Role of EUS

Diagnostic endoscopic ultrasonography: Assessment of safety and prevention of complications

Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) has gained wide acceptance as an important, minimally invasive diagnostic tool in gastroenterology, pulmonology, visceral surgery and oncology. This review focuses on data regarding risks and complications of non-interventional diagnostic EUS and EUS-guided fine-needle biopsy (EUS-FNB). Measures to improve the safety of EUS und EUS-FNB will be discussed. Due to the specific mechanical properties of echoendoscopes in EUS, there is a low but noteworthy risk of perforation. To minimize this risk, endoscopists should be familiar with the specific features of their equipment and their patients’ specific anatomical situations (e.g., tumor stenosis, diverticula). Most diagnostic EUS complications occur during EUS-FNB. Pain, acute pancreatitis, infection and bleeding are the primary adverse effects, occurring in 1% to 2% of patients. Only a few cases of needle tract seeding and peritoneal dissemination have been reported. The mortality associated with EUS and EUS-FNB is 0.02%. The risks associated with EUS-FNB are affected by endoscopist experience and target lesion. EUS-FNB of cystic lesions is associated with an increased risk of infection and hemorrhage. Peri-interventional antibiotics are recommended to prevent cyst infection. Adequate education and training, as well consideration of contraindications, are essential to minimize the risks of EUS and EUS-FNB. Restricting EUS-FNB only to patients in whom the cytopathological results may be expected to change the course of management is the best way of reducing the number of complications.

Levels of evidence in endoscopic ultrasonography: a systematic review

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

A prolific trend currently designates endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) literature. We aimed to record all EUS-studies published during the past decade and evaluate them in terms of scientific quality, creating a stratification based on levels of evidence (LE).

METHODS

All articles on EUS published between January 2001 and December 2010 were retrieved using a Pubmed and Cochrane Library search. Inclusion criteria were: original research papers (randomized controlled trials-RCTs, prospective and retrospective studies), meta-analyses, reviews and surveys pertinent to gastrointestinal EUS. Levels of evidence (LE) were assessed using the North of England evidence-based guidelines.

RESULTS

Overall, 1,832 eligible articles were reviewed. The majority (46.1%) of reports comprised retrospective descriptive studies (LE III). Expert reviews and committee reports (LE IV) accounted for 28.9%, well-designed quasi-experimental studies (LE IIb) for 20.1%, RCTs (LE Ib) for 2.4%, prospective controlled trials (LE IIa) for 1.4%, and meta-analyses (LE Ia) for 1.1% of the total. High LE (Ia-Ib) were assigned to loco-regional staging of luminal gastrointestinal cancers; mediastinal staging of lung cancer; diagnostic work-up of solid pancreatic tumors, suspected biliary obstruction and choledocholithiasis; celiac plexus neurolysis; and pancreatic pseudocysts drainage. Intermediate to low LE (IIa-IV) were assigned to submucosal tumors, pancreatic cysts, chronic pancreatitis and novel therapeutic applications (pancreato-biliary drainage, tumor ablation).

CONCLUSIONS

Diagnostic and staging EUS has matured and has proven its clinical impact on patient management. Therapeutic or interventional EUS is still evolving and more quality research and data are needed to establish EUS as the best next intervention to perform once firm evidence is available.

Role of F18-FDG PET/CT in the Staging and Restaging of Esophageal Cancer: A Comparison with CECT

Esophageal cancer is one of the most fatal cancers principally because of its late presentation. CECT plays an important role in the staging of esophageal cancer but has some limitations. PET/CT which provides physiological information along with anatomical information and is a whole body imaging technique may therefore be a better alternative and thereby can facilitate selection or exclusion of patients for resection. The aim was to evaluate the performance of F18 FDG PET/CT in the staging and restaging of esophageal carcinoma compared to CECT using histopathologic findings and clinical follow-up as gold standard. Twenty eight patients with proven esophageal carcinoma, both preoperative and postoperative, were studied with CECT and F18 FDG PET/CT scan within an interval of 2 weeks. The PET/CT scan was acquired after injection of 370 MBq (10 mCi) F18-FDG and was evaluated for areas of increased focal uptake. CECT scan of chest and abdomen was done after injection of iodinated non-ionic contrast media. CECT findings suggested stage-IV disease in 16/28 (57.14%) patients and non stage-IV disease in 12/28 (42.86%) patients, whereas PET/CT suggested stage-IV disease in 23/28 (82.14%) patients and non stage-IV disease in 5/28 (17.86%) patients. Total nine patients were upstaged by PET/CT compared to CECT, out of which 7 (25%) were correctly upstaged and 2 (7.14%) were falsely upstaged. PET/CT improved our ability to detect distant metastases in 25% of patients that was missed by CECT. So, the use of F18 FDG PET/CT in esophageal cancer can alter management in significant number of patients.

