At 12-weeks post EMR radiofrequency ablation (RFA) was carried out using the Halo90 catheter (BÂRRX Medical Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, USA) fitted on the tip of a standard endoscope (Fig. 3B–C). Barrett’s epithelium was positioned at the 12 o’clock position in the endoscopic video image. Areas were ablated twice by using the “double-double” 15 J/cm2 regimen (2 consecutive ablations with 15 J/cm2 each, with cleaning of the ablated area after the first pass). The patient
was kept on esomeprazole (40 mg BID for 2 months and 40 mg/day thereafter) and follow-up at 2, 6, 9 and 12 months after RFA showed a esophagus covered with normal-appearing selleck chemicals neosquamous epithelium (Fig. 3D). Biopsies were negative for IM and dysplasia. In recent years, endoscopic therapy of early BE neoplasia has become a safe and effective alternative to esophagectomy.1 and 2 Only patients with high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia or well and moderately differentiated intramucosal carcinoma without lymphatic involvement are eligible for curative endoscopic treatment.3 and 4
Lesions showing invasion of the submucosa are associated with a significant risk of lymph node metastases and therefore patients should be treated surgically.5 Due to the risk of synchronous selleckchem and metachronous lesions in the remaining BE, complete ablation of the metaplastic epithelium should follow a successful resection of dysplastic lesions. The authors declare that no experiments were performed on humans or animals for this investigation. The authors declare that they have followed the protocols of their work center on the publication of patient data and that
all the patients included in the study have received sufficient information and have given their informed consent in writing to participate in that study. The authors must have obtained the informed consent of the patients and/or subjects mentioned in the article. The author for correspondence must be in possession of this document. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. MRIP “
“A 53-year-old woman was admitted to the emergency department with melena over the preceding 12 h. The patient reported previous symptoms of bloating and early satiety for about 6 months, but no past history of gastrointestinal or liver diseases was known. The physical examination evidenced a deformity in the abdominal wall, secondary to a large palpable stony mass in the epigastrium, and hepatomegaly. No other signs of liver disease were apparent and the hemodynamic parameters were normal. The initial laboratory study disclosed anemia (hemoglobin 9.5 g/dL), and a slight elevation of alkaline phosphatase (185 U/L) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (40 U/L). An emergent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed, showing an active spurting bleed from a subcardial gastroesophageal varix, successfully controlled with endoscopic band ligation.