Background/Aims: Chitosan, a natural polymer widely used in the biomaterials field, has been proposed as a potential submucosal injection solution. The purpose of this study was to compare the performance and efficacy of aqueous chitosan solution and commercialized submucosal injection fluids using a three-dimensional sensor and to evaluate the efficacy of the measured parameters. Methods: Normal saline (0.9% NaCl), as a control, Eleview ® (Poloxamer 188), Blue Eye TM (0.4% hyaluronic acid), and aqueous chitosan solution (2.0%) were injected into the submucosa of porcine stomachs ex vivo. The mucosal elevation height, elevated surface area, and angle of the tangent of the submucosal fluid cushion were measured using a three-dimensional sensor. The rates of change for each variable were calculated, and the correlation between parameters was analyzed. Tissue specimens were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Results: All variables exhibited the highest values under chitosan injection. The mucosal elevation height rate of change differed significantly between normal saline and chitosan solution (p=0.024). The elevated surface area rates of change for normal saline and Eleview® were significantly different from those for TS-905 and chitosan solution (p=0.006 and p=0.009, respectively). Further, height, area, and angle showed a positive correlation (p<0.001). A histological examination revealed an even distribution of aqueous chitosan within the submucosa without tissue damage. Conclusions Aqueous chitosan was superior to normal saline and Eleview® and was noninferior to TS-905. A three-dimensional sensor and the measured parameters were effective and useful for evaluating the performance of submucosal fluids.

Background/Aims: Gastric electrical stimulation (GES) is a feasible modality for the treatment of gastroparesis; however, the presently available device requires invasive surgical implantation for long-term stimulation and repeated surgical procedure after a period of time. This study is aimed at developing a wireless miniature GES device and testing its endoscopic insertion in animal models. Methods: Endoscopic gastric implantation of the GES device was performed on 5 healthy weaner pigs under general anesthesia. We created an endoscopic submucosal pocket and inserted the gastro-electrical stimulator. In vivo gastric slow waves were recorded and measured during electrical stimulation. A multi-channel recorder, called an electrogastrogram, was used to record the gastric myoelectrical activity in the study. Results: The gastric slow waves on the electrogastrogram were more consistent with GES on the gastric tissues compared to no stimulation. The frequency-to-amplitude ratio was also significantly altered after the electrical stimulation. Conclusions GES is feasible with our minimally invasive wireless device. This technique has the potential to increase utilization of GES as a treatment alternative.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endoscopic assistive devices have been developed to reduce the complexity and improve the safety of surgeries involving the use of endoscopes. We developed an assistive robotic arm for endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and evaluated its efficiency and safety in this in vitro pilot study. METHODS: ESD was performed using an auxiliary transluminal endoscopic robot. An in vitro test bed replicating the intra-abdominal environment and pig stomachs were used for the experiment. Participants were divided into skilled operators and unskilled operators. Each group performed ESD 10 times by using both conventional and robot-assisted methods. The perforation incidence, operation time, and resected mucous membrane size were measured. RESULTS: For the conventional method, significant differences were noted between skilled and unskilled operators regarding operation time (11.3 minutes vs 26.7 minutes) and perforation incidence (0/10 vs 6/10). Unskilled operators showed a large decrease in the perforation incidence with the robot-assisted method (conventional method vs robot-assisted method, 6/10 vs 1/10). However, the operation time did not differ between the conventional and robot-assisted methods. On the other hand, skilled operators did not show differences in the operation time and perforation incidence between the conventional and robot-assisted methods. Among both skilled and unskilled operators, the operation time decreased with the robot-assisted method as the experiment proceeded. CONCLUSIONS: The surgical safety of unskilled operators greatly improved with robotic assistance. Thus, our assistive robotic arm was beneficial for ESD. Our findings suggest that endoscopic assistive robots have positive effects on surgical safety.
Arm ; Endoscopes ; Endoscopy ; Hand ; In Vitro Techniques ; Incidence ; Methods ; Mucous Membrane ; Pilot Projects ; Self-Help Devices ; Stomach ; Surgery, Computer-Assisted

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Recent studies have demonstrated that etomidate is a safe sedative drug with noninferior sedative effects. In our recent study, we revealed that etomidate/midazolam was more hemodynamically stable than propofol/midazolam in elderly patients undergoing colonoscopies. We aimed to investigate whether compared with propofol/midazolam, etomidate/midazolam causes fewer cardiopulmonary adverse events with noninferior efficacy for screening colonoscopies in patients of all ages. METHODS: In this single-center, randomized, double-blind study, we prospectively enrolled 200 patients. The patients were divided into etomidate and propofol groups. The primary outcome was the occurrence of cardiopulmonary adverse events. The secondary outcomes were the proportion of patients with fluctuations in vital signs (oxygen desaturation and transient hypotension), adverse events interrupting the procedure, and sedation-related outcomes. RESULTS: Adverse cardiopulmonary events were more common in the propofol group than the etomidate group (65.0% vs 51.0%, respectively; p=0.045). Forty-six patients (46.0%) in the propofol group and 29 (29.0%) in the etomidate group experienced fluctuations in their vital signs (p=0.013). The proportions of patients experiencing adverse events that interrupted the procedure, including myoclonus, were not significantly different between the two groups (etomidate: 20.0% vs propofol: 11.0%; p=0.079). Both groups had similar sedation-related outcomes. Multivariate analysis revealed that compared with the propofol groups, the etomidate group had a significantly lower risk of fluctuations in vital signs (odds ratio, 0.427; 95% confidence interval, 0.230 to 0.792; p=0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with using propofol/midazolam, using etomidate/midazolam for screening colonoscopies results in more stable hemodynamic responses in patients of all ages; therefore, we recommend using etomidate/midazolam for colonoscopies in patients with cardiovascular risk factors.
Aged ; Colonoscopy ; Double-Blind Method ; Etomidate ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypnotics and Sedatives ; Mass Screening ; Midazolam ; Multivariate Analysis ; Myoclonus ; Propofol ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Vital Signs

