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Endoscopic management of cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea.

PURPOSE: Most anterior skull base defects causing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea can be readily approached using endoscopic techniques when surgical repair is necessary. We present our data from endoscopic repair of CSF rhinorrhea with long-term follow-up. METHODS: Retrospective data analysis of patients that were diagnosed with anterior skull base CSF rhinorrhea and underwent endoscopic repair at a tertiary institution. Data were analyzed to determine the etiology and location of CSF leaks. Diagnostic techniques, surgical techniques, and surgical outcomes were reviewed. RESULTS: Ninety-two patients were diagnosed with CSF rhinorrhea and underwent endoscopic repair over a 12-year period. Forty-eight were males, and 44 were females. The average age was 49 (range 6-81) years. Average follow-up was 25 months, with a range of 12 to 82 months. The etiology of CSF leak was prior endoscopic sinus surgery in 23 patients (25%), idiopathic in 19 (21%), neurosurgery in 17 (18%), trauma in 18 (20%), and the presence of meningocele/encephalocele in 11 patients (12%). The most common location of the defect was the sphenoid sinus (n = 36, 39%), followed by ethmoid roof (n-27, 29%), and cribriform plate (n = 24, 26%). Endoscopic repair was initially successful in 78 (85%) patients. Seven additional patients underwent successful revision endoscopic repair for an overall success rate of 92% (n = 85). Five (6%) large skull base defects were eventually repaired by neurosurgery using open intracranial techniques. No major complications were encountered. CONCLUSION: The intranasal endoscopic approach is an effective and safe technique in the surgical management of anterior skull base CSF rhinorrhea. Long-term success rate in our patient population was 92%.

Adolescent↗

Transantral endoscopic orbital floor exploration: a cadaver and clinical study.

A cadaver and clinical study was performed to determine the value of transantral endoscopy in diagnosis and treatment of orbital floor fractures. Six fresh cadaver heads were dissected using a 30 degree, 4-mm endoscope through a 1 cm2 antrotomy. In the cadaver, the orbital floor and the course of the infraorbital nerve were easily identified. The infraorbital nerve serves as a reference point for evaluation of fracture size; three zones of the floor are described that are oriented relative to the infraorbital nerve. In the clinical study, nine patients with orbital floor fracture initially underwent endoscopy at the time of fracture repair: three patients had comminuted zygomatico-orbital fractures, five had monofragmented tetrapod fractures, and one had an isolated orbital blowout fracture. Endoscopic dissection of the orbital fractures revealed seven fractures with an area > 2 cm2 and two fractures with an area of < 2 cm2. The isolated orbital floor blowout fracture had entrapped periorbital tissue, which was completely reduced endoscopically. A separate patient with a < 2 cm2 displaced fracture also had stable endoscopic reduction. In the remaining seven patients, the endoscopic technique assisted with the floor reconstruction by identifying the precise fracture configuration as well as identifying the stable posterior ledge of the orbital floor fracture. There have been no complications in any of our patients to date. We conclude: (1) Transantral orbital floor exploration allows precise determination of orbital floor fracture size, location, and the presence of entrapped periorbita. The information obtained through endoscopic techniques may be used to select patients who would not benefit from lid approaches to the orbital floor and may possibly eliminate nontherapeutic exploration. (2) Transantral endoscopic orbital floor exploration assists the reduction of complex orbital floor fractures and allows precise identification of the posterior shelf for implant placement. (3) Transantral endoscopic techniques can completely reduce entrapped periorbital tissue caught in a trapdoor type of fracture.

Endoscopy↗

The incidence of recurrence after endoscopic carpal tunnel release.

