Endoscopic ultrasound-guided antegrade biliary stenting for unresectable malignant biliary obstruction in patients with surgically altered anatomy: Single-center prospective pilot study.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERCP) with biliary stenting for the treatment of unresectable malignant biliary obstruction (MBO) is challenging among patients with surgically altered anatomy. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided antegrade biliary stenting (EUS-ABS) was introduced as an alternative biliary drainage method, although it has not yet been well studied. In this single-center prospective pilot study, we aimed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of EUS-ABS for MBO in patients with surgically altered anatomy. EUS-ABS for MBO was attempted in patients with surgically altered anatomy. In EUS-ABS, the bile duct in the left lobe was accessed from the intestine under EUS guidance, and a guidewire was placed. Thereafter, an uncovered metallic stent was deployed at the MBO through the fistula. All devices were then removed. Technical, clinical, and adverse event rates, as well as patient characteristics and procedure details, were evaluated. Twenty patients (10 women; median age, 69 years) were enrolled in the present study. Technical and clinical success rates of EUS-ABS were both 95% (19/20). In one patient, unsuccessful EUS-ABS as a result of failed visualization of the left lobe of the liver with EUS was salvaged with percutaneous biliary drainage. Rate of adverse events was 20% (4/20), including mild pancreatitis in three patients and mild fever in one patient, which were successfully managed conservatively. EUS-ABS for MBO in patients with surgically altered anatomy was a feasible and safe procedure. Further large scale comparison studies are needed to confirm its efficacy (Clinical Trial Registration Number: UMIN000008589).

Iwashita T ，Yasuda I ，Mukai T ，Iwata K ，Doi S ，Uemura S ，Mabuchi M ，Okuno M ，Shimizu M ... -  《-》

Endoscopic ultrasound guided-antegrade biliary stenting vs percutaneous transhepatic biliary stenting for unresectable distal malignant biliary obstruction in patients with surgically altered anatomy.

Unresectable distal malignant biliary obstruction (DMBO) in patients with surgically altered anatomy is traditionally managed with percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) and stenting because the anatomical features complicate the endoscopic approach to the biliary orifice. EUS-guided approaches recently emerged as alternative treatments; however, limited data comparing the procedures are available. The aim of this study was to compare EUS-antegrade biliary stenting (ABS) with PTBD for DMBO in patients with surgically altered anatomy. The medical records of patients who underwent EUS-ABS or PTBD for the management of DMBO and had a history of upper intestinal surgery at two tertiary centers between 2007 and 2019 were retrospectively evaluated. The study outcomes were technical, clinical, and internalization success rates and adverse event rates. Of the 64 enrolled patients, 35 underwent EUS-ABS and 29 had PTBD. Basic characteristics including age, sex, performance status, primary malignancy, and reconstruction method did not differ significantly between groups. The technical, clinical, and internalization success rates in the EUS-ABS and PTBD groups were 97.1% vs 96.6% (P = 1.00), 97.1% vs 93.1% (P = .586), and 97.1% vs 75.9% (P = .01), respectively. The adverse event rate was 11.4% vs 27.6% (P = .119). No significant long-term difference was seen in time to recurrent biliary obstruction and survival. Multivariate analysis confirmed EUS-ABS was not an independent risk factor for survival. Similar to PTBD, EUS-ABS can effectively and safely manage DMBO in patients with surgically altered anatomy. Further well-designed trials are warranted to confirm these findings.

Iwashita T ，Uemura S ，Mita N ，Iwasa Y ，Ichikawa H ，Mukai T ，Yasuda I ，Shimizu M ... -  《-》

