The feasibility of pancreatic duct stenting using a novel 4-Fr plastic stent with a 0.025-in. guidewire

Pancreatic duct stenting is a well-established method for reducing post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) pancreatitis. However, there is no consensus on the optimal type of plastic stent. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of a new 4-Fr plastic stent for pancreatic duct stenting. Forty-nine consecutive patients who placed the 4-Fr stent into the pancreatic duct (4Fr group) were compared with 187 consecutive patients who placed a conventional 5-Fr stent (control group). The primary outcome was technical success. Complications rate, including post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) were the secondary outcomes. Propensity score matching was introduced to reduce selection bias. The technical success rate was 100% in the 4Fr group and 97.9% in the control group (p = 0.315). Post-ERCP amylase level was significantly lower in the 4-Fr group than the control group before propensity score matching (p = 0.006), though without statistical significance after propensity score matching (p = 0.298). The rate of PEP in the 4Fr group (6.1%) was lower than the control group (15.5%), though without statistical significance before (p = 0.088) and after (p = 1.00) propensity score matching. Pancreatic duct stenting using a novel 4-Fr plastic stent would be at least similar or more feasible and safe compared to the conventional plastic stent.

Splenic artery pseudoaneurysm complicated by haemorrhage into pancreatic pseudocyst: a clinical case

Background. Splenic artery pseudoaneurysm is a rare complication of acute and chronic pancreatitis caused by an arterial wall lesion with aggressive pancreatic enzymes and followed by arrosive bleeding into pseudocyst lumen and the formation of a dense fibrous capsule prone to growth.Clinical Case Description. Patient M., 61 yo, was emergently admitted to Territorial Clinical Hospital No. 2 with a preliminary diagnosis: Chronic pancreatitis, incomplete remission. Pancreatic pseudocyst. Condition after endoscopic papillosphincterotomy, pancreatic duct stenting. Gastrointestinal haemorrhage. The patient complained of moderate persistent belting upper abdominal and left subcostal pain, nausea, general weakness, black liquid stool over last five days. Pancreonecrosis in history. Pseudocyst formation in two months, endoscopic papillosphincterotomy and pancreatic stenting in hospital, the aforementioned complaints appeared past three months. Moderate anaemia (haemoglobin 73 g/L, erythrocyte count 2.8 x 1012), hyperamylasaemia (amylase 170 U/L), no other pathology in general and biochemic blood panels. The patient was rendered urgent oesophagogastroduodenoscopy for large duodenal papilla, with no evident bleeding detected. Abdominal CT angiography revealed a haemorrhagic mass connected with splenic artery lumen in the projection of pancreatic tail. The patient was transferred to an interventional radiology room for coil embolisation of splenic artery. The postoperative period was benign, and the patient discharged on day 3 after surgery for outpatient surgical patronage. Definite clinical diagnosis: Chronic pancreatitis, incomplete remission. Splenic artery pseudoaneurysm with haemorrhage into pancreatic pseudocyst. Condition after endoscopic papillosphincterotomy, pancreatic duct stenting.Conclusion. Splenic artery pseudoaneurysm with haemorrhage into pancreatic pseudocyst is reluctant to early diagnosis due to a lacking definite clinical picture and tractable only at an interdisciplinary institution disposing with a rich diagnostic toolkit and sufficiently qualified medical personnel. Endovascular treatment is overall most effective and enables a reliable aneurysm isolation from the splenic artery basin.

Imaging of inflammatory disease of the pancreas

Increasingly acute and chronic pancreatitis (AP and CP) are considered a continuum of a single entity. Nonetheless, if, after flare-up, the pancreas shows no residual inflammation, it is classified as AP. CP is characterised by a long cycle of worsening and waning glandular inflammation without the pancreas ever returning to its baseline structure or function. According to the International Consensus Guidelines on Early Chronic Pancreatitis, pancreatic inflammation must last at least 6 months before it can be labelled CP. The distinction is important because, unlike AP, CP can destroy endocrine and exocrine pancreatic function, emphasising the importance of early diagnosis. As typical AP can be diagnosed by clinical symptoms plus laboratory tests, imaging is usually reserved for those with recurrent, complicated or CP. Imaging typically starts with ultrasound and more frequently with contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT). MRI and/or MR cholangiopancreatography can be used as a problem-solving tool to confirm indirect signs of pancreatic mass, differentiate between solid and cystic lesions, and to exclude pancreatic duct anomalies, as may occur with recurrent AP, or to visualise early signs of CP. MR cholangiopancreatography has replaced diagnostic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). However, ERCP, and/or endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) remain necessary for transpapillary biliary or pancreatic duct stenting and transgastric cystic fluid drainage or pancreatic tissue sampling, respectively. Finally, positron emission tomography-MRI or positron emission tomography-CT are usually reserved for complicated cases and/or to search for extra pancreatic systemic manifestations. In this article, we discuss a broad spectrum of inflammatory pancreatic disorders and the utility of various modalities in diagnosing acute and chronic pancreatitis.

