Diagnosis and Management of Biliary Strictures after Deceased-Donor Liver Transplantation Based on Clinical Practice

Biliary complications are still the main complications for liver transplantation recipients. Biliary strictures comprise the major part of all biliary complications after deceased-donor liver transplantation (LT). Biliary strictures following LT are divided into anastomotic strictures (AS) and non-anastomotic strictures (NAS). A Limitation of current published researches is that most studies aren’t based on clinical practice. The aim of this review is to summarize risk factors, clinical presentation, diagnosis and management in post-LT biliary strictures.

Clinical approach to indeterminate biliary strictures:Clinical presentation,diagnosis,and workup

Despite advances in cross-sectional imaging and endoscopic technology,bile duct strictures remain a challenging clinical entity.It is crucial to make an early determination of benign or malignant nature of biliary strictures.Early diagnosis not only helps with further management but also minimizes mortality and morbidity associated with delayed diagnosis.Conventional imaging and endoscopic techniques,particularly endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP)and tissue sampling techniques play a key in establishing a diagnosis.Indeterminate biliary strictures(IDBSs)have no definite mass on imaging or absolute histopathological diagnosis and often warrant utilization of multiple diagnostics to ascertain an etiology.In this review,we discuss possible etiologies,clinical presentation,diagnosis,and management of IDBSs.Based on available data and expert opinion,we depict an evidence based diagnostic algorithm for management of IDBSs.Areas of focus include use of traditional tissue sampling techniques such as ERCP with brush cytology,intraductal biopsies,fluorescence in situ hybridization and flow cytometry.We also describe the role of endoscopic ultrasound(EUS)-guided fine needle aspiration and biopsies,cholangioscopy,confocal laser endomicroscopy,and intraductal EUS in management of IDBSs.

Robot-assisted uretero-enteric reimplantation for uretero-enteric anastomotic strictures following robot-assisted radical cystectomy: Surgical approach and outcomes over two decades

Objective:We described the technique and outcomes of robot-assisted repair of uretero-enteric strictures(UES)following robot-assisted radical cystectomy(RARC)and urinary diversion.Methods:Retrospective review of our RARC database from November 2005 to August 2023 at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer center was performed.Patients who developed UES and ultimately underwent robot-assisted uretero-enteric reimplantation(RUER)were identified.KaplaneMeier method was used to compute the cumulative incidence recurrence rate of UES after RUER.A multivariable regression model was used to identify variables associated with UES recurrence.Results:A total of 123(15%)out of 808 RARC patients developed UES,of whom 52 underwent reimplantation(45 patients underwent RUER[n=55 cases]and seven patients underwent open ureteroenteric reimplantation).The median time from RARC to UES was 4.4(interquartile range 3.0e7.0)months,and the median time between UES and RUER was 5.2(interquartile range 3.2e8.9)months.The 3-year recurrence rate after RUER is about 29%.On multivariable analysis,longer hospital stay(hazard ratio 1.37,95%confidence interval 1.16e1.61,p<0.01)was associated with recurrent UES after RUER.Conclusion:RUER for UES after RARC is feasible with durable outcomes although a notable subset of patients experienced postoperative complications and UES recurrence.

Minimally invasive reconstruction of extensive mid-lower ureteral strictures using a bilateral Boari flap

Objective:To describe and evaluate the technique using bilateral Boari flap ureteroneocystostomy(BBFUNC)for bilateral mid-lower ureteral strictures.Methods:We retrospectively reviewed five patients who underwent minimally invasive BBFUNC in our institution(Union Hospital,Wuhan,China)between July 2019 and December 2021.The bilateral ureters were mobilized and transected above the stenotic segments.The bladder was isolated and incised longitudinally from the middle of the anterior wall.Then,an inverted U-shaped bladder flap was created on both sides,fixed onto the psoas tendon,and anastomosed to the ipsilateral distal normal ureter.Following double-J stenting,the Boari flaps were tubularized,and the bladder was closed with continuous sutures.The patients’perioperative data and follow-up outcomes were collected,and a descriptive statistical analysis was performed.Results:No case converted to open surgery,and no intraoperative complication occurred.The median surgical time was 230(range 203-294)min.The median length of the bladder flaps was 6.2(range 4.3-10.0)cm on the left and 5.5(range 4.7-10.5)cm on the right side.All patients had not developed recurrent ureteral stenosis during the median follow-up time of 17(range 16-45)months and had a normal maximum flow rate after surgery.The median post-void residual was 7(range 0-19)mL.The maximal bladder capacity was decreased in one(20%)patient.Conclusion:The present study demonstrates that minimally invasive BBFUNC is feasible and safe in treating is limited.

