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Endoscopic ultrasound-guided transmural drainage (EUS-GTD) has become the standard procedure for treating symptomatic pancreatic fluid collections. The aim of this series was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of covered self-expanding metal stent (CSEMS) placement for treating infected pancreatic fluid collections. From January 2007 to May 2010, 22 patients (18 M/4F; mean age 56.9) with infected pancreatic fluid collections (mean size, 13.2 cm) at two Italian centers were evaluated for EUS-GTD. In 20 of the 22 patients, EUS-GTD with CSEMS placement was indicated. Early complications occurred in two patients: one patient developed a superinfection, which was managed conservatively, and one experienced stent migration and superinfection, and was managed surgically. The CSEMSs were removed without difficulty in 18 patients after a median of 26 days, while stent removal failed in one patient due to inflammatory tissue ingrowth; instead it was removed during surgery performed for renal cancer. Clinical success was achieved without additional intervention in 17 patients during a mean follow-up of 610 days; only one symptomatic recurrence was observed. In our experience, EUS-GTD with CSEMS placement appears safe for the treatment of infected pancreatic fluid collections.

Background and Study Aims: The study examines the outcomes of the ‘inject and cut’ endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), for large sessile and flat colorectal polyps. Patients and Methods: Between January 2006 and December 2008 all patients referred to our institution for EMR of large polyps were prospectively evaluated. The accuracy of lifting sign and the rate of en bloc and piecemeal resection, complications and recurrence were analyzed. Results: A total of 157 patients with 182 lesions (median size 24.7 ± 10.2 mm) were included in the study. The most frequent location was the sigmoid colon in 30.2%. Because of non-lifting sign, 5/182 lesions were referred to surgical resection and 177 (43 flat and 134 sessile) were resected, 79 (44.6%) en bloc and 98 (55.4%) piecemeal. There were 20 procedural (11.3%) and 2 late (1.1%) bleeding, 4 post-polypectomy syndrome (2.2%) and 2 perforations (1.1%). Bleeding was related to malignancy (p = 0.01). Intramucosal cancer was observed in 5 cases (2.8%) while invasive cancer was seen in 8 (4.5%). Malignancy was related to polyp size ≧30 mm (p = 0.002). Follow-up colonoscopy was performed in 147 patients with 172 EMR for a mean of 19.8 months. Recurrence was observed in 12/172 (6.9%) polyps. Conclusion: Inject and cut EMR is practical and effective with a low risk of complication and local recurrence.

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