Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy for the Treatment of Esophageal Diverticula: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background: There is limited evidence on the efficacy of peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) in patients with esophageal diverticula.

Aims: This meta-analysis aimed to assess the efficacy and safety profile of POEM in patients with Zenker (ZD) and epiphrenic diverticula.

Methods: With a literature search through August 2020, we identified 12 studies (300 patients) assessing POEM in patients with esophageal diverticula.

Functional results of surgical treatment of low-ultralow rectal cancer.

Introduction: The improvement of surgical procedures and oncological outcomes in the treatment of low-ultralow rectal cancer, made important the evaluation of functional results. The aim of this study is to evaluate the functional results after open and laparoscopic approach.

Patients And Methods: From our global experience, over the period 2000/2018, within the patients surgically treated for rectal cancer, we have gathered and studied 37 patients with low-ultralow site of lesion, submitted to sphincterpreserving surgery, subdivided based on the approach: 20 open, 17 laparoscopic, of which 8 robotic .

Comparative efficacy of different methods for difficult biliary cannulation in ERCP: systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Background And Aims: Several methods with variable efficacy have been proposed for difficult biliary cannulation in ERCP. We assessed the comparative efficacy of different strategies for difficult biliary cannulation through a network meta-analysis combining direct and indirect treatment comparisons.

Methods: We identified 17 randomized controlled trials (2015 patients) that compared the efficacy of different adjunctive methods for difficult biliary cannulation (needle-knife techniques, pancreatic guidewire-assisted technique, pancreatic-assisted technique, and transpancreatic sphincterotomy) either with each other or with persistence with the standard cannulation techniques.

Endoscopic Ultrasound Fine-Needle Biopsy versus Fine-Needle Aspiration for Tissue Sampling of Abdominal Lymph Nodes: A Propensity Score Matched Multicenter Comparative Study.

There is a paucity of evidence on the comparison between endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) fine-needle biopsy (FNB) and fine-needle aspiration (FNA) for lymph node (LNs) sampling. The aim of this study was to compare these two approaches in a multicenter series of patients with abdominal tumors. Out of 502 patients undergoing EUS sampling, two groups following propensity score matching were compared: 105 undergoing EUS-FNB and 105 undergoing EUS-FNA.

Effectiveness of hemostatic powders in lower gastrointestinal bleeding: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

There is limited evidence on the effectiveness of hemostatic powders in the management of lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB). We aimed to provide a pooled estimate of their effectiveness and safety based on the current literature. Literature review was based on computerized bibliographic search of the main databases through to December 2020.

Short versus standard esophageal myotomy in achalasia patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis of comparative studies.

Despite the clinical efficacy of peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), postoperative symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) remains a major concern. While it is known that length of the gastric myotomy affects postoperative GERD, the clinical relevance of variation in esophageal myotomy length is not well known. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies comparing outcomes of short versus standard myotomy length in patients with achalasia.

Addition of Financial Incentives to Mailed Outreach for Promoting Colorectal Cancer Screening: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Importance: Although screening decreases incidence of and mortality from colorectal cancer (CRC), screening rates are low. Health-promoting financial incentives may increase uptake of cancer screening.

Objective: To evaluate the relative and absolute benefit associated with adding financial incentives to the uptake of CRC screening.

Metabolic disorders and the risk of cholangiocarcinoma.

: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a malignancy which arises from the biliary epithelium. Carcinogenesis of CCA is mainly linked to aberrant glucose metabolism and creation of an immunosuppressive environment around normal biliary epithelium. The incidence of CCA is higher in the East due to , an endemic liver fluke.

Safety and efficacy of a novel electrocautery-enhanced lumen-apposing metal stent in interventional EUS procedures (with video).

Background And Aims: Electrocautery-tip lumen-apposing metal stents (EC-LAMSs) have extended the indications of therapeutic EUS. We aimed to retrospectively evaluate safety and technical and clinical success of a newly developed EC-LAMS, the Hot-Spaxus (Taewoong Medical Co, Gimpo, Korea), for various EUS-guided procedures.

Methods: We included and retrospectively analyzed consecutive patients at 8 tertiary care referral centers who had undergone EUS interventional procedures using the Hot-Spaxus between October 2018 and February 2021.

Wet- dry-suction techniques for EUS-FNA of solid lesions: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The optimal sampling techniques for EUS-FNA remain unclear and have not been standardized. To improve diagnostic accuracy, suction techniques for EUS-FNA have been developed and are widely used among endoscopists. The aim of this study was to compare wet-suction and dry-suction EUS-FNA techniques for sampling solid lesions.

