Prophylactic EUS-guided gallbladder drainage prevents acute cholecystitis in patients with malignant biliary obstruction and cystic duct orifice involvement: a randomized trial (with video)

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Patients with distal malignant biliary obstruction (MBO) and cystic duct orifice tumoral involvement have an increased risk for the development of acute cholecystitis after self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) placement. We aimed to determine whether primary EUS-guided gallbladder drainage prevents acute cholecystitis in these patients.

METHODS

This was a single-center, randomized control trial in patients with distal MBO enrolled from July 2018 to July 2020. Patients were randomized into 2 groups: an interventional group treated with conventional ERCP biliary drainage with SEMS placement and subsequent primary EUS-guided gallbladder drainage (EUS-GBD) and a control group treated with conventional biliary drainage alone. The primary outcome of the study was the occurrence of post-treatment acute cholecystitis, assessed for ≤12 months or until death. The secondary outcomes were hospitalization length and median survival time.

RESULTS

Forty-four patients were included in the study: 22 in each group. Five patients in the control group (22.7%) and none in the intervention group experienced acute cholecystitis. The median hospitalization time was significantly lower in the interventional group than in the control group (2 days vs 1 day, P = .017). There was no difference in the observed median survival rates in the primary EUS-GBD group (2.9 months) and the control group (2.8 months) (P = .580).

CONCLUSION

In this single-center study of patients with unresectable MBO and occlusion of the cystic duct orifice, prophylactic EUS-GBD demonstrated a reduced incidence of acute cholecystitis.

Artificial intelligence for diagnosing neoplasia on digital cholangioscopy: development and multicenter validation of a convolutional neural network model

BACKGROUND

We aimed to develop a convolutional neural network (CNN) model for detecting neoplastic lesions during real-time digital single-operator cholangioscopy (DSOC) and to clinically validate the model through comparisons with DSOC expert and nonexpert endoscopists.

METHODS

In this two-stage study, we first developed and validated CNN1. Then, we performed a multicenter diagnostic trial to compare four DSOC experts and nonexperts against an improved model (CNN2). Lesions were classified into neoplastic and non-neoplastic in accordance with Carlos Robles-Medranda (CRM) and Mendoza disaggregated criteria. The final diagnosis of neoplasia was based on histopathology and 12-month follow-up outcomes.

RESULTS

In stage I, CNN2 achieved a mean average precision of 0.88, an intersection over the union value of 83.24 %, and a total loss of 0.0975. For clinical validation, a total of 170 videos from newly included patients were analyzed with the CNN2. Half of cases (50 %) had neoplastic lesions. This model achieved significant accuracy values for neoplastic diagnosis, with a 90.5 % sensitivity, 68.2 % specificity, and 74.0 % and 87.8 % positive and negative predictive values, respectively. The CNN2 model outperformed nonexpert #2 (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC]-CRM 0.657 vs. AUC-CNN2 0.794, P < 0.05; AUC-Mendoza 0.582 vs. AUC-CNN2 0.794, P < 0.05), nonexpert #4 (AUC-CRM 0.683 vs. AUC-CNN2 0.791, P < 0.05), and expert #4 (AUC-CRM 0.755 vs. AUC-CNN2 0.848, P < 0.05; AUC-Mendoza 0.753 vs. AUC-CNN2 0.848, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed CNN model distinguished neoplastic bile duct lesions with good accuracy and outperformed two nonexpert and one expert endoscopist.

EUS-guided drainage of a segment VI liver abscess using a lumen-apposing metal stent

Video 1EUS-guided FNA and lumen-apposing metallic stent deployment.

Accurate and safe diagnosis and treatment of neoplastic biliary lesions using a novel 9F and 11F digital single-operator cholangioscope

Background and study aims Digital single-operator cholangioscopy (DSOC) allows the diagnosis of biliary duct disorders and treatment for complicated stones. However, these technologies have limitations such as the size of the probe and working channel, excessive cost, and low image resolution. Recently, a novel DSOC system (eyeMAX, Micro-Tech, Nanjing, China) was developed to address these limitations. We aimed to evaluate the usefulness and safety of a novel 9F and 11F DSOC system in terms of neoplastic diagnostic accuracy based on visual examination, ability to evaluate tumor extension and to achieve complete biliary stone clearance, and procedure-related adverse events (AEs). Patients and methods Data from ≥ 18-year-old patients who underwent DSOC from July 2021 to April 2022 were retrospectively recovered and divided into a diagnostic and a therapeutic cohort. Results A total of 80 patients were included. In the diagnostic cohort (n = 49/80), neovascularity was identified in 26 of 49 patients (46.9%). Biopsy was performed in 65.3% patients with adequate tissue sample obtained in 96.8% of cases. Biopsy confirmed neoplasia in 23 of 32 cases. DSOC visual impression achieved 91.6% sensitivity and 87.5% specificity in diagnosing neoplasms. In the therapeutic cohort (n = 43/80), 26 of 43 patients required lithotripsy alone. Total stone removal was achieved in 71% patients in the first session. Neither early nor late AEs were documented in either the diagnostic or therapeutic cohort. Conclusions The novel DSOC device has excellent diagnostic accuracy in distinguishing neoplastic biliary lesions as well as therapeutic benefits in the context of total stone removal, with no documented AEs.

