Stents for palliating malignant dysphagia and fistula: is the paradigm shifting?
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Publications and source records attributed to Kulwinder S Dua.
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BACKGROUND & AIMS: Airways are most vulnerable to aspiration during sleep. Esophago-upper esophageal sphincter (UES) contractile reflex (EUCR) and secondary peristalsis (2P) have been proposed to protect the airway by reflexively contracting the UES and clearing the esophagus of refluxate, respectively. Our aim was to study EUCR and 2P elicitation in "awake" state, stage II, slow-wave (stage III/IV), and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. METHODS: Thirteen healthy volunteers were studied in the supine position using concurrent UES and esophageal manometry and polysomnography. Threshold volume (Tvol) to trigger EUCR and 2P and changes in sleep stages were recorded during injection of 2.7 mL/min water into the proximal esophagus after sleep stages were confirmed. RESULTS: UES pressure progressively declined with deeper stages of sleep. Tvol for EUCR and 2P elicitation was not significantly different between the stage II and "awake" state (EUCR: 4.0 +/- 1.8 mL vs 6.1 +/- 3.6 mL stage II; 2P: 5.8 +/- 2.2 mL vs 8.0 +/- 4.0 mL stage II). Tvol for EUCR and 2P elicitation during REM sleep were significantly lower than during the stage II and "awake" state (REM EUCR: 2.2 +/- 1.1 mL; 2P: 3.5 +/- 1.2 mL). Arousal and cough preempted development of EUCR and 2P during slow-wave sleep. CONCLUSIONS: (1) EUCR/2P can be elicited in stage II and REM but is preempted by arousal in slow-wave sleep. (2) Tvol for EUCR/2P elicitation is significantly lower in REM, compared with the stage II and "awake" state, suggesting a heightened sensitivity of these reflexes during REM sleep. (3) Although UES pressure progressively declines with deeper stages of sleep, it can still reflexively contract during REM sleep, despite generalized hypotonia.
OBJECTIVES: Pancreatitis is the most common and serious complication of diagnostic and therapeutic ERCP. The aim of this study is to examine the potential patient- and procedure-related risk factors for post-ERCP pancreatitis in a prospective multicenter study. METHODS: A 160-variable database was prospectively collected by a defined protocol on patients undergoing diagnostic or therapeutic ERCP at 15 centers in the Midwest Pancreaticobiliary Group and participating in a randomized controlled study evaluating whether prophylactic corticosteroids will reduce the incidence of post-ERCP pancreatitis. Data were collected prior to the procedure, at the time of procedure, and 24-72 h after discharge. Post-ERCP pancreatitis was diagnosed and its severity graded according to consensus criteria. RESULTS: Of the 1,115 patients enrolled, diagnostic ERCP with or without sphincter of Oddi manometry (SOM) was performed in 536 (48.1%) and therapeutic ERCP in 579 (51.9%). Suspected sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD) was the indication for the ERCP in 378 patients (33.9%). Pancreatitis developed in 168 patients (15.1%) and was graded mild in 112 (10%), moderate in 45 (4%), and severe in 11(1%). There was no difference in the incidence of pancreatitis or the frequency of investigated potential pancreatitis risk factors between the corticosteroid and placebo groups. By univariate analysis, the incidence of post-ERCP pancreatitis was significantly higher in 19 of 30 investigated variables. In the multivariate risk model, significant risk factors with adjusted odds ratios (OR) were: minor papilla sphincterotomy (OR: 3.8), suspected SOD (OR: 2.6), history of post-ERCP pancreatitis (OR: 2.0), age <60 yr (OR: 1.6), > or =2 contrast injections into the pancreatic duct (OR: 1.5), and trainee involvement (OR: 1.5). Female gender, history of recurrent idiopathic pancreatitis, pancreas divisum, SOM, difficult cannulation, and major papilla sphincterotomy (either biliary or pancreatic) were not multivariate risk factors for post-ERCP pancreatitis. CONCLUSION: This study emphasizes the role of patient factors (age, SOD, prior history of post-ERCP pancreatitis) and technical factors (number of PD injections, minor papilla sphincterotomy, and operator experience) as the determining high-risk predictors for post-ERCP pancreatitis.
