Diagnosis and therapy of peristomal skin lesions are challenging for the majority of therapists. Established diagnostic tools have not yet been validated. Our objective was to outline the spectrum of and to identify risk factors for skin lesions in ostomy patients. A focus was set on peristomal ulcerations and their differentiation as peristomal pyoderma gangrenosum.

Real-world data on the management of patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) are so far scarce in Germany. Therefore, we aimed to establish a nationwide registry and describe the clinical characteristics and therapy of PBC patients.Three different cohorts defined as ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) responders, as inadequate responders according to Paris II criteria, and as newly diagnosed patients were prospectively recruited.This manuscript includes the baseline data of the project.In total, 33/77 (43%) contacted centres (58% of university hospitals, 38% of non-university hospitals, and 24% of private practices) recruited 515 patients including 204 UDCA responders, 221 inadequate responders to UDCA, and 90 newly diagnosed patients.All patients were treated with UDCA; however, a UDCA dosage below the recommended dosage of 13 mg/kg/d was observed in 38.5% of individuals after 12 months of treatment. UDCA dosages were lower in nonacademic compared to academic centres.Only 75/219 (38.5%) of inadequate responders to UDCA received a second-line therapy with obeticholic acid (OCA) and/or bezafibrate (BZF). OCA (13% vs. 4.5%) and BZF (14% vs. 6.5%) were significantly more often prescribed by academic vs. nonacademic centres.Pruritus (27% vs. 15.5%), fatigue (23% vs. 4.5%), and sicca syndrome (14% vs. 1%) were significantly more often reported by academic centres.The German PBC registry could be established, which indicates suboptimal therapy in a relevant proportion of patients and shows significant differences between academic and nonacademic centres. Results are fundamental to improving clinical management at different levels of care.

Based on new insights into the aetiology and pathogenesis of gastric marginal-zone B-cell lymphoma of MALT (MALT-lymphoma) and its histomorphological and molecular characteristics, important progress in our understanding of the disease and its clinical management has been made during the last decades. A landmark in this development was the identification of as the decisive pathogenetic factor for gastric MALT lymphoma. We, here, give an overview about the history and the current knowledge of the histology, genetics, and molecular characteristics and pathogenesis of gastric MALT lymphoma. We then focus on how these findings have fundamentally changed its clinical management over the last three decades with consequent deescalating therapeutic strategies.

Idiopathic and secondary megacolon (MC) and megarectum (MR) in adults is associated with persistent bowel dilatation and reduced intestinal motility. Little is known about the optimal treatment of this rare disease. Therefore, we retrospectively analysed long-term data from these patients in 5 community and university hospitals, focusing on conservative versus surgical treatment.

Numerous conditions may lead to gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB). Compared with common causes, hemosuccus pancreaticus (HP) is a scarce and potentially life-threatening condition.

Acquiring diagnostic ultrasound competencies and skills is crucial in modern health care, and achieving the practical experience is vital in developing the necessary anatomy interpretation and scan acquisition skills. However, traditional teaching methods may not be sufficient to provide hands-on practice, which is essential for this skill acquisition. This paper explores various modalities and instructors involved in ultrasound education to identify the most effective approaches. The field of ultrasound instruction is enriched by the diverse roles of physicians, anatomists, peer tutors, and sonographers. All these healthcare professionals can inspire and empower the next generation of ultrasound practitioners with continuous training and support. Physicians bring their clinical expertise to the table, while anatomists enhance the understanding of anatomical knowledge through ultrasound integration. Peer tutors, often medical students, provide a layer of social congruence and motivation to the learning process. Sonographers provide intensive practical experience and structured learning plans to students. By combining different instructors and teaching methods, success can be achieved in ultrasound education. An ultrasound curriculum organized by experts in the field can lead to more efficient use of resources and better learning outcomes. Empowering students through peer-assisted learning can also ease the burden on faculty. Every instructor must receive comprehensive didactic training to ensure high-quality education in diagnostic ultrasound.

