Endoscopy-guided ablation of pancreatic lesions:Technical possibilities and clinical outlook

Endoscopic ultrasound(EUS) and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP)-guided ablation procedures are emerging as a minimally invasive therapeutic alternative to radiological and surgical treatments for locally advanced pancreatic cancer(LAPC), pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours(PNETs), and pancreatic cystic lesions(PCLs). The advantages of treatment under endoscopic control are the real-time imaging guidance and the possibility to reach a deep target like the pancreas. Currently, radiofrequency probes specifically designed for ERCP or EUS ablation are available as wel as hybrid cryotherm probe combining radiofrequency with cryotechnology. To date, many reports and case series have confirmed the safety and feasibility of that kind of ablation technique in the pancreatic setting.Moreover, EUS-guided fine-needle injection is emerging as a method to deliver ablative and anti-tumoral agents inside the tumuor. Ethanol injection has been proposed mostly for the treatment of PCLs and for symptomatic functioning PNETs, and the use of gemcitabine and paclitaxel is also interesting in this setting. EUS-guided injection of chemical or biological agents including mixed lymphocyte culture, oncolytic viruses, and immature dendritic cells has been investigated for the treatment of LAPC. Data on the long-term efficacy of these approaches,and large prospective randomized studies are needed to confirm the real clinical benefits of these techniques for the management of pancreatic lesions.

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.

Interventional endoscopic ultrasound for a symptomatic pseudocyst secondary to gastric heterotopic pancreas

Heterotopic pancreas(HP) is a relatively uncommon entity that is defined as pancreatic tissue without a true anatomical or vascular connection to the pancreas. HP does not cause symptoms in most cases but can occasionally produce various manifestations, including nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and even heterotopic pancreatitis. Here, we report an unusual case in which heterotopic pancreatitis complicated by the formation of a pseudocyst that caused gastric outlet obstruction was diagnosed based on serum hyperamylasemia and findings from endoscopic ultrasonography(EUS)-guided fine needle aspiration(EUS-FNA) cytology. EUS-guided single pigtail stent insertion was successfully performed for recurrent gastric outlet obstruction. The patient has remained healthy and symptom-free during 4 years of surveillance. In the context of the relevant literature, the described case is a rare case of HP complicated by a pseudocyst treated via EUS-FNA and stent insertion.

Short-and long-term results of endoscopic ultrasoundguided transmural drainage for pancreatic pseudocysts and walled-off necrosis

AIM To evaluate the short-and long-term results of endoscopic ultrasound-guided transmural drainage(EUS-GTD) for pancreatic fluid collection(PFC) and identify the predictive factors of treatment outcome for walled-off necrosis(WON) managed by EUS-GTD alone.METHODS We investigated 103 consecutive patients with PFC who underwent EUS-GTD between September 1999 and August 2015. Patients were divided into four groups as follows: WON(n = 40), pancreatic pseudocyst(PPC; n = 11), chronic pseudocyst(n = 33), and others(n = 19). We evaluated the short-and long-term outcomes of the treatment. In cases of WON, multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the predictor variables associated with the treatment success. In addition, PFC recurrence was examined in patients followed up for more than 6 mo and internal stent removal after successful EUS-GTD was confirmed.RESULTS In this study, the total technical success rate was 96.1%. The treatment success rate of WON, PPC, chronic pseudocyst, and others was 57.5%, 90.9%, 91.0%, and 89.5%, respectively. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography using the multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the treatment success rate of WON was significantly lower in patients with more than 50% pancreatic parenchymal necrosis(OR = 17.0; 95%CI: 1.9-150.7; P = 0.011) and in patients with more than 150 mm of PFC(OR = 27.9; 95%CI: 3.4-227.7; P = 0.002).The recurrence of PFC in the long term was 13.3%(median observation time, 38.8 mo). Mean amylase level in the cavity was significantly higher in the recurrence group than in the no recurrence group(P = 0.02).CONCLUSION The reduction of WON by EUS-GTD alone was associated with the proportion of necrotic tissue and extent of the cavity. The amylase level in the cavity may be a predictive factor for recurrence of PFC.

Slow-pull and different conventional suction techniques in endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration of pancreatic solid lesions using 22-gauge needles

AIM To evaluate the cytological diagnostic capacity and sample quality of the slow-pull technique and compare them with different suction techniques.METHODS From July 2010 to December 2015, 102 patients with pancreatic solid lesions who underwent endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration(EUS-FNA) with 22-gauge needles were retrospectively evaluated. EUS-FNA diagnosis was based on a cytological examination, and final diagnosis was based on a comprehensive standard of cytological diagnosis, surgical pathology and clinical or imaging follow-up. Cytological specimens were characterized for cellularity and blood contamination. The cytological diagnostic capacity and sample quality of the slow-pull technique and suction techniques with 5-m L/10-m L/20-m L syringes were analyzed.RESULTS Of all of the EUS-FNA procedures, the slow-pull technique and suction techniques with 5-m L/10-m L/20-m L syringes were used in 31, 19, 34 and 18 procedures, respectively. There were significant differences between these four suction techniques in terms of cytological diagnostic accuracy(90.3% vs 63.2% vs 58.8% vs 55.6%, P = 0.019), sensitivity(88.2% vs 41.7% vs 40.0% vs 36.4%, P = 0.009) and blood contamination(score ≥ 2 for 29.0% vs 52.6% vs 70.6% vs 72.2%, P = 0.003). The accuracy and sensitivity of the slow-pull technique were significantly higher than those of the suction techniques using 5-m L(P = 0.03, P = 0.014), 10-m L(P = 0.005; P = 0.006) and 20-mL syringes(P = 0.01, P = 0.01). Blood contamination was significantly lower in the slow-pull technique than in the suction techniques with 10-m L(P = 0.001) and 20-mL syringes(P = 0.007).CONCLUSION The slow-pull technique may increase the cytological diagnostic accuracy and sensitivity with slight blood contamination during EUS-FNA when using 22-gauge needles for solid pancreatic masses.

Case Report:Gastric duplication cyst lined by pseudostratified columnar ciliated epithelium: a case report and literature review

Gastric duplication cyst (GDC) lined by pseudostratified columnar ciliated epithelium (PCCE) is an uncommon lesion stemming from a foregut developmental malformation.Its clinical and radiological presentation is usually nonspecific.In this study,we reported a 76-year-old man who presented with an incidentally found perigastric mass.An exploratory laparotomy revealed a non-communicating cyst below the gastroesophageal junction,measuring 4 cm×4 cm in size.Microscopically,the gastric cyst was lined merely by PCCE.Although rare,GDC lined by PCCE should be included in the differential diagnosis of gastric wall masses.Surgical intervention is warranted in patients who have clinical symptoms,or who are aged more than 50 years.