Endoscopic carpal tunnel release has been used to decompress the median nerve in carpal tunnel syndrome for over the past decade, with an advantage (over the traditional "open" release) being decreased pain in the postoperative period. The goals of this study were to attempt to define the recurrence rate after endoscopic carpal tunnel release and to determine if it differs from that of open technique. The charts of 191 consecutive carpal tunnel syndrome patients treated operatively at the University of Missouri were reviewed. For this study, recurrent carpal tunnel syndrome was defined as documented cases in which the symptoms had resolved following surgical release but subsequently recurred, requiring surgical rerelease of the carpal tunnel. All endoscopic releases were performed using the Chow two-portal technique. Statistical analysis was performed using Fisher's exact test. A total of 103 patient hands had open carpal tunnel releases; 88 were endoscopically released. Total follow-up time (from the initial release) averaged 29 months for the open group and 22 months for the endoscopic group. There were no recurrences in the open group and six recurrences in the endoscopic group (7 percent, p = 0.008). All six recurrences were in worker's compensation patients. The median time between endoscopic release and rerelease was 8.5 months. There seems to be a statistically higher incidence of recurrence of carpal tunnel syndrome after endoscopic release compared with the traditional "open" release in our cases. Although the pathogenesis of this increased rate of recurrence is not clear, this should be considered when planning surgical release of the volar carpal ligament for carpal tunnel syndrome.

Adult↗

Endoscopic correction of pectus excavatum.

Endoscopic surgery is minimally invasive and can be used to achieve superior cosmetic results. Conventional correction of pectus excavatum results in a long scar. Correction by use of endoscopic surgery involves a smaller skin incision. In this study, endoscopic correction of pectus excavatum was performed in 20 cases. A small transverse skin incision was made above the xyphoid process. A wide area beneath the pectoralis major muscle was dissected under endoscopic visualization. Subperichondrial resection was performed under direct visualization when possible. Subperichondrial resection of the third or fourth rib was performed under endoscopic visualization. Ravitch's chondrotomy of the second or third rib was performed under endoscopic visualization. Endoscopy was also useful for sternal elevation, with minimal risk of pleural perforation. Kirschner wire was inserted percutaneously under the sternum to prevent postoperative paradoxical respiration. In all cases, the postoperative course was uneventful. The advantages of endoscopic pectus excavatum correction are a short scar, control of bleeding, safe dissection of the pleura from the sternum without the risk of pleural perforation, and ease of sternal elevation without injury to the intramammary vessels. However, the endoscopic operation is long and is not useful in adults because subperichondrial resection in adults is difficult to perform.

Child↗

Endoscopic sinus surgery for benign and malignant nasal and sinus neoplasm.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Endoscopic sinus surgery has become widely accepted as the standard of treatment for chronic inflammatory diseases of the paranasal sinuses unresponsive to medical treatment. With increased skill with endoscopic surgical technique, advanced technologies such as intraoperative imaging systems, and a better understanding of the complex anatomy of the paranasal sinuses and surrounding vital structures, many otolaryngologists have increasingly applied their expertise in endoscopic sinus surgery to the resection of nasal and sinus neoplasms. The following represents a review of the recent literature on the latest trends regarding endoscopic resection of nasal and paranasal sinus neoplasms. RECENT FINDINGS: There has been an increasing popularity in the removal of nasal and paranasal sinus neoplasms through an endoscopic approach. In the recent literature, emphasis has been on the endoscopic surgery of benign tumors, especially inverted papilloma and nasopharyngeal angiofibroma. Other benign neoplasms have also been reported, but only in small case reports. There have been a few recent reports supporting endoscopic removal of malignant neoplasms as well. However, the follow-up is too short and study groups too small to make definitive conclusions. SUMMARY: In the hand of experienced and skilled surgeons, complete endoscopic removal is attainable in most cases. Especially for the more common benign neoplasms, such as inverted papilloma and early stage angiofibroma. En bloc resection is not necessary to achieve oncologic cure. However, several factors have to be considered before selection of this surgical approach. Large tumor size, intracranial or orbital extension, and extensive frontal or infratemporal fossa involvement are relative, but not absolute limitations.