EUS-guided biliary interventions for benign diseases and unsuccessful ERCP - a prospective unicenter feasibility study on a large consecutive patient cohort.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is the gold standard for the treatment of biliary obstruction of any etiology. However, cannulation failure of the common bile duct (CBD) by ERCP occurs in 5-10%. Alternatives after a failed ERCP are re-ERCP by an expert endoscopist, percutaneous transhepatic cholangio drainage (PTCD), (balloon) enteroscopy-assisted ERCP, or surgery. Endoscopic ultrasonography-guided drainage of the bile ducts (EUS-BD) is becoming the standard of care in tertiary referral centers for cases of failed ERCP in patients with malignant obstruction of the CBD. In expert hands, EUS-guided biliary drainage has excellent technical/clinical success rates and lower complication rates compared to PTCD. Despite the successful performance of EUS-BD in malignant cases, its use in benign cases is limited. The aim of this study (design, systematic prospective clinical observational study on quality assurance in daily clinical practice) was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of EUS-BD in benign indications. Patients with cholestasis and failed ERCP were recruited from a prospective EUS-BD registry (2004-2020). One hundred and three patients with EUS-BD and benign cholestasis were extracted from the registry (nTotal = 474). Indications of EUS-BDs included surgically altered anatomy (n = 65), atypical bile duct percutaneous transhepatic cholangio orifice at the duodenal junction from the longitudinal to the horizontal segment (n = 1), papilla of Vater not reached due to the gastric outlet/duodenal stenoses (n = 6), papilla that cannot be catheterized (n = 24), and proximal bile duct stenosis (n = 7). The primary endpoint was technical and clinical success. Secondary endpoints were procedure-related complications during the hospital stay. 103 patients with EUS-BD and benign cholestasis were extracted from the registry (nTotal=474). Different transluminal access routes were used to reach the bile ducts: transgastric (n = 72/103); -duodenal (n = 16/103); -jejunal (n = 14/103); combined -duodenal and -gastric (n = 1/103). The technical success rate was 96 % (n = 99) for cholangiography. Drainage was not required in 2 patients; balloon dilatation including stone extraction was sufficient in 17 cases (16.5 %; no additional or prophylactic insertion of a drain). Transluminal drainage was achieved in n = 68/103 (66 %; even higher in patients with drain indication only) by placement of a plastic stent (n = 29), conventional biliary metal stents (n = 24), HotAXIOS stents (n = 5; Boston Scientific, Ratingen, Germany), Hanaro stents (n = 6; Olympus, Hamburg, Germany), HotAXIOS stents and plastic stents (n = 1), HotAXIOS stents and metal stents (n = 1) and metal stents and plastic stents (n = 2). Techniques for stone extraction alone (nSuccessful=17) or stent insertion (nTotal = 85; nSuccessful=85 - rate, 100 %) and final EUS-BD access pathway included: Rendezvous technique (n = 14/85; 16.5 %), antegrade internal drainage (n = 20/85; 23.5 %), choledochointestinostomy (n = 7/85; 8.2 %), antegrade internal and hepaticointestinostomy (n = 22/85; 25.9 %), hepaticointestinostomy (n = 21/85; 24.7 %), choledochointestinostomy and hepaticointestinostomy (n = 1/85; 1.2 %).The complication rate was 25 % (n = 26) - the spectrum comprised stent dislocation (n = 11), perforation (n = 1), pain (n = 2), hemorrhage (n = 6), biliary ascites/leakage (n = 3) and bilioma/liver abscess (n = 3; major complication rate, n = 12/68 - 17.6 %). Re-interventions were required in 19 patients (24 interventions in total). EUS-BD can be considered an elegant and safe alternative to PTCD or reoperation for failed ERCP to achieve the necessary drainage of the biliary system even in underlying benign diseases. An interventional EUS-based internal procedure can resolve cholestasis, avoid PTCD or reoperation, and thus improve quality of life. Due to the often complex (pathological and/or postoperative) anatomy, EUS-BD should only be performed in centers with interventional endoscopy/EUS experience including adequate abdominal surgery and interventional radiology expertise in the background. This enables adequately adapted therapeutic management in the event of challenging complications. It seems appropriate to conduct further studies with larger numbers of cases to systematize the approach and peri-interventional management and to successively develop specific equipment.

Füldner F ，Meyer F ，Will U 《-》

Utility of Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Hepaticogastrostomy with Antegrade Stenting for Malignant Biliary Obstruction after Failed Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography.

