Background Gastroparesis is a functional disorder with a variety of symptoms that is characterized by delayed gastric emptying in the absence of mechanical obstruction. A recent series of retrospective studies has demonstrated that peroral endoscopic pyloromyotomy (G-POEM) is a promising endoscopic procedure for treating patients with refractory gastroparesis. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of G-POEM. Methods 20 patients with refractory gastroparesis (10 diabetic and 10 nondiabetic) were prospectively included in the trial. Patients were treated by G-POEM after evaluation of pyloric function using an endoscopic functional luminal imaging probe. Clinical responses were evaluated using the Gastroparesis Cardinal Symptom Index (GCSI), and quality of life was assessed using the Patient Assessment of Upper Gastrointestinal Disorders – Quality of Life scale and the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index scores. Gastric emptying was measured using 4-hour scintigraphy before G-POEM and at 3 months. Results Feasibility of the procedure was 100 %. Compared with baseline values, G-POEM significantly improved symptoms (GCSI: 1.3 vs. 3.5; P < 0.001), quality of life, and gastric emptying (T½: 100 vs. 345 minutes, P < 0.001; %H2: 56.0 % vs. 81.5 %, P < 0.001; %H4: 15.0 % vs. 57.5 %, P = 0.003) at 3 months. The clinical success of G-POEM using the functional imaging probe inflated to 50 mL had specificity of 100 % and sensitivity of 72.2 % (P = 0.04; 95 % confidence interval 0.51 – 0.94; area under the curve 0.72) at a distensibility threshold of 9.2 mm²/mmHg. Conclusion G-POEM was efficacious and safe for treating refractory gastroparesis, especially in patients with low pyloric distensibility.

Altered aerobic capacity and muscular strength among patients suffering from cirrhosis are poor prognosis factors of the overall survival after liver transplantation (LT). A program of adapted physical activity (APA) is recommended in patients awaiting solid organ transplantation. However, there is no standard program in LT, and therefore none is applied. Prospective pilot study to evaluate the acceptability of a 12-week personalized APA and its impact on aerobic capacity, muscle strength, and quality of life before LT. Thirteen patients (six men, seven women) were included. Five patients interrupted the program: two for personal convenience, two were transplanted before the end of the program, and one for deterioration of the general condition. Eight patients (mean age, 51 ± 12 years; mean Child Pugh, 7 ± 3; and mean model for end-stage liver disease score, 13 ± 6) completed the program. The mean VO2 peak values increased from 21.5 ± 5.9 mL/kg per min at baseline to 23.2 ± 5.9 mL/kg per min after 12 weeks of training (P<0.008). The maximum power (P=0.02), the 6-min walk distance (P<0.02), the strength testing of knee extensor muscles (P=0.008), and the ventilatory threshold power (P=0.02) were also significantly increased. Quality of life scale showed a global trend to improvement. No adverse event was observed. A personalized and standardized APA is acceptable, effective and safe in patients awaiting LT. It positively influences the index of fitness and quality of life. Its promising impact on the posttransplantation period, duration of hospitalization, and 6-month survival needs to be prospectively evaluated in a large randomized study.

Background and study aims: The hemostatic powder TC-325 (Hemospray; Cook Medical, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA) has shown promising results in the treatment of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) in expert centers in pilot studies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of TC-325 in a large prospective registry of use in routine practice. Patients and methods: The data of all patients treated with TC-325 were prospectively collected through a national registry. Outcomes were the immediate feasibility and efficacy of TC-325 application, as well as the rates of rebleeding at Day 8 and Day 30. Multivariate analysis was performed to determine predictive factors of rebleeding. Results: A total of 202 patients were enrolled and 64 endoscopists participated from 20 centers. TC-325 was used as salvage therapy in 108 patients (53.5 %). The etiology of bleeding was an ulcer in 75 patients (37.1 %), tumor in 61 (30.2 %), postendoscopic therapy in 35 (17.3 %), or other in 31 (15.3 %). Application of the hemostatic powder was found to be very easy or easy in 31.7 % and 55.4 %, respectively. The immediate efficacy rate was 96.5 %. Recurrence of UGIB was noted at Day 8 and Day 30 in 26.7 % and 33.5 %, respectively. Predictive factors of recurrence at Day 8 were melena at initial presentation and use of TC-325 as salvage therapy. Conclusion: These multicenter data confirmed the high rate of immediate hemostasis, excellent feasibility, and good safety profile of TC-325, which could become the treatment of choice in bleeding tumors or postendoscopic bleeding but not in bleeding ulcers where randomized studies are needed. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02595853) ^* These authors contributed equally to this work.

