Upper Respiratory Symptoms as Long COVID: Insight from a Multicenter Cohort Study.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the clinical features of long COVID cases presenting with upper respiratory symptoms, a topic not yet fully elucidated.

Study Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: A multicenter study involving 26 medical facilities in Japan.

Superiority of urgent vs early endoscopic hemostasis in patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding with high-risk stigmata.

Background: Guidelines recommend that all patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) undergo endoscopy within 24 h. It is unclear whether a subgroup may benefit from an urgent intervention. We aimed to evaluate the influence of endoscopic hemostasis and urgent endoscopy on mortality in UGIB patients with high-risk stigmata (HRS).

Efficacy and factors affecting procedure results of short-type single-balloon enteroscopy-assisted ERCP for altered anatomy: a multicenter cohort in Japan.

Background And Aims: Although single-balloon enteroscopy (SBE)-assisted or short-type SBE (short SBE)-assisted ERCP has been reported as useful in patients with surgically altered anatomy, most studies had small sample sizes or single-center designs. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and factors affecting the procedure results of short SBE-assisted ERCP in patients with surgically altered anatomy.

Methods: This multicenter, retrospective study was conducted at 8 tertiary referral care centers in Japan.

Chest wall pseudotumor: a case of non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection.

Background: Non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections are increasing worldwide, making them an international public health problem. Surgical management is often indicated for localized infectious disease; however, most surgeons are unaware of the potential risks of transmission during surgery.

Case Presentation: An 88-year-old Asian female was referred to our hospital for a tumor in the right lateral thoracic region.

Fibrous bands associated with higher Masaoka stage and poor recurrence-free survival in patients with thymoma.

Background: Fibrous bands (FBs) are one of the histological features in tumors which can be confirmed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained slides. FBs have been reported to correlate with malignancy in various tumors. This study aimed to investigate whether the presence of FBs is associated with malignancy in thymoma.

Insulinoma-associated protein 1 is a prognostic biomarker in pulmonary high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma.

Backgrounds And Objectives: Recent studies have suggested that insulinoma-associated protein 1 (INSM1) is a useful marker for pathological diagnosis of pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors. In the present study, we investigated the association between INSM1 expression and prognosis in patients with pulmonary high-grade neuroendocrine carcinomas (HGNEC) and assessed the usefulness of INSM1 as a prognostic biomarker in these patients.

Methods: Seventy-five consecutive patients with HGNEC who underwent complete surgical resections from January 2000 to December 2018 were enrolled in this study.

Horibe GI bleeding prediction score: a simple score for triage decision-making in patients with suspected upper GI bleeding.

Background And Aims: Although upper GI bleeding (UGIB) is a significant cause of inpatient admissions, no scoring method has proven to be accurate and simple as a standard for triage purposes. Therefore, we compared a previously described 3-variable score (1 point each for absence of daily proton pump inhibitor use in the week before the index presentation, shock index [heart rate/systolic blood pressure] ≥1, and blood urea nitrogen/creatinine ≥30 [urea/creatinine≥140]), the Horibe gAstRointestinal BleedING scoRe (HARBINGER), with the 8-variable Glasgow-Blatchford Score (GBS) and 5-variable AIMS65 to evaluate and validate the accuracy in predicting high-risk features that warrant admission and urgent endoscopy.

Methods: Consecutive patients presenting with suspected UGIB between 2012 and 2015 were prospectively enrolled in 3 acute care Japanese hospitals.

Efficacy and safety of immediate oral intake in patients with mild acute pancreatitis: A randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: Early enteral nutrition is recommended for patients with severe acute pancreatitis (AP); however, nutritional management strategies for patients with mild AP have not been established. The aim of this study was to evaluate the benefits and safety of immediate oral intake of low-fat solid food in patients with mild AP who were allowed to take opioid analgesics.

Methods: In this single-center randomized study, the immediate feeding (IMF) group was permitted immediate oral intake of low-fat (15 g/d) solid food.

5-Aminosalicylic acid intolerance is associated with a risk of adverse clinical outcomes and dysbiosis in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Background/aims: 5-Aminosalicylic acid (ASA) causes intolerance reactions in some patients. This study was performed to examine the prognosis of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 5-ASA intolerance, and to evaluate the potential interaction between 5-ASA intolerance and the intestinal microbiota.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients with UC who visited participating hospitals.

A long (7 cm) prophylactic pancreatic stent decreases incidence of post-endoscopic papillectomy pancreatitis: a retrospective study.