Efficacy of endoscopic ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration in patients with solid pancreatic neoplasms

BACKGROUND/AIM

Endosonography is a distinct method for evaluating the structural lesions of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, particularly the pancreatobilliary region. This procedure has made a fundamental change in the diagnosis of pancreatic mass lesion through providing fine needle aspiration. This study aims at evaluating the results and efficacy of endoscopic ultrasound fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) in patients with pancreatic solid mass.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The present study is an observational, prospective case series nature, evaluated patients with pancreatic solid mass referred to Imam Khomeini educational hospital in Tehran for a duration of one year since November 2010. In order to determine the false negative cases, the patients were followed-up from 6 to 12 months.

RESULTS

EUS-FNA was conducted on all 53 patients without any complication. The majority of patients included in the study were males (68%) and 81% of patients had a mass in the head of pancreas. The result of cytopathology revealed 36 adenocarcinomas (68%), 7 other malignancies (13%), benign lesions (6%) and 7 non-diagnostic cases (13%). The frequency of non-diagnostic results was significantly high in masses smaller than 3 cm (6 vs. 1, P < 0.002). Patients with non-diagnostic result were younger than those with malignant cytopathology (52 ± 7.5 vs. 66 ± 7.5 years, P < 0.001).. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of this procedure concerning Adenocarcinoma were 88%, 100%, 100%, 70% and 90%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

EUS - FNA is an effective and safe procedure in histopathologic diagnosis of pancreatic tumors. This procedure is useful in all pancreatic mass cases including resectable and non-resectable ones.

Clinical usefulness of pit patterns for detecting colonic lesions requiring surgical treatment

BACKGROUND

The number of patients suffering from colorectal cancer is increasing. According to Japanese guidelines, lesions with a submucosal invasive depth >1,000 μm should be treated with radical proctocolectomy. We propose and evaluate a new clinical classification for pit patterns that uses endoscopy to assess lesion depth for determination of the appropriate therapeutic approach for early colorectal cancers and adenomas.

METHODS

Endoscopic images of colorectal adenomas and early cancer cases with type V(I) pit pattern, resected surgically or endoscopically from April 2002 to April 2007 at Showa University Yokohama Northern Hospital, were utilized for analysis. Each image was retrospectively analyzed for (A) pit narrowness, (B) irregular pit margins, and (C) indistinct stromal staining. Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value were evaluated as major outcomes, using pathological results as the standard.

RESULT

In total, 186 cases were assessed. With all features considered (A, B, and C), the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were 47.8%, 86.3%, 66.0%, and 74.2%, respectively. When limited to two features (A and B), these values were 75.3%, 81.2%, 70.2%, and 84.8%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that the established criteria can, to a certain degree, distinguish between high and low irregularity in colorectal lesions with V(I) pit pattern indicating submucosal cancer infiltration of more or less than 1,000 μm with the clinical consequence of surgery versus endoscopic mucosal resection/endoscopic mucosal dissection.

A pilot study of contrast harmonic endosonography using DEFINITY™ in the evaluation of suspected pancreatic and peri-ampullary malignancies

AIM: Contrast harmonic endosonography (CHEUS) is not widely available. This study assessed the utility of CHEUS using DEFINITY™, a second generation ultrasonic contrast agent, in the evaluation of suspected pancreatic and peri-ampullary malignancies. METHODS: Prospectively enrolled patients with suspected pancreatic and peri-ampullary malignancies underwent EUS followed by CHEUS. The incremental yield of CHEUS over EUS was analyzed. The gold standard for diagnosis of malignancy was positive cytology or histology; a negative diagnosis for malignancy was based on negative cytology or histology and benign clinical course. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients were enrolled and underwent CHEUS. The final diagnoses were: pancreatic adenocarcinoma (16/29); metastases to pancreas (4/29); pancreatitis with inflammatory mass (4/29); normal pancreas with focal fat sparing (1/29); ampulla adenocarcinoma (2/29); serous cystic neoplasm (1/29); peri-pancreatic lymph node due to lymphoma (1/29). One bengin case of chronic pancreatitis had calcification casting artifacts that prevented accurate EUS examination and was excluded, leaving 28 cases for comparative analysis between EUS and CHEUS. CHEUS enhanced tumor margins. CHEUS detected vascular invasion missed by EUS in 2/16 patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Masses appeared hypoechoic with EUS. With CHEUS malignant masses had an inhomogeneous hypoechoic pattern associated with abnormal vessels while lesions due to focal pancreatitis or fat sparing were characterized by diffuse enhancement (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: CHEUS improved the visualization of tumor margins and vascular invasion, and differentiated benign from malignant masses.

