Endoscopic biliary drainage for patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer with obstructive jaundice who are to undergo gemcitabine chemotherapy

AIM: To assess optimum endoscopic biliary drainage (EBD) in cases with unresectable pancreatic cancer in the era of gemcitabine (GEM). METHODS: Thirty patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer, who presented with jaundice and underwent chemotherapy using GEM after EBD were included in this study (GEM group). Fifteen cases with the same clinical manifestation and stage of pancreatic cancer treated with EBD alone were also included as controls. A covered metallic stent (CMS) or a plastic stent (PS) was used for EBD. The mean survival time (MST) in each group, risk factors of survival time, type of stent used and associated survival time, occlusion rate of stent, patency period of stent, and risk factors of stent occlusion were evaluated. RESULTS: MST in the GEM group was longer than that in the control (9.9 mo vs 6.2 mo). In the GEM group, the survival time was not different between those who underwent metallic stenting and those who underwent plastic stenting. Stent occlusion occurred in 60% of the PS group and 7% of the CMS group. The median stent patency in the PS-GEM group and the CMS-GEM group was 5 mo and 7.5 mo, respectively. Use of a PS was the only risk factor of stent occlusion. CONCLUSION: A CMS is recommended in cases presenting with jaundice due to unresectable pancreatic cancer, since the use of a CMS makes it possible to continue chemotherapy using GEM without repetition of stent replacement.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage vs percutaneous transhepatic bile duct drainage in the management of malignant obstructive jaundice

BACKGROUND Malignant obstructive jaundice(MOJ)is a condition characterized by varying degrees of bile duct stenosis and obstruction,accompanied by the progressive development of malignant tumors,leading to high morbidity and mortality rates.Currently,the two most commonly employed methods for its management are percutaneous transhepatic bile duct drainage(PTBD)and endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage(EUS-BD).While both methods have demonstrated favorable outcomes,additional research needs to be performed to determine their relative efficacy.To compare the therapeutic effectiveness of EUS-BD and PTBD in treating MOJ.METHODS This retrospective analysis,conducted between September 2015 and April 2023 at The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University(The First People’s Hospital of Changzhou),involved 68 patients with MOJ.The patients were divided into two groups on the basis of surgical procedure received:EUS-BD subgroup(n=33)and PTBD subgroup(n=35).Variables such as general data,preoperative and postoperative indices,blood routine,liver function indices,myocardial function indices,operative success rate,clinical effectiveness,and complication rate were analyzed and compared between the subgroups.RESULTS In the EUS-BD subgroup,hospital stay duration,bile drainage volume,effective catheter time,and clinical effect-iveness rate were superior to those in the PTBD subgroup,although the differences were not statistically significant(P>0.05).The puncture time for the EUS-BD subgroup was shorter than that for the PTBD subgroup(P<0.05).Postoperative blood routine,liver function index,and myocardial function index in the EUS-BD subgroup were significantly lower than those in the PTBD subgroup(P<0.05).Additionally,the complication rate in the EUS-BD subgroup was lower than in the PTBD subgroup(P<0.05).CONCLUSION EUS-BD may reduce the number of punctures,improve liver and myocardial functions,alleviate traumatic stress,and decrease complication rates in MOJ treatment.

Role of endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage for palliation of malignant biliary obstruction

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage(EUS-BD)directs bile flow into the digestive tract and has been mostly used in patients with malignant biliary obstruction(MBO)where endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography-guided biliary drainage was unsuccessful or was not feasible.Lumen apposing metal stents(LAMS)are deployed during EUS-BD,with the newer electrocautery-enhanced LAMS reducing procedure time and complication rates due to the inbuilt cautery at the catheter tip.EUS-BD with electrocautery-enhanced LAMS has high technical and clinical success rates for palliation of MBO,with bleeding,cholangitis,and stent occlusion being the most common adverse events.Recent studies have even suggested comparable efficacy between EUS-BD and endosc-opic retrograde cholangiopancreatography as the primary approach for distal MBO.In this editorial,we commented on the article by Peng et al published in the recent issue of the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery in 2024.

