Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) has progressed beyond diagnostic imaging to include EUS-guided tissue acquisition and EUS-directed therapies. This review provides an update on EUS-guided drainage and anastomotic procedures, and other therapeutic procedures. Today, EUS-guided drainage of symptomatic walled-off pancreatic fluid collections is the norm, with endoscopic necrosectomy as an adjunct. For high-risk surgical patients unsuitable for cholecystectomy, EUS-guided gallbladder drainage of acute cholecystitis is an option. Additionally, EUS-guided drainage of obstructed biliary and pancreatic ductal system can be performed as salvage procedures after unsuccessful endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Bariatric procedures such as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass alter the gastric anatomy, hindering access to the major papilla. This can be overcome by creating a conduit through the excluded stomach using EUS-directed transgastric ERCP. Gastric outlet obstruction and afferent loop syndrome can be treated using EUS-guided gastrojejunostomy. These therapeutic interventions are a major advancement in the field of interventional EUS, achieving significant clinical impact.
Humans ; Endosonography/methods* ; Drainage/methods* ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde/methods* ; Ultrasonography, Interventional/methods* ; Anastomosis, Surgical/methods*

OBJECTIVES: In recent years, the incidence and detection rate of pancreatic cystic lesions (PCLs) have increased significantly. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) plays an indispensable role in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of PCLs. However, evidence comparing the diagnostic performance of EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) and fine-needle biopsy (FNB) remains limited. This study aims to compare the diagnostic yield, adequacy of tissue acquisition, and safety between EUS-FNA and EUS-FNB in evaluating PCLs to inform clinical practice. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted on patients with PCLs who underwent either EUS-FNA or EUS-FNB between January 2014 and August 2021. The diagnostic yield, tissue acquisition adequacy, and incidence of adverse events were compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: A total of 90 patients with PCLs were included (52 in the FNA group and 38 in the FNB group). The diagnostic yield was similar between the FNA and FNB groups (94.2% vs 94.7%, P>0.05). The adequacy of tissue acquisition was 71.2% in the FNA group and 81.6% in the FNB group (P>0.05). No statistically significant difference was observed in the incidence of adverse events between the 2 groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS Both EUS-FNA and EUS-FNB demonstrate equally high diagnostic yields and tissue adequacy in PCLs, with excellent safety profiles. Both methods are safe and effective diagnostic tools for evaluating PCLs.
Humans ; Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration/adverse effects* ; Retrospective Studies ; Female ; Male ; Pancreatic Cyst/diagnostic imaging* ; Middle Aged ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle/adverse effects* ; Aged ; Pancreatic Neoplasms/diagnosis* ; Adult ; Endosonography/methods* ; Pancreas/pathology* ; Diagnosis, Differential

Objective: To analyze the risk factors for complications of endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR) of upper gastrointestinal submucosal tumors (SMTs). Methods: This was a retrospective observational study. The indications for EFTR included: (1) SMTs originating from the muscularis propria layer and growing out of the cavity or infiltrating the deep part of the muscularis propria layer; (2) SMTs diameter <5 cm; and (3) tumor identified as closely adherent to the serous layer during endoscopic submucosal dissection or endoscopic mucosal resection. This study included patients with SMTs originating from the muscularis propria layer in upper digestive tract, diagnosed preoperatively by endoscopic ultrasonography or computed tomography, who were successfully treated with EFTR. Those with incomplete clinical data were excluded. The clinical data of 154 patients with upper gastrointestinal SMTs who underwent EFTR at the Department of Gastroenterology, First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 2016 to January 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Post-EFTR complications (such as delayed perforation, delayed bleeding, and postoperative infection, including electrocoagulation syndrome) were monitored and the risk factors for them were analyzed. Results: Among the 154 study patients, 33 (21.4%) developed complications, including delayed bleeding in three (1.9%), delayed perforation in two (1.3%), and postoperative infection in 28 (18.2%). One patient with bleeding was classified as having a major complication (hospitalized for more than 10 days because of complication). According to univariate analysis, complication was associated with tumor diameter >15 mm, operation time >90 minutes, defect closure method(purse string suture), and diameter of resected specimen ≥20 mm (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that operation time >90 minutes (OR=6.252, 95%CI: 2.530-15.446, P<0.001) and tumor diameter >15 mm (OR=4.843, 95%CI: 1.985-11.817, P=0.001) were independent risk factors for complications after EFTR in patients with upper gastrointestinal SMTs. The independent risk factors for postoperative infection in these patients were operation time>90 minutes (OR=4.993, 95%CI:1.964-12.694, P=0.001) and purse string suture (OR=7.142, 95%CI: 1.953-26.123, P=0.003). Conclusion: Patients with upper gastrointestinal SMTs undergoing EFTR with tumor diameter >15 mm or operation time >90 minutes have a significantly increased risk of postoperative complications. Postoperative monitoring is important for these patients with SMTs.
Humans ; Stomach Neoplasms/surgery* ; Endoscopic Mucosal Resection/methods* ; Gastroscopy/methods* ; Retrospective Studies ; Endosonography/adverse effects* ; Postoperative Complications/etiology* ; Treatment Outcome ; Gastric Mucosa/surgery*