Assessing EUS-guided radiofrequency ablation in unresectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: a single-center historic cohort study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

EUS-guided radiofrequency ablation (EUS-RFA) has emerged as an alternative for the local treatment of unresectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We assessed the feasibility and safety of EUS-RFA in patients with unresectable PDAC.

METHODS

This study followed an historic cohort compounded by locally advanced (LA-) and metastatic (m)PDAC-naïve patients who underwent EUS-RFA between October 2019 and March 2022. EUS-RFA was performed with a 19-gauge needle electrode with a 10-mm active tip for energy delivery. Study primary endpoints were feasibility, safety, and clinical follow-up, whereas secondary endpoints were performance status (PS), local control, and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

Twenty-six patients were selected: 15 with locally advanced pancreatic duct adenocarcinoma (LA-PDAC) and 11 with metastatic pancreatic duct adenocarcinoma (mPDAC). Technical success was achieved in all patients with no major adverse events. Six months after EUS-RFA, OS was seen in 11 of 26 patients (42.3%), with significant PS improvement (P = .03). Local control was achieved, with tumor reduction from 39.5 mm to 26 mm (P = .04). A post-treatment hypodense necrotic area was observed at the 6-month follow-up in 11 of 11 patients who were still alive. Metastatic disease was a significant factor for worsening OS (hazard ratio, 5.021; 95% confidence interval, 1.589-15.87; P = .004).

CONCLUSIONS

EUS-RFA for the treatment of pancreatic adenocarcinoma is a minimally invasive and safe technique that may have an important role as targeted therapy for local treatment of unresectable cases and as an alternative for poor surgical candidates. Also, RFA may play a role in downstaging cancer with a potential increase in OS in nonmetastatic cases. Large prospective cohorts are required to evaluate this technique in clinical practice.

Short esophageal myotomy versus standard myotomy for treatment of sigmoid-type achalasia: results of an international multicenter study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Patients with sigmoid-type achalasia can be challenging to treat with peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM). A short myotomy improves technical success; however, outcomes have not previously been evaluated.

METHODS

This was a multicenter, international, retrospective study of patients who underwent POEM with short (≤4 cm) or standard esophageal myotomy. Outcomes included clinical and technical success, procedural adverse events, and reflux rates.

RESULTS

A total of 109 patients with sigmoid achalasia (sigmoid, n = 74; advanced sigmoid, n = 35) underwent POEM across 13 centers (short myotomy, n = 59; standard, n = 50). Technical success was 100% across both groups. Patients who underwent short myotomy had a significantly shorter mean procedure time (57.7 ± 27.8 vs 83.1 ± 44.7 minutes, P = .0005). A total of 6 adverse events were recorded in 6 patients (5.5%; 4 mild, 2 moderate); the adverse event rate was not significantly different between short and standard groups. Ninety-eight patients had follow-up data (median, 3.6 months; interquartile range, 1-14 months). Clinical success was 94% (short, 93%; standard, 95%; P = .70) and did not differ based on achalasia subtype or sigmoid achalasia severity. Twenty-one (22%) patients reported post-POEM reflux and 44% (16 of 36) had objective evidence of pathologic reflux. Rates of pathologic reflux were significantly increased in the standard versus short group (odds ratio, 18.0; 95% confidence interval, 2.0-159.0; P = .009).

CONCLUSIONS

POEM with short myotomy is effective and safe for the short-term treatment of sigmoid and advanced sigmoid achalasia. Short myotomy may lead to less reflux than standard myotomy.

Impact of COVID-19 Infection on Pancreato-Biliary Diseases Requiring Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography

BACKGROUND

Viral infections are known to impact the pancreato-biliary system; however, there are limited data showing that the same is true of COVID-19. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) can safely be performed in patients with COVID-19 infection, but outcomes of patients with COVID-19 infections and concomitant pancreatic and biliary disease requiring endoscopic intervention are unknown.

AIMS

This study aims to evaluate the severity of pancreaticobiliary diseases and post-ERCP outcomes in COVID-19 patients.

METHODS

Patients with pancreato-biliary disease that required inpatient ERCP from five centers in the United States and South America between January 1, 2020, and October 31, 2020 were included. A representative cohort of patients from each month were randomly selected from each site. Disease severity and post-ERCP outcomes were compared between COVID-19 positive and COVID-19 negative patients.

RESULTS

A total of 175 patients were included: 95 COVID positive and 80 COVID negative. Mean CTSI score for the patients who had pancreatitis was higher in COVID-positive cohort by 3.2 points (p < .00001). The COVID-positive group had more cases with severe disease (n = 41) versus the COVID-negative group (n = 2) (p < .00001). Mortality was higher in the COVID-19 positive group (19%) compared to COVID-negative group (7.5%) even though the COVID-19-negative group had higher incidence of malignancy (n = 17, 21% vs n = 7, 7.3%) (p = 0.0455).

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that patients with COVID infection have more severe pancreato-biliary disease and worse post-ERCP outcomes, including longer length of stay and higher mortality rate. These are important considerations when planning for endoscopic intervention.

CLINICALTRIALS

gov: (NCT05051358).