Clinical impact of endoscopic ultrasound and endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration in the management of rectal carcinoma.

Purpose: There is scant data about the clinical impact of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration in rectal carcinoma. This study was designed to determine the impact of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration on the staging and management of rectal carcinoma and to compare the staging accuracy of computed tomography scan, endoscopic ultrasound, and endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration.

Methods: The records of 60 consecutive patients diagnosed with rectal carcinoma referred for endoscopic ultrasound staging were reviewed.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder bile aspiration in idiopathic pancreatitis carries a significant risk of bile peritonitis.

Background: Direct microscopic examination of bile for the presence of microlithiasis is often performed during the evaluation of patients with idiopathic pancreatitis. Bile sampled from the duodenum and/or the common bile duct may not represent gallbladder bile, and thus may be inadequate for the diagnosis of microlithiasis.

Aim: We sought to determine the safety and efficacy of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of gallbladder bile in patients with idiopathic pancreatitis.