We present the case of a 77-year-old white woman with a past medical history of transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder that presented with symptoms of acute renal failure and duodenal obstruction and posed a diagnostic dilemma. Initially, she presented with bilateral ureteral strictures and eventually required bilateral nephrostomy tubes. Later, the patient developed intractable nausea and vomiting secondary to a duodenal stricture. The finding of a "stranding appearance" on computed tomography imaging of the retroperitoneal space raised the suspicion of retroperitoneal fibrosis. Subsequent endoscopic placement of metal stents to relieve the duodenal obstruction failed to relieve her symptoms. The patient's poor general condition precluded an exploratory laparotomy. The patient expired shortly thereafter and an autopsy was performed. The autopsy results revealed full wall thickness signet-ring cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder with extensive metastasis to the retroperitoneum.
Primary esophageal cancer is the most common cause of malignant esophageal stricture. Prognosis and treatment outcomes vary with the stage of the disease. Endoscopic ultrasound has a high accuracy rate for local and regional staging. Surgery is curative for early cancer. Endoscopic mucosal resection, photodynamic therapy, or brachytherapy can be used with curative intent for early cancer, especially in patients with comorbid conditions precluding surgery. Unfortunately, the majority of patients with esophageal cancer present with advanced disease. The primary aim in these patients is to alleviate symptoms with a minimum of side effects and reinterventions. Palliative surgery or chemoradiotherapy can be associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. Several endoscopic techniques for palliation are available, and all have the potential of significantly improving swallowing. The choice of a particular endoscopic approach is usually determined by local expertise and characteristics of the stricture.
BACKGROUND: Pancreatitis is the most common major complication of diagnostic and therapeutic ERCP. There have been continuing efforts to identify a pharmacologic agent capable of reducing the frequency and severity of this complication. On the basis of several case reports, experimental data, and knowledge of their mechanism of action, corticosteroids might be effective in this regard. The aim of this randomized, double-blind, controlled trial was to determine whether prophylactic, orally administered corticosteroid reduces the frequency and/or severity of post-ERCP pancreatitis. METHODS: A total of 1115 patients were randomized to receive either prednisone (40 mg) or a placebo orally 15 hours and 3 hours before ERCP. A 160 variable database was prospectively collected according to a defined protocol on patients undergoing diagnostic or therapeutic ERCP at 15 centers in the Midwest Pancreaticobiliary Group. Standardized criteria were used to diagnose and grade the severity of postprocedure pancreatitis. RESULTS: The overall frequency of pancreatitis was 15.07%. It occurred in 92 of 555 patients in the corticosteroid group (16.6%), and in 76 of 560 patients in the control group (13.6%; p = 0.19). The pancreatitis was mild in 10.04%, moderate in 4.04%, and severe in 0.99%. There was no difference between the groups with regard to the severity of pancreatitis. Moreover, the groups were similar with regard to age, gender, body mass index, frequency of prior pancreatitis, type of procedure performed (diagnostic or therapeutic), difficulty of cannulation, frequency of pre-cut sphincterotomy, pancreatic sphincterotomy, sphincter of Oddi dysfunction, sphincter of Oddi manometry, pancreatic acinarization, chronic pancreatitis, number of pancreatic duct injections, and bile duct diameter. CONCLUSION: Prophylactic orally administered corticosteroid did not reduce the frequency or severity of post-ERCP pancreatitis.