Angiofibroma↗

Clinical outcomes after endoscopic sinus surgery.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Chronic rhinosinusitis continues to present diagnostic and therapeutic challenges for clinicians. Recently, attention has been focused on reliable and valid measures of outcomes for many sinonasal diseases. As a significant fraction of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis will come to endoscopic sinus surgery, there has been a dedicated focus on determining objective clinical outcomes after medical and surgical treatment for CRS. This has been aided by validated instruments for measuring both symptom outcomes and quality of life after endoscopic sinus surgery. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent studies have demonstrated that endoscopic sinus surgery provides statistically and clinically significant improvements in most sinonasal symptoms. These benefits are maintained more than 1 year after surgery. In addition, the significant adverse effects of chronic rhinosinusitis on quality of life can be reversed with appropriate endoscopic sinus surgery. Certain sub-populations do not fare as well with endoscopic sinus surgery, however; adjunctive medical management is required to maintain symptomatic and quality-of-life improvements for patients with nasal polyposis. Unfortunately, paranasal sinus computed tomography scan findings do not predict symptomatic or quality-of-life improvements after endoscopic sinus surgery. SUMMARY: With reliable objective evidence of the health benefits of endoscopic sinus surgery, patients should be considered for such surgery after failure of medical management. Further work is required to characterize outcomes for sub-populations, and to stage and select patients who will derive appropriate benefit from endoscopic sinus surgery.

Chronic Disease↗

Endoscopic features of impacted ureteral stones.

PURPOSE: We retrospectively evaluated endoscopic findings in 165 patients with impacted ureteral stones to determine the incidence of associated ureteral lesions and predisposing factors for such lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From July 1993 to March 2003 we performed retrograde endoscopic treatment in 165 patients with ureteral stones that had been impacted for more than 2 months. Average maximum stone diameter was 15.0 mm and the mean duration of impaction was 17.6 months. Treatment was done with small caliber ureteroscopes and a laser lithotriptor. We analyzed the endoscopic findings and determined the outcome by reviewing the clinical records and radiographic studies. RESULTS: Endoscopic observation revealed inflammatory ureteral polyps associated with calculi in 51 patients (30.9%). Endoscopic biopsy of 5 polyps was performed. Histological examination showed no malignancy and only chronic granulomatous inflammation of the ureter. Endoscopic observation also detected ureteral stricture in 28 patients (17.0%). Patients with polyps and strictures had long-term impaction (median 12 and 24 months, respectively), which was significantly longer than in patients without ureteral lesions (4 months). CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic observation revealed that long-term impacted stones were frequently associated with ureteral polyps and strictures. Although concurrent ureteral lesions can make it more difficult to approach the calculus in patients with impacted stones, we found that a small caliber flexible endoscope was effective and laser fragmentation could be achieved easily.

Adult↗

Endoscopic transtympanic tympanoplasty in the treatment of conductive hearing loss: early results.

OBJECTIVE: We describe our initial experience with endoscopic transtympanic tympanoplasty and evaluate whether this approach is adequate and minimally invasive in the treatment of conductive hearing loss. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective trial. SETTING: University hospital. PATIENTS: Nine patients underwent endoscopic transtympanic tympanoplasty, with an average follow-up period of 17 months. Presurgical diagnosis was made by transtympanic endoscopy through a perforation made by OtoScan laser-assisted myringotomy in the outpatient clinic. METHODS: With clean endoscopic visualization, ossiculoplasty was performed by inserting a trimmed tragal cartilage through the myringotomy perforation made by laser-assisted myringotomy. Two types of ossiculoplasty were performed: columella reconstruction and interposition. The tympanic membrane was covered with a chitin membrane or sealed with a small piece of perichondrium from the tragal cartilage. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Perioperative and postoperative complications and preoperative and postoperative hearing. RESULTS: Endoscopic transtympanic tympanoplasty with columella and endoscopic transtympanic tympanoplasty with interposition were performed in seven and two patients, respectively. Insertion of the cartilage was performed without conversion to a conventional otomicroscopic technique. The average hearing level before the operation was 59 dB. After the endoscopic transtympanic tympanoplasty, the average improved to the level of 27 dB, with an average air-bone gap of 11 dB. The myringotomy perforation was closed within 2 to 3 weeks. CONCLUSION: As opposed to conventional methods, this procedure does not require surgical exposure such as otosclerosis drilling and skin incision, and avoids the substantial risk of unnecessary injury to the chorda tympani. Endoscopic transtympanic tympanoplasty for a disrupted ossicular chain is an adequate and minimally invasive procedure and should prove to be a useful surgical procedure in future endoscopic tympanoplasty.

