Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) as a treatment for pediatric achalasia: multicenter study and first results.

Introduction: Laparoscopic Heller miotomy of achalasia has been classically recognized as the gold standard management in children. There is increasing experience with the peroral endoscopic miotomy (POEM) approach in pediatrics, although the series published are scarce. The objective of this study was to present our experience in primary or secondary treatment of pediatric achalasia by POEM and its clinical success rate.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection of colonic anisakiasis.

A 61-year-old male with no relevant past medical history underwent a colonoscopy for routine screening of colorectal cancer. Colonoscopy revealed a pearly and hard submucosal lesion of less than 10 mm in diameter in the ascending colon, with normal mucosa. An abdominopelvic computed tomography (CT) scan was performed, which was normal.

Colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection is here to stay.

Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) or mucosectomy and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) are both techniques that have modified the therapeutic outlook of superficial gastrointestinal tract lesions and neoplasms. EMR is used for the en-bloc excision of lesions smaller than 2-3 cm or the piecemeal resection of larger ones. In theory, ESD achieves higher rates of en-bloc resections as compared to EMR with a lower rate of recurrence; however, it shows a higher percentage of complications, particularly in inexperienced centers or in centers at the start of their learning curve.

Short and long-term outcomes of underwater EMR compared to the traditional procedure in the real clinical practice.

Background And Aims: underwater endoscopic mucosal resection (U-EMR) has been recently described as an alternative to endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) for flat colorectal polyps. However, the real applications remain unclear due to the lack of comparative studies.

Methods: a multi-centric prospective study was performed from November 2016 to December 2017.

Endoscopic mucosal resection for proximal superficial lesions: efficacy and safety study in 59 consecutive resections.

Introduction: endoscopic mucosal resection is an accepted technique for the treatment of proximal gastrointestinal tract superficial lesions.

Objectives: to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this procedure in the proximal gastrointestinal tract.

Material And Methods: forty one consecutive patients (23 males and 18 females, mean age of 61 ± 11.

Serum lipopolysaccharide-binding protein in endotoxemic patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: In inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), enhanced inflammatory activity in the gut is thought to increase the risk of bacterial translocation and endotoxemia. By searching for signs of endotoxin-signaling cascade activation, including augmented levels of endotoxin, lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP), and soluble CD14 receptor (sCD14), this prospective study sought to establish whether endotoxemia could contribute to greater clinical activity of disease.

Methods: Concentrations of plasma endotoxin, LBP, sCD14, several cytokines, acute phase proteins and clinical activity indices were determined in 104 patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and 52 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC).

Intramuscular versus intradermal administration of anti-hepatitis B vaccine in non-cirrhotic hepatitis C patients.

Intradermal vaccination has been proposed as an alternative for the administration of anti-hepatitis B vaccine. Patients (n=66) with chronic viral hepatitis C without cirrhosis were randomised into two groups (intramuscular, n=38; and intradermal, n=28) for prospective immunisation with 20 microg recombinant vaccine, using an ultra-rapid schedule (doses at 0, 15 and 30 days). Sero-conversion (antibody level >/=10 mU/ml) in the intramuscular group was reached by 20, 40 and 72% of patients at days 15, 30 and 60 compared to 4, 8 and 36% for the intradermal group (P=0.