Core needle versus standard needle for endoscopic ultrasound-guided biopsy of solid pancreatic masses: a randomized crossover study

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS

A new core biopsy needle for endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided sampling has recently been developed. The aim of this prospective multicenter study was to compare this needle with a standard needle in patients with solid pancreatic masses.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Consecutive patients with solid pancreatic masses referred to 17 centers for EUS-guided sampling were included. Each patient had two passes with a standard 22G needle and a single pass with a 22G core needle performed in a randomized order. Samples from both needles were separately processed for liquid-based cytology and cell-block preparation and were assessed independently by two blinded expert pathologists. The primary endpoint was the accuracy of the detection of malignancy. The reference standard was based on further cytohistological analysis obtained under ultrasound or computed tomography scanning, endoscopic or surgical guidance, and/or by clinical follow-up with repeated imaging examinations for at least 12 months. The secondary endpoints were the rate of technical failure and the quality of the cytohistological samples obtained.

RESULTS

Of the 80 patients included (49 men; mean age 67.1 ± 11.1), 87.5 % had final malignant diagnoses (adenocarcinoma n = 62, 77.5 %). There was no difference between the needles in diagnostic accuracy (standard needle 92.5 % vs. core needle 90 %; P = 0.68) or technical failure. Both pathologists found the overall sample quality significantly better for the standard needle (expert 1, P = 0.009; expert 2, P = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

The diagnostic accuracy of EUS sampling for solid pancreatic masses using standard and core needles seems comparable but with a better overall histological sample quality for the former. ClinicalTrial.gov identifier: NCT01479803.

Gastrojejunal anastomosis using a tissue-apposing stent: a safety and feasibility study in live pigs

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS

Various techniques using surgical and natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) have been evaluated to create a gastrojejunal bypass. The aim of the current study was to determine the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of a new technique using a pure endoscopic approach and tissue-apposing stent placement for gastrojejunal anastomosis (GJA).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a prospective, experimental study on six live pigs weighing 20 - 45  kg. Endoscopies were performed using a double-channel gastroscope, and included the creation of a GJA using a tissue-apposing, fully covered, self-expanding metallic stent. Antibiotic therapy was continued for 7 days after the procedure, and food was gradually reintroduced from Day 3. Changes in weight following the procedure were compared with a control group of age-matched animals. Anastomosis functionality was confirmed by endoscopy at 3 weeks (before the animals were euthanized), and during histopathological analysis. The primary outcomes were morbidity and mortality at 3 weeks. Secondary outcomes were technical feasibility, procedure time, and patency of the GJA.

RESULTS

The procedures were performed successfully in all animals. The mean procedure time was 26  ±  6.7 minutes (range 15 - 32 minutes). One case of stent migration occurred during the procedure; the stent was successfully replaced using the same procedure. All animals were alive after 3 weeks. The mean weight gain during follow-up was 0.85  ±  2.56  kg (range - 2 to + 2  kg) compared with 5.2  ±  1.6  kg (range 3 - 7  kg) in control animals (P = 0.007). At necropsy, the stents were still in place in all animals, without evidence of peritonitis. Histopathology confirmed permeable anastomoses with continuity of the mucosa and mucosa muscle layers.

CONCLUSIONS

GJA with a tissue-apposing stent is safe, feasible, and reproducible without anastomotic leakage in a porcine model using a pure endoscopic approach and standard endoscopic equipment.

Independent prospective multicenter validation of biochemical markers (fibrotest-actitest) for the prediction of liver fibrosis and activity in patients with chronic hepatitis C: the fibropaca study

OBJECTIVES

Fibrotest (FT) and Actitest (AT) are biochemical markers of fibrosis and activity for use as a non-invasive alternative to liver biopsy in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV). The aim of this study was to perform an external validation of FT and AT and to study the discordances between FT/AT and liver biopsy in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

METHODS

A total of 519 consecutive patients with chronic HCV were prospectively included in five centers, with liver biopsy and biochemical markers taken at the same day. Fifteen patients were excluded because their biopsies could not be interpreted. Diagnostic accuracies were assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

RESULTS

Median biopsy size was 15 mm (range: 2-58), with 9 portal tracts (1-37) and 1 fragment (1-12). 46% (230/504) were classified F2-F4 in fibrosis and 39% A2-A3 in activity. FT area under ROC curve for diagnosis of activity (A2-A3), significant fibrosis (F2-F4), and severe fibrosis (F3-F4) were 0.73 [0.69-0.77], 0.79 [0.75-0.82], and 0.80 [0.76-0.83], respectively. Among the 92 patients (18%) with 2 fibrosis stages of discordance between FT and biopsy, the discordance was attributable to FT in 5% of cases, to biopsy in 4%, and undetermined in 9%.

CONCLUSIONS

This prospective independent and multicenter study confirms the diagnostic value of FT and AT found in the princeps study and suggests that FT and AT can be an alternative to biopsy in most patients with chronic HCV.