Adolescent↗

Endoscopic-assisted face lift: review of 200 cases.

The use of endoscopic techniques in facial esthetic surgery has gained increasing popularity in the last decade. Endoscopic forehead rejuvenation became a reliable technique and an attractive option for both the surgeon and the patient. The use of the endoscope in face and neck lift surgery did not gain the same popularity, as explained by the relative few indications for this technique. In this study, we retrospectively review a series of 200 patients who underwent endoscopic-assisted face-lifts alone or in combination with other esthetic procedures. We divided the patients into 4 groups according to the type of incisions and the surgical approach used in each of them. We also reviewed the current status of using the endoscope in face and neck lift surgery. The technique described in this study uses limited access incisions (limited postauricular, submental, and temporal scalp) to reposition the ptotic facial elements, while avoiding the preauricular and postauricular scarring when indicated. Under endoscopic visualization, the composite face-lift flap elevates the malar fat pad above the zygomaticus muscle to the nasolabial fold. The lower-lid orbicularis oculi muscle is incorporated and lifted with composite flap through the lower blepharoplasty incision. The jowl area is contoured by tangential excision and tightening of the lateral platysma. Pretunneling and hydrodissection defines the plane of dissection and helps to reduce the bleeding during facial and cervical flap elevation. In this study, endoscopic techniques were applicable in selected patients undergoing facial rejuvenation with goals of decreased scarring. Indications for using the technique include young patients (eg, less than 50 years) with a relatively small amount of skin excess or older patients with thick skin and minimal skin redundancy. The technique is particularly attractive to the male patient, by avoiding the preauricular incision and the disruption of the beard line. Patients with excess skin underwent the standard cervicofacial incision. In this group the endoscope was used as a tool for better magnification and illumination.

Adult↗

Retrograde endoscopic laser therapy and ureteroscopic surveillance for transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of endoscopic laser therapy and ureteroscopic surveillance for transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the upper urinary tract. METHODS: Tumors of the upper urinary tract were detected at ureteroscopy. After TCC was diagnosed by biopsy, retrograde endoscopic laser therapy was performed. Recurrent tumors were treated endoscopically and the patients were followed by ureteroscopic surveillance at 3- to 6-month intervals. RESULTS: Seven patients underwent ureteroscopic treatment. The tumor was grade 1 in five patients and grade 2 in two patients. The average tumor size was 1.3 cm. One patient with large, multifocal tumors died of metastatic disease, and one died of an unrelated cause. One patient requested nephroureterectomy after endoscopic treatment. The remaining four patients were followed up for a mean of 32 months after initial treatment. Each patient received an average of 5.3 ureteroscopic surveillance procedures while 3.3 recurrences on average were detected. Recurrence occurred in all the patients who showed normal radiographic findings. Urine cytology was also of little value in predicting tumor recurrence, except in one patient with carcinoma in situ. The recurrent tumors detected by ureteroscopy were successfully treated by repeated endoscopic procedures. After the follow up, three patients remained alive with no signs indicative of disease, but one patient with an initial grade 2 tumor died of recurrence after 30 months. CONCLUSIONS: Given that ureteroscopic evaluation is essential for surveillance after endoscopic treatment of upper urinary tract TCC because of residual concern about recurrence, patients treated endoscopically should be recommended to undergo long-term endoscopic follow up.

