Publications by authors named "Roberto Valente"

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is associated with gas embolism, which is often fatal when observed through clinical signs. Here we report the only case, to our knowledge, of a survivor of paradoxal gas embolism with a patent foramen ovale during ERCP. The patient suffered respiratory collapse with unmeasurable end-tidal carbon dioxide and severe hypoxemia.

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  • The ESGE endorses the use of computer-aided detection (CADe) with AI in colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening based on expert opinions and systematic reviews of current evidence.
  • A majority of panel members voted in favor of recommending CADe, citing potential benefits in reducing colorectal cancer incidence and mortality.
  • However, the recommendation is considered weak due to limited evidence, small absolute benefits, and potential drawbacks such as overdiagnosis and increased surveillance burden for patients.
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Pancreatic surgery is a complex and challenging field, with patients facing a high risk of postoperative complications. In recent years, indocyanine green (ICG) has gained prominence as a valuable tool used in various aspects of pancreatic surgery. ICG is a fluorescent dye that offers real-time imaging capabilities that enhance the surgeon's ability to accurately localize tumors and critical anatomical structures, thereby improving surgical precision and potentially reducing operative time and complications.

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Background: The effectiveness and preferred reconstruction methods of pancreatectomy associated with vein resection (PAVR) for pancreatic cancer, especially for the extensive portal vein/superior mesenteric vein (PV/SMV) resections (more than 4 cm), are still subjects of debate. The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety and feasibility of PAVR by analyzing data from two large institutions from different regions.

Methods: From 2008 to 2018, we identified consecutive series of patients with pancreatic cancer who underwent PAVR at Karolinska University Hospital (KUH), Sweden, and Cancer Institute Hospital, Japanese Foundation of Cancer Research (JFCR), Japan.

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Background: Pancreatectomy with venous resection (PVR) is nowadays considered standard. However, there is still concern about increased postoperative morbidity and impaired long-term outcome depending on the type of venous resection and reconstruction. The aim was to investigate the predictors of morbidity and long-term survival in patients undergoing PVR in a high-volume center.

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Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) display four histological subtypes: gastric foveolar, pancreaticobiliary, intestinal, and oncocytic. All of these subtypes harbor a different risk of cancer development. The clinical impact of these subtypes concerning the occurrence of high-grade dysplasia (HGD)/cancer (C) in specific morphological types, such as branch-duct (BD), main-duct (MD), and mixed-type (MT) IPMNs, has been less investigated.

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  • The REDISCOVER consensus conference focused on creating guidelines for the perioperative care of patients with borderline-resectable and locally advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).
  • Using a structured methodology and expert consensus, the conference developed 34 recommendations on various aspects of surgical care, patient selection, and management of pancreatic cancer.
  • Despite the low evidence quality for most recommendations, participants highlighted the importance of establishing an international registry to enhance understanding and care for this patient group.
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The pancreas has two main functions: to produce and secrete digestive enzymes (exocrine function) and to produce hormones that regulate blood glucose and splanchnic secretion (endocrine function). The endocrine and exocrine portions of the pancreas are central regulators in digestion and metabolism, with continuous crosstalk between their deeply interconnected components, which plays a role in disease. Pancreatic neoplasms, inflammation, trauma, and surgery can lead to the development of type 3c diabetes when an insult simultaneously damages both acini and islets, leading to exocrine and endocrine dysfunction.

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Pancreatic cancer is a highly lethal disease with a rising incidence. It is projected to become the second-leading cause of cancer-related mortality by 2030. The staging of pancreatic cancer can be broadly categorized into three groups: resectable cancers, locally advanced or borderline resectable cancers, and metastatic cancers.

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Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a typical refractory malignancy, and many patients have distant organ metastases at diagnosis, such as liver metastasis and peritoneal dissemination. The standard treatment for unresectable PDAC with distant organ metastasis (UR-M) is chemotherapy, but the prognosis remained poor. However, with recent dramatic developments in chemotherapy, the prognosis has gradually improved, and some patients have experienced marked shrinkage or disappearance of their metastatic lesions.

