Endoscopic Ultrasonography-Guided Gastroenterostomy Techniques for Treatment of Malignant Gastric Outlet Obstruction

Gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) can be caused by periampullary malignancies and often leads to a reduction in a patient’s quality of life. Recently, endoscopic ultrasonography-guided gastroenterostomy (EUS-GE) using a lumen-apposing self-expandable metal stent (LAMS) has been developed as a minimally invasive and durable endoscopic treatment for GOO. There are three types of EUS-GE technique: (1) the direct technique; (2) device-assisted techniques, such as a balloon catheter, nasobiliary drainage tube, and ultraslim endoscopy; and (3) EUS-guided double balloon-occluded gastrojejunostomy bypass. Previous reports of EUS-GE with LAMS have shown technical and clinical success rates (regardless of technique and etiology) of 87%–100% and 84%–100%, respectively. Studies comparing EUS-GE and surgical gastrojejunostomy have shown similar success rates, reintervention rates, and cost benefits, with a lower rate of early adverse events in EUS-GE. A comparison of EUS-GE and endoscopic enteral stent placement revealed similar technical success rates, but initial clinical success rate was higher and the rate of stent failure requiring reintervention was lower with EUS-GE

Tokyo Guidelines 2018 management bundles for acute cholangitis and cholecystitis

Management bundles that define items or procedures strongly recommended in clinical practice have been used in many guidelines in recent years. Application of these bundles facilitates the adaptation of guidelines and helps improve the prognosis of target diseases. In Tokyo Guidelines 2013 (TG13), we proposed management bundles for acute cholangitis and cholecystitis. Here, in Tokyo Guidelines 2018 (TG18), we redefine the management bundles for acute cholangitis and cholecystitis. Critical parts of the bundles in TG18 include the diagnostic process, severity assessment, transfer of patients if necessary, and therapeutic approach at each time point. Observance of these items and procedures should improve the prognosis of acute cholangitis and cholecystitis. Studies are now needed to evaluate the dissemination of these TG18 bundles and their effectiveness. Free full articles and mobile app of TG18 are available at: . Related clinical questions and references are also include

Tokyo Guidelines 2018: initial management of acute biliary infection and flowchart for acute cholangitis

The initial management of patients with suspected acute biliary infection starts with the measurement of vital signs to assess whether or not the situation is urgent. If the case is judged to be urgent, initial medical treatment should be started immediately including respiratory/circulatory management if required, without waiting for a definitive diagnosis. The patient's medical history is then taken; an abdominal examination is performed; blood tests, urinalysis, and diagnostic imaging are carried out; and a diagnosis is made using the diagnostic criteria for cholangitis/cholecystitis. Once the diagnosis has been confirmed, initial medical treatment should be started immediately, severity should be assessed according to the severity grading criteria for acute cholangitis/cholecystitis, and the patient's general status should be evaluated. For mild acute cholangitis, in most cases initial treatment including antibiotics is sufficient, and most patients do not require biliary drainage. However, biliary drainage should be considered if a patient does not respond to initial treatment. For moderate acute cholangitis, early endoscopic or percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage is indicated. If the underlying etiology requires treatment, this should be provided after the patient's general condition has improved; endoscopic sphincterotomy and subsequent choledocholithotomy may be performed together with biliary drainage. For severe acute cholangitis, appropriate respiratory/circulatory management is required. Biliary drainage should be performed as soon as possible after the patient's general condition has been improved by initial treatment and respiratory/circulatory management. Free full articles and mobile app of TG18 are available at: http://www.jshbps.jp/modules/en/index.php?content_id=47 . Related clinical questions and references are also include

TG18 management strategies for gallbladder drainage in patients with acute cholecystitis: Updated Tokyo Guidelines 2018 (with videos)

