Publications (28) View all
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Article: Esophageal chemical clearance is impaired in gastro-esophageal reflux disease - a 24-h impedance-pH monitoring assessment.
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ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Impedance-pH monitoring allows assessment of retrograde and antegrade intra-esophageal movement of fluids and gas. Reflux is followed by volume clearance and chemical clearance, elicited by secondary and swallow-induced peristalsis, respectively. We aimed to assess whether chemical clearance is impaired in gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD). METHODS: Blinded retrospective review of impedance-pH tracings from patients with erosive reflux disease (ERD) and non-erosive reflux disease (NERD), and from proton pump inhibitor (PPI)-refractory patients before and after laparoscopic fundoplication. The number of refluxes followed within 30 s by swallow-induced peristaltic waves was divided by the number of total refluxes to obtain a parameter representing chemical clearance namely the postreflux swallow-induced peristaltic wave (PSPW) index. KEY RESULTS: The PSPW index was significantly lower in 31 ERD (15%) and in 44 NERD (33%) off-PPI patients than in 30 controls (75%), as well as in 18 ERD (16%) and in 48 NERD (31%) on-PPI patients than in 26 on-PPI functional heartburn (FH) cases (67%) (P < 0.05 for all comparisons). In 29 PPI-refractory patients, the median PSPW index was unaltered by otherwise effective antireflux surgery (20% postoperatively, 21% preoperatively). The overall sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive values of the PSPW index in identifying GERD patients were 97%, 89%, 96%, and 93%. CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES: Impairment of chemical clearance is a primary pathophysiological mechanism specific to GERD: it is unaffected by medical/surgical therapy, is not found in FH, and is more pronounced in ERD than in NERD. Using the PSPW index could improve the diagnostic efficacy of impedance-pH monitoring.Neurogastroenterology and Motility 01/2013; · 3.41 Impact Factor -
Article: Double- vs. single-balloon enteroscopy: and the winner is….
Endoscopy 09/2012; 44(9):883; author reply 884. · 5.21 Impact Factor -
Article: Endoscopic repair of post-surgical gastrointestinal complications.
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ABSTRACT: Complications following gastrointestinal surgery may require re-intervention, can lead to prolonged hospitalization, and significantly increase health costs. Some complications, such as anastomotic leakage, fistula, and stricture require a multidisciplinary approach. Therapeutic endoscopy may play a pivotal role in these conditions, allowing minimally invasive treatment. Different endoscopic approaches, including fibrin glue injection, endoclips, self-expanding stents, and endoscopic vacuum-assisted devices have been introduced for both anastomotic leakage and fistula treatment. Similarly endoscopic treatments, such as endoscopic dilation, incisional therapy, and self-expanding stents have been used for anastomotic strictures. All these techniques can be safely performed by skilled endoscopists, and may achieve a high technical success rate in both the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract. Here we will review the endoscopic management of post-surgical complications; these techniques should be considered as first-line approach in selected patients, allowing to avoid re-operation, reduce hospital stay, and decrease costs.Digestive and Liver Disease 04/2013; · 3.05 Impact Factor -
Article: Refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease as diagnosed by impedance-pH monitoring can be cured by laparoscopic fundoplication.
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ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Some patients with typical (heartburn/regurgitation) symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are refractory to proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy. Impedance-pH monitoring can identify PPI-refractory patients who could benefit from laparoscopic fundoplication, but outcome data are scarce. We aimed to assess whether PPI-refractory GERD as diagnosed by impedance-pH monitoring can be cured by laparoscopic fundoplication. METHODS: Forty-four consecutive GERD patients with heartburn/regurgitation refractory to high-dose PPI therapy entered a 3-year outcome assessment following robot-assisted laparoscopic fundoplication. Preoperative on-PPI impedance-pH diagnostic criteria consisted of positive symptom association probability (SAP)/symptom index (SI), and/or abnormal percentage esophageal acid exposure time (%EAET), and/or abnormal number of total refluxes. GERD cure was defined by 3-year postoperative off-PPI normal impedance-pH findings with persistent symptom remission. RESULTS: Preoperatively, 24 of 38 (63 %) patients who completed the outcome assessment had a positive SAP/SI, 20 of 38 (53 %) for weakly acidic refluxes; 3 of 38 (8 %) patients had an abnormal %EAET, 11 of 38 (29 %) an abnormal number of total refluxes only. Postoperatively, heartburn/regurgitation recurred in 3 patients; abnormal impedance-pH findings were found in two of them, and they responded to PPI therapy. GERD cure was achieved in 34 of 38 (89 %) patients, 11 of 11 with an abnormal number of total refluxes as the only preoperative abnormal impedance-pH finding. Postoperatively, there was a significant decrease of the %EAET (1 vs. 0.1 %, P = 0.002) and of the number of total refluxes (68 vs. 8, P = 0.001), with the latter finding mainly due to a decrease in the number of weakly acidic refluxes. CONCLUSIONS: Normal reflux parameters and persistent symptom remission at 3-year follow-up can be achieved with laparoscopic fundoplication in the majority of patients with PPI-refractory GERD as diagnosed by impedance-pH monitoring. On-PPI impedance-pH diagnostic criteria should include SAP/SI positivity, an abnormal %EAET, and an abnormal number of total refluxes. Weakly acidic refluxes have a major role in the pathogenesis of PPI-refractory GERD.Surgical Endoscopy 02/2013; · 4.01 Impact Factor -
Article: Over-the-scope clip (OTSC) represents an effective endoscopic treatment for acute GI bleeding after failure of conventional techniques.
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ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Through-the-scope clips are commonly used for endoscopic hemostasis of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, but their efficacy can be suboptimal in patients with complex bleeding lesions. The over-the-scope clip (OTSC) could overcome the limitations of through-the-scope clips by allowing compression of larger amounts of tissue, allowing a more efficient hemostasis. We analyzed the use of OTSC in a consecutive case series of patients with acute GI bleeding unresponsive to conventional endoscopic treatment modalities. METHODS: In a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data in tertiary referral centers, patients undergoing emergency endoscopy for severe acute nonvariceal GI bleeding were treated with the OTSC after failure of conventional techniques. All patients underwent repeat endoscopy 2-4 days after the procedure. Data analysis included primary hemostasis, complications, and 1-month follow-up clinical outcome. RESULTS: During a 10-month period, 30 patients entered the study consecutively. Bleeding lesions unresponsive to conventional endoscopic treatment (saline/adrenaline injection and through-the-scope clipping) were located in the upper and lower GI tract in 23 and 7 cases, respectively. Primary hemostasis was achieved in 29 of 30 cases (97 %). One patient with bleeding from duodenal bulb ulcer required emergent selective radiological embolization. Rebleeding occurred in two patients 12 and 24 h after the procedure; they were successfully treated with conventional saline/adrenaline endoscopic injection. CONCLUSIONS: OTSC is an effective and safe therapeutic option for severe acute GI bleeding when conventional endoscopic treatment modalities fail.Surgical Endoscopy 02/2013; · 4.01 Impact Factor