The aim of the interdisciplinary S2k guideline "Acute infectious gastroenteritis in infants, children and adolescents" is to summarise the current state of knowledge on the clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment, prevention and hygiene of acute infectious gastroenteritis, including nosocomial gastrointestinal infections, in infants, children and adolescents on the basis of scientific evidence, to evaluate it by expert consensus and to derive practice-relevant recommendations from it. The guideline provides a corridor for action for frequent decisions. It also serves the purpose of evidence-based further education and training and is thus intended to improve the medical care of children with acute gastroenteritis. In particular, the guideline aims to avoid unnecessary hospitalisation of children with AGE and to take preventive measures to avoid and spread infection.

The current standard of care for the definitive surgical treatment of complicative ulcerative colitis is a continence-preserving proctocolectomy with the creation of an ileal pouch anal anastomosis. In addition to structural and functional disorders, pouchitis of the J-pouch is a common phenomenon, typically well responsive to antimicrobial therapy. However, sometimes chronic antibiotic-refractory pouchitis occurs, most often due to not completely understood multifactorial pathomechanisms. While high-quality evidence is available only for anti-integrin therapy, the role of advanced therapy, i.e., cytokine-antibodies or small molecules in the treatment of chronic antibiotic-refractory pouchitis (CARP), is emerging.This case demonstrates a successful induction treatment of CARP with the novel p19-selective IL-23-targeted antibody mirikizumab.

Dysphagia is a common symptom in patients presenting to the gastroenterologist. However, extraluminal causes of dysphagia may be missed by endoluminal diagnosis alone. This case report presents a 72-year-old man with slowly progressive dysphagia that occurred with the ingestion of certain solid foods and was intermittently associated with severe aspiration. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy and barium swallow study were both normal. However, a conventional x-ray and computed tomography (CT) scan of the neck revealed diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (Forestier's disease) of the anterior cervical spine (C2-C7). Fiber endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) revealed functionally incomplete emptying of the oral cavity during swallowing, and the patient reported dysphagia score (EAT-10) was 23 (normal < 3). Surgical removal of the hyperostosis (C3-C6) resulted in immediate and sustained improvement in dysphagia at 3 months.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography [ERCP] is a complex procedure with a flat learning curve. It is associated with the risk of serious complications such as pancreatitis, bleeding, cholangitis and perforation. Endosonography should therefore also be offered for the precise indication of the higher-risk ERCP. Numerous factors influence the success of ERCP. In addition to structured training for the initial acquisition of skills and a minimum number of ERCPs of varying degrees of difficulty, maintaining a good quality of ERCP also requires a regular minimum number of examinations performed per year. There is extensive evidence that shows a significant correlation between ERCP volumes and primary success rates, lower lengths of hospital stay, fewer unwanted readmissions and fewer complications. The cut-offs for differentiating between high-volume and low-volume centers were chosen inconsistently in the studies, with the highest evidence for a cut-off value of 200 ERCPs/year. The question of specialization in ERCP has been given a relevance by the current developments in german hospital reform. Here, a minimum number of ERCPs should be defined for groups of different specialization. However, a minimum number alone will not be able to achieve good treatment quality. In terms of high-quality patient care, it is necessary to offer ERCPs in specialized gastroenterology center, which, in addition to a sufficient number of ERCPs for training and to maintain competence, offer an on-call service and complementary procedures such as EUS and which are embedded in appropriately accessible clinics that have the necessary resources for complication management.

Giant appendicoliths (defined as appendiceal stones larger than 2 cm in size) are rare findings, with less than 20 well-documented reported cases. Appendicoliths, in general, are linked to an increased risk of appendicitis and associated complications. However, little information is available on the clinical impact of giant appendicoliths. We present a case of a giant appendicolith accidentally discovered during screening colonoscopy. With more than 4 cm, this appendicolith is one of the largest of the few reported so far. In contrast to all other cases of giant appendicoliths, the patient did not exhibit any symptoms. Additionally, we provide an overview of giant appendicolith cases, discussing their clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment.