Endoscopic transgastric drainage of a pancreatic pseudocyst with mediastinal and cervical extensions

Mediastinal Eventration of a Pseudocyst of Pancreas Presenting As Acute Shock Syndrome: Expecting the Unexpected

Pancreatic pseudocyst is a usual complication of chronic pancreatitis. Diagnosis is usually established with the help of cross-sectional imaging. Typical presenting complaints are abdominal pain and vomiting. However, atypical presentations of pseudocyst of the pancreas continue to puzzle clinicians throughout the world, leading to difficulty in diagnosis and hence, the development of life-threatening complications. Here, we report a case of a 47-year-old male who was a known case of chronic pancreatitis related to alcoholism presenting with dyspnea, dysphagia, chest pain, and vomiting with a blood pressure of 70/50 mmHg, which upon evaluation revealed to be a case of peripancreatic pseudocysts extending into mediastinum abutting inferior vena cava and right atrium presenting as acute shock syndrome. The patient was managed with ultrasound-guided pigtail insertion and drainage of pseudocyst of pancreas. Eventually, the patient’s clinical condition did not allow for surgical exploration of the thorax and the patient succumbed.

Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Endoscopic Management of Peripancreatic Fluid Collections

Endoscopic ultrasonography-guided intervention has gradually become a standard treatment for peripancreatic fluid collections (PFCs). However, it is difficult to popularize the procedure in Korea because of restrictions on insurance claims regarding the use of endoscopic accessories, as well as the lack of standardized Korean clinical practice guidelines. The Korean Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (KSGE) appointed a Task Force to develope medical guidelines by referring to the manual for clinical practice guidelines development prepared by the National Evidence-Based Healthcare Collaborating Agency. Previous studies on PFCs were searched, and certain studies were selected with the help of experts. Then, a set of key questions was selected, and treatment guidelines were systematically reviewed. Answers to these questions and recommendations were selected via peer review. This guideline discusses endoscopic management of PFCs and makes recommendations on Indications for the procedure, pre-procedural preparations, optimal approach for drainage, procedural considerations (e.g., types of stent, advantages and disadvantages of plastic and metal stents, and accessories), adverse events of endoscopic intervention, and procedural quality issues. This guideline was reviewed by external experts and suggests best practices recommended based on the evidence available at the time of preparation. This will be revised as necessary to address advances and changes in technology and evidence obtained in clinical practice and future studies.

Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Endoscopic Management of Peripancreatic Fluid Collections

Endoscopic ultrasonography-guided intervention has gradually become a standard treatment for peripancreatic fluid collections (PFCs). However, it is difficult to popularize the procedure in Korea because of restrictions on insurance claims regarding the use of endoscopic accessories, as well as the lack of standardized Korean clinical practice guidelines. The Korean Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy appointed a Task Force to develop medical guidelines by referring to the manual for clinical practice guidelines development prepared by the National Evidence-Based Healthcare Collaborating Agency. Previous studies on PFCs were searched, and certain studies were selected with the help of experts. Then, a set of key questions was selected, and treatment guidelines were systematically reviewed. Answers to these questions and recommendations were selected via peer review. This guideline discusses endoscopic management of PFCs and makes recommendations on Indications for the procedure, pre-procedural preparations, optimal approach for drainage, procedural considerations (e.g., types of stent, advantages and disadvantages of plastic and metal stents, and accessories), adverse events of endoscopic intervention, and procedural quality issues. This guideline was reviewed by external experts and suggests best practices recommended based on the evidence available at the time of preparation. This will be revised as necessary to address advances and changes in technology and evidence obtained in clinical practice and future studies. (Gut Liver 2021;15:-693)

Pancreaticopleural and pancreaticomediastinal fistula extending to the cervical region, with dysphagia as initial symptom: A case report

RATIONALE

Pancreaticopleural and pancreaticomediastinal fistulas are rare complications of pancreatitis. They are often misdiagnosed and there are no strict guidelines of treatment. In this study, we present a brief report of a combined pancreaticopleural and pancreaticomediastinal fistula extending to the cervical region, causing dysphagia and cervical swelling as initial symptoms.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 36-year-old female with history of alcohol abuse and pancreatitis presented progressing dysphagia and mild dyspnea on admission.

DIAGNOSIS

Chest X-ray and chest and abdominal computed tomography scan (CT) indicated pancreaticopleural fistula combined with pancreaticomediastinal fistula, a diagnosis confirmed by high amylase levels in pleural fluid.

INTERVENTIONS

Conservative treatment was administered and ERCP was performed but pancreatic duct stenting was impossible. The patient presented rapid anterior cervical swelling with progressing dysphagia and dyspnea. CT showed fistula penetration to the cervical region. The patient underwent urgent surgery and pancreaticojejunal anastomosis was performed.

OUTCOMES

The surgery led to recovery. Six months later, the patient reported good health and weight gain.

LESSONS

Coexistence of pancreaticopleural and pancreaticomediastinal fistula with cervical penetration is an extremely rare pancreatitis complication. It presents with dysphagia and anterior cervical swelling as initial symptoms. It is important to consider this complication in all patients with history of pancreatitis, presenting with dysphagia.

Consensus guidelines on the optimal management in interventional EUS procedures: results from the Asian EUS group RAND/UCLA expert panel

OBJECTIVES

Interventional endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) procedures are gaining popularity and the most commonly performed procedures include EUS-guided drainage of pancreatic pseudocyst, EUS-guided biliary drainage, EUS-guided pancreatic duct drainage and EUS-guided celiac plexus ablation. The aim of this paper is to formulate a set of practice guidelines addressing various aspects of the above procedures.

METHODS

Formulation of the guidelines was based on the best scientific evidence available. The RAND/UCLA appropriateness methodology (RAM) was used. Panellists recruited comprised experts in surgery, interventional EUS, interventional radiology and oncology from 11 countries. Between June 2014 and October 2016, the panellists met in meetings to discuss and vote on the clinical scenarios for each of the interventional EUS procedures in question.

RESULTS

A total of 15 statements on EUS-guided drainage of pancreatic pseudocyst, 15 statements on EUS-guided biliary drainage, 12 statements on EUS-guided pancreatic duct drainage and 14 statements on EUS-guided celiac plexus ablation were formulated. The statements addressed the indications for the procedures, technical aspects, pre- and post-procedural management, management of complications, and competency and training in the procedures. All statements except one were found to be appropriate. Randomised studies to address clinical questions in a number of aspects of the procedures are urgently required.

CONCLUSIONS

The current guidelines on interventional EUS procedures are the first published by an endoscopic society. These guidelines provide an in-depth review of the current evidence and standardise the management of the procedures.

Mediastinal Pancreatic Pseudocysts

Mediastinal pseudocysts are a rare complication of acute pancreatitis. Lack of uniform treatment standards makes the management of this condition a clinical challenge. We report the case of a 43-year-old patient who presented with a left pleural effusion. Pleural fluid revealed a high amylase concentration consistent with a pancreaticopleural fistula. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) revealed a disruption of the pancreatic duct with free outflow of contrast medium into the thoracic cavity. A pancreatic stent was placed. The second day after the ERCP, the patient developed septic shock and was admitted to the intensive care unit. Computed tomography (CT) revealed mediastinal pseudocysts and bilateral pleural effusions. After bilateral drainage of the pleural cavities, the patient improved clinically, and a follow-up CT scan showed that the fluid collection and pseudocysts had resolved. We discuss the optimal strategies for diagnosing and treating patients with pancreatic thoracic pseudocysts and fistulas, as well as review the management of these conditions.

Thoracoabdominal pseudocyst of pancreas: An rare location, managed by retrocolic retrogastric Roux-en-Y cystojejunostomy

Pseudocyst formation is a common complication of acute and chronic pancreatitis. Most common site of pseudocyst is lesser sac; mediastinal extension of pseudocyst is rare. Other possibilities of posterior mediastinal cyst must be considered. This patient presented with computed tomography abdomen with thorax showing a large thoraco-abdominal pseudocyst with right sided pleural effusion. It was confirmed to be pancreatic pseudocyst by analyzing fluid for amylase and lipase during surgery. In our patient, the pseudocyst was accessible transabdominaly. Cystogastrostomy was not possible as it was causing twisting of cardio-esophageal junction; we did retrocolic and retrogastric Roux-en-Y cystojejunostomy. Only two such cases were reported in literature.

Endoscopic management of pancreatic pseudocysts at atypical locations

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

There is paucity of data on endoscopic management of pseudocysts at atypical locations. We evaluated the efficacy of endoscopic transpapillary nasopancreatic drain (NPD) placement in the management of pseudocysts of pancreas at atypical locations.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Eleven patients with pseudocysts at atypical locations were treated with attempted endoscopic transpapillary nasopancreatic drainage. On endoscopic retrograde pancreatography (ERP), a 5-F NPD was placed across/near the site of duct disruption.

RESULTS

Three patients each had mediastinal, intrahepatic, and intra/perisplenic pseudocysts and one patient each had renal and pelvic pseudocyst. Nine patients had chronic pancreatitis whereas two patients had acute pancreatitis. The size of the pseudocysts ranged from 2 to 15 cm. On ERP, the site of ductal disruption was in the body of pancreas in five patients (45.4%), and tail of pancreas in six patients (54.6%). All the patients had partial disruption of pancreatic duct. The NPD was successfully placed across the disruption in 10 of the 11 patients (90.9%) and pseudocysts resolved in 4-8 weeks. One of the patients developed fever, 5 days after the procedure, which was successfully treated by intravenous antibiotics. In another patient, NPD became blocked 12 days after the procedure and was successfully opened by aspiration. The NPD slipped out in one of the patient with splenic pseudocyst and was replaced with a stent. There was no recurrence of symptoms or pseudocysts during follow-up of 3-70 months.

CONCLUSION

Pancreatic pseudocysts at atypical locations with ductal communication and partial ductal disruption that is bridged by NPD can also be effectively treated with endoscopic transpapillary NPD placement.

Mediastinal pancreatic pseudocyst with isolated thoracic symptoms: a case report

Introduction

Mediastinal pancreatic pseudocysts represent a rare complication of acute or chronic pancreatitis.

Case presentation

A 55-year-old man with a history of chronic pancreatitis was admitted with intermittent dyspnea, dysphagia and weight loss. Chest X-ray, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a large paracardial pancreatic pseudocyst causing cardiac and esophageal compression.

Conclusion

Mediastinal pancreatic pseudocysts are a rare complication of chronic pancreatitis. These pseudocysts may lead to isolated thoracic symptoms. For accurate diagnostic and therapy planning, a multimodal imaging approach is necessary.