Endoscopic ultrasound guided biliary drainage in surgically altered anatomy: A comprehensive review of various approaches

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP)is the preferred modality for drainage of the obstructed biliary tree.In patients with surgically altered anatomy,ERCP using standard techniques may not be feasible.Enteroscope assisted ERCP is usually employed with variable success rate.With advent of endoscopic ultrasound(EUS),biliary drainage procedures in patients with biliary obstruction and surgically altered anatomy is safe and effective.In this narrative review,we discuss role of EUS guided biliary drainage in patients with altered anatomy and the various approaches used in patients with benign and malignant biliary obstruction.

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.

Endoscopic or percutaneous biliary drainage in hilar cholangiocarcinoma:When and how?

Hilar cholangiocarcinoma (hCCA) is a primary liver tumor associated with a dimprognosis. The role of preoperative and palliative biliary drainage has long beendebated. The most common techniques are endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP) and percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD);however, recently developed endoscopic ultrasound-assisted methods are gainingmore atention. Selecting the best available method in any specific scenario iscrucial, yet sometimes challenging. Thus, this review aimed to discuss theavailable techniques, indications, perks, pitfalls, and timing-related issues in themanagement of hCCA. In a preoperative setting, PTBD appears to have someadvantages: low risk of postprocedural complications (namely cholangitis) andbetter priming for surgery. For palliative purposes, we propose ERCP/PTBDdepending on the experience of the operators, but also on other factors: the levelof bilirubin (if very high, rather PTBD), length of the stenosis and the presence ofcholangitis (PTBD), ERCP failure, or altered biliary anatomy.

Multicenter study of endoscopic preoperative biliary drainage for malignant distal biliary obstruction

AIM: To determine the optimal method of endoscopic preoperative biliary drainage for malignant distal biliary obstruction.METHODS: Multicenter retrospective study was conducted in patients who underwent plastic stent (PS) or nasobiliary catheter (NBC) placement for resectable malignant distal biliary obstruction followed by surgery between January 2010 and March 2012. Procedure-related adverse events, stent/catheter dysfunction (occlusion or migration of PS/NBC, development of cholangitis, or other conditions that required repeat endoscopic biliary intervention), and jaundice resolution (bilirubin level &#x0003c; 3.0 mg/dL) were evaluated. Cumulative incidence of jaundice resolution and dysfunction of PS/NBC were estimated using competing risk analysis. Patient characteristics and preoperative biliary drainage were also evaluated for association with the time to jaundice resolution and PS/NBC dysfunction using competing risk regression analysis.RESULTS: In total, 419 patients were included in the study (PS, 253 and NBC, 166). Primary cancers included pancreatic cancer in 194 patients (46%), bile duct cancer in 172 (41%), gallbladder cancer in three (1%), and ampullary cancer in 50 (12%). The median serum total bilirubin was 7.8 mg/dL and 324 patients (77%) had &#x02265; 3.0 mg/dL. During the median time to surgery of 29 d [interquartile range (IQR), 30-39 d]. PS/NBC dysfunction rate was 35% for PS and 18% for NBC [Subdistribution hazard ratio (SHR) = 4.76; 95%CI: 2.44-10.0, P &#x0003c; 0.001]; the pig-tailed tip was a risk factor for PS dysfunction. Jaundice resolution was achieved in 85% of patients and did not depend on the drainage method (PS or NBC).CONCLUSION: PS has insufficient patency for preoperative biliary drainage. Given the drawbacks of external drainage via NBC, an alternative method of internal drainage should be explored.

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.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage-current status and future perspectives

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP)with stenting is the treatment modality of choice for patients with benign and malignant bile duct obstruction.ERCP could fail in cases of duodenal obstruction,duodenal diverticulum,ampullary neoplastic infiltration or surgically altered anatomy.In these cases percutaneous biliary drainage(PTBD)is traditionally used as a rescue procedure but is related to high morbidity and mortality and lower quality of life.Endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage(EUS-BD)is a relatively new interventional procedure that arose due to the development of curvilinear echoendoscope and the various endoscopic devices.A large amount of data is already collected that proves its efficacy,safety and ability to replace PTBD in cases of ERCP failure.It is also possible that EUS-BD could be chosen as a first-line treatment option in some clinical scenarios in the near future.Several EUS-BD techniques are developed EUS-guided transmural stenting,antegrade stenting and rendezvous technique and can be personalized depending on the individual anatomy.EUS-BD is normally performed in the same session from the same endoscopist in case of ERCP failure.The lack of training,absence of enough dedicated devices and lack of standardization still makes EUS-BD a difficult and not very popular procedure,which is related to life-threatening adverse events.Developing training models,dedicated devices and guidelines hopefully will make EUS-BD easier,safer and well accepted in the future.This paper focuses on the technical aspects of the different EUS-BD procedures,available literature data,advantages,negative aspects and the future perspectives of these modalities.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage:Are we there yet?

