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The detection of residual or fragmented common bile duct (CBD) stones after lithotripsy can be improved by the high-resolution imaging quality of digital, single-operator cholangioscopy (SOC). However, therapeutic interventions for the removal of residual CBD stones are limited by the lack of appropriate tools. We retrospectively evaluated the role of SOC and the newly developed Dormia basket for the evaluation and removal of stones remaining after lithotripsy. Thirty-four patients who had undergone lithotripsy for retained CBD stones with no evidence of filling defects in occluded balloon cholangiography from March 2017 to October 2018 were included in the study. After balloon cholangiography, the bile duct was evaluated by SOC for complete evacuation of the stones. The detected residual CBD stones were directly retrieved by inserting the newly developed Dormia basket into the working channel of the SOC. The incidence of residual stones detected by SOC and the success rate of residual stone retrieval by SOC were investigated. Digital SOC was successfully performed in all patients. Of these, 11 patients (32.4%) had residual CBD stones. The residual stones were successfully removed in 10 patients (90.9%) by SOC using the Dormia basket, except in one case of residual stones left in the hepatic duct. There were no adverse events associated with the SOC procedures or direct stone removal. Digital SOC combined with the newly developed Dormia basket was useful for the detection and extraction of residual CBD stones under direct visualization after lithotripsy.

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) guided choledochoduodenostomy using a lumen-apposing metal stent (LAMS) allows access to the biliary system with a sufficiently large diameter stent. However, an appropriate endoscope for this purpose is required. We evaluated the feasibility of per-oral cholangioscopy (POC) using a multibending ultra-slim endoscope through a LAMS for EUS-guided choledochoduodenostomy.Twelve patients who underwent EUS-guided choledochoduodenostomy, followed by POC via a LAMS, were enrolled. POC was performed with an multibending ultra-slim endoscope. The primary outcome was technical success, defined as examination of both hepatic ducts and either the distal common bile duct or stricture site within 10 min. The types of intervention and adverse events were also assessed.Technical success was achieved in all cases with the multibending ultra-slim endoscope. Narrow-band imaging endoscopy was performed in five cases (41.7%) and POC-guided targeted biopsy was performed in three cases (25.0%). Stone extraction during POC was performed in two patients (16.7%) and foreign body removal from the intrahepatic duct was performed in one patient. One patient underwent additional metal stent insertion under direct visualization. After POC, no stent migration or severe adverse events were seen in any case.POC using a multibending ultra-slim endoscope for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes can be performed effectively and safely through a LAMS after EUS-guided choledochoduodenostomy.

There is no clear data to compare the effectiveness and safety of bilateral stent-in-stent (SIS) or stent-by-stent (SBS) deployment for advanced malignant hilar obstruction (MHO). This meta-analysis was done to investigate clinical outcomes of these deployment methods.We did a literature search to identify studies that reported the clinical outcomes of bilateral metal stents in patients with advanced MHO. Weighed pooled rates (WPR) along with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were calculated in order to compare outcomes including technical and clinical success, adverse events, and stent occlusion between the two groups. We conducted a meta-analysis using a random-effects model.Five comparative studies with 250 patients, and 20 single-arm studies for the SIS or SBS method were eligible for the meta-analysis and systematic review. The bilateral SIS deployment had a significantly higher technical success rate than did SBS deployment (OR 6.43; 95% CI 1.08-38.09). There was no difference in the clinical success (OR 1.23; 95% CI 0.45-3.38), overall adverse events rates (OR 0.42; 95% CI 0.15-1.18), or overall occlusion rate (OR 1.55; 95% CI 0.89-2.70). As a single-armed group, WPR of technical success of the SIS and SBS groups was 96.4% and 89.6%, respectively. Clinical success was 97.5% and 98.3%. Overall, adverse events were 35.9% and 22.6%. Occlusion rates were 27.7% and 37.7%.Although there was a lack of quality data and heterogeneity, bilateral SIS deployment had a higher technical feasibility than did the SBS method in patients with advanced MHO, without differences in terms of clinical success, adverse events, or occlusion rates.

