The role of Helicobacter pylori eradication is still not clear in endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD)-induced artificial ulcer. This study investigates the therapeutic effects of H. pylori eradication on ESD-induced artificial ulcers.

Eighty-four patients with ESD-induced artificial ulcers were enrolled. H. pylori eradication success subgroup (Group A1) and H. pylori eradication failure subgroups (Group A2) received standard triple therapy orally for 7 days, followed by esomeprazole 20 mg bis in die (bid) orally for the remainder of the treatment period (4 weeks in total). The H. pylori positive (Group B1) and H. pylori negative subgroups (Group B2) received esomeprazole 20 mg bid orally for 4 weeks. Ulcer healing was evaluated by gastroscopy, and H. pylori was identified by a C13 breath test or an Hp-RUT 2 and 6 months after treatment.

Successful eradication of H. pylori can promote healing of ESD-induced artificial ulcers. The ESD-induced artificial ulcer healing rate in Group A1 was statistically higher than that in Groups A2, B1, and B2.

Our results indicated that early H. pylori eradication therapy can promote ESD-induced artificial ulcer healing in H. pylori positive patients with ESD-induced artificial ulcers.

Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society (JGES) has compiled a set of guidelines for endoscopic management of non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding using evidence-based methods. The major cause of non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding is peptic gastroduodenal ulcer bleeding. As a result, these guidelines mainly focus on peptic gastroduodenal ulcer bleeding, although bleeding from other causes is also overviewed. From the epidemiological aspect, in recent years in Japan, bleeding from drug-related ulcers has become predominant in comparison with bleeding from Helicobacter pylori (HP)-related ulcers, owing to an increase in the aging population and coverage of HP eradication therapy by national health insurance. As for treatment, endoscopic hemostasis, in which there are a variety of methods, is considered to be the first-line treatment for bleeding from almost all causes. It is very important to precisely evaluate the severity of the patient's condition and stabilize the patient's vital signs with intensive care for successful endoscopic hemostasis. Additionally, use of antisecretory agents is recommended to prevent rebleeding after endoscopic hemostasis, especially for gastroduodenal ulcer bleeding. Eighteen statements with evidence and recommendation levels have been made by the JGES committee of these guidelines according to evidence obtained from clinical research studies. However, some of the statements that are supported by a low level of evidence must be confirmed by further clinical research.

Proton pump inhibitor (PPI) was the main prescription for gastric ulcer after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). Some randomized controlled trials showed that a combination of rebamipide and PPI appears to be more efficient than PPI alone for the treatment of ESD-induced gastric ulcer. However, the sample sizes in these trials were limited and the conclusions were underpowered.This meta-analysis was conducted with 5 randomized controlled trials using the combination of rebamipide and PPI for healing ESD-induced ulcer compared with PPI monotherapy. Relevant studies were searched via MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases by using terms such as "rebamipide," "proton pump inhibitor," "endoscopic submucosal dissection," "drug therapy," and "gastric ulcer or artificial ulcer."Five studies were included in this meta-analysis. The number of total patients was 626, with 317 patients in the combination group and 309 patients in the PPI alone group. The heterogeneity among these 5 studies was low (I = 22%, P = 0.28). All 5 studies considered scarring stage 1 rate as a primary endpoint, and the scarring stage 1 rate in combination group (115/317) was higher than that in PPI alone group (63/309) (odds ratio 2.61, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.76-3.88). The mean difference of initial ulcer size between 2 groups was -4.46 (95% CI -266.61 to -257.69, P = 0.97), but it enlarged to 68.38 (95% CI 35.72-101.05, P < 0.00001) in the 4th week.This meta-analysis demonstrates that combination therapy is more efficient than PPI monotherapy in healing ESD-induced gastric ulcer.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for superficial gastric neoplasm is a curative method. The aim of this study was to detect potential nonbleeding visible vessels (NBVVs) by using an infrared imaging (IRI) system.

A total of 24 patients (25 lesions) were consecutively enrolled between March 2010 and December 2010. The day after ESD, endoscopist A (K.M.), who was blinded to the actual procedure of ESD, performed esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) of the post-ESD ulcer base using the IRI system. Endoscopist A marked gray/blue points in the hard-copy images with the IRI system. After the first procedure, endoscopist B (Y.Y.), who was blinded to the results recorded by endoscopist A, performed a second EGD with white light endoscopy and administered water-jet pressure with the maximum level of an Olympus flushing pump onto the post-ESD ulcer base. This test can cause iatrogenic bleeding via application of pressure to NBVV in the post-ESD ulcer.

The IRI system detected 58 gray points and 71 blue points. The post-ESD ulcer was divided into the central area and the peripheral area. There were 14 gray points (24 %) in the central area and 44 gray points (76 %) in the peripheral area. There were 19 blue points (27 %) in the central area and 52 blue points (73 %) in the peripheral area. There was no significant difference when comparing the distribution of gray points and blue points. Bleeding occurred with a water-jet pressure in 11 of 58 gray points and in none of the blue points (P = 0.000478). Among the gray points, bleeding in response to a water-jet pressure occurred in 2 points in the central area and in 9 points in the peripheral area.

The IRI system detects visible vessels (VVs) that are in no need of coagulation as blue points, and VVs have a potential risk of bleeding as gray points.

Gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) causes artificial gastric ulcers and there is no consensus regarding the optimal perioperative management in terms of prevention of intra- or postoperative bleeding and promotion of healing. Traditionally, 8-week administration of proton pump inhibitors (PPI) and mucosal protective agents were used in the same way as for peptic ulcer management. However, recent studies have revealed that prior use of PPI might reduce intraoperative bleeding or early-phase postoperative bleeding, and combination of histamine-2 receptor antagonist (H2RA), and second-look endoscopy might have a similar effect on postoperative bleeding to PPI. Additionally, the advantage of PPI over H2RA is not proven and the optimal duration of PPI may be shortened until 2 weeks when the deteriorating factors for ESD ulcer are excluded. Furthermore, mucosal protective agents may facilitate ulcer healing. Further studies are needed to determine the optimal treatment protocol before and after ESD for both prevention of bleeding complication and promotion of ulcer healing, by using available antisecretory agents and mucosal protective agents.