Endoscopic hemostasis using covered metallic stent placement for uncontrolled post-endoscopic sphincterotomy bleeding

Arterial bleeding during EUS-guided pseudocyst drainage stopped by placement of a covered self-expandable metal stent

BACKGROUND

Hemorrhagic complications during EUS-guided pseudocyst drainage can occur, because the vessels on the internal wall of the pseudocyst might be compressed by the fluid and thus not visible on color Doppler or even power Doppler EUS.

CASE PRESENTATION

We report a case of an immediate internal spurting arterial bleeding precipitated during EUS-guided pseudocyst drainage which stopped instantaneously by placement of a double flanged covered self-expandable metal stent through mechanical hemostasis.

CONCLUSION

In an unusual situation of bleeding from collateral circulation near the pseudocyst wall during pseudocyst drainage, the placement of an expandable metal stent proved to be useful.

Prevention and management of adverse events of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a therapeutic procedure with the potential for a variety of adverse events, including acute pancreatitis, perforation, bleeding, and cardiopulmonary complications, which are well-established risk factors. It has become standard that patients undergoing ERCP are carefully selected based on appropriate indications. Once an ERCP is undertaken, preprocedure and intraprocedure risks should be assessed and appropriate risk-reducing modalities, such as prophylactic pancreatic stent placement and rectal indomethacin, should be used if patient or procedural factors suggest an increased risk of post-ERCP pancreatitis.

Hemorrhage from bile duct varices treated with fully covered expandable metallic stent placement in pancreatic carcinoma

A 64-year-old woman with unresectable pancreatic body carcinoma was admitted with epigastralgia with a sudden onset 6 h earlier. She had received chemotherapy for her cancer for 2 months. Physical examination showed mild anemia. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed dilated vessels in the bile duct walls connecting with dilated and tortuous vessels around the extrahepatic bile duct and portal vein obstruction due to invasion by a pancreatic body tumor. Endoscopic examination showed transpapillary hemorrhage suggesting bile duct hemorrhage. On endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, the lower bile duct was filled with a mass and the middle bile duct had filling defects with compression of the wall. To stop the bleeding, we placed a fully covered expandable metallic stent (EMS) at the middle to lower portion of the bile duct, and the hemorrhage stopped. Bile duct hemorrhage is not a common disorder. This report shows bile duct hemorrhage from bile duct varices can occur in patients with pancreatic carcinoma with portal obstruction and that fully covered EMS placement can stop the hemorrhage.

Fully Covered Self-Expandable Metal Stents for Treatment of Malignant Biliary Strictures due to Pancreatic Carcinoma

Background

Transpapillary stents are used to treat malignant biliary strictures. However, there are different stent types and data are controversial in respect to success and complications. Recently, completely covered self-expandable metal stents (CSEMS) have become available. The aim of this study is to present a consecutive series of CSEMS placed to decompress the bile duct in malignant stenosis due to pancreatic carcinoma and to evaluate the effectiveness, complication rate and extractability of these devices.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the courses of 27 consecutive patients who received CSEMS due to malignant biliary strictures because of pancreatic carcinoma regardless of presumed resectability between January 2010 and May 2012 in our endoscopic unit.

Results

A total of 27 patients (12 male and 15 female) were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 75 years. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES) and stent placement were successful at first attempt in all cases. The mean length of the stenosis was 20 mm. In 24 patients (89%) a stent length of 4 cm was sufficient to bridge the stenosis. In three cases a stent length of 6 cm was necessary. Drainage was achieved as monitored by a significant decrease or normalization of bilirubin in all cases (mean bilirubin 8.5 mg/dL and 1.5 mg/dL before and after stent placement respectively), 15 patients underwent surgery with pylorus preserving duodenopancreatectomy. In all patients who underwent surgery stents could be removed during the operation without difficulties. Leakage of the biliodigestive anastomosis occurred in one patient (6.6%). Four (15%) of the 27 patients developed complications related to the endoscopic procedure and/or stent placement respectively (cholecystitis in two patients, stent occlusion in one patient, and post-sphincterotomy bleeding in one patient).

