Background and Aims: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a technically demanding diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic procedure with a high risk for adverse events such as post-ERCP pancreatitis and bleeding. Since endoscopists with less experience have higher adverse event rates, the training of new residents on ERCP simulators has been suggested to improve the resident’s technical skills necessary for ERCP. However, there is a lack of consensus on whether the training program should focus on a threshold number of procedures or be more tailored to the individual’s performance. Furthermore, there is also disagreement on which form of simulator(s) should be used. Therefore, the primary outcome of this systematic review was to study the extent to which simulators used for ERCP training are correctly validated. Methods: In 2022, a systematic search of the literature was conducted on MEDLINE and SCOPUS under the guidance of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) 2020 protocol seeking articles with the MeSH terms ‘Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography’ OR ‘ERCP’ in combination with ‘simulation’ OR ‘simulator’. Results: The search resulted in 41 references. A total of 19 articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in the qualitative analysis. Only one of the articles fulfilled the criteria of a robust validation study. Conclusions: Since only one of the 19 articles met the requirements for a thorough and correct validation, further studies with sufficient numbers of subjects, that evaluate complete preclinical training programs based on validated ERCP simulators are warranted.

Background and Objectives: Esophageal stenting with self-expandable metallic stents (SEMS), for both benign and malignant reasons, has been widely practiced for decades, but migration still remains the most common complication of the procedure. In this report we aim to review our experience and results in stent fixation with clips. Materials and Methods: We present 18 patients who underwent esophageal stenting for both benign and malignant reasons. The SEMSs used were partially covered and were fixated with two to four through the scope hemostatic clips in the proximal end of the prothesis. The procedure was performed only on patients with a high risk of migration of the stent. Results: Migration occurred in only one of the above-mentioned patients and was treated with stent repositioning. The other adverse events that occurred were related to tumor growth in patients with malignant diseases. Conclusions: Clip fixation of an esophageal self-expandable metallic stent in cases considered high-risk for migration is a safe procedure. It reduces the migration rate significantly for both benign and malignant indications.

Bezoars are accumulations in the gastrointestinal tract caused by intentional or unintentional consumption of indigestible materials. After food and mucus impaction they become solid masses with different sizes, presenting with various non-specific symptoms. Current treatment options for bezoars include enzymatic dissolution, endoscopic fragmentation and removal, and surgical removal. Herein, we report two cases with an abdominal trichobezoar due to trichophagia presenting with mild atypical symptoms and requiring surgical removal. The patients had no underlying psychological and behavioral deviations, psychiatric disorders, stressful or traumatic live events that may trigger the condition. We present our approach to making the diagnosis, the challenges we met, and our treatment strategy. Trichobezoar should not be forgotten as part of the differential diagnosis of abdominal pain and abdominal mass in children and adolescent.

Both ulcerative colitis (UC) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are chronic gastrointestinal (GI) conditions that show some typical features. Persistent GI symptoms typical for IBS are observed in patients with diagnosed UC. Both IBS and UC are characterised by dysregulation of the enteric nervous system, alterations in the gut flora, low-grade mucosal inflammation, and activation of the brain-gut axis. Therefore, it appears that there may be some overlap between the two conditions. It is rather difficult to tell if the lower gastrointestinal symptoms are secondary to coexisting IBS or a hidden UC condition. Given the disruptions in gut microbiota in UC and the likely role of the brain-gut axis in the production of such symptoms, treatments such as probiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation, antidepressants, and psychological therapy would appear to be sensible options to use in both illnesses. They are both chronic, causing patients to have a worse quality of life and everyday suffering, as well as incurring significant expenses for the health-care system. The aim of this review article was to give an up-to-date perspective on the diagnosis and management of IBS-like symptoms in UC.

The epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum is a rare non-malignant condition that is commonly associated with motility disorders. It would normally be treated surgically, but with the advancement of endoscopy techniques, peroral endoscopic myotomy with septotomy (D-POEM) has shown its benefits in coping with the symptoms. We present a case of a 71-year-old woman with increasing symptoms of dysphagia, weight loss and imaging data showing a large epiphrenic diverticulum. We treated her using peroral endoscopic myotomy combined with septotomy of the diverticular septum. The procedure showed excellent results with reducing the amount of contrast materials retained in it, improving the quality of life of the patient, and increasing her weight. There were minimal adverse events and no perforations or severe adverse effects occurred. D-POEM is a new and rapidly evolving procedure that is proving to be a safe and effective method of treating epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum.

Aim : Colonoscopy is the gold standard for colorectal cancer screening and prevention. This multicenter study aims to evaluate and compare the effectiveness, cost-efficiency, and patient tolerability of different bowel preparation regimens for colonoscopy using a high-volume polyethylene glycol-based solution. Materials and methods : A total number of 746 patients were enrolled from three Bulgarian centers and were randomly assigned to various bowel preparation protocols categorized as previous-day, split-day, and same-day regimens. Effectiveness was assessed using the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale, cost-efficiency was determined by healthcare facility expenses, and patient tolerability was evaluated through patient-reported questionnaires. Results : The split-dose regimens achieved the highest bowel cleansing quality, significantly outperforming the other two groups. Furthermore, SPLIT4, one of the split-dose regimens, achieved the highest median Boston Bowel Preparation Scale (BBPS) score of 8, significantly outperforming previous-day and other split-dose protocols ( p <0.001), while maintaining excellent patient tolerability (mean score 1.25). Conclusion : Split-dose preparation using a high-volume polyethylene glycol solution demonstrated superior bowel cleansing and favorable patient tolerability, supporting current clinical guidelines. Future research should further investigate comparisons between high-volume and low-volume polyethylene glycol solutions to optimize patient adherence and outcomes.