Improving patient engagement,adherence, and satisfaction in lung cancer surgery with implementation of a mobile device platform for patient reported outcomes

BackgroundActive patient engagement may improve their perioperative experience and outcomes. We sought to evaluate the use of a mobile device application (App) for patient engagement and patient reported outcomes (PROs) assessment following robotic lung cancer surgery.MethodsPatients with suspected lung cancer undergoing robotic resection between January–May 2019, were offered the SeamlessMD App, which was customized to meet requirements of the thoracic enhanced recovery pathway. The App guided patients through preoperative preparation, in-hospital recovery, and post-op discharge care with personalized reminders, task lists, education, progress tracking, and surveys.ResultsFifty patients participated in the study (22.1%). Of the 50 patients, 20 (40%) patients completed the preoperative compliance survey, and 31 (62%) completed the hospital satisfaction survey. A total of 62 inpatient recovery checks were completed, identifying non-compliance with incentive spirometer use in 2 (3.2%) and patient worries about self-care after discharge in 18 (29%) instances. Postoperative health-checks were completed by 27 (54%) patients with a median of 3 [0–17] completed surveys per patient. Patient reported symptom scores up to 30 days after surgery, demonstrating a significant decrease maximum pain level (P=0.002) and anxiety scores (P<0.001). The App enabled health-checks improved confidence and decreased worries in over 80% of patients. Nine patients (40.9%) reported the health-checks helped avoid 1+ calls and 4 (18.2%) reported the App helped avoid 1+ visits to the hospital. Over 74% of patients reported the App was very or extremely useful in each of the preoperative, inpatient, and post-discharge settings.ConclusionsA mobile device platform may serve as an effective mechanism to record perioperative PROs and satisfaction while facilitating patient-provider engagement in perioperative care.     

Use of self-expandable metallic stents in benign GI diseases

BACKGROUND: The self-expandable metallic stent is of proven benefit in patients with malignant disease; however, its use in patients with benign disease is not well established. There are few data available regarding long-term complications and outcomes with use of self-expandable metallic stents in benign disease and virtually none regarding attempted removal once the acute problem is resolved. METHODS: Thirteen patients who had a self-expandable metallic stent placed for benign GI disorders were included in a retrospective analysis. Data collected included patient demographics, indication for procedure, type of stent used, complications, and patient outcomes. RESULTS: Thirteen patients (7 women, 6 men; mean age 67 years, range 34-84 years) had one or more self-expandable metallic stents placed for benign disease and were followed for a mean of 3.4 years (3 weeks to 10 years). Of the 13 patients, 8 had esophageal stents, 4 biliary stents, and 1 had dual stents placed in the pancreaticobiliary tree. Complications developed in 8 (62%) patients; 4 (31%) ultimately died, either from the primary disease process (3) or from stent-related complications (1). CONCLUSIONS: Self-expandable metallic stent placement is effective treatment for benign esophageal leaks, providing the stent can be removed. It also may be used in either the esophagus or biliary tree in patients who are poor candidates for surgery and short expected survival. However, a self-expandable metallic stent should not be placed in a patient with a benign GI disorder who has a significant life expectancy and is a good candidate for surgery.     

Update on endoscopic diagnosis, management and surveillance strategies of esophageal diseases

In the last few decades, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy has become the most complementary test for investigation of esophageal diseases. Its accessibility and safety guarantee wide clinical utilization in patients with suspected benign and malignant diseases of the esophagus. Recent technological advances in endoscopic imaging and tissue analysis obtained from the esophagus have been useful to better understand and manage highly relevant diseases such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, eosinophilic esophagitis and esophageal cancer. Using endoscopy to elucidate esophageal disorders in children has been another field of intensive and challenging research. This editorial highlights the latest advances in the endoscopic management of esophageal diseases, and focuses on Barrett’s esophagus, esophageal cancer, eosinophilic esophagitis, as well as esophageal disorders in the pediatric population.     