Still elusive: Developments in the accurate diagnosis of indeterminate biliary strictures

Indeterminate biliary strictures pose a significant diagnostic dilemma for gastroenterologists.Despite advances in endoscopic techniques and instruments,it is difficult to differentiate between benign and malignant pathology.A positive histological diagnosis is always preferred prior to high risk hepatobiliary surgery,or to inform other types of therapy.Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreato-graphy with brushings has low sensitivity and despite significant improvements in instruments there is still an unacceptably high false negative rate.Other methods such as endoscopic ultrasound and cholangioscopy have improved diagnostic quality.In this review we explore the techniques available to aid accurate diagnosis of indeterminate biliary strictures and obtain accurate histology to facilitate clinical management.

Management and Outcome of Urethral Strictures at Two Tertiary Health Facilities in Cameroon

Introduction and Objectives: Urethral stricture is a reduction in the caliber of the urethral lumen impeding the outflow of urine. It predominantly affects males. The disease burden is severe in our milieu where access to specialized care is limited. Our goal was therefore to assess the management and outcome of male urethral stricture at two tertiary hospitals in Douala, Cameroon. Materials and Methods: This was a hospital-based retrospective study of patients managed for urethral stricture over 5 years (January 1st, 2017 to December 31st, 2021) at the Douala General and Laquintinie Hospitals. Data on sociodemographic, clinical, paraclinical, and treatment options were extracted using pre-structured forms. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 28. Statistical significance was set at p-value Results: We exploited 130 medical records. The mean age of patients was 46.5 years. Dysuria and weak urine stream were the major presenting complaints (63.8% and 23.8% respectively). The etiology of urethral stricture was iatrogenic in 42.3% of cases. The strictures were mostly single (89.8%), and the bulbar urethra was most affected (46.9%). 28 patients had urinary tract infections and the most frequently isolated germ was E. coli in 29.6%. Direct visual internal urethrotomy (DVIU) was performed in 42.3% of cases. Surgery, especially excision and primary anastomosis (EPA) was done in 28.5% of cases. Major complications were wound infection, acute kidney injury (AKI), and urethrocutaneous fistulae affecting 3.1, 2.3, and 1.5% of cases respectively. The recurrence rate was 17% with a mortality rate of 0.08%. Conclusion: Urethral stricture is common in our adult male population. The cause is mainly iatrogenic and the bulbar urethra is most affected. Minimally invasive and open reconstruction are frequently used treatment options with significant recurrence rates in the long term.

Endoscopic management of benign biliary strictures:Looking for the best stent to place

Benign biliary strictures(BBS)might occur due to different pancreaticobiliary conditions.The etiology and location of biliary strictures are responsible of a wide array of clinical manifestations.The endoscopic approach endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography represents the first-line treatment for BBS,considering interventional radiology and surgery when endoscopic treatment fails or it is not suitable.The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of possible endoscopic treatments for the optimal management of this subset of patients.

Management of urethral strictures and stenosis caused by the endo-urological treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasiad-a single-center experience

Objective:Urethral stricture disease after endo-urological treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH)is a sparsely described complication.We describe management of five categories of these strictures in this retrospective observational case series.Methods:One hundred and twenty-one patients presenting with symptoms of bladder outflow obstruction after endo-urological intervention for BPH from February 2016 to March 2019 were evaluated.Among them,76 were eligible for this study and underwent reconstructive surgery.Preoperative and postoperative assessments were done with symptom scores,uroflowmetry,ultrasound for post-void residue,and urethrogram.Any intervention during follow-up was classed as a failure.The recurrence and 95%confidence interval for recurrence percentage were calculated.Results:The following five categories of patients were identified:Bulbo-membranous(33[43.4%]),navicular fossa(21[27.6%]),penile/peno-bulbar(8[10.5%]),bladder neck stenosis(6[7.9%]),and multiple locations(8[10.5%]).The average age was 69 years(range:60-84 years).Overall average symptom score,flow rate,and post-void residue changed from 21 to 7,6 mL/s to 19 mL/s,and 210 mL to 20 mL,respectively.The average follow-up was 34 months(range:12-58 months).Overall recurrence and complication rates were 10.5%and 9.2%,respectively.The recurrence in each category was seen in 3,1,2,1,and 1 patient,respectively.Overall 95% confidence interval for recurrence percentage was 4.66-19.69.Conclusion:Urethral stricture disease is a major long-term complication of endo-urological treatment of BPH.The bulbo-membranous strictures need continence preserving approach.Navicular fossa strictures require minimally invasive and cosmetic consideration.Peno-bulbar strictures require judicious use of grafts and flaps.Bladder neck stenosis in this cohort could be treated with endoscopic measures.Multiple locations need treatment based on their sites in single-stage as far as possible.