[Elastography in the evaluation of chronic pancreatitis]

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has become an essential tool in the evaluation of pancreatic disease and can be considered the technique of choice for the diagnosis and staging of chronic pancreatitis (CP) and pancreatic cancer (PC). However, EUS has certain limitations, especially in the evaluation of patients with solid pancreatic masses (in the differential diagnosis of CP and PC). Furthermore there is variability in the EUS diagnostic criteria for CP. EUS-guided elastography is emerging as a highly useful tool in this setting. This modality has shown high diagnostic accuracy in the differential diagnosis of solid pancreatic masses, including differentiation between CP and PC. EUS-guided elastography has also been found to be useful in the diagnosis of CP, and can even classify patients according to the severity of their disease.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration with 22- and 25-gauge needles in solid pancreatic masses: a prospective comparative study with randomisation of needle sequence

BACKGROUND

The difference in the diagnostic accuracy of 22- versus 25-gauge needles in EUS-FNA is not clear.

AIMS

To compare the rates of technical success, diagnostic accuracy and complications of EUS-FNA performed with 22-gauge and 25-gauge needles on the same solid pancreatic mass.

METHODS

All patients with solid pancreatic masses evaluated from September 2007 to December 2008 were enrolled and underwent EUS-FNA with both 22- and 25-gauge needles with randomisation of needle sequence. The accuracy of the EUS-FNA was determined by comparing the cytological results with the final surgical pathological diagnoses or with the results of a clinical follow-up. A cytological score with different qualitative parameters was created, and a comparison between these parameters was carried out for each needle.

RESULTS

Fifty patients with 50 pancreatic masses were recruited. Technical success was 100% and no complications occurred. Diagnostic accuracy was 94% and 86% for the 25- and 22-gauge needles, respectively. Analysis of the cytological score showed a tendency towards the 25-gauge needle, although the difference was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

EUS-FNA performed with 22- or 25-gauge needles had the same diagnostic accuracy. Our study results confirm a significant trend towards a better cytological diagnosis for the 25-gauge needle.

Feasibility and safety of EUS-guided transgastric/transduodenal gallbladder drainage with single-step placement of a modified covered self-expandable metal stent in patients unsuitable for cholecystectomy

BACKGROUND

Although early laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the treatment of choice for patients with acute cholecystitis, percutaneous cholecystostomy has been performed in patients unsuitable for cholecystectomy. EUS-guided transgastric/transduodenal gallbladder drainage by using a plastic stent and/or nasobiliary drainage may be an alternative effective treatment for these patients, but bile leakage into the peritoneal space causing bile peritonitis is not uncommon during placement of a plastic stent.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the technical feasibility and safety of EUS-guided transgastric/transduodenal gallbladder drainage with single-step placement of a modified covered self-expandable metal stent (CSEMS) in patients with acute cholecystitis who are unsuitable for cholecystectomy.

DESIGN

Prospective feasibility study.

SETTING

Tertiary-care referral center.

PATIENTS

This study involved 15 patients with acute cholecystitis who did not respond to initial medical treatment and were unsuitable for cholecystectomy.

INTERVENTION

EUS-guided transgastric/transduodenal gallbladder drainage with single-step placement of a modified CSEMS.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

Technical success, functional success, complications associated with the placement of a metal stent, and recurrence of acute cholecystitis.

RESULTS

Modified CSEMSs were successfully placed in all patients through the stomach (n = 10) or duodenum (n = 5). All patients achieved functional success within 3 days of metal stent placement. Pneumoperitoneum occurred in two patients during or after the procedure, but both patients improved with conservative management. During follow-up (median 145 days, range 60-297 days), no patient experienced recurrent cholecystitis.