Endoscopically applicable hemostatic agents have been demonstrated to have high initial hemostasis rates in cases of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB). The authors developed a new hemostatic powder (CEGP-003) and evaluated its hemostatic and ulcer healing effects in UGIB. Patients with peptic ulcer or post-endoscopic resection bleeding were randomly assigned to be treated by epinephrine injection or CEGP-003 spray. All patients were placed under observation for 3 days and underwent second-look endoscopy. The primary outcome was initial hemostasis rate, and the secondary outcomes were rebleeding rate and ulcer healing effect. Seventy-two patients with UGIB were enrolled in this study. Causes of bleeding were peptic ulcer (15, 20.5%), post-endoscopic mucosal resection (11, 15.1%), and post-endoscopic submucosal dissection bleeding (47, 64.4%). Initial hemostasis was achieved in 89.2% (34/37) of patients in the epinephrine group and in 100% (35/35) in the CEGP-003 group (p = 0.115). Rebleeding occurred in 2.7% (1/37) and 8.6% (3/35) in the epinephrine and CEGP-003 groups, respectively (p = 0.35). Three days after endoscopic hemostasis, the ulcer healing effects of epinephrine and CEGP-003 were similar (p = 0.79). This study shows that CEGP-003 spray has a hemostatic effect similar to epinephrine in terms of initial hemostasis and rebleeding rates. The authors consider CEGP-003 a potential therapeutic tool for UGIB as a definitive or bridge therapy and that it is particularly useful for oozing lesions after endoscopic resection.

Concern regarding the safety and efficacy of therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in elderly patients is increasing as a result of the aging society. However, there are limited data, especially in the super-aged elderly. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of therapeutic ERCP in patients ≥80 years of age. Patients 80 years of age or older (n = 312) and younger than 65 years (n = 312) who underwent therapeutic ERCP from June 2006 to April 2014 were randomly selected and analyzed retrospectively. The main outcome measurements were therapeutic ERCP-related complications and clinical outcomes in the two groups. Choledocholithiasis combined with gallbladder stone was the most common indication for ERCP in both groups. Comorbid diseases (70.5 and 29.8 %, p

Endoscopic papillary large balloon dilation (EPLBD) after an endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) is an option for endoscopic removal of large common bile duct (CBD) stones. However, risks or fear of severe adverse events remain. Our aim was to compare the safety and efficacy of delayed EPLBD after EST with concurrent EST and EPLBD in patients with acute cholangitis by large CBD stones. A total of sixty-eight patients with acute cholangitis from large CBD stones were enrolled in this prospective observational study. Thirty-five patients underwent concurrent EST and EPLBD at the same session (group A). Thirty-three patients underwent only EST at the first session, and EPLBD with stone removal was performed during a second session (group B). The complete stone removal rate and adverse events rate were analyzed. Both groups resulted in similar outcomes in terms of overall successful stone removal (100 % in both groups) and the use of additional lithotripsy (22.9 % in group A and 24.2 % in group B). Six patients (17.1 %) in group A had procedural-related adverse events including one patient with death by perforation, one with significant bleeding, and four with pancreatitis, including one moderate grade. However, there was no procedure-related complication in group B (p

Endoscopic biliary sphincterotomy (EBS) results in permanent loss of sphincter function and its long-term complications are unknown. Endoscopic papillary balloon dilation (EPBD) is an alternative procedure that preserves sphincter function, although it is associated with a higher risk of pancreatitis than is EBS. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and outcomes of EPBD with limited indications for removal of common bile duct (CBD) stones combined with gallstones in patients younger than 40 years. Young (age

Lack of established guidelines for endoscopic papillary large balloon dilation (EPLBD) may be a reason for aversion of its use in removal of large common bile duct (CBD) stones. We sought to identify factors predictive of adverse events (AEs) following EPLBD. This multicenter retrospective study investigated 946 consecutive patients who underwent attempted removal of CBD stones ≥10 mm in size using EPLBD (balloon size 12–20 mm) with or without endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) at 12 academic medical centers in Korea and Japan. Ninety-five (10.0 %) patients exhibited AEs including bleeding in 56, pancreatitis in 24, perforation in nine, and cholangitis in six; 90 (94.7 %) of these were classified as mild or moderate in severity. There were four deaths, three as a result of perforation and one due to delayed massive bleeding. Causative factors identified in fatal cases were full-EST and continued balloon inflation despite a persistent waist seen fluoroscopically. Multivariate analyses showed that cirrhosis (OR 8.03, p = 0.003), length of EST (full-EST: OR 6.22, p

