Usefulness of simplified comprehensive geriatric assessment as a pre-ERCP screening for the elderly.

Background: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is often performed in elderly patients for stone removal and biliary drainage following common bile duct stones or malignant biliary obstruction. Safety in ERCP should be considered in elderly patients due to complications and decreased activities of daily living (ADL), but there are no adequate pretest evaluation criteria. In recent years, the usefulness of the comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) for planning treatment and predicting prognosis has been reported.

Correlation between pathology and quantitative ultrasonographic evaluation of pancreatic fat with ultrasonographic classification.

Purpose: No studies of the relationship between grayscale sonographic findings and pancreatic fat content have been reported to date. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between echogenicity and fat content of resected specimens using quantitative analysis.

Methods: Forty-two consecutive patients who underwent pancreatoduodenectomy or distal pancreatectomy for pancreatic tumors were enrolled in this study.

A comparison of diagnostic utility of new endoscopic scraper combined cell block method and conventional brush catheter for biliary tract cancer.

Background/aims: The sensitivities of endoscopic -papillary pathologic diagnosis of biliary tract cancer (BTC) are unsatisfactory. Recently, the diagnostic utility of the endoscopic scraper device, Trefle for biliary stricture has been reported. The Trefle can be guided to the target biliary stricture over the guidewire and is as easy to use as the conventional brush catheter (CBC).

Endoscopic biliary drainage using a 4-Fr catheter for biliary obstruction: a pilot study.

Introduction: Stent or endoscopic nasobiliary drainage (ENBD) catheter placement for a tight, complicated biliary stricture is still technically challenging. A thin, 4-Fr ENBD catheter (4-Fr catheter) has been developed to overcome this difficulty. The study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of the 4-Fr catheter for endoscopic biliary drainage (EBD).

A prospective multicenter study of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle biopsy using a 22-gauge Franseen needle for pancreatic solid lesions.

Background And Aim: While encouraging data of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided fine-needle biopsy (EUS-FNB) using a 22-gauge Franseen needle have been reported, large-scale data of per pass and quantitative analyses are still lacking.

Methods: This was a multicenter prospective study of EUS-FNB using the 22-gauge Franseen needle for a pancreatic solid lesion. Cytological and histological analyses per pass were evaluated and semi-quantitative analyses were performed on core tissue and blood contamination.

The Asian Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (AFSUMB) Guidelines for Contrast-Enhanced Endoscopic Ultrasound.

The Asian Federation of Societies for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology aimed to provide information on techniques and indications for contrast-enhanced harmonic endoscopic ultrasound (CH-EUS), and to create statements including the level of recommendation. These statements are based on current scientific evidence reviewed by a Consensus Panel of 15 internationally renowned experts. The reliability of clinical questions was measured by agreement rates after voting.

[A case of granulomatosis with polyangiitis with Crohn's disease-like findings].

A 22-year-old woman who was diagnosed with Crohn's disease experienced diarrhea and bloody stool. She was suspected of have aggravated Crohn's disease and was transferred to our hospital. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed multiple esophageal ulcers and erosive gastritis, while colonoscopy revealed multiple ulcers in the rectum to the sigmoid colon.

Adverse events of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration for histologic diagnosis in Japanese tertiary centers: Multicenter retrospective study.

Background And Aims: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is used for the histopathological diagnosis of any type of gastrointestinal disease. Few adverse events are experienced with this procedure; however, the actual rate of adverse events remains unclear. This study aimed to clarify the current status of cases that experienced adverse events related to the EUS-FNA procedure used for histopathologic diagnoses.

Involvement of the Interferon Signaling Pathways in Pancreatic Cancer Cells.

Background/aim: To examine interferon (IFN) signaling pathways in human pancreatic cancer cells and their therapeutic application for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

Materials And Methods: We examined the effects of IFNα on cytotoxicity, migration, as well as on the levels of toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathway-associated genes expression in pancreatic cancer cells. We also examined the additive effects of IFNα and poly(I-C) on tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-induced cytotoxicity.

Impact of a Novel Oblique-Tip Papillotome for Biliary Cannulation during ERCP: A Nonrandomized Coarsened Exact Matching Study.

Background: We developed a novel oblique-tip papillotome (OT-papillotome) to facilitate biliary cannulation during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). This study was performed to evaluate the utility of the OT-papillotome for contrast-guided cannulation (CGC) and wire-guided cannulation (WGC) during ERCP, compared with standard cannulation by WGC using a standard-tip papillotome (ST-papillotome).

Methods: A prospective study was performed at two centers.

Antitumor effect of VEGFR2-targeted microbubble destruction with gemcitabine using an endoscopic ultrasound probe: In vivo mouse pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma model.

