Endoscopic treatment of strictures in Crohn's disease

Evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic disorder involving mainly the intestinal tract, but possibly other gastrointestinal and extraintestinal organs. Although etiology is still uncertain, recent knowledge in pathogenesis has accumulated, and novel diagnostic and therapeutic modalities have become available for clinical use. Therefore, the previous guidelines were urged to be updated. In 2016, the Japanese Society of Gastroenterology revised the previous versions of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) in Japanese. A total of 59 clinical questions for 9 categories (1. clinical features of IBD; 2. diagnosis; 3. general consideration in treatment; 4. therapeutic interventions for IBD; 5. treatment of UC; 6. treatment of CD; 7. extraintestinal complications; 8. cancer surveillance; 9. IBD in special situation) were selected, and a literature search was performed for the clinical questions with use of the MEDLINE, Cochrane, and Igaku Chuo Zasshi databases. The guidelines were developed with the basic concept of the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. Recommendations were made using Delphi rounds. This English version was produced and edited based on the existing updated guidelines in Japanese.

Multidisciplinary management of gastrointestinal fibrotic stenosis in Crohn's disease

Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that can involve virtually any part of the gastrointestinal tract. CD complications are the main indications for surgery. A large proportion of these interventions are due to stricturing disease. Although immunosuppressive treatments have been used more frequently during the last 25 years, there is no significant decrease in the need for surgery in patients with CD. Unfortunately, surgery is not curative, as the disease ultimately reoccurs in a substantial subset of patients. To best identify the patients who will require a specific treatment and to plane the most appropriate therapeutic approach, it is important to precisely define the type, the size, and the location of CD stenosis. Diagnostic approaches aim to distinguish fibrotic from inflammatory strictures. Medical therapy is required for inflammatory stenosis. Mechanical treatments are required when fibrotic CD strictures are symptomatic. The choice between endoscopic balloon dilation, stricturoplasty, and laparoscopic or open surgery is based on the presence of perforating complications, the remaining length of small bowel, and the number and length of strictures. The non-hierarchical decision-making process for the treatment of fibrotic CD therefore requires multidisciplinary clinical rounds with radiologists, gastroenterologists, interventional endoscopists, and surgeons.

Indian Society of Gastroenterology consensus statements on Crohn's disease in India

In 2012, the Indian Society of Gastroenterology's Task Force on Inflammatory Bowel Diseases undertook an exercise to produce consensus statements on Crohn's disease (CD). This consensus, produced through a modified Delphi process, reflects our current recommendations for the diagnosis and management of CD in India. The consensus statements are intended to serve as a reference point for teaching, clinical practice, and research in India.

Endoscopic and medical management of fibrostenotic Crohn's disease

Crohn's disease (CD) is a disease characterized by acute inflammation at diagnosis which evolves toward a more fistulizing and fibrostenotic disease phenotype over time. This leads to a high risk of bowel resections and ultimately short bowel with diarrhea and malabsorption, which represents a major part of the burden inflicted by CD. Bowel-conserving endoscopic and surgical procedures have therefore been developed. Specific antifibrotic medical therapies are currently lacking. Through-the-scope endoscopic balloon dilation has been described in several cohorts as an alternative to surgical resection or stricturoplasty in selected patients. Efficacy of endoscopic dilation is high, with an immediate success rate of 78% (between 73 and 100%), defined as the ability to pass with the scope through the stricture. However, symptomatic recurrence is frequent, with need for new dilatation in 41% and need for surgery in 42%, with a mean interval of 15 months. Adjunctive techniques such as local steroid or anti-TNF injections or stenting have not been conclusively proven to be of added benefit. We usually reserve endoscopic dilation for patients with short strictures (<5 cm) and nonpenetrating disease, preferably at the ileocolonic anastomosis. Similar to other interventions in endoscopy, endoscopic dilation has an intrinsic risk of complications which can be estimated at 2%. Balloon size and patient selection can serve to increase safety.