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP)is the mainstay procedure of choice for management of obstructive biliary disease.While ERCP is widely performed with high success rates,the procedure is not feasible in every patient such as cases of non-accessible papilla.In the setting of unsuccessful ERCP,endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage(EUS-BD)has become a promising alternative to surgical bypass and percutaneous biliary drainage(PTBD).A variety of different forms of EUS-BD have been described,allowing for both intrahepatic and extrahepatic approaches.Recent studies have reported high success rates utilizing EUS-BD for both transpapillary and transluminal drainage,with fewer adverse events when compared to PTBD.Advancements in novel technologies designed specifically for EUS-BD have led to increased success rates as well as improved safety profile for the procedure.The techniques of EUS-BD are yet to be fully standardized and are currently performed by highly trained advanced endoscopists.The aim of our review is to highlight the different EUSguided interventions for achieving biliary drainage and to both assess the progress that has been made in the field as well as consider what the future may hold.

Clinical utility of treatment method conversion during single-session endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage

BACKGROUND Although several techniques for endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage(EUS-BD)are available at present,an optimal treatment algorithm of EUS-BD has not yet been established.AIM To evaluate the clinical utility of treatment method conversion during single endoscopic sessions for difficult cases in initially planned EUS-BD.METHODS This was a single-center retrospective analysis using a prospectively accumulated database.Patients with biliary obstruction undergoing EUS-BD between May 2008 and April 2016 were included.The primary outcome was to evaluate the improvement in EUS-BD success rates by converting the treatment methods during a single endoscopic session.Secondary outcomes were clarification of the factors leading to the conversion from the initial EUS-BD and the assessment of efficacy and safety of the conversion as judged by technical success,clinical success,and adverse events(AEs).RESULTS A total of 208 patients underwent EUS-BD during the study period.For 18.8%(39/208)of the patients,the treatment methods were converted to another EUSBD technique from the initial plan.Biliary obstruction was caused by pancreatobiliary malignancies,other malignant lesions,biliary stones,and other benign lesions in 22,11,4,and 2 patients,respectively.The reasons for the difficulty with the initial EUS-BD were classified into the following 3 procedures:Target puncture(n=13),guidewire manipulation(n=18),and puncture tract dilation(n=8).Technical success was achieved in 97.4%(38/39)of the cases and clinical success was achieved in 89.5%of patients(34/38).AEs occurred in 10.3%of patients,including bile leakage(n=2),bleeding(n=1),and cholecystitis(n=1).The puncture target and drainage technique were altered in subsequent EUSBD procedures in 25 and 14 patients,respectively.The final technical success rate with 95%CI for all 208 cases was 97.1%(95%CI:93.8%-98.9%),while that of the initially planned EUS-BD was 78.8%(95%CI:72.6%-84.2%).CONCLUSION Among multi-step procedures in EUS-BD,guidewire manipulation appeared to be the most technically challenging.When initially planned EUS-BD is technically difficult,treatment method conversion in a single endoscopic session may result in successful EUS-BD without leading to severe AEs.

Cholangiopancreatography troubleshooting:the usefulness of endoscopic retrieval of migrated biliary and pancreatic stents

BACKGROUND:Stent migration in the hepatopancreatic duct might arise as one of the rare complications associated with biliary or pancreatic stenting.Although there are some procedures to retrieve the migrated stent,including surgical,percutaneous,and endoscopic approaches,endoscopy should be attempted first because it is least invasive.This study set out to evaluate the usefulness of endoscopic retrieval of migrated biliary and pancreatic stents.METHODS:Plastic stents that migrated in the bile duct(35 patients)or pancreatic duct(2)were retrieved with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.Devices used were snare forceps,a basket catheter,grasping forceps,biopsy forceps,a balloon catheter,and the Soehendra stent retriever.RESULTS:Endoscopic retrieval of migrated stents was performed successfully in 36(97.0%)of the 37 patients.The devices utilized for successful treatment were basket catheter(13 patients),grasping forceps(10),snare forceps(8),balloon catheter(3),biopsy forceps(1),and the Soehendra stent retriever(1).The unsuccessfully treated patient with chronic pancreatitis underwent surgery since the guide wire did not move forward due to bile duct stenosis,and there was also duodenal stenosis.One patient developed mild pancreatitis after withdrawal of the stent;the pancreatitis was relieved with conservative treatment.CONCLUSIONS:Endoscopic retrieval of migrated biliary and pancreatic stents appears to be useful because of its safety and low invasiveness.However,various forceps should be prepared for the retrieval of a migrated stent.

