Macroscopic appearance of the major duodenal papilla influences bile duct cannulation : a prospective multicenter study by the Scandinavian Association for Digestive Endoscopy Study Group for ERCP

Background and Aims: Certain appearances of the major duodenal papilla have been claimed to make cannulation more difficult during ERCP. This study uses a validated classification of the endoscopic appearance of the major duodenal papilla to determine if certain types of papilla predispose to difficult cannulation. Methods: Patients with a naive papilla scheduled for ERCP were included. The papilla was classified into 1 of 4 papilla types before cannulation started. Time to successful bile duct cannulation, attempts, and number of pancreatic duct passages were recorded. Difficult cannulation was defined as after 5 minutes, 5 attempts, or 2 pancreatic guidewire passages. Results: A total of 1401 patients were included from 9 different centers in the Nordic countries. The overall frequency of difficult cannulation was 42% (95% confidence interval [CI], 39%-44%). Type 2 small papilla (52%; 95% CI, 45%-59%) and type 3 protruding or pendulous papilla (48%; 95% CI, 42%-53%) were more frequently difficult to cannulate compared with type 1 regular papilla (36%; 95% CI, 33%-40%; both P <.001). If an inexperienced endoscopist started cannulation, the frequency of failed cannulation increased from 1.9% to 6.3% (P <.0001), even though they were replaced by a senior endoscopist after 5 minutes. Conclusions: The endoscopic appearance of the major duodenal papilla influences bile duct cannulation. Small type 2 and protruding or pendulous type 3 papillae are more frequently difficult to cannulate. In addition, cannulation might even fail more frequently if a beginner starts cannulation. These findings should be taken into consideration when performing studies regarding bile duct cannulation and in training future generations of endoscopists.Peer reviewe

Transpancreatic biliary sphincterotomy versus double guidewire in difficult biliary cannulation : a randomized controlled trial

Background Difficult biliary cannulation in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) increases the risk of post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP). The purpose of this prospective, randomized, multicenter study was to compare two advanced rescue methods, transpancreatic biliary sphincterotomy (TPBS) and a double-guidewire (DGW) technique, in difficult common bile duct (CBD) cannulation. Methods Patients with native papilla and planned CBD cannulation were recruited at eight Scandinavian hospitals. An experienced endoscopist attempted CBD cannulation with wire-guided cannulation. If the procedure fulfilled the definition of difficult cannulation and a guidewire entered the pancreatic duct, randomization to either TPBS or to DGW was performed. If the randomized method failed, any method available was performed. The primary end point was the frequency of PEP and the secondary end points included successful cannulation with the randomized method. Results In total, 1190 patients were recruited and 203 (17.1%) were randomized according to the study protocol (TPBS 104 and DGW 99). PEP developed in 14/104 patients (13.5%) in the TPBS group and 16/99 patients (16.2%) in the DGW group (P=0.69). No difference existed in PEP severity between the groups. The rate of successful deep biliary cannulation was significantly higher with TPBS (84.6% [88/104]) than with DGW (69.7% [69/99]; P=0.01). Conclusions In difficult biliary cannulation, there was no difference in PEP rate between TPBS and DGW techniques. TPBS is a good alternative in cases of difficult cannulation when the guidewire is in the pancreatic duct.Peer reviewe

Macroscopic appearance of the major duodenal papilla influences bile duct cannulation: a prospective multicenter study by the Scandinavian Association for Digestive Endoscopy Study Group for ERCP

Background and AimsCertain appearances of the major duodenal papilla have been claimed to make cannulation more difficult during ERCP. This study uses a validated classification of the endoscopic appearance of the major duodenal papilla to determine if certain types of papilla predispose to difficult cannulation.MethodsPatients with a naïve papilla scheduled for ERCP were included. The papilla was classified into 1 of 4 papilla types before cannulation started. Time to successful bile duct cannulation, attempts, and number of pancreatic duct passages were recorded. Difficult cannulation was defined as after 5 minutes, 5 attempts, or 2 pancreatic guidewire passages.ResultsA total of 1401 patients were included from 9 different centers in the Nordic countries. The overall frequency of difficult cannulation was 42% (95% confidence interval [CI], 39%-44%). Type 2 small papilla (52%; 95% CI, 45%-59%) and type 3 protruding or pendulous papilla (48%; 95% CI, 42%-53%) were more frequently difficult to cannulate compared with type 1 regular papilla (36%; 95% CI, 33%-40%; both P P ConclusionsThe endoscopic appearance of the major duodenal papilla influences bile duct cannulation. Small type 2 and protruding or pendulous type 3 papillae are more frequently difficult to cannulate. In addition, cannulation might even fail more frequently if a beginner starts cannulation. These findings should be taken into consideration when performing studies regarding bile duct cannulation and in training future generations of endoscopists.</div

Structural imaging findings are related to clinical complications in chronic pancreatitis