Endoscopic treatment of Crohn's complications

The progression to fistula and strictures is part of the natural history of Crohn's disease (CD) and these complications negatively affect the quality of life of CD patients. Surgery is the traditional treatment of CD strictures. However, due the chronicity of the inflammatory process and the associated fibrosis, postoperative recurrence occurs frequently. The lack of specific drug to treat fibrotic strictures and their irreversible nature has drawn the attention to less invasive and bowel-sparing therapeutic modalities. Endoluminal therapies may provide effective option in relieving symptoms associated with CD complications and reduce the need for repeated surgery with substantial clinical benefit. This review will discuss the current use and efficacy of the endoscopic treatment of CD complications. New endoscopic modalities and recent advances will be also evaluated.

Review of the use of intralesional steroid injections in the management of ileocolonic Crohn's strictures

Most patients with Crohn's disease present with either terminal ileal or colonic disease, with 70% requiring surgery by 10 years after diagnosis. Recurrent stricturing at the anastomotic site is common, often symptomatic and can require re-operation with its inherent risks. Balloon dilation has been shown to provide good symptom relief from such strictures. However, repeat dilations may be required, and further surgical intervention to an anastomotic stricture is needed in up to 30% of cases. Injection of corticosteroids has been suggested as an adjunct to dilation in order to improve outcomes. This paper reviews the current literature on the use of intralesional steroid injections following endoscopic balloon dilation of anastomotic and de novo Crohn's strictures. There have been only two randomised placebo controlled trials and five small non-controlled or retrospective studies. Study numbers vary from 10 to 29 patients. The two randomised trials conflict in their conclusions and numbers are small in these studies. Currently therefore, no firm support can be given to the routine use of intralesional steroid injections.

Endoscopic assessment of the small bowel

BACKGROUND

Small bowel imaging and endoscopy in IBD have undergone a tremendous change and advancement in the recent years. Modalities shifted from gastroscopy, colonoscopy and small bowel follow through to ileocolonoscopy, CT or MR enteroscopy, wireless video capsule endoscopy and balloon-assisted enteroscopy.

METHODS

We reviewed the present role of endoscopy in assessing the small bowel in the context of IBD.

RESULTS

Endoscopy has a major role in the diagnosis of IBD, in the assessment of its extent, treatment of complications, assessment of the success of various medications and as a predictor of disease course. Wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) is a relatively new tool allowing direct, patient-friendly visualization of the entire small bowel mucosa. It has gained a substantial role in the evaluation of patients with suspected Crohn's disease (CD) and indeterminate colitis. WCE has a high positive predictive value in patients with suspected CD, when one uses more than two of the International Conference on Capsule Endoscopy criteria, and not less important a very high negative predictive value in patients with suspected CD. Its role in patients with known CD, in the assessment of their disease activity and extent, assessment of postsurgical small bowel recurrence and evaluation of mucosal healing is still unclear. Balloon-assisted enteroscopy has established its role as a complementary tool in cases where there is a need for biopsy or treatment (dilatation of strictures).

CONCLUSIONS

The present review summarizes the role of endoscopy in the assessment of the small bowel in the context of IBD.

Short- and long-term efficacy of endoscopic balloon dilation in Crohn's disease strictures

AIM

To evaluate short- and long-term efficacy of endoscopic balloon dilation in a cohort of consecutive patients with symptomatic Crohn's disease (CD)-related strictures.

METHODS

Twenty-six CD patients (11 men; median age 36.8 year, range 11-65 years) with 27 symptomatic strictures underwent endoscopic balloon dilation (EBD). Both naive and post-operative strictures, of any length and diameter, with or without associated fistula were included. After a clinical and radiological assessment, EBD was performed with a Microvasive Rigiflex through the scope balloon system. The procedure was considered successful if no symptom reoccurred in the following 6 mo. The long-term clinical outcome was to avoid surgery.