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided biliary drainage (BD) is a well-recognized alternative BD method after unsuccessful endoscopic transpapillary drainage. EUS-guided hepaticogastrostomy (HGS) with antegrade stenting (AGS) was recently applied to the treatment of malignant obstructive jaundice. To assess the efficacy and safety of HGS combined with AGS for treatment of malignant biliary stricture-induced obstructive jaundice. Retrospective cohort study. Single academic tertiary care center. From January 2006 to December 2014, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography was attempted in patients with obstructive jaundice; it was successful in 641 patients and impossible in 154 patients (postsurgically altered anatomy or duodenal stenosis, n = 101; difficult cannulation, n = 53). In total, 145 patients underwent EUS-guided BD; HGS and HGS with AGS were attempted in 42 patients (Group A, January 2006-August 2011) and 37 patients (Group B, September 2011-December 2014), respectively. Under EUS and fluoroscopy guidance, HGS and HGS with AGS were performed via needle puncture, guidewire insertion, puncture-hole dilation, and stent placement. Groups A and B were compared in terms of technical success, functional success, adverse event rates, re-intervention rates, patient survival time, and time to stent dysfunction or patient death. The two groups were also compared in a subgroup analysis of only 28 patients who underwent chemotherapy. The technical success rate was significantly higher in Group A than B (97.6 vs. 83.8%, p = 0.03). The functional success rate was comparable between the two groups (90.2 vs. 90.3%), although the rate of adverse events was significantly higher in Group A than B (26.1 vs. 10.8%, p = 0.03). The re-intervention rate tended to be higher in Group A than B (16.7 vs. 8.1%, p = 0.25). Groups A and B did not differ significantly in terms of median overall patient survival (75 vs. 61 days, p = 0.70) or median time to stent dysfunction or patient death (68 vs. 63 days, p = 0.08). Among patients who underwent chemotherapy, there was no difference in overall patient survival time between the two groups (121 vs. 157 days, p = 0.08), although time to stent dysfunction or patient death was significantly shorter in Group A than B (71 vs. 95 days, p = 0.02). Although the technical success rate of HGS with AGS was lower than that of HGS, HGS with AGS was superior to HGS in terms of adverse event rate and stent patency in patients receiving chemotherapy.

Imai H ，Takenaka M ，Omoto S ，Kamata K ，Miyata T ，Minaga K ，Yamao K ，Sakurai T ，Nishida N ，Watanabe T ，Kitano M ，Kudo M ... -  《-》

Combination of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and endoscopic ultrasonography-guided biliary drainage in malignant hilar biliary obstruction.

Adequate biliary drainage (BD), defined as more than 50% of liver volume drained, is an ideal BD method in patients with advanced and unresectable malignant hilar biliary obstruction (MHBO). Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with multi-segmental BD is technically challenging. ERCP with percutaneous biliary drainage (PTBD) or PTBD alone has cumbersome maintenance of PTBD line and external bag. The utility of EUS-guided BD (EUS-BD) has risen significantly over last 5 years mostly in the clinical setting of distal bile duct obstruction. Information on EUS-BD for malignant hilar biliary obstruction (MHBO) is thus far limited to only two small studies. This review suggests a new concept of a combination of ERCP and EUS-BD (CERES) for BD in MHBO as a primary BD method whereby ERCP with a single self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) is placed into either the right or the left intrahepatic bile duct (IHD). If SEMS is placed in the right biliary system, EUS-guided hepaticogastrostomy (EUS-HGS) can subsequently be carried out. However, if the stent is placed into the left biliary system, EUS-guided hepaticoduodenostomy (EUS-HDS) is done. For MHBO with non-functioning right lobe of the liver, EUS-HGS is carried out after failed ERCP, or primary HGS can be carried out in the left lobe of liver. For MHBO with non-functioning left lobe of the liver, EUS-HDS is carried out after failed transpapillary stenting of the right lobe by ERCP. Based on our experience, CERES is promising as it can fulfil gaps of both PTBD and ERCP by allowing internal drainage that can circumvent the inconvenience associated with PTBD and offer higher technical success rate compared to ERCP with bilateral SEMS placement.

Kongkam P ，Tasneem AA ，Rerknimitr R 《-》