Postprocedural Management Research Articles

Liver abscess after drug-eluting bead chemoembolization in patients with metastatic hepatic tumors.

To investigate the incidence and risk factors for liver abscess formation after treatment with drug-eluting bead chemoembolization (DEB-TACE) in patients with metastatic hepatic tumors (MHT). The current study is a retrospective analysis of the clinical data of 137 patients with metastatic hepatic tumors who received DEB-TACE treatment in our institute (Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology) between June 2015 and September 2020. Patients were evaluated for the presence or absence of post-DEB-TACE liver abscess. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify risk factors for liver abscess formation. The incidence of liver abscess formation after the DEB-TACE procedure was 8.76% per patient and 5.53% per procedure. Univariate analysis showed that larger maximum tumor diameter (p = 0.004), Grade 1 artery occlusion (p < 0.001) and systemic chemotherapy within 3 months before the DEB-TACE procedure (p < 0.001) were all associated with liver abscess formation. However, only systemic chemotherapy within 3 months before the DEB-TACE procedure (OR 5.49; 95% CI 0.34-13.54; p < 0.001) was identified by multivariate analysis to be an independent risk factor. Tumor size, Grade 1 artery occlusion and recent systemic chemotherapy may all be associated with increased risk of liver abscess formation following DEB-TACE treatment in patients with metastatic hepatic tumors. Identification of risk factors for liver abscess formation following DEB-TACE in patients with MHT. These findings suggest the need for caution and consideration of the aforementioned risk factors on the part of interventional radiologists when designing DEB-TACE strategies and performing post-procedure patient management.

Postprocedural Troponin Elevation and Mortality After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

BackgroundThis study sought to investigate the role of postprocedural troponin elevations in mortality prediction after transcatheter aortic valve implantation and to define the threshold at which clinically relevant postprocedure myocardial injury determines mortality.Methods and ResultsA total of 1333 consecutive patients with transcatheter aortic valve implantation with available postprocedural high‐sensitivity cardiac troponin T measurements were included in the analysis. The threshold at which postprocedure myocardial injury determines long‐term mortality was identified using restricted cubic spline analysis. A >18.3‐fold increase of troponin above the upper reference limit was identified as threshold for relevant postprocedure myocardial injury. Associations remained significant in a landmark analysis between 30 days and 2 years (hazard ratio [HR], 1.61, [95% CI, 1.13–2.28]; P=0.01), after adjusting for known confounders (adjusted HR, 1.90 [95% CI, 1.40–2.57]; P<0001), and in subgroups of patients with coronary artery disease (adjusted HR, 2.17 [95% CI, 1.44–3.29]; P<0.001), renal dysfunction (adjusted HR, 1.88 [95% CI, 1.35–2.62]; P<0.001), and intermediate/high surgical risk (adjusted HR, 2.70 [95% CI, 1.40–5.22]; P=0.003).ConclusionsThis study determined a troponin threshold for the identification of patients at increased mortality risk after transcatheter aortic valve implantation. The proposed definition of postprocedure myocardial injury advances risk stratification in patients with transcatheter aortic valve implantation and may assist in postprocedural patient management.

The Attitude of Practitioners Towards Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty.

Despite widespread adoption and encouraging results seen over the last 5 years, no consensus exists regarding the endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) technique, training, or preprocedure and postprocedure management of the patient. The aim of our survey was to assess practice trends and preferences of bariatric endoscopists with respect to ESG. Using a digital platform, we conducted a worldwide survey by emailing a link with an electronic questionnaire to 1200 bariatric endoscopists trained to perform endoscopic suturing using the Apollo Overstitch suturing device (Apollo Endosurgery). We received 221 responses that were included in the analysis. Fifty-one responders (36.4%) required 1 to 10 procedures, and 37 (26.4%) needed 11 to 20 procedures to become proficient at ESG. Ninety-six (68.6%) stated that lower body mass index thresholds should be adopted for Asian and Arab patients. There was no consensus on the ideal number of sutures, with 45 (32.1%), 42 (30%), 36 (25.7%), 13 (9.3%), and 4 (2.9%) recommending 4 to 6, 5 to 7, 6 to 8, 7 to 9, and 8 to 12 sutures, respectively. The primary barriers to establishing an endobariatric program were the inability to establish a cash pay model, 77 (95.1%); lack of institutional support, 61 (75.3%); and difficulty in establishing an ambulatory surgical center/hospital to perform ESG, 73 (90.1%). ESG practice trends remain heterogenous among practitioners in regard to indication, technique, and preprocedure and postprocedure management. Specific ESG guidelines are warranted, and this survey will assist in providing the framework for these guidelines to be written.

