outcomes of preoperative endoscopic nasobiliary drainage and endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage for malignant distal biliary obstruction prior to pancreaticoduodenectomy

AIM to compare the outcomes of preoperative endoscopic nasobiliary drainage (ENBD) and endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage (ERBD) in patients with malignant distal biliary obstruction prior to pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). METHODS Data from 153 consecutive patients who underwent preoperative endoscopic biliary drainage prior to PD between January 2009 and July 2016 were analyzed. We compared the clinical data, procedure-related complications of endoscopic biliary drainage (EBD) and postoperative complications of PD between the ENBD and ERBD groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses with odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were used to identify the risk factors for deep abdominal infection after PD. RESULTS One hundred and two (66.7%) patients underwent ENBD, and 51 (33.3%) patients underwent ERBD. Endoscopic sphincterotomy was less frequently performed in the ENBD group than in the ERBD group (P = 0.039); the EBD duration in the ENBD group was shorter than that in the ERBD group (P = 0.036). After EBD, the levels of total bilirubin (TB) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were obviously decreased in both groups, and the decreases of TB and ALT in the ERBD group were greater than those in the ENBD group (P = 0.004 and P = 0.000, respectively). However, the rate of EBD procedure-related cholangitis was significantly higher in the ERBD group than in the ENBD group (P = 0.007). The postoperative complications of PD as graded by the Clavien-Dindo classification system were not significantly different between the two groups (P = 0.864). However, the incidence of deep abdominal infection after PD was significantly lower in the ENBD group than in the ERBD group (P = 0.019). Male gender (OR = 3.92; 95% CI: 1.63-9.47; P = 0.002), soft pancreas texture (OR = 3.60; 95% CI: 1.37-9.49; P = 0.009), length of biliary stricture (= 1.5 cm) (OR = 5.20; 95% CI: 2.23-12.16; P = 0.000) and ERBD method (OR = 4.08; 95% CI: 1.69-9.87; P = 0.002) were independent risk factors for deep abdominal infection after PD. CONCLUSION ENBD is an optimal method for patients with malignant distal biliary obstruction prior to PD. ERBD is superior to ENBD in terms of patient tolerance and the effect of biliary drainage but is associated with an increased risk of EBD procedure-related cholangitis and deep abdominal infection after PD. (C) The Author(s) 2017. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.

Biliary drainage for obstructive jaundice caused by unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: the endoscopic versus percutaneous approach

BACKGROUND: For palliative treatment of the obstructive jaundice associated with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) or endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage (ERBD) has been performed. PTBD is preferred as an initial procedure. Little is known about the better option for patients with obstructive jaundice caused by unresectable HCC. METHODS: Sixty patients who had received ERBD or PTBD for the palliative treatment of obstructive jaundice caused by unresectable HCC between January 2006 and May 2010 were included in this retrospective study. Successful drainage, drainage patency, and the overall survival of patients were evaluated. RESULTS: Univariate analysis revealed that the overall frequency of successful drainage was higher in the ERBD group (22/29, 75.9%) than in the PTBD group (15/31, 48.4%) (P=0.029); but multivariate analysis showed marginal significance (P=0.057). The duration of drainage patency was longer in the ERBD group than in the PTBD group (82 vs 37 days, respectively, P=0.020). Regardless of what procedure was performed, the median survival time of patients who had a successful drainage was much longer than that of the patients who did not have a successful drainage (143 vs 38 days, respectively, P<0.001).CONCLUSION: Besides PTBD, ERBD may be used as the initial treatment option to improve obstructive jaundice in patients with unresectable HCC if there is a longer duration of drainage patency after a successful drainage.

Application of endoscopic nasobiliary cutting in the treatment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma

Objective The aim of the study was to study the clinical efficacy and prognosis of endoscopicallycutting the nasobiliary duct and leaving its residual segment as a biliary stent in the treatment of hilarcholangiocarcinoma (HC).Methods The clinical data of 55 patients with HC treated by endoscopic biliary drainage at theGastrointestinal Endoscopy Center of our hospital (Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, China) fromAugust 2017 to August 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. According to different drainage schemes,patients were divided into the endoscopic nasobiliary cutting group (n = 26) and the endoscopic retrogradebiliary drainage (ERBD) group (n = 29). The postoperative liver function indexes, incidence of postoperativecomplications, median patency period of stents, and median survival time of patients were comparedbetween the two groups.Results Liver function indexes (total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase, aspartateaminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase) were significantly decreased in55 patients a week postoperaticely (P < 0.05), and decreases in liver function indexes in the endoscopicnasobiliary cutting group were more significant than those in the ERBD group (P < 0.05). The incidenceof biliary tract infection in the endoscopic nasobiliary cutting group was significantly lower than that in theERBD group (15.40% vs. 41.4%, P < 0.05). In the endoscopic nasobiliary cutting subgroups, there were 1and 3 cases of biliary tract infection in the gastric antrum cutting group (n = 21) and duodenal papilla cuttinggroup (n = 5), respectively, and 0 cases and 2 cases of displacement, respectively;there was a statisticallysignificant difference in terms of complications between the two subgroups (P < 0.05). The median patencyperiod (190 days) and median survival time (230 days) in the nasobiliary duct cutting group were higherthan those (169 days and 202 days) in the ERBD group, but there was no significant difference (P > 0.05).Conclusion The nasobiliary duct was cut by using endoscopic scissors in Stage II after the bile was fullydrained through the nasobiliary duct. The residual segment could still support the bile duct and drain bile.The reduction of jaundice and the recovery of liver enzymes were significant, and the incidence of biliarytract infection was low. Cutting off the nasobiliary duct at the duodenal papilla results in a higher incidenceof biliary tract infection, and the residual segment of the nasobiliary duct is more likely to be displaced.Endoscopic nasobiliary-cutting drainage is an effective, simple, and safe method to reduce jaundice in thepalliative treatment of HC.

Changes over time in treatment for obstructive jaundice

This editorial discusses an article by Peng et al.This study reviewed the efficacy and safety of a new approach for treating obstructive jaundice.Although the pathophysiology of obstructive jaundice has not yet been fully elucidated,pro-gress has been made in its management.There are two aspects of obstructive jaundice:Cholestatic status and absence of bile in the intestinal lumen.Internal biliary drainage resolved both the conditions.Clinically,endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage(ERBD)has replaced percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage,and ERBD is transitioning to endoscopic ultrasound guided biliary drainage.This editorial briefly explains the mechanism and treatment of obstructive jaundice and the prospects of this new internal biliary drainage technique.

Successful endoscopic procedures for intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct:A case report

Attention has recently been focused on biliary papillary tumors as the novel disease entity intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct(IPNB),which consists of papillary proliferation of dysplastic biliary epithelium.As even benign papillary tumors are considered as premalignant,some investigators recommend aggressive surgical therapy for IPNB,although no guidelines are available to manage this disease.Few reports have described long-term follow-up of patients with benign IPNB without radical resection.If patients with IPNB who are treated only with endoscopic procedures are noted,clinical profiles and alternative therapies other than resection may be recommended.We report the case of a patient who experienced repetitive cholangitis for 10 years and was finally diagnosed with IPNB.Radical resection could not be recommended because of the age of the patient,therefore,endoscopic sphincterotomy was performed.Although an endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage catheter was placed several times for repetitive cholangitis,the patient has done well during follow-up.Our case may offer insights into the natural course and management decisions for the novel disease entity of IPNB.

Palliative surgery for hilar cholangiocarcinoma

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the results of palliative surgical treatment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma in terms of quality of life, survival period and cholangitis rate. MFTHODS: The clinical data on 232 patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma in the last 22 years were analyzed retrospectively. Palliative operations included extrahepatic or intrahepatie choledochojejunostomy (123 patients), bridge internal drainage (15), endoscopic biliary drainage (49), percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage or celiotomy biliary drainage (29), and exploratory celiotomy external drainage (16). RESULTS: In this series, the operative mortality rate was 9.1%, and no significant difference was observed between groups. The rate of cholangitis after operation was significantly lower in Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomy group (16.2%) and bridge internal drainage group (15.4%) than in internal drainage group (35.5%, P<0.01), including percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD), endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage (ERBD), and celiotomy (or PTBD) external biliary drainage group (39.1%, P<0.01). No significant difference in survival was observed between the Roux-en-Y choledcthojejunostomy group (9.3±1.8 months) and PTBD (or ERBD) internal drainage group (8.7±2.2 months), but the survivals of the above groups were significantly longer than those of the bridge internal drainage group (6.5±1.7 months, P<0.05) and celiotomy (or PTBD) external biliary drainage group (4.4±2.1 months, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In unresectable cholangiocarcinomas, either operative bilioenteric bypass or percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage can achieve significant palliation. Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomy is the best choice for palliative operation. The use of U-tube is recommended for internal radiation therapy.