Double-face urethroplasty in patients with obliterative bulbar strictures post-transurethral resection of the prostate mid-term outcomes in high-volume referral center

Objective Incidences of post-transurethral resection of the prostate(post-TURP)strictures are between 2.2%and 9.8%.Stricture commonly occurs within the first 6 months.Our objective was to assess the outcomes of patients with obliterative strictures post-TURP that underwent a double-face urethroplasty.Methods This is a single-center prospective study of 17 patients with obliterative proximal bulbar stricture post-TURP who underwent double-face graft urethroplasty by two surgeons between January 2014 and January 2020.We defined post-TURP obliterative strictures as those patients who presented with complete or almost complete obstruction of the urethral lumen and who have had a history of acute urine retention.We have excluded patients with bladder neck contracture.Primary outcome was treatment success,defined as the no need for further treatments.Secondary outcome was post-urethroplasty continent rate.Results Seventeen patients were included in the study with median age of 66(interquartile range 40-77)years;median time of follow-up was 24(interquartile range 12-84)months;median stricture length was 4(interquartile range 2-6)cm.Of the 17 patients,15(88.2%)were successful.All patients were continent after urethroplasty.Conclusion With mid-term follow-up,treatment of obliterative proximal bulbar strictures with double-face buccal mucosa graft is a safe and effective procedure.Obliterative proximal bulbar strictures merit double-face urethroplasty with high-rate success and functional outcomes.

Direct Visual Internal Urethrotomy (DVIU) in the Management of Male Urethral Strictures. A Single Center Experience about 44 Patients

Introduction: Male urethral stricture is one of the oldest urological disorders. Many techniques have been proposed to treat them, including endoscopic internal urethrotomy (DVIU). Material and Methods: To evaluate the contribution of this technique in the treatment of urethra narrowing, a retrospective study on the records of patients with urethral stricture treated with endoscopic internal urethrotomy between January 2014 and December 2021 in the urology division of the Souro Sanou University Teaching Hospital. Results: A total of 44 male patients with urethral stricture were treated with this technique and 48 procedures were performed. The average age of the patients was 53.2 ± 18.2 years. The etiology of the stricture was dominated by iatrogenic, infectious, traumatic and idiopathic causes in 43.2% (n = 19), 27.3% (n = 12), 20.4 % (n = 9), and 9.1% (n = 4) respectively. The location of the stricture was bulbar in 72.7%, and the anterior penile urethra in 15.9%. The overall success rate was 72.7% with satisfactory urination without dysuria, evaluated after removal of the urinary catheter, at three months this rate fell to 69.1%, and at 6 months this rate was 67.5%. Five cases (5) of extravasation of blood or irrigation fluid into the scrotum were reported and managed conservatively as well as two (2) cases of false routes with postoperative oedema of the penis were observed. Conclusion: DVIU is a simple technique, free of major morbidity and requiring only short-term hospitalization. It can be proposed as a first-line treatment for urethral stricture.

Endoscopic incisional therapy for benign esophageal strictures: Technique and results

Benign esophageal strictures refractory to the conventional balloon or bougie dilatation may be subjected to various adjunctive modes of therapy, one of them being endoscopic incisional therapy(EIT). A proper delineation of the stricture anatomy is a prerequisite. A host of electrocautery and mechanical devices may be used, the most common being the use of needle knife, either standard or insulated tip. The technique entails radial incision and cutting off of the stenotic rim. Adjunctive therapies, to prevent re-stenosis, such as balloon dilatation, oral or intralesional steroids or argon plasma coagulation can be used. The common strictures where EIT has been successfully used are Schatzki's rings(SR) and anastomotic strictures(AS). Short segment strictures(< 1 cm) have been found to have the best outcome. When compared with routine balloon dilatation, EIT has equivalent results in treatment na?ve cases but better long term outcome in refractory cases. Anecdotal reports of its use in other types of strictures have been noted. Post procedure complications of EIT are mild and comparable to dilatation therapy. As of the current evidence, incisional therapy can be used for management of refractory AS and SR with relatively short stenosis(< 1 cm) with good safety profile and acceptable long term patency.

