. Methods This was a retrospective, multicenter study. Procedure volume data on upper and lower endoscopies performed by gastroenterology fellows was abstracted directly from the electronic medical record. The study period was stratified into 2 time periods: Study Period 1, SP1 (03/15/2020 to 06/30/2020) and Study Period 2, SP2 (07/01/2020 to 12/15/2020). Procedure volumes during SP1 and SP2 were compared to Historic Period 1 (HP1) (03/15/2019 to 06/30/2019) and Historic Period 2 (HP2) (07/01/2019 to 12/15/2019) as historical reference. Results Data from 23 gastroenterology fellowship programs (total procedures = 127,958) with a median of 284 fellows (range 273–289; representing 17.8 % of all trainees in the United States) were collected. Compared to HP1, fellows performed 53.6 % less procedures in SP1 (total volume: 28,808 vs 13,378; mean 105.52 ± 71.94 vs 47.61 ± 41.43 per fellow; P < 0.0001). This reduction was significant across all three training years and for both lower and upper endoscopies (P < 0.0001). However, the reduction in volume was more pronounced for lower endoscopy compared to upper endoscopy [59.03 % (95 % CI: 58.2–59.86) vs 48.75 % (95 % CI: 47.96–49.54); P < 0.0001]. The procedure volume in SP2 returned to near baseline of HP2 (total volume: 42,497 vs 43,275; mean 147.05 ± 96.36 vs 150.78 ± 99.67; P = 0.65). Conclusions Although there was a significant reduction in fellows’ endoscopy volume in the initial stages of the pandemic, adaptive mechanisms have resulted in a return of procedure volume to near baseline without ongoing impact on endoscopy training.

1228 Massive Gastrointestinal Bleeding Secondary to Bleeding Jejunal Diverticulum

Usually, the Jejunal diverticula appeared multiple and vary in size. These false diverticula lack the muscular coat of the normal intestinal walls, and most patients presented with it were asymptomatic. Although 10% of all patients develop complications such as perforation, obstruction, or bleeding, which then requires surgical intervention, but bleeding is relatively rare among these complications. A case of 74 years old lady was referred to our hospital because of persistent hematemesis and fresh melena. Her previous and recent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy both revealed only gastric erosions without any active bleeding. Also, previous, and recent colonoscopy was done but not completed due to the presents of fresh blood and blood clots along the colon, which led to improper visualization. Her selective mesenteric angiography was done together with upper and lower endoscopy, but none of them revealed the source of bleeding. Emergency exploratory laparotomy was undertaken, and a prominent single jejunal diverticulum with a prominent vessel entering it was noted, and no bleeding from other sites detected. Enterotomy was performed, and enteroscopy confirmed ulceration at the jejunal diverticulum site. Resection of the portion containing the diverticulum and primary anastomosis was done, and this cured the patient. The histopathological examination of the specimen showed an ulcerative lesion with an exposed vessel suggestive of the source of bleeding. Although jejunal diverticula incidence is rare, it is important to look for such lesions in patients with intestinal bleeding. Keywords: jejunal diverticulum, small intestine, intestinal bleeding.

Two Birds with One Stone

Despite improved serological and imaging diagnostic methods, liver biopsy remains an essential tool in diagnosing, evaluating and managing liver diseases. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided liver biopsy (EUS-LB) has been demonstrated to be a safe, feasible and effective technique with at least comparable or even better samples than transjugular or percutaneous liver biopsies.1-3 EUS-LB has various advantages: better patient comfort, if needed portal vein pressure measurements can be conducted simultaneously and different regions in the liver can be easily sampled. Moreover, as demonstrated in this case, EUS-LB can be performed concomitantly with an upper, lower endoscopy or EUS.

P676 The small intestinal microbiome in Crohn’s disease is characterised by increased luminal diversity and stable mucosa-associated communities