Endoscopic Management of Ampullary Adenomas in Familial Adenomatous Polyposis Syndrome: A Systematic Review with Pooled Analysis.

Background: Endoscopic papillectomy is a viable therapy in ampullary lesions. Prior studies have reported on outcomes of sporadic ampullary lesions, and only small cohort studies have reported outcomes associated with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) syndrome.

Aims: We performed a systematic review with pooled analysis to assess the safety and efficacy of EP for treating ampullary adenomas in FAP.

Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) vs pneumatic dilation (PD) in treatment of achalasia: A meta-analysis of studies with ≥ 12-month follow-up.

Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is increasingly being used as the preferred treatment option for achalasia. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to compare the efficacy and safety of POEM versus pneumatic balloon dilation (PD). We performed a comprehensive review of studies that reported clinical outcomes of POEM and PD for the treatment of achalasia.

Contrast-enhanced EUS for the characterization of mural nodules within pancreatic cystic neoplasms: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background And Aims: Pancreatic cystic neoplasms (PCNs) carry a considerable malignancy risk. Along with main duct dilation, the presence of enhanced mural nodules represents a significant risk factor for malignancy. Several articles assessed the role of contrast-enhanced EUS (CE-EUS) for the identification of malignant features in mural nodules.

Diagnostic Yield of Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Liver Biopsy in Comparison to Percutaneous Liver Biopsy: A Two-Center Experience.

There is scarce and conflicting evidence on the comparison between endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and percutaneous (PC)-guided liver biopsy (LB). The aim of this study was to compare the two approaches in a series of patients with parenchymal and focal liver lesions. Fifty-four patients undergoing EUS-LB in two high-volume centers between 2017 and 2021 were compared to 62 patients who underwent PC-LB.

Efficacy of combined transarterial radioembolization and sorafenib in the treatment of hepatocarcinoma: A meta-analysis.

Background: Adjuvant sorafenib may further enhance the efficacy of transarterial radioembolization for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aims: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of radioembolization plus sorafenib in hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

Methods: With a literature search through October 2020, we identified 9 studies (632 patients).

Population-Based Long-term Cardiac-Specific Mortality Among Patients With Major Gastrointestinal Cancers.

Importance: Patients with major gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are at long-term risk for cardiac disease and mortality.

Objective: To investigate the cardiac-specific mortality rate among individuals with major GI cancers and the association of radiation and chemotherapy with survival outcomes in the United States.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This US cohort study included individual patient-level data of men and women older than 18 years with 5 major gastrointestinal cancers, including colorectal, esophageal, gastric, pancreatic, and hepatocellular cancer from 1990 to 2016.

Efficacy of hemostatic powders in lower gastrointestinal bleeding: Clinical series and literature review.

Background: There is limited evidence on the efficacy of hemostatic powders in the management of lower gastrointestinal bleeding.

Aims: to revise our series of patients with lower gastrointestinal bleeding treated with hemostatic powders and to provide a pooled estimate of their efficacy based on the current literature.

Methods: Sixty-five patients underwent topical endoscopic application of hemostatic powder between 2016 and 2020.

Higher rate of en bloc resection with underwater than conventional endoscopic mucosal resection: A meta-analysis.

Objectives: Previous meta-analysis including nonrandomized studies showed marginal benefit of underwater endoscopic mucosal resection(U-EMR) compared to conventional EMR(C-EMR) in terms of polypectomy outcomes. We evaluated U-EMR compared to C-EMR in the treatment of colorectal polyps with respect to effectiveness and safety by analyzing only randomized controlled trials(RCTs).

Material And Methods: PubMed and Cochrane Library databases were searched for RCTs published until 11/2020, evaluating U-EMR vs.

Surgical treatment of gastric cancer liver metastases: Systematic review and meta-analysis of long-term outcomes and prognostic factors.

The prognosis of patients with metastatic gastric cancer remains dismal, with palliative treatment as standard of care. However, encouraging results have been reported for surgical resection of liver only metastatic gastric cancer in carefully selected patients. A systematic review of articles published from 2000 onwards was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines.

Lenvatinib versus sorafenib as first-line therapy of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

There is limited evidence on the efficacy of lenvatinib in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Aim of this meta-analysis was to compare lenvatinib and sorafenib as first-line treatment. Computerized bibliographic search was performed on main databases through November 2020.