Our goal was to determine and compare vocal cord (VC) closure pressure and its associated intratracheal pressure during several physiological events such as swallowing, coughing, straining, and phonation. We studied 11 healthy subjects (age 41 +/- 2 years) with no current or previous history of laryngeal or pulmonary diseases. VC closure pressure during the above-mentioned tasks was studied using a concurrent manometric and endoscopic technique. VC closure pressure during dry swallows averaged 298 +/- 23 mm Hg, while intratracheal pressures exhibited a biphasic pattern ranging from -4 +/- 0.5 to +6 +/- 0.8 mm Hg. Average VC closure pressure during cough was 280 +/- 20 mm Hg, during straining/valsalva maneuver it averaged 330 +/- 45 mm Hg, during phonation it produced an initial rapidly rising spike like pressure (222 +/- 25 mm Hg) followed by a sustained minimally positive pressure during continued phonation of two tested vowel sounds (15-25 mm Hg). Between-group comparison showed that for all studied tasks, the in-' tercordal pressures were significantly higher than those of respective intratracheal pressures (p < 0.05). The vocal cords generate closure pressures that vary depending on the performed function.
BACKGROUND: Premature stent clogging is the major limitation with plastic stents used in the treatment of malignant biliary structures. A pilot study suggested improved duration of patency of the Tannenbaum stent compared with polyethylene stents. The aim of this prospective, multicenter randomized trial was to compare the Tannenbaum Teflon stent with a conventional polyethylene endoprosthesis (Cotton-Leung biliary stent set) for the treatment of malignant biliary strictures. METHODS: Patients over age 18 years with symptoms caused by nonhilar malignant biliary strictures were enrolled. Patients were randomized to receive a 10F Tannenbaum or polyethylene stent after a guidewire was passed beyond the stricture. One hundred six patients (mean age 72 years and 71 years, respectively) were enrolled (54 Tannenbaum, mean age 72 years; 52 polyethylene, mean age 71 years). RESULTS: Tannenbaum and polyethylene stent placement was successful in, respectively, 100% and 96% of procedures without complications. The mean (SD) 90-day stent patency of the Tannenbaum stent was 67% (7%) compared with 73% (7%) for the polyethylene stents. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrated no difference in ease of implantation or stent patency between Tannenbaum and polyethylene stents.
BACKGROUND: For many years the prognosis for patients with biliary malignancies has been poor. However, recent advances in radiology and laparoscopy have improved staging, and active biliary stent management may improve outcome in these patients. In the past the goal with surgery was to excise all gross tumor. Now, the surgical goal is to achieve negative microscopic margins even if a major hepatic resection is required. Similarly, chemotherapy or radiation was frequently given in isolation, but chemoradiation has become the standard. Therefore, the aim of this analysis was to determine whether survival has improved with better staging, active stent management, more aggressive surgery, and chemoradiation. METHODS: From 1990 through 2001, 140 patients with biliary malignancies were treated at the Medical College of Wisconsin. One hundred eleven malignancies were cholangiocarcinomas (intrahepatic, 22%; perihilar, 65%; and distal, 13%), and 29 were gallbladder (GB) cancers. Eighty-six of the 140 patients (61%) underwent exploration (intrahepatic, 58%; perihilar, 57%; distal, 67%, and GB, 72%). Forty-four of these 86 patients (51%) underwent resection (intrahepatic, 64%; perihilar, 41%; distal, 70%; and GB, 52%). Chemoradiation with confocal radiation, 5-fluorouracil, and gemcitabine was used more frequently in the patients resected since 1998. RESULTS: Thirty-day operative mortality was 4%. In the resected patients (n = 44) the 5-year actuarial survival was 31% and the median survival was 27.8 months. Patients resected between 1998 and 2001 (n = 25) had a median survival longer than 44 months with a 3-year actuarial survival of 70% as compared to patients resected between 1990 and 1997 (n = 19), who had a median survival of 13 months and a 3-year actuarial survival of 21% (P <.01). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that (1) approximately one third of patients with biliary malignancies have resectable disease and (2) surgery in carefully selected patients with adjuvant chemoradiation has improved survival in resected patients. We suspect that a combination of improved staging, active biliary stenting, safe but extensive surgery to obtain negative margins, and newer techniques for chemoradiation have resulted in improved outcomes for patients with biliary malignancies.