Percutaneous transcystic removal of gallbladder and common bile duct stones: a narrative review

A Pilot Study of Percutaneous Cholecystoenteric Anastomosis: A New Option for High-Risk Patients with Symptomatic Gallstones

PURPOSE

To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of percutaneous cholecystoenteric anastomosis (PCEA) creation in patients with indwelling cholecystostomy tubes who are high-risk surgical candidates.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Fourteen (male, 10; female, 4) patients with a mean age of 79 years (range, 53-92 years) with previously inserted cholecystostomy tubes underwent PCEA with the adjacent duodenum using a lumen-apposing metal stent (LAMS) between January 2015 and October 2022. Intraprocedural adverse events and postprocedural safety and effectiveness outcomes were evaluated. Nine procedures were performed under sedation and 5 under general anesthesia.

RESULTS

Technical success was achieved in 100% of the patients. In 12 patients (86%), the existing cholecystostomy tube was removed after the insertion of the LAMS. Three patients (21%) had a pre-existing cholecystoduodenal fistula, in which the stent was placed, and 11 (79%) underwent creation of a de novo anastomosis. The mean procedure time was 1.5 hours (range, 1-2 hours). The mean length of stay after the procedure was 2.4 days (range, 1-10 days). There were no intraprocedural adverse events. One patient with severe pre-existing cardiac comorbidities died during his postprocedural stay despite a technically successful procedure. One patient had delayed closure of the long-standing cholecystocutaneous tract.

CONCLUSIONS

Early clinical experience with PCEA using an LAMS suggests that it is a safe and effective option for the creation of internal gallbladder drainage in patients who are not candidates for surgical cholecystectomy.

Effectiveness and complication rates of percutaneous transhepatic fluoroscopy-guided management of common bile duct stones: a single-arm meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the success and complication rate of percutaneous transhepatic fluoroscopy-guided management (PTFM) for the removal of common bile duct stones (CBDS).

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search of multiple databases was conducted to identify original articles published between January 2010 and June 2022, reporting the success rate of PTFM for the removal of CBDS. A random-effect model was used to summarize the pooled rates of success and complications with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

Eighteen studies involving 2554 patients met the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. Failed or infeasible endoscopic management was the most common indication of PTFM. The meta-analytic summary estimates of PTFM for the removal of CBDS were as follows: rate of overall stone clearance 97.1% (95% CI, 95.7-98.5%); stone clearance at first attempt 80.5% (95% CI, 72.3-88.6%); overall complications 13.8% (95% CI, 9.7-18.0%); major complications 2.8% (95% CI, 1.4-4.2%); and minor complications 9.3% (95% CI, 5.7-12.8%). Egger's tests showed the presence of publication bias with respect to the overall complications (p = 0.049). Transcholecystic management of CBDS had an 88.5% pooled rate for overall stone clearance (95% CI, 81.2-95.7%), with a 23.0% rate for complications (95% CI, 5.7-40.4%).

CONCLUSION

The systematic review and meta-analysis answer the questions of the overall stone clearance, clearance at first attempt, and complication rate of PTFM by summarizing the available literature. Percutaneous management could be considered in cases with failed or infeasible endoscopic management of CBDS.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT

This meta-analysis highlights the excellent stone clearance rate achieved through percutaneous transhepatic fluoroscopy-guided removal of common bile duct stones, potentially influencing clinical decision-making when endoscopic treatment is not feasible.

KEY POINTS

• Percutaneous transhepatic fluoroscopy-guided management of common bile duct stones had a pooled rate of 97.1% for overall stone clearance and 80.5% for clearance at the first attempt. • Percutaneous transhepatic management of common bile duct stones had an overall complication rate of 13.8%, including a major complication rate of 2.8%. • Percutaneous transcholecystic management of common bile duct stones had an overall stone clearance rate of 88.5% and a complication rate of 23.0%.

Nationwide Outcomes following Percutaneous Cholecystostomy for Acute Calculous Cholecystitis and the Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019: Results of the Multicentre Audit of Cholecystostomy and Further Interventions (MACAFI study)

PURPOSE

To assess the mortality, readmission rates, and practice variation of percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) in patients with acute calculous cholecystitis in the United Kingdom (UK).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 1,186 consecutive patients (636 men [53.6%]; median age, 75 years; range, 24-102 years) who underwent PC for acute calculous cholecystitis between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2020, were included from 36 UK hospitals. The exclusion criteria were diagnostic aspirations, absence of acute calculous cholecystitis, and age less than 16 years. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown was declared on March 26, 2020, in the UK, which served to distinguish among groups.