Esophagopericardial Fistula Arising From Barrett's Esophagus

Esophagopericardial fistula is a rare complication of numerous benign, malignant, and traumatic conditions of the esophagus. Approximately 100 cases of fistulae between the esophagus and heart have been reported. We describe the second reported case of an esophagopericardial fistula secondary to a benign esophageal ulcer within Barrett's mucosa without prior surgery. The radiologic, endoscopic, and surgical management of this case are discussed.     

Esophageal stent fracture:case report and review of the literature

Endoscopic esophageal stent placement is widely used in the treatment of a variety of benign and malignant esophageal conditions.Self expanding metal stents(SEMS)are associated with significantly reduced stent related mortality and morbidity compared to plastic stents for treatment of esophageal conditions;however they have known complications of stent migration,stent occlusion,tumor ingrowth,stricture formation,reflux,bleeding and perforation amongst others.A rare and infrequently reported complication of SEMS is stent fracture and subsequent migration of the broken pieces.There have only been a handful of published case reports describing this problem.In this report we describe a case of a spontaneously fractured nitinol esophageal SEMS,and review the available literature on the unusual occurrence of SEMS fracture placed for benign or malignant obstruction in the esophagus.SEMS fracture could be a potentially dangerous event and should be considered in a patient having recurrent dysphagia despite successful placement of an esopha-geal SEMS.It usually requires endoscopic therapy and may unfortunately require surgery for retrieval of a distally migrated fragment.Early recognition and prompt management may be able to prevent further problems.     

Management of cervical esophageal strictures with self-expanding metalic stents.

Esophageal strictures due to malignant diseases are treated with self-expanding metalicic stents. However, experience is limited with these metalic stents in the cervical esophagus. Due to technical difficulties and procedure-related complications, the cervical esophagus has been assigned as a risky area for stenting procedures. Another encountered problem is patient discomfort after the procedure. In this case report, we present three patients with cervical esophageal strictures who were successfully treated with self-expandable metalic stents. Two of these patients had inoperable esophageal carcinoma and the third had benign stenosis due to radiotherapy of larynx carcinoma. The two patients with malignant disease survived four and six months, respectively, after the procedure. The last patient with benign disease is still alive and has been without dysphagia symptom for six months.     

Granular cell tumors of the esophagus: report of five cases and review of diagnostic and therapeutic techniques

Granular cell tumors (GCT) of the esophagus are stromal lesions originating from the Schwann cells of the submucosal neuronal plexus. Although they are very infrequent, they constitute the second largest cause of non-epithelial tumors in the esophagus after leiomyomas. These tumors are generally benign, although a certain number of malignant, aggressive cases have been reported. Diagnosis requires that this possibility be ruled out before deciding on which course of therapeutic action to take as well as familiarization with the relevant indicators. GCT linked synchronically or metachronically to other malignant neoplasias of the esophagus have also been described, but the actual extent of this association is uncertain. This report describes five cases of GCT recently diagnosed as incidental findings following endoscopic exploration. All of these were benign and were treated conservatively. The article discusses new aspects relating to the diagnosis of these lesions and the role carried out by endoscopic ultrasonography in their characterization, both at preliminary diagnosis and monitoring levels. No standard therapeutic guidelines exist for the management of GCT, but endoscopic treatment without invading the muscularis propria layer would be used for symptomatic patients, creating histopathological doubts requiring research on the entire organ. Endoscopic therapeutic techniques are analyzed (resection with forceps or diathermy handles, yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser ablation, alcohol injection) in esophageal GCT, which have overtaken surgery in most cases due to their efficiency, greater safety and fewer complications.     