A brief review on anterior urethral strictures

The treatment of urethral strictures remains a challenging field in urology even though there are a variety of procedures to treat it at present,as no one approach is superior over another.This paper reviewed the surgical options for the management of different sites and types of anterior urethral stricture,providing a brief discussion of the controversies regarding this issue and suggesting possible future advancements.Among the existing procedures,simple dilation and direct vision internal urethrotomy are more commonly used for short urethral strictures(<1 cm,soft and no previous intervention).Currently,urethroplasty using buccal mucosa or penile skin is the most widely adopted clinical techniques and have proved successful.Nonetheless,complications such as donor site morbidity remain problem.Tissue engineering techniques are considered as a promising solution for urethral reconstruction,but require further investigation,as does stem cell therapy.

Endoscopic balloon dilation of crohn's disease stricturessafety,efficacy and clinical impact

AIM To evaluate the incidence of anastomotic strictures after intestinal resection in Crohn's disease(CD), demonstrate long-term efficacy and safety of endoscopic balloon dilation(EBD) in CD strictures and its impact on the diagnosis of subclinical postoperative endoscopic recurrence. METHODS Retrospective single tertiary center study based on prospectively collected data between 2010 and 2015including anastomotic and non-anastomotic strictures. RESULTS29% of 162 CD patients included developed an anastomotic stricture. 43 patients with anastomotic strictures and 37 with non-anastomotic strictures underwent EBD; technical success was 97.7% and 100%, respectively, however, 63% and 41% needed repeat dilation during the 4.4-year follow-up. Longer periods between surgery and index colonoscopy and higher lactoferrin levels were associated with the presence of stricture after surgery. Calprotectin levels > 83.35 μg/g and current or past history of smoking were associated with a shorter time until need for dilation(HR = 3.877, 95%CI: 1.480-10.152 and HR = 3.041, 95%CI: 1.213-7.627). Anastomotic strictures had a greater need for repeat dilation(63% vs 41%, P = 0.047). No differences were found between asymptomatic and symptomatic cohorts. Disease recurrence diagnosis was only possible after EBD in a third of patients. CONCLUSION EBD is an effective and safe alternative to surgery, with a good short and long-term outcome, postponing or even avoiding further surgery. EBD may allow to diagnose disease recurrence in patients with no clinical signs/biomarkers of disease activity.

Diagnosis of biliary strictures after liver transplantation:Which is the best tool?

AIM: To evaluate the diagnostic value of different indirect methods like biochemical parameters, ultrasound (US) analysis, CT-scan and MRI/MRCP in comparison with endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC), for diagnosis of biliary complications after liver transplantation. METHODS: In 75 patients after liver transplantation, who received ERC due to suspected biliary complications, the result of the cholangiography was compared to the results of indirect imaging methods performed prior to ERC. The cholangiography showed no biliary stenosis (NoST) in 25 patients, AST in 27 and ITBL in 23 patients. RESULTS: Biliary congestion as a result of AST was detected with a sensitivity of 68.4% in US analysis (specificity 91%), of 71% in MRI (specificity 25%) and of 40% in CT (specificity 57.1%). In ITBL, biliary congestion was detected with a sensitivity of 58.8% in the US, 88.9%in MRI and of 83.3% in CT. However, as anastomotic or ischemic stenoses were the underlying cause of biliary congestion, the sensitivity of detection was very low. InMRI detected the dominant stenosis at a correct localization in 22% and CT in 10%, while US failed completely. The biochemical parameters, showed no significant difference in bilirubin (median 5.7; 4,1; 2.5 mg/dL), alkaline phosphatase (median 360; 339; 527 U/L) or gamma glutamyl transferase (median 277; 220; 239 U/L) levels between NoST, AST and ITBL.CONCLUSION: Our data confirm that indirect imaging methods to date cannot replace direct cholangiography for diagnosis of post transplant biliary stenoses. However MRI may have the potential to complement or precede imaging by cholangiography. Optimized MRCP-processing might further improve the diagnostic impact of this method.

