Risk factors for perforation during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in post-reconstruction intestinal tract

BACKGROUND Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP) in patients with surgically altered anatomy has been a major challenge to gastrointestinal endoscopists with low success rates for reaching the target site as well as high complication rates. The knowledge of ERCP-related risk factors is important for reducing unexpected complications.AIM To identify ERCP-related risk factors for perforation in patients with surgically altered anatomy.METHODS The medical records of 187 patients with surgically altered anatomy who underwent ERCP at our institution between April 2009 and December 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. An analysis of patient data, including age, sex, type of reconstruction, cause of surgery, aim of ERCP, success rate of reaching target site,success rate of procedure, adverse events, type of scope, time to reach the target site, and duration of procedure, was performed. In patients with Billroth-Ⅱ reconstruction, additional potential risk factors were the shape of the inserted scope and whether the anastomosis was antecolic or retrocolic.RESULTS All patients(n = 187) had surgical anatomy, such as Billroth-Ⅰ(n = 22), Billroth-Ⅱ(n = 33), Roux-en-Y(n = 54), Child, or Whipple reconstruction(n = 75). ERCP was performed for biliary drainage in 43 cases(23%), stone removal in 29 cases(16%),and stricture dilation of anastomosis in 59 cases(32%). The scope was unable to reach the target site in 17 cases(9%), and an aimed procedure could not be accomplished in 54 cases(29%). Adverse events were pancreatitis(3%),hyperamylasemia(10%), cholangitis(6%), cholestasis(4%), excessive sedation(1%), perforation(2%), and others(3%). Perforation occurred in three cases, all of which were in patients with Billroth-Ⅱ reconstruction; in these patients, further analysis revealed loop-shaped insertion of the scope to be a significant risk for perforation(P = 0.01).CONCLUSION Risk factors for perforation during ERCP in patients with surgically altered anatomy were Billroth-Ⅱ reconstruction and looping of the scope during BillrothⅡ procedure.

Clinical significance of hypoechoic submandibular gland lesions in type 1 autoimmune pancreatitis

To assess the role of ultrasonography of submandibular glands (SGs) in the diagnosis of type 1 autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP).METHODSThirty-seven patients who were definitively diagnosed with type 1 AIP according to the international consensus diagnostic criteria (ICDC) for AIP at our institution between December 1990 and April 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Findings by physical examination, ultrasonography, and scintigraphy of SGs were analyzed to reach a diagnosis based on the ICDC for AIP. The efficacy of corticosteroid treatment in the resolution of hypoechoic lesions in SGs was also evaluated by assessment with ultrasonography before and after treatment in 18 cases.RESULTSThe sensitivity of multiple hypoechoic lesions in SGs by ultrasonography for the diagnosis of sialadenitis in type 1 AIP (84%) was higher than that of physical examination (46%), scintigraphy (28%), and SGs thickness (49%). Ultrasonographic evidence of hypoechoic lesions in SGs improved the definitive diagnosis of sialadenitis and type 1 AIP by the ICDC criteria in 11 (30%) and 2 (5.4%) cases, respectively. Multiple hypoechoic lesions in SGs were resolved or disappear by corticosteroid administration in 14 of 16 cases with hypoechoic lesions in SGs, whereas the ultrasonographic findings in the remaining 2 cases with hypoechoic lesions in SGs and the 2 cases with homogenous SG parenchyma remained unchanged after corticosteroid administration.CONCLUSIONSG ultrasonography to detect multiple hypoechoic lesions might be useful for type 1 AIP diagnosis by improving diagnostic accuracy together with the ICDC sialadenitis criteria.