Outcomes of endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage: A multicenter study from India (with video).

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage (EUS-GBD) offers a safe and minimally invasive alternative for percutaneous cholecystostomy (PCC) in acute cholecystitis patients with high-surgical risk. Additionally, EUS-GBD serves as a rescue biliary drainage in malignant distal biliary obstruction. Despite its widespread application, data within the Indian context remains sparse. This study aims to report the outcomes of EUS-GBD through the first multi-center study from India. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed patients undergoing EUS-GBD at six tertiary care centers of India from March 2022 to November 2023. EUS-GBD was performed by free hand or over-the-guidewire technique with lumen-apposing metal stent (LAMS) or large caliber metal stent (LCMS). The primary outcome was technical success (defined as successful deployment of stent between gallbladder and stomach/duodenal lumen). The secondary outcomes were clinical success (defined as resolution of symptoms of acute cholecystitis and more than > 50% reduction in bilirubin level within two weeks in distal biliary obstruction), adverse event rate, 30-day mortality rate and 90-day reintervention rate. RESULTS: Total 29 patients (mean age 65.86 ± 12.91, 11 female) underwent EUS-GBD. The indication for EUS-GBD were acute cholecystitis (79.31%) and rescue biliary drainage for malignant distal biliary obstruction (20.69%). LAMS was deployed in 92.86%, predominantly by free-hand technique (78.57%). Technical and clinical success rates were 96.55% and 82.75%, respectively. Adverse events occurred in 27.59% patients, with severe adverse events (bile leak and bleeding) being uncommon (10%). Both 30-day mortality rate and 90-day reintervention rate were 13.79% in patients. Cholecysto-duodenal fistula facilitated cholecystoscopic intervention and stone removal in one patient and transgastric EUS-GBD did not hamper bilio-enteric anastomosis during Whipple surgery in two patients. CONCLUSION: EUS-GBD is a safe and effective technique for managing acute cholecystitis in high-risk patients and for biliary drainage in cases with malignant distal biliary obstruction.

History of the Interventional Pancreaticobiliary Endoscopy.

With the introduction of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and linear endoscopic ultrasound, interventional pancreaticobiliary (PB) endoscopy has had an enormous impact in the management of pancreatic and biliary diseases. Continuous efforts to improve various devices and techniques have revolutionized these treatment modalities as viable alternatives to surgery. In recent years, trends toward combining endoscopic techniques with other modalities, such as laparoscopic and radiological interventions, for complex PB diseases have emerged using a multidisciplinary approach. Ongoing research and clinical experience will lead to refinements in interventional PB endoscopic techniques and subsequently improve outcomes and reduce complication rates.

Percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage versus endoscopic gallbladder stenting for managing acute cholecystitis until laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Gallbladder drainage by methods such as percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage (PTGBD) or endoscopic gallbladder stenting (EGBS) is important in the early management of moderate to severe acute cholecystitis. METHODS: In patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for acute cholecystitis after a month or more of gallbladder drainage, the clinical course was compared between patients initially treated with PTGBD or EGBS. RESULTS: Among 331 patients undergoing LC for cholecystitis between 2018 and 2022, 43 first underwent 1 or more months of gallbladder drainage. The median interval between drainage initiation and LC was 89 days (range, 28-261) among 34 patients with PTGBD and 70 days (range, 62-188) among nine with EGBS (p = 0.644). During this waiting period, PTGBD was clamped in six patients and removed in five. Cholecystitis relapsed in three PTGBD patients (9%) and four EGBS patients (44%; p = 0.026). Relapses were managed with medications. Cholecystectomy duration (p = 0.022), intraoperative blood loss (p = 0.026), frequency of abdominal drain insertion (p = 0.023), and resort to bailout surgery such as fundus-first approaches (p = 0.030) were significantly greater in patients with EGBS. Postoperative complications were somewhat likelier (p = 0.095) and postoperative hospital stays were longer (p = 0.007) in the EGBS group. CONCLUSION: Among patients whose LC was performed 1 or more months after initiation of drainage, daily living during the waiting period associated with drainage was well supported by EGBS, but LC and the postoperative course were more complicated than in PTGBD patients.

Current Operative Approaches to the Diseased Gallbladder. Diagnosis and Management Updates for General Surgeons.