Conclusion

The prolonged patency, extractability, and low complication rate of CSEMS make them an attractive treatment option in patients with malignant biliary strictures due to pancreatic carcinoma regardless of resectability.

Fully Covered Self-Expandable Metal Stents for Treatment of Post-Sphincterotomy Bleeding

Endoscopic biliary sphincterotomy (ES) is the cornerstone of therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP); however, serious complications are not uncommon. Post-sphincterotomy bleeding is one of the most frequent complications following ES and may occur in up to 10% of the patients. The spectrum of presentation may range from self-limited to severe live threatening hemorrhage. Different endoscopic treatment options are available. Angiographic embolisation and surgery are preserved for refractory cases not controlled by endoscopic means. Recently, completely covered self-expandable metal stents (CSEMS) have been applied to achieve hemostasis in severe post-sphincterotomy bleeding not controlled by other measures. We present our experience with this method to control delayed bleeding after ES in two patients requiring continuous therapeutic anticoagulation due to high cardiovascular embolic risk.

Fully covered self-expandable metal stents for treatment of both benign and malignant biliary disorders

Transpapillary stents are increasingly being used for biliary strictures, whether benign or malignant. However, there are different stent types and available data is controversial. Recently, completely covered self-expandable metal stents (CSEMSs) have been proposed as an alternative therapeutic option in different biliary indications, including strictures of the distal bile duct, anastomotic stenosis after orthotopic liver transplantation, bile duct leaks, periampullary perforation following endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES), and postsphincterotomy bleeding. Despite the higher costs of these devices, fully covered self-expanding metal stents seem to be a suitable therapeutic option to relief biliary obstruction due to bile duct stenosis, regardless of the underlying cause.

Hemostasis using a fully covered self-expandable metal stent for marked bleeding from the bile duct following stent removal (with videos)

We describe a case of life-threatening hemorrhage from the bile duct following stent removal. Eventually, hemostasis was achieved by tamponade using a fully covered self-expandable metal stent.

Use of fully covered self-expanding metal stents in benign biliary diseases

Biliary fully covered self-expanding metal stents (FCSEMS) are now being used to treat several benign biliary conditions. Advantages include small predeployment and large postexpansion diameters in addition to an easy insertion technique. Lack of imbedding of the metal into the bile duct wall enables removability. In benign biliary strictures that usually require multiple procedures, despite the substantially higher cost of FCSEMS compared with plastic stents, the use of FCSEMS is offset by the reduced number of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography interventions required to achieve stricture resolution. In the same way, FCSEMS have also been employed to treat complex bile leaks, perforation and bleeding after endoscopic biliary sphincterotomy and as an aid to maintain permanent drainage tracts obtained by means of Endoscopic Ultrasound-guided biliary drainage. Good success rates have been achieved in all these conditions with an acceptable number of complications. FCSEMS were successfully removed in all patients. Comparative studies of FCSEMS and plastic stents are needed to demonstrate efficacy and cost-effectiveness

Life-threatening hemorrhage from the papilla following stent removal (with video)

A 73-year-old man was admitted with acute cholangitis due to stent occlusion. He had had type B chronic hepatitis for 14 years but no liver cirrhosis or coagulopathy. The stent was placed 2 months previously for the treatment of obstructive jaundice due to a very large hepatoma. Emergency endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography was performed. Immediately after removing the stent, using snare forceps through the working channel of the endoscope, spurting and continuous bleeding was seen from the papilla. Biliary deep cannulation was successfully performed using a conventional catheter and guidewire. The tip of the catheter was advanced into the left intrahepatic bile duct for pressure hemostasis. Ten minutes later, the bleeding completely stopped and a 10-Fr stent was inserted into the bile duct.