RESULTS

The mean follow-up time was 40.7 ± 5.7 mo (range 10-94 mo). In this period, forty-six EBD were performed with a technical success of 100%. No procedure-related complication was reported. Surgery was avoided in 92.6% of the patients during the entire follow-up. Two patients, both presenting ileocecal strictures associated with fistula, failed to respond to the treatment and underwent surgical strictures resection. Of the 24 patients who did not undergo surgery, 11 patients received 1 EBD, and 13 required further dilations over time for the treatment of relapsing strictures (7 patients underwent 2 dilations, 5 patients 3 dilations, and 1 patient 4 dilations). Overall, the EBD success rate after the first dilation was 81.5%. No difference was observed between the EBD success rate for naive (n = 12) and post-operative (n = 15) CD related strictures (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

EBD appears to be a safe and effective procedure in the therapeutic management of CD-related strictures of any origin and dimension in order to prevent surgery.

Endoscopic solutions for stricturing Crohn's disease

Intestinal stenosis is a frequent and oftentimes recurring problem in patients with Crohn's disease, accompanied by a high-risk for bowel resection and subsequent short bowel syndrome. Medical therapy has not proven successful, and even the most conservative surgical options are hampered by a definite mortality rate (and high recurrence rates) without doubt. Technical improvements in endoscopic devices over recent years have created an operative subspecialty (therapeutic endoscopy) that can be applied to several gastrointestinal diseases. Endoscopic balloon dilatation (EBD) for Crohn's disease has been developed to prevent or delay the need for surgical resection. The endoscopy-assisted dilatation is a safe and effective treatment modality for uncomplicated, short Crohn's strictures, and therefore should be offered to Crohn's disease patients. Here, we briefly review the current knowledge on hydrostatic balloon dilatation and present a relevant case from our clinical practice.

Endoscopic assessment of inflammatory bowel disease: colonoscopy/esophagogastroduodenoscopy

Endoscopy plays an important role in the initial diagnosis of IBD, including the evaluation of disease severity, activity, and extent. The implications of complete mucosal healing further confirm the function of endoscopy in the follow-up of IBD patients. The use of therapeutic endoscopy, for example stricture dilatation, can avoid the need for bowel resection. Modalities such as capsule endoscopy, EUS, NBI, CE, and other emerging techniques are likely to have an increasing role in the management of IBD, particularly in the area of dysplasia surveillance and treatment.

Apolipoprotein E polymorphisms and spontaneous pregnancy loss in patients with endometriosis

Endometriosis affects >10% of women during their reproductive years, many of whom report high rates of spontaneous pregnancy loss (SPL). We examined whether gene polymorphisms in apolipoprotein E (APOE), which is involved in lipoprotein metabolism, are associated with endometriosis and/or endometriosis-associated infertility. We conducted a cross-sectional genetic association study of women surgically confirmed to have endometriosis (n = 345) and no surgical evidence of the disease (n = 266). Genotyping of APOE polymorphism (ε2, ε3, ε4) was conducted by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism followed by visualization of specific patterns by gel electrophoresis. Statistical significance of differences in genotype and allelic frequencies was assessed using Pearson's χ(2) test and Risk analysis. Overall, we found no association between APOE genotype and diagnosis of endometriosis. However, patients with endometriosis who reported at least one SPL were three times more likely to be ε2 carriers and 2-fold less likely to be ε4 carriers. Compared with ε3 carriers, patients with endometriosis who were ε2 carriers and had at least one live birth reported four times the rate of SPL, while ε4 carriers were <0.4-fold less likely to report an SPL. Our data suggest that there may be an association between APOE allelic frequency and SPL in patients with endometriosis, which appears to be independent of mechanisms associated with infertility, an intriguing observation that deserves further investigation.

Long-term follow-up of the endoscopic treatment of strictures in pediatric and adult patients with inflammatory bowel disease

BACKGROUND

Strictures are a common complication of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and are usually treated by surgical resection or strictureplasty. As an alternative to surgery, endoscopic balloon dilation and steroid injection have been used to relieve symptoms.

GOALS

To assess patient or stricture characteristics that may predict a better outcome and duration of response as endoscopic therapy is not without its risks.

STUDY

A retrospective review of patients with IBD strictures who underwent dilations between 1996 and 2005 was performed. The patients were followed in the adult and pediatric IBD clinics at a single center. Information was collected from medical records.