LIMITATIONS

Small patient population without long-term follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Placement of a modified CSEMS after EUS-guided transgastric/transduodenal gallbladder drainage may be a feasible and safe alternative to treatments such as percutaneous cholecystostomy in patients with acute cholecystitis who are unsuitable for cholecystectomy.

Endoscopic ultrasound for non-gastroenterologists: what you need to know

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) combines the use of flexible fiberoptic endoscopes with high-resolution ultrasound technology. It is increasingly used for the evaluation, staging, and diagnosis of many luminal and extraluminal gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, as well as non-GI tract ailments, including the staging of lung cancer. In the past decade, EUS has become available on a wide scale, with an increasing number of indications. The technology has been shown to be comparable with and often more sensitive than computed tomography scan and magnetic resonance imaging in staging many malignancies. The use of fine-needle aspiration and ultrasound-guided injection also allows for accurate tissue diagnosis and therapy of GI ailments. Despite increasing availability and indications for EUS over the past decade, general internists may not be aware of EUS technology, when to order an EUS, and how to integrate the results of an EUS into their management decisions. This article will review the general indications for EUS referral, limitations, and role of EUS in the practice of general medicine.

18F-FDG PET/CT imaging in oncology

Accurate diagnosis and staging are essential for the optimal management of cancer patients. Positron emission tomography with 2-deoxy-2-[fluorine-18]fluoro-D-glucose integrated with computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) has emerged as a powerful imaging tool for the detection of various cancers. The combined acquisition of PET and CT has synergistic advantages over PET or CT alone and minimizes their individual limitations. It is a valuable tool for staging and restaging of some tumors and has an important role in the detection of recurrence in asymptomatic patients with rising tumor marker levels and patients with negative or equivocal findings on conventional imaging techniques. It also allows for monitoring response to therapy and permitting timely modification of therapeutic regimens. In about 27% of the patients, the course of management is changed. This review provides guidance for oncologists/radiotherapists and clinical and surgical specialists on the use of 18F-FDG PET/CT in oncology.

What should be done with a dilated bile duct?

Current methods for imaging the biliary tree include ultrasound, CT, MRI, endoscopic retrograde cholangiography, and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). Bile duct abnormalities may be identified during evaluation of patient symptoms or laboratory abnormalities, or incidentally during imaging for another problem. Biliary dilatation, when identified, may be separated into obstructive or nonobstructive causes. Clinical presentation should guide decisions on which, if any, additional investigations are necessary. Choledocholithiasis is the most common cause of obstructive dilatation and frequently requires decompression. Nonobstructive causes include cystic dilatation, aging, and possibly post-cholecystectomy state. Data are limited regarding the yield of further investigations in patients with incidentally identified modest ductal dilatation without symptoms or laboratory abnormalities. Additional investigations are more likely to identify clinically relevant findings in patients with more pronounced dilatation. EUS is highly accurate, low-invasive, and useful in this setting, whereas ERC should be reserved for cases likely to require therapeutic intervention.

Endoscopic ultrasound in the papilla and the periampullary region

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) provides relevant information when an ampullary or periampullary tumor is suspected. Early detection, T and N staging and Fine Needle Aspiration plus cithologic confirmation, are some of the expected benefits. Exclusion of benign findings like choledocholithiasis or chronic pancreatitis is also important. A correct understanding of the complex ampullary and periampullary anatomy is needed. Knowledge of the individual clinical history and other previous diagnostic images all contribute to a successful EUS examination. Radial and lineal EUS images are uniquely detailed and, at the moment, it seems to be the best way to exclude or confirm malignant or benign findings. We propose a procedural algorithm, including EUS, for suspected ampullary or periampullary tumors. This review summarizes the vast amount of information to be found spread in the literature, and recognizes this small anatomic area as the origin for a clinical entity with proper clinical presentation, proper imaging and proper therapeutic resolutions. The benefits of performing EUS for its study are highlighted.

Endoscopic ultrasound staging and novel therapeutics for pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer remains a challenging disease, being the fourth leading cause of death in both men and women in the United States. Patients with pancreatic cancer present with symptoms including jaundice, pruritus, and weight loss, which often herald advanced disease with little chance for curative resection. Multiple imaging modalities are used to diagnose and stage pancreatic cancer. This article discusses the utility of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) for diagnosis and staging, and introduces novel EUS-guided therapeutic options for the treatment of pancreatic cancers. EUS-guided fine-needle injection of chemotherapy agents is a promising development in pancreatic tumor treatment.

