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Impact of straight to test pathways on time to diagnosis in oesophageal and gastric cancer.Background: Cancer survival in the UK has doubled in the last 40 years; however, 1-year and 5-year survival rates are still lower than other countries. One cause may be a delay between referral into secondary care and subsequent investigation. We set out to evaluate the impact of a straight to test pathway (STTP) on time to diagnosis for upper gastrointestinal (UGI) cancer. Methods: Six hospital Trusts across the East Midlands Clinical Network introduced a STTP enabling general practitioners to refer patients with suspected UGI cancer (oesophageal/gastric) for immediate investigation, without the need to see a hospital specialist first. Data were collected for all patients referred between 2013 and 2015 with suspected UGI cancer and stratified by STTP or traditional referral pathway. Overall time from referral to diagnosis was compared. Data from two Trusts who did not implement STTP acted as control. Results: 340 patients followed the STTP pathway and 495 followed the traditional route. STTP saved a mean of 7 days from referral to treatment (with a 95% CI of 3 to 11 days, p<0.008) and a mean of 16 days from referral to diagnosis, when compared with a traditional referral pathway. The number of diagnostic tests performed using STTP or traditional referral pathways were similar. Conclusion: A STTP is associated with an overall reduction of 1 week from referral to treatment for UGI cancer. The approach is feasible and did not require more resource. Larger studies are required to assess whether this time saving translates into improved cancer outcomes.
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Acid Reflux Is Common in Patients With Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease After One-Anastomosis Gastric Bypass.INTRODUCTION: Patients with one-anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) can develop gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The nature of this GERD (acid or biliary) remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To assess the nature of GERD via impedance pH testing in patients presenting with reflux post OAGB. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database of 43 patients with OAGB backgrounds who developed postoperative GERD and were investigated with impedance pH monitoring between 2006 and 2019. RESULTS: Mean age was 52.48 ± 9 years. Mean body mass index (BMI) prior to OAGB was 46.82 kg/m2. None of these patients had clinical GERD before surgery. The median time interval between surgery and investigation with 24-h impedance pH monitoring was 64 (56) months. The mean BMI at the time of investigations was 32.67 ± 6.9 kg/m2. The type of reflux was acid in 13 (30.2%), non-acid (biliary) in 12 (27.9%), and mixed (acid and biliary) in 5 (11.6%) patients. However, it remained not confirmed in 13 (30.2%). Median DeMeester score was 48.95 (27.67) in patients with acid, 2.8 (7.4) in patients with biliary, and 28.7 (5.6) in patients with mixed reflux. Median percent of time spent with pH < 4 was 9.65 (8) in patients with acid, 0.6 (1.75) in patients with biliary, and 7.7 (3.9) in patients with mixed reflux. CONCLUSION: Acid reflux seems to be as common as bile reflux in patients presenting with GERD after OAGB. In case of revisional surgery for severe GERD post OAGB, 24-h impedance pH monitoring could be essential to determine the surgical procedure of choice.
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A review article on gastric volvulus: a challenge to diagnosis and management.Acute gastric volvulus is a life-threatening condition, but its intermittent nature and vague symptoms may make diagnosis difficult. Imaging is usually only diagnostic if carried out when patients are symptomatic. The population affected ranges from paediatric age group to elderly with multiple co-morbidities. Laparoscopic repair is advisable once a diagnosis is reached. This review on gastric volvulus focuses on the diagnostic and management challenges encountered, together with strategies for dealing with them. Lessons have emerged which may assist in dealing with such a rare presentation in future.