食管金属支架治疗125例食管狭窄和食管气管瘘临床分析

背景：食管狭窄和食管气管瘘是临床常见疾病，近年来食管金属支架逐渐成为其治疗的重要手段，并取得了良好的疗效。目的：探讨食管金属支架治疗食管狭窄和食管气管瘘的临床疗效。方法：选择125例良恶性食管狭窄和食管气管瘘患者，行内镜和x线检查以明确狭窄或瘘口的部位和性质。在x线引导下置入食管金属支架，术后密切随访观察临床疗效和并发症。结果：支架术后2周内，所有患者的吞咽困难均显著改善；食管气管瘘患者的呛咳均显著缓解，仪5例患者进流质时仍有轻微呛咳：86例(68．8％)患者术后出现胸痛，8例(6.4％)发生消化道出血，4例(3.2％)出现支架移位。术后半均随访时间为18个月。吞咽困难的平均缓解时间为7.4个月，27例恶性食管狭窄患者平均于术后6.4个月因肿瘤组织增生而导致再狭窄，8例良性食管狭窄患者平均于术后12．8个月因肉芽组织增生而导致再狭窄。38例患者有胃(或肠)食管反流表现，大多为吻合口支架或食管下段支架。7例患者出现支架移位。恶性食管狭窄患者支架术后平均存活时间为11．8个月。结论：食管金属支架能有效治疗良恶性食管狭窄和食管气管瘘，提高患者的生活质量。但支架术后再狭窄、食管功能紊乱和支架移位等并发症目前仍无法避免，且可能对支架的临床应用产生一定影响。     

Barrett's esophagus: Pathogenesis,epidemiology, functional abnormalities,malignant degeneration,and surgical management

Barrett's esophagus (i.e. columnar epithelial metaplasia in the distal esophagus) is an acquired condition that in most patients results from chronic gastroesophageal reflux. It is a disorder of the white male in the Western world with a prevalence of about 1/400 population. Due to the decreased sensitivity of the columnar epithelium to symptoms, Barrett's esophagus remains undiagnosed in the majority of patients. Gastroesophageal reflux disease in patients with Barrett's esophagus has a more severe character and is more frequently associated with complications as compared with reflux patients without columnar mucosa. This appears to be due to a combination of a mechanically defective lower esophageal sphincter, inefficient esophageal clearance function, and gastric acid hypersecretion. Excessive reflux of alkaline duodenal contents may be responsible for the development of complications (i.e., stricture, ulcer, and dysplasia). Therapy of benign Barrett's esophagus is directed towards treatment of the underlying reflux disease. Barrett's esophagus is associated with a 30- to 125-fold increased risk for adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. The reasons for the dramatic rise in the incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma, which occurred during the past years, are unknown. High grade dysplasia in a patient with columnar mucosa is an ominous sign for malignant degeneration. Whether an esophagectomy should be performed in patients with high grade dysplasia remains controversial. Complete resection of the tumor and its lymphatic drainage is the procedure of choice in all patients with a resectable carcinoma who are fit for surgery. In patients with tumors located in the distal esophagus, this can be achieved by a transhiatal en-bloc esophagectomy and proximal gastrectomy. Early adenocarcinoma can be cured by this approach. The value of multimodality therapy in patients with advanced tumors needs to be shown in randomized prospective trials.     

A case of thoracoscopically resected benign esophageal schwannoma with high uptake on FDG-PET

We report a rare case of esophageal schwannoma with high uptake of radiotracer on [¹⁸F]fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET). A 37-year-old woman underwent surgery for sarcoma of the uterus and received general PET examination for postoperative follow-up, which revealed high uptake at the thoracic esophagus. Esophagography, esophageal endoscopy, endoscopic ultrasonography, and computed tomography (CT) scan confirmed a submucosal tumor, about 20 mm in diameter, in the right wall of the upper thoracic esophagus. We performed thoracoscopic enucleation with the preoperative diagnosis of esophageal leiomyoma or gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). Histopathological examination showed a trabecular arrangement of spindle cells and no evidence of mitosis. Immunohistochemical studies were positive for S-100 protein and negative for c-kit, whereby we diagnosed a benign esophageal schwannoma. Even if benign, schwannomas often show high uptake of FDG, so that the evaluation of whether the tumor is malignant should be made by histological diagnosis. Thoracoscopic resection is less invasive and a clinically useful approach to treat such submucosal tumors of the esophagus.     