Background: Ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) induces cellular inflow of drugs at low intensity, while high intensity eradicates tumor vessels. Since vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) is highly expressed in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), VEGFR2-targeted microbubble (MB) might additionally increase the tissue specificity of drugs and thus improve antitumor effects. In addition, fixing the dual pulse intensity could maximize MB properties.

Apoptosis and non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases.

The number of patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLD) including nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), has been increasing. NASH causes cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and is one of the most serious health problems in the world. The mechanism through which NASH progresses is still largely unknown.

The Effectiveness and Feasibility of Endoscopic Ultrasound-guided Transgastric Drainage of Postoperative Fluid Collections Early After Pancreatic Surgery.

Purposes: To assess the feasibility and usefulness of endoscopic ultrasound-guided transgastric drainage (EUS-GD) in patients who required early postoperative drainage of peripancreatic fluid collection or postoperative pancreatic fistulas after pancreatic surgery.

Patients And Methods: Between May 2012 and January 2016, 33 patients who developed peripancreatic fluid collection or postoperative pancreatic fistulas after pancreatic resection underwent EUS-GD or percutaneous drainage (PTD). Outcomes were compared retrospectively.

Novel quantitative analysis of the S100P protein combined with endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Specimens obtained with endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) are often tiny and fragmented leading to an inconclusive and doubtful diagnosis. To overcome the limitations of EUS-FNA in the cytological diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PCA), we evaluated whether quantification of the S100P protein combined with EUS-FNA reliably discriminated between PCA and benign pancreatic lesions (BPL). A high sensitivity sandwich ELISA for S100P protein was developed to aid in the detection of PCA in small samples obtained using EUS-FNA.

A novel second-generation multibending backward-oblique viewing duodenoscope in ERCP.

Introduction: Successful access to the papilla and cannulation of the desired duct can be technically challenging. A novel second-generation multi-bending backward-oblique viewing duodenoscope (2nd M-D scope) was developed to overcome this difficulty. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the utility of 2nd M-D scope during biliary ERCP.

Treatment with chemotherapy and dendritic cells pulsed with multiple Wilms' tumor 1 (WT1)-specific MHC class I/II-restricted epitopes for pancreatic cancer.

Purpose: We performed a phase I trial to investigate the safety, clinical responses, and Wilms' tumor 1 (WT1)-specific immune responses following treatment with dendritic cells (DC) pulsed with a mixture of three types of WT1 peptides, including both MHC class I and II-restricted epitopes, in combination with chemotherapy.

Experimental Design: Ten stage IV patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) and 1 patient with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) who were HLA-positive for A*02:01, A*02:06, A*24:02, DRB1*04:05, DRB1*08:03, DRB1*15:01, DRB1*15:02, DPB1*05:01, or DPB1*09:01 were enrolled. The patients received one course of gemcitabine followed by biweekly intradermal vaccinations with mature DCs pulsed with MHC class I (DC/WT1-I; 2 PDA and 1 ICC), II (DC/WT1-II; 1 PDA), or I/II-restricted WT1 peptides (DC/WT1-I/II; 7 PDA), and gemcitabine.

Contrast-enhanced harmonic endoscopic ultrasonography of solid pancreatic lesions.

Endoscopic ultrasonography is the best modality for pancreatic lesion evaluation as its superior spatial resolution allows small lesions to be identified and fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology performed under ultrasound-guidance. Despite this, differentiating benign from malignant lesions remains a challenge as conventional ultrasound imaging is unable to differentiate lesions accurately and tissue yield is poorly diagnostic or limited in patients with the chronic inflammation. Contrast-harmonic technology uses a wide-band transducer capable of inducing sufficient acoustic energy to create harmonic microbubble oscillations of the newer second-generation ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs).

Risk factors of post-ERCP pancreatitis at a tertiary referral center in Japan.

Purpose: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) has played a major role in the diagnosis of biliary and pancreatic diseases. The prevalence and mortality rate of post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) remains a serious issue that needs to be resolved. Here, we report the first ERCP study that was conducted at a high-volume center of an educational institution in Japan.

Contrast-enhanced harmonic endoscopic ultrasonography in the differential diagnosis of gallbladder wall thickening.

Background And Aims: Differentiation of gallbladder (GB) carcinoma from benign GB wall thickening is challenging. The recent introduction of second-generation ultrasonic contrast agents has made contrast harmonic imaging with EUS possible. The aim of our study was to evaluate the utility of contrast-enhanced harmonic EUS (CH-EUS) for the differential diagnosis of GB wall thickening.

A double-blind, block-randomized, placebo-controlled trial to identify the chemical assistance effect of mesna submucosal injection for gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection.

Background: Previous animal studies and a pilot clinical trial demonstrated that submucosal injection of a thiol compound called mesna could chemically soften connective tissues and thus facilitate endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD).

Objective: To evaluate whether mesna injection could reduce procedural times for gastric ESD.

Design: Double-blind, block-randomized, controlled trial.