Current diagnosis and treatment of benign biliary stricturesafter living donor liver transplantation

Despite advances in surgical techniques, benign biliary strictures after living donor liver transplantation(LDLT) remain a significant biliary complication and play an important role in graft and patient survival. Benign biliary strictures after transplantation are classified into anastomotic or non-anastomotic strictures. These two types differ in presentation, outcome, and response to therapy. The leading causes of biliary strictures include impaired blood supply, technical errors during surgery, and biliary anomalies. Because patients usually have non-specific symptoms, a high index of suspicion should be maintained. Magnetic resonance cholangiography has gained widespread acceptance as a reliable noninvasive tool for detecting biliary complications. Endoscopy has played an increasingly prominent role in the diagnosis and treatment of biliary strictures after LDLT. Endoscopic management in LDLT recipients may be more challenging than in deceased donor liver transplantation patients because of the complex nature of the duct-to-duct reconstruction. Repeated aggressive endoscopic treatment with dilation and the placement of multiple plastic stents is considered the first-line treatment for biliary strictures. Percutaneous and surgical treatments are now reserved for patients for whom endoscopic management fails and for those with multiple, inaccessible intrahepatic strictures or Roux-en-Y anastomoses. Recent advances in enteroscopy enable treatment, even in these latter cases. Direct cholangioscopy, another advanced form of endoscopy, allows direct visualization of the inner wall of the biliary tree and is expected to facilitate stenting or stone extraction. Rendezvous techniques can be a good option when the endoscopic approach to the biliary stricture is unfeasible. These developments have resulted in almost all patients being managed by the endoscopic approach.

Intraductal ultrasound substantiates diagnostics of bile duct strictures of uncertain etiology

AIM:To report the largest patient cohort study investigating the diagnostic yield of intraductal ultrasound (IDUS) in indeterminate strictures of the common bile duct.METHODS:A patient cohort with bile duct strictures of unknown etiology was examined by IDUS.Sensitivity,specificity and accuracy rates of IDUS were calculated relating to the definite diagnoses proved by histopathology or long-term follow-up in those patients who did not undergo surgery.Analysis of the endosonographic report allowed drawing conclusions with respect to the T and N staging in 147 patients.IDUS staging was compared to the postoperative histopathological staging data allowing calculation of sensitivity,specificity and accuracy rates for T and N stages.The endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography and IDUS procedures were performed under fluoroscopic guidance using a side-viewing duodenoscope (Olympus TJF 160,Olympus,Ltd.,Tokyo,Japan).All procedures were performed under conscious sedation (propofol combined with pethidine) according to the German guidelines.For IDUS,a 6 F or 8 F ultrasound miniprobe was employed with a radial scanner of 15-20 MHz at the tip of the probe (Aloka Co.,Tokyo,Japan).RESULTS:A total of 397 patients (210 males,187 females,mean age 61.43 ± 13 years) with indeterminate bile duct strictures were included.Two hundred and sixty-four patients were referred to the department of surgery for operative exploration,thus surgical histopathological correlation was available for those patients.Out of 264 patients,174 had malignant disease proven by surgery,in 90 patients benign disease was found.In these patients decision for surgical exploration was made due to suspicion for malignant disease in multimodal diagnostics (computed tomography scan,endoscopic ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging).Twenty benign bile duct strictures were misclassified by IDUS as malignant while 14 patients with malignant strictures were initially misdiagnosed by IDUS as benign resulting in sensitivity,specificity and accuracy ratesof 93.2%,89.5% and 91.4%,respectively.In the subgroup analysis of malignancy prediction,IDUS showed best performance in cholangiocellular carcinoma as underlying disease (sensitivity rate,97.6%) followed by pancreatic carcinoma (93.8%),gallbladder cancer (88.9%) and ampullary cancer (80.8%).A total of 133 patients were not surgically explored.32 patients had palliative therapy due to extended tumor disease in IDUS and other imaging modalities.Ninety-five patients had benign diagnosis by IDUS,forceps biopsy and radiographic imaging and were followed by a surveillance protocol with a follow-up of at least 12 mo;the mean follow-up was 39.7 mo.Tumor localization within the common bile duct did not have a significant influence on prediction of malignancy by IDUS.The accuracy rate for discriminating early T stage tumors (T1) was 84% while for T2 and T3 malignancies the accuracy rates were 73% and 71%,respectively.Relating to N0 and N1 staging,IDUS procedure achieved accuracy rates of 69% for N0 and N1,respectively.Limitations:Pretest likelihood of 52% may not rule out bias and overinterpretation due to the clinical scenario or other prior performed imaging tests.CONCLUSION:IDUS shows good results for accurate diagnostics of bile duct strictures of uncertain etiology thus allowing for adequate further clinical management.