The Art of SAPIEN 3 Transcatheter MitralValve Replacement in Valve-in-Ring and Valve-in-Mitral-Annular-Calcification Procedures.

The SAPIEN 3 is the only transcatheter heart valve commercially available for compassionate transcatheter mitral valve replacement in patients with previous mitral surgical rings and mitral annular calcification (valve in ring [VIR] and valve in mitral annular calcification [VIM]). Reported outcomes have been inconsistent or poor. The review provides an overview of the authors' approach to achieve largely consistent results despite the intrinsic limitations of SAPIEN 3 VIM and VIR. The approach includes bedside modifications of the valve implant, the delivery system, and of the cardiac substrate itself. Until purpose-built devices are readily available, VIR and VIM procedures will require aggressive multidisciplinary cooperation, meticulous planning and execution, and postprocedure management by experienced, high-volume operators.

Radiation Segmentectomy

Radiation segmentectomy is an yttrium-90 transarterial radioembolization treatment where a high radiation dose is administered to a small volume of liver to achieve a high tumoricidal dose to a target with anatomic surgical precision while sparing surrounding parenchyma. This therapeutic modality is often used to treat hepatocellular carcinoma, and recent studies have demonstrated that radiation segmentectomy is an effective treatment as a neoadjuvant to transplant, resection, or as a standalone treatment. This article provides a review of radiation segmentectomy, indications for treatment, recent outcome data, and guidelines for postprocedural management.

Periprocedural changes in natriuretic peptide levels and clinical outcome after transcatheter mitral valve repair.

AimsThis multicentre study investigated the association of periprocedural changes in the levels of N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) with clinical outcomes after transcatheter edge‐to‐edge mitral valve repair (TMVR).Methods and resultsPatients were retrospectively analysed who underwent TMVR with the MitraClip system (Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara, CA, USA) and had available sequential NT‐proBNP testing at baseline and 2 months after TMVR. Periprocedural changes in NT‐proBNP following TMVR were assessed as the percent change in NT‐proBNP between baseline and the 2 month follow‐up, and the significant reduction in NT‐proBNP was defined as a decrease of >30% in the follow‐up NT‐proBNP compared with the pre‐procedural NT‐proBNP level. Primary outcome was defined as a composite outcome consisting of all‐cause mortality and hospitalization due to heart failure from 2 months to 2 years after TMVR. Additionally, we identified the cut‐off value of pre‐procedural NT‐proBNP to predict the composite outcome using a receiver operating characteristic analysis (cut‐off: 2485 pg/mL). Of 485 patients undergoing TMVR (age: 76.2 ± 9.2 years, female: 42.1%, secondary mitral regurgitation: 67.2%), 150 patients (30.9%) had the significant reduction in NT‐proBNP (>30%) following the procedure. Patients with the NT‐proBNP reduction had a lower incidence of the composite outcome, compared with those without the reduction in NT‐proBNP (31.4% vs. 40.2%; log‐rank P = 0.03). The significant reduction in NT‐proBNP was also associated with a lower risk of the composite outcome [adjusted hazard ratio (HR): 0.67; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.45–0.97; P = 0.04], independently of pre‐procedural NT‐proBNP levels and other clinical parameters. The percent change in NT‐proBNP was associated with a linear trend of the incidence of the composite outcome (adjusted HR per 10% decrease: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.94–0.98; P < 0.001). A stratified analysis revealed that the prognostic impact of the significant reduction in NT‐proBNP was consistent among clinical subgroups, including aetiology of mitral regurgitation (P for interaction = 0.99). Higher pre‐procedural NT‐proBNP level (>2485 pg/mL) was associated with the increased risk of the composite outcome (adjusted HR: 1.50; 95% CI: 1.03–2.17; P = 0.03); however, patients with a higher pre‐procedural NT‐proBNP who achieved the significant reduction in NT‐proBNP had a similar risk of the composite outcome to those with a lower pre‐procedural NT‐proBNP.ConclusionsChanges in sequential NT‐proBNP measurements were associated with clinical outcomes within 2 years after TMVR. The assessment of NT‐proBNP dynamics may be valuable to assess the residual risk for patients undergoing TMVR and could assist with post‐procedural management after TMVR.

