Endoscopic radiofrequency ablation or surveillance in patients with Barrett's oesophagus with confirmed low-grade dysplasia: a multicentre randomised trial.

Objective: Due to an annual progression rate of Barrett's oesophagus (BO) with low-grade dysplasia (LGD) between 9% and 13% per year endoscopic ablation therapy is preferred to surveillance. Since this recommendation is based on only one randomised trial, we aimed at checking these results by another multicentre randomised trial with a similar design.

Design: A prospective randomised study was performed in 14 centres comparing radiofrequency ablation (RFA) (maximum of 4 sessions) to annual endoscopic surveillance, including patients with a confirmed diagnosis of BO with LGD.

Impact of Intragastric Balloon Before Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass on Patients with Super Obesity: a Randomized Multicenter Study.

Background: Super obese patients are recommended to lose weight before bariatric surgery. The effect of intragastric balloon (IGB)-induced weight loss before laparoscopic gastric bypass (LGBP) has not been reported. The aim of this prospective randomized multicenter study was to compare the impact of preoperative 6-month IGB with standard medical care (SMC) in LGBP patients.

Endoscopic papillectomy for early ampullary tumors: long-term results from a large multicenter prospective study.

Background And Study Aims: Endoscopic papillectomy of early tumors of the ampulla of Vater is an alternative to surgery. This large prospective multicenter study was aimed at evaluating the long-term results of endoscopic papillectomy.

Patients And Methods: Between September 2003 and January 2006, 10 centers included all patients referred for endoscopic papillectomy and meeting the inclusion criteria: biopsies showing at least adenoma, a uT1N0 lesion without intraductal involvement at endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), and no previous treatment.

Long-term clinical and imaging follow-up of nonoperated branch duct form of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms of the pancreas.

Objectives: The aim of our study was to perform a 10-year imaging and clinical prospective follow-up of patients with nonoperated branch duct (BD) intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) of the pancreas.

Methods: Forty-nine patients with BD-IPMN who displayed a low probability for malignancy were followed up including a clinical component and a series of imaging techniques such as computed tomography, magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography, and endoscopic ultrasonography.

Results: After a mean follow-up period of 77 months, 77.

Long-term follow-up after biliary stent placement for postcholecystectomy bile duct strictures: a multicenter study.

Background And Study Aims: Endoscopic stenting is a recognized treatment of postcholecystectomy biliary strictures. Large multicenter reports of its long-term efficacy are lacking. Our aim was to analyze the long-term outcomes after stenting in this patient population, based on a large experience from several centers in France.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy coupled with KRAS mutation assay to distinguish pancreatic cancer from pseudotumoral chronic pancreatitis.

Background And Study Aims: Differential diagnosis between pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PADC) and pseudotumoral forms of chronic pancreatitis remains difficult. Mutation of KRAS oncogene is present in 75% to 95% of PADC. This study aimed to evaluate whether the combined analysis of KRAS mutation with cytopathological findings from endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (EUS-FNAB) might improve discrimination between PADC and chronic pancreatitis.

Luminal cathepsin g and protease-activated receptor 4: a duet involved in alterations of the colonic epithelial barrier in ulcerative colitis.

Impairment of the colonic epithelial barrier and neutrophil infiltration are common features of inflammatory bowel disease. Luminal proteases affect colonic permeability through protease-activated receptors (PARs). We evaluated: (i) whether fecal supernatants from patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) trigger alterations of colonic paracellular permeability and inflammation, and (ii) the roles of cathepsin G (Cat-G), a neutrophil serine protease, and its selective receptor, PAR(4), in these processes.

let-7 MicroRNA transfer in pancreatic cancer-derived cells inhibits in vitro cell proliferation but fails to alter tumor progression.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is still the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Western countries, with increasing incidence. Neither effective prognostic markers nor therapies exist for this cancer. MicroRNAs are potent inhibitors of protein translation, and aberrantly expressed in many cancers.

Peroral transgastric/transduodenal necrosectomy: success in the treatment of infected pancreatic necrosis.

Objective: To assess the results and complications of an endoscopic transgastric/transduodenal approach as a possible alternative to conventional surgery.

Summary Background Data: Infected organized pancreatic necrosis carries a high mortality despite antibiotic therapy and numerous conventional and laparoscopic surgical techniques of debridement. The advent of natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) provides a possible alternative approach.

Intravenous nitroglycerin for prevention of pancreatitis after therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiography: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter trial.

Background And Study Aims: Several studies have suggested that nitroglycerin promotes pancreatic drainage and thereby helps to prevent pancreatitis occurring after endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC). We performed a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of intravenous nitroglycerin for preventing acute pancreatitis in moderate- to high-risk patients undergoing ERC.

Patients And Methods: The patients underwent therapeutic ERC for gallstone removal, bile duct stenosis, or sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD).

[State of the art: endoscopic mucosal resection in Barrett].

Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) or mucosectomy is one of the latest additions to our therapeutic armamentarium. Distinct from other techniques like polypectomy, EMR completely removes affected mucosa by resecting through the middle or deeper part of submucosa. In addition, EMR can provide endoscopic cure of early cancers in which the risk of lymph-node metastasis is minimal.

Early morbidity of endoscopic ultrasound: 13 years' experience at a referral center.

Background And Study Aim: Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) now has an important place in the diagnosis of gastroenteropancreatic diseases. However, prospective data on the morbidity and mortality related to its use are sparse and often retrospective. We attempted to assess the acute and immediate complications of both diagnostic and interventional EUS.

Interventional endoscopic ultrasound in pancreatic diseases.

During the last 15 years, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has become an important imaging procedure for diagnosis and management of pancreatic diseases. The clinical interest of EUS is now enhanced by interventional procedures. Noteworthy, fine-needle aspiration biopsy is one of the most important contributions of EUS, in particular for the investigation of patients with pancreatic cancer and cystic tumors.

A prospective national study on colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy in 2000 in France.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the practice of colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy in France in 2000.

Methods: A prospective study was conducted in November 2000 using questionnaires sent to all gastroenterologists practicing in France (N=2858) who were asked to reply to items concerning colonoscopies and sigmoidoscopies performed on two workdays chosen in advance. The response rate was 32.

Annexin 1 is secreted in situ during ulcerative colitis in humans.

Although annexin l exerts extracellular anti-inflammatory properties, little is known about its release in inflammatory diseases. Here, we characterized annexin 1 secretion in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients. Annexin 1 was detected by immunoblotting, in tissue homogenates and supernatants of colonic biopsies incubated in culture media, and in luminal colonic perfusates of UC patients.