Performance of Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Versus Percutaneous Liver Biopsy in Diagnosing Stage 3-4 Fibrosis.

Background: Percutaneous liver biopsy (P-bx) is the gold standard for diagnosing advanced fibrosis. Despite the proven technical feasibility of EUS-guided liver bx (EUS-bx) as a novel alternative way of liver biopsy, the clinical applicability remains to be determined.

Aims: The primary aim of this study is to evaluate if EUS-bx, compared to P-bx, can effectively and safely obtain adequate specimen and accurately predict hepatic fibrosis.

Transoral incisionless fundoplication for recurrent symptoms after laparoscopic fundoplication.

Background: Revision of a failed laparoscopic fundoplication carries higher risk of complication and lower chance of success compared to the original surgery. Transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) may be an endoscopic alternative for select GERD patients without need of a moderate/large hiatal hernia repair. The aim of this study was to assess feasibility, efficacy, and safety of TIF 2.

A Comparison of Logistic Regression Against Machine Learning Algorithms for Gastric Cancer Risk Prediction Within Real-World Clinical Data Streams.

Purpose: Noncardia gastric cancer (NCGC) is a leading cause of global cancer mortality, and is often diagnosed at advanced stages. Development of NCGC risk models within electronic health records (EHR) may allow for improved cancer prevention. There has been much recent interest in use of machine learning (ML) for cancer prediction, but few studies comparing ML with classical statistical models for NCGC risk prediction.

Combination Topical Epinephrine and Non-steroidal Inflammatory Drugs in the Prevention of Post-ERCP Pancreatitis: A Systematic Review.

Background: The utility of combination rectal NSAID and topical epinephrine (EI) or rectal NSAID and normal saline (SI) sprayed on duodenal papilla in the prevention of post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) has been studied but results have been conflicting.

Aims: To evaluate the benefit of using combination prophylaxis in preventing PEP.

Methods: A literature search was performed using Scopus, PubMed/MEDLINE, and Cochrane databases in May 2021.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided portal pressure gradient with liver biopsy: 6 years of endo-hepatology in practice.

Background And Aim: The portal pressure gradient (PPG) is a useful predictor of portal hypertension (PH) related complications. We previously showed the feasibility and safety of endoscopic ultrasound guided PPG measurement (EUS-PPG). Now EUS-guided liver biopsy (EUS-bx) has been shown to be a safe and effective alternative to percutaneous or Interventional Radiology-guided liver biopsy for the diagnosis of chronic liver disease (CLD).

Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Porto-systemic Pressure Gradient Measurement Correlates with Histological Hepatic Fibrosis.

Background And Aims: Endoscopic ultrasound is a novel diagnostic approach to chronic liver diseases (CLDs), and EUS-guided porto-systemic pressure gradient measurement (EUS-PPG) is an important expansion with a well-developed technique. However, the clinical value and applicability of EUS-PPG measurement in predicting histologically advanced hepatic fibrosis remain unknown.

Methods: This was a single-center retrospective study on patients with various CLDs undergoing EUS-PPG and EUS-guided liver biopsy (EUS-bx) to assess if EUS-PPG measurements correlate with histological fibrosis stage and various surrogate markers for severity of CLDs and its safety.

Novel Interdisciplinary Approach to GERD: Concomitant Laparoscopic Hiatal Hernia Repair with Transoral Incisionless Fundoplication.

Background: Transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) is an endoscopic alternative for the treatment of GERD. However, TIF does not address the hiatal hernia (HH). We present a novel approach with a laparoscopic HH repair followed by same-session TIF, coined concomitant transoral incisionless fundoplication (cTIF).

Underwater versus conventional EMR for colorectal polyps: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background And Aims: Underwater EMR (UEMR) has emerged as an attractive alternative to conventional EMR (CEMR) for the resection of colorectal polyps. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to compare UEMR and CEMR for the resection of colorectal polyps with respect to efficacy and safety.

Methods: A literature search was performed across multiple databases, including MEDLINE/PubMed, The Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Google Scholar, and Scopus, for studies that were published until May 2020.

Prevalence, risk factors, and surveillance patterns for gastric intestinal metaplasia among patients undergoing upper endoscopy with biopsy.

Background And Aims: Gastric intestinal metaplasia (GIM) is an important precursor lesion to gastric cancer (GC), the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. There exist few data regarding the prevalence of, risk factors for, and clinical practice patterns regarding GIM in the United States. Furthermore, there are currently no U.

Diagnosis and Management of Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia: Current Status and Future Directions.

Gastric intestinal metaplasia (GIM) is a known premalignant condition of the human stomach along the pathway to gastric cancer (GC). Histologically, GIM represents the replacement of normal gastric mucosa by mucin-secreting intestinal mucosa. infection is the most common etiologic agent of GIM development worldwide.

Low Frequency of Lymph Node Metastases in Patients in the United States With Early-stage Gastric Cancers That Fulfill Japanese Endoscopic Resection Criteria.

Background & Aims: In the West, early gastric cancer is increasingly managed with endoscopic resection (ER). This is, however, based on the assumption that the low prevalence and risk of lymph node metastases observed in Asian patients is applicable to patients in the United States. We sought to evaluate the frequency of and factors associated with metastasis of early gastric cancers to lymph nodes, and whether the Japanese ER criteria are applicable to patients in the US.

Searching for Bacterial Biofilm in Recurrent Cholangitis in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis: A Case Presentation and Introduction of an Unexplored Disease Mechanism.

Inflammation and fibrosis of the bile ducts are the defining pathological characteristics of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). A previously unexplored mechanism for recurrent cholangitis, one of PSC's most common presentations, is bacterial colonization of the biliary epithelium in the form of biofilm, which may confer resistance to antibiotics and host phagocytic machinery. The aim of the current study was to assess whether bacteria could be seen on the liver explant and whether they organized in the form of biofilm.

Association of gastric intestinal metaplasia and East Asian ethnicity with the risk of gastric adenocarcinoma in a U.S. population.

Background And Aims: Although the incidence of gastric cancer is higher than that of esophageal cancer in the United States, no screening or surveillance guidelines exist. The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between gastric intestinal metaplasia and the risk of gastric cancer in a U.S.