Surgical treatment of acute biliary pancreatitis

The objective was to improve the management of patients with acute biliary pancreatitis against the background of cholecystocholedocholithiasis.Methods and materials. 107 patients with acute biliary pancreatitis against the background of cholecystocholedocholithiasis were treated between 2017 and 2020 years. Patients suffering from mild and moderately severe acute biliary pancreatitis underwent single-step (laparoscopic cholecystectomy with endoscopic papillosphincterotomy) or two-step (endoscopic papillosphincterotomy with delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy) surgical interventions. Patients with severe acute pancreatitis underwent endoscopic papillosphincterotomy with or without common bile duct and pancreatic duct stenting. The comparative analysis was made to estimate the efficiency of different surgical interventions in different groups of patients.Results. Patients with mild or moderately severe acute biliary pancreatitis showed better outcomes after single-step surgical intervention. Patients with severe acute biliary pancreatitis – after endoscopic papillosphincterotomy with common bile duct and pancreatic duct stenting.Conclusion. Single-step surgical interventions (laparoscopic cholecystectomy with endoscopic papillosphincterotomy) are shown for patients with mild or moderately severe acute biliary pancreatitis, because this approach helps to preserve the complications, specific for two-step interventions. The single-step approach authentically helps to decrease the duration of hospital stay and reduce treatment costs. The two-step approach is shown for patients with severe acute biliary pancreatitis, but endoscopic papillosphincterotomy with lithoextraction should be supplemented by common bile duct and pancreatic duct stenting, in order to reduce the number of complications associated with delayed cholecystectomy.

The Effect of Preoperative Biliary Drainage with or without Pancreatic Stenting on Complications after Pancreatoduodenectomy: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background. The necessity of preoperative biliary drainage (PBD) prior to pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is still controversial. However, in some settings, PBD with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedure is recommended as a preferred management. Meanwhile, pancreatic duct stenting in the drainage procedure is rarely performed for selected indications, and its associated complications after PD remain quite unknown. Methods. A retrospective observational longitudinal cohort study was performed on patients who underwent PBD and PD from a prospectively maintained database at the National Cancer Center from March of 2015 to July of 2019. Patients who underwent biliary stenting alone, biliary and pancreatic stenting, were distributed into two study cohort groups, and their records were scrutinized for the incidence of postoperative complications. Results. A total of 83 patients who underwent successful PD after biliary drainage were identified. 29 patients underwent nasobiliary drainage (ENBD)/plastic or metal bile duct stenting (BS) and pancreatic duct stenting (PS group), and 54 patients underwent only ENBD/BS, without pancreatic duct stenting (NPS group). No differences were found between the two groups with respect to in-hospital time, overall complication rate, respective rate of serious (grade 3 or higher) complication rate, bile anastomotic leakage, bleeding, abdominal infection, surgical wound infection, organ dysfunction, and pancreatic anastomotic leakage. Postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction rates differed significantly, which occurred in 3 (5.56%) cases in the NPS group, compared with 6 (20.7%) cases in the PS group ( P = 0.06 ). In the univariate and multivariate regression model analysis, pancreatic duct stenting was correlated with higher rates of gastrointestinal dysfunction [ odds ratio OR = 4.25 , P = 0.0472 ]. Conclusion. Our data suggested that PBD and pancreatic duct stenting prior to pancreatoduodenectomy would increase the risk of postoperative delayed gastric emptying, while the overall incidence of postoperative complications and other complications, such as pancreatic leakage and bile duct leakage, showed no statistical difference.