RESULTS

Strictures were identified in the small and large bowel of 24 patients (22 adult and 2 pediatric). The majority had Crohn's disease (22/24). In total, 71 dilations were performed on 29 strictures; 46 dilations for 17 strictures were augmented with triamcinolone. Mean duration of follow-up was 32 months. This study included 1 stomal, 12 anastomotic, and 16 de novo strictures. Of 12 anastomotic strictures, 6 were complex. Endoscopic dilation was uneventful in 22/24 patients. Bleeding and perforation occurred on separate occasions in 1/6 complex stricture patients and rupture of a paracolonic abscess in another patient with a de novo sigmoid stricture. Surgery was performed on 2 patients, 1 for refractory disease and 1 for noncompliance with therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Endoscopic dilation can provide long-term effective palliation of symptoms with minimal risk in patients with simple strictures. Complex anastomotic strictures are technically more challenging compared with de novo strictures.

Endoscopic evaluation of patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Endoscopy plays a critical role in the diagnosis and management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This article reviews the utility of endoscopy in the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD), recommendations for cancer surveillance, and the use of newer techniques for the enhanced detection of dysplasia in chronic UC. Finally, the use of endoscopy for the management of certain complications of IBD is also discussed.

Strictureplasty

Strictureplasty in patients with Crohn's disease is an option in the colorectal surgeon's armamentarium for fibrostenotic obstructive disease. Common types include the Heineke-Mikulicz strictureplasty, Finney strictureplasty, and the side-to-side isoperistaltic strictureplasty. The procedure has potential for significant morbidity; therefore, it should be chosen for the patient carefully. Strictureplasty complements bowel resection in Crohn's disease; it is an excellent procedure to reduce the risk of developing short-bowel syndrome and its associated complications.

The patient with recurrent (sub) obstruction due to Crohn's disease

Stricturing Crohn's disease (CD) occurs in 12-54% of the CD patient population and is associated with significant morbidity and impaired quality of life. The detailed pathophysiology of stricture formation has not been fully elucidated, but is primarily associated with luminal narrowing secondary to inflammation and the fibrosis that ensues during mucosal healing. The diagnosis of stricturing disease is based on clinical signs and symptoms along with imaging modalities. The advantages and shortcomings of each imaging modality are discussed. Treatment options are based on the differentiation between inflammatory versus fibrous-predominant strictures; whereas the former can potentially be managed with conservative medical treatment, the latter necessitates a mechanical solution through endoscopy or surgery. Indications, contra-indications and success rates of the different therapeutic approaches are discussed.

Local injection of infliximab in the postoperative recurrence of Crohn's disease

BACKGROUND

Local injection of infliximab in Crohn's disease (CD) lesions may reduce the risk of rare side effects, reduce the dose, and increase the efficacy of the drug. The objective was to prospectively assess the feasibility and the safety of local injection of infliximab for the postoperative recurrence of patients with CD who were followed for at least 1 year.

METHODS

In a pilot, open-label study, 8 patients with CD (3 men; median age 48 years, range 35-82 years) undergoing ileocolonoscopy were prospectively enrolled. Inclusion criteria included the following: (1) localized (<5 cm) recurrence, (2) inflammatory pattern, and (3) clinically inactive CD. At the first endoscopy, lesions were injected with infliximab (median, 30 mg; range, 8-60 mg); a control endoscopy was performed at 2 weeks in 4 patients (3 received a second injection followed by a control endoscopy at 6 weeks) and at 4 weeks in 4 patients (2 received a second injection followed by a control endoscopy at 8 weeks).

OBSERVATIONS

No patients showed side effects or clinical relapse in the short term and the long term (median follow-up, 20 months; range, 14-21 months). Endoscopic score improved in 3/8 patients. The histologic scores were reduced in 4 patients, worsened in 3, and were unchanged in one patient with CD.

CONCLUSIONS

Local injection of infliximab into patients with CD recurrence is feasible and safe, requiring a low dose. Present findings suggest the need of placebo-controlled trials to assess the efficacy of this new and safe procedure in subgroups of patients with CD.