Comprehensive approach to esophageal variceal bleeding: From prevention to treatment.

Esophageal variceal bleeding is a severe complication often associated with portal hypertension, commonly due to liver cirrhosis. Prevention and treatment of this condition are critical for patient outcomes. Preventive strategies focus on reducing portal hypertension to prevent varices from developing or enlarging.

Underwater versus conventional endoscopic submucosal dissection for colorectal lesions: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background And Aims: Effect of underwater endoscopic submucosal dissection (UESD) on clinical outcomes as compared with conventional ESD (CESD) remains unclear. We conducted a meta-analysis of the available data.

Methods: Online databases were searched for studies comparing UESD with CESD for colorectal lesions.

Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding Due to Metastatic Lung Adenocarcinoma in the Stomach and Duodenum.

There are very few reports of bloodborne metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma to the gastrointestinal tract, primarily due to poor prognosis and short survival rate of metastasized carcinoma. We present a case of a 79-year-old man with a medical history of lung adenocarcinoma, who presented with complaints of weakness and melena for 1 week. He had symptomatic anemia, for which he was transfused with blood.

Indirect comparison of various lumen-apposing metal stents for EUS-guided biliary and gallbladder drainage: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background And Aims: Studies assessing EUS-guided biliary drainage (EUS-BD) or gallbladder drainage (EUS-GB) using lumen-apposing metal stents (LAMSs) have shown variable results based on the type of LAMS. We performed a meta-analysis of the available data.

Methods: Multiple online databases were searched for studies using LAMSs (Axios [Boston Scientific, Marlborough, Mass, USA] or Spaxus [Taewoong Medical Co, Gimpo, Korea]) for EUS-BD and EUS-GB.

Safety and efficacy of thalidomide in treatment of gastrointestinal bleeding secondary to angioectasias: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Thalidomide has been used for angioectasia-associated refractory gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB), with studies showing variable efficacy and side effects profile. We conducted a meta-analysis to reconcile the data.

Methods: Online databases were searched for studies evaluating thalidomide in patients with refractory/recurrent GIB due to angioectasias.

Meta-Analysis of Endoscopic Full-Thickness Resection Versus Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Complex Colorectal Lesions.

Background: Studies evaluating endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR) and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for complex colorectal lesions have shown variable results. We conducted a meta-analysis of the available data.

Methods: Online databases were searched for studies comparing EFTR versus ESD for complex colorectal lesions.

Conventional Versus Traction Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Colorectal Tumors: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Introduction: Compared with conventional endoscopic submucosal dissection (C-ESD) for colorectal lesions, the traction method (T-ESD) allows the lesion to be stabilized with easier dissection. However, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have reported conflicting results on the clinical outcomes of T-ESD as compared with C-ESD. We conducted a meta-analysis to compile the data.

Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Symptoms, Hepatic Dysfunction, and Outcomes in Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19 Infection: An Early Experience.

Background and objective Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first reported in China two years ago as primarily a lung infection associated with cough and fever. It spread rapidly across the world and was declared a pandemic in early 2020, with 131 million people infected and 2.85 million deaths worldwide.

Identification and engraftment of new bacterial strains by shotgun metagenomic sequence analysis in patients with recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection before and after fecal microbiota transplantation and in healthy human subjects.

Background: Recurrent Clostridioides diffícile infection (RCDI) is associated with major bacterial dysbiosis and colitis. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a highly effective therapeutic modality for RCDI. While several studies have identified bacterial species associated with resolution of symptoms in patients, characterization of the fecal microbiome at the bacterial strain level in RCDI patients before and after FMT and healthy donors, has been lacking.

Superiority of Higher-Volume Fresh Feces Compared to Lower-Volume Frozen Feces in Fecal Microbiota Transplantation for Recurrent Clostridioides Difficile Colitis.

Goals: To compare the clinical outcomes of different protocols for fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in two community hospitals with similar patient demographics.

Background: FMT is commonly performed for recurrent or refractory Clostridioides difficile infection (rCDI). The clinical efficacy of FMT for this indication has been well established.

Parkinson's Disease: The Emerging Role of Gut Dysbiosis, Antibiotics, Probiotics, and Fecal Microbiota Transplantation.

The role of the microbiome in health and human disease has emerged at the forefront of medicine in the 21st century. Over the last 2 decades evidence has emerged to suggest that inflammation-derived oxidative damage and cytokine induced toxicity may play a significant role in the neuronal damage associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). Presence of pro-inflammatory cytokines and T cell infiltration has been observed in the brain parenchyma of patients with PD.

Unexplained Portal Gas in a Patient with an Esophageal Ulcer.

Emphysematous gastritis is the infection of gastric mucosa by gas producing microorganisms. It is a rare infection with less than 100 cases reported in the literature. The association of portal venous gas along with emphysematous gastritis is a rare entity.

Pancreatic Extramedullary Plasmacytoma Presenting as a Pancreatic Mass.

Extramedullary plasmacytomas (EMP) are a subcategory of plasma cell neoplasm that involves organs outside the bone marrow. Involvement of the pancreas is relatively rare, reported in only 2.3% of autopsies.

A Case of Acute Severe Hepatotoxicity and Mild Constriction of Common Bile Duct Associated With Ingestion of Green Tea Extract: A Clinical Challenge.

Consumption of herbal and dietary supplements (HDS) has increased worldwide as potential treatment for weight reduction and metabolic enhancement. However, it has been reported that HDS can cause liver injury which accounts for 20% of hepatotoxicity in the United States. Prevention of HDS induced liver injury remains a challenge due to difficulties in identifying the hepatotoxins in these preparations and lack of federal regulations for dietary supplements.

Grading of EUS-FNA cytologic specimens from patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms: it is time move to tissue core biopsy?

Pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (p-NENs) are rare and characterized by an indolent course, with a much better prognosis than non-neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas. In the non-functional class of p-NENS, surgery remains the only curative treatment for early localized disease, but there are few therapeutic options for advanced disease. The prognosis of non-functional p-NENs is determined by many clinical criteria.

Endoscopic therapy with 2-octyl-cyanoacrylate for the treatment of gastric varices.

Background: Gastric variceal bleeding is associated with significant morbidity and mortality and limited endoscopic therapeutic options.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the short- and long-term efficacy and safety of endoscopic therapy with 2-octyl-cyanoacrylate in patients with gastric variceal bleeding.

Methods: A single-center retrospective review of patients receiving endoscopic therapy for gastric variceal hemorrhage.

Efficacy of combined jejunal and colonic fecal microbiota transplantation for recurrent Clostridium difficile Infection.

The prevalence of recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (RCDI) is increasing; fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is an effective therapy. However, there have been no studies of the efficacy of a single session of combined enteral and colonic FMT or characterizations of changes in the microbiota between donors and recipients. We performed a study of 27 patients with RCDI who were given a fixed volume of processed fecal filtrate via enteroscopy and colonoscopy in a single session.

The therapeutic approaches for hepatitis C virus: protease inhibitors and polymerase inhibitors.

The current standard of care for hepatitis C infection is peginterferon/ribavirin (PegIFN/RBV). We are entering the era where direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) will be added to PegIFN/RBV, leading to higher sustained response rates in genotype 1 infected individuals. Currently DAAs are directed toward specific proteins involved in hepatitis C replication with NS3/NS4A protease inhibitors furthest in development.