NEWS & DEVELOPMENTS 2008

APRIL 2007


British Society of Gastroenterology
Meeting, March 26-29, 2007



Recent research at the Wolfson Unit was presented at the British Society of Gastroenterology meeting in Glasgow (March 26-29 2007). These included studies looking at improvement in endoscopic diagnosis using narrow band imaging and capsule endoscopy. New therapeutic methods were presented including the first use of a double balloon enteroscope for placement of a direct jejunostomy and the first UK case of the Esophyx device for endoluminal fundoplication. Continued work on colonoscopic training and follow-up also presented.

Further work continues in these areas - for information on how to participate in any of our research trials, please contact the Unit on 020 8235 4225 or e-mail via the website.

BSG Titles:

RANDOMISED TRIAL OF NARROW BAND IMAGING FOR ADENOMA DETECTION AT COLONOSCOPY IN HIGH RISK GROUPS
J. E. East, N. Suzuki, M. Stavrinidis, N. Palmer, T. Guenther, B. P. Saunders

NARROW BAND IMAGING FOR COLONOSCOPIC SURVEILLANCE IN HEREDITARY NON-POLYPOSIS COLORECTAL CANCER
J. E. East, M. Stavrinidis, N. Suzuki, N. Palmer, T. Guenther, H. J. W. Thomas, B. P. Saunders

FIRST REPORTED CASE OF DIRECT JEJUNOSTOMY USING A DOUBLE BALLOON ENTEROSCOPE
C. A. Wadsworth, C. H. Fraser, D. C. Bullas, S. M. Gabe

THE FIRST UK CASE OF ENDOLUMINAL FUNDOPLICATION USING THE ESOPHYX DEVICE
P. L. Youd, A. V. Emmanuel, S. Gould, E. Tripoli, S. Preston, K. Koniezko, C. Fraser

WIDE ANGLE 3D ENDOLUMINAL CT COLONOGRAPHY: IMPACT ON MISSED AREAS AND POLYP CONSPICUITY
J. E. East, B. P. Saunders, D. Boone, S. Halligan, S. A. Taylor

POLYP DETECTION RATE IS IMPROVED WITH POSITION CHANGES DURING COLONOSCOPE WITHDRAWAL: A RANDOMISED, CROSSOVER TRIAL, MID-POINT ANALYSIS
J. E. East, M. Stavrinidis, N. Arebi, N. Palmer, P. Bassett, B. P. Saunders.

JAG COLONOSCOPY TRAINING GUIDELINES ARE NOT BEING MET BY TRAINEES FOLLOWING A ONE-TO-ONE HANDS-ON COLONOSCOPY TRAINING COURSE
A.V. Haycock, P. Youd, N. Suzuki, S. Thomas-Gibson, B. P. Saunders




Click image to view large version of
poster for the above research entry





EXPLORING THE UTILITY OF THE GIVEN PATENCY CAPSULE IN PATIENTS AT RISK OF CAPSULE RETENTION
A. J. Postgate, A. Fitzpatrick, C. Fraser.

A SINGLE-BLINDED RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIAL ASSESSING OPTIMAL BOWEL PREPARATION FOR THE CAPSULE ENDOSCOPY TEST
A.J. Postgate, A. Fitzpatrick, N. Patterson, C. Fraser

ACUTE OESOPHAGEAL NECROSIS OR JUST ANOTHER BLACK OESOPHAGUS?
S. Thomas-Gibson, G. T. Kingston, A. S. Mee


FEBRUARY 2007

The National Bowel Cancer Screening Programme

As one of the UK's designated screening centres in England, St Mark's has started its bowel cancer screening programme with 100% colonoscopy completion rate.

It is headed up by the specifically accredited colonoscopists' Dr Brian Saunders, Dr Chris Fraser and Nurse Consultant Maggie Vance.

Find out more about the Bowel Cancer Screening Centre here. 

The Colon Capsule

St Mark's has performed the first colon capsule endoscopy in the UK.
A trial is underway into a new, non-invasive test for the diagnosis of mucosal bowel disease.

Note: THIS STUDY CLOSED IN NOVEMBER 2007
Endoluminal Fundoplication for Acid Reflux Disease

St Mark's has performed the first UK procedures using the EsophyX^TM device.

A new endoscopic procedure for the treatment of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease is being performed as an alternative to long-term antacid medication and surgery.

Endoscopic anti-reflux therapy has emerged as a third therapeutic option in addition to long-term PPIs and surgery. The EsophyX^TM device is the newest and potentially most effective of the endoscopic anti-reflux devices available, designed to recreate the normal anatomical and physiological conditions present at the gastro-oesophageal junction in healthy individuals. St Mark's Hospital is the first centre to perform the EsophyX^TM procedure in the UK. We have demonstrated the technical feasibility of the EsophyX^TM procedure with very encouraging early outcomes for patients treated so far.

Small bowel capsule endoscopy

As a leading centre in capsule endoscopy, St Mark's continues to study the impact of the 'pill' camera on the investigation of small bowel disease.

High definition (HDTV), Narrow Band Imaging (NBI) and Autofluorescence Imaging (AFI) Endoscopy

St. Mark's Hospital has led the UK in investigating these novel optical techniques in colonoscopy, all of which may help detect more adenomas. Narrow band imaging (NBI) looks to be particularly useful for diagnosing dysplasia in high risk groups such as those with longstanding, extensive colitis or genetic predisposition to colon cancer (hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer, HNPCC). NBI with magnification may also be able to accurately differentiate adenomas from non-precancerous polyps (endohistology), potentially reducing the need for conventional histopathology.

Endoscopy - learning the trade

The Wolfson Unit is one of only three UK National Endoscopy Training Centres and has a commitment to improving the quality of endoscopy and endoscopic training. Dr Siwan Thomas-Gibson has recently joined as a consultant with a specialist interest in the area and Dr Adam Haycock is a research fellow looking at the principles behind effective endoscopy training. Current areas of research are evaluation of the impact of specialist courses in therapeutic endoscopy and colonoscopy, assessment of trainees' training needs and learning outcomes and initial validation of the new Olympus colonoscopy simulator.

 

Visitors to The Wolfson Unit

Maged Ibrahim FRCSEd, a surgeon from Ahmadi Hospital in Kuwait, spent 2 weeks visiting The Wolfson Unit during January 2007

St Mark's welcomes overseas visitors from all over the world. During their time in The Wolfson Unit, visiting endoscopists observe the unit's expertise in techniques such as EMR, ESD and double balloon enteroscopy, gain exposure to optical imaging methods such as NBI and get a taste of the ongoing research into endoscopic practice and teaching.