Background Crohn’s disease (CD) may affect the entire gut but the composition and optimal sampling of the small intestinal microbiome are understudied. We assessed the variation in small intestinal luminal and mucosal microbiota in CD compared to healthy volunteers (HV) and functional dyspepsia (FD) patients. Methods Duodenal biopsies were collected with the Brisbane aseptic biopsy device1 followed by sterile brushing of the lumen/mucus layer. Aseptic ileal biopsies and brushes were also collected in CD patients with synchronous lower endoscopy. Acid- (proton pump inhibitors, PPIs) or immune-suppression (IS) and macro- (erosions/ulcers) and/or microscopic inflammation (CD) were recorded. Contamination was minimised during sample and data processing2 with further analysis at genus level. Microbiota covariates were studied using distance-based redundancy analysis (dbRDA, genus-level Aitchison distance) and PERMANOVA. Alpha-diversity (α) was compared between sampling types (biopsy/brush), disease groups, PPIs (off/on), IS (yes/no) or location (CD). Genera abundance profiles were compared transversally (sampling type) and regionally (CD) with correction for multiple testing (FDR&lt;.1). Results A total of 99 participants (21 CD, 48 FD and 30 HV) with similar demographics were included. Only sampling type and subject were associated with duodenal community variation (table). Transversal variation was also evident from the more significant clustering for sampling type vs. groups (fig 1). Within CD, sampling type (8.5%) and location (17.8%, both p=.005) but not treatment or inflammation were associated with community variation. Duodenal α-diversity of brushes was lower vs. biopsies (p&lt;2*10–9) and higher in CD vs. controls (fig 2). Compared to untreated subjects, α-diversity was lower with PPI in brushes (fig 3) and higher with IS in biopsies (CD) (fig 4). The 42 differentially abundant genera between sampling types of the duodenum were largely shared between groups vs. only 3 different genera for the ileum (CD). In CD, regional differences were found for 24 genera in brushes vs. only 6 in biopsies, with inflammation driving minor changes in brush and not biopsy samples of the duodenum only. Conclusion Small intestinal microbiota variation is significant, especially between duodenal luminal and mucosal communities. Luminal α-diversity was highest in CD but lower than that of the mucosa with an effect of treatment. Despite regional variation, mucosal genera profiles were more conserved and less affected by inflammation in CD. References 1. Shanahan et al., AP&T 2016 2. Davis et al., Microbiome 2018

Rendimiento diagnóstico de la videocápsula endoscópica en el sangrado del intestino delgado manifiesto

Introduction. The small bowel capsule endoscopy is the first line procedure in patients with suspected small bowel bleeding. Data regarding overt suspected small bowel bleeding and its predictive factors remain still limited. Aim. To assess the diagnostic yield of the capsule endoscopy and the factors predicting positive findings in patients with overt suspected small bowel bleeding. Methods. Patients with overt suspected small bowel bleeding (melena or enterorrhagia) and negative upper and lower endoscopy were included. A positive diagnostic yield was considered when the capsule endoscopy diagnosed one or more P2 or P3 type lesions (Modified Saurin Classification) Demographic and laboratory data were recorded. Results. 79 patients were included (mean age 62.92 (15-89); F:M 46:33). The diagnostic yield of the capsule endoscopy was 62%. The most frequent finding was angioectasia (44.8%), followed by nonspecific inflammation/ulceration (20.4%). The multivariate analysis found that age older than 50 years and male sex were independent variables that were associated with an increased risk of positive findings and angioectasia. Conclusions. In this group of patients with overt suspected small bowel bleeding, the capsule endoscopy was useful (with a diagnostic yield of 62%). The most frequent lesions were the vascular ones. Age over 50 and male sex were independent predictors of finding lesions and angioectasia.

Parkinson’s Disease, Smoking, and Lower Endoscopy

ABSTRACTParkinson’s disease (PD) is inversely associated with smoking. Whether this association is due to a causal relationship or to confounding by a covariate of smoking is still debated.The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) released refreshed data on October 15, 2020. This study included that recently released data. The study included populations of the United States and ten U.S. states from 2004 to 2018. The ten U.S. states included the five states with the highest PD incidence rates in 2019 (Maine, Vermont, Kansas, Alaska, Missouri) and the five states with the lowest PD incidence rates in 2019 (Arkansas, Mississippi, South Dakota, Nebraska, Delaware). The study used scatter plots to explore the association between PD incidence and smoking and the association between PD incidence and a covariate of smoking, lower endoscopy utilization.For PD verses smoking, the results indicate that there is an inverse correlation for the United States, but there is no association for the ten states. The coefficient of determination (R2) for the United States was 0.714 and ranged from a low of 0.004 for South Dakota to 0.613 for Mississippi. The average R 2 for the ten states was 0.357.For PD verses lower endoscopy, the results indicate that the best model fit to the data is a polynomial. When the fitting curve examined in the regression analysis was a 3rd order (cubic) polynomial, there was a positive correlation between PD and lower endoscopy for the United States and for all ten states. The R2 for the US was 0.971 and ranged from a low of 0.709 for Alaska to 0.970 for Kansas. The average R2 for the ten states was 0.878.The results suggest that the inverse association between PD incidence and smoking is confounded by a positive association between PD and lower endoscopy utilization. Further investigation of a possible relationship between PD incidence and lower endoscopy utilization is warranted and may provide a means for reducing PD incidence.