Theoretically, the side-by-side bilateral placement of metal stents may be technically easier than stent-in-stent bilateral placement in stent revision. However, side-by-side placement can be technically challenging, as the deployment of the first stent can preclude the passage of the second stent.We explored the technical feasibility and revision efficacy of endoscopic bilateral side-by-side stent placement for malignant hilar biliary strictures.Forty-four patients with Bismuth type II or higher malignant hilar biliary strictures were enrolled in seven academic tertiary referral centers. Endoscopic placement of side-by-side bilateral metal stents with 7F thin delivery shaft was performed. The outcome measurements were the technical and functional success, adverse events, endoscopic revision success rate, and stent patency.Overall, the technical and functional success rates were 91 % (40/44), and 98 % (39/40), respectively. Two of the failed patients were converted successfully with subsequent contralateral stent-in-stent placement, and the other patients underwent percutaneous intervention. Early stent-related adverse events occurred in 10 %. The endoscopic revision rate due to stent malfunction during follow-up (median: 180 days) was 45 % (18/40; tumor ingrowth in 4 and in-stent sludge impaction/stone formation in 14 patients). The endoscopic revision success rate was 92 % (12/13). Five patients with comorbidity underwent initial percutaneous intervention. The median survival and stent patency periods were 180 and 157 days, respectively.The sequential placement of a metal stent with a 7F thin delivery shaft in bilateral side-by-side procedures may be feasible and effective for malignant hilar biliary strictures and for endoscopic stent revision.

Prolonged or complex endoscopic procedures are frequently performed under deep sedation. However, no studies of therapeutic ERCP have yet compared the use of balanced propofol sedation (BPS) to propofol alone, titrated to moderate levels of sedation.This prospective, randomized, double-blind study was planned to compare the sedation efficacy and safety of BPS (propofol in combination with midazolam and fentanyl) and propofol monosedation in therapeutic ERCP and EUS.BPS, or propofol monosedation titrated to a moderate level of sedation, was performed by trained registered nurses under endoscopist supervision. The main outcome measurements included sedation efficacy focusing on recovery time, sedation safety, endoscopic procedure outcomes, and complications.There were no significant differences in sedation efficacy, safety, procedure outcomes, and complications, with the exception of recovery time. Mean recovery time (standard deviation) was 18.37 (7.86) min in BPS and 13.4 (6.24) min in propofol monosedation (P0.001). In a safety analysis, cardiopulmonary complication rates related to BPS and propofol monosedation were 7.8 % (8/102) and 9.6 % (10/104), respectively (P = 0.652). No patient required assisted ventilation or permanent termination of a procedure in either group. Technical success of the endoscopic procedures was 96.3 and 97.2 %, respectively (P = 0.701). Endoscopic procedure-related complications and outcomes did not differ depending on sedation procedure.Propofol monosedation by trained, registered sedation nurses under supervision resulted in a more rapid recovery time than BPS. There were no differences in the sedation safety, endoscopic procedure outcomes, and complications between BPS and propofol monosedation.