Biliary strictures complicating living donor liver transplantation:Problems,novel insights and solutions

Biliary stricture complicating living donor liver transplantation(LDLT) is a relatively common complication, occurring in most transplant centres across the world. Cases of biliary strictures are more common in LDLT than in deceased donor liver transplantation. Endoscopic management is the mainstay for biliary strictures complicating LDLT and includes endoscopic retrograde cholangiography, sphincterotomy and stent placement(with or without balloon dilatation). The efficacy and safety profiles as well as outcomes of endoscopic management of biliary strictures complicating LDLT is an area that needs to be viewed in isolation, owing to its unique set of problems and attending complications; as such, it merits a tailored approach, which is yet to be well established. The diagnostic criteria applied to these strictures are not uniform and are over-reliant on imaging studies showing an anastomotic narrowing. It has to be kept in mind that in the setting of LDLT, a subjective anastomotic narrowing is present in most cases due to a mismatch in ductal diameters. However, whether this narrowing results in a functionally significant narrowing is a question that needs further study. In addition, wide variation in the endotherapy protocols practised in most centres makes it difficult to interpret the results and hampers our understanding of this topic. The outcome definition for endotherapy is also heterogenous and needs to be standardised to allow for comparison of data in this regard and establish a clinical practice guideline. There have been multiple studies in this area in the last 2 years, with novel findings that have provided solutions to some of these issues. This review endeavours to incorporate these new findings into the wider understanding of endotherapy for biliary strictures complicating LDLT, with specific emphasis on diagnosis of strictures in the LDLT setting, endotherapy protocols and outcome definitions. An attempt is made to present the best management options currently available as well as directions for future research in the area.

Endoscopic management of biliary strictures after liver transplantation

Bile duct strictures remain a major source of morbidity after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Biliary strictures are classifi ed as anastomotic or non-anastomotic strictures according to location and are defi ned by distinct clinical behaviors. Anastomotic strictures are localized and short. The outcome of endoscopic treatment for anastomotic strictures is excellent. Nonanastomotic strictures often result from ischemic and immunological events, occur earlier and are usually multiple and longer. They are characterized by a far less favorable response to endoscopic management, higher recurrence rates, graft loss and need for retransplantation. Living donor OLT patients present a unique set of challenges arising from technical factors, and stricture risk for both recipients and donors. Endoscopic treatment of living donor OLT patients is less promising. Current endoscopic strategies for biliary strictures after OLT include repeated balloon dilations and placement of multiple side-by-side plastic stents. Lifelong surveillance is required in all types of strictures. Despite improvements in incidence and long term outcomes with endoscopic management, and a reduced need for surgical treatment, the impact of strictures on patients after OLT is signifi cant. Future considerations include new endoscopic technologies and improved stents, which could potentially allow for a decreased number of interventions, increased intervals before retreatment, and decreased reliance on percutaneous and surgical modalities. This review focuses on the role of endoscopy in biliary strictures, one of the most common biliary complications after OLT.

Comparative analysis of ERCP,IDUS,EUS and CT in predicting malignant bile duct strictures

AIM: To compare endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP), intraductal ultrasound (IDUS), endosonography (EUS), endoscopic transpapillary forceps biopsies (ETP) and computed tomography (CT) with respect to diagnosing malignant bile duct strictures.

Intralesional steroid injection therapy in the management of resistant gastrointestinal strictures

Esophageal strictures are a problem frequently encountered by gastroenterologists. Dilation has been the customary treatment for benign esophageal strictures, and dilation techniques have advanced over the years. Depending on their characteristics and the response to treatment, esophageal strictures can be classified into two types: 1, simple (Schatzki rings, webs, peptic injury, and following sclerotherapy) - these are easily amenable to dilation, with a low recurrence rate after initial treatment; and 2, complex (caused by caustic ingestion, radiation injury, anastomotic strictures, and photodynamic therapy) - these are difficult to dilate and are associated with higher recurrence rates. Refractory strictures are those in which it is not possible to relieve the anatomic restriction successfully up to a diameter of 14 mm over five sessions at 2-weekly in- tervals, due to cicatricial luminal compromise or fibrosis; and recurrent strictures are those in which it is not possible to maintain a satisfactory luminal diameter for 4 wk once the target diameter of 14 mm has been achieved. There are no standard recommendations for the management of refractory strictures. The various techniques used include intralesional steroid injectioncombined with dilation; endoscopic incisional therapy, with or without dilation; placement of self-expanding metal stents, Polyflex stents, or biodegradable stents; self-bougienage; and endoscopic surgery. This review discusses the indications, technique, results, and complications of the use of intralesional steroid injections combined with dilation and endoscopic incisional therapy with dilation in refractory strictures.