Risk of Malignancy Using the Diagnostic Categories Proposed by the World Health Organization International System for Reporting Pancreaticobiliary Cytopathology.

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) proposed an updated reporting system for pancreaticobiliary cytology, which moves low-grade malignancies to "positive for malignancy" group and serous cystadenoma to "negative for malignancy" group. The WHO system also created two new categories, namely, pancreatic neoplasia-low grade (PaN-Low) and pancreatic neoplasia-high grade (PaN-High), which includes neoplastic mucinous cysts and stratifies them according to their cytologic atypia. The risk of malignancy (ROM) of the new categories of the WHO system needs to be defined.

Pentoxifylline attenuates mucosal damage in an experimental model of rat colitis by modulating tissue biomarkers of inflammation, oxidative stress, and fibrosis.

Background/aim: This study was designed to identify the effect of pentoxifylline on trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis in rats.

Materials And Methods: Forty-two female Wistar rats were randomly divided into 7 groups: group A, TNBS + intraperitoneal (IP) pentoxifylline; group B, TNBS + IP saline; group C, TNBS + intrarectal (IR) pentoxifylline; group D, TNBS + IR saline; group E, IP pentoxifylline + TNBS; group F, IP saline + TNBS; group G, IR saline. Pentoxifylline was given daily for 3 days before or 6 days after the induction of colitis.

The efficacy of a through-the-scope sodium phosphate solution with completion colonoscopy on the same day as a salvage option for inadequate bowel cleansing.

Background/aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a through- the-scope sodium phosphate solution with completion colonoscopy on the same day as a salvage option for inadequate bowel preparation.

Materials And Methods: All participants were instructed to eat a low residual diet for 3 days before the scheduled colonoscopy and a clear liquid diet 18 h before the colonoscopy. The patients were asked to take split doses of an oral sennoside solution at 1800 and 2200 in the evening before the colonoscopy.

DR-70 as a novel diagnostic biomarker for gastric cancer.

Background/aims: To assess the utility of the DR-70 immunoassay in the diagnosis of gastric cancer.

Materials And Methods: A total of 29 patients with histologically proven malignant gastric tumor and 29 healthy blood donors were enrolled in this study. DR-70 immunoassay was performed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit to quantify the serum levels of fibrin degradation products.

Measurement and clinical implications of choroidal thickness in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Purpose: Ocular inflammation is a frequent extraintestinal manifestation of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and may parallel disease activity. In this study, we evaluated the utility of a choroidal thickness measurement in assessing IBD activity.

Methods: A total of 62 eyes of 31 patients with IBD [Crohn's disease (CD), n=10 and ulcerative colitis (UC), n=21] and 104 eyes of 52 healthy blood donors were included in this study.

Maintenance therapy for Crohn's disease: should it be indefinite?

Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic, persistent, and destructive disorder with different forms of clinical behavior and the disease appears to be progressive over the long term. Providing greater levels of mucosal healing and resolution of clinical symptoms may modify the course of CD. This will often necessitate long-term therapy with immunosuppressant or biological therapies.

Rivaroxaban Induces Mucosal Healing in a Rat Model of Trinitrobenzene Sulfonic Acid-Induced Colitis.

Objective: This study was designed to identify the effect of rivaroxaban, a direct factor Xa inhibitor, on trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis in rats.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-four female Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups of 6 each. Group 1 received TNBS + rivaroxaban, group 2 received TNBS + methylprednisolone, group 3 received TNBS and group 4 received a saline enema.

Tuberculosis and Crohn's Disease Revisited.

Crohn's Disease (CD) and Intestinal Tuberculosis (ITB) share confusingly similar clinical, endoscopic, radiological and pathological manifestations. There is no simple test for differentiating ITB from CD. Although there are a number of sensitive and specific parameters for distinguishing between CD and ITB, the differential diagnosis still remains challenging and both clinical suspicion and appropriate clinical and laboratory studies are required to establish the diagnosis.

Lidocaine versus lidocaine plus benzydamine as a topical anesthesia regimen for unsedated upper gastrointestinal endoscopy: A comparison study.

Background/aims: The aim was to assess the efficacy of adding benzydamine (B) spray to standard treatment with a lidocaine (L) spray before upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (UGE) as a topical anaesthetic regimen.