Achalasia after bariatric Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery reversal

Achalasia is a rare esophageal motility disorder that is characterized by a loss of peristalsis in the distal esophagus and failure of lower esophageal sphincter relaxation. The risk of developing esophageal motility disorders, including achalasia, following bariatric surgery is controversial and differs based on the type of surgery. Most of the reported cases occurred with laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding. To our knowledge, there are only three reported cases of achalasia after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and no reported cases after revision of the surgery. We present a case of a 70-year-old female who had a previous history of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass with revision. She presented with persistent nausea and regurgitation for one month. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed a dilated esophagus without strictures or stenosis. A barium study was performed after the endoscopy and was suggestive of achalasia. Those findings were confirmed by a manometry. The patient was referred for laparoscopic Heller's myotomy.     

Immunologic Function of Dendritic Cells in Esophageal Cancer

Esophageal cancer is one of the frequently occurring malignant cancers. The current therapy, including surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or a combination, is only to palliate the symptoms; overall the prognosis is poor. The immunotherapy of dendritic cells for esophageal cancer is a valuable method. Dendritic cells existing in the esophageal tissues play an important role in the host's immunosurveillance against cancer as the professional antigen-presenting cells. This review concerns the immunology of dendritic cells in esophageal cancer; it describes the expression of DCs in the normal esophageal tissues and benign disease of esophagus, relations between the DCs and cancer development in esophageal cancer, and the DC-based approach to establish treatment for esophageal cancer.     

CASE OF A SEVERE AND LONG BENIGN STRICTURE OF THE ESOPHAGUS

A unique case of a severe and long benign stricture of the esophagus was experienced by the authors. A 50‐year‐old alcoholic man was admitted to our hospital complaining of dysphagia as well as severe and continuous retrosternal burning pain of acute onset after abrupt vomiting. His previous medical history included alcoholic liver dysfunction, renal dysfunction, Klinefelter’s syndrome and a surgically treated duodenal ulcer. Ingestion of foreign body or acid/alkali substances was excluded. Although histopathologic examination of the endoscopic biopsy specimen was reported to be an esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, endoscopic findings and a barium esophagogram were not typical for a malignant disease. Since this study demonstrated a smooth surface of the lumen in spite of it being approximately 10 cm long, severe stricture of the esophagus was diagnosed. Because the stricture was very long and severe, and was not conservatively treatable, it was decided, after obtaining informed consent, that surgical resection of the esophagus would be performed. Subtotal esophagectomy with lymph node dissection and colonic interposition was carried out. During surgery, the patient was diagnosed as having liver cirrhosis. Histopathologic examination of the surgically resected specimen revealed a 10 cm‐long narrowing of the middle and lower thoracic esophagus with thick walls, particularly in the inner circular muscle layer, without malignancy. Unfortunately, the patient’s postoperative course was followed by cervical leakage. He subsequently died of multiple organ failure on the sixteenth postoperative day. It is worth keeping in mind that esophageal benign stricture with longitudinal ulceration can be induced by esophageal submucosal dissection, as seen in the present case.     

Impact of a self-expanding, plastic esophageal stent on various esophageal stenoses, fistulas, and leakages: a single-center experience in 39 patients