Cost Utility of Splenic Artery Angioembolization for High-Grade Splenic Injury

Abstract Background: Management of blunt spleen injuries has evolved from mandatory splenectomy to non-operative man-agement (NOM) allowing for splenic salvage, Splenic artery embolization (SAE) has been shown to be an effective treat-ment for hemodynamically stable patients with high-grade blunt splenic injury. However, there are no local estimates of how much treatment costs. Aim of Study: The aim of this study was to evaluate the cost of providing SAE to patients in the setting of blunt abdominal trauma with splenic injury and to determine if the costs of an added, preventative procedure (SAE) early in management of blunt splenic injury would be offset by added utility by avoiding splenectomy. Patients and Methods: This study was a retrospective cohort study from a tertiary institution (50 patients in King Khaled Hospital Trauma Center, Hail, KSA and 9 patients in Al Hussein University Hospital, Cairo, Egypt). A total of 59 patients were treated with embolization in this period for blunt trauma, and however 39 cases were excluded given the presence of multiple concomitant injuries. Isolated splenic injury treated with SAE were identified in 20 patients and included for final analysis. Of these 10 patients, none required subsequent splenectomy following SAE. Results: The mean total angiography costs were 1837.94± 405.368 $, the costs of post-procedure management of patients including all hospital costs prior to discharge with associated length of stay. Conclusion: Splenic embolization is a low-cost procedure for management of blunt splenic injury. The cost to provide SAE at our center was much lower than previously modelled data from overseas studies. Further research is advised to directly compare the cost of SAE and splenectomy in other countries.

Gallbladder: Role of Interventional Radiology.

Percutaneous cholecystostomy is an established procedure for the management of patients with acute cholecystitis and with significant medical comorbidities that would make laparoscopic cholecystectomy excessively risky. In this review, we will explore the role of percutaneous cholecystostomy in the management of acute cholecystitis as well as other applications in the management of biliary pathology. The indications, grading, technical considerations, and postprocedure management in the setting of acute cholecystitis are discussed. In addition, we will discuss the potential role of percutaneous cholecystostomy in the management of gallstones and biliary strictures, in establishing internal biliary drainage, and in a joint setting with other clinicians such as gastroenterologists in the management of complex biliary pathology.

Improving Physician Documentation of Anticoagulant and Antiplatelet Recommendations After Endoscopy: A Multifaceted, Longitudinal Quality Improvement Success Story at the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center

Careful post-procedural anticoagulation/antiplatelet (AC/AP) management is required to mitigate the risk of bleeding and/or thrombotic complications. Clearly documented recommendations for when to restart AC/AP medications after endoscopy are an essential component for ensuring high-quality post-procedure management. However, these recommendations are often missing from post-procedural documentation.

Splenic embolization in trauma: results of a survey from an international cohort.

A questionnaire regarding splenic embolization in trauma was submitted to an international sample of IR faculty members, to compare their practice to the available recommendations. A 21 multiple-choice questionnaire was sent to an international cohort of 96 IR faculty. Questions included the initial patient evaluation, embolization materials and techniques, post-procedure management, availability of an institutional protocol, and use of guidelines. For each question, there were from a minimum of 45 to a maximum of 52 responders: 94% require a CT with contrast prior to embolization, and 87% use the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) scale to grade the splenic injuries. Embolization is performed across all values of the AAST scale. Of the patients with injuries of grade III or greater, embolization is primarily done for those patients who are hemodynamically stable. Unstable patients are embolized less frequently and primarily in cases in which the injuries are of a lower grade. Coils are the preferred material for proximal embolization (69%). Particles/Gelfoam is the preferred material for distal embolization (38%). In total, 63% administer intravenous antibiotics before the procedure and 15% administer intra-arterial antibiotics during the procedure. After embolization, follow-up imaging is recommended by 87%, antibiotics are administered regularly by 33%, clinical follow-up is recommended by 73%, and vaccination against encapsulated organisms is routinely recommended by 39%. There is significant variability among a heterogeneous cohort of respondents. Available recommendations may not be sufficiently addressing the practice of splenic embolization.

