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Evan L Fogel

Publications and source records attributed to Evan L Fogel.

24 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Clinical utility of stent cytology for the diagnosis of pancreaticobiliary neoplasms.

OBJECTIVE: ERCP is frequently the technique of choice for the diagnosis and palliative treatment of pancreaticobiliary neoplasms. The sensitivity of tissue sampling techniques has been disappointing. Two small series have reported a high diagnostic yield from cytological examination of cellular debris from removed biliary stents. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical utility of stent cytology for the diagnosis of biliary and pancreatic neoplasia. METHODS: Patients who had biliary or pancreatic stents removed at ERCP and evaluated cytologically were the subjects of this study. Stents were scraped and washed, and the cellular debris was examined cytologically and recorded as positive, atypical, or negative. Patient demographics, ductal stricture, and stent characteristics were recorded. RESULTS: Between January, 1994 and January, 2001 a total of 126 biliary stents from 101 patients (61 male, 40 female, mean age 62 yr) and 29 pancreatic stents from 19 patients (seven male, 12 female, mean age 58 yr) were examined. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of biliary and pancreatic stents for the diagnosis of neoplasia were: 11%, 100%, 100%, 53%, and 25%, 100%, 100%, 77.8%, respectively. The sensitivity improved slightly if all degrees of atypia were considered positive for neoplasia. The mean duration of stent placement was 93.6 days for biliary stents and 43.5 days for pancreatic stents. CONCLUSIONS: Biliary and pancreatic stent cytology has limited clinical utility in the diagnosis of pancreaticobiliary neoplasia, owing to poor sensitivity. In addition, the time lag between stent placement and removal for cytologic examination further limits its contribution to patient management.

Adult↗

Biliary tract complications after orthotopic liver transplantation with choledochocholedochostomy anastomosis: endoscopic findings and results of therapy.

BACKGROUND: Biliary tract complications are a continuing source of morbidity after orthotopic liver transplantation. This is a retrospective examination of experience with ERCP in patients with biliary tract complications after orthotopic liver transplantation to determine type and frequency of complications and outcome after endoscopic therapy. METHODS: From May 1988 to August 1999, orthotopic liver transplantation was performed 408 times; 4 additional patients who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation at another hospital were also followed. The records of 367 patients who underwent choledochocholedochostomy were reviewed. Of these, 121 underwent 325 ERCPs; 226 ERCPs were performed because of acute problems (typically cholestasis with or without cholangitis), and 99 were for reevaluation of the bile duct, stent change, or stent removal. Three patients underwent ERCP because of pancreatic problems. RESULTS: A biliary complication was identified in 24.5% of patients (90 of 367) and more than 1 complication in 32%. At ERCP, 37 patients (30.5%) had biliary stones; 9 further patients (7.4%) had only sludge. Stones were completely cleared at the initial or a subsequent ERCP. Strictures were found in 55 patients (45.5%), either at the anastomosis (n = 43) or at another site(s) in the donor duct (n = 12). Balloon or bougie dilation followed by stent insertion was performed in 54 patients. Endoscopic therapy was successful in 91% of patients with biliary strictures. A biliary leak/fistulae was found in 22 patients (18.1%) and endoscopic therapy, when attempted, was successful in all. Eight patients had possible sphincter of Oddi dysfunction based on dilated recipient and donor ducts together with elevated liver enzymes. After sphincterotomy, the liver enzymes returned to normal in only one of these patients. Three patients had blood clots in the biliary tree. CONCLUSION: When biliary tract complications are suspected after orthotopic liver transplantation, ERCP identifies biliary abnormalities if present and offers multiple therapeutic options. Endoscopic therapy is usually successful but multiple procedures are often necessary, especially when treating strictures.

Adolescent↗

Microbiology of bile in patients with cholangitis or cholestasis with and without plastic biliary endoprosthesis.

BACKGROUND: Cholangitis is a frequent complication of biliary stents. Empiric antibiotic selection is primarily based on bile cultures obtained from patients undergoing surgery and few data are available with respect to ERCP and biliary stents. This study analyzed the microbiology of bile and the antibiotic sensitivities of the organisms identified in patients presenting with clinical cholangitis or cholestasis. METHODS: All bile cultures collected during ERCP from January 1994 to January 2000 were identified by using an ERCP database. RESULTS: One hundred eighty cultures from 160 patients (mean age 55 years, range 6-94 years) were identified. Sixty-nine specimens were collected at ERCPs performed in patients with no biliary stent in place (group 1). One hundred eleven specimens were obtained from patients with a biliary stent in situ (group 2). The primary diagnoses for patients in groups 1 and 2 were as follows, respectively: malignant bile duct obstruction (25 and 85), choledocholithiasis (16 and 2), benign biliary strictures (6 and 18), acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (8 and 0), and miscellaneous (14 and 6). There were 38 positive bile cultures in group 1 (55%) and 109 positive cultures in group 2 (98%; p < 0.05). A higher frequency of polymicrobial infections (90%) was found in group 2 patients (vs. group 1, 45%; p < 0.001). Escherichia coli was the most common organism found in group 1 (17%); Enterococcus the most common in group 2 (31%). Among patients with positive bile cultures, bacteremia was more frequent in group 2 patients (46% vs. 21%; p < 0.05). Ciprofloxacin and cefiriaxone were the most effective antibiotics against identified gram-negative bacilli, and vancomycin against Enterococci. CONCLUSION: In patients with cholangitis associated with biliary obstruction, the antibiotic selected initially should be active against gram-negative bacilli. Use of quinolones is recommended because these agents effectively penetrate an obstructed biliary tree and can be administered orally. Enterococci and polymicrobial infections are found more commonly in patients with a biliary stent than those without a stent. Pending definitive biliary decompression, patients with sepsis and those who do not quickly respond to treatment with a quinolone may benefit from the addition of antibiotic coverage against gram-positive organisms, targeted against Enterococci.

Adolescent↗

Facilitation of pancreatic duct cannulation using a new synthetic porcine secretin.

OBJECTIVES: Cannulation of the pancreatic duct at ERCP can represent a technical challenge, even to experienced pancreaticobiliary endoscopists. Secretin is a polypeptide hormone that increases the volume and bicarbonate content of pancreatic secretions. We report our single center experience in the use of a new synthetic porcine secretin (sPS) for the facilitation of cannulation of either the major or minor pancreatic orifice during ERCP. METHODS: Patients presenting for a variety of indications were enrolled. If identification or cannulation of the desired pancreatic duct was difficult, 0.2 microg/kg of sPS was administered i.v. Cannulation success or failure was recorded. RESULTS: Between March, 1999, and May, 2000, a total of 25 patients (seven men and 18 women) were enrolled. The most frequent indication (15 of 25 cases) was facilitation of dorsal pancreatic duct cannulation in patients with pancreas divisum. The overall rate of successful cannulation secretin administration was 24 of 25 cases (96%). No adverse events directly attributable to secretin were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study show that sPS is safe and efficacious in faciliting cannulation of either the major or minor pancreatic orifice at ERCP in the subset of patients who represent cannulation difficulties. Once commercially available, sPS can be added to the armamentarium of techniques to facilitate ERP.

Adult↗