No abstract available.
Esophageal Achalasia ; Manometry

Submucosal endoscopy or third-space endoscopy utilizes the potential space between the mucosal and muscularis layers of the gastrointestinal tract to execute therapeutic interventions for various diseases. Over the last decade, endoscopic access to the submucosal space has revolutionized the field of therapeutic endoscopy. Submucosal endoscopy was originally used to perform endoscopic myotomy in patients with achalasia cardia, and its use has grown exponentially since. Currently, submucosal endoscopy is widely used to resect subepithelial tumors and to manage refractory gastroparesis and Zenker’s diverticulum. While the utility of submucosal endoscopy has stood the test of time in esophageal motility disorders and subepithelial tumors, its durability remains to be established in conditions such as Zenker’s diverticulum and refractory gastroparesis. Other emerging indications for submucosal endoscopy include esophageal epiphrenic diverticulum, Hirschsprung’s disease, and esophageal strictures not amenable to conventional endoscopic treatment. The potential of submucosal endoscopy to provide easy and safe access to the mediastinum and peritoneal spaces may open doors to novel indications and rejuvenate the interest of endoscopists in natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery in the future. This review focuses on the current spectrum, recent updates, and future direction of submucosal endoscopy in the gastrointestinal tract.

The incidence of acute pancreatitis in children has increased over the last few decades. The development of pancreatic fluid collection is not uncommon after severe acute pancreatitis, although its natural course in children and adolescents is poorly understood. Asymptomatic fluid collections can be safely observed without any intervention. However, the presence of clinically significant symptoms warrants the drainage of these fluid collections. Endoscopic management of pancreatic fluid collection is safe and effective in adults. The use of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided procedure has improved the efficacy and safety of drainage of pancreatic fluid collections, which have not been well studied in pediatric populations, barring a scant volume of small case series. Excellent results of EUS-guided drainage in adult patients also need to be verified in children and adolescents. Endo-prostheses used to drain pancreatic fluid collections include plastic and metal stents. Metal stents have wider lumens and become clogged less often than plastic stents. Fully covered metal stents specifically designed for pancreatic fluid collection are available, and initial studies have shown encouraging results in adult patients. The future of endoscopic management of pancreatic fluid collection in children appears promising. Prospective studies with larger sample sizes are required to establish their definitive role in the pediatric age group.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Child* ; Drainage ; Endosonography ; Humans ; Incidence ; Pancreatitis ; Plastics ; Prospective Studies ; Sample Size ; Self Expandable Metallic Stents ; Stents ; Ultrasonography

Pancreatolithiasis, or pancreatic calculi (PC), is a sequel of chronic pancreatitis (CP) and may occur in the main ducts, side branches or parenchyma. Calculi are the end result, irrespective of the etiology of CP. PC contains an inner nidus surrounded by successive layers of calcium carbonate. These calculi obstruct the pancreatic ducts and produce ductal hypertension, which leads to pain, the cardinal feature of CP. Both endoscopic therapy and surgery aim to clear these calculi and decrease ductal hypertension. In small PC, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) followed by sphincterotomy and extraction is the treatment of choice. Large calculi require fragmentation by extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) prior to their extraction or spontaneous expulsion. In properly selected cases, ESWL followed by ERCP is the standard of care for the management of large PC. Long-term outcomes following ESWL have demonstrated good pain relief in approximately 60% of patients. However, ESWL has limitations. Per oral pancreatoscopy and intraductal lithotripsy represent techniques in evolution, and in current practice their use is limited to centers with considerable expertise. Surgery should be offered to all patients with extensive PC, associated multiple ductal strictures or following failed endotherapy.
Calcium Carbonate ; Calculi* ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Lithotripsy ; Pancreatic Ducts ; Pancreatitis, Chronic ; Shock ; Standard of Care

Pancreatolithiasis, or pancreatic calculi (PC), is a sequel of chronic pancreatitis (CP) and may occur in the main ducts, side branches or parenchyma. Calculi are the end result, irrespective of the etiology of CP. PC contains an inner nidus surrounded by successive layers of calcium carbonate. These calculi obstruct the pancreatic ducts and produce ductal hypertension, which leads to pain, the cardinal feature of CP. Both endoscopic therapy and surgery aim to clear these calculi and decrease ductal hypertension. In small PC, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) followed by sphincterotomy and extraction is the treatment of choice. Large calculi require fragmentation by extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) prior to their extraction or spontaneous expulsion. In properly selected cases, ESWL followed by ERCP is the standard of care for the management of large PC. Long-term outcomes following ESWL have demonstrated good pain relief in approximately 60% of patients. However, ESWL has limitations. Per oral pancreatoscopy and intraductal lithotripsy represent techniques in evolution, and in current practice their use is limited to centers with considerable expertise. Surgery should be offered to all patients with extensive PC, associated multiple ductal strictures or following failed endotherapy.
Calcium Carbonate ; Calculi* ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Lithotripsy ; Pancreatic Ducts ; Pancreatitis, Chronic ; Shock ; Standard of Care