Aged↗

Impact of endoscopic ultrasound on the management and outcome of pancreatic carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: Although endoscopic ultrasound and endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration have been shown to aid in the diagnosis and staging of pancreatic carcinoma, whether the general use of these new techniques impacts the overall management and survival of pancreatic cancer, is less clear. METHODS: Clinical data on all patients diagnosed with pancreatic carcinoma were assessed for two equal time periods during which computerized tomography-guided fine needle aspiration and biopsy was used (1/93-5/95) and then during which endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration was used (8/95-12/97) for the primary diagnosis of these patients. RESULTS: Comparative data for the computerized tomography era versus the endosonography era showed that 1) pancreatic carcinomas diagnosed: 52 versus 84 patients (stage I-III at diagnosis: 33% vs 54%; p < 0.05); 2) diagnosis by aspiration or biopsy of a pancreatic mass, nodes, liver metastasis, or by operation: 46%, 0%, 19%, 29% versus 52%, 8% (p = 0.02 nodes plus pancreatic masses), 20%, 7% (p = 0.002); 3) pancreatic resections: 13% versus 14%; 4) median survival without liver metastases: 102 versus 205 days (p < 0.02, log-rank test). Endoscopic ultrasound detected carcinomas that were either not seen or only possibly seen by computed tomography in 34%. CONCLUSIONS: More patients (62%) were diagnosed with pancreatic carcinoma when using endoscopic ultrasound and 75% fewer required operations for diagnosis. The 3-month improvement in median survival is probably multifactorial but most likely represents lead bias because of the greater sensitivity of endoscopic ultrasound for pancreatic carcinoma. Using endoscopic ultrasound with endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration in patients with pancreatic carcinoma significantly affects their management and outcomes.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Endoscopic resection of superficial esophageal squamous-cell carcinomas: Western experience.

OBJECTIVES: Endoscopic resection of esophageal squamous-cell neoplasia with curative intent appears to be an alternative treatment to radical surgery when the malignant neoplasia is intraepithelial or limited to the mucosal layer, since the risk for lymph-node metastases is very low. In contrast to Japan, there has so far been only limited experience in Europe and the United States with endoscopic resection in such cases. In the present observational study, we report on the largest prospective series so far in Western countries of patients with early squamous-cell cancer or carcinoma in situ, who were treated using endoscopic resection therapy. METHODS: Between December 1997 and November 2001, 115 patients with a suspicion of early squamous cancer were referred for local endoscopic therapy. A total of 39 patients (mean age 61.4 +/- 10.2 yr) with early esophageal carcinoma (n = 29) and carcinoma in situ (Cis) (n = 10) fulfilled the criteria for local endoscopic therapy and were treated using endoscopic resection. Ten patients had Cis (group A), 19 had mucosal cancer (group B), and 10 had submucosal cancer (group C). All patients in group C were inoperable or had refused surgery. RESULTS: A total of 94 resections were performed. Nine of the 10 patients in group A (90%), 19 of the 19 in group B (100%), and 8 of the 10 in group C (80%) achieved a complete response during a mean follow-up period of 29.7 +/- 14.3 months. Tumor-related deaths occurred in three patients (one in group B, who was inoperable; two in group C, who refused surgery). No major complications such as perforation or bleeding requiring blood transfusion occurred. Minor complications were seen in six patients (15%)-three with minor bleeding after endoscopic resection and three with esophageal stenoses, who were successfully treated using injection therapy or dilatation. Calculated 5-yr survival was 90% in group A, 89% in group B, and 0% in group C. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic resection appears to be an effective and safe method of curative treatment in patients with Cis and mucosal squamous-cell carcinomas of the esophagus. The preferred method in patients with submucosal cancer should be esophagectomy or chemoradiotherapy, whenever possible.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗

Prevalences of endoscopic and histological findings in subjects with and without dyspepsia.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between dyspeptic symptoms and endoscopic and histological diagnoses. DESIGN: Cross sectional study of people with dyspepsia and controls matched for age and sex identified by questionnaire survey of all inhabitants aged 20 to 69. Endoscopy and histological examination was performed with the examiner blind to whether or not the patient had dyspepsia. SETTING: Population based survey in Sørreisa, Norway. SUBJECTS: All people with dyspepsia and age and sex matched people without dyspepsia were offered endoscopy. A total of 309 people with dyspepsia and 310 without dyspepsia underwent endoscopy, giving 273 matched pairs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalences of endoscopic and histological diagnoses made according to internationally accepted standards. RESULTS: In all, 1802 of 2027 (88.9%) people returned the questionnaire. Of the 163 subjects who refused endoscopy, 114 were controls. Of five endoscopic and four histological diagnoses only peptic ulcer disease, endoscopic duodenitis, and active chronic gastritis were diagnosed significantly more often in people with dyspepsia. In all, 30% to 50% of the diagnoses of mucosal inflammation and peptic ulcer disease were made among subjects without dyspepsia, and only 10% of both those with and those without dyspepsia had normal endoscopic findings. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnostic findings, with possible exceptions of peptic ulcer disease and endoscopic duodenitis, showed no association of clinical value with dyspeptic symptoms. The small number of "normal" endoscopic findings in both those with and those without dyspepsia challenge well accepted endoscopic and histological diagnostic criteria with relation to the upper gastrointestinal tract.

Adult↗

Endoscopic sclerotherapy using absolute alcohol.

To assess the efficacy of absolute alcohol as a sclerosant, endoscopic sclerotherapy was carried out using a conventional endoscope and an indigenously designed injector. Forty three patients with portal hypertension who had presented with history of variceal bleeding were included in the study. Portal hypertension was caused by cirrhosis in 30 (69.8%), non-cirrhotic portal fibrosis in eight (18.6%) and extra-hepatic obstruction in five (11.8%). Acute bleeding was successfully controlled in all 11 patients, seven with a fresh bleed and four who rebled while on endoscopic sclerotherapy regimen. All patients with fresh, recent, or old bleeding were treated with a weekly endoscopic sclerotherapy schedule. Reduction in variceal size of two or more grades was achieved in all 20 patients who had completed at least four endoscopic sclerotherapy courses with total eradication of varices in 16 (80%). The mean (+/- SD) number of endoscopic sclerotherapy courses and time required for variceal eradication was 6.06 (+/- 1.87) and 9.1 (+/- 4.69) weeks respectively. None of these patients has shown appearance of fresh varices in a follow up of 18.47 +/- 8.50 weeks (range six to 38 weeks). Six patients died; all deaths were caused by progressive hepatic encephalopathy. Complications usually seen were dysphagia, retrosternal pain and fever; these were mild and easily tolerated by the patients. Rebleeding occurred in four patients who had received less than four endoscopic sclerotherapy courses. Absolute alcohol appears to be an effective, safe, economical, and freely available sclerosant. advocate endoscopic sclerotherapy as the first line of treatment for acute variceal bleeding and recommend a weekly schedule for the early eradication of varices.

Adolescent↗

Clinical and scintigraphic assessment of the role of endoscopic sphincterotomy in the treatment of sphincter of Oddi dysfunction.

Postcholecystectomy pain caused by sphincter of Oddi dysfunction remains a difficult condition to treat. Endoscopic sphincterotomy has been recommended for those patients with confirmed sphincter of Oddi motor abnormalities. We have studied sphincter of Oddi dysfunction patients to evaluate the effects of endoscopic sphincterotomy on both clinical symptoms and previously reported scintigraphic parameters to determine the efficacy of this method of treatment. Nine postcholecystectomy patients (seven women: two men, median age 59 years) with clinical and manometric evidence of sphincter of Oddi dysfunction underwent endoscopic sphincterotomy for persisting biliary type pain. Each patient had scintigraphy before and eight weeks after endoscopic sphincterotomy. The patients symptomatic response was assessed independently at three monthly intervals after endoscopic sphincterotomy. Scintigraphic analysis showed that the TMAX (time in minutes to maximum counts) was significantly reduced from 25.0 (20-36) (median [range]) before endoscopic sphincterotomy to 15.0 (13-25) after endoscopic sphincterotomy (p less than 0.01). Seven of nine (78%) sphincter of Oddi dysfunction patients had significant improvement in their symptoms after a mean follow up period of 12 months (range 6-19) although only six of nine were totally pain free. These results suggest that endoscopic sphincterotomy in manometrically confirmed sphincter of Oddi dysfunction improves bile drainage as measured by quantitative cholescintigraphy and is associated with at least short term symptom relief in the majority of patients.