Background Endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage is an alternative to percutaneous biliary drainage in cases of malignant biliary obstruction and failure of classic endoscopic drainage by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Recently, a new electrocautery-enhanced lumen-apposing metal stent (ECE-LAMS) that allows for endoscopic anastomosis (apposition stent) has become available for use in EUS-choledochoduodenostomy (EUS-CDS) and facilitates the procedure. Methods This was a retrospective study of all EUS-CDS procedures performed in France between April 2016 and August 2017. The primary end point was the technical and clinical success rates of EUS-CDS using an ECE-LAMS. Results 52 consecutive patients were included in the study. The etiology of distal bile duct obstruction was distal pancreatic adenocarcinoma in 43 patients (82.7 %). The technical success rate was 88.5 % (46 /52 patients), and the clinical success rate was 100 % (46/46 patients). The mean duration of the procedure was 10.2 minutes (range 1 – 90). Two patients (3.8 %) presented with short-term complications after EUS-CDS and before discharge from hospital. In univariate analyses, a small diameter of the common bile duct and not following the recommended procedure technique were significant risk factors for technical failure. Over a mean follow-up of 157 days, the median survival time without biliary complications was 135 days. Conclusion EUS-CDS with an ECE-LAMS is efficacious and safe in distal malignant obstruction of the common bile duct and could be proposed as the first option in cases of ERCP failure.

Before the advent of direct acting antiviral agents (DAAs) ribavirin, associated to pegylated-interferon played a crucial role in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C, preventing relapses and breakthroughs. In the present era of new potent DAAs, a place is still devoted to the drug. Ribavirin associated with sofosbuvir alone is efficient in the treatment of most cases of G2 infected patients. All options currently available for the last difficult-to-treat cirrhotic G3 patients contain ribavirin. Reducing treatment duration to 12 wk in G1 or G4 cirrhotic compensated patients is feasible thanks to ribavirin. Retreating patients with acquired anti NS5A resistance-associated variants using ribavirin-based strategies could be useful. The addition of ribavirin with DAAs combinations however, leads to more frequent but mild adverse events especially in cirrhotic patients. Preliminary data with interferon-free second generation DAAs combinations without ribavirin suggest that future of the drug is jeopardized even in difficult-to-treat patients: The optimization of ribavirin dosage according to an early monitoring of blood levels has been suggested to be relevant in double therapy with peginterferon or sofosbuvir but not with very potent combinations of more than two DAAs.

Background and study aims ESD in the colon is more challenging technically than in other locations. Here, we report the first comparative case series of colon ESD using a systematic countertraction strategy using two clips and a rubber band. Patients and methods Retrospective comparative study of classic versus countertraction colon ESD performed in colon ESD cases collected prospectively at Lyon Edouard Herriot Hospital and Limoges University Hospital from January 2016 until December 2017. Results The study included 192 cases (control = 76, countertraction = 116). Countertraction using the double clip and rubber band technique versus the control group resulted in a significant decrease in the procedure time (94.7 vs. 117 min; P = 0.004) and significant increases in procedure speed (28.2 vs. 16.7 mm²/min; P < 0.0001), en bloc resection rate (95.7 % vs. 76.3 %, P < 0.0001), and R0 resection rate (78.5 % vs. 64.5 %, P = 0.04). At an individual operator point of view, results varied between operators but the double clip countertraction strategy significantly increased the en bloc resection rate, R0 resection rate, and speed of dissection for each of the 4 operators. Conclusion Systematic countertraction using a double clip and rubber band facilitates colon ESD. This strategy should become the standard for colon ESD.