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is defined by the presence of troublesome symptoms resulting from the reflux of gastric contents. The prevalence of GERD is increasing globally. An incompetent lower esophageal sphincter underlies the pathogenesis of GERD. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) form the core of GERD management. However, a substantial number of patients do not respond well to PPIs. The next option is anti-reflux surgery, which is efficacious, but it has its own limitations, such as gas bloating, inability to belch or vomit, and dysphagia. Laparoscopic placement of magnetic augmentation device is emerging as a useful alternative to conventional anti-reflux surgery. However, invasiveness of a surgical procedure remains a concern for the patients. The proportion of PPI non-responders or partial responders who do not wish for anti-reflux surgery defines the ‘treatment gap’ and needs to be addressed. The last decade has witnessed the fall and rise of many endoscopic devices for GERD. Major endoscopic strategies include radiofrequency ablation and endoscopic fundoplication devices. Current endoscopic devices score high on subjective improvement, but have been unimpressive in objective improvement like esophageal acid exposure. In this review, we discuss the current endoscopic anti-reflux therapies and available evidence for their role in the management of GERD.
Catheter Ablation ; Deglutition Disorders ; Endoscopy ; Esophageal Sphincter, Lower ; Fundoplication ; Gastroesophageal Reflux* ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Proton Pump Inhibitors

Purpose: Endoscopic drainage is an established treatment modality for adult patients with pancreatic fluid collections (PFCs). Available data regarding the efficacy and safety of endoscopic drainage in pediatric patients are limited. In this systematic review and metaanalysis, we aimed to analyze the outcomes of endoscopic drainage in children with PFCs. Methods: A literature search was performed in Embase, PubMed, and Google Scholar for studies on the outcomes of endoscopic drainage with or without endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) guidance in pediatric patients with PFCs from inception to May 2021. The study’s primary objective was clinical success, defined as resolution of PFCs. The secondary outcomes included technical success, adverse events, and recurrence rates. Results: Fourteen studies (187 children, 70.3% male) were included in this review. The subtypes of fluid collection included pseudocysts (60.3%) and walled-off necrosis (39.7%).The pooled technical success rates in studies where drainage of PFCs were performed with and without EUS guidance were 95.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 89.6–98%; I2 =0) and 93.9% (95% CI, 82.6–98%; I2 =0), respectively. The pooled clinical success after one and two endoscopic interventions were 88.7% (95% CI, 82.7–92.9%; I2 =0) and 92.3% (95% CI, 87.4–95.4%; I2 =0), respectively. The pooled rate of major adverse events was 6.3% (95% CI, 3.3–11.4%; I2 =0). The pooled rate of recurrent PFCs after endoscopic drainage was 10.4% (95% CI, 6.1–17.1%; I2 =0). Conclusion Endoscopic drainage is safe and effective in children with PFCs. However, future studies are required to compare endoscopic and EUS-guided drainage of PFCs in children.

Malignancies of the pancreatobiliary system are usually unresectable at the time of diagnosis. As a consequence, a majority of these cases are candidates for palliative care. With advances in chemotherapeutic agents and multidisciplinary care, the survival rate in pancreatobiliary malignancies has improved. Therefore, there is a need to provide an effective and long-lasting palliative care for these patients. Endoscopic palliation is preferred to surgery as the former is associated with equal efficacy and reduced morbidity. The main role of endoscopic palliation in the vast majority of pancreatobiliary malignancies includes biliary and enteral stenting for malignant obstructive jaundice and gastric outlet obstruction, respectively. Recent advances in endoscopic palliation appear promising in imparting long-lasting relief of symptoms. Use of radiofrequency ablation and photodynamic therapy in malignant biliary obstruction has been shown to improve the survival rates as well as the patency of biliary stents. The emergence of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) as a therapeutic tool has enhanced the capability of minimally invasive palliation in pancreatobiliary cancers. EUS is a valuable alternative to endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for the palliation of obstructive jaundice. More recently, EUS is emerging as an effective primary modality for biliary and gastric bypass.
Catheter Ablation ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Diagnosis ; Gastric Bypass ; Gastric Outlet Obstruction ; Humans ; Jaundice, Obstructive ; Palliative Care ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; Photochemotherapy ; Stents ; Survival Rate ; Ultrasonography

Background/Aims: The functional luminal imaging probe (FLIP) can measure tissue distensibility and geometric changes through volumetric distention. The esophagogastric junction has been well studied using EndoFLIP, studies on pylorus are lacking. We aim to study biomechanical properties of pylorus using EndoFLIP to create normative data. Methods: We performed a prospective study of 20 healthy volunteers (ages, 18-54 years; 10 men) who underwent pylorus evaluation using 12- cm FLIP placed across the pyloric sphincter. FLIP data were analyzed using FLIP planimetry plots at baseline and after administration of hyoscine butyl bromide injection. Results: The median pylorus distensibility index (P-DI) was 8.37 mm2/mmHg (interquartile range, 4.22-13.04 mm2/mmHg) at 40 mL balloon volume. The 90th percentile at 40 mL balloon for P-DI was 14.89 mm2/mmHg, for cross-sectional area was 244.20 mm2/mmHg, and diameter and pressure were 17.58 mm and 48.84 mmHg, respectively. There was significant increase in P-DI after administration of hyoscine butyl bromide injection (P < 0.05). Conclusion The normative values can be used as reference values for pyloric distensibility. This reference can be used in studies of related to pyloric diseases such as gastroparesis.