Adult↗

Elimination of high titre HIV from fibreoptic endoscopes.

Concern about contamination of fibreoptic endoscopes with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has generated a variety of disruptive and possibly unnecessary infection control practices in endoscopy units. Current recommendations on the cleaning and disinfection of endoscopes have been formulated without applied experimental evidence of the effective removal of HIV from endoscopes. To study the kinetics of elimination of HIV from endoscope surfaces, we artificially contaminated the suction-biopsy channels of five Olympus GIF XQ20 endoscopes with high titre HIV in serum. The air and water channels of two instruments were similarly contaminated. Contamination was measured by irrigating channels with viral culture medium and collecting 3 ml at the distal end for antigen immunoassay. Endoscopes were then cleaned manually in neutral detergent according to the manufacturer's recommendations and disinfected in 2% alkaline glutaraldehyde (Cidex, Surgikos) for two, four, and ten minutes. Contamination with HIV antigens was measured before and after cleaning and after each period of disinfection. Initial contamination comprised 4.8 x 10(4) to 3.5 x 10(6) pg HIV antigen/ml. Cleaning in detergent achieved a reduction to 165 pg/ml (99.93%) on one endoscope and to undetectable levels (100%) on four. After two minutes in alkaline glutaraldehyde all samples were negative and remained negative after the longer disinfection times. Air and water channels, where contaminated, were tested after 10 minutes' disinfection and were negative. These findings underline the importance of cleaning in removing HIV from endoscope and indicate that the use of dedicated equipment and long disinfection times are unnecessary.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

A blind comparison of the effectiveness of endoscopic ultrasonography and endoscopy in staging early gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endoscopic ultrasonography is expected to be useful for invasion depth staging of early gastric cancer. A prospective blind study of the staging characteristics of endoscopy and endoscopic ultrasonography for early gastric cancer was performed. METHODS: Findings of endoscopy and endoscopic ultrasonography using a 20 MHz thin ultrasound probe were independently reviewed and the results of 52 early gastric cancer lesions analysed. RESULTS: The overall accuracy rates in invasion depth staging of early gastric cancer were 63% for endoscopy and 71% for endoscopic ultrasonography. No statistically significant differences were observed in overall accuracy. Endoscopic ultrasonography tended to overstage, and lesions that were classified as mucosal cancer by endoscopic ultrasonography were very likely (95%) to be limited to the mucosa on histological examination. All 16 lesions staged as mucosal cancer independently but coincidentally by both methods were histologically limited to the mucosa. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic ultrasonography is expected to compensate for the understaging of lesions with submucosal invasion that are endoscopically staged as mucosal cancer.

Adult↗

Endoscopic biopsy for tumors of the third ventricle.

Twelve patients underwent endoscopic biopsy of a tumor involving the third ventricle. Nine patients had no significant medical history while 3 had a history of cancer. Unique characteristics of each case dictated the optimal surgical technique. Endoscopic tumor biopsy was combined with additional procedures in 9 cases; shunt insertion (3), shunt insertion with endoscopic septostomy (5), and transcallosal craniotomy (1). Diagnosis was established in 11 patients (92%); 6 primary brain tumors, 3 metastatic central nervous system tumors, 1 metastatic systemic cancer, and 1 region of post-treatment gliosis. One case was aborted due to poor visualization. Therapy was directly influenced by endoscopic biopsy in 11/12 cases (92%) and craniotomy for tumor resection was avoided in 10/12 patients (83%). Of the 5 patients who underwent endoscopic septostomy, 4 required no subsequent procedures for hydrocephalus. There were no complications, and hospital stay averaged 1.78 days for patients who underwent successful endoscopic biopsy. Tumors of the third ventricle are amenable to endoscopic biopsy with excellent diagnostic yield and low morbidity. The procedure must be tailored depending upon the tumor location within the third ventricle, the degree of ventriculomegaly, and the need to perform a septostomy. Singularly or combined with other endoscopic procedures, patients can be spared multiple and more invasive surgical procedures.

Adolescent↗