Histological changes at an endosonography-guided biliary drainage site:A case report

Endosonography-guided biliary drainage (ESBD) is a new method enabling internal drainage of an obstructed bile duct. However,the histological conditions associated with fistula development via the duodenum to the bile duct have not been reported. We performed ESBD 14 d preoperatively in a patient with an ampullary carcinoma and histologically confirmed changes in and around the fistula. The female patient developed no complications relevant to ESBD. Levels of serum bilirubin and hepatobiliary enzymes declined quickly,and pancreatoduodenectomy was carried out uneventfully. The resected specimen was sliced and stained with hematoxylin-eosin. Histological evaluation of the puncture site in the duodenum and bile-duct wall,and the sinus tract revealed no hematoma,bile leakage,or abscess in or around the sinus tract. Little sign of granulation,fibrosis,and inflammatory cell infiltration was observed. Although further large-scale confirmatory studies are needed,the findings here may encourage more active use of ESBD as a substitute for percutaneous transhepatic drainage in cases with failed/difficult endoscopic biliary stenting.

Effectiveness of a new approach to minimally invasive surgery in palliative treatment of patients with distal malignant biliary obstruction

BACKGROUND Palliative endoscopic biliary drainage is the primary treatment option for the management of patients with jaundice which results from distal malignant biliary obstruction(DMBO).In this group of patients,decompression of the bile duct(BD)allows for pain reduction,symptom relief,chemotherapy administration,improved quality of life,and increased survival rate.To reduce the unfavorable effects of BD decompression,minimally invasive surgical techniques require continuous improvement.AIM To develop a technique for internal-external biliary-jejunal drainage(IEBJD)and assess its effectiveness in comparison to other minimally invasive procedures in the palliative treatment of patients with DMBO.METHODS A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data was performed,which included 134 patients with DMBO who underwent palliative BD decompression.Biliary-jejunal drainage was developed to divert bile from the BD directly into the initial loops of the small intestine to prevent duodeno-biliary reflux.IEBJD was carried out using percutaneous transhepatic access.Percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage(PTBD),endoscopic retrograde biliary stenting(ERBS),and internal-external transpapillary biliary drainage (IETBD) were used for the treatment of studypatients. Endpoints of the study were the clinical success of the procedure, the frequency andnature of complications, and the cumulative survival rate.RESULTSThere were no significant differences in the frequency of minor complications between the studygroups. Significant complications occurred in 5 (17.2%) patients in the IEBJD group, in 16 (64.0%)in the ERBS group, in 9 (47.4%) in the IETBD group, and in 12 (17.4%) in the PTBD group.Cholangitis was the most common severe complication. In the IEBJD group, the course ofcholangitis was characterized by a delayed onset and shorter duration as compared to other studygroups. The cumulative survival rate of patients who underwent IEBJD was 2.6 times higher incomparison to those of the PTBD and IETBD groups and 20% higher in comparison to that of theERBS group.CONCLUSIONIEBJD has advantages over other minimally invasive BD decompression techniques and can berecommended for the palliative treatment of patients with DMBO.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage for acute cholecystitis: Long-term outcomes after removal of a self-expandable metal stent