PROMET: the effect of age on patient outcomes in non-laser transvenous lead extraction

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. OnBehalf PROMET group Background Cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) improve morbidity and mortality. This has fuelled an upsurge in implantation of these devices across all patient cohorts, simultaneously increasing the need for transvenous lead extractions (TLE). As the global population expands and life-expectancy extends, TLE will play a significant role in CIED management. Advancing patient age is a recognised risk factor for poor outcomes however the association between patient age and TLE outcomes remains unclear. We sought to evaluate the relationship between patient age and non-laser TLE outcomes. Method Data of 2205 patients (3849 leads) was collected retrospectively from six high-volume TLE institutes across Europe (PROMET) between January 2005-December 2018. Propensity 1:1 score matching was performed to limit the effects of confounding variables, pairing 353 patients in the &amp;gt;80 years of age category with 353 patients in &amp;lt;80 years of age group. Procedural outcomes were compared between the two age groups and multivariate regression analysis was used for predictors of 30-day mortality. Results In the &amp;lt;80 and &amp;gt;80 years-of-age cohorts, there was a similar proportion of male patients (65.3% vs 67.9%, p = 0.47) treated under general anaesthesia (96.5% vs 93.4%, p = 0.078) for a pre-dominant infectious indication (56.7% vs 60.3%, p = 0.52) but with a higher requirement of the EvolutionTM sheath in the octogenarians (39.4% vs 48.4%, p = 0.015). A similar clinical success per lead was achieved between the two age groups (96.6% vs 98%, &amp;lt;80 vs &amp;gt;80 years, p = 0.245) as was complete lead extraction (95.5% vs 96.6%, &amp;lt;80 vs &amp;gt;80 years, p = 0.44) with a comparable minor complication rate (2.3% vs 3.1%, &amp;lt;80 vs &amp;gt;80 years, p = 0.29) and major complications (1.1% vs 1.4%, &amp;lt;80 vs &amp;gt;80 years, p = 0.74). Thirty-day mortality was higher in the octogenarian cohort than the &amp;lt;80-year-olds without reaching statistical significance (5.4% vs 2.6%, p = 0.08); peri-procedural mortality was similar in both age groups (0.3% vs 0.6%, respectively, p = 0.56). Multivariate regression analysis revealed age (p = 0.013, OR 1.06 [1.01-1.12]), systemic infection (p = 0.026, OR 3.4 [1.16-10.35]) and lead dwell time (p = 0.007, OR 1.01 [1.003-1.017]) increased the odds of 30-day mortality. Conclusion Transvenous lead extraction is similar in efficacy and safety across all age groups. Thirty-day mortality is higher in the advanced age group, signifying the importance of post-procedural management in this cohort.

148 Acute Renal Infarcts from Spontaneous Intra-Renal Dissection

Abstract Spontaneous renal artery dissection and acute renal infarcts are rare occurrences and often misdiagnosed in clinical practice. We present four male patients, between 30-50 years of age, who have no underlying cardiac conditions, hypertension, or diabetes mellitus. They presented with abdominal/loin/flank pain due to spontaneous renal artery dissection and were all treated with endovascular stenting. Two patients had renal artery fibromuscular dysplasia, confirmed by CT angiogram, a rare pathology which is reported in literature to mostly affect women. All four patients recovered fully from the operation, with no post-operative complications noted. These patients were post-operatively managed medically with anti-platelet therapy for two years and did not experience any post-procedural complications at their 24-month follow up. Classically visceral artery dissection can be managed by anti-platelet therapy alone, however fibromuscular dysplasia can cause spontaneous dissection with renal infarcts and this requires urgent treatment with endovascular stents. Further research is needed on the post-procedural medical management guidelines.

The Challenge of an Acute Antithrombotic Regimen for Treatment of Tandem Lesions Stroke.

In the treatment of tandem stroke, several studies have shown the efficacy and safety of endovascular treatment. However, there are many unanswered questions regarding this treatment strategy including technical aspects as well as peri- and postprocedural antithrombotic management. The extracranial

The Polish Interventional Cardiology TAVI Survey (PICTS): 10 years of transcatheter aortic valve implantation in Poland. The landscape after the first stage of the Valve for Life Initiative.

