Corrosive injury of the upper gastrointestinal tract is a worldwide clinical problem, mostly occurring in children. Alkaline agents produce deeper injuries whereas acidic agents produce superficial injuries usually. Hoarseness, stridor, and respiratory distress indicate airway injury. Dysphagia, odynophagia, and drooling of saliva suggest esophageal injury whereas abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting are indicative of stomach injury. X-rays should be done to rule out perforation. Endoscopy is usually recommended in the first 12–48 h although it is safe up to 96 h after caustic ingestion. Endoscopy should be performed with caution and gentle insufflation. Initial management includes getting intravenous access and replacement of fluids. Hyperemia and superficial ulcerations have excellent recovery while deeper injuries require total parenteral nutrition or feeding jejunostomy. Patients suspected of perforation should be subjected to laparotomy. Common complications after corrosive injury are esophageal stricture, gastric outlet obstruction, and development of esophageal and gastric carcinoma.
Foreign body (FB) in the esophagus is a common emergency presentation in all age groups, especially in children. The immediate risk can range from a minimal one to a life-threatening scenario. Food impactions generally occur when there is altered anatomy (rings, webs or strictures) or motility disorders of the esophagus. The initial management approach includes a thorough history and physical examination followed by radiological investigations. Flexible endoscopy not only confirms the diagnosis but also is the therapeutic modality of choice for removing FBs and relieving the obstruction. This review aims to provide a comprehensive approach towards endoscopic management of esophageal FBs based on current literature and personal experience. The management problems associated with different types of FBs have also been highlighted.
Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the success rate of biliary cannulation in cases where endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is repeated after failed precut sphincterotomy. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study, consecutive ERCPs performed between August 2013 and June 2017 were included. Data was analyzed for indication of ERCP, success rate at initial cannulation attempt, use of precut sphincterotomy, biliary access rate after precut, repeat ERCP rate, and associated complications. Results: A total of 1872 ERCPs were included in the study. Of these, 55% were done for common bile duct stones, 37% for malignant biliary obstruction, and 8% for biliary leak. During the initial ERCP, 84.9% cases had successful biliary cannulation. Nearly 86.8% cases undergoing precut sphincterotomy achieved biliary access. Repeat ERCP was done in 28 cases after a median interval of 3 days and biliary cannulation was achieved in 78.5% cases. Conclusion: Repeat ERCP after 3 days in cases of failed initial precut sphincterotomy should be practiced and recommended as this allows definitive biliary therapy in majority of such patients and prevents morbidity and mortality from other invasive alternative therapies.
Background and Aim: Helicobacter pylori is a major human pathogen. Its role in the pathogenesis of portal hypertensive gastropathy (PHG) is debated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of this infection in patients with portal hypertension due to liver cirrhosis and its relation with severity of gastropathy. Patients and Methods: Sixty consecutive patients with liver cirrhosis were enrolled in the study. All patients were subjected to an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (UGIE), and rapid urease testing for H. pylori was performed. The diagnosis and severity of PHG was evaluated on UGIE. Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores were calculated to assess the severity of liver cirrhosis. Results: H. pylori infection was reported in 33 patients with overall prevalence 55%. The presence of H. pylori was observed in 26 (67%) cirrhotic patients with PHG compared to 7 (33%) cirrhotic patients without PHG. The risk estimate showed a significant association between H. pylori and PHG in cirrhotic patients (P = 0.0133, odds ratio [OR]: 4.00, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.298-12.325). Out of the 26 patients with PHG and H. pylori infection, 17 had severe PHG (65.3%) and 9 had mild PHG (34.6%) whereas 4 patients had severe PHG (30.8%) and 9 had mild PHG (69.2%%) in the group of H. pylori-negative patients. The difference was statistically significant (P = 0.04, OR: 4.25, 95% CI: 1.0188-17.729). Of the 39 patients with PHG, 21 (53.85%) had severe PHG and 18 (46.15%) had mild PHG. No significant relation was found between H. pylori infection and severity of liver cirrhosis as regards CTP score (P = 0.76) and MELD score (P = 0.56). Conclusion: Our results showed a significant association between H. pylori infection and the occurrence and also the severity of gastropathy in patients with liver cirrhosis. Yet, the severity of liver cirrhosis itself did not correlate with H. pylori or the severity of gastropathy.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.