Since the publication of the Tokyo Guidelines in 2007 and their revision in 2013, appropriate management for acute cholecystitis has been more clearly established. Since the last revision, several manuscripts, especially for alternative endoscopic techniques, have been reported; therefore, additional evaluation and refinement of the 2013 Guidelines is required. We describe a standard drainage method for surgically high-risk patients with acute cholecystitis and the latest developed endoscopic gallbladder drainage techniques described in the updated Tokyo Guidelines 2018 (TG18). Our study confirmed that percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage should be considered the first alternative to surgical intervention in surgically high-risk patients with acute cholecystitis. Also, endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder drainage or endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage can be considered in high-volume institutes by skilled endoscopists. In the endoscopic transpapillary approach, either endoscopic naso-gallbladder drainage or gallbladder stenting can be considered for gallbladder drainage. We also introduce special techniques and the latest outcomes of endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage studies. Free full articles and mobile app of TG18 are available at: . Related clinical questions and references are also include

The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Endoscopic Ultrasound for Pancreatic Disorders

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in various medical imaging applications has expanded remarkably, and several reports have focused on endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) images of the pancreas. This review briefly summarizes each report in order to help endoscopists better understand and utilize the potential of this rapidly developing AI, after a description of the fundamentals of the AI involved, as is necessary for understanding each study. At first, conventional computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) was used, which extracts and selects features from imaging data using various methods and introduces them into machine learning algorithms as inputs. Deep learning-based CAD utilizing convolutional neural networks has been used; in these approaches, the images themselves are used as inputs, and more information can be analyzed in less time and with higher accuracy. In the field of EUS imaging, although AI is still in its infancy, further research and development of AI applications is expected to contribute to the role of optical biopsy as an alternative to EUS-guided tissue sampling while also improving diagnostic accuracy through double reading with humans and contributing to EUS education

Feasibility of Non-Anesthesiologist-Administered Propofol Sedation for Emergency Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography

Background. The safety of non-anesthesiologist-administered propofol (NAAP) sedation in emergent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) has not been fully clarified. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the safety of NAAP sedation in emergent ERCP. Materials and Methods. We retrospectively analyzed 182 consecutive patients who had obstructive jaundice and who underwent ERCP under NAAP sedation. The patients were divided into Group A (with mild acute cholangitis or without acute cholangitis) and Group B (moderate or severe acute cholangitis). And technical safety and adverse events were assessed. Results. The adverse events were hypoxia (31 cases), hypotension (26 cases), and bradycardia (2 cases). There was no significant difference in the rate of each adverse event of hypoxia and bradycardia in either group. Although the rate of transient hypotension associated in Group B was higher than that in Group A, it was immediately improved with conservative treatment. Moreover, there were no patients who showed delayed awakening, or who developed other complications. Conclusions. In conclusion, NAAP sedation is feasible even in emergent ERCP. Although some transient adverse events (e.g., hypotension) were observed, no serious adverse events occurred. Thus, propofol can be used in emergent ERCP but careful monitoring is mandatory

A Novel Dry Model for Practicable Sphincterotomy and Precut Needle Knife Sphincterotomy

Aim. We aimed to develop a simulation dry model for endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES) and needle knife precut sphincterotomy (NKP) and to evaluate its usefulness as a training simulator. Materials and Methods. An endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography trainer was used as a duodenum, bile duct, and papilla simulator. A simulated papilla was created with a piece of rolled uncured ham, and ES and NKP were performed. Hands-on training was carried out using this model, and success and failure of the procedures were evaluated. A questionnaire survey was conducted among the participants to assess the performance and usefulness of the dry model for ES and NKP training. Results. Twenty-two endoscopists participated in the hands-on training using this dry model. ES was successful in 33 out of 34 attempts (97%) whereas NKP was successful in all 7 attempts (100%). Based on the results of the questionnaire survey, the median score for realism was 7 (range: 2–9) for ES and 8 for NKP on a scale of 1 to 10. Conclusions. The dry model using an uncured ham provides a condition closely similar to actual clinical practice and is useful as a training model for ES and NKP