Cholecystitis is a common diagnosis which requires management by general surgeons. Morbidity from cholecystitis is often life-threatening, especially in patients with underlying liver cirrhosis or other medical comorbidities. Diagnosis and management of this disease can vary among providers and hospitals. The decision to utilize a radiological or endoscopic temporizing maneuver in severe acute cholecystitis and the timing of later definitive cholecystectomy are relevant points of discussion within general surgery societies. In the last 5 years, the use of intraoperative ductal imaging by conventional vs fluorescence cholangiography had gained significant interest due to the widespread availability of indocyanine green. Finally, the operative strategies and how to manage intra-/postoperative complications are very important to optimizing patient outcomes. In this review paper, we discuss all treatment aspects of cholecystitis and provide updates in its management.

Strategy Comparison of Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Gallbladder Drainage to Percutaneous Transhepatic Gallbladder Drainage, Following Failed Emergent Endoscopic Transpapillary Gallbladder Drainage.

Endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder drainage (ETGBD) is recommended for patients with acute cholecystitis at high risk for surgery/percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage (PTGBD). Endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage (EUS-GBD) has higher success and mortality rates than ETGBD. Optimal endoscopic drainage remains controversial. Patients with moderate/severe acute cholecystitis and high risk for surgery/PTGBD who underwent ETGBD were enrolled. In the new-ETGBD (N-ETGBD)/traditional-ETGBD (T-ETGBD) strategy, patients in whom the initial ETGBD failed underwent rescue-EUS-GBD in the same endoscopic session/rescue-PTGBD, respectively. Therapeutic outcomes were compared. Patients who could not undergo rescue-EUS-GBD/PTGBD owing to poor general conditions received conservative treatment. Technical success was defined as successful ETGBD or successful rescue-EUS-GBD/PTGBD. Forty-one/forty patients were enrolled in the N-ETGBD/T-ETGBD groups, respectively. The N-ETGBD group had a higher, though non-significant, technical success rate compared to the T-ETGBD group (97.6 vs. 90.0%, p = 0.157). The endoscopic technical success rate was significantly higher in the N-ETGBD than in the T-ETGBD group (97.6 vs. 82.5%, p = 0.023). The clinical success/adverse event rates were similar between both groups. The hospitalization duration was significantly shorter in the N-ETGBD than in the T-ETGBD group (6.6 ± 3.9 vs. 10.1 ± 6.4 days, p < 0.001). ETGBD with EUS-GBD as a rescue backup may be an ideal hybrid drainage for emergency endoscopic gallbladder drainage in high-risk surgical patients.

Assessment of Gallbladder Drainage Methods in the Treatment of Acute Cholecystitis: A Literature Review.

Gallbladder drainage is a treatment option in high-risk surgical patients with moderate or severe acute cholecystitis. It may be applied as a bridge to cholecystectomy or a definitive treatment option. Apart from the simple and widely accessible percutaneous cholecystostomy, new attractive techniques have emerged in the previous decade, including endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder drainage and endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage. The aim of this paper is to present currently available drainage techniques in the treatment of AC; evaluate their technical and clinical effectiveness, advantages, possible adverse events, and patient outcomes; and illuminate the decision-making path when choosing among various treatment modalities for each patient, depending on their clinical characteristics and the accessibility of methods.

Endoscopic ultrasound in the management of acute cholecystitis.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage (EUS-GBD) is increasingly utilised for patients with acute cholecystitis who are high-risk candidates for surgery. The technique to perform EUS-GBD has evolved and matured over the last two decades since EUS-GBD was first described in 2007 using a nasobiliary catheter. Compared to percutaneous gallbladder drainage (PT-GBD), EUS-GBD offers benefits of shorter hospitalisation stay and lesser procedural pain and need for reintervention. The purpose of this review is to provide an updated review of the equipment and techniques available for EUS-GBD, outcomes of the procedure and how it compares against endoscopic transpapillary drainage (ET-GBD), PT-GBD and laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Controversies surrounding the procedure will also be discussed.

How to treat remnant cholecystitis after subtotal cholecystectomy: two case reports.