Sclerosing mesenteritis is a rare benign disease with a prevalence of 0.16–3.4% and is characterized by chronic nonspecific inflammation and extensive fibrosis in the adipose tissue of the mesentery although the exact pathogenesis is still elusive. A 65-year-old woman was referred with suspicion of an abdominal mass and biliary stones on abdominal ultrasonography and CT. Bile duct stones were confirmed by endoscopic ultrasonography and successfully treated by endoscopic retrograde cholangiography with stone removal. Furthermore, a 4.7 cm conglomerated mass on small intestinal mesentery was suspected as sclerosing mesenteritis based on the features on abdominal MRI. However, because it could not be differentiated from malignancy without histologic examination, laparoscopic excisional biopsy was performed; it showed only inflammatory cells with extensive fibrosis. Therefore, the abdominal mass was confirmed as sclerosing fibrosis and the patient was followed-up without any treatments because no mass-related symptoms accompanied the findings. Six months later, abdominal CT showed no significant change in the mass. Herein, we report a rare case of incidentally found idiopathic sclerosing mesenteritis.
Adipose Tissue ; Aged ; Bile Ducts ; Biopsy ; Cholangiography ; Endosonography ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins* ; Inflammation ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mesentery ; Panniculitis, Peritoneal ; Prevalence ; Sclerosis* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography

The low-resolution ultrasound images have poor visual effects. Herein we propose a method for generating clearer intravascular ultrasound images based on super-resolution reconstruction combined with generative adversarial networks. We used the generative adversarial networks to generate the images by a generator and to estimate the authenticity of the images by a discriminator. Specifically, the low-resolution image was passed through the sub-pixel convolution layer -feature channels to generate -feature maps in the same size, followed by realignment of the corresponding pixels in each feature map into × sub-blocks, which corresponded to the sub-block in a high-resolution image; after amplification, an image with a -time resolution was generated. The generative adversarial networks can obtain a clearer image through continuous optimization. We compared the method (SRGAN) with other methods including Bicubic, super-resolution convolutional network (SRCNN) and efficient sub-pixel convolutional network (ESPCN), and the proposed method resulted in obvious improvements in the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) by 2.369 dB and in structural similarity index by 1.79% to enhance the diagnostic visual effects of intravascular ultrasound images.
Blood Vessels ; diagnostic imaging ; Endosonography ; methods ; Image Enhancement ; methods ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; methods ; Signal-To-Noise Ratio

Child ; Cysts ; diagnostic imaging ; Endosonography ; methods ; Female ; Gastric Mucosa ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Stomach ; diagnostic imaging ; Ultrasonography ; methods

BACKGROUND: Virtual bronchoscopic navigation (VBN) assisted endobronchial ultrasonography with guide sheath (EBUS-GS) has reduced the difficulty and even avoiding radiation exposure during performing transbronchus lung biopsy (TBLB). To evaluate the feasibility and safety of virtual bronchoscopic navigation assisted endobronchial ultrasonography with guide sheath for peripheral pulmonary lesions. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of the patients with PPLs who received VBN assisted EBUS-GS-TBLB in Peking University Cancer Hospital from January 2016 to December 2017. Their clinicopathologic data and complications were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 121 patients were enrolled in the study. The patients included 65 men and 56 women, with a mean age of (58.8±10.3) years. A total of 121 PPLs were examined, and 108 lesions of which could be detected by EBUS. The overall diagnostic yield of EBUS-GS was 73.5%. The diagnostic yield of malignancy was 82.5%. The combination of transbronchial lung biopsy, brush smear and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid provided the greatest diagnostic yield (χ²=6.084, P=0.014). Factors that significantly affected and predicted diagnostic success were EBUS probe within the lesions (χ²=20.372, P=0.000) and PPLs located in the central two-thirds of the lung (χ²=10.810, P=0.001). 1 patient (0.8%) suffered from intraoperative bleeding which could be managed under endoscopy. CONCLUSIONS VBN assisted EBUS-GS-TBLB for PPLs was an effective and safe procedure.
Bronchoscopy ; adverse effects ; methods ; Endosonography ; adverse effects ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Safety

