Cf hq190l

This study was conducted at the Veteran Affairs Boston Healthcare System. Two patients with normal rectum and 8 patients referred for, or undergoing endoscopic treatment with RFA for CRP were enrolled in the study between October 2013 and November 2016 (n = 10). Five of the CRP patients were RFA-naïve at the baseline visit (time of initial OCT imaging), while 3 patients had previous RFA treatments. Five of the CRP patients imaged at the baseline visit were also imaged at RFA-follow-up visits within the study period, yielding a total of 15 OCT/colonoscopy visits 2 normal patients, 5 RFA-naïve patients, 8 RFA-follow-up visits). OCT imaging was performed during scheduled colonoscopy visits immediately before the colonoscopy procedure. Standard rectal examination with the colonoscope was conducted subsequent to OCT imaging. RFA was performed in patients with active rectal bleeding and/or based on endoscopic indication. A focal ablation catheter (Barrx 90, Medtronic, MN, United States) attached to the colonoscope (CF-HQ190L or CF-2T160, Olympus, Japan) typically in the six o’clock position and applied to the rectal mucosa with the endoscope retroflexed, as previously described[16 (link)]. Patient charts were reviewed to obtain information about rectal bleeding status and hemoglobin concentrations before and after the colonoscopy visits.

Human biopsies from left-sided colon were obtained from patients undergoing colonoscopy (ethical vote 16-101-0382, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany). Written informed consent was obtained from all patients. Colonoscopy was performed using a standard high-definition endoscope (Olympus CF HQ 190L) under conscious sedation using midazolam and/or propofol. Diagnosis of liver cirrhosis was established by clinical, laboratory or imaging tests. Exclusion criteria were pregnancy, GI diseases, inflammatory conditions, HIV and hepatitis C virus infection. Characteristics of patients are given in online supplemental tables 1–5.