Background/objectives: Structural pancreatic changes and complications related to chronic pancreatitis are well described, but little is known about their relationship. We aimed to explore the associations between pancreatic morphology and clinical complications in a large chronic pancreatitis cohort. Methods: The Scandinavian Baltic Pancreatic Club database collects registrations on patients with definite or probable chronic pancreatitis according to the M-ANNHEIM diagnostic criteria. In this cross-sectional study, we used multivariate logistic regression analyses to evaluate whether imaging-based structural pancreatic changes were associated with common clinical complications. We adjusted for sex, age, disease duration, current alcohol abuse and current smoking. Results: We included 742 patients with a mean age of 55 years. Among these, 68% were males, 69% had pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, 35% had diabetes, 12% were underweighted and 68% reported abdominal pain. Main pancreatic duct obstruction, severe (i.e. more than 14) calcifications, pancreatic atrophy and parenchymal changes throughout the entire pancreas (continuous organ involvement) were positively associated with pancreatic exocrine insufficiency. Continuous organ involvement and pseudocysts were positively and negatively associated with diabetes, respectively. Pancreatic atrophy and severe calcifications were positively associated with underweight, and severe calcifications were negatively associated with pain. Conclusions: This study shows independent associations between distinct structural changes on pancreatic imaging and clinical complications in chronic pancreatitis. Pancreatic atrophy, severe calcifications and continuous organ involvement may be of particular clinical relevance, and these findings should motivate monitoring of pancreatic function and nutritional status.publishedVersio

Body composition in older acute stroke patients after treatment with individualized, nutritional supplementation while in hospital

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Individualized, nutritional support reduced undernutrition among older stroke patients and improved quality of life in our recent randomized, controlled trial. Weight control thus seems to be important after stroke, and methods for monitoring nutritional status need to be simple and non-invasive. Here we aimed to assess if the nutritional intervention altered body composition in men and women in this study cohort, and also to examine the correlation between the methods for assessing body-, fat- and fat-free mass.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Acute stroke patients > 65 years at nutritional risk were randomized to either individualized, nutritional treatment with energy- and protein rich supplementation (intervention, n = 58) or routine, nutritional care (control, n = 66) while in hospital. Body composition was assessed with anthropometry and bioelectrical impedance. The follow-up period was three months.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>During the first week while in hospital, weight loss was smaller in the intervention group compared with the controls (P = 0.013). After three months weight- and fat loss were significant in both men and women. Whereas no significant differences were found in changes in body composition between the male study groups, in the women both weight loss (P = 0.022) and fat loss (P = 0.005) was smaller in the intervention group compared with the controls. A high correlation (r = 0.87) between mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) and body mass index (BMI) was found.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Individualized nutritional support to older stroke patients in hospital was beneficial for maintaining an adequate body mass and body composition the first week and seemed to have a preventive effect on fat loss among women, but not among men after three months. Measurement of MUAC may be used in the assessment of nutritional status when BMI cannot be obtained.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00163007.</p

Patient-reported outcomes in palliative gastrointestinal stenting: a Norwegian multicenter study

Background The clinical effect of stent treatment has been evaluated by mainly physicians; only a limited number of prospective studies have used patient-reported outcomes for this purpose. The aim of this work was to study the clinical effect of self-expanding metal stents in treatment of malignant gastrointestinal obstructions, as evaluated by patient-reported outcomes, and compare the rating of the treatment effect by patients and physicians. Methods Between November 2006 and April 2008, 273 patients treated with SEMS for malignant GI and biliary obstructions were recruited from nine Norwegian hospitals. Patients and physicians assessed symptoms independently at the time of treatment and after 2 weeks using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 questionnaire supplemented with specific questions related to obstruction. Results A total of 162 patients (99 males; median age = 72 years) completed both assessments and were included in the study. A significant improvement in the mean global health score was observed after 2 weeks (from 9 to 18 on a 0–100 scale, P\0.03) for all stent locations. Both patients and physicians reported a significant reduction in all obstruction-related symptoms ([20 on the 0–100 scale, P\0.006) after SEMS treatment. The physicians reported a larger mean improvement in symptoms than did the patients, mainly because they reported more severe symptoms before treatment. Conclusion SEMS treatment is effective in relieving symptoms of malignant GI and biliary obstruction, as reported by patients and physicians. The physicians, however, reported a larger reduction in obstructive symptoms than did the patients. A prospective assessment of patientreported outcomes is important in evaluating SEMS treatment