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Background: Trauma to the pancreas is rare but associated with significant morbidity. Currently available management guidelines are based on low-quality evidence and data on long-term outcomes is lacking. This study aimed to evaluate clinical characteristics and patient-reported long-term outcomes for pancreatic injury.

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  • Intraoperative pancreatoscopy is a new method that helps doctors during surgery to check for certain types of pancreatic tumors called IPMNs.
  • The study looked at 46 patients, and the procedure helped doctors make better decisions in 65% of the cases, sometimes leading to more surgery needed to remove dangerous growths.
  • Combining this method with another analysis showed a high chance of correctly identifying problematic tissue, making the procedure safe and useful for patients.
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Hospital bed shortage is a worldwide concern. Their unavailability has caused elective surgery cancellations at our hospital peaking in spring 2016 at over 50%. This is often due to difficult patient step-down from intensive care (ICU) and high-dependency units (HDU).

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Background: Predicting Post-Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) pancreatitis (PEP) risk can be determinant in reducing its incidence and managing patients appropriately, however studies conducted thus far have identified single-risk factors with standard statistical approaches and limited accuracy.

Aim: To build and evaluate performances of machine learning (ML) models to predict PEP probability and identify relevant features.

Methods: A proof-of-concept study was performed on ML application on an international, multicenter, prospective cohort of ERCP patients.

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Background: Chemoprevention's ability to slow down or prevent the progression of BD-IPMNs is extremely appealing. Aspirin (ASA), Ace Inhibitors/Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (ACEIs/ARBs) and Statins (STATs) are frequently prescribed drugs with a possible beneficial effect on different cancer types. Their effect on IPMNs is largely unknown.

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Background ad aim of workː the position of Italian law regarding participation of prophylactically treated hemophiliacs to organized sport trainings and competitions remains unclear and this study focuses on the eligibility of pediatric patients in particular. Methodsː 16 patients age 3 to 15 years old, with severe haemophilia and prophylaxis starting age of 20,2 ± 2,2 months were enrolled. Weight, height, body mass index (BMI) and joint status (Hemophilia Joint Health Score [HJHS] and Haemophilia Early Arthropathy Detection with UltraSound, HEAD-US score) of patients were evaluated at start (T0) and after 12 months (T12) of a HIITS sport activity program.

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Background: Distinguishing intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) from other pancreatic cystic lesions is essential since IPMNs carry the risk of becoming malignant. Differentiating the main pancreatic duct involving IPMNs (MD-IPMNs) through conventional imaging is deficient. Single-operator peroral pancreatoscopy (SOPP) represents a promising method offering additional information on suspected lesions in the pancreatic main duct (MD).

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  • This study evaluates the effectiveness of cyst volume and morphology in predicting malignancy in intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN), specifically focusing on branch-duct (BD) and mixed-type cases while excluding solid pancreatic masses.
  • A retrospective analysis of 106 patients showed that neither cyst volume nor elongation value significantly predicted malignancy, while features like contrast-enhancing mural nodules, main pancreatic duct size ≥ 5 mm, and elevated CA 19-9 serum levels were associated with a higher likelihood of cancer.
  • The findings suggest that clinical attention should be redirected towards these specific imaging features rather than relying on volumetric analysis for assessing malignancy risk in patients with
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Background: Few studies compared lumen-apposing metal stents (LAMS) and standard double pigtail plastic stents (PS) for the endoscopic drainage of pancreatic walled-off necrosis (WON). Albeit sometimes large, previously described cohorts display considerable heterogeneity and often pooled together data from several centers, involving multiple operators and techniques. Moreover, they often lack a control group for the comparison of outcomes.

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  • Emerging research highlights the potential link between the gut microbiome and pancreatic cancer, but growing the cancer-associated microbiome is challenging.
  • A pilot study cultivated microbiomes from pancreatic cystic lesions, with successful cultures primarily found in intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) lesions.
  • Analysis revealed that certain bacteria, especially Gammaproteobacteria, showed pathogenic traits in pancreatic cell lines, suggesting they may contribute to cancer development through mechanisms like DNA damage.
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