Endoscopic ultrasound in the evaluation of pancreaticobiliary disorders

The close proximity of the endoscopic ultrasound probe to the pancreas coupled with the ability to perform fine needle aspiration has made endoscopic ultrasound an extremely important technique for the evaluation of both benign and malignant pancreaticobiliary disorders. In parallel to the widespread importance of diagnostic endoscopic ultrasound, the therapeutic and interventional applications of this procedure are expanding and may become a major breakthrough in the management of pancreaticobiliary diseases. This article focuses on the utility and recent advances of endoscopic ultrasound in the diagnostic evaluation pancreaticobiliary disorders and analyses the data of well established interventional procedures such as celiac plexus neurolysis and pseudocyst drainage. Moreover, the more innovative procedures, such endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary and pancreatic ducts access and drainage and the experimental use of direct endoscopic ultrasound-guided therapy of both solid and cystic pancreatic lesions will also be reviewed.

EUS-guided in vivo microdialysis of the pancreas: a novel technique with potential diagnostic and therapeutic application

BACKGROUND

Microdialysis has been used in vivo to measure dynamic temporal variations in extracellular or interstitial concentrations of non-protein-bound substances that are unstable in the systemic circulation.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the technical feasibility and possible complications of EUS-guided in vivo microdialysis of the pancreas.

DESIGN AND INTERVENTION

Under the guidance of an echoendoscope inserted into the stomach of each dog, the pancreatic parenchyma was punctured by using a 19-gauge needle. A specially developed microdialysis probe threaded through the lumen of the 19-gauge needle was positioned in the pancreas. The probe was constantly perfused with saline solution at a flow rate of 1.0 microL/minute.

SETTING

Experiments on 8 beagle dogs.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

The concentration of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in the microdialysate was measured at 10-minute intervals, once before and for 8 times after a single (20 mg/kg) bolus intravenous infusion of 5-FU.

RESULTS

Following the administration of 5-FU, the concentration of 5-FU in all macrodialysate samples exceeded the cut-off value by more than 100-fold. The 5-FU levels in the microdialysate increased rapidly, peaked by 10 minutes (13.9 microg/mL), and gradually declined thereafter. No local bleeding or accumulation of fluid around the pancreas was observed.

LIMITATION

Sampling was unsuccessful in 2 of the 8 dogs because the probe broke while being inserted into the pancreatic parenchyma.

CONCLUSION

EUS-guided pancreatic microdialysis is feasible and has multiple potential clinical/therapeutic applications, including monitoring pharmacokinetics focally and detecting novel biomarkers that are unstable or undetectable in the plasma.

The yield of first-time endoscopic ultrasonography in screening individuals at a high risk of developing pancreatic cancer

OBJECTIVES

Approximately 10-15% of all pancreatic cancers (PCs) may be hereditary in origin. We investigated the use of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) for the screening of individuals at high risk for developing PC. In this paper the results of first-time screening with EUS are presented.

METHODS

Those eligible for screening in this study were first-degree family members of affected individuals from familial pancreatic cancer (FPC) families, mutation carriers of PC-prone hereditary syndromes, individuals with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, and mutation carriers of other PC-prone hereditary syndromes with clustering (> or =2 cases per family) of PC. All individuals were asymptomatic and had not undergone EUS before.

RESULTS

Forty-four individuals (M/F 18/26), aged 32-75 years underwent screening with EUS. Thirteen were from families with familial atypical multiple-mole melanoma (FAMMM), 21 with FPC, 3 individuals were diagnosed with hereditary pancreatitis, 2 were Peutz-Jeghers patients, 3 were BRCA1 and 2 were BRCA2 mutation carriers with familial clustering of PC, and 1 individual had a p53 mutation. Three (6.8%) patients had an asymptomatic mass lesion (12, 27, and 50 mm) in the body (n=2) or tail of the pancreas. All lesions were completely resected. Pathology showed moderately differentiated adenocarcinomas with N1 disease in the two patients with the largest lesions. EUS showed branch-type intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasia (IPMN) in seven individuals.

CONCLUSIONS

Screening of individuals at a high risk for PC with EUS is feasible and safe. The incidence of clinically relevant findings at first screening is high with asymptomatic cancer in 7% and premalignant IPMN-like lesions in 16% in our series. Whether screening improves survival remains to be determined, as does the optimal screening interval with EUS.