The upper gastrointestinal tract in chronic alcoholics

Background: Gastrointestinal symptoms such as dyspepsia, diarrhoea, and nausea are often seen in alcoholics. The causes are not clear. The stomach and upper small intestine are exposed to high alcohol concentrations. Yet, the majority of alcohol abusers do not exhibit macroscopic abnormalities at upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, although histological and electron microscopic (SEM) changes have been described. However, there are only scanty and contradictory data on this subject so far. Aim: In order to extend our knowledge in this field, we have studied a fairly large number of chronic alcoholics with respect to GI symptoms and endoscopic findings. Moreover we also explored the occurrence of Helicobacter pylori and mucosal bacterial growth, electron microscopical changes in duodenal mucosal morphology and induction of gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) and neuropeptides in the duodenal mucosa. Materials and methods: Twenty-four chronic alcoholics who were admitted to hospital for detoxification were investigated using an interview, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy with biopsies, and laboratory tests. The mean daily consumption of alcohol during the weeks before admission was 338 g/day (102-680). The control groups consisted of 12–33 patients referred for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy because of dyspepsia of the ulcer or reflux type, but who felt healthy otherwise. In addition, an interview was carried out as well as laboratory tests including serum CDT and serum GGT. The alcohol consumption was less than 40 g/week. Results: Twenty-one of 24 alcoholics had gastrointestinal symptoms on examination: 15 had abdominal pain/dyspepsia, 12 had diarrhoea, and 6 had nausea. There were not more patients with H. pylori infection in the alcohol group compared to controls and prevalence studies. Endoscopy showed no difference between the groups. Histology showed a slightly reduced villus index in duodenal biopsies, as well as ultrastructural changes (SEM). There were significantly more bacteria in the gastric mucosa in alcoholics than in controls (p<0.05). IAP and GGT levels were significantly higher in duodenal biopsies in the alcohol group (p=0.001, p<0.0001). The density of all the peptidergic nerve fibres in the duodenal mucosa exhibited a moderate general increase, but none of the peptides was selectively and strongly influenced. The numbers of glucagon and GIP cells in the duodenal mucosa were slightly increased in the alcohol group (p=0.02). Summary and conclusion: Chronic alcoholics often have gastrointestinal symptoms. They frequently exhibit mucosal bacterial overgrowth. Electron microscopic morphological changes are commonly found. GGT and IAP in the duodenal mucosa are increased. An alteration in the peptidergic nerve system as well as in some endocrine cells could be observed. Thus, in spite of scarce endoscopic findings in the upper GI tract, chronic alcoholics do show definite alterations in several respects as mentioned above

Outcome of laparoscopic surgery in patients with cystic lesions in the distal pancreas

Context Recent guidelines for the management of cystic lesions of the pancreas recommend observation for selected neoplasms using imaging criteria. However, current imaging modalities lack diagnostic accuracy, and the indication for surgery is debated. Objective In this study we have explored the outcome of laparoscopic distal pancreatic resections in all patients referred with potential pancreatic cystic neoplasms, with histological diagnosis as endpoint. Methods Between 1997 and 2009 all patients referred to our tertiary referral centre having a cystic neoplasm of the distal pancreas accepted for surgery were included in the present observational study. Results A total of 69 patients were included. Sixty-two patients underwent distal pancreatectomies, in whom 19 were spleen-preserving, and 7 enucleations were performed. Two procedures were converted to open technique. The lesions removed in 27 patients (39%) were either malignant or premalignant. The final diagnoses were serous cystic neoplasm (n=29), mucinous cystic neoplasm (n=12), pseudocyst (n=11), solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (n=10), intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (n=5) and other (n=2). Overall morbidity was 33%; 56% of the complications were classified as mild. Fistula rate was 10%. One patient died postoperatively from a cerebral haemorrhage. Conclusion Most complications after laparoscopic distal resection of cystic pancreatic lesions are mild, but the proportion of patients with benign lesions (61%) has to be reduced by focused preoperative investigations. Endoscopic ultrasound examination (EUS), enabling aspiration of cyst fluid and fine needle aspiration is an additional option for the preoperative workup

Outcome after endoscopic treatment for dysplasia and superficial esophageal cancer - a cohort study

Background Dysplasia and superficial esophageal cancer should initially be treated endoscopically. Little is known about post-procedural health-related quality of life (HRQL). The aim of this study was to present our results with endoscopic treatment and post-procedural HRQL. Materials and methods From June 2014 to December 2018, all patients treated with endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) and/or radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for low-grade dysplasia (LGD), high-grade dysplasia (HGD), T1a and a minority of patients with T1b at Oslo University Hospital were prospectively included. In June 2019, all patients alive were scored according to the Ogilvie dysphagia score as well as the QLQ-C30 and QLQ-OG25 for assessment of HRQL. Results Eighty-six patients were treated out of whom 22 (26%) had LGD, 44 (51%) HGD, 13 (15%) T1a, and six patients (7%) T1b. Histology revealed adenocarcinoma in 18 (21%) and squamous cell carcinoma in one (1%), respectively. The mean follow-up was 22.9 months. Tumor regression or downstaging was archived in 78% of the patients with LGD, 66% of patients with HGD and in 89% of patients with T1a/b. Five patients (6%) had esophagectomy. There were few and no serious complications. The 90-days mortality was 1%. Fifty-two patients (88%) experienced no dysphagia (Ogilvie score 0). There was no difference in 11 out of the 15 variables in QLQ-C30 when compared to a non-cancerous reference population. Conclusions Endoscopic treatment is safe and efficient for treatment of dysplasia and superficial esophageal cancer. The two-years post-procedural level of HRQL and dysphagia was satisfactory