Endoscopic management of ampullary tumors: European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) Guideline

Main Recommendations 1 ESGE recommends against diagnostic/therapeutic papillectomy when adenoma is not proven.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence. 2 ESGE recommends endoscopic ultrasound and abdominal magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) for staging of ampullary tumors.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence. 3 ESGE recommends endoscopic papillectomy in patients with ampullary adenoma without intraductal extension, because of good results regarding outcome (technical and clinical success, morbidity, and recurrence).Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence. 4 ESGE recommends en bloc resection of ampullary adenomas up to 20–30 mm in diameter to achieve R0 resection, for optimizing the complete resection rate, providing optimal histopathology, and reduction of the recurrence rate after endoscopic papillectomy.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence. 5 ESGE suggests considering surgical treatment of ampullary adenomas when endoscopic resection is not feasible for technical reasons (e. g. diverticulum, size > 4 cm), and in the case of intraductal involvement (of > 20 mm). Surveillance thereafter is still mandatory.Weak recommendation, low quality evidence. 6 ESGE recommends direct snare resection without submucosal injection for endoscopic papillectomy.Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence. 7 ESGE recommends prophylactic pancreatic duct stenting to reduce the risk of pancreatitis after endoscopic papillectomy.Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence. 8 ESGE recommends long-term monitoring of patients after endoscopic papillectomy or surgical ampullectomy, based on duodenoscopy with biopsies of the scar and of any abnormal area, within the first 3 months, at 6 and 12 months, and thereafter yearly for at least 5 years.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence.

Pancreaticopleural Fistula: A Cause of Recurrent Pleural Effusions in Chronic Pancreatitis

Pancreaticopleural fistula is a rare complication of chronic pancreatitis caused by disruption of the pancreatic duct and fistulous communication with the pleural cavity. It usually presents with respiratory symptoms from recurrent large volume pleural effusions. Paucity of abdominal symptoms makes it a diagnostic challenge, leading often to delayed diagnosis. Marked elevation of pleural fluid amylase, which is not a commonly performed test, is a sensitive marker in its detection. Imaging with magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography can help delineate the fistula. In this report, we present the clinical features, imaging, and management of a 59-year-old male patient with pancreaticopleural fistula, wherein the diagnosis was suspected only after repeated pleural fluid drainages were performed for re-accumulating pleural effusions and it was eventually successfully treated with pancreatic duct stenting. We review the literature with regards to the incidence, presentation, diagnosis, and management of this rare entity.

An Audit of Management of Chronic Pancreatitis with Pancreatic Ductal Disruption Resulting in Ascites and Pleural Effusion

Introduction: Pancreatic Ductal Disruption (PDD) may remain a localised collection to form pseudocyst or dissect into adjacent organs or rupture freely into the peritoneal cavity or pleural cavity resulting in massive or high-volume ascites or pleural effusions. The management of pseudocyst is well known among general and gastrosurgeons, but ascites and plural effusion remain difficult decisions. Depending on the availability of resources total parenteral nutrition, octreotide, pancreatic duct stenting are used with varying success. There are no guidelines as to which intervention is preferable in different clinical scenarios. Aim: To audit the clinical characters and management of patients with pancreatic ascites and pleural effusion. Materials and Methods: This study was done at the Department of Surgical Gastroenterology, Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences, Hubballi, Karnataka, India. Fifty two patients with pancreatic ascites or pancreatico pleural fistula in the background of chronic pancreatitis satisfying both inclusion and exclusion criteria were identified and studied from the prospectively maintained database of patients with chronic pancreatitis in the period from September 2010 to September 2020. The patients were classified as conservatively managed, endoscopic main pancreatic duct stenting or surgery. Statistical analysis was done using windows excel. The results were expressed as percentage, mean and Standard Deviation (SD). Results: Five patients with ascites and two patients with pleural effusion responded completely to conservative measures (13.4%). In one of them ascites recurred at two months and one had left pleural effusion recurrence at one month. Fifteen patients died while on conservative management (68.2% mortality). Among eight patients undergoing endoscopic pancreatic duct stenting, ascites/pleural effusion resolved in six (75% success rate) and remained asymptomatic during mean follow-up of 12 months. Two patients who were not improving after stenting were lost to follow-up. Twenty-two patients underwent surgery namely lateral pancreatojejunostomy with resolution of symptoms. Two patients undergoing surgery died in postoperative period due to sepsis and chest infection (9.1% mortality). At a mean follow-up of 14 months they remained symptom free. Conclusion: Conservative management alone has high mortality. Early aggressive management can aim to stop leak either by pancreatic duct stenting or surgical lateral pancreatojejunostomy will help reduce mortality and morbidity.