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Patients may feel embarrassed during colonoscopy. Our study aimed to assess changes in patient preference, over the past decade, for the sex of their colonoscopist. METHODS: Prospective studies were performed at a single health center from July to September 2008, and from July to September 2016. Subjects included colonoscopy patients (2008: 354, 2016: 304) who were asked to complete a questionnaire before colonoscopy. RESULTS: In 2016, 69 patients (24.9%) expressed a sex preference, compared with 46 patients (14.6%) in 2008. By 2016, female patient preference for a female colonoscopist had significantly increased to 95% (odds ratio [OR], 2.678; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.418– 5.057; P=0.002). In multivariate analysis, patient sex (OR, 4.404; P=0.000), patient age (OR, 0.977; 95% CI, 0.961–0.992; P=0.004), and year of procedure (OR, 1.674; 95% CI, 1.028–2.752) were statistically significant factors in sex preference. Between 2008 and 2016, female patients preferred a female colonoscopist because of embarrassment. Male patients also preferred a male colonoscopist, and the primary reason shifted from expertise to patient embarrassment (2008: 29%, 2016: 63%). CONCLUSIONS: Patients have an increased gender preference for the colonoscopist because of embarrassment. Taking this into account can increase patient satisfaction during colonoscopy.
Colonoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Patient Preference ; Patient Satisfaction ; Prospective Studies

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is useful for obtaining pancreatic mass samples. The combination of modified techniques (i.e., slow-pull technique and fanning technique) may improve the quality of the sample obtained by EUS-FNA. We investigated the effectiveness of a combined slow-pull fanning technique in EUS-FNA for pancreatic mass. METHODS: This prospective comparative study investigated EUS-FNA performed for pancreatic solid masses between August 2015 and July 2016. Pairwise specimens were alternately obtained using the following two techniques for targeted pancreatic lesions: standard suction or slow-pull with fanning. We compared the specimen quality, blood contamination, and diagnostic accuracy of these techniques. RESULTS: Forty-eight consecutive patients were included (29 men; mean age, 68.1±11.9 years), and 96 pancreatic mass specimens were obtained. The slow-pull with fanning technique had a significantly superior diagnostic accuracy than the suction technique (88% vs 71%, p=0.044). Furthermore, blood contamination was significantly reduced using the slow-pull with fanning technique (ratio of no or slight contamination, 77% vs 56%, p=0.041). No difference was observed in the acquisition of adequate cellularity between the groups. In the subgroup analysis, the tumor size and sampling technique were related to the EUS-FNA diagnostic accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: The slow-pull with needle fanning technique showed a good diagnostic yield for EUS-FNA for pancreatic mass. This technique can be useful for performing EUS-guided sampling for diagnosing pancreatic disease.
Biopsy, Fine-Needle* ; Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration ; Endosonography ; Humans ; Male ; Needles ; Pancreas ; Pancreatic Diseases ; Prospective Studies ; Suction*

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine effects of adjunctive aripiprazole versus bupropion, on depressive symptoms of female depression.METHODS: Sixty six female patients with major depressive disorders were enrolled from a six-week, randomized prospective open-label multi-center study. Participants were randomized to receive aripiprazole (2.5–10 mg/day) or bupropion (150–300 mg/day). Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale, 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating scale (HAM-D17), Iowa Fatigue Scale, Drug-Induced Extrapyramidal Symptoms Scale, Psychotropic-Related Sexual Dysfunction Questionnaire scores, and Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) were obtained at baseline and after one, two, four, and six weeks. Changes on individual items of HAM-D17 were assessed as well as on composite scales (anxiety, insomnia and drive), and on four core subscales that capture core depression symptoms.RESULTS: Overall, both treatments improved depressive symptoms, without causing serious adverse events. There were significant differences in the HAM-D17 total score (p=0.046) and CGI-S (p=0.004), between aripiprazole and bupropion augmentation, favoring aripiprazole over bupropion. Aripiprazole revealed significantly greater effect size in depressed mood (p=0.006), retardation (p=0.005), anxiety psychic (p=0.032), and general somatic symptom (p=0.01).CONCLUSION: While both treatments were effective, results of this study suggested that aripiprazole may be preferable, in treating general and core symptoms of female depression.
Anxiety ; Aripiprazole ; Bupropion ; Depression ; Depressive Disorder, Major ; Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant ; Fatigue ; Female ; Humans ; Iowa ; Prospective Studies ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; Weights and Measures