Few studies assessed thedevelopment of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in Poland since its introduction in2008. Effects of theValve for Life Initiative in thecountry have not been reported. Theaim of thestudy was to investigate TAVI adoption and practice in Poland in theyears 2008 to2019. ThePolish Interventional Cardiology TAVI Survey (PICTS) analyzed reports of TAVI activity in all 23 TAVI centers. It consisted of 94 questions and encompassed thefollowing topics: 1) characteristics of centers; 2) theannual number of TAVI procedures in theyears 2008 to 2019; 3) pre-, intra-, and postprocedural management of patients; and 4) alist of TAVI team members. It was obligatory to answer all questions. Theregistry survey was published online. Since 2008, 102 certified operators have performed atotal of 6910 procedures. In 2019, theannual number of TAVI reached 1550 (40.38 implants per 1000000 inhabitants). Among patients aged65 years and older, TAVI penetration rate was 18.65% in2019. Inoperable and high-risk patients were treated in all centers, while 18 also treated medium- and 5 treated low-risk individuals. Therate of transfemoral implantations increased to 93.5% of all procedures. Thesurvey highlighted aslow increase in therate of TAVI adoption in Poland. We found asignificant treatment gap in patients with severe aortic stenosis. Remarkable regional variations in TAVI experience exist among Polish TAVI centers. Further multinational cooperation is warranted to tackle theidentified limitations in access to this life-saving procedure.

ACUTE LIMB ISCHEMIA: AN UPDATE ON DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT

Acute Ischemic Limb (ALI) is a condition in which there is a sudden decrease in perfusion of stool caused by thrombus and embolism. The thrombus in question is derived from the development of arterial disease, aortic dissection, thrombus graft, aneurysm, hypercoagulability, iatrogenic and other.This review presents an update on the diagnosis and management of acute limb ischemia (ALI), a severe condition associated with high mortality and amputation rates. A comprehensive spectrum of ALI etiology is presented, with highlights on embolism and in situ thrombosis. The steps for emergency diagnosis are described, emphasizing the role of clinical data and imaging, mainly duplex ultrasound, CT angiography and digital substraction angiography. The different therapeutic techniques are presented, ranging from pharmacological (thrombolysis) to interventional (thromboaspiration, mechanical thrombectomy, and stent implantation) techniques to established surgical revascularization (Fogarty thrombembolectomy, by-pass, endarterectomy, patch angioplasty or combinations) and minor or major amputation of necessity. Postprocedural management, reperfusion injury, compartment syndrome and long-term treatment are also updated

The pre-operative and post-operative imaging appearances of urethral strictures and surgical techniques.

Urethral strictures arise from a variety of etiologies, most commonly either iatrogenic or inflammatory in the anterior urethra and iatrogenic/surgical or traumatic etiologies in the posterior urethra. Diagnosis and treatment planning depend on urethrography, usually performed with a combination of retrograde urethrography (RUG) and voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) to evaluate the anterior and posterior urethra, respectively. While this is most commonly performed fluoroscopically, sonographic urethrography is an alternative, although at the expense of the posterior urethra, it is only visualized using a transrectal approach. In addition to understand urethral anatomy, familiarity with normal periurethral structures is necessary to avoid misdiagnosis, such as Cowper's ducts, the glands of Littré, and the prostatic and ejaculatory ducts. Surgical management depends on the stricture location, length, and number and options range from balloon dilatation to endoscopic urethrotomy to anastomotic and substitution urethrotomy. Postprocedural management includes urethrography to identify potential complications including urethral leak, graft failure, and stricture recurrence.

Antithrombotic therapy after transcatheter aortic valve replacement: current perspective.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has expanded as a treatment option for severe aortic stenosis throughout the surgical risk spectrum. Decreasing procedural risk and inclusion of lower risk population has shifted the focus to optimization of postprocedural management and balancing the thrombotic and bleeding complications. In this review, we outline various patient and procedure related factors affecting choice of antithrombotic therapy post TAVR and provide an update of recent development in this area. Multiple studies have confirmed the high incidence of both ischemic and bleeding complications in the early to midterm post-TAVR. In addition, new data has emerged for the role of high resolution computed tomography to detect decreased leaflet mobility and leaflet micro thrombi associated with implications for bioprosthetic valve dysfunction and cerebrovascular events post TAVR. Randomized clinical trials have reported increased bleeding with dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) and oral anticoagulation (OAC) plus antiplatelet therapy. These findings suggest that aspirin monotherapy or OAC monotherapy likely provides the appropriate balance for antithrombotic protection and risk of bleeding. Majority of patients undergoing TAVR have multiple comorbidities and are at increased risk of ischemic and bleeding complications. In the absence of robust clinical evidence, there is significant variability among guideline recommendations and antithrombotic therapy post TAVR across institutions. The available evidence confirms a high rate of bleeding with more potent and prolonged antithrombotic regimens without a documented benefit for clinical endpoints. The authors favor a conservative anti thrombotic approach and suggest monotherapy with aspirin or systemic anticoagulation based upon an individual's risk of thromboembolic complications. DAPT is reserved for patients with recent stenting and OAC plus aspirin is prescribed for patients with established CAD in the post TAVR setting.

