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Background and Aim: Rectal indomethacin and pancreatic duct stenting (PDS) are recommended for the prevention of post‐endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis (PEP). However, the effects of the combination of the two methods on preventing PEP are controversial. We hypothesized that some group of difficult patients might benefit from the combination of indomethacin plus PDS (IP) compared with indomethacin alone (IN). Methods: Patients with native papilla who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in eight tertiary hospitals were screened. They were enrolled if the cannulation proved difficult and post‐procedure indomethacin was administered. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance the baseline characteristics between IP and IN groups. The primary outcome was PEP. Results: Among 4456 patients with available cannulation‐related data, 1889 (42.4%) patients had difficult cannulation and received indomethacin. After PSM, both IP and IN groups included 332 patients. PEP was comparable between the two groups (12.7% vs 10.2%, P = 0.329). By subgroup analysis, the PEP rate was found to be lower in the IP group than in the IN group (7.3% vs 18.2%, P = 0.026) in patients undergoing double‐guidewire technique (DGT). The results of an additional analysis using PSM in DGT patients were consistent with the subgroup analysis results (7.8% vs 19.4%, P = 0.036). Conclusions: The current study indicated that the combined prevention of PEP with indomethacin plus PDS was useful in PEP prevention in patients undergoing DGT. Other groups of patients with difficult cannulation may not benefit from the combination strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Double‐guidewire technique (DWT) has been successfully performed by experts in difficult biliary cannulation as an advanced technique. This study aimed to define the learning curve and safety of DWT by trainees during hands‐on endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) training. Methods: Patients were eligible for inclusion in the study if the biliary cannulation was difficult and the pancreatic duct was inadvertently cannulated. DWT was performed by two trainees randomly under trainers' guidance. The primary outcome was the success rate of DWT biliary cannulation of trainees. Cumulative sum analysis was used to generate visual learning curves. Results: A total of 60 patients with difficult cannulation were enrolled. The main indications for ERCP were common bile duct stones (65%) and biliary stricture (31.7%). The learning curve analysis showed that to achieve a 70% rate of successful DWT, 12 procedures were needed for trainee A and 15 for trainee B. Higher targeted success rate of DWT could be achieved if the number of DWT procedures increased. Compared with the early stage of learning DWT (case 1 to 15 for each trainee), trainees had significantly higher DWT success rate in the late stage (36.7% [11/30] vs 80% [24/30], P = 0.001). The final success rate of cannulation was 98.3% (59/60). The overall rate of post‐ERCP pancreatitis and adverse events was 6.7% (4/60) and 8.3% (5/60), respectively. Conclusions: Double‐guidewire technique was safely performed by two novel trainees during hands‐on ERCP training. Fifteen procedures may be enough for trainees to achieve the competency of performing DWT. (Clinicaltrials.gov number: NCT03707613). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Papilla with hooknose or long protruding shape may increase the difficulty of cannulation during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). However, the relationship between papilla anatomy and complications of ERCP has not been fully understood. We aimed to investigate the effect of major duodenal papilla morphology on post‐ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) and the procedure of cannulation. Methods: Patients with native papilla who underwent ERCP were recruited to this multicenter study. Papilla‐related variables were collected, including the length of long axis (L), short axis (S) and opening width (OW), transverse fold, periampullary diverticulum (PAD), papilla location, orientation, swelling, and presence of duodenal stenosis. Demographic data and the procedure of cannulation were also prospectively evaluated. The primary outcome was PEP incidence. Multivariate analysis was used to identify high risk factors for PEP. Results: Six hundred and fifty‐eight patients were enrolled. Overall PEP incidence was 4.7% (31/658). The papilla of patients complicated with PEP had higher long to short axis (L/S) ratio (odds ratio [OR] 3.84, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.37–10.74, P = 0.010), higher long axis to opening width (L/OW) ratio (OR 1.35, 95%CI: 1.06–1.71, P = 0.014), more transverse folds (OR 2.53, 95%CI: 1.02–6.26, P = 0.044), and less periampullary diverticulum (OR 0.21, 95%CI: 0.06–0.70, P = 0.011). Multivariate analysis revealed that the indication of common bile duct stones, normal bilirubin, inadvertent pancreatic duct cannulation > 1, L/S ratio ≥ 1.5, and absence of PAD were independent risk factors for PEP. Conclusion: Besides patient‐related and procedure‐related factors, papilla‐related variables, such as L/S ratio and PAD, can be considered as a third type of factors associated with PEP (Clinicaltrials.gov number: NCT03550768). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]