Materials And Methods: A total of 118 adult patients undergoing outpatient UGE were randomly assigned to receive L (n=44), LB (n=38) or B (n=36) before the procedure. The primary outcome was the patient tolerance score, which represents a summative evaluation of the taste of the anesthetic agent, the intensity of pharyngeal numbness, the amount of coughing or gagging and the degree of discomfort during oesophageal intubation.

Comparative assessment of prognostic value for revised-Mayo risk model and Child-Pugh score in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis.

Background/aims: The aim of this study was to compare the utility of the revised Mayo risk model (rMRM) and Child-Pugh scores (CPSs) for predicting the prognosis of disease in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC).

Materials And Methods: Patients were divided into 2 groups: Group I (37 patients; alive and not requiring liver transplantation) and Group II (8 patients; deceased or requiring liver transplantation). rMRM suggests the possible survival percentage over a 4-year period.

Hepatic granulomas in Turkey: a 6-year clinicopathological study of 35 cases.

Background/aims: Granulomas are focal aggregates of modified macrophages that are surrounded by a rim of lymphocytes and fibroblasts. The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and etiology of hepatic granulomas (HGs) in the Department of Gastroenterology with a wider population.

Materials And Methods: We performed a retrospective study on 2662 liver biopsy specimens analyzed between 2005 and 2011 at Gazi University Department of Gastroenterology to determine the presence of HGs.

Colonic tuberculosis or Crohn's disease? An important differential diagnosis.

Abdominal tuberculosis can mimic any disease affecting the gastrointestinal tract such as infectious processes, tumors, periappendiceal abscess, and Crohn's disease. The differential diagnosis of Crohn's disease and intestinal tuberculosis is a dilemma to clinicians and pathologists as both are chronic granulomatous disorders with similar clinical features. Lower gastrointestinal bleeding is an infrequent presentation of both intestinal tuberculosis and Crohn's disease.

Double balloon enteroscopy: a 3-year experience at a tertiary care center.

Background/aims: To evaluate the indications, diagnostic yield, therapeutic interventions, complications and safety of double balloon enteroscopy (DBE) in clinical practice.

Methodology: The medical records of the patients who underwent DBE at the Turkiye Yuksek Ihtisas Hospital between October 2007 and January 2010 were examined to note the demographic data, indications for the examination, results of previous non-invasive small bowel imaging and endoscopic procedures and the results of DBE including findings, endoscopic interventions, complications and pathological reports.

Results: A total of 139 procedures were performed in 118 patients.

Can red cell distribution width help to discriminate benign from malignant biliary obstruction? A retrospective single center analysis.

Background/aims: Differentiation of benign obstructive jaundice from malignant obstructive jaundice still remains difficult, despite improvements in diagnostic modalities. The aim of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of red cell distribution width (RDW) in differentiating benign and malignant causes of obstructive jaundice.

Methodology: One hundred and ninety four consecutive patients (101 malignant, 93 benign) with a history of obstructive jaundice were reviewed in the period between January 2008 and August 2009.

The impact of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography education on radiation exposure to experienced endoscopist: 'trainee effect'.

Background: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP), as with other fluoroscopic procedures, carries the risk of exposure of staff to radiation. However, over the last two decades, only a few studies have investigated this risk.

Objective: The aim of this work was to evaluate the dose of radiation exposure to staff participating in ERCP procedures in a busy teaching hospital that performs more than 1,850 procedures annually.

Inclusion of a spasmolytic in bowel cleansing: a prospective randomized study.

The quality of colon cleansing and the tolerance of patients to the procedure are two major determinants of the quality of a colonoscopy. Many bowel-cleansing regimens are known, but there is no ideal regimen. Alverine citrate (Relaxyl, Spasmonal) is a spasmolytic agent that has been shown to affect responses of mechanoreceptors of the intestine to both mechanical and chemical stimuli.

Diagnostic value of terminal ileum biopsy in chronic diarrhea with normal endoscopic appearance.

Objective: To investigate the diagnostic value of a terminal ileum biopsy in chronic non-bloody diarrhea with normal endoscopic appearance.

Methods: Patients who had a terminal ileum biopsy performed between January 2007 and January 2010 during a colonoscopy despite normal endoscopic appearance were reviewed. They were divided into two groups according to the indication for the colonoscopy: non-bloody diarrhea and non-diarrhea; and their histopathological findings were compared.