BACKGROUND: Subtotal cholecystectomy in patients with severe acute cholecystitis is considered a "bailout" option when the safety of the bile duct cannot be guaranteed. However, subtotal cholecystectomy has a long-term risk of remnant cholecystitis. The appropriate management of remnant cholecystitis has not been fully elucidated. CASE PRESENTATION: Case 1 was a 66-year-old man who had undergone subtotal cholecystectomy 14 years prior to the development of remnant cholecystitis. We first performed endoscopic gallbladder drainage to minimize inflammation, and then proceeded with elective surgery. We performed a reconstituting procedure for the residual gallbladder due to significant adhesions between the cystic and common bile ducts. Case 2 was a 56-year-old man who had undergone subtotal cholecystectomy for abscess-forming perforated cholecystitis 2 years prior to the development of remnant cholecystitis. He underwent endoscopic drainage followed by complete remnant cholecystectomy 4 months later. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic gallbladder drainage is a useful strategy to improve inflammation and reduce the risk of bile duct injury during remnant cholecystectomy.

Magnetic cholecysto-duodenal anastomosis.

INTRODUCTION: There is a growing interest in minimally invasive endoscopic gallbladder drainage therapies. Unlike stenting, a technology based on magnetic compression could theoretically produce a durable drainage anastomosis without residual foreign material. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and technical feasibility of a cholecysto-duodenal magnetic compression anastomosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed a survival study of two Yorkshire pigs. Duodenal magnets were deployed endoscopically; reciprocal gallbladder magnets were placed laparoscopically, and the magnets were coupled. Pigs underwent serial endoscopy documenting magnet expulsion and evolution of cholecysto-duodenal anastomosis creation. Necropsies and histological evaluation were performed. Primary endpoints were technical success and safety. Secondary endpoints included anastomosis integrity, patency, and histologic characteristics. RESULTS: Magnets were successfully delivered and coupled. Patent, leak-free anastomoses formed by day 4. Magnets were expelled by day 10. All anastomoses were widely patent at one month (mean diameter 15 mm). Necropsy showed the absence of adhesions affecting the anastomosis. Histology showed complete re-epithelialization without inflammation or foreign body reaction. CONCLUSIONS: Magnetic cholecysto-duodenal anastomosis for gallbladder drainage appears safe and feasible in the animal model. The anastomoses are patent, leak-free, and without inflammation from the presence of foreign material. Technical modifications for magnet delivery under endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) guidance are currently underway.

Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Gallbladder Drainage.

The mainstay of management of acute cholecystitis is surgical. Despite the advances in anesthesia and laparoscopic surgery, there is a significant pool of patients that are not candidates for surgery given their significant comorbidities and limited functional reserve. Historically percutaneous gallbladder drainage has been utilized to temporize these patients. Recently, endoscopic approaches are being explored with transpapillary and transmural drainage. In this article, we discuss the background, current status, technical challenges, adverse events, and outcomes of endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage for management of acute cholecystitis.

Endoscopic Transpapillary Gallbladder Drainage for Acute Cholecystitis.

The mainstay of management of acute cholecystitis has been surgical, with percutaneous gallbladder drainage in patients deemed high risk for surgical intervention. Endoscopic management of acute cholecytitis with transpapillary and transmural drainage of the gall bladder is emerging as a viable alternative in high-risk surgical patients. In this article, we discuss the background, current status, technical challenges and strategies to overcome them, adverse events, and outcomes of endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder drainage for management of acute cholecystitis.

EUS guided gallbladder drainage.

Cholecystectomy is the gold standard treatment for acute cholecystitis, but it may not be appropriate for patients with significant comorbidities. Percutaneous gallbladder drainage (PT-GBD) and endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder drainage (ET-GBD) are alternatives with good technical and clinical success rates, but are limited by technical challenges and the need for definitive therapy. EUS-guided gallbladder drainage (EUS-GBD) is quickly becoming the preferred modality of treatment at expert centers in this cohort of patients due to increased efficacy and minimal adverse events. Technicalities of the procedure, including selection of access site, should be informed by the ultimate needs and anatomy of each patient. With the evolution of new stents and accessories, including a cautery-enhanced lumen apposing metal stent deployment system, success rates and adverse events are favorable. A review of published case series demonstrates an overall clinical success rate of approximately 97% for EUS-GBD. The most common complication is pneumoperitoneum, so the evolution of self-expanding LAMS is promising. EUS-GBD has been successfully described in cases where definitive therapy or a bridge to cholecystectomy is needed. As the procedure's applications continue to evolve, there should be greater discussion about specific details including access site and stent selection.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage by transduodenal lumen-apposing metal stent in a patient with Roux-en-Y reconstruction.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage (EUS-GBD) is increasingly recognized as an effective and safe treatment option in patients with acute cholecystitis (AC) who are deemed unfit for cholecystectomy. Recent studies suggest that an endoscopic approach to biliary decompression may reduce patient discomfort and procedure-related costs compared with the standard percutaneous transhepatic GBD, while maintaining high rates of technical and clinical success. Here we present a case of a EUS-GBD in an elderly patient with AC and with altered anatomy due to a previous partial gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y reconstruction for gastric cancer. The linear array echoendoscope was carefully advanced within the afferent limb until EUS gallbladder visualization was achieved. Transmural GBD was then performed by placement of an electrocautery-enhanced lumen-apposing metal stent. If alternative treatments are precluded, EUS-GBD in patients with AC and altered anatomy is a feasible and effective therapeutic option when performed by experienced endoscopists.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage: Current status and future prospects.

