Background Robot-assisted surgical systems have been introduced to improve the outcome of minimally invasive surgery. These systems also have the potential to improve ergonomics for the surgeon during endoscopic surgery. This study aimed to compare the user's mental and physical comfort in performing standard laparoscopic and robot-assisted techniques. Surgical performance also was analyzed. Methods In this study, 16 surgically inexperienced participants performed three tasks using both a robotic system and standard laparoscopic instrumentation. Distress was measured using questionnaires and an ambulatory monitoring system. Surgical performance was analyzed with time-action analysis. Results The physiologic parameters (p = 0.000), the questionnaires (p = 0.000), and the time-action analysis (p = 0.001) favored the robot-assisted group in terms of lower stress load and an increase in work efficiency. Conclusion In this experimental setup, the use of a robotassisted surgical system was of value in both cognitive and physical stress reduction. Robotic assistance also demonstrated improvement in performance.

Background Analysis of serum biomarkers for the assessment of atrophic gastritis (AG), considered as gastric precancerous lesion, is of growing interest and recommended by current guidelines. Our aim was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of a panel of biomarkers (GastroPanel®) for the detection of AG in France, a country of a low gastric cancer (GC) incidence. Material and Methods In this prospective, multicenter, cross‐sectional study, consecutive patients considered at increased risk of GC and undergoing upper endoscopy with gastric biopsies were included. Blood samples were collected for the analysis of GastroPanel® (association of Pepsinogens I and II, Gastrin‐17, and Helicobacter pylori serology) using ELISA. The results of GastroPanel® were compared to the results of histology considered as the reference. Results Between 2016 and 2019, 344 patients (148 cases with AG, 196 controls without AG) were included. Sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive values for the detection of AG by GastroPanel® were of 39.9% (95% CI 31.9; 48.2), 93.4% (95% CI 88.9; 96.4), 81.9 (95% CI 71.1; 90.0), and 67.3 (95% CI 61.4; 72.8), respectively. The sensitivity was significantly higher for the detection of severe AG [60.8% (95% CI 46.1; 74.6) P = .015] and corpus AG [61.0% (95% CI 49.2; 72.0), P = .004]. Diagnostic performances of GastroPanel® tended to be better than those of Pepsinogen I alone, but the difference did not reach statistical significance (P = .068). Conclusion Serum pepsinogen and GastroPanel® tests show promising results for the detection of AG, especially of corpus AG and severe AG, in patients at high risk of GC in France.

Aims Spina Bifida (SB) is a rare congenital condition that frequently impairs the neurological control of both fecal continence and defecation. Several therapeutic strategies have been proposed but impact assessment is lacking. Our objectives were to quantify the symptomatic improvement and to determine the optimal strategy in this rare condition where randomized controlled trials are difficult to conduct. Methods Data were extracted from a prospective database. The present analysis focused on patients having undergone at least two gastroenterological assessments. A standardized therapeutic approach was used from the first visit. Improvement was quantified by the variation of quantified symptomatic scores. Results The data of of 57 adults with SB (gender F/M: 30/27 [52.6/47.4%]; mean age: 33.8 [18.5] years) were extracted. After a mean follow‐up of 46 months, 23/57 patients (40.4%) had at least improvement of one point of the Cleveland Clinic Incontinence score (CCIS); 13/57 (22.8%) reported a significant improvement of continence (delta score >50%). Five of the twelve patients (41.6%) with CCIS < 5 at baseline became incontinent over time. The neurological level was not associated with a worse continence outcome. Work on stool consistency and transanal irrigation were the most useful strategies in those with significant improvement of continence. Conclusions Using conventional strategies, a benefit on fecal continence occurs in only one out of five patients suffering from Spina Bifida and continent patients at baseline can develop fecal incontinence over time. A strategy targeting improved control of defecation (transanal irrigation) and a standardization of follow‐up protocol might be beneficial.

Full-field optical coherence tomography (FFOCT) is an imaging technique of biological tissue based on tissue light reflectance analysis. We evaluated the feasibility of imaging fresh digestive mucosal biopsies after a quick mounting procedure (5 min) using two distinct modalities of FFOCT. In static FFOCT mode, we gained high-resolution images of general gut tissue-specific architecture, such as oesophageal papillae, gastric pits, duodenal villi and colonic crypts. In dynamic FFOCT mode, we imaged individual epithelial cells of the mucosal lining with a cellular or subcellular resolution and identified cellular components of the lamina propria. FFOCT represents a promising dye-free imaging tool for on-site analysis of gut tissue remodelling.