AIM To assess the long-term outcomes of this procedure after removal of self-expandable metal stent(SEMS). The efficacy and safety of endoscopic ultrasoundguided gallbladder drainage(EUS-GBD) with SEMS were also assessed.METHODS Between January 2010 and April 2015, 12 patients with acute calculous cholecystitis, who were deemed unsuitable for cholecystectomy, underwent EUSGBD with a SEMS. EUS-GBD was performed under the guidance of EUS and fluoroscopy, by puncturing the gallbladder with a needle, inserting a guidewire, dilating the puncture hole, and placing a SEMS. TheSEMS was removed and/or replaced with a 7-Fr plastic pigtail stent after cholecystitis improved. The technical and clinical success rates, adverse event rate, and recurrence rate were all measured.RESULTS The rates of technical success, clinical success, and adverse events were 100%, 100%, and 0%, respectively. After cholecystitis improved, the SEMS was removed without replacement in eight patients, whereas it was replaced with a 7-Fr pigtail stent in four patients. Recurrence was seen in one patient(8.3%) who did not receive a replacement pigtail stent. The median follow-up period after EUS-GBD was 304 d(78-1492).CONCLUSION EUS-GBD with a SEMS is a possible alternative treatment for acute cholecystitis. Long-term outcomes after removal of the SEMS were excellent. Removal of the SEMS at 4-wk after SEMS placement and improvement of symptoms might avoid migration of the stent and recurrence of cholecystitis due to food impaction.

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.

Surgical site infection following pancreaticoduodenectomy in a referral cancer center in Mexico

Background: Pancreaticoduodenectomy is the standard treatment for resectable periampullary cancer. Surgical site infections(SSI) are common complications with increased morbidity. The study aimed to describe the prevalence, risk factors, microbiology, and outcomes of SSI among patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study in a referral cancer center between January 2015 and June 2021. We analyzed baseline patient characteristics and SSI occurrence. Culture results and susceptibility patterns were described. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine risk factors, proportional hazards model to evaluate mortality, and Kaplan-Meier analysis to assess long-term survival. Results: A total of 219 patients were enrolled in the study;101(46%) developed SSI. Independent factors for SSI were diabetes mellitus, preoperative albumin level, biliary drainage, biliary prostheses, and clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula. The main pathogens were Enterobacteria and Enterococci. Multidrug-resistance rate in SSI was high but not associated with increased mortality. Infected patients had higher odds of sepsis, longer hospital stay and intensive care unit stay, and readmission rate. Neither 30-day mortality nor long-term survival was significantly different between infected and non-infected patients. Conclusions: SSI prevalence among patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy was high and largely caused by resistant microorganisms. Most risk factors were related to preoperative instrumentation of the biliary tree. SSI was associated with greater risk of unfavorable outcomes;however, survival was unaffected.

Endoscopic management of acute cholangitis in elderly patients

AIM: To evaluate clinical presentation, etiology, compli-cations and response to treatment in elderly patients with acute cholangitis.METHODS: Demographics, etiology of biliary obstruc-tion, clinical features, complications and associated systemic diseases of 175 patients with acute cholangitis were recorded. Endoscopic biliary drainage was performed using nasobiliary drain or stent. The complications related to ERCP, success of biliary drainage, morbidity, mortality and length of hospital stay were evaluated. RESULTS: Of 175 patients, 52 aged ≥ 60 years (groupⅠ, age < 60 years; group Ⅱ, age ≥ 60 years) and 105 were men. Fever was present in 38 of 52 patients of group Ⅱ compared to 120 of 123 in groupⅠ. High fever (fever ≥ 38.0℃) was more common in groupⅠ(118/120 vs 18/38). Hypotension (5/123 vs 13/52), altered sensorium (3/123 vs 19/52), peritonism (22/123 vs 14/52), renal failure (5/123 vs 14/52) and associated comorbid diseases (4/123 vs 21/52) were more common in group Ⅱ. Biliopancreatic malignancy was a common cause of biliary obstruction in group Ⅱ (n = 34) and benign diseases in groupⅠ(n = 120). Indications for biliary drainage were any one of the following either singly or in combination: a fever of ≥ 38.0℃ (n = 136), hypotension (n = 18), peritonism (n = 36), altered sensorium (n = 22), and failure to improve within 72 h of conservative management (n = 22). High grade fever was more common indication of biliary drainage in groupⅠand hypotension, altered sensorium, peritonism and failure to improve within 72 h of conservative management were more common indications in group Ⅱ. Endoscopic biliary drainage was achieved in 172 patients (nasobiliary drain: 56 groupⅠ, 24 group Ⅱ, stent: 64 groupⅠ, 28 group Ⅱ) without any significant age related difference in the success rate. Abdominalpain, fever, jaundice, hypotension, altered sensorium, peritonism and renal failure improved after median time of 5 d in 120 patients in groupⅠ(2-15 d) compared to 10 d in 47 patients of group Ⅱ (3-20 d). Normalization of leucocyte count was seen after a median time of 7 d (3-20 d) in 120 patients in groupⅠcompared to 15 d (5-26 d) in 47 patients in group Ⅱ. There were no ERCP related complications in either group. Five patients (carcinoma gallbladder n = 3, CBD stones n = 2) died in group Ⅱ and they had undergone biliary drainage after failure of response to conservative management for 72 h. There was a higher mortality in patients in group Ⅱ despite successful biliary drainage (0/120 vs 5 /52). Length of hospital stay was longer in group Ⅱ patients (16.4 ± 5.6, 7-30 d) than in groupⅠpatients (8.2 ± 2.4, 7-20 d).CONCLUSION: Elderly patients with acute cholangitis have a high incidence of severe cholangitis, concomitant medical illnesses, hypotension, altered sensorium, peritonism, renal failure and higher mortality even after successful biliary drainage.