BACKGROUND: In this study, we describe our experience with the use of a self-expanding, covered, plastic esophageal stent (SEPS). The majority of placements were difficult to treat situations, i.e., proximal or extremely proximal stent release or emergency cases in the intensive care unit. METHODS: Thirty-nine patients were treated by insertion of a SEPS by endoscopic or radiologic guidance for the following: malignant stenosis (n = 22), malignant fistula (n = 8), benign stenosis after treatment for malignant disease (n = 6), benign fistula (n = 2), and perforation or leakage after surgery of the esophagus (n = 5). RESULTS: Stent placement was technically feasible in all patients. In patients with a stenosis, esophageal passage was achieved in 92.8%. Fistulas, perforations, and leakages were sealed in 73.3%. In 6 patients (15.4%), the stent was electively removed because of the completion of the therapy. Complications included respiratory insufficiency, mediastinal emphysema, and tracheal impression in one patient each; a new fistula in two patients; bleeding in 3 patients; stent-induced ulcers in two patients; and stent migration in 8 patients. CONCLUSIONS: The therapeutical success and the complication rate after SEPS placement are similar to that reported for self-expanding metal stents. In addition, the SEPS can be readily removed, and the costs are significantly lower.     

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration for smooth benign appearing malignant esophageal stricture: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundEndoscopic biopsy is standard for the diagnosis of esophageal malignancy. However, few cases are difficult to diagnose as they present with smooth esophageal stricture with negative biopsy results. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) in the diagnosis of biopsy-negative suspected malignant esophageal strictures.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed cases of esophageal stricture with negative biopsies. From September 2016 to November 2021, 50 patients were enrolled. All the patients accepted the EUS-FNA examination. And histological and cytological specimens were obtained from all patients. Clinical, endoscopic, imaging, cytological, and histopathological results were noted and analyzed.ResultsA total of 50 patients (40 male and 10 female) were enrolled in this study. The 19G puncture needle was used in 6 cases and the 22G puncture needle was used in 44 cases; an average of 2.7 needles were used per case. Satisfactory specimens were obtained by EUS-FNA for all subjects. All patients were diagnosed as malignant tumor. The diagnosis was confirmed by EUS-FNA biopsies in 98% of patients. Based on the surgical pathology results, there were 16 cases of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, 2 cases of esophageal metastatic carcinoma, 1 case of esophageal sarcoma, 22 cases of lung cancer, 6 cases of mediastinal lymph node metastasis, and 3 cases of mediastinal tumor. No obvious complications were observed. A total of 5 cases were treated with surgery, 28 with chemotherapy, 3 with chemotherapy + surgery, and 12 with radiotherapy; 2 patients ceased treatment. No obvious complications, such as bleeding and mediastinal infection, were observed.ConclusionsEUS-FNA is effective and safe for the diagnosis of malignant esophageal strictures with smooth overlying esophageal mucosa. EUS-FNA is effective and safe for patients with smooth esophagus stenosis for whom satisfactory cytological and histological specimens can be obtained, and the diagnosis can be confirmed by cytological, histological, and immunohistochemical examinations. It can be used as the first choice for diagnosis and treatment.     

Granular Cell Myoblastoma of the Esophagus

Granular cell myoblastoma (GCM) of the esophagus is a rare, usually benign tumor, most often discovered incidentally during upper endoscopy, surgery, or autopsy. Although some reports have questioned the safety of endoscopic biopsy of granular cell tumors of the esophagus, we feel that the procedure can be performed safely and accurately. For the unwary, histological examination may lead to a misdiagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma. Although some reports of malignant esophageal tumors can be found, in general, if the histologic appearance of the tumor is benign, malignant transformation or metastasis is unusual. Surgical resection for malignant and for large symptomatic benign tumors is the treatment of choice. In, however, individuals with histologically benign tumors. who are asymptomatic or who are not considered good surgical candidates, careful observation with endoscopic follow-up can be safely done.     

Expandable metallic stents should not be used in the treatment of benign esophageal strictures

Expandable metallic stents have become popular in recent years for the treatment of esophageal strictures. While they are undoubtedly of great value in the palliation of malignant strictures and tracheo-esophageal fistulas, there is concern over their use for the treatment of benign diseases. We report three cases, in which such problems were seen following stent insertion for benign esophageal strictures. All three patients developed further strictures above the stents, one was complicated by a tracheo-esophageal fistula and two stents (in one patient) migrated distally into the stomach. Two of the patients underwent subsequent esophageal surgery. In both cases, this proved extremely difficult and hazardous because of the intense fibrotic reaction induced by the stents. Expandable mesh stents should not be used for the treatment of benign esophageal strictures without careful consideration of the potential problems, which can include rendering the problem inoperable.     

