Background A cricopharyngeal bar refers to a radiological description of a prominent cricopharyngeal muscle. While these may be incidental, they can lead to significant oropharyngeal dysphagia due to incoordination of the upper esophageal sphincter and true luminal narrowing. Various treatments have been used for the management of cricopharyngeal bar, including botulinum toxin injection, dilation, and surgical myotomy. Cricopharyngeal peroral endoscopic myotomy (C-POEM) is a novel procedure that uses the principles of “third-space” endoscopy to treat symptomatic cricopharyngeal bar. Methods We ..read more

Background Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided lumen-apposing metal stents (LAMS) are preferred for draining symptomatic large pancreatic fluid collections (PFCs). A concurrent coaxial double-pigtail plastic stent (DPPS) is proposed to reduce adverse events associated with LAMS. We aimed to perform a comparative outcome analysis of LAMS with or without DPPS for PFCs. Methods Electronic databases from January 2005 through July 2023 were searched for studies comparing the use of LAMS with or without DPPS for PFCs. Pooled proportions were calculated using fixed (inverse variance) and random-effect ..read more

Background Percutaneous cholangioscopy (PerC) offers an alternative for patients with an inaccessible biliary tree. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the performance of this technique. Methods A search in Medline, Cochrane and ClinicalTrials.gov databases was performed for studies assessing PerC up to October 2022. The primary outcome was diagnostic success, defined as successful stone identification or stricture workup. Secondary outcomes included therapeutic success (stone extraction, stenting) and complication rate. A subgroup analysis compared previous-generation a ..read more

Background Anastomotic leak remains a dreaded complication in colorectal surgery. Identifying optimal techniques that minimize its incidence is an active area of investigation. The aim of this experimental study was to evaluate the effect of commonly used hemostatic products on the integrity of colonic anastomoses. Methods Male Wistar rats were randomized into 4 groups. In the control group (A), the anastomosis was performed using the standard hand-sewn technique in the ascending colon. In group B the hand-sewn technique was reinforced with a collagen–fibrinogen patch, in group C with fibrin g ..read more

Background Gastrointestinal (GI) luminal cancers can be detected at early stages by endoscopic procedures. Place-based factors, such as social deprivation and distance to specialist care, are under-investigated with regard to the stage of diagnosis. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study among persons ≥18 years of age in the Florida Cancer Data System, a population-based cancer incidence registry. We included persons diagnosed with esophageal cancer, gastric canceror colorectal cancer, with at least 1 measure of geographic location during the period January 1, 1981, to December 31, 2016 ..read more

Background The existing literature does not provide adequate guidance on the diagnosis and management of patients with nonspecific terminal ileitis, while data regarding the percentage of patients who ultimately develop Crohn’s disease (CD) are scarce. We evaluated the prevalence and natural course of nonspecific terminal ileitis in patients who underwent colonoscopy during a 11-year period. Methods All patients with endoscopic findings of terminal ileitis and nonspecific histological findings were included. Exclusion criteria were a clinical history of CD or any other disease that can cause t ..read more

Background Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at increased risk of anxiety and mood disorders. This study examines the temporal trends and clinical impact of anxiety and mood disorder diagnoses in hospitalized IBD patients in the United States during a 10-year period.   Methods Using the National Inpatient Sample from 2009-2018, all IBD-related discharges in adults were analyzed. Primary outcomes were the prevalence and temporal trends of mood disorder and anxiety diagnoses for IBD-related admissions. The impact of the psychiatric comorbidities on clinical outcomes was als ..read more

Background The Irritable Bowel Syndrome Severity Scoring System (IBS-SSS) is a selfadministered questionnaire that categorizes patients according to symptom severity. We aimed totranslate and adapt the English IBS-SSS, validate the Greek version, and detect factors predictive of IBS severity. Methods The original English version was obtained from the Rome Foundation, and the final Greek version arose through a process of translation, comprehensibility evaluation and backtranslation. The 141 participants enlisted in the study were enrolled from 2 tertiary hospitals and were divided into 2 group ..read more

Background Bowel cleansing is an important factor for the quality of colonoscopy. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of split-dose oral sulfate salts on bowel preparation and to determine parameters influencing the quality of bowel cleaning. Method Consecutive adults who completed their preparation for colonoscopy with a regimen of sulfate salts were enrolled. Results Of the 446 patients, 11 were excluded from the analysis. Among the 435 patients, 257 (59.1%) were female, mean age was 62.0±11.6 years and median body mass index (BMI) 26.1 kg/m2 (interquartile range [IQR] 23.8-29.4). Indications ..read more

Background Spontaneous esophageal perforation traditionally mandates urgent surgical treatment. Lately, esophageal stents have been used to reduce the associated morbidity and mortality. The current systematic review aimed to assess the efficacy of stents as a primary treatment option in this scenario. Methods A systematic search was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus and the Cochrane Library for studies published in the English language between 2000 and 2023. We included observational studies reporting on the use of stents, alongside conservative measures and drainage procedures, in patients ..read more