RESULTS

Most patients (66.3%) underwent PC as definitive treatment, whereas 31.3% underwent PC as a bridge to surgery. The overall 30-day readmission rate was 42.2% (500/1,186), and the 30-day mortality was 9.1% (108/1,186). Centers performing fewer than 30 PCs per year had higher 90-day mortality than those performing more than 60 (19.3% vs 11.0%, respectively; P = .006). A greater proportion of patients presented with complicated acute calculous cholecystitis during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to prior (49.9% vs 40.9%, respectively; P = .007), resulting in more PCs (61.3 vs 37.9 per month, respectively; P < .001). More PCs were performed in tertiary hospitals than in district general hospitals (9 vs 3 per 100 beds, respectively; P < .001), with a greater proportion performed as a bridge to surgery (50.5% vs 22.8%, respectively; P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

The practice of PC is highly variable throughout the UK. The readmission rates are high, and there is significant correlation between mortality and PC case volume.

Transhepatic or transperitoneal technique for cholecystostomy: results of the multicentre retrospective audit of cholecystostomy and further interventions (MACAFI)

Objective:

This analysis of the MACAFI (multicentre audit of cholecystostomy and further interventions) data aims to assess the procedural technique and technical specifications related to percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) insertion in patients with acute calculous cholecystitis (ACC). PC can be performed either with transperitoneal (TP) or a transhepatic (TH) approach. There is no clear evidence for the superiority of either technique.

Methods:

The data set included patients who underwent PC for ACC between first January 2019 and first January 2021. Data included patient demographics, imaging diagnosis, insertion technique, tube size, and outcomes including 6 month follow-up.

Results:

1186 patients from 36 sites were identified through the MACAFI study with 913 patients having access route recorded. A transhepatic route was used in 572 [62.6%] compared to 308 TP [33.7%]. There was an increased rate of bleeding when using the TH route (2.6% vs 0.3%, p = 0.01) although other post-procedural complications (such as bile leak) were similar between the two groups. No significant difference was demonstrated in 30- or 90-day mortality (TH vs TP, 8.7vs 9.3%, p = 0.86 and 13.8vs 15.4%, p = 0.58, respectively). The readmission rate with recurrent cholecystitis was significantly greater in those with TH compared to TP approach (22.0% vs  14.9%, p = 0.01, respectively).

Conclusion:

The TP PC approach may be safer than TH, with lower bleeding complication rate and fewer readmissions.

Advances in knowledge:

A transperitoneal approach for cholecystostomy was associated with lower bleeding complication rate and lower rate of readmissions with recurrent cholecystitis compared to the transhepatic approach.

The English Teaching Methods in the Field of Public Health in Colleges and Universities Based on Artificial Intelligence Technology

Artificial intelligence technology has become an important part of the development of Internet technology. Artificial intelligence technology can help colleges and universities to continuously optimize the English teaching system. This technology can help colleges and universities to carry out English education in the field of public health and can improve the overall quality of English teaching in colleges and universities. Artificial intelligence technology is related to the optimization of English teaching environment in colleges and universities. At the same time, artificial intelligence technology also affects the development of society and the future of the country. Artificial intelligence technology provides more accurate data resources for English teaching in the field of public health in colleges and universities. It also provides rich and reliable educational technology means for teachers. This technology improves the scientific nature of English education in the field of public health in colleges and universities. This paper comprehensively uses a variety of methods such as case empirical analysis and qualitative analysis to analyze the application mode of artificial intelligence technology in English teaching. This paper closely integrates artificial intelligence technology with English education in the field of public health in colleges and universities. College English teaching methods, teachers' personal factors, and teacher-student relationship will all have an impact on students' health. This paper makes a comprehensive analysis of the theoretical basis and actual situation of English teaching in colleges and universities, and then constructs an innovative system of English education in the field of public health in colleges and universities. Based on this, the text adopts a structured analysis method to conduct an in-depth analysis of the application mode of artificial intelligence technology. This paper analyzes in detail the opportunities and challenges faced by the development of public health education in colleges and universities. At the same time, this paper also summarizes the objective laws of the development of public health education, and then comprehensively analyzes the impact of artificial intelligence technology on the English education model in colleges and universities.

Percutaneous transhepatic holmium laser lithotripsy for cholelithiasis and balloon dilation for common bile duct stone removal

Biliary lithiasis is common in clinical practice. We present the case of a 53-year-old man referred to our hospital with a history of biliary lithiasis. Abdominal magnetic resonance imaging revealed gallbladder stones and common bile duct stones. To avoid surgery, we opted to apply percutaneous transhepatic techniques to clear gallbladder and bile duct stones. This study reports our experience using these techniques, including percutaneous transhepatic holmium laser lithotripsy for cholelithiasis combined with balloon dilation to remove common bile duct stones and avoid open surgery.