Purpose: Incisional hernia (IH) is a frequent complication following laparoscopic colorectal surgery. The present study investigated the risk factors for IH after laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 202 patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the clinicopathological factors associated with IH. Results: The overall incidence of IH was 25.7% (52 of 202). The univariate analysis showed that female sex (P=0.004), a high body mass index (P<0.001), noncurrent smoking habit (P=0.043), low level of hemoglobin (P=0.035), high subcutaneous fat area (P<0.001), high visceral fat area (P=0.006), low skeletal muscle area (P=0.001), long distance between the inner edges of the rectus abdominis muscle (P=0.001), long protrusion of the peritoneum at the umbilical site (P<0.001), and lymph node metastasis (P=0.007) were significantly more frequent in the group with IH than in the group without it. The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed an older age (10-year increments: odds ratio [OR], 1.576; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.027–2.419; P=0.037), lymph node metastasis (OR, 2.384; 95% CI, 1.132–5.018; P=0.022) and lengthy protrusion of the peritoneum at the umbilical site (10-mm increments: OR, 5.555; 95% CI, 3.058–10.091; P<0.001) were independent risk factors for IH. Conclusion Our findings suggest that older age, lymph node metastasis, and lengthy protrusion of the peritoneum at the umbilical site are risk factors for IH after laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer. An assessment using these factors before the operation and the implementation of countermeasures might help prevent IH.

Background/Aims: Patients with achalasia-related esophageal motility disorders (AEMDs) frequently present with dilated and sigmoid esophagus, anddevelop esophageal diverticulum (ED), although the prevalence and patients characteristics require further elucidation. Methods: We conducted a multicenter cohort study of 3707 patients with AEMDs from 14 facilities in Japan. Esophagography on 3682 patients were analyzed. Results: Straight (n = 2798), sigmoid (n = 684), and advanced sigmoid esophagus (n = 200) were diagnosed. Multivariate analysis revealed that long disease duration, advanced age, obesity, and type I achalasia correlate positively, whereas severe symptoms and integrated relaxation pressure correlate negatively with development of sigmoid esophagus. In contrast, Grade II dilation (3.5-6.0 cm) was the most common (52.9%), while grade III dilation (≥ 6 cm) was rare (5.0%). We found early onset, male, obesity, and type I achalasia correlated positively, while advanced age correlated negatively with esophageal dilation. Dilated and sigmoid esophagus were found mostly in types I and II achalasia, but typically not found in spastic disorders. The prevalence of ED was low (n = 63, 1.7%), and non-dilated esophagus and advanced age correlated with ED development. Patients with right-sided ED (n = 35) had a long disease duration (P = 0.005) with low integrated relaxation pressure values (P = 0.008) compared with patients with left-sided ED (n = 22). Patients with multiple EDs (n = 6) had lower symptom severity than patients with a single ED (P = 0.022). Conclusions The etiologies of dilated esophagus, sigmoid esophagus, and ED are considered multifactorial and different. Early diagnosis and optimal treatment of AEMDs are necessary to prevent these conditions.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of a patient registry system for assessing PCT (palliative care team) by PRO (Patient-reported outcome) in Japan. Methods: We operated a patient registry system with electronic data collection at eight hospitals in 2021 in Japan. We consecutively included newly referred patients for a month and followed up with them for a month. IPOS or ESAS obtained as PRO at the start of the intervention, three days later, and every week after. The primary endpoint was the response rate to the symptom rating scale by patients and providers. Results: 318 patients were enrolled. The patient response rate was 59.1% at intervention and 37.0% after intervention, and the medical provider response rate was 98.4% at intervention and 70.3% after intervention. Interviews with PCT members indicated that participants required support to input PRO responses required support and paper questionnaire was better and that managing the survey date and overall management was burdensome. Discussion: Although only about half of the patients were able to respond to the PRO, this was the same level as in previous studies. The system and its operation method have many problems. We found that improvements such as reducing items and making the patient interviews paper-based are necessary to expand the system nationwide.