Endoscopic papillectomy (EP) is a minimally invasive treatment for ampullary neoplasms and is recognized as an alternative treatment to surgical resection; however, there are few reports on a suitable pancreatic stent (PS) after EP for preventing pancreatitis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a long PS after EP. In this retrospective single-center study, 39 patients with pathologically proven ampullary neoplasms who underwent EP between March 2012 and August 2018 were enrolled.

Oxidized regenerated cellulose for a clear thoracoscopic view: a single-centre randomized trial.

Objectives: During video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), blood oozing from the surface of the access port wound can hamper the surgical view. Although this oozing is difficult to prevent, it can be decreased by placing a wound edge protector with oxidized regenerated cellulose (ORC) on the surface of the access port wound, thereby improving the surgical outcomes and safety of VATS.

Methods: We conducted a prospective, single-centre, open-label, randomized clinical trial to evaluate the operative outcomes of VATS when using the ORC (ORC group) compared with operative outcomes without using the ORC (non-ORC group).

Malignant mesothelioma in situ diagnosed by methylthioadenosine phosphorylase loss and homozygous deletion of CDKN2A: a case report.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), associated with unfavorable outcomes, is closely associated with asbestos exposure. Early detection and treatment are critical to prolong survival of patients with MPM because of the rapid progression and resistance to treatment. The recently defined malignant mesothelioma in situ (MIS) has been gaining increasing attention with advances in genome-based methods including fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) as well as immunohistochemistry.

Neuroendocrine marker staining pattern categorization of small-sized pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma.

Background: The aim of this study was to identify subgroups with good or bad prognosis in patients with pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) based on immunostaining patterns with neuroendocrine markers and compare them with small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC).

Methods: From January 2001 to December 2017, of all patients with resected LCNEC and SCLC, we selected patients whose pathological tumor sizes were ≤30 mm in diameter (defined as small-sized tumors) and who underwent complete resection with lymphadenectomy. We classified patients with small-sized LCNEC (sLCNEC) into two subgroups based on immunostaining patterns with three neuroendocrine markers (chromogranin A, synaptophysin, and NCAM) and compared them to small-sized SCLC (sSCLC).

Management of perforation related to endoscopic submucosal dissection for superficial duodenal epithelial tumors.

Background And Aims: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is being performed more frequently as a local treatment for superficial duodenal epithelial tumors (SDETs). However, ESD for SDETs is technically difficult because of specific anatomic features that increase the risk of perforation and often require surgery. This study was performed to evaluate the management of ESD-related perforation in patients with SDETs.

The Effect of an Invasive Strategy for Treating Pancreatic Necrosis on Mortality: a Retrospective Multicenter Cohort Study.

Background: Infected acute necrotic collections (ANC) and walled-off necrosis (WON) of the pancreas are associated with high mortality. The difference in mortality between open necrosectomy and minimally invasive therapies in these patients remains unclear.

Methods: This retrospective multicenter cohort study was conducted among 44 institutions in Japan from 2009 to 2013.

Pancreatic fat content may increase the risk of imaging progression in low-risk branch duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm.

Objective: To identify risk factors of imaging progression (increase in cyst size or main pancreatic duct size, or a new mural nodule) in low-risk branch duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (BD-IPMN), including obesity-related factors such as pancreatic fat content.

Methods: Our hospital databases were searched for patients who had completed health checkup, including upper abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) over 48 months (August 2012 to July 2016). Individuals with BD-IPMN without worrisome features and high-risk stigmata who underwent surveillance with at least one follow-up MRI, irrespective of the follow-up period, were included.

Electric Endocut and Autocut Resection for Endoscopic Papillectomy: A Systematic Review.

Objective Risks of bleeding and pancreatitis after mucosal resection using the purecut/autocut and blendcut/endocut modes for endoscopic papillectomy have not been fully clarified. Thus, a systematic review on electrosurgical cutting modes for endoscopic papillectomy was conducted focusing on the types and incidence of adverse events. Methods We searched the PubMed and Cochrane library for cases of endoscopic papillectomy recorded as of April 2017.

Impact of electrical pulse cut mode during endoscopic papillectomy: Pilot randomized clinical trial.

Objective: Endoscopic papillectomy is increasingly being used for ampullary adenoma treatment. However, it remains challenging despite increased safety with treatment advances. The ideal power output and electrosurgical current mode for mucosal resection are not established.

Novel mainstream capnometer system is safe and feasible even under CO insufflation during ERCP-related procedure: a pilot study.

Background And Aims: There is a need to safely achieve conscious sedation during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). We evaluated the safety and feasibility of a mainstream capnometer system to monitor apnoea during ERCP under CO insufflation.

Methods: Non-intubated adult patients undergoing ERCP-related procedures with intravenous sedation were enrolled.