Endoscopic bilateral stent-in-stent placement for malignant hilar obstruction using a large cell type stent

BACKGROUND： Bilateral stent-in-stent （SIS） self-expandable metal stent placement is technically chghallenging for palliation of unresectable malignant hilar obstruction. In the SIS technique, the uniform large cell type biliary stent facilitates contralateral stent deployment through the mesh of the first metallic stent. This study aimed to assess the technical success and clinical effectiveness of this technique with a uniform large cell type biliary stent. METHODS： Thirty-one patients who underwentlbilateral SIS placement using a large cell type stent were reviewed retrospectively. All patients showed malignant hilarl obstruction （Bismuth types Ⅱ, Ⅲ, Ⅳ） with different etiologies. RESULTS： Sixteen （51.6%） patients were male. The mean age of the patients was 67.0±14.0 years. Most patients were diagnosed as having hilar cholangiocarcinoma （58.1%） and gallbladder cancer （29.0%）. Technical success rate was 83.9%. Success was achieved more frequently in patients without masses obstructing the biliary confluence （MOC） than those with MOC （95.2% vs 60.0%, P=0.03）. Functional success rate was 77.4%. Complications occurred in 29.0% of the patients. These tended to occur more frequently in patients with MOC （50.0% vs 19.0%, P=0.11）. Median time to recurrent biliary obstruction was 188 days and median survival was 175 days. CONCLUSIONS： The large cell type stent can be used efficiently for bilateral SIS placement in malignant hilar obstruction. However, the risk of technical failure increases in patients with MOC, and caution is needed to prevent complications for these patients.

Verification of the Tokyo guidelines for acute cholangitis secondary to benign and malignant biliary obstruction:experience from a Chinese tertiary hospital

BACKGROUND: The lack of widely-accepted guidelines for acute cholangitis largely lags behind the progress in medical and surgical technology and science for the management of acute cholangitis. This study aimed to verify the Tokyo guidelines for the management of acute cholangitis and cholecystitis of 2007 edition (TG07) in patients with obstructive cholangitis due to benign and malignant diseases. METHODS: The patients were retrieved from our existing ERCP database. Final diagnosis of acute cholangitis was made by detecting purulent bile during biliary drainage. We examined and compared the guidelines concerning benign and malignant obstruction. RESULTS: In 120 patients in our study, 82 and 38 had benign and malignant biliary obstruction, respectively. Guidelines based diagnosis was made in 68 (82.9%), 36 (94.7%), and 104 (86.7%) patients with benign, malignant, and overall biliary obstruction, respectively, which were significantly higher than 44 (53.7%), 17 (44.7%), and 61 (50.8%) diagnosed by Charcot’s triad (P【0.001). Treatment consistent with the guidelines was offered to 58 (70.7%) patients with benign obstruction and15 (39.5%) patients with malignant obstruction (P=0.001). No significant association was observed between clinical compliance, guidelines-based severity grades and clinical outcomes. In the multivariate model, intrahepatic obstruction (OR=11.2, 95% CI: 1.55-226.9) and hypoalbuminemia (≤25.0 g/L; OR=17.3, 95% CI: 3.5-313.6) were independent risk factors for a 30-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The TG07 are more reliable than Charcot’s triad for the diagnosis of acute cholangitis albeit with limited prognostic values. Intrahepatic obstruction and hypoalbuminemia are new predictors of poor prognosis and need further assessment.