Background/Aims: ManoScan and Sandhill high-resolution manometry (HRM) systems are used worldwide; however, the diagnosis of achalasia on the Starlet HRM system is not fully characterized. Furthermore, the impact of calcium channel blockers and nitrites in treating achalasia has not been investigated using HRM. Management of recurrent cases is a priority issue, although few studies have examined patient characteristics. Methods: We conducted a multicenter, large-scale database analysis. First, the diagnosis of treatment-naive achalasia in each HRM system was investigated. Next, patient characteristics were compared between type I-III achalasia, and the impact of patient characteristics, including calcium channel blocker and nitrite use for integrated relaxation pressure (IRP) values, were analyzed. Finally, patient characteristics with recurrent achalasia were elucidated. Results: The frequency of type I achalasia with Starlet was significantly higher than that with ManoScan and Sandhill HRM systems. In achalasia, multivariate analysis identified male sex, advanced age, long disease duration, obesity, type I achalasia, and sigmoid type as risk factors related to normal IRP values (< 26 mmHg). Calcium channel blockers and nitrites use had no significant impact on the IRP values, although achalasia symptoms were indicated to be alleviated. In recurrent cases, the IRP value was significantly lower, and advanced age, long disease duration, and sigmoid type were more common than in treatment-naive patients. Conclusions We should cautiously interpret the type of achalasia and IRP values in the Starlet HRM system. Symptoms of recurrent cases are related to disease progression rather than IRP values, which should be considered in decision making.

Background/Aims: Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided tissue acquisition is widely utilized as a diagnostic modality for intra-abdominal masses, but there remains debate regarding which suction technique, slow pull (SP) or conventional suction (CS), is better. A meta-analysis of reported studies was conducted to compare the diagnostic yields of SP and CS during EUS-guided tissue acquisition. Methods: We conducted a systematic electronic search using MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials to identify clinical studies comparing SP and CS. We meta-analyzed accuracy, sensitivity, blood contamination and cellularity using the random-effects model. Results: A total of 17 studies (seven randomized controlled trials, four prospective studies, and six retrospective studies) with 1,616 cases were included in the analysis. Compared to CS, there was a trend toward better accuracy (odds ratio [OR], 1.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.97 to 2.27; p=0.07) and sensitivity (OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 0.95 to 2.93; p=0.08) with SP and a significantly lower rate of blood contamination (OR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.33 to 0.69; p<0.01). However, there was no significant difference in cellularity between SP and CS, with an OR of 1.28 (95% CI, 0.68 to 2.40; p=0.45). When the use of a 25-gauge needle was analyzed, the accuracy and sensitivity of SP were significantly better than those of CS, with ORs of 4.81 (95% CI, 1.99 to 11.62; p<0.01) and 4.69 (95% CI, 1.93 to 11.40; p<0.01), respectively. Conclusions Compared to CS, SP appears to provide better accuracy and sensitivity in EUSguided tissue acquisition, especially when a 25-gauge needle is used.

Background/Aims: Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided tissue acquisition is widely utilized as a diagnostic modality for intra-abdominal masses, but there remains debate regarding which suction technique, slow pull (SP) or conventional suction (CS), is better. A meta-analysis of reported studies was conducted to compare the diagnostic yields of SP and CS during EUS-guided tissue acquisition. Methods: We conducted a systematic electronic search using MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials to identify clinical studies comparing SP and CS. We meta-analyzed accuracy, sensitivity, blood contamination and cellularity using the random-effects model. Results: A total of 17 studies (seven randomized controlled trials, four prospective studies, and six retrospective studies) with 1,616 cases were included in the analysis. Compared to CS, there was a trend toward better accuracy (odds ratio [OR], 1.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.97 to 2.27; p=0.07) and sensitivity (OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 0.95 to 2.93; p=0.08) with SP and a significantly lower rate of blood contamination (OR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.33 to 0.69; p<0.01). However, there was no significant difference in cellularity between SP and CS, with an OR of 1.28 (95% CI, 0.68 to 2.40; p=0.45). When the use of a 25-gauge needle was analyzed, the accuracy and sensitivity of SP were significantly better than those of CS, with ORs of 4.81 (95% CI, 1.99 to 11.62; p<0.01) and 4.69 (95% CI, 1.93 to 11.40; p<0.01), respectively. Conclusions Compared to CS, SP appears to provide better accuracy and sensitivity in EUSguided tissue acquisition, especially when a 25-gauge needle is used.

Endoscopic management of bile duct stones is now the standard of care, but challenges remain with difficult bile duct stones. There are some known factors associated with technically difficult bile duct stones, such as large size and surgically altered anatomy. Endoscopic mechanical lithotripsy is now the standard technique used to remove large bile duct stones, but the efficacy of endoscopic papillary large balloon dilatation (EPLBD) and cholangioscopy with intraductal lithotripsy has been increasingly reported. In patients with surgically altered anatomy, biliary access before stone removal can be technically difficult. Endotherapy using two new endoscopes is now utilized in clinical practice: enteroscopy-assisted endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and endoscopic ultrasound-guided antegrade treatment. These new approaches can be combined with EPLBD and/or cholangioscopy to remove large bile duct stones from patients with surgically altered anatomy. Since various endoscopic procedures are now available, endoscopists should learn the indications, advantages and disadvantages of each technique for better management of bile duct stones.