Early surgical treatment using the laparoscopic approach is generally accepted as the treatment of choice for acute cholecystitis (AC) according to Tokyo Guidelines 2018 (TG2018). If the patient is a poor candidate for surgery because of the presence of advanced malignancy or severe organ failure, this treatment may be too invasive. In such cases, gallbladder drainage is considered an alternative treatment method to surgery. Several drainage methods have been established, such as percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage (PTGBD) or endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder drainage (ETGBD) under endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), including endoscopic naso-gallbladder drainage (ENGBD) and endoscopic gallbladder stenting (EGBS). PTGBD is a well-established procedure that is relatively easily carried out by general clinicians. And ETGBD has been developed as an alternative drainage method. The procedure also calls for guidewire passage across the cystic duct. Therefore, in AC cases who are contraindicated for surgery, PTGBD should be considered before ETGBD, and ETGBD may be considered only in high-volume institutes where expert hands are available, as described in the TG2018. However, there are several limitations to these procedures. Recently, endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage (EUS-GBD) is increasingly being done as an alternative method to PTGBD and ETGBD. In this review, the current status and problems of EUS-GBD are reviewed, including technical review and clinical data of previous papers, current indication, long-term outcome, and comparison data with PTGBD or ETGBD, and their future prospects are discussed.

Current Status of Endoscopic Gallbladder Drainage.

The gold standard for treatment of acute cholecystitis is laparoscopic cholecystectomy. However, cholecystectomy is often not suitable for surgically unfit patients who are too frail due to various co-morbidities. As such, several less invasive endoscopic treatment modalities have been developed to control sepsis, either as a definitive treatment or as a temporizing modality until the patient is stable enough to undergo cholecystectomy at a later stage. Recent developments in endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage (EUS-GBD) with endoscopic ultrasound EUS-specific stents having lumen-apposing properties have demonstrated potential as a definitive treatment modality. Furthermore, advanced gallbladder procedures can be performed using the stents as a portal. With similar effectiveness as percutaneous transhepatic cholecystostomy and lower rates of adverse events reported in some studies, EUS-GBD has opened exciting possibilities in becoming the next best alternative in treating acute cholecystitis in surgically unfit patients. The aim of this review article is to provide a summary of the various methods of gallbladder drainage GBD with particular focus on EUS-GBD and the many new prospects it allows.

International collaborative study on EUS-guided gallbladder drainage: Are we ready for prime time?

BACKGROUND: Cholecystectomy remains the gold standard treatment of cholecystitis. Endoscopic treatment of cholecystitis includes transpapillary gallbladder drainage. Recently, endoscopic ultrasound-guided transmural drainage of the gallbladder (EUS-GBD) has been reported. This study reports the cumulative experience of an international group performing EUS-GBD. METHODS: Cases of EUS-GBD from January 2012 to November 2013 from 3 tertiary-care institutions were captured in a registry. Patient demographics, disease characteristics, procedural and clinical outcomes were recorded. RESULTS: 35 patients (15 malignant, 20 benign) were included. Median age was 81 years (SD=13.76 years), sixteen (46%) were males. Median follow-up was 91.5 days (SD=157 days). Transmural access was obtained from the stomach (n=17) or duodenum (n=18). Stents placed included plastic (n=6), metal (n=20), or combination (n=7). Technical success was achieved in 91.4% (n=32). Immediate adverse events (14%) included: bleeding, stent migration, cholecystitis and hemoperitoneum. Delayed adverse events (11%) included abscess formation and recurrence of cholecystitis. Long-term clinical success rate was 89%. Stent type and puncture site were not associated with immediate (p=0.88, p=0.62), or long-term (p=0.47, p=0.27) success. CONCLUSIONS: EUS-GBD appears to be feasible, safe, and effective. Prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings and identify the best technique to use. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT01522573.