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Differentiating extraluminal compressions from true subepithelial tumors in the duodenum by endoscopy alone is difficult. Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is one of the most useful diagnostic modalities for this purpose. Extraluminal compression in the duodenum is occasionally observed, but its clinical significance has not been reported. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of extraluminal compression in the duodenum according to lesion location. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 22 patients diagnosed as having extraluminal compression in the duodenum based on EUS findings between January 2006 and December 2017. Some patients underwent abdominal computed tomography for accurate diagnosis. RESULTS: The location of the extraluminal compression was the duodenal bulb in 10 cases, the superior duodenal angle in 10 cases, and the second portion of the duodenum in 2 cases. Of the 22 cases, 12 were caused by normal structures, including vessels, the right kidney, the gallbladder, and the pancreas, and 10 were caused by pathological lesions, including the hepatic cyst, remnant cystic duct and dilated common bile duct after cholecystectomy; gallstones, gallbladder polyps, remnant cystic duct cancer, and pseudomyxoma peritoneii. The anterior wall of the duodenum was the most frequent location of extraluminal compression. However, the lesions in the anterior wall of the duodenal bulb and superior duodenal angle showed a high frequency of pathologic lesions, including malignancy. CONCLUSIONS: If the extraluminal compression is found in the anterior wall of the duodenum, EUS is needed because of the high frequency of pathological lesions.
Cholecystectomy ; Common Bile Duct ; Cystic Duct ; Diagnosis ; Duodenum ; Endoscopy ; Endosonography ; Gallbladder ; Gallstones ; Humans ; Kidney ; Pancreas ; Polyps ; Retrospective Studies

Among metastatic pancreatic tumors, malignant melanomas are rare. Here, we report a very rare case of a malignant melanoma that involved only the pancreas and liver, and was difficult to differentiate from a neuroendocrine tumor of the pancreas with a liver metastasis. A 65-year-old- male with no history of a malignant melanoma exhibited hypervascular hepatic and pancreatic tumors on computed tomography and contrast-enhanced endoscopic ultrasonography. He lacked lesions of the skin, eye, and gastrointestinal tract on physical examination, upper endoscopy, and a whole-body positron emission tomography-computed tomography scan; these sites are common primary sites of malignant melanoma. Finally, endoscopic ultrasound-guided pancreatic core biopsy and percutaneous ultrasonography-guided liver biopsy confirmed malignant melanoma of the pancreas and liver.
Biopsy ; Electrons ; Endoscopy ; Endosonography ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Humans ; Liver ; Male ; Melanoma ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neuroendocrine Tumors ; Pancreas ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; Physical Examination ; Skin

Recurrent acute pancreatitis (RAP) is defined as two or more true episodes of acute pancreatitis and about 20% of patients with acute pancreatitis experience at least one episode of recurrence. In about 10% of RAP, no definite etiology is found despite extensive evaluation. This entity is called idiopathic acute pancreatitis (IAP). Toxic-metabolic, idiopathic, genetic, autoimmune, recurrent and severe acute pancreatitis, obstructive (TIGAR-O) classification is commonly used to identify risk factors for RAP. Modalities employed to find causes of RAP and IAP include meticulous history taking, blood tests, diagnostic imaging, genetic testing, bile crystal analysis, endoscopic ultrasonography, and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with/without sphincter of Oddi manometry. Each modality is briefly reviewed in this review.
Bile ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Classification ; Diagnosis ; Diagnostic Imaging ; Endosonography ; Genetic Testing ; Hematologic Tests ; Humans ; Manometry ; Pancreatitis ; Recurrence ; Risk Factors ; Sphincter of Oddi