Background & Aims Barrett’s esophagus (BE) with low-grade dysplasia (LGD) can progress to high-grade dysplasia (HGD) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has been shown to be an effective treatment for LGD in clinical trials but its effectiveness in clinical practice is unclear. We compared the rate of progression of LGD following RFA to that with endoscopic surveillance alone in routine clinical practice. Methods We performed a retrospective study of patients who either underwent RFA (n=45) or surveillance endoscopy (n=125) for LGD, confirmed by at least 1 expert pathologist, from October 1992 through December 2013 at 3 medical centers in the US. Cox regression analysis was used to assess the association between progression and RFA. Results Data were collected over median follow-up periods of 889 days (inter-quartile range, 264–1623 days) after RFA and 848 days (inter-quartile range, 322–2355 days) after surveillance endoscopy (P=.32). The annual rates of progression to HGD or EAC was 6.6% in the surveillance group and 0.77% in the RFA group. The risk of progression to HGD or EAC was significantly lower among patients who underwent RFA than those who underwent surveillance (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.06; 95% confidence interval, 0.008–0.48). Conclusions Among patients with BE and confirmed LGD, rates of progression to a combined endpoint of HGD and EAC were lower among those treated with RFA than among untreated patients. Although selection bias cannot be excluded, these findings provide additional evidence for the use of endoscopic ablation therapy for LGD.

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Background & Aims Esophageal anastomotic strictures often require repeat dilation to relieve dysphagia. Little is known about factors that affect their remediation. We investigated long-term success and rates of recurrence or refractoriness following dilation, and factors associated with refractory stenosis. Methods We performed a retrospective study of 74 patients with an anastomotic stricture that had been dilated over a 5-year period (564 dilations; median follow-up period, 8 months). A stricture was refractory if luminal patency could not be maintained after ≥5 dilation sessions over 10 weeks. Results Of the 74 patients, 93% had initial relief of dysphagia. The stricture recurred in 43% of patients, and 69% were considered refractory. Removal of sutures/staples protruding into the lumen did not accelerate time to initial patency (median 37 days; interquartile range [IQR], 20–82 days) or lengthen the dysphagia-free interval (37.4 days; IQR 8–41 weeks), compared to patients who did not undergo removal (initial patency, median 55 days; IQR, 14–109 days; P=.66 and median dysphagia-free interval, 21.7 days; IQR, 9–64 weeks; P=.8). Use of fluoroscopy during dilation (odds ratio=8.92; 95% confidence interval, 1.98–40.14) was positively associated with development of refractory strictures, whereas neoadjuvant chemotherapy (odds ratio=0.28; 95% confidence interval, 0.07–0.97) was inversely associated. Female sex and distal location of strictures increased risk of refractoriness as effect modifiers in multivariate analysis. Conclusions Endoscopic dilation is highly successful in achieving luminal remediation, yet anastomotic strictures are often refractory and frequently recur. Removal of sutures/staples within the lumen does not help achieve patency. Need for fluoroscopic guidance indicates a high likelihood of refractoriness to dilation, whereas prior neoadjuvant chemotherapy indicates a lower risk.

Background Radiation therapy for head, neck, and esophageal cancer can result in esophageal strictures that may be difficult to manage. Radiation-induced esophageal strictures often require repeat dilation to obtain relief of dysphagia. This study aimed to determine the long-term clinical success and rates of recurrent and refractory stenosis in patients with radiation-induced strictures undergoing dilation. Methods Retrospective cohort study of patients with radiation-induced strictures who underwent endoscopic dilation by a single provider from October 2007– October 2012. Outcomes measured included long-term clinical efficacy, interval between sessions, number of dilations, and proportion of radiation strictures that were recurrent or refractory. Risk factors for refractory strictures were assessed. Results 63 patients underwent 303 dilations. All presented with a stricture > 30 days after last radiation session. Clinical success to target diameter was achieved in 52 patients (83%). A mean of 3.3 (+/− 2.6) dilations over a median period of 4 weeks was needed to achieve initial patency. Recurrence occurred in 17 (33%) at a median of 22 weeks. Twenty-seven strictures (43%) were refractory to dilation therapy. Fluoroscopy during dilation (OR, 22.88; 95% CI, 3.19 – 164.07), severe esophageal stenosis (lumen <9 mm) (OR, 10.51; 95% CI, 1.94 – 56.88), and proximal location with prior malignancy extrinsic to the lumen (OR, 6.96; 95% CI, 1.33 – 36.29) were independent predictors of refractory strictures in multivariate analysis. Conclusions 1. Radiation-induced strictures have a delayed onset (>30 days) from time of radiation injury. 2. Endoscopic dilation can achieve medium-term luminal remediation but the strictures have a high long-term recurrence rate of up to 33%. 3. Remediation of radiation strictures following laryngectomy can be achieved but require frequent dilations. 4. Clinical and procedural predictors may identify patients at high risk of refractory strictures. 5. The optimal strategy in highly selected refractory patients is not clear.

Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (ZES) results from an ectopic gastrin-secreting tumor leading to peptic ulcer disease, reflux, and chronic diarrhea. While early recognition portends an excellent prognosis with >80% survival at 15 years, symptoms are often nonspecific making the diagnosis difficult to establish. Diagnosis involves a series of tests, including fasting gastrin, gastric pH, chromogranin A, and secretin stimulation. Performing these tests in the correct sequence and at the proper time is essential to avoid inaccurate results. Tumor localization is equally nuanced. Although providers have classically used indium-radiolabeled octreotide with somatostatin receptor scintigraphy to evaluate tumor size and metastases, recent studies have shown superior results with newer imaging modalities. In particular,gallium (Ga)-labeled somatostatin radiotracers (i.e., Ga-DOTATOC,Ga-DOTANOC and Ga-DOTATATE) used with positron emission tomography/computed tomography can provide excellent results. Endoscopic ultrasound is another useful modality, particularly in patients with ZES in the setting of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1. This review aims to provide clinicians with an overview of ZES with a focus on both clinical presentation and the proper utilization of the various biochemical and imaging tests available.