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The management of job-related stress among health-care workers is critical for the improvement of healthcare services; however, there is no existing research on endoscopy unit workers as a team. Korea has a unique health-care system for endoscopy unit workers. In this study, we aimed to estimate job stress and job satisfaction among health-care providers in endoscopy units in Korea. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional survey of health-care providers in the endoscopy units of three university-affiliated hospitals in Korea. We analyzed the job stress levels by using the Korean occupational stress scale, contributing factors, and job satisfaction. RESULTS: Fifty-nine workers completed the self-administered questionnaires. The job stress scores for the endoscopy unit workers (46.39±7.81) were relatively lower compared to those of the national sample of Korean workers (51.23±8.83). Job stress differed across job positions, with nurses showing significantly higher levels of stress (48.92±7.97) compared to doctors (42.59±6.37). Job stress and job satisfaction were negatively correlated with each other (R2=0.340, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: An endoscopy unit is composed of a heterogeneous group of health-care professionals (i.e., nurses, fellows, and professors), and job stress and job satisfaction significantly differ according to job positions. Job demand, insufficient job control, and job insecurity are the most important stressors in the endoscopy unit.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Delivery of Health Care ; Endoscopy* ; Job Satisfaction* ; Korea*

PURPOSE: Epidural analgesia has been the preferred analgesic technique after major abdominal surgery. On the other hand, the combined use of intrathecal morphine (ITM) and intravenous patient controlled analgesia (IVPCA) has been shown to be a viable alternative approach for analgesia. We hypothesized that ITM combined with IVPCA is as effective as patient controlled thoracic epidural analgesia (PCTEA) with respect to postoperative pain control after conventional open gastrectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-four patients undergoing conventional open gastrectomy due to gastric cancer were randomly allocated into the intrathecal morphine combined with intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IT) group or patient-controlled thoracic epidural analgesia (EP) group. The IT group received preoperative 0.3 mg of ITM, followed by postoperative IVPCA. The EP group preoperatively underwent epidural catheterization, followed by postoperative PCTEA. Visual analog scale (VAS) scores were assessed until 48 hrs after surgery. Adverse effects related to analgesia, profiles associated with recovery from surgery, and postoperative complications within 30 days after surgery were also evaluated. RESULTS: This study failed to demonstrate the non-inferiority of ITM-IVPCA (n=29) to PCTEA (n=30) with respect to VAS 24 hrs after surgery. Furthermore, the IT group consumed more fentanyl than the EP group did (1247.2+/-263.7 microg vs. 1048.9+/-71.7 microg, p<0.001). The IT group took a longer time to ambulate than the EP group (p=0.021) and had higher incidences of postoperative ileus (p=0.012) and pulmonary complications (p=0.05) compared with the EP group. CONCLUSION: ITM-IVPCA is not as effective as PCTEA in patients undergoing gastrectomy, with respect to pain control, ambulation, postoperative ileus and pulmonary complications.
Adult ; Analgesia, Epidural/*methods ; Analgesia, Patient-Controlled/methods ; Analgesics, Opioid/administration & dosage/therapeutic use ; Female ; Gastrectomy/*methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Morphine/*administration & dosage/*therapeutic use ; Pain Management/methods ; Pain, Postoperative/*drug therapy

The incidence of colorectal carcinoid tumor is recently increasing as screening colonoscopy increased. Traditional carcinoid tumor had been known as low grade, malignant neuroendocrine cell orign tumor. In 2000, World Health Organization (WHO) suggested that carcinoid was called well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumor (NET). It recently updated in 2010 by WHO; according to the differentiation and malignant potential, NET classified with NET Grade 1, Grade 2, and neuroendocrine carcinoma. They suggested that NET had malignant potential in accordance with histopathologic characteristics. Therefore, WHO recommended the behavior code of NET as malignant. However, European Neuroendocrine Tumor Society (ENETS) proposed the behavior of NET to four grades based on the histopathologic features; benign, benign or low grade malignant, low grade malignant, and high grade malignant. Also, American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) suggested that topography codes of NET were defined as malignant. Korean Standard Classification of Diseases (KCD) described the different codings of carcinoid (NET). The discrepancies of behavior code or coding system exist among WHO, ENETS, AJCC and KCD. Also, there were differences in the perception for topographic coding system between clinicians and pathologists. NETs of colorectum were reported with the variable clinical characteristics (especially, metastasis) and long term prognosis from many studies. Especially, risk of metastasis and long term prognosis of small sized NET (<1 cm) had some discrepancies and should be investigated prospectively. Therefore, the consensus about topographic codes of NET should be needed with multidisplinary approach among gastroenterologists, pathologists and surgeons.
Carcinoid Tumor ; Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine ; Clinical Coding ; Colonoscopy ; Consensus ; Incidence ; Joints ; Mass Screening ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neuroendocrine Cells ; Neuroendocrine Tumors ; Prognosis ; World Health Organization