Endoscopic management of enteral tubes in adult patients - Part 2: Peri- and post-procedural management. European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) Guideline.

ESGE recommends the "pull" technique as the standard method for percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) placement.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence.ESGE recommends the direct percutaneous introducer ("push") technique for PEG placement in cases where the "pull" method is contraindicated, for example in severe esophageal stenosis or in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) or esophageal cancer.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence.ESGE recommends the intravenous administration of a prophylactic single dose of a beta-lactam antibiotic (or appropriate alternative antibiotic, in the case of allergy) to decrease the risk of post-procedural wound infection.Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence.ESGE recommends that inadvertent insertion of a nasogastric tube (NGT) into the respiratory tract should be considered a serious but avoidable adverse event (AE).Strong recommendation, low quality evidence.ESGE recommends that each institution should have a dedicated protocol to confirm correct positioning of NGTs placed "blindly" at the patient's bedside; this should include: radiography, pH testing of the aspirate, and end-tidal carbon dioxide monitoring, but not auscultation alone.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence.ESGE recommends confirmation of correct NGT placement by radiography in high-risk patients (intensive care unit [ICU] patients or those with altered consciousness or absent gag/cough reflex).Strong recommendation, low quality evidence.ESGE recommends that EN may be started within 3 - 4 hours after uncomplicated placement of a PEG or PEG-J.Strong recommendation, high quality evidence.ESGE recommends that daily tube mobilization (pushing inward) along with a loose position of the external PEG bumper (1 - 2 cm from the abdominal wall) could mitigate the risk of development of buried bumper syndrome.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence.

Percutaneous Thermal Ablation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Percutaneous thermal ablation is a commonly used treatment for focal hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), particularly effective for small and early-stage tumors (<3 cm in diameter). When executed expertly in appropriately selected patients, ablation may be curative with survival outcomes similar to surgical resection.[1] [2] [3] In the United States, heat-based modalities such as radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and microwave ablation (MWA) are favored due to the ability to quickly generate coagulation necrosis and help maintain hemostasis. Herein, we will review our recommended patient section parameters, preprocedural management, heat-based ablation techniques for commonly encountered scenarios, and postprocedural management.

Age and pain score before gastrointestinal endoscopies in children are predictors for post procedure pain

BackgroundGastrointestinal endoscopy may be associated with pain and anxiety. Predictors for high pain scores after endoscopies in children are not known. The aim of our study was to identify risk factors for prolonged recovery and higher pain scores after gastrointestinal endoscopy in children.MethodsAll the children that were electively admitted for gastrointestinal endoscopies were included. We retrospectively collected demographic, clinical and endoscopic data as well as information on the recovery process. A numerical rating scale and the Faces, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability Scale were used for pain scoring.ResultsDuring the study period (01/2016–10/2016), 284 children (median age 10.7 years, interquartile range 6.7–14.8) were recruited. In a univariate analysis, older age, higher pre-procedure pain scores, longer procedure durations, higher number of biopsies and longer recovery duration were associated with higher post-procedure pain scores. In a multivariate analysis higher pain scores before the procedure (OR 12.42, 95% CI 3.67–42, P < 0.001) and older age (OR 1.016, 95% CI 1.007–1.025, P < 0.001) were associated with higher pain scores after the procedure. Children with a higher pain score before the procedure also had a longer recovery period (OR 5.28, 95% CI (1.93–14.49), P = 0.001).ConclusionOlder age and higher pain score before the procedure were identified as predictors for higher pain score after pediatric gastrointestinal endoscopies. Children with these risk factors should be identified before the procedure in order to personalize their post-procedure management.