Endoscopic ultrasound: moving from diagnostics to therapeutics

Endoscopic ultrasound was initially introduced in the 1980s as a diagnostic modality using echoendoscopes with radial scanning that permitted reconstruction of cross-sectional images similar to computed tomography The close proximity of the ultrasound transducer to the gastrointestinal wall and retroperitoneal structures allowed a detailed examination that is not possible with cross-sectional imaging such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. It proved to be highly accurate and useful in the staging of gastrointestinal malignancies, as well as in characterizing the nature of subepithelial lesions and disorders of the pancreaticobiliary system. The introduction of linear echoendoscopes facilitated fine needle aspiration because, with linear scanning, it was able to trace the path of the tip of the needle during the puncture process. In addition to being very useful for tissue acquisition for diagnostic purposes, the principles behind endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration paved the way for the development of therapeutic endoscopic ultrasound. Substances could now be delivered by endoscopic ultrasound into targeted areas, an example being an endoscopic ultrasound-guided celiac plexus block and neurolysis. In addition, the endoscopic ultrasound-guided puncture of fluid collections, abscesses and obstructed biliary and pancreatic ductal systems facilitated the passage of guidewires, thus allowing therapeutic drainage procedures to be performed using the Seldinger technique. This review summarizes the diagnostic capability of endoscopic ultrasound and then moves on to elaborate in detail its therapeutic capability and potential.

Impact of upper gastrointestinal endoscopic ultrasound in children

The impact and feasibility of upper gastrointestinal endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) in younger children are unknown. We retrospectively reviewed the EUS procedures we had performed in children younger than 16 years with regard to feasibility, safety, and impact on further treatment. In all, 18 patients (12 boys, 6 girls; median age 12 years, range 0.5-15) underwent EUS. The indications were as follows: tumor (9), epigastric pain (3), recurrent pancreatitis (2), unexplained jaundice (2), hypoglycemia (1), and von Hippel-Lindau disease (1). We concluded that EUS had a significant impact in 78% of the cases. EUS seems to be a safe, feasible, and valuable diagnostic tool.

The concept of bedside EUS

BACKGROUND

Although the role of bedside endoscopy for the provision of emergent diagnosis and therapy is well known, the concept of bedside EUS requires further validation.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the concept of bedside EUS and assess its impact on patient management.

DESIGN

A prospective study.

SETTING

A tertiary-referral center.

PATIENTS

Patients included those with pancreaticobiliary and thoracic disorders who required EUS but who were clinically unstable to be evaluated in the endoscopy suite.

INTERVENTIONS

All procedures were performed by one endosonographer at the patient's bedside by using an EUS cart that was equipped with a therapeutic curvilinear echoendoscope.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

To evaluate the technical feasibility, safety, and impact of bedside EUS in the clinical management of patients. EUS was considered to have a significant impact if a new diagnosis was established and/or if the findings altered subsequent management.

RESULTS

Within a 3-month period, 6 patients (4 men; median age 56 years; American Society of Anesthesiologists class III/IV) were evaluated in the intensive care unit by using the mobile EUS cart. Procedural indications were the following: drainage of symptomatic pseudocyst (n = 2), evaluate the cause of cholangitis (n = 2), diagnose and treat a suspected postoperative (distal esophagectomy) fluid collection (n = 1), and provide tissue diagnosis in one patient with a pancreatic-head mass, who presented with intrahepatic bleeding. The procedure was technically successful in all 6 patients (100%), and no complications were encountered. Bedside EUS established a diagnosis of choledocholithiasis (n = 1), mediastinal abscess (n = 1), and pancreatic abscess (n = 1) in 3 patients, and ruled out the presence of choledocholithiasis (n = 1) and pancreatic pseudocyst (n = 1) in 2 other patients. Also, by using bedside EUS, transmural drainage of a pancreatic pseudocyst and mediastinal abscess was successfully undertaken in 2 patients. Bedside EUS had an impact on management in all 6 patients (100%): established a new diagnosis (n = 3), precluded the need for an ERCP and/or other interventions (n = 2), and enabled focused endotherapy (n = 3).

LIMITATIONS

Small number of patients; a single endosonographer.

CONCLUSIONS

Bedside EUS is technically feasible, safe, facilitates both diagnosis and therapy, and enables the clinical management of patients who are critically ill.