Peroral endoscopic myotomy outcomes: Efficacy and gastroesophageal reflux disease

Achalasia is a well-defined neuromuscular disorder of esophageal swallowing function characterized by a nonrelaxing lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and aperistalsis of the esophageal body. Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is a flexible endoscopic approach to perform a selective circular myotomy of the distal esophagus and proximal stomach. More than a thousand cases have been performed worldwide. Most early reports on POEM focus on its feasibility and safety. Emerging long-term series have reported excellent subjective and objective outcomes of dysphagia relief for achalasia. With increasing experience, centers are expanding indications to end-stage achalasia and nonachalasia neuromuscular disorders such as diffuse esophageal spasm and nonrelaxing LES with hypertensive esophageal body contractions. The postoperative gastroesophageal reflux post-POEM is an issue that requires close objective follow-up, as the correlation of subjective reflux symptoms and objective testing in this setting is poor. Few series have indeed reported on equivalent excellent outcomes post-POEM as compared with a laparoscopic myotomy. This early experience with POEM has demonstrated the validity of this new technique in the management of benign disorders of esophageal swallowing. Refinements in technique and decreases in gastroesophageal reflux disease may make this procedure even more desirable, and potentially the first-line therapy in the management of spastic disorders of the esophagus.     

Prevalence and trends of malignant and benign esophageal lesions in Iran between 1997 and 2007

Background

Esophageal cancer is one of the most common malignancies with high mortality worldwide. It comprises two major subtypes: esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and esophageal adenocarcinoma. Prevalence of each subtype varies substantially in different geographic regions. In Iran and China, for instance, squamous cell carcinoma predominates. Most Iranian studies regarding benign and malignant lesions of the esophagus to date have focused on the northern part of the country, and a knowledge gap exists regarding the prevalence of esophageal lesions in other parts of the country.

Methods

To assess the prevalence and frequency of benign and malignant esophageal lesions, clinical history of patients who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and biopsy between 1997 and 2007 in Yazd, Iran was reviewed.

Results

Among 294 malignant lesions, squamous cell carcinoma was the most frequent subtype (70.06?%), followed by adenocarcinoma (29.25?%). Of the 387 benign lesions, most frequent diagnoses were reflux esophagitis 215 (55.5?%), esophagus ulcer 91 (23.51?%), and Barrett??s esophagus 73 (18.86?%). During the 11-year study period, incidence of adenocarcinoma gradually increased over time. On the other hand, squamous cell carcinoma incidence and total incidence of esophageal malignancies did not show a significant trend over time.

Conclusions

Squamous cell carcinoma remains the most common subtype of esophagus malignancies in Yazd, Iran, although an increasing trend towards adenocarcinoma is also evident.     

Long-term survival after enucleation of a giant esophageal gastrointestinal stromal tumor

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are rare mesenchymal neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract. Less than 1% occurs in the esophagus. Surgery is the primary treatment for patients with GISTs. We report a 29-year-old male was admitted after the detection of a posterior mediastinal mass during work-up with routine examination. He did not have any disease-related symptoms. The physical examination was unremarkable. Chest computed tomographic scan, the barium esophagogram and endoscopic esophageal ultrasound showed benign neoplasm. The patient was performed an enucleation surgery through the right posterolateral thoracotomy. The pathology revealed a 13.0 cm × 12.0 cm × 5.0 cm mass. The tumor was CD117 (C-kit), PDGFRA and DOG1 positive. These findings were consistent with a GIST of the esophagus. So the diagnosis of GIST of esophagus was confirmed. The pathological diagnosis of low grade of GIST of esophagus was confirmed. The patient has no evidence of recurrence and is in good clinical conditions up-to date, five years after surgery.