Benign biliary strictures (BBS) may complicate biliary surgery including liver transplantation (LT) [1]. The firstline management of BBS, including anastomotic strictures after LT, now incorporates endoscopic therapy, mostly consisting of stenting [2]. Although originally designed for endoscopic palliation of malignant biliary strictures, the self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) is a valid alternative to surgery for BBS. Patients with malignant biliary strictures who undergo treatment with metal stents have a limited life expectancy due to the poor prognosis of the underlying disease. Therefore, for patients with BBS who have a normal life expectancy, the indications for metal stent placement should differ from those applied to malignant biliary strictures. Metal stents can be divided into uncovered SEMS, partially covered SEMS, and fully covered SEMS (FCSEMS). Non-removable uncovered SEMS cannot be used for BBS due to their limited patency, since reactive hyperplastic tissue may extend through the metal mesh. Partially covered SEMS can be used for BBS to decrease the rate of stent migration; however, the uncovered portion can embed in the bile duct wall. FCSEMS are a good first choice because of their easy removal and long duration of patency due to lack of tissue hyperplasia and implantation into the biliary tree. Since frequent spontaneous stent migration is a major adverse event associated with FCSEMS, an anchoring system such as flared ends or anchoring fins has been developed [3]. In this issue of Digestive Diseases and Sciences, Kahaleh’s group reports the retrospectively analyzed outcomes of covered SEMS for 55 patients with anastomotic strictures after LT [4]. Twenty-seven of 55 (49.1 %) patients were treated with plastic stents prior to covered SEMS. The authors applied three different types of covered SEMS: partially covered SEMS (19 patients), FCSEMS with anchoring fins (21 patients), and FCSEMS with flared ends (15 patients). Endoscopic biliary sphincterotomy was performed in all patients. Although the authors endeavored to center the stent within the stricture, success was not universal. All covered SEMS were removed after 3–4 months. The technical success rate was 100 %, but the clinical success rate, as measured by stricture resolution, was unsatisfactory (60–74 %). Even after covered SEMS placement, three (5.5 %) patients eventually required surgery to resolve their biliary strictures. Notably, the stentrelated adverse event rate involving migration and occlusion was 7–24 %. Five patients with early stent occlusion required repeat stenting. Indeed, the clinical success rate of endoscopic stenting with multiple plastic stents is reportedly 87–94 % [5]. The location of the stricture is usually the most proximal aspect of the common hepatic duct in anastomotic strictures after LT, especially after living-related LT recipients, in whom the strictured segment is usually short. To achieve effective stenting with covered SEMS, the stent should be centered within the strictured bile duct segment, which might be difficult to achieve in this clinical setting. Stenting with conventional covered SEMS distal to the stricture of the recipient’s native common bile duct can abruptly stretch the duct due to the high radial force developed J. H. Moon Department of Internal Medicine, Digestive Disease Center and Research Institute, Soonchunhyang University School of Medicine, Bucheon/Seoul, Korea

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) has been becoming the standard tool for acquiring pancreatic lesion tissue. However, a single cytologic or histologic evaluation is not satisfactory for diagnosis. In this study, we evaluated the diagnostic yield of EUS–FNA for pancreatic solid masses and intra-abdominal lymph nodes using a triple approach. This study included patients undergoing evaluation for a solid pancreatic mass (n = 59) or intra-abdominal lymph nodes (n = 16) using EUS–FNA with a 22- or 25-gauge (G) needle, respectively. The specimens from each pass were analyzed by on-site cytology using Diff-Quick stain, cytology using Papanicolaou stain, and histology with immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. A total of 75 patients (49 males; mean age; 63.7 years) were included. The median number of needle pass for diagnosis of malignancy was 2.0, and there was no technical failure. The diagnostic accuracies with on-site cytology, cytology using Papanicolaou staining, and histology were 70.7, 80.0, and 80.0 %, respectively. The diagnostic accuracy using a triple approach was significantly greater than cytology using Papanicolaou staining alone (94.7 vs. 80.0 %; p = 0.007). In patients with malignant lesions, cytology identified 12 of 71 (16.9 %) malignant lesions that were not diagnosed by histology using IHC, and histology identified six (8.5 %) malignant lesions that were not diagnosed by cytology. On-site cytopathologic evaluation combined with cytologic and histologic analysis with IHC stain for one-pass specimen is considered to be able to increase the overall accuracy of EUS–FNA in pancreatic solid masses and lymph nodes.

Choledocholithiasis is one of the causes of jaundice and may require urgent treatment. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) has been the primary management strategy for choledocholithiasis. However, small stones can be overlooked during ERCP. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of intraductal ultrasonography (IDUS) for detecting choledocholithiasis in icteric patients with highly suspected common bile duct (CBD) stones without definite stone diagnosis on ERCP. Ninety-five icteric (bilirubin ≥3 mg/dL) patients who underwent ERCP for highly suspected choledocholithiasis without definite filling defects on cholangiography were prospectively enrolled in the present study. We evaluated the bile duct using IDUS for the presence of stones or sludge. Reference standard for choledocholithiasis was endoscopic extraction of stone or sludge. Bile duct stones were detected with IDUS in 31 of 95 patients (32.6 %). IDUS findings were confirmed by endoscopic stone extraction in all patients. The mean diameter of CBD stones detected by IDUS was 2.9 mm (range 1–7 mm). IDUS revealed biliary sludge in 24 patients (25.2 %) which was confirmed by sludge extraction in 21 patients (87.5 %). In dilated CBD, detection rate of bile duct stone/sludge based on IDUS was significantly higher than in non-dilated CBD (p = 0.004). IDUS is useful for the detection of occult CBD stone on ERCP in icteric patients with highly suspected CBD stones.