Background/Aims: Recently, a three-plane symmetric nee-dle with Franseen geometry was developed for endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle biopsy (EUS-FNB). In this ret-rospective study, tissue acquisition per pass was compared between 22-gauge Franseen FNB and standard fine needle aspiration (FNA) needles in patients with solid pancreatic le-sions. Methods: Consecutive patients who underwent EUSFNA or EUS-FNB for solid pancreatic lesions between Octo-ber 2014 and March 2018 were retrospectively studied. The tissue acquisition rate and the diagnostic performance per session, per pass, and at first pass were compared. Results: A total of 663 passes (300 by the FNB needle and 363 by the standard FNA needle) were performed in 154 patients (71 FNB and 83 FNA). The tissue acquisition rate per session and at first pass in the FNB and FNA groups was 100% and 95% (p=0.13) and 87% and 69% (p=0.007), respectively. The multivariate analysis revealed that among the patients, EUS-FNB (odds ratio, 3.07; p=0.01) was associated with a higher first-pass tissue acquisition rate. While the tissue ac-quisition rate reached a plateau after the 4th pass with FNA, it reached a plateau after the 2nd pass with FNB. Among the 129 malignant cases, the histological tissue acquisition rate per session was similar (100% and 94%), but the sensitivity by histology alone per session was higher for FNB than for FNA (93% and 73%, p<0.01). Conclusions The results of our retrospective analysis indicated that compared with a standard FNA needle, a 22-gauge Franseen FNB needle was associated with a higher first-pass tissue acquisition rate.

We report a case of mycotic aneurysm treated with endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). An 80-year-old man was admitted to a local hospital with high fever and lower back pain. Pyogenic spondylitis and psoas muscle abscess were diagnosed. Klebsiella pneumoniae was confirmed by blood culture. Treatment with intravenous antibiotics was not effective and contrast computed tomography (CT) scan showed an enlargement of the abscess and an abdominal aortic rupture. The patient was immediately transferred to our hospital. Laboratory tests showed an elevated C-reactive protein (12.3 mg/dl) and WBC (10,400/μl). Mycotic abdominal aneurysm rupture was diagnosed by CT scan. He underwent an emergency EVAR with an Excluder® (aorta extender). Intraoperative angiography showed a ruptured abdominal aorta. After operation, he was treated with intravenous minocycline and ampicillin, and the size of the abscess reduced without any endoleak on enhanced CT imaging. After intravenous antibiotics therapy for 4 weeks, we switched to oral antibiotics (minocycline and ciprofloxacin) and continued them for 6 months. As of 2 years after the surgery, there are no signs of infection or recurrence.

Taping is widely used in sports medicine to prevent injury, protect affected sites post injury and relieve pain. However, it is not clear whether taping affects the perception of noxious stimulation because in previous studies, it was difficult to selectively activate Aδ fibers. A recently developed, useful, new tool named intra-epidermal electrical stimulation (IES) can preferentially activate Aδ fibers. We aimed to clarify the effect of taping on pain-related somatosensory evoked potentials (pSEPs) using IES. We recorded pSEPs following IES of the right medial forearm in twelve healthy volunteers. pSEPs were recorded from 9 electrodes on the scalp under control, elastic-taping and white-taping conditions. Under the control condition, subjects relaxed on a comfortable reclining seat without taping, whereas under the taping conditions, they were subjected to taping along the forearm with tension (elastic-taping) and without tension (white-taping). Subjects were asked to assign a visual analog scale (VAS) score after each session. The peak amplitudes of N2-P2 were significantly lower under the elastic-taping and white-taping conditions than those under the control condition. VAS was significantly lower elastic-taping condition than those under the control and white-taping conditions. Moreover, there was a significant positive correlation between the amplitude of N2-P2 and VAS. We revealed that taping along the forearm decreased pSEPs and subjective pain perception under the white-taping and elastic-taping conditions. The underlying mechanism of pain relief was the distraction effect in both taping conditions. In addition, elastic-taping with tension changes afferent inputs mainly from the skin